Chapter 61
‘What’s wrong?’ asked Kitty.
Nick paced up and down the backstage area, evading May and Paige’s attempts to cover his face in foundation and add “a dash” of eyeliner.
He was going to be sick. ‘I don’t think I can do this.’
‘The play?’ asked Kitty. ‘Nick, it’s the key moment of the Summer Extravaganza. You can’t pull out now.’
‘I’m not good enough.’ He tugged his hair as his heart hammered in his chest.
‘What are you talking about?’ said Kitty. ‘We’ve been practising for weeks.’
‘Remember I told you I went to drama school?’
‘Yes, you told me, although not much about it.’
‘Because they kicked me out.’
‘They kicked you out?’ said Kitty. ‘Why?’
Nick shrugged. ‘I couldn’t keep up. I found the scripts too challenging. Or maybe I was lazy.’
Kitty walked closer, taking his hands to still him and stop his pacing.
‘Nick, you have dyslexia, or at least we think you have dyslexia. You weren’t lazy.
You weren’t stupid. If your tutors had known about your dyslexia, things would have been very different.
The fact you struggled had nothing to do with whether or not you’re a good performer. Don’t you see that?’
Nick stared at her. ‘You truly believe in me, don’t you?’
Kitty smiled. ‘Now I do. You’re a different man from the Nick Andrews I met for a drink that first day.’
‘Only thanks to Emily,’ said Nick, ‘and you.’
‘No.’ Kitty placed her hand on his chest, and his nerves instantly calmed. ‘You’re a different man thanks to you. You’ve done this, Nick. You’ve made the changes you needed to. Everyone else can see it. Why can’t you see it yourself?’
Nick tipped his head down. Kitty cupped her hand and lifted his chin.
‘Look at me. You’re an amazing man, Nick Andrews. I’m lucky to know you. Emily is lucky to have you as her dad. Carla is lucky to have you as a co-parent to her daughter. If you don’t believe me, check out Emily’s face.’
They peeked around the stage to where Emily was sitting in the front row, fidgeting, her cheeks pink with excitement, never taking her eyes off the stage.
Nick swallowed the lump in his throat. He must have done something right in a previous life to deserve the little girl staring in eager anticipation.
‘You’re going to go onto that stage, Nick, and you’re going to do your daughter proud. You’re going to do us all proud.’
‘Thank you.’ Nick’s voice was husky with emotion.
Kitty leaned closer and kissed him. Nick’s anxiety fled. Her lips were eager, and his body responded instinctively, wrapping his arms around her before running a hand down her back. He heard giggling from the wings and pulled away to see Paige and May sniggering into their hands.
‘What was that for?’ he asked Kitty, ignoring the teenagers’ laughter.
Kitty smiled. ‘One last rehearsal.’
‘Thank you,’ he said, holding her face in his hands. ‘One last rehearsal was exactly what I needed.’ He planted the gentlest of kisses on her lips before turning away. ‘May? Instead of hiding behind that curtain and giggling, maybe you could help me find the waistcoat I’m supposed to be wearing?’
‘Nick, Kitty, what am I doing?’ cried a flustered Sylvie as she rushed towards them dressed as Juliet’s nurse. ‘This was all a terrible mistake. I can’t get up on that stage.’
‘Where’s Solly?’ asked Nick, knowing he was the best person to calm Sylvie down.
‘He’s with Jack in one of the dressing rooms doing vocal warm-ups.’
Nick couldn’t help but smile at the thought of the brothers braying like horses or trying to imitate a police car siren.
‘You’ll be fine, Sylvie,’ he said. ‘We’re all nervous.
I just had a moment myself, and Kitty had to talk me out of running away.
Remember, it’s only thirty minutes of our lives, then we’ll be in the pub celebrating with a well-earned drink. ’
Before Sylvie had any time to become more worked up, Solly and Jack rushed over. ‘Margot’s announcing us,’ said Jack, ‘it’s time to get up on that stage!’
They took their positions in the wings. Nick was concerned about how much Sylvie was shaking. Solly whispered something in her ear, and she visibly relaxed. A hand squeezed Nick’s, and he turned to find Kitty smiling up at him.
He wasn’t sure what was going on between them now. Had Kitty changed her mind about starting a new relationship? He would have asked, except it wasn’t the best time.
Jack marched onto the stage and began his lines in a voice so booming the seagulls who’d been searching for picnic scraps took to the sky en masse. Nick rolled his shoulders, took a deep breath, and as soon as he heard his cue, walked onto the stage as though he owned it.
Half an hour later, Nick’s left hand was holding on tight to Kitty’s, his right squeezing Sylvie’s hand as the five performers walked to the front of the stage and took a bow.
The audience gave a standing ovation, and Nick was reminded how addictive performing could be.
Nothing could beat the buzz of hundreds of people’s applause…
well, he thought, looking at Kitty, almost nothing…
‘We did it!’ squealed Sylvie as they left the stage. She gathered them all in a group hug. ‘We did it, we did it, we did it!’
‘Rather a dream team, if I say so myself,’ said Jack, slapping them all on the back.
‘You were marvellous, my dear,’ said Solly, lifting Sylvie off her feet and spinning her around.
‘Watch it,’ shouted Jack, ‘you’re an old man and don’t want to put your back out.’
‘You were amazing,’ Nick told Kitty.
‘Thank you.’ A faint blush touched her cheeks. ‘I’m not sure I should take any credit. It was the easiest role I’ve ever played.’
‘You’re calling Shakespeare easy?’ asked Nick, his eyebrows raised. ‘You must be a real pro.’
‘No.’ Kitty stepped towards him, close enough that only he could hear her words above the excitement of the rest of the cast. ‘It wasn’t easy because it was Shakespeare,’ she murmured. ‘It was easy because I didn’t have to do any pretending.’
‘You mean…?’
‘Juliet was a young woman deeply in love. That’s what I mean.’
They locked eyes, and Nick’s heartbeat rang in his ears. ‘But you said…’
Kitty shrugged. ‘Yes, and I still believe we each have a long way to go to fix the scars from our past.’ She bit her lip.
‘I wonder, though, if sometimes it’s better to embrace happiness, rather than trying to live your life to some unspecified schedule.
Who’s to say we’ll be less messed up in three months’ time? I’m not sure I can wait that long.’
Nick’s mouth hung open, but no words came out. Was she telling him she loved him?
‘Daddy!’ Emily ran backstage, Carla close behind. ‘You were like a film star,’ Emily said as Nick scooped her up in his arms.
Alice and Luke appeared behind Carla. ‘We were all so proud of you,’ said Alice. ‘Is everyone coming to the pub?’
‘Try stopping us,’ said Jack, picking up his coat.
‘Good.’ Luke beamed. ‘We want you there as … umm … we have an announcement to make.’
‘I hope it’s what I think it is,’ said Sylvie.
‘No spoilers.’ Luke tapped the side of his nose. ‘Not even for you, Gran.’
‘You’ll come to the pub, won’t you?’ Nick asked Kitty. They had unfinished business, and he needed to find out exactly where he stood.
‘You heard the man,’ said Kitty, pointing to Jack. ‘Try stopping me.’