Epilogue
SEVEN YEARS LATER…
Piper watched from the wings as the last few minutes of Grease unfolded for the final time this season. This afternoon’s Sunday matinee performance would close out the third season of the Driftwood Bay Summer Playhouse, a dream she had brought to reality.
She had decided when she returned to college that she didn’t want to pursue a theater degree.
She had plenty of experience in that area, so she set her sights on a business degree to fill in the gaps.
Starting up a summer theater program in her hometown was ambitious, but visitors who came to the Texas coast needed to find things to do after the sun set—and Piper had decided opening a playhouse would be a great way to give back to the community, as well as entertain visitors to the Bay.
They also drew a decent nightly crowd from those who stayed at Tidewater.
After only three years in operation, her playhouse was beginning to gain attention and recognition beyond the Texas coast.
Sullivan had helped her put together a partnership, which was responsible for purchasing the building.
He had helped lead the renovations and pitched in that first season in designing and building the sets.
Without her husband’s help, Piper could not have accomplished so much in such a short amount of time.
She had gone to her university in Corpus, along with talking with the local community college reps and Driftwood Bay High School drama teacher, drawing from their resources to get the playhouse up and running.
Students from these three departments served as actors, technicians for lighting and sound, and costume designers.
The musicians for each musical had also come from these groups, as well as students who handled marketing, the playhouse’s website, and even ushers, ticket sellers, and concession workers.
All these students were offered school credit for their volunteer work, and the program had only grown since it began.
Piper hired a stage manager who also served as the playhouse’s chief fundraiser.
Another paid position had been the stage manager, who coordinated rehearsals and performances and served as the front-of-house manager, while she took on the role as the director for each musical.
That first year, she had also choreographed the musical numbers, as well as handling vocal director duties.
All that was accomplished while she was a new mother to Lizzy, named after Pride and Prejudice’s Elizabeth Bennet.
Her last semester in college, Piper had been as big as a barn door, scheduled to deliver her firstborn three day after graduation.
Lizzy had a different idea about how she would come into the world, however.
Piper had just walked across the stage and received her diploma and was headed back to her seat when her water broke.
Since, as a Shepherd, she was among the S-students graduating, she waited until the ceremonies ended and a few pictures had been taken before she whispered to Sullivan that they needed to head to the hospital.
She rubbed her baby bump now, thinking she looked as if someone had slipped a basketball under her shirt.
Baby Number Two was due in less than a week, and Piper was happy today’s musical was now concluding.
She hadn’t wanted to give birth before the season ended and she put her playhouse baby to bed.
Thunderous applause sounded, and actors went out for their curtain calls.
Then she heard her name being chanted, and the actor who played Danny Zuko came to get her, leading Piper to the center of the stage, where she was given a bouquet of red roses.
She usually said a few words at the end of each season, never planning ahead of time what she would say.
Piper had learned to speak from the heart in these moments.
Gazing out at the audience, she saw so many of her friends and people she knew from the Bay, which filled her with a sense of satisfaction and pride.
“Thank you,” she began, quickly collecting her thoughts.
“When I started the Driftwood Bay Playhouse, I had no idea it would grow into what it’s become.
Four years ago, I was a recent college graduate with a newborn—and a dream.
My husband, Sullivan Shepherd, helped support me making my dream a reality. ”
She swallowed, her gaze meeting his, love for this man filling her.
“The first year, I ran myself ragged, putting on four shows. The residents of Driftwood Bay, along with the numerous visitors to the Texas coast, really turned out and made that inaugural season a roaring success. I was able to arrange for others to handle the choreography and vocal direction, in subsequent seasons, thanks to the partnerships our playhouse has formed with our high school and local universities. Now, students earn college credits for their participation at the playhouse. I only directed two of the six shows we put on this season. The others were helmed by graduate students working toward their MFA in directing.”
The lights were hot and the roses’ scent a little too strong, so Piper turned and handed the bouquet to a nearby actor.
“We’re already accepting audition tapes for next season.
Performers are eager to be in a production at the Driftwood Bay Playhouse.
I try to choose musicals which are fresh and exciting, ones which will attract top actors and directors.
At the same time, I also try to blend in musicals familiar to our audiences.
I aim to attract audiences of all ages, which is why we put on Shrek and The Wizard of Oz for our younger fans this year, while still featuring classics such as Mamma Mia, Little Shop of Horrors, and My Fair Lady. ”
Piper smiled at the crowd. “Thank you to my husband, Sullivan Shepherd, for all his support in everything I do, as well as my parents and our friends. I hope one day I might even see my daughter Lizzy up here, singing and dancing her heart out.” She rubbed her belly.
“Or the newest Shepherd, who should be making his appearance any day now. And to you, our loyal fans, thank you for supporting our playhouse and for making this the biggest and best season yet.”
A rousing cheer sounded, and she waved to the crowd. Suddenly, a familiar feeling swept over her, with a quick whoosh.
“Not again,” she said under her breath, shaking her head.
Sullivan must have realized what happened. He scooped up Lizzy, who sat in his lap, and placed her in her mom’s lap and said something quickly. Then he strode to the stage and hopped on it.
Grinning at her, he said, “Come on, pretty mama. We’ve got a date with an OB—and we better not be late. I’ve learned from our friends that second babies can come awfully fast.”
He led her offstage, adding, “I handed Lizzy off to Mom and told her we’d call them from the hospital.”
“You think of everything,” she said, still thinking how much this man made her swoon.
They reached his car, and he tucked her into the passenger’s seat before racing around and jumping behind the wheel. Piper was already texting her OB, who told her to come straight to the hospital. She laughed at the rest of the message.
“What’s so funny?” Sullivan asked.
“Dr. B said we might beat her there. She’s at the beach with her family and said she’d leave now. That she’d be the one in the room smelling of sunscreen and salt.”
He threaded his fingers through hers. “We’re going to have a baby again.”
Love washed over her. “Yes, we are.”
“I kinda miss that baby smell,” he told her. “With Lizzy walking and talking so much, it’ll be nice to have a baby again.”
“I hope her nose won’t get too far out of joint,” Piper said. “She’s used to being the main act.”
“She’ll love her little brother,” Sullivan assured her. “Will she boss him around? That’s a definite. But she’ll take to him.”
They arrived at the hospital, and Piper was placed in a wheelchair. She was taken up to a room while Sullivan filled out some paperwork.
She wanted him not to take too long and said, “I’ve been timing my contractions. We don’t have long.”
“I’ll be up fast,” he promised. “I’ll bring your suitcase with me.”
He had insisted on putting her packed suitcase in the car every time they went somewhere for the last two weeks. Now, she was glad he had done so.
She reached the labor and delivery floor and was taken to a room and prepped. Her OB arrived, and Piper updated Dr. B on her contractions.
“Where were you when your water broke?” the doctor asked. “A better story than last time?”
Piper shook her head. “I’d just finished delivering my farewell to the season speech on stage. At least we got in the last performance before I went into labor.” She groaned. “This is a big one.”
Dr. B checked her as Sullivan rushed into the room, wearing a hospital gown, his hairnet sitting jauntily on his head.
“How is she, Dr. B?”
“Piper is fine. The head is crowning. Stand by—because we’re going to have a baby join us very soon. Piper, next contraction, push for your life.”
“Got it,” she said, gritting her teeth as Sullivan joined her and took her hand in his. The wave of pain struck her, and she bore down hard, gripping her husband’s hand tightly.
“Good job. The head is through,” the OB said. “Give me another great push to get the shoulders to pass.”
She did her breathing, Sullivan panting along with her in unison, and pushed again with all her might with the next contraction.
“Nice work, Piper,” the doctor praised. “Ooh, slippery little thing. He’s all the way out. And as handsome as they come.”
Sullivan leaned closer for a better look. “Yup. He’s a keeper.”
The baby’s Apgar score was nine both times it was taken by his pediatrician. He was cleaned up, along with Piper, and a nurse placed the newborn in her arms.
“We’ll give you some family time now,” Dr. B said. “Congratulations, Shepherds, on your new addition to the family.”
The room emptied, leaving them alone, and Sullivan took his son’s small fist, brushing a kiss on his brow and then Piper’s.
“So, Regency Romance Queen, what are we going to name this one?”
Her husband had been understanding when Piper hadn’t wanted to choose names for their firstborn months in advance.
She’d told him she wanted to actually see their baby before picking a name for her.
When she’d held their daughter, she just knew the baby was an Elizabeth, who would go by Lizzy, named after her favorite character from Pride and Prejudice.
Piper gazed with love at their newborn son, who opened his eyes and stared steadily at her. In that moment, she knew he would be calm and steadfast and had the perfect name for him.
“He’s going to be Brandon, after Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility.” She looked to Sullivan. “If that’s all right with you.”
Although Sullivan hadn’t read any Jane Austen, he had watched several movie versions of Austen novels with her, and he nodded approvingly.
“Brandon Shepherd. I like it.” He bent and kissed the baby’s head. Brandon yawned and closed his eyes. “And I like you, Piper Shepherd.”
Her husband’s lips touched hers, and joy filled Piper. They had added another child to their family.
And they were continuing to live their happily ever after, one day at a time.