Chapter 2
Bridie and Layla both turned their heads at the sound of the back door, and Layla’s younger brother’s loud voice as he walked in. ‘I’m hungry – when’s dinner?’
Layla and Bridie exchanged a smile. Bridie said to Layla, ‘Why don’t you catch your dad now, and I’ll take your brother into the kitchen to find out when dinner is?’
Bridie went to get up, but Layla caught her arm. ‘You really are the best auntie ever. My fave auntie.’
‘I know.’
‘Can you take me to the theatre again with Great-Grandad? I love our theatre trips.’
Bridie always made a point of booking a show and taking her granddad and Layla whenever Layla visited London. She’d been doing it ever since Layla was a toddler. They’d already been to the show she was starring in.
‘Of course. I’ll arrange something in the new year.’ Bridie hoped that, after Kate found out that her daughter wanted to join the drama club, she didn’t veto her London theatre trips as well.
Layla said, ‘Good. And one of these days I’m going to drag Mum along so she can see what she’s missing.’
Bridie joked, ‘I think she might be afraid we’ll convert her to an avid theatre-goer.’
‘Like you’ve converted me,’ said Layla brightly. ‘You know, if she just saw you in a show, she’d see how good you are and what a beautiful voice you have. It’s such a shame. You are the poster child for the success I could be if I’m as talented as you.’
Bridie thought she was going to cry. She’d worked so hard to get where she was, starring in shows in the West End over the past ten years, and now she was engaged to a theatre producer.
She felt, contrary to her family’s expectations, that she’d made it.
Now all she had to do was get married and buy a first house, and that would stop her sister and sister-in-law talking about her behind her back.
Who am I kidding, thought Bridie. She knew they’d find something else about her to talk about. Bridie couldn’t imagine what, and she wasn’t about to give them anything either.
‘You’re not going to cry, are you?’ Layla asked.
‘No, no, of course not. It’s just lovely to have somebody else in the family below the age of eighty to share my passion with.’ Bridie was referring to her grandad.
‘Ditto!’ said Layla, smiling. ‘Actually, thinking about it, I really can’t see how she can refuse me joining the drama club, especially as I can point out how successful my favourite aunt has been if I follow you on to the stage.’
Bridie grinned, even though she wasn’t sure Layla bringing up her aunt would be quite the right thing to do if she wanted her mum or dad to sign the permission slip.
Layla’s dad walked in. ‘Everything all right?’ He looked at Bridie. She felt like saying, why wouldn’t it be? But she knew why he was asking. Unfortunately, Andy was no stranger to the undercurrent between his wife and Bridie whenever they got together.
‘Daddy – I’ve got something to ask you.’
Bridie stood. ‘George, why don’t we go in the kitchen and ask how long it will be?’ she said. As she headed for the door, Bridie heard Andy say, ‘Now I’m worried. Whenever you call me Daddy it means you’re after something that Mum has already said no to.’
‘She hasn’t said no,’ Layla clarified.
‘Because you haven’t asked her yet,’ Andy said, smiling.
Andy was seated on the sofa, his back to the door. Bridie gave Layla a thumbs-up before she walked out and closed the door.
George had already got to the kitchen and was telling everyone he was starving, and asking when the dinner would be ready.
Bridie sidled in behind him, noticing that the conversation had stalled as soon as she walked in. ‘Can I help with anything?’
Kate and Caroline exchanged a glance. Kate said, ‘No, we’re fine. The meal is nearly ready.’
‘Oh, goody,’ said George.
Kate said, ‘Where’s your dad?’
‘He’s in the lounge. Layla said she had something to ask him.’
‘Did she indeed?’ Kate lifted her gaze to Bridie.
Bridie said, ‘Well, if you don’t need me, I think I’ll go upstairs and powder my nose.’
George turned around and gave his aunt a funny look.
‘She means use the loo.’
‘Auntie Bridie talks funny sometimes.’
‘That’s what comes from working in the theatre, sweetheart.’
Bridie heard the comment as she walked out.
‘I’m never going to work in the theatre, Mummy.’
‘I’m relieved to hear it.’
‘That’s because I want to be a train driver.’
‘What did you say?’
‘I want to be a train driver.’
‘What’s wrong with an investment banker, or a lawyer like Uncle Jeremy?’
‘Sooo boring.’
Bridie cupped a hand over her mouth, stifling a laugh at George’s response.
She’d been dreading the get-together, not realising that her niece and nephew would be joining them, along with Andy, who was pretty laid back and made things fun when he and Jeremy got together, much to Caroline’s annoyance.
It was Friday, and Kate had gone straight from work to Jeremy and Caroline’s house rather than going home.
Bridie knew that when Layla had found out that her aunt was going to be there, she’d told her dad she wanted to go too.
And so Andy had collected George and Layla from school and had driven to London.
They’d all arrived at Jeremy’s house at the same time.
Bridie had had a rare evening off work. One of the main cast had unexpectedly been taken ill, and the understudy wasn’t available, so they’d had to cancel the show.
They were putting on an extra show – a Saturday matinee.
She’d invited them all to the Saturday matinee, thinking that Kate and Andy would be staying with Jeremy and Caroline for the night.
They were indeed staying, but they were heading straight home in the morning.
Caroline said she and Jeremy were far too busy at the weekend to go to the theatre, and besides, it wasn’t her thing.
Sometimes, Bridie felt Caroline was more like a sister to Kate than she was.
They were so similar. She’d said as much once to Julian.
He’d just said they both sounded stuck-up and suited each other.
‘Perhaps they’ll be made redundant or lose their jobs one day, and that will put them in their place. ’
Bridie would never wish bad luck on anyone, much less family.
But she did think she was more likely to lose her job first, as she was self-employed.
So far, her contracts had pretty much been back to back, but she knew who she really had to thank for that – her producer fiancé.
He reminded her often enough, even though she didn’t need reminding.
She knew there was plenty of young talent out there, people younger than her, vying for work.
Her sister was still banging on to George about the pros of investment banking.
Bridie shook her head. George was eleven.
Next week he’d decide to be an astronaut or a pilot or a footballer.
He might well eventually become a train driver, or an investment banker, but at that moment he was just a boy with an imagination, and like his sister, had years ahead of him before he had to face the real world.
Bridie had a cheeky thought. She whispered under her breath, ‘I might just include him in my next theatre outing with Layla and Grandad.’ She didn’t know why she hadn’t thought of it before.
Probably because Layla saw those theatre trips as her time with her favourite auntie and her great-grandad.
Even though George said he didn’t like the theatre, how did he know unless he went to a show?
Bridie grinned at the thought of taking George, hoping he enjoyed it so much that he went home and announced he wanted to work in theatre, even become an actor.
Oh, how Bridie would love to be a fly on the wall if that happened.
Not that she imagined it would; George always loved things that moved – cars, planes, trains, footballs.
She could never imagine him on the stage.
But then, stranger things happened, she mused.
As she reached the top of the stairs, Layla walked out of the lounge and grinned up at Bridie. Andy walked out behind her looking like he had the world on his shoulders, which Bridie supposed he did. He now had the task of convincing his inflexible wife to let their daughter attend drama classes.
Andy was not the confrontational type, but this was an argument he knew he wasn’t going to be able to walk away from until Layla had her way.
Bridie would not have liked to be in his shoes. She almost felt like apologising but decided just to keep out of it.
Kate walked out of the kitchen and shouted, ‘Dinner is almost ready. Oh, there you are, Andy.’
Bridie paused at the top of the stairs, debating whether to leave using the loo until later.
‘What’s wrong with you?’ Kate asked.
‘Nothing,’ replied Andy.
‘If it’s about that permission slip …’ Her voice held a warning note.
Bridie rolled her eyes. Like Layla had said, nothing got past her mum.
‘It is,’ Andy said, surprising Bridie that he wasn’t stalling. ‘I’ve signed it.’
‘What did you say?’
Bridie stopped at the top of the stairs. What did he say?
‘Yeah, Layla had it on her. It’s signed, and Layla is handing it in on Monday. I don’t see what the problem is.’
‘But—’
Andy continued, ‘If anything, you should be pleased Layla has a direction in life, even if it isn’t what you want.
But what’s important is what she wants. And to be honest, I know you don’t agree with Bridie’s choice of career on the stage, but she’s done very well for herself.
She’s quite the successful stage actress.
I mean, how many people get to star in theatre productions in the West End? ’
Bridie felt her face colour. She’d never heard any family member sing her praises, other than Layla. Bridie grinned.
‘I just hope that Layla reaches Bridie’s dizzy heights as a stage actress, if that’s what she decides to do. I can’t think of a better person for Layla to look up to and aspire to follow.’
Bridie felt quite overcome with emotion.
Andy didn’t stop there. ‘I understand your concerns, Kate, about Layla getting consistent work, and supporting herself, but Bridie has done it. Why can’t she?’
Bridie’s next thought was, I don’t want to let Layla or her father down, so I’d better stay in work, and continue to be a role model for Layla. When the panto season ended in February, she already had another show lined up. She smiled. What could possibly go wrong?