CHAPTER FIVE HUNDRED AND NINETEEN – THE STUDIO’S FIRST DAY

The morning of the grand opening dawned bright and clear. Jasmine woke with a start, her heart already racing with anticipation. She could hear movement in the other rooms of the apartment - clearly, she wasn't the only one too excited to sleep in. By the time she made it to the kitchen, the others were already there. Molly was stress-baking, the counter covered in muffins and cookies. Kendra was obsessively checking and re-checking the guest list on her tablet. Ian was pacing back and forth, muttering what sounded like a self-motivational speech under his breath. Marty, surprisingly, was the picture of calm, sipping coffee and sketching idly in his notebook. "Morning, everyone," Jasmine said, pouring herself a cup of coffee. "How are we feeling?" A chorus of nervous laughs and mumbled responses answered her. "That good, huh?" she said with a wry smile. "Well, we've got about eight hours until the doors open. Let's make them count." The day passed in a whirlwind of last-minute pre