Chapter 49
FRANKIE
Now
As I leave the hall, I can almost feel the pity in their eyes. Another aspiring singer who has failed to make the grade. Billie and Gracie are patiently waiting for me outside the hall on some seats in the corridor, happily watching cute kitten videos on my phone.
‘Did you get the job Mama?’ Billie asks, momentarily looking up from my phone when she hears me open the door.
‘I’m not sure honey. They said they would let me know.’ I answer my first-born daughter. I say first-born as she’s just thirty minutes older than her twin sister.
‘We did good sharing Mama when you were singing.’ Gracie says, wrapping herself around my legs.
‘I’m so pleased Gracie. You’re both such good girls.
Shall we treat ourselves to some fish and chips tonight?
’ I say, ruffling her golden curls, hoping that someone, somewhere would just give me a chance with a singing job.
Since the twins’ father left me when he found out that we were expecting not just one baby but two, it’s just been me and my girls.
I’ve long since cut ties with my parents.
They didn’t really agree with my choice of career and being a single mum of twins didn’t quite fit in with their idea of how their daughter should behave.
Singing in a band is what I’ve always wanted to do.
Having the girls has put my career back somewhat but now they’re about to start school, I can get back to performing again.
I’ve always loved singing and I’m lucky enough to have secured a job at the girls’ school covering for the music teacher while she’s on maternity leave.
It’s brilliant that I’m going to finish work the same time that the girls finish school, so I’ll always be there to collect them.
But it isn’t enough. I want to be in a band again, to write my own lyrics and music and get that buzz that only a live gig can give you.
I’m almost thirty-three, so I’m not old but there are a lot of much younger singers out there without the added complication of having four-year-old twins.
Billie is the outgoing one, her hair so much darker than her still blonde sister.
Billie is fearless whereas Gracie is much quieter and depends almost completely on her big sister.
Thankfully the school are going to let them both be in the same class at school which is much more for Gracie’s benefit than Billie’s.
And to Billie’s credit she always has her sister’s back.
We pick up our fish and chips from our local chippy and walk back home where we have a picnic supper outside in our shared garden.
We’re still enjoying a really hot summer which makes up for the fact that I can’t afford to take them on holiday.
It won’t be long before the girls are at school full time, I’ll have my part-time job at the school and lovely Mina who lives in the flat above us and absolutely adores the girls has promised to babysit if ever I need to work at night, so life is looking up.
I think back to my earlier audition and hope and pray that I’ve done enough as Billie and Gracie hoover up the rest of the chips.