Julian left without raising his voice. His staff followed him through the narrow alley. The moment they disappeared, Ben Ortiz exhaled loudly.

‘Are we in trouble?’

‘No,’ Harper said, then corrected herself. ‘We might have more work to do. That’s not the same thing.’

Gemma hurried into the courtyard carrying two cartons of juice. She had passed Julian in the alley. ‘What happened?’

The children explained the offer, talking over one another. Gemma listened and said, ‘You should decide whether you still want your show tonight. Nobody gets to make that choice for you.’

Nell turned to the group. ‘Do we?’

Milo raised his hand immediately. Sachi followed. Then Kieran, Chloe, Ari, Ben, and the others. Eleven hands remained in the air, as though the question had never really been in doubt.

Harper looked toward the courtyard wall. They had a venue, an audience list, and a story. They still needed a safe entrance and enough time to rehearse. Their choice had changed nothing about the work ahead, but it had changed the way they stood while doing it.

At noon, an argument broke out over the ending. Ari wanted the city to open its doors without music. Chloe believed the silence would confuse the audience. Kieran favored a single final line, spoken by whoever was closest to the front. Nell insisted the moment should belong to the audience, who would be invited to help move the final cardboard door.

Harper nearly chose for them. She stopped with her mouth open.

‘Can we test all three?’ she asked.

They could, and they did. The music drowned the quiet moment. The spoken line sounded too explanatory. Inviting the audience forward was impractical in a narrow courtyard. Finally Milo suggested asking the audience to stand where they were and open their hands, as if making room for someone. Nell liked the gesture. Chloe showed how it would read from the back row. Kieran timed the silence. The ending became clear.

The rehearsal was interrupted by Tamsin, who came running from the bakery with a clipboard.

‘We have a problem. A real one.’

She showed Harper the courtyard occupancy plan. Because the alley was needed for deliveries and emergency access, they could seat only sixty guests, not the hundred and twenty who had already requested places. Tamsin had previously estimated the number from an empty space; now, with tables and frames installed, she could see it was impossible.

‘We can turn people away,’ Harper said reluctantly.

‘We can,’ Tamsin replied, ‘but those people will have children performing.’

Odessa moved toward the clipboard. Harper stopped her gently. ‘Let the kids hear the options.’