“I just don’t think I can.”

“Sure you can. You can do this. You were perfect in rehearsal yesterday. Your body knows how to do this, even if your mind is saying you don’t.”

“My mind is saying I’m an idiot. My mind is saying that I am 41 years old and I have no business doing a dance number on stage.”

“How old will you be if you don’t do the dance number?”

I’m sure she could hear my eye roll.

“Don’t try and positive affirmation me, Ginny! I just don’t think I can do this. I don’t want to.”

“Is this one of those times when you will swear up until the last second that you can’t do something and then at crunch time, you’ll be standing on your mark? All right, carry on with your faux-panic then.” She whirled off, the taps on her shoes clicking against the floorboards as she abandoned me to my self-pity.

The main problem with bringing my best friend when I try something new is that she knows me too well.

I straightened my shoulders and waited in the wings for my cue.