Chapter 54
THE LAST TIME
After the stage call, Sander and I left the building together, holding hands.
Other artists and Dance Hall employees peeled off either side of us.
The air was cool, but tinged with the promise of summer.
I closed my eyes and breathed it in, part of my soul still somewhere in Renaissance Verona.
I checked my watch. ‘Do you want to go for dinner somewhere—?’
I stopped as Sander’s hand slipped out of mine, following his stare.
On the other side of the narrow road, amid the bustle of taxis and bicycles, tourists, chefs on their smoke break, two men were waiting.
Staring. Before I could make sense of them – their faces, their clothes, anything at all – Sander’s voice redirected my attention.
‘Sorry. I can’t. I…’ He looked at the stage door, then quickly back across the road. ‘I must go back. Inside.’
‘Why? Did you forget something?’
He felt for my hand and gave it a quick, forceful squeeze. ‘Almost. Go on without me. Please.’
Out of the corner of my eye, the men began to cross the street.
‘I can come with you, or wait out here—’
‘No, please don’t wait. I wouldn’t…’ He cleared his throat. ‘I would not want you to wait.’
He let go of my hand and went through the stage door without looking back.
‘Oh. Well… I’ll see you tomorrow then,’ I said, not quite loudly enough over the noise of car engines and other pedestrians.
The two strangers calmly followed him through the open door, and I glimpsed Sander gesturing to Frank the doorman as if to say, It’s fine, they’re with me.
I was a bit hurt to be brushed off. And there was something about his words, the way they hadn’t quite matched his tone or the movement of his eyes, that felt decidedly odd.
But there had also been something in the squeeze of his hand that was strong enough to guide my feet away from the stage door.
As if he were still next to me, leading me home.
I kept walking, my mind a little cloudy, drifting between thoughts. I put it down to tiredness.
It never occurred to me that anything was wrong. After all, why wouldn’t I take for granted that my words would come true, just by saying them: See you tomorrow.