Zoe and her friends peeked out from behind the curtain, watching the auditorium fill with people.
"Did your whole family come?" Mia asked her.
"I think so," Zoe answered, eyes peeled for any signs of the Hanson's. "I only just got home last night, so I didn't really get a chance to find out. Mom and Dad are definitely here though. Oh and Mac and Avie."
"Five minutes," Tanya called out. "Zoe, are you warmed up? How's the ankle?"
"It's good," she replied.
~*~*~*~
Avery took her seat beside Mac and looked over at her parents. "Who is Zo playing?"
"Clara," Diana replied, eyes shining with pride. "I can't believe how much she's grown in the last month."
In the time that she'd been away dancing, Zoe had grown a few inches and her body had slimmed down and toned up slightly. And with her blonde hair and her sparkling blue eyes, she looked every inch the ballerina.
Zac, Isaac and Natalie
"There they are," Isaac pointed.
"Marvellous," Zac said, surging ahead and leading the way.
Natalie followed, glad of having the night off. As much as she loved Ezra, it was nice to have a break.
Avery
"Hey kids," Avery said, grinning at her brothers and Natalie.
"Long time no see. First off, Nat, how is my favourite nephew?"
"Your only nephew!" Mackie cut in.
"Details, details. Also, how was the tour?"
Zac, Isaac and Natalie
"Only nephew? We're going to forget about Saku, Tom, Brock, Brett, Tranno-Zirran... I think that's all the boys..." Zac said.
"He has to stop and think about it," Isaac mused.
"Shush!"
"Tour was great, by the way," Isaac nodded to Avery.
"And Ezra's great too. He's such a sweetie - especially when he's asleep," Natalie giggled. "But no, he's adorable. I can't wait to introduce him to everyone on Christmas."
Avery and Zoe
"Ah," Avery said to Zac. "But Tay is my favourite brother, so therefore, by default, Ez becomes my favourite nephew. And in my eyes, my only one. Although, I do love Saku, that little rascal."
Mack snickered. "I'm holding back until they all grow up more, then I can pick a favourite! Although, Saku is my favourite at the moment, because I know him the best."
The lights dimmed slightly, signalling the show was about to start.
~*~*~*~
Zoe finished the last of her stretching and smiled nervously at her friends as they got ready to begin.
Zac and Isaac
"I'm sure Saku will be thrilled to know he's so popular," Zac replied.
Isaac chuckled and settled in his seat. The opening music began and the curtains opened.
Zoe
Zoe waited patiently for her cue as the short prologue played out. The curtain went down briefly for the quick scene change and then it was time for her. She ran onto the stage to take her place, perfectly poised when the curtain was raised again.
She ran through her moves perfectly, standing tall and graceful, her technique obviously improved by her intensive training at the ballet school.
Soon, it was time for intermission.
Zac, Isaac and Natalie
"Hmm, note to self, when dancing ballet, you don't really rest your fingertip in the middle of your head when turning," Zac said.
"Since when do you dance any ballet?" asked Isaac, standing up.
"Umm, since... well, it's useful information to pass onto my daughters."
"Do you know all their names?"
"I have more daughters than sons, that's why I had to stop and think about it. And yes, I do know their names -"
"Yes, well," Natalie cut in before Zac could start listing them. "I'm feeling a bit peckish, anyone else?"
"I am," Diana replied.
"Zoe was very good."
"Why, thank you dear. I'm sure Zoe will be happy to hear you liked her performance."
Avery
"She's improved," Avery said to Natalie. "I mean, she was always good, better than the rest of us girls. I never stuck at ballet for that long, didn't really enjoy the structure, but for Zoe, it was like she was made for it."
She stood and stretched slightly, shirt riding up to show her little bump. "Hmmm, food, I think."
Natalie and Zac
Natalie nodded.
"Food is good," Zac agreed. "Who's with me?"
Avery
"Me."
Avery stretched again and adjusted her bag on her shoulder.
"Food food food food," she chanted.
Mackie giggled and joined in.
Zac and Natalie
"Okay then," Zac said.
"Could you get me a coffee?" Natalie asked.
"Sure."
"Yay."
He started leading the way through the crowd to the refreshment bar.
Avery and Zoe
Avery followed Zac, with Mackie following her, the two still talking about food and what they wanted.
"Chocolate," Mackie nodded. "Because for some reason, Mom doesn't serve us chocolate for dinner."
"Chocolate covered ham for Christmas?" Avery suggested. "That would be... interesting. After all, you can honey glaze a ham. Zac, what do you think?"
~*~*~*~
Zoe was backstage, resting from the first half of the show.
Zac
"I'm not sure. Would the salitness of ham go with the sweetness of chocolate?" Zac mused. "Would it depend on the kind of chocolate? Like, would a higher cocoa content chocolate go better with the ham than a higher sugar content chocolate? Maybe orange or strawberry chocolate go better?"
Avery
"But honey is sweet... although, honey does go well, because it's not as distinct as chocolate, I suppose."
Avery mused over that for a second.
"I think orange chocolate would be interesting with it. Let's convince Mom to do that."
Mack snorted. "Yeah, like she's going to ruin our Christmas dinner because we sudddenly showed an interest in ham experiments."
Zac
Zac chuckled as they arrived at the head of the queue.
"Okay, I'll have a coffee, and a large hot chips, and..."
He looked at Avery and Mackie.
Avery
Avery and Mckie chimed in with their orders and waited patiently for their food and drinks.
"So, do we know what the deal with Christmas is?" Avery asked Zac. "A huge thing? Or just a Hanson affair?"
Zac
Zac handed over the money and shoved the change into his pocket.
"Well, I think it's going to be mostly family this year," Zac replied. "That said, Faith, Tru and Airlia are going to be joining us. Well, maybe Faith."
Avery
"Oooooooohhhhhhh," Mackie said, drawing the word out and causing Avery to look at him strangely. "What? I always thought she was nice to look at."
Avery stifled her laugh behind her hand.
Zac
"Yes," Zac agreed. "She is nice to look at."
Their food was brought to them then, and Zac divded it amongst them for easier transport back tot heir seats.
Avery and Zoe
Avery was still snickering as they went back to sit down, but she was silenced by the food and the lights once again dimming, for the second half of the performance.
The curtains were lifted again, and the stage was sparkling with the new backdrop.
Zoe gracefully piroutted, her arms long and extended as she let herself glide along to the music.
Natalie
Natalie sipped at her coffee as she watched the ballerinas at work. They made it look so easy! The sign of a true professional, perhaps?
The show continued.
Avery and Zoe
The performance ended and as the lights slowly came back on, Avery wiped tears away from her cheeks.
"That was beautiful," she said to her mother. "She's improved."
Diana was beaming with pride. "She really has."
~*~*~*~
"Whooo hoooo!" came the cheer from backstage.
Zoe laughed and joined in with the cheering.
Natalie, Isaac and Zac
"Zoe was amazing," Natalie agreed.
"Awesome," Isaac said.
"So, when do we get to congratulate the little munchkin in person?" asked Zac.
"Munchkin?"
"Saku's been watching Full House lately."
"Saku. Right."
"Really," Zac insisted, bobbing his head up and down, grinning broadly.
Avery and Zoe
"I imagine as soon as she gets changed," Diana said, shaking her head slightly, but smiling at her children (and child in law).
"Well let's go!" Mackie bounced.
"Excited to see Zo... or someone else?" Avery asked slyly, following her younger brother.
Mackie blushed a little. "Excited to see Zoe of course!"
Avery smothered a grin. "Sureeeeeeeee, nothing to do with a certain classmate of hers?"
Zac, Isaac and Natalie
"Oooh-wahhh," Zac cheered. "Does Mackie have a cru-ush?"
"You are so juvinile," Isaac shook his head.
"Admit it, you would have said it if I hadn't."
"I will admit nothing of the sort."
"He's in denial," Zac nodded, leaning towards Natalie confidentially.
Avery and Zoe
"No!" Mackie denied vehemently. "I don't. I just want to see Zoe, is all!"
Avery snickered.
Zoe quickly changed into a pair of tracksuit pants and a baggy, falling off one shoulder shirt, then went out to find her family.
Isaac and Natalie
"It's okay, Mackie," Natalie said. "I believe you."
"So, where abouts are we meetign Zoe in this crowd?" Isaac asked.
Avery and Zoe
"Just outside the dressing rooms," Diana told them.
"Dressing rooms it is," Avery said, changing her course of direction. She rubbed her belly absently.
Zoe put her bag on the ground and waited patiently, smiling and chatting with the other various families as they came to collect their kids.
Isaac and Zac
"Hmm," Isaac said, noting the number of families outside the dressing rooms. "I think this is the place."
Zac snorted, but looked around for Zoe.
Zoe and Avery
Zoe spotted the familiar shag of Zac's hair and let out a loud squeal.
"ZACZACZAC!"
Avery turned to the rest of the family. "I'm guessing Zoe found Zac."
Zac
"ZOEZOEZOE!" Zac replied, with a huge grin.
He opened up his arms and gave her a hug.
"Hey you were fabulous."
Zoe and Avery
"THank you!" Zoe hugged Zac back.
"Hey superstar," Avery greeted.
Natalie and Isaac
"You were great," Natalie agreed.
Isaac listened to all the compliments, then grinned at Zoe and asked:
"Feet sore?"
Zoe and Avery
"A little, but in a good way," Zoe said, crinkling her nose up a bit.
"If it doesn't hurt, you're not doing it right," Avery suggested.
"It's a little bit like that," Zoe replied, smiling. "But it was really cool to dance with my old class again."
Isaac and Zac
"I bet they missed you heaps too," Isaac said.
"Did any of them go to New York too?" asked Zac.
Zoe and Avery
Zoe shook her head. "Nope, so I had to make new friends and everything."
Avery smiled. "I'm sure that was easy."
Zoe grinned and nodded. "Sorta, coz everyone was like me. They were alone!"
Zac and Isaac
"All alone together," Zac grinned.
"Again," Isaac added.
"Again?" Zac questioned.
"It felt like an incomplete sentance somehow."
"You're weird."
"And this is news?"
Zoe and Avery
"Mommy, are we going home now? I'm kinda hungry," Zoe said.
Avery nodded. "Mmm, food."
"Bet I'm hungrier," Mack put in.
"Nuh-uh!"
Zac
"Yes, we can go now. Did you want to go straight home? Or drop by somewhere for dinner?" Diana asked.
"Either way, can we invade?" Zac asked.
Zoe and Avery
"Either! Stop somewhere!" Zoe said excitedly, before turning to Zac. "And you better invade! I haven't seen you guys in months! Or a month. Or months?"
Avery laughed. "It's been so long that you forgot?"
"Yes."
Zac and Isaac
Zac grinned at Zoe.
"Well, lets find a nice place on the way home," Diana said.
"We'll follow," Isaac said, as the group started moving through the crowd towards the car park.
Zoe and Avery
"Yay!" Zoe and Mack cheered together, following their parents.
Avery hung back with Isaac, opting to go with her brothers.
Isaac
Isaac grinned at Avery.
And thus it was that the family enjoyed an nice dinner together before heading their separate ways home.