The Concert
By the time Claudia makes her final bow and exits the stage, she is overcome with emotion.
Her breasts are tight and uncomfortably full.
Elliott, who is a big eater, was too distracted to have a proper meal before she had to rush off.
She hurries down the steps to the backstage area, glancing down at her chest to make sure there are no telltale leaks on her royal blue silk blouse. There are none. Yet.
The crowd continues to cheer and applaud, and she allows herself a second to drink in their praise, knowing she’s already won the night.
If the crew wasn’t already setting up for The Vows, she’d be tempted to rush out for one last song.
But it’s better this way because her debut ‘Already Gone’ will be the anthem when people relive the night.
She is delayed by several people who congratulate her, including Larry White, who wants to have a conversation about her future.
He offers her a recording deal, his recently lifted eyes shining with emotion at the homage she paid their mutual friend.
During their chat, she spots one of the girls who’s supposed to be watching Elliott, the boy-crazy one, Trish.
A fleeting grimace of irritation shows on her face before she remembers she’s talking to a man who holds her entire career in his clammy pink palms. She tells herself that it’s better if Trish isn’t in the trailer with the baby.
Trish is probably a distraction for the responsible one, Lisa, who will be lovingly watching Elliott while he slept right about then.
Larry and Claudia are joined by his wife, Greta, who grips her husband’s upper arm and glares openly at the singer while he gushes over her talent. Claudia smiles politely and tries to include Greta in the conversation so she won’t feel threatened by her. It doesn’t work.
When she finally slips away, she gets lost for a total of thirteen minutes (that feels more like six hours) among the dark rows of holiday trailers set up for each of the performers.
She yanks open the doors to three of the wrong trailers before finally opening the one to hers.
The buzz from the night’s success fades in an instant.
The sound of the crowd becomes muted. Her mouth drops open.
She calls Elliott’s name, then feels stupid because he’s barely past being a newborn, so there’s no way he can say, “Oh, hey Mom, I’m over here. ” No matter how gifted she knows he is.
Claudia checks the tiny bathroom even though she knows Lisa and the baby aren’t in there.
She stands still, her mouth dry, her heart racing.
She knows there could easily be a reasonable explanation for their absence.
They could be in the trailer next to hers, designated for Lisa’s family.
But even as she hurries over to it, she already knows Elliott won’t be in there.
Something is very wrong. She bangs on the door and gets no answer.
The trailer is unlocked and, when she goes inside, she finds it empty.