The Silent Appeal #4
What’s wrong with HER waitressing? Lazy cow would rather leech off us.
4:44 p.m. Amelia wrote:
She’s still in PJs eating Monster Munch out of my salad bowl. The crunching drives me CRAZY!!!! You at work?
4:45 p.m. Amelia wrote:
Could do with getting out of this flat. Lucas is never here and there’s no escape from his cousin
4:54 p.m. Amelia wrote:
Fancy a word rehearsal? Can’t concentrate on my lines with this crunching.
4:55 p.m. Amelia wrote:
You ok, Fran?
5:02 p.m. Fran wrote:
Went home from work. Didn’t feel too good.
5:02 p.m. Amelia wrote:
Aw, period? I can bring chocolate…
5:03 p.m. Fran wrote:
Maybe later this week.
To: Nicky-Rose Dearing
From: Stuart Kinsella
Date: February 20, 2025
Subject: Re: Hi
Not going to lecture you, but a married man? Is that what you need right now, Nix? Never mind your sis not appreciating what she has, you deserve more than you’ve got. Think about it? Stu x
Message exchange between Nicky-Rose Dearing and Isabel Beck on February 20, 2025:
11:53 a.m. Nicky-Rose wrote:
Coffee today? Late afternoon best for me.
11:54 a.m. Issy wrote:
GASP!! I’d love to! I’m supposed to be working till six, boo, but I’ll ask my friend if she’ll swap so I can leave at four.
12:03 p.m. Issy wrote:
Yay! She’s agreed! I thought she would because I said I’d do her three earlies next week and she HATES mornings.
It takes twenty minutes on the bus and there’s one scheduled at 4:07, getting me to Squires by 4:30.
But don’t worry, if it takes longer than usual, I’ll let you know.
You won’t have to sit on your own for long.
12:14 p.m. Nicky-Rose wrote:
Squires, 4:30 p.m.
3:59 p.m. Issy wrote:
I’ve just left work and am running to the bus stop in case it’s early.
4:06 p.m. Issy wrote:
I can see the bus! Yay!
4:08 p.m. Issy wrote:
On the bus! I’ve sat on the lower deck this time (even though I prefer the top) so I can dart out as soon as it stops in Lockwood.
4:14 p.m. Issy wrote:
We’re at the Apprentice roundabout. On time so far.
4:15 p.m. Issy wrote:
They say the Apprentice was deliberately burned down for the insurance money.
4:18 p.m. Issy wrote:
Past the Ford dealership where my boss has her car serviced.
4:21 p.m. Issy wrote:
We’re at the Counting House that has a blue plaque because a corn dealer lived there in the seventeenth century. It’s a Montessori nursery now.
4:24 p.m. Issy wrote:
I can see the Lockwood clocktower! Right on time. Hope you’re not feeling awkward sitting there on your own.
4:26 p.m. Issy wrote:
Passing the church and church hall! This is where I get off for Fairways, but I’ll stay on one more stop for Squires.
4:27 p.m. Issy wrote:
How funny! Fran is sitting outside the church hall in her car. She lives on Haywood Heights, so I wonder why she’s here on a Thursday? Then again, she goes to that church, so maybe there’s an event on.
4:28 p.m. Issy wrote:
Lucky I sat down here as I’d never have spotted her if I’d sat upstairs as usual.
4:28 p.m. Issy wrote:
About to jump off! See you in three minutes!
Message exchange between Sarah-Jane MacDonald and Nicky-Rose Dearing on February 20, 2025:
5:00 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:
Just seen you in Squires. Why?
5:03 p.m. Nicky-Rose wrote:
A primo iced macchiato with caramel syrup, almond milk, and an extra shot of espresso. Why not?
5:05 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:
I mean why are you with Issy Beck? I told you what she’s like. She’s not your type.
5:29 p.m. Nicky-Rose wrote:
Maybe not when I was fifteen. Now I find the quiet, shy, awkward girls far more interesting. They watch and listen. And they’ll do anything for their friends.
To: Nicky-Rose Dearing
From: Isabel Beck
Date: February 20, 2025
Subject: Thank you!
Hiya Nicky!
OMG!! I’ve never had such fun in a coffee shop IN MY LIFE!!
From this moment and forever: hot coffee is dead to me.
I’m only getting out of bed for iced arabica with caramel syrup and almond milk.
How did you discover such a wonderful drink?
Was it on a cruise ship? I think the caffeine might be stronger than in the Nescafé I’m used to because I’m so wide awake and buzzing when usually I’d be sleepy after a day at work.
It was so nice to meet you and chat! We have A LOT in common!
You’ve just left Barbados and are looking for new challenges in Lockwood.
I gave up my nursing career a few years ago and moved away.
Now we’ve both come back here at the same time.
Fate has put us together, so I can show you that a new start is possible at any time in life, and you can show me the wonders of iced coffee!
I’m LOVING being in the play. Gerda is the best part I’ve ever had and when you get up onstage to show us how it’s done, it’s so much better than when Kevin shouts from his chair.
You obviously know more about the theater than he does, although of course he’s very nice.
He’s your brother-in-law so you know that!
It’s funny how you’ve noticed things about people, just like I have. Amelia is playing Henrietta very well. Apparently, she used to sing in a musical group and you can tell she has experience. But Lucas and Mark are total beginners and in my opinion it’s lucky they only have small roles.
Lucas and Barry have gotten very close, well, their characters are always together, so they’re bound to.
Joyce has mentioned Barry working for Lucas at his club.
I don’t go to clubs but think it might be the new one in the center of Mendham, Lunar.
Barry’s girlfriend, Myra, has had two babies in two years and is expecting a third.
Joyce says he’s making up for Nick being “hopeless with women.”
I keep forgetting you knew a lot of these people years ago!
Do you remember Peter? He’s the Hallidays’ middle son.
He was in prison for possession, intent to supply, and actual bodily harm.
He’s doing well now. Fran will tell you.
She helped him like she helped me, at a charity that mentors people who want to make a fresh start.
Remember what I told you about her. She’s a very good actor, but as a friend, not so much.
I hate gossip, as it’s so often exaggerated or just plain untrue, so if there’s anything you want to know about the group, just ask me. I’ll see you at the next rehearsal and in the meantime, I’m going to find a recipe for iced coffee I can make at home! Lots of love, Issy xxx
Undated pages from a decorative journal belonging to Isabel Beck:
TODAY
Why was I so anxious? All those bullet points about how worried I was! I’m going to cancel out that negative energy and write some new bullet points! My meeting with Nicky-Rose today was:
Fabulous!
Amazing!
Sensational!
Coffeetastic!
I can’t believe the Fairways’ assistant director, whose last play was on a cruise ship, is MY new bestie! Nicky-Rose is so nice and friendly and (because no one else will read this, I can add) not like her sister at all.
She asked which coffee I like and I said I didn’t know because coffee shops are too expensive when I have a jar of coffee at home that’s ￡3.
89 from Lidl. She said she’d get me her favorite: iced caramel macchiato made with almond milk and extra espresso.
She got the Primo size, too, which isn’t even the smallest. It cost ￡5. 30!
First of all we chatted about the play. I told her I was asked personally by Kevin to rejoin the group to play Gerda.
He asked her to be assistant director because Sarah-Jane is busy with her work and they haven’t got a babysitter since Carol joined Mendhams. She was anxious at first, just like I was!
There are so many parallels between us and how we came to be back at Fairways!
I asked her about what it’s like to produce shows for cruise ships and whether the props have to be Velcro-ed to the set to stop them sliding across the stage when the ship lurches.
She said no, but it’s hard work and she spent years getting in with the big cruise companies.
She mentioned her business partner, Trina, but when I asked what she’s doing now, Nicky-Rose clammed up and changed the subject.
Between you and me, journal, I think something happened between them and she doesn’t want to say.
I wonder what it was? I suppose you’d tell her that was “yesterday” and that only “today” matters.
I’ll tell her that next time we meet for coffee.
TODAY
Maybe it’s that huge glass of coffee, but I’ve reached a new page in the journal and there are more things to write. I suppose it’s still “today” so that’s fine.
She gave me some more advice about acting (my eyes should always be searching for the eyes of Gerda’s husband, John, whenever I step onstage because she’s so devoted to him) and asked if Emma has made the sculptures of me yet (I don’t think so).
I mentioned that Emma didn’t want me to sit for her and Nicky-Rose scowled and said, “Hmmm, we’ll see. ”
I asked what she thought of Fran. She said she’s one of those actors who’s outstandingly good, yet it’s effortless.
You never get the impression she’s stretching herself or working too hard, which means she finds challenges elsewhere in life.
I mentioned how Fran will make you think she’s your friend then turn on you, and how I know she won’t be friends with Amelia for long, because she ghosted ME within six months (a couple of years ago).
I only hope that doesn’t happen before play week as I’d hate The Hollow to be affected.
When we’d finished our iced caramel almond milk double-shot macchiatos I said thank you for meeting me, and she said, “Let’s do it again, and in the meantime if there’s anything going on in the group I should know about, just text.
It can be a them-and-us attitude among a cast, but the directors should know the tea. ”
Gasp! She wants to meet again!
Today, dear journal, is a VERY good day!
Messages posted to Chez MacDonald WhatsApp group on February 21, 2025:
9:12 a.m. Sarah-Jane wrote: