Her Turn in The Spotlight

It’s amazing, how dreams come true.

They don’t arrive in a unicorn or rainbow kind of way. Real Dreams don’t roll up in a glitter-covered pumpkin carriage. No, that’s not how real dreams arrive.

Real dreams take work. The blood, sweat, and tears kind. The middle of the night in the pouring down rain and a 10-degree windchill with a fever but you’re going to get this done because you know you have to kind of work.

Your dreams don’t care who else cares about them. They aren’t dreaming your dreams. 

Olivia Nicole Davies arrived at the Oscars in a long sleek pearl white limousine with her daughter and her son-in-law who were there to make sure Olivia enjoyed this night, no matter what happened. 

The car finally pulled into place where, when the door was opened by a tuxedoed valet, she would step out onto a red carpet. Paparazzi would take her picture and TV stations and their most beautiful and famous reporters from all over the world would be waiting to stick microphones in her face and ask her the same question over and over again, “Are you excited about tonight?”

Rebecca grabbed her mother's hand and shook it, “this is so exciting mom.”

Even the ever-cool Hank sounded excited as he looked outside the tinted windows. “Wow, yeah this is really something.” But in Hank style, he added, “don’t worry, we'll be right beside you.”

Rebecca reminded her mother to breathe. Olivia took a big deep breath and exhaling slowly as the valet opened the door and the lights began to flash.

Hank kept his word and the two of them close to Olivia as they walk the red carpet and she answered the same question over and over again, doing her best not to repeat herself with answers like Over the moon, Beyond my wildest dreams, incredibly excited, so very honored, I can't thank everyone enough.

She introduced her daughter and her son-in-law every chance she got. Calling her my inspiration, the love of my life, she would squeeze her daughter's shoulders, and beam at Hank, the best husband a mother could wish for her daughter. 

They reached their seats and she tried not to think about the people who were sitting around her. People she'd idolized and studied, and maybe even stalked a little.

About to be judged among them.

I deserve to be here. She whispered to herself with her eyes closed. I deserve to be here.

“No matter what happens tonight, you deserve to be here mom.” Rebecca knew what she was thinking. How could she not, they’d had this conversation a hundred times since Olivia had received the news: Her screenplay and movie had been nominated for an Oscar. 

She started hearing those kinds of words when she presented the screenplay and the story to the final powers that be who made the movie. By then she'd been able to perfect it, it was her life's work. Something she thought about and worked on every single day for nearly a decade. Yes, she’d answer them, that is the dream.

Her movie was being called the greatest story ever told, even rivaling the other greatest story ever told. The alternative history she presented made so much more sense than the one the world had been living.

The experience of creating the movie, the actresses and actors, and an army of people, breathing life into the story she and her imagination had so lovingly lived with, was when she discovered what sweet dreams are made of.

The day she sat in on filming the scene where her main character stands in the tower as she watches over what's being built beneath her, was a special moment. Here was the scene she had been envisioning in her imagination for so long that to actually see it, she almost couldn't believe it was real. Another moment when she knew dreams, at any age, no matter who you are or where you’re from can come true.

Olivia waited as calmly and patiently as she could, through opening monologue, the songs, the presenters, other awards, and the winners, some from her movie too, giving their speeches and her heart would go from pounding to skipping beats and possibly even stopping. What if my name is actually called?

She ran her fingers over the hidden pocket in the couture red velvet gown, where one 5 x 7 note card was folded into fourths. Her words.

Her mind raced, seemingly looking for memories to remind her of how bad she is at public speaking. No, she scolded the busy body in her head, this is something I’ve been practicing for a long time. This is what I dreamed of. This what I want and who I was born to be. 

She pictured the wall her mind was trying to build, and with an exhale of the breath she’d been holding Olivia imagined it fluttering away like a million butterflies being lifted by a soft breeze towards the sun.

Rebecca grabbed her hand, “mom, this is it.” Hank even reached over to put his on top of theirs. Olivia covered her mouth to hide her quivering lips.

Olivia’s most favorite women in the world, Tina Fey and Shonda Rhimes stood at the podium, telling pointed jokes about the differences between women and men in the industry before they got down to the business of announcing the name of the winner. It was almost enough that her name had been read by these women to this crowd as a nominee.

Almost.

There were more jokes before the envelope was opened.

Olivia gasped when together, Tina and Shonda shouted her name and the name of her movie. She felt the thunderous applause of the crowd wrap around her very soul.

Still holding the hands of her daughter and son-in-law, the three of them stood and moved past the knees of people who congratulated her and handed Hank business cards. Linked together they made their way to the foot of the stairs where Olivia and Rebecca paused to gather the hems of their gowns before making the climb to the podium.

This is where she stopped. Even though she knew her time was short, Olivia took two deep breaths while the crowd continued to clap and cheer. She slipped the notecard from her pocket and unfolded it slowly before looking out into the crowd and giving the speech she’d been practicing for nearly forty years of her life that began with,

“Don’t ever give up on your dreams.”