The Spectacular

The narrative returns to 1992. Marion asks Piper about her dancing career, but Piper shyly reports feeling happy in an administrative position. Marion encourages Piper to continue auditioning. They discuss the history of the Rockettes, and Marion dodges questions about her career. Piper describes feeling elated while dancing, and Marion intuits that Piper is a dancer, not a secretary. This show of insight pleases Piper.

The narrative returns to 1956. Judy arrives home and tells Marion that Simon will work late. She also patronizingly tells Marion that Simon wants to discuss “this matter” of Marion’s new job imminently. The following day, Marion hears Nathaniel speaking with Simon as she dresses for the day. Marion leads Nathaniel outside so they can talk privately. He informs her that Simon refuses to allow him to propose until she quits her job as a Rockette. Nathaniel also feels slighted by Marion’s decision to work as a Rockette and wonders how Marion will plan a wedding while employed. Marion points out that she waited patiently for Nathaniel to return from college and a European tour. She is annoyed that Nathaniel expects her to take on the work of planning their hypothetical wedding entirely alone, remarking that he still hasn’t proposed.