Chapter 27
I watch as The Dollz struggle to keep formation. They are furious with Liberty, who not only tries to out-sing everyone, but she is routinely positioning herself at the front so that Luke can get a good view of her. I slide my eyes over to him. He casually picks up the menu, perusing it with increasing abject terror. He’s eyeing his surroundings with bewilderment. The waiter is bringing him a bottle of wine and he is politely waving him away.
My whole being sinks at the thought of going on stage and singing in front of him, which is ridiculous because we’ve spent the last week performing an inch from each other’s noses. I take a few deep breaths in as The Dollz wrap up their set.
Why would Luke be here?
The last hour has been a bit much, what with Matteo ringing and Birdie practically hanging off him while I did my less than impressive leg wafting thing. What an epic fail. Ged and Liam have turned up as a pair of Oompa Loompas, and now Luke, the last man on Earth that I would want to see, is sitting waiting for me to entertain him with my eighties and nineties cheap covers.
I bitterly regret telling him I was coming to Benidorm.
‘He better not be stalking you,’ barks Big Sue, snapping me from my thoughts, as The Dollz run off stage. ‘Did you see him sitting there, clicking his fingers for the waiters to come running. Posh bastard.’
The Dollz rally round.
‘Babes. Ignore him. Don’t give him the effing time of day,’ Tash says. ‘It’s the attention he’s after.’ She turns to give Liberty a sharp look. ‘Much like someone else we know.’
‘They always do that before a kill,’ says Big Mand, chewing a worried lip. ‘Stalking. First, they abduct cats, then they move on to humans.’
Oh my word.
‘I’ll note the day and time,’ says Cherry, our resident paralegal. ‘For the inquiry.’
There is no need for this level of escalation.
‘I’ll cover the rear if you can do surveillance on the stage area while she’s on,’ barks Big Sue to Big Mand, who has already snapped into swat team mode.
‘I’m sure he’s not here to stalk me. Or…’ I say, running out of reasons why Luke might be here. Is he stalking me?
‘For God’s sake, calm down everyone. It’s not The Bodyguard. He’s not even here for Connie,’ shouts Liberty.
‘What?’ says Big Mand stepping right up to her. ‘Explain yourself. And make it good because we specifically told you to back off. Sisters before misters.’
Liberty rises to her full height. ‘I haven’t broken the code.’
I am speechless at the audacity of her.
‘Well, that must mean Luke has come here for Connie,’ Big Mand reasons. ‘Because I doubt he’s here for the magic show, the warm wine or the frozen calamari.’
‘No, I invited him here. And he kindly said he’d come and watch me perform. From a professional point of view. He has connections.’
FFS.
‘You are bang out of order, Libs. Bang out of order.’ Tash stomps away from her.
‘Professional point of view, my fat hairy backside,’ snaps Big Mand. ‘What utter bollocks.’
‘This will all backfire,’ says Cherry, flicking her flaming red hair over her shoulder and following after them.
I can’t even look Liberty in the eye. I push past and make my way to the stage. How could she do this? Of all the selfish… stupid… idiotic… Gah!!
As soon as I walk out on stage, I’m on the backfoot. I have The Dollz squawking to Ged and Liam at the front. They are constantly turning around with gaping mouths and yelling things to me while I’m trying to introduce myself to the throng of people in the audience. The most distracting is Liberty, who is marching towards Luke. I can see her indicating to leave and Luke staying firmly where he is with his eyes trained on me. Liberty doesn’t appear to be taking it well and has plonked herself huffily down next to him.
I have no option but to get on with it. I sweep my gaze around the crowded two-thousand-seater venue. The lights dim, causing a hush to fall. A spotlight blinks and shines down. All eyes are on me. They are waiting for me to deliver the goods. As I put the microphone to my lips, a surge of excitement fills me.
This is what I do.
When I sing, I have the ability to whisk people off to places they haven’t been for decades. I unlock memories, feelings and passion. I inspire people to want to sing along, to dance, to move in time with me. There is no other buzz like it. It doesn’t matter what I’m singing or where, it’s all about connecting with my audience, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
‘Hello everyone. Are you having a good time?’ The crowd responds immediately. There’s an excited buzz in the air from The Dollz, making my job so much easier. ‘I’m gonna need you all on your feet dancing for this one. Feel free to sing along with me,’ I encourage, walking up and down the stage while I belt out the lyrics, making eye contact with groups of people who look desperate to take me up on my offer. Withins seconds, the whole place is up and joining in. I wave my arms in the air and they copy my moves as two thousand lively patrons become my personal backing singers. ‘Benidorm Palace, you are on fire tonight!’
‘Connie, that was electrifying,’ gushes Ged. ‘What a performance. Well done, babe.’
‘Thanks,’ I say. I’m still breathless. Nancy has already been on the phone to say the management have rebooked me and The Dollz for next season because they were so impressed. But The Dollz are in a state of flux over Liberty as we ready ourselves to leave.
‘I can’t believe she’s disappeared off with him,’ Cherry is saying to Tash.
‘I can. Liberty by name, liberty by nature. Don’t I always say that?’ she replies.
‘She’s always been a slave to that runaway libido of hers. Always. Remember Turkish Brad? And his brother Greek Alan?’ Big Mand says, shaking her head. ‘There’s no boundary she won’t cross.’
‘Well, she hasn’t got a set of keys to get in, so I hope she doesn’t come back too late. I’m going straight to bed,’ says Big Sue.
‘Me too,’ yawns Cherry. I contemplate the dark circles under her eyes. She’s doing well for being pregnant, but something is niggling at the back of my mind. ‘I still have the last-minute adjustments to do. Has everyone tried on their costumes? We’re travelling in them, so tomorrow is your last chance.’
Gah!
‘I need my beauty sleep too,’ agrees Tash. She has bounced back from her unconfirmed sickness bug extremely well. ‘Sister Kevin flies in to meet us tomorrow. I need to look glowing. So, FYI, I am staying in bed all day. Do not disturb.’
I’m surprised to see Ged and Liam not rolling their eyes. I suppose they have bigger fish to fry, what with them being the colour of ripe pumpkins.
‘We’ve only got one day left to get sorted,’ says Liam, lighting up. ‘It’s Voices tomorrow night, and then we’re all off to Vegas, baby!’
There’s a sudden shift in mood as we all realise that in a day’s time, we’ll be flying to the party capital of the world.
The following day, I rise early to go for a jog along the beach. Just before I leave, I catch my reflection in the mirror. I look surprisingly vibrant. My skin and hair are sun-kissed. My body is firm and healthy. I put my hand to the locket that houses the image of my mother and trace its delicate engraving. My mind flashes back to last week. It feels like months ago. Almost like it’s an alternate life. Luke’s sudden appearance has me rattled. My two worlds are colliding. On the one hand, we are work colleagues. He and I will tour with the Sinfonia together. We must retain a polite, professional relationship. But on the other, there are so many questions left unanswered from the last tour. Dolly told me that the Maestro is his godfather. This locket is a precious family heirloom that must be returned to his family. Surely, he has no right to give it away so carelessly. And the rumours in the press about us. What do I do about them? How much of what Luke told me about his royal connections and arranged marriage is true? None of it? And his behaviour at the hotel. Expecting to sleep with me just because he was high on drugs, proposing a fake marriage and switching hotels without my consent. He’s not shown himself in any great light. No wonder the Maestro seems fed up with him.
A sudden pang to speak to Dolly comes over me. She picks up immediately.
‘Hello, love,’ she says. ‘How’s it going in sunny Benidorm? It’s hoiking it down here. It’s rained non-stop since you left.’
After a few minutes of weather-related chat, I tell her about Luke turning up.
‘He’s what?’ she bellows down the phone. ‘That is too far. He’s crossing a major line there. What’s he playing at?’
‘I was hoping you could tell me,’ I say. My hand is still on the locket round my neck. ‘Why do you think Luke wanted me to have this locket?’
Dolly remains quiet for a few seconds before I hear her sigh. ‘It wasn’t just Luke’s idea.’
‘What do you mean?’ I ask.
‘It actually belonged to the Maestro. He is Luke’s father’s cousin. Their grandmother gave him it because Luke’s parents had a Royal marriage of convenience. Or so I believe the tradition goes.’
‘What tradition?’
‘It is handed by the men in the family to the woman they love, who in turn, hands it down to a male in the next generation to hand it to whoever they fall in love with.’
‘I’m confused.’
Dolly sighs gently. ‘I think the Maestro was saving the locket for his true love but didn’t get the chance to give her it.’
‘Her? Don’t you mean him?’
‘Bernard was his rebound.’
‘Oh, that’s sad. What happened?’
‘She died.’
It’s like a penny dropping. ‘My mother? The Maestro was in love with my mother? For how long?’
‘From the day they met until the day she died.’
‘But what about Bernard?’
‘I think Bernard knew he’d always be second best. That’s probably why he cheated on him so much. But your mother only ever had eyes for your father.’
‘Poor Maestro. So, he was the one who wanted me to have the locket?’
‘Yes.’
‘So that’s why Luke said it was a family heirloom?’
‘Yes. I have to say, even though Luke charms every woman he meets, he’s been acting very out of character since the day you arrived.’
‘He has? I wondered if it was his spoiled pampered upbringing. Expecting everyone to be at his beck and call.’
‘The opposite probably. From what I’ve heard.’
‘He’s rich Norwegian Royalty,’ I say in a disbelieving tone. ‘How bad can it have been?’
‘He was shipped off to boarding school at a very early age, then more or less left to his own devices until he started to act out. After that, they palmed him off on the Maestro who, really, is the only family member to ever take care of him in any meaningful way.’
‘Sounds lonely.’
‘I know. And even now, his mother is always doing charity work while his father does politics. He barely knows or sees his parents other than at royal engagements. Do you know, they’ve never once been to hear him sing? Makes you wonder why they had him in the first place.’
‘Blimey. It sounds so sad and depressing when you put it like that.’
Dolly laughs. ‘It makes me grateful for the friends and family I have, put it that way. And I know it’s not for me to say…’ Dolly leaves the sentence hanging before she continues. ‘I know he’s been awful, and Lord knows, he has attachment issues but… upgrading the hotel, the locket, and I’m pretty sure he pulled in some big favours to kill the Royal love triangle story. It’s as though he genuinely has feelings for you. Real feelings.’
‘What are you saying?’
‘I just think… that, Luke, may be… or at least in his mind… he thinks he is in love with you. Unrequited love seems to run in the family.’
A nauseous feeling swells in my stomach as I remember him asking to marry me and then snorting cocaine like it was going out of fashion. ‘No. It’s a crush. It will pass. He’s into Liberty now anyway.’
‘Well, let’s hope it is a crush and not history repeating itself like the Maestro. But I know one thing for sure. He’s not after your friend. You best warn her off him. Luke might be a nice guy underneath it all, but he is ruthless when it comes to breaking hearts. Besides, he’s a sapiosexual.’
‘Christ Almighty. Who isn’t, these days?’
I click off the call, no better off. I have no idea how to handle this situation. I take the locket from around my neck. I flick the catch open and admire the picture of my mother staring back at me with my eyes. I marvel at how much I don’t know about her. Her life before I came into it. Did she know about the Maestro’s unrequited love? How did she handle it?
I place the locket carefully on the console table under the mirror and go off for my run. I need to go through my mental checklist of what needs to happen in Las Vegas for every minute of every day that we are there because the list of additional problems is growing by the second.
After an hour of running the length of both beaches in Benidorm, I arrive at the villa to find almost everyone around the kitchen table.
‘She’s not come back home,’ states Ged immediately. ‘I say she’s fine and probably with Luke.’
‘She could also be murdered somewhere behind a bin,’ says Cherry.
‘You need to stop listening to those podcasts, hun. You really do.’ Big Sue is shaking her head at Cherry. ‘She’s a big girl. She’ll ring if she’s in any trouble.’
‘Wait. Are you saying Liberty didn’t come home last night?’ I say, catching up. They all nod at me. I shrug my shoulders. ‘Big Sue’s right. Liberty and Luke can do what they like. They’re both consenting adults.’ There’s a thorny silence while we digest this information. ‘I know it feels off, but I suppose we just have to let them get on with it.’
‘Okay. You’re right. Let’s not waste the whole day debating whether to track her down. Me and Ged are going to Algar Falls to wash this bloody orange stain off,’ Liam says briskly. ‘Apparently, the waters there contain the same minerals that you find in washing powder.’
Liam and Ged have turned a few shades darker since yesterday. Any darker, and they will be undetectable against the terracotta tiles.
‘I’ve always fancied going to the waterfalls up there,’ says Big Mand.
‘Me too,’ agrees Big Sue.
‘Come with us,’ says Ged. ‘The more the merrier.’
Cherry looks green and pale. ‘I’ll skip it if that’s okay. I might rest up so that I’m good for tonight,’ she says. ‘Plus, I need to take up some of the costumes.’
‘And I have so much shopping still to do,’ I say, holding up my hands. ‘Ready for tomorrow and…’
‘LAS VEGAS!’ we all shout together.
‘So that’s settled then,’ sums up Big Sue. ‘Me and Mandeep will take the bridezillas to the waterfall to scrub them clean. Cherry, you do a recon of the costumes and accessories. Connie, we still need a pink sequined suit and pink shirt for the Oscars Ken outfit. We’re short on one white fluffy coat too. Here’s the list. And Tash, you…. Where’s Tash?’
‘She’s gone back to bed. I heard her throwing up earlier,’ says Big Mand.
‘All the more reason to get out of here,’ yells Ged, already crossing the patio towards their villa. ‘I can’t afford to catch any pre-moon bugs.’
Cherry and I make eye contact. I can’t believe they might both be pregnant in the middle of all this chaos.
‘See you tonight, babes,’ says Liam to me, chasing after Ged. The Dollz follow suit and scatter, leaving me alone in the kitchen.
Okay,’ I say, unfolding the huge shopping list. ‘I guess I’ll just have to go shopping for a pink sparkly suit and these other impossible-to-get items alone then.’