Chapter 7 #2
How long had it been since a man had been as gentle with her?
Maybe she needed to fall over and graze her face for some attention.
It was impossible to date when you worked in musical theatre, she always said.
Late nights, and it was hard to meet people at work, since most of the male cast seemed to only want to date each other and it was sort of a weird culture of people who would burst into song at any time.
Musical theatre people had a song for everything that happened in life and viewed karaoke night as an audition.
Even Lily found herself exhausting to be around at times.
‘How’s the tea going?’ Gran’s question burst her thoughts and she felt a blush rise in her cheeks.
Gran stared at her a little longer than usual and Lily knew she had been caught staring at Nick, and she turned quickly and made a pot and took out a mug for Nick.
‘While you’re here, Nick, can you look at Lily’s throat? She said it’s been a bit tricky and she’s a singer. Can you see if there is anything happening in her tonsils or the like?’ Gran said with that smile that Lily knew only too well.
‘Of course,’ said Nick with a smile on his handsome face that made her feel flustered.
‘Come and sit down.’ He gestured to the chair near Gran and Lily glared at Gran, who gave her a look that she wouldn’t dare defy.
She wished she could film this and show Nigel, because they would be screaming with laughter at the fantasies he was bringing up.
‘I’m sure it’s nothing. I just seemed to lose my voice when I tried to sing,’ she said, knowing she was blushing.
‘Oh you’re a singer?’ asked Nick. He changed his gloves and then took out a tongue depressor from his bag.
‘She’s been on the West End. She’s a beautiful lyrical soprano,’ said Gran proudly.
‘Wow, I’m impressed. Open wide,’ he said and Lily closed her eyes so she didn’t have to look at him, feeling vulnerable and silly all at once, and opened her mouth. This was almost too much, she thought.
‘Tongue out,’ he said and she felt the depressor on her tongue as he looked down her throat.
‘No tonsils, so it can’t be that,’ he said and she opened her eyes. ‘The West End, hey?’ he asked. ‘What shows?’
‘Just chorus, in South Pacific and Legally Blonde ,’ she said, feeling embarrassed and yet she didn’t know why.
He put his hands on her neck and felt gently around her throat. It had been so long since someone touched her that she felt herself relax at the feeling, even though he had gloves on and was a nurse. She imagined laughing about this with Nigel when she returned to London.
‘Just Legally Blonde and South Pacific on the West End.’ He laughed. ‘That’s not a just situation; you should be singing it from the rooftops.’
‘I would but my voice isn’t working,’ she quipped.
‘I love musical theatre,’ he said as his hands moved gently around her throat. ‘Always have.’
Maybe she should introduce him to Nigel, she thought. He would love to play nurse and patient in person.
‘Any pain?’ Nick asked.
‘No.’ She shook her head.
‘I have a piano here. You can try and sing now,’ said Gran, nodding her head in the direction of the piano against the wall.
Lily couldn’t remember the last time she had played the old thing. It would be well out of tune now, she thought.
‘No, Gran, I’m not going to try and sing. And the piano will sound like an old pianola after all these years.’
‘You’d be surprised,’ sniffed Gran.
‘Any coughing?’
‘Nope.’
‘You could go to the doctor and get a referral to see a throat specialist, but I can’t see or feel anything. I can get you a few names if you like?’
Lily shook her head. ‘No it’s okay, I think it’s more a weird little confidence issue,’ she said.
‘Singing in front of people can be hard,’ he said taking off his gloves. ‘Maybe you need to sing with no pressure.’
‘What do you mean?’ she asked.
‘We’re doing a production of My Fair Lady in the village this year. You should audition,’ he said. ‘Jasper, our director, has some money from the council and they’re going all out – sets, costumes from the National, it’s going to be amazing. I’m auditioning for Freddy.’
‘Jasper Winterbottom,’ Gran said. ‘How is he? I heard he moved to London. He’s back now? You remember him, Lily?’
She nodded and looked at Nick. ‘I used to help Jasper and Sheila Trotter in the shows when Gran was still in them. Jasper was always so lovely to me; Sheila was hard work though.’ She laughed.
‘She still is,’ Nick said with a raised eyebrow.
‘I can’t believe she’s still in the society. I thought she would have retired years ago. She’s almost eighty,’ Gran said.
‘She’s only sixty,’ Nick said with a laugh. ‘And says she would rather die with her feet on the stage.’
Gran rolled her eyes. ‘Always so dramatic.’
Nick gracefully ignored her jabs at Sheila and went on speaking.
‘They have decided to expand and bring in four villages’ societies under one, and you have the biggest village hall, in the smallest village,’ he said.
He took off his gloves and turned to Lily.
He put the gloves and tongue depressor into a little rubbish bag and sealed it.
‘I can take that,’ she said to him and he handed her the items.
‘Thank you.’ He gave her one of those smiles that made her knees a little weak and she wondered if it was time she started dating again in London.
She’d had a dry spell of late. She couldn’t really use the excuse of her work in musical theatre now.
It was mostly because she couldn’t be bothered leaving the flat unless it was for work or an audition.
Mostly she lay around on the sofa, making tea and watching reality TV shows, but it was also hard to meet people who weren't in theatre.
The hours, the touring, the rehearsals. She had just given up on meeting someone.
Nigel had told her she was depressed before he left for the tour. She had told him she was just tired, but now she wondered. If her medicine was someone like Nurse Nick Stafford, she would be up and about in no time.
‘You should audition, Lil. It will be good for you to practise in front of people again,’ Gran said. ‘It’s probably all in your mind. You’ve spooked yourself.’
She glared at her grandmother as she stood up and made them tea.
‘I’ll spook you in a minute,’ she hissed at Gran who looked at Nick.
‘See what she says to me.’ She shook her head. ‘It’s elder abuse.’
‘I think it’s granddaughter coercion and manipulation,’ she joked and she looked to Nick. ‘Thank you for the offer though.’
‘You should audition,’ he said. ‘We don’t have an Eliza, and if we don’t get one then Sheila will take it and she’s sixty and definitely not a soprano. She’s more a baritone to be honest.’
Lily burst out laughing. ‘She will probably knife the lead to get the role on opening night, all very noir.’
She saw Gran turn her nose up at her words as Nick kept speaking.
‘Yes, she’s very invested, shall we say. My ex-girlfriend, who is also her niece, and I met on the set of Chicago . I played Billy Flynn; Sheila played Matron, although she was insistent she could play Roxie Hart.’
Lily nodded, noting the mention of the ex-girlfriend. That’s a shame for Nigel, she thought but she felt herself smiling a little brighter.
Nick picked up the mug of tea. ‘Think about auditioning. Jasper would love to see you, I’m sure, and if it entices you, like I said, I’m hoping to play Freddy.
’ He laughed but somewhat shyly, and that pleased her a little.
He was somewhat unaware of his looks and that, after being around people in the theatre, was a lovely change of pace.
She swallowed, but the lump in her throat was gone for a moment.
‘I’m only here for a month,’ she said quickly.
She felt Gran’s eyes on her.
‘Why doesn’t your ex, I mean Sheila’s niece, audition for the role of Eliza?’ she asked casually.
‘She’s actually in London, trying to make it on the West End,’ he said somewhat sheepishly.
‘Oh really? I wonder if I know her. Has she had any luck?’
‘I don’t know, we don’t stay in touch,’ he said, his face giving away nothing. ‘I’m sure Sheila will tell me everything.’
‘Auditioning is a hard slog,’ she said. ‘Takes a while to get going.’ She thought how long it had been for her so far, with only a few breaks and no leading role on the West End.
‘Anyway, we have auditions tomorrow night, if you’re keen,’ said Nick. ‘No pressure though. Why don’t I pop by when I’m coming through? I can check on Violet and see if you want to come by. At worst it’s a chance to try your voice out.’
Lily thought for a moment and then looked at his face and smiled. ‘Why not?’ she said. ‘Might be a good test.’ And a chance to spend a little time with him, she told herself.
‘Oh wonderful news,’ said Gran clapping her frail hands. ‘Now give Nick a piece of Mrs Douglas’s shortbread to celebrate.’