CHAPTER ELEVEN
The young street dancers were so good, the audience kept applauding long after they’d finished, and they came back three times for an encore.
Afterwards, we joined the crowd who were gathering to watch a performance by the local Women’s Institute.
‘Do we have to?’ A teenage girl standing near us was complaining to her mum. ‘I mean, it’s hardly going to be very exciting. They won’t be able to move on stage for Zimmer frames and those weird shopping bags on wheels that Granny takes everywhere with her.’
‘Ella!’ Her mum sounded shocked. ‘Don’t be so rude. Your gran is still very active for her age.’
‘Yes, but I can’t imagine her dancing on stage, can you? Trying to keep up with the rhythm?’
‘Actually, you’d be surprised. She and your grandad used to do a brilliant quickstep.’
‘Really? Well, they’re not going to be quickstepping up there, are they? Not if they don’t want their wigs to fall off.’
‘Ella, be quiet,’ hissed her mum. ‘Or we’re going home.’
I swivelled my eyes to Xander and he gave a snort of laughter disguised as a cough.
‘We can’t go until I’ve seen the tango demonstration,’ grumbled the girl.
‘Well, just behave yourself, then,’ snapped her mum. ‘You’ll be old one day and then you won’t be laughing.’
‘Me? Old? What, you mean like forty ?’ She grimaced. ‘We’ve got Botox now, Mum, and lots of other stuff. My generation is never going to be old.’
‘Well, we’ll see about that. Anyway, shush. They’re coming on.’
‘Oh, God, here we go. Ambulances at the ready.’
I knew I shouldn’t be laughing but my shoulders were shaking with the effort of keeping quiet, and Xander kept subtly digging me in the ribs and pulling an alarmed face, which wasn’t helping at all.
And then the WI ladies – dressed in comfy-looking summer dresses and flat pumps – were walking onto the makeshift stage, chatting cheerfully and looking out at the audience.
Keen for this annoying teenager beside us to be forced to eat her words, I was delighted to see that there wasn’t a single Zimmer frame in sight.
Clara came on and introduced them, and then the music began.
A stately waltz.
‘ Boooooring !’ came the predictable reaction. Followed by, ‘Ouch. Mum !’ as she was clearly on the receiving end of a swift reprimand.
The women partnered up with each other for the waltz and I smiled in expectation, wishing Dad could be here.
I used to love watching Mum and Dad competing when I was younger.
They’d be gliding around the dance floor dressed in their wonderful glitzy costumes and I’d be in the audience with Gran – and sometimes Grandad as well.
The WI ladies began waltzing elegantly around the stage and people in the audience were really getting into it, swaying in time to the music.
Then, without warning, the tempo changed.
The lights dimmed and people gasped as the glitterball that was suspended in the centre of the room suddenly sprang to life, shimmering and sparkling, and casting its silvery light over every surface, including the surprised faces of the people around us.
And as we all watched in amazement, the dancers whisked off their sundresses to reveal rather more body-hugging skirts and tops beneath, in eye-catching pops of colour.
‘And now, please welcome our amazing male dancers who’ve come direct from a show in the West End to perform for us today,’ announced Clara, as a dozen fit-looking young guys appeared on stage and linked up with their partners.
And then, to the delight of the audience, a lively jive was in full swing.
‘Freakin’ Nora. It’s Grannies on Speed. Look at them go!’ gasped Ella, and as everyone around us laughed, the appreciative applause and cheering rose up a few levels until it was really quite deafening.
I stood there, trying to smile, as everyone around me clapped – but my mind had gone to Dad in the hospital, and I was thinking about how he and Mum had been so brilliant at the jive. It was one of their favourite dances.
I swallowed on the painful lump in my throat, unable to stop a rogue tear or two from spilling over.
Xander had stopped clapping and was looking at me questioningly. He indicated that maybe we should leave and I smiled and nodded gratefully. The WI ladies had been amazing but the reminders of what used to be my life were everywhere these days...
‘Sorry, I’m just being silly,’ I murmured, trying to blot my mascara so it wouldn’t run. ‘I started thinking about Mum and Dad and how they would have loved this place.’
‘Not silly at all,’ he said. ‘Memories can get you like that. Music’s terrible for making me sentimental.’
I nodded. ‘I used to love going to the opera with Mum. Hearing it now always stirs me up inside. And the ballet. She loved that as well, and so did I.’
‘Do you go regularly? To the ballet?’
I shook my head. ‘Haven’t been to one since Mum died. But I’d like to. Have you ever been to the ballet?’
He gave a comical grimace. ‘People prancing around in tights and tutus? Can’t say I’ve ever fancied it, to be honest.’
I chuckled at his bemused expression. Then I excused myself to nip to the Ladies and Xander said he’d wait for me outside.
There was no one else in there, which was a relief. Standing in front of the mirror, I took a few deep breaths to try and calm my emotions. Then I grabbed some toilet tissue and tried to blot my face so I didn’t have mascara in places it shouldn’t be.
When I emerged, Xander was still standing in the reception area, chatting to Clara. As I walked over, she broke away from him to greet a couple of people who were just arriving.
‘You okay?’ asked Xander as we walked outside.
‘Thank you. Yes. I think I just need to be with Dad. You know?’
He nodded. ‘I’ll drive you there now if you like?’
‘No, Xander. You’ve done too much for me already.’
‘Hey, I don’t mind. In fact, I want to go with you. I like you, Anika. I always have.’ He gave a sheepish shrug. ‘I used to wish I could get you alone those times in the canteen at work.’
I looked at him in surprise. ‘You did?’
He grinned. ‘I did. But Lyndsay, lovely as she is, was always there as well. And of course you were unavailable, so the timing was all wrong, anyway.’
I smiled. ‘I guess it was.’ I flicked my eyes to the sky. ‘I was wasting my time with Loathsome Les.’
‘Exactly.’
I smiled shyly up at him, my heart beating a little faster. ‘But Lyndsay’s not here right now. And Les is history. So...’ I gave a careless little shrug that belied how fast my heart was suddenly beating.
‘You think now could be the right time?’ he murmured.
‘Maybe. But with so much going on for me, we don’t have to rush into anything, do we?’
A smile spread across his face and the way his eyes were twinkling at me was doing extremely pleasurable things to my insides.
He took my hand and squeezed. ‘I’m really happy to hear you say that, and of course we can take our time, but we need to get you to the hospital right now, okay?’
‘Okay.’
As we walked together to the car park, my emotions were all over the place. Was it wrong that Xander and I had confessed we liked each other, while Dad was still in hospital and I had no idea if he would ever wake from his coma?
Then I thought about what Dad would say if he knew I might have a chance at a new romance. No question about it: he’d be over the moon. He’d like Xander, I was sure of it.
Dad would definitely be urging me to go for it and be happy...
I sneaked a glance at Xander’s handsome profile. His lips were curved in a gentle smile, and a feeling of hope surged through me. After Les, I’d thought I’d be off men for a very long time. But it seemed as if Xander might be changing my mind.
There was no hurry, though. I definitely wasn’t about to rush headlong into another relationship. We could take our time getting to know each other, Xander and I – and then further down the line, maybe...
‘Anika?’ Hearing a shout behind me, I turned and Clara was hurrying after us.
‘Hi! I wanted to catch you before you left.’ She smiled and slapped her chest, out of breath and panting a little. ‘I was telling Xander here that we’d lined someone up to run the Little Duckling Café, but they’ve let us down at the final hour. So we’re going to have to advertise the job again.’
‘Oh. Right. That’s so annoying for you.’ I glanced at Xander. So that’s what they were talking about.
‘Anyway, Xander was telling me you’ve had quite a bit of experience in the catering industry, working in cafés and hotels?’
‘Er, yes.’ I looked at her in surprise. ‘Mostly at weekends while I was studying. I used to manage a little café in Guildford when the owner was on holiday.’
‘Right. Well, I just wanted to mention the job to you... in case you wanted to apply?’ She smiled ruefully.
‘Sorry, I don’t normally run around trying to recruit people in the street but it’s just that we’re a bit anxious to get someone else in as soon as possible.
And you seem like you might be a good candidate for the job. ’
‘Gosh. Right.’ I smiled at her. ‘Well, I’d love to work in your café. I... well, I love the whole vibe of your dance studio. It’s amazing.’
Clara’s eyes shone with pleasure. ‘Do you think so?’ She glanced back at the building. ‘It’s been my dream for years. I can’t quite believe we’ve finally made it happen.’ She looked back at me with a smile. ‘So I’ll send you the link and you can decide if you want to apply?’
‘That would be great.’
As Clara hurried back to greet more visitors, I smiled up at Xander. ‘Thank you for that.’
‘For what?’
‘For recommending me for the job.’
He shrugged. ‘I just thought the job seemed perfect for you right now.’
‘It does. I’ll apply as soon as I get back from the hospital.’ I grimaced as we walked along. ‘Mind you, knowing my luck these days, I’ll probably be pipped to the post as the second-best candidate.’
‘No, no. Be positive.’
‘Okay. I will.’
He nodded approvingly and as we walked into the car park, he gave me a twinkly-eyed smile that made my heart flutter in my chest.
We were surrounded by trees in this idyllic corner of the Brambleberry Manor Estate and birds were chirruping in the branches overhead.
And as I breathed in the warm, honeyed scents of the countryside in high summer, and turned my face up to catch the cooling breeze, I had a feeling deep down that maybe everything would be all right, after all. ..