You know, I never met my maternal grandmother, she passed away years before I was born, my Mom and her were really close. So Mrs. Miller has always been like family to me, but she might join my grandmother soon. Her health has been declining lately and no one knows how much time she has left. It hurts to see someone you care about get worse and worse and not being able to do anything about it. Personal experience. 

But this isn't time to get emotional, I'm going back to the Studio and the show today after being a week in LA, and I have catched up with everything, thanks to Kenz and Mads. We arrive at the studio and go into the Dancer's Den, I was wearing some pink and black ALDC dancewear and my hair was on a high ponytail and I had a pink bow. Kenzie was going to have a mini photoshoot on the studio today, to promote her new singing career, and it sounds cool. 

"Let's go. Come on. All right, congratulations girls. The group was the overall high scoring winning routine 12 times in a row. I wanted a 12th for my shelf and now I have it. All right, you are going, once again, to Ohio. Columbus, Ohio. Let's get to the pyramid, okay? Melanie, you were in LA filming a show, and I think that's great, now you need to get your head back in the game."

Kalani

Nia Chloe Kendall Mackenzie Maddie Melanie

"Let me give out the assignments, let's go, this week, moms, I might not be there. As you know, my mother is dying. She's not gonna get better, she's not going to be cured. Right now, what the hospice care tries to do is to make her comfortable." Abby tells us and I start tearing up.

"Can I say something? I just want to tell you that, thank you so much for letting me be such a part of your mom's life. These last couple of years, we've been-- your Mom-- Like I told her today-- She looks right in my eyes and I said, 'You know, Mom, you are my mom now, because my mom left me so long ago. I love her so much. I love you, and--" Mom says as everyone starts crying and Abby hugs Maddie.

"There's some place better." Abby whispers.

"But she's gonna be, she-she's gonna be so much better, you know?" Mom says and continues crying.

"There are good dance teachers, and there are bad dance teachers, but every dance teacher has to love children. They would never do this job. There are a million other jobs that you could do besides this." Abby says and hugs Chloe, "My mother, even at this age, has people working in the entertainment industry. You never know where it's gonna stop, and you never know what you're gonna end up doing. This career could take you onward and upward to a million things. And that's why I believe that every child should dance. Okay all right. Solos. Kendall, you're doing a solo. It is called 'Dream It'. I want you to dream that your feet are stretched. Nia, solo. Nia, the name of your solo is called 'Damsel In Distress' it is a musical theater piece. Melanie, you have a solo and the name of it is 'Don't Your Worry Child', and it is dedicated to my mother."

Everything goes silent and emotional for a moment.

"The cheery mood disappeared, okay. Duet. Chloe and Kalani. The name of your duet is 'For You, Too' and the group routine. Until now, everybody's in it. It is called 'Bollywood And Vine'. Like Hollywood and Vine. So, let's get working. Ready? Come on, girls, spread apart."

The group dance rehearsal was honestly kinda fun, but Abby is obviously under a lot of stress, I mean her mom is slowly dying. All of the girls leave and I'm left alone for my solo rehearsal. Gianna was going to be the one in charge of it, instead of as usual, Abby.

"I know you don't really like them, but this is on the dance so we need to use it." Gianna sys and gives me a teddy bear.

"This is a prop?" I ask and she nods.

"Yup." She answers, "Let's go over the dance again."

As I dance those words are all over my head 'There's some place better'. Maybe life is just a dream and someday we just wake up from it. I can't imagine coming to the dance studio and Mrs. Miller not being there. I literally have known her my whole entire life, and I'm not ready to let her go, not yet, not ever. Tears start falling as I finish and hug the teddy bear tightly, that is also the ending pose.

"Come here." Gianna says and I run and hug her "It's all going to be okay."

•Audition Day•

Today I was wearing some red and black ALDC dancewear and my hair was on a perfect bun. We were all waiting to audition for Kenzie's video, I mean Mack Z's, Abby doesn't want us saying Mackenzie, she wants Mack Z. 

"Okay, number 13 go in." Abby says and Maddie does some improv, when she is over she high fives me, "Number 14 go."

I do some improv and some sassy facial expressions and then leave.

"So, number six, you and your mom can leave, thank you very much. 19, I am gonna use you to do some of the stuff on the bed with the younger people."

The ones that were chosen were number 19, 22, 1, 13, 2, 6, 3, 17, 5 and I, 14. I was actually one of the last ones to get picked. I was picked before Maddie, that was almost an assistant.

"Okay, everybody, congratulations. You will be dancing in the video." Abby says and we all clap and cheer.

We all then have to spread apart to start practicing the group. 

"We have another problem with the costumes again this week. And I'm not gonna do what I did last week. Everybody brought old stuff in and we made do, we made do, I don't want to make do. I don't want to make any chances. I'm gonna see the group number once and I'm pulling somebody, let's go."

Nia was the one pulled after all, and it was sad, but we gotta move on, right?

•Competition Day•

I enter the dressing room with my costume on. Holly starts working on my hair because Mom was talking with Abby, who was back at Pittsburgh with her Mom. Maddie does my makeup and I take the yeddy bear.

We all go backstage and I'm the first one to go.

"Next up is contestant number 16, please welcome Melanie performing 'Don't You Worry Child'."

I kneel down and look at the teddy bear. 

There was a time, I used to look into my mother's eyes
In a happy home, I was a queen I had a golden throne
Those days are gone, now the memories are on the wall
I hear the sounds from the places where I was born

Up on the hill across the blue lake
That's where I had my first heart break
I still remember how it all changed
My mother said
Don't you worry, don't you worry child
See heaven's got a plan for you
Don't you worry, don't you worry now, yeah

Don't you worry, don't you worry child
See heaven's got a plan for you
Don't you worry, don't you worry now, yeah

There was a time, I met a guy of a different kind
We ruled the world,
Thought I'll never lose him out of sight
We were so young
I think of him now and then
I still hear the songs, reminding me of a friend

Up on the hill across the blue lake
That's where I had my first heart break
I still remember how it all changed
My mother said
Don't you worry, don't you worry child
See heaven's got a plan for you
Don't you worry, don't you worry now, yeah

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
See heaven's got a plan for you
Don't you worry, don't you worry child
See heaven's got a plan for you
Don't you worry, don't you worry now, yeah

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah 

The dance ends with me running towards the teddy bear, kneeling down on front of it, and taking it and hugging it. I try not to cry thinking once again about Mrs. Miller and how this dance was dedicated to her. Everyone starts cheering and clapping and I look at the judges, that were all crying. Whoa. I look towards the ALDC group and the Moms were sobbing, uncomfortable. I leave the stage and I'm greeted by Chloe and Kalani. I decide to go back to the dressing room instead of waiting for the rest to finish. 

I change into the group dance costume and I start doing my hair when the rest arrive. I quickly do my makeup and then line up with the rest of the girls. 

"I know you guys have been preoccupied with that board in the back of the room. You guys have been-- have been doing well. You guys have been winning. But now's the time that counts, because now is the time that Abby's bringing those new people in." Gianna tells us, "You don't want them to pass you up. Right? You don't want them to be the new competition team. You guys want to be the only competition team. When you girls go onstage today and every time you do, Mrs. Miller is the reason that you're onstage and the reason you're performing and the reason you guys are so good, she's the reason behind it all." 

"Dear heavenly Father, thank you so much for bringing us all here today. But most importantly we are also thankful for allowing Mrs. Miller to be a part of our lives and that her legacy will continue to live on in each and every one of us because she has touched us. And please anoint each girl that they will do a phenomenal job onstage and bring a 13th victory home." Holly says.

"Amen." We all say in unison.

We all go backstage. 

"If we want to win, we have to stay together." Maddie tells us and we all hug.

"Please welcome to the stage, contestant number 66, 'Bollywood And Vine'."

As soon as we finish we leave the stage and we hug again.

~~~

"On third place we have contestant number 19, 'Enchanted'." The announcer says and Kenzie holds my hand tightly, "Now on second place we have contestant number 16, 'Don't You Worry Child'."

I stand up and go receive my award. I'm the first one to lose, and this dance was for Mrs. Miller. What have I done?

Nia was third, Kendall was second, Chloe and Kalani's duet was first and the group also was first. We all go back to the dressing room and I start taking my makeup off and the door suddenly opens.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but there was an error on the scores." The announcer says entering the dressing room.

"Of what category?" Gianna asks.

"The mini solo division, 'Don't You Worry Child' was actually first place, not second." He says and I smile.

"Oh, thank you." Mom says and he gives her the first place award.

He leaves and Mom decided to call Abby.

"Hello?"

"We won!"

"Oh. You guys. Thank your lucky stars."

"The highest score of the entire day!" Mom exclaims.

It turns out I was first place. Abby may stress us out on the dressing room and everywhere else, but we missed her here today, but she was missing for a good reason, and that is being with her Mother. Because no matter what, family always comes first.