Sam in the Spotlight

by Anne-Marie Conway

  I could’ve pointed out that Crystal had to be pretty clever to be running her own business at eighteen years old – and that acting was just as creative as making jewellery – but somewhere along the line she had decided that The Great Mrs. Raja was the answer to all her problems and nothing I said was going to make the slightest difference.

  “Has your mum mentioned that tutor again?” said Ellie. I was testing her on her lines while we waited for the bus.

  I shook my head. “She hasn’t exactly mentioned her – but then we’re not really talking.”

  “But how are you going to help her at the wedding if you’re ignoring each other?”

  “We are talking when we need to, but things are pretty frosty between us.”

  “Like Eddie’s sweatshirt, you mean?” said Ellie.

  I smiled. “Erm…kind of. Anyway I’ve been working on this plan all week, you know, for getting Mum and Crystal together at the wedding. I’m pretty certain that if they make up, Mum won’t be so bothered about getting me a tutor. She’s only got herself in a state about my education because Crystal turned down her place at uni.”

  Ellie leaned towards me. “So what are you going to do then? Lock them in a room together?”

  I stared at her.

  Ellie’s mouth dropped open. “You’re not serious.”

  “I am. Deadly.”

  “But Sam! What if it doesn’t work? What if there are no locks on the doors or they’re never in the same room at the same time? Or Crystal storms out? Or—”

  “Okay, I get the picture! Look, I don’t know what I’ll do if it doesn’t work. It’s got to work because if it doesn’t my mum will force me to leave Star Makers and I’ll never, ever forgive her.”

  “Neither will I,” said Ellie.

  The bus took ages and by the time we arrived everyone was already there, crowded around Sandeep.

  “Look, you two!” he shouted, holding up his leg. “No cast!”

  “That’s brilliant!” cried Ellie. “And your leg looks exactly the same as it did before!”

  “What do you mean? What did you think it was going to look like?”

  “Oh, it’s just that I had this dream the other night that when you had your cast taken off your leg had mutated into two legs, so altogether you had three.”

  “Is she okay?” said Sandeep to me, but just then Julian called him over to sort out the sound. Julian couldn’t come to the actual show because he was working somewhere else that night, so this was his last chance to make sure Sandeep knew what he was doing.

  “Come on, girls,” said Mandy, handing us a pile of clothes. “Costumes on.”

  My costume was pretty ordinary – just a plain skirt and shirt – but some of the others were amazing. Monty B was wearing this old-fashioned detective’s outfit – sort of like Sherlock Holmes. He came rushing back from the toilets and then stood in the middle of the hall for ages, trying to look at himself in his huge magnifying glass.

  “For goodness’ sake, Digestive Biscuit! Stop admiring yourself,” said Phoebe.

  “I can’t help it,” said Monty B. “I just look so…so…I can’t think of the word…”

  “Neither can I,” said Adam. “Oh yes I can – it’s ‘stupid’.”

  Everyone burst out laughing, but I didn’t really feel like joining in. I was too worried about the wedding and my plan and how The Phantom Face might be my last ever show at Star Makers. It was the same when we started the rehearsal. Mandy kept asking me to put more effort into my performance and even Sara started moaning about it – as if she was the assistant director or something.

  “It’s not because you’ve got a crush on someone, is it?” she said, staring right at Adam in the most obvious way imaginable.

  “I’m afraid it is,” said Monty B before I could say anything or push her off the stage. “She can’t help it, Sara. It’s just the effect I have on women.”

  “In your dreams,” said Adam.

  “I actually had this dream,” said Ellie, “and—”

  “Not now!” cried Mandy. “It’s the dress rehearsal. Come on, Sam. I can see you know all your lines and all your cues, but could you please just put a bit more spark into it?”

  It was so frustrating, because I desperately wanted to show Mandy how good I was, but I seemed to be getting worse by the minute. How was I supposed to prove to Mum how serious I was about acting if she came to see me in the show and I was rubbish? And if she hadn’t made up with Crystal by then, would it make any difference anyway?

  We started again from the beginning but we didn’t get very far because the eerie music kept playing out at the wrong time. “Don’t worry, Mandy,” said Sandeep. “I’m just getting used to the equipment. It’ll be fine by next week.”

  Mandy sighed. “I really hope you’re right, because I’m beginning to get that feeling of doom I always get just before a show. You know, that everything’s going to go wrong.”

  Right that second, as if on cue, Arthur came in.

  “Oh hello, Mandy. I can see you’re busy, my dear, but we never did have that little chat in the end, did we?”

  “No, we didn’t,” said Mandy, firmly. “But I’m sure there’ll be plenty of time after the show.”

  “It honestly won’t take a moment,” said Arthur. “It’s just about your…ahem…lovely long hair…” He paused for a minute and Mandy jumped up.

  “I’m sorry, Arthur, but this really isn’t the time or the place,” she said, and she ushered him out of the hall as quickly as she could, shutting the door firmly behind him.

  “What’s he going on about her hair for?” I said to Ellie.

  She shrugged, giggling. “Beats me. Maybe he wants Mrs. Beagle to get hair extensions or something?”

  After a lot of stopping and starting we finally managed to run right through the show – with the sound effects and projected images – and it actually went pretty well.

  “That was great!” cried Mandy as we finished the finale. “I take it all back, guys. This is easily going to be the best show ever!”

  “You always say that,” said Monty B. “But they can’t all be the best, can they? You know, technically speaking…”

  “Haven’t you got a crime to solve or something?” said Neesha. “You know, technically speaking.”

  We all spilled out of the hall, laughing. Aunty Mags was waiting for me downstairs with Riley. He bounded straight over to Adam as if he actually remembered him, and Adam seemed just as happy to see Riley.

  “How’s he getting on?” he said, heaving Riley up into his arms.

  Aunty Mags rolled her eyes. “Well, if I said he’s the naughtiest dog I’ve ever had in my life I wouldn’t be exaggerating!” she laughed. “He’s starting his obedience lessons on Monday and he’s going to be in for a big shock.”

  I went over to say bye to the others while Adam and Aunty Mags were chatting.

  “Don’t forget to text us,” said Ellie, giving me a hug. “We’re all going back to mine and we’ll be desperate for news.”

  I’ve been to a few weddings before but I’ve never been to anything like Sophia Malone’s wedding. When we arrived at the hall – which was actually one of those very posh houses that you could easily spend the whole day looking round – the grounds were filled with sleek, black limousines and about a hundred guys with cameras. The second we stopped the car they began to shout out to us, as if we were the celebrities and they wanted to snap our picture.

  “Wow! Hasn’t your mum done well for herself, landing a job like this?” said Aunty Mags. And Crystal, I thought, but I didn’t say anything.

  An important-looking man with a clipboard came bustling over to the car and when we showed him our passes and said we were there to do the flowers he rushed us through a side entrance, quite a way from where the other guests were going in. I said goodbye to Aunty Mags and the man led me down a grand corridor with shiny floors and old-fashioned portraits, all the way along to where Mum was waiting for me in the main din
ing room.

  I stood in the doorway with my mouth hanging open. It was the most romantic room I’d ever seen in my life. There was a huge chandelier in the middle of the ceiling, dripping with thousands of tiny crystals. The light shimmering through the glass made a pattern of sparkly dots on every wall – kind of like a giant disco ball. I was dying to take a picture and send it to Ellie and the others – they wouldn’t believe it.

  Mum was busy sorting out the table arrangements. She’d used bendy wire and delicate red flowers to create the shape of two entwined hearts. There was also a flickering red candle sitting in one of Crystal’s candleholders on each of the tables. Of course Mum didn’t have the slightest clue that Crystal had made the candleholders, but the overall effect was stunning.

  “The tables look amazing, Mum,” I said. “How did you ever get the idea?”

  Mum smiled. She was probably relieved I wasn’t giving her the frosty treatment. “Well, Sophia finally decided that she wanted the theme to be love hearts and I thought two hearts would look much prettier than one. Lavender told me there were going to be candles, so I tried out all different ways of arranging the hearts around the candle and I thought this way would be best.”

  “Have you seen Lavender yet?” I asked as casually as I could. “Or anyone else?”

  Mum shook her head. “They’ve pretty much left me to it. The band have been in and out, setting up, but I haven’t seen Lavender.”

  It was crazy. Tyler had probably walked straight past Mum – maybe they’d even said hi – but because she’d always been so set against meeting him properly, neither of them would have had a clue.

  “Are you going to give me a hand then, Sam? Myra and Keeley were fantastic this morning but they had to get back to the shop to do the normal Saturday orders.”

  “What was it like at the church?”

  “I didn’t see the service or anything. We’d finished before Sophia or any of the guests arrived and then I came straight here to start the tables. Listen, why don’t you pass me the wire and cutters as we go around? I’m so nervous it’s taking me twice as long as I thought it would.”

  I was nervous too. Very. My hands were slippy on the cutters and the butterflies were back in my stomach but a hundred times worse than this morning. What if Crystal didn’t show up before the wedding? What if they never actually came face-to-face at all? I didn’t know whether to tell Mum about the candleholders or just wait and see what happened. My whole plan to get them together suddenly seemed rubbish. It wasn’t a proper plan at all. A door banged down the corridor, and then another. My stomach lurched, but no one came into the hall.

  We worked on for a bit and then Mum stood back to check the table we’d just finished. “Do you think the hearts look obvious enough?” she said. “I didn’t want to go too over the top, so I’ve tried to make them as dainty as possible but…”

  “The hearts look brilliant,” I gushed, “and the candleholders.” I had to say something. I had no idea where Crystal was and time was ticking by. “They’re beautiful as well, aren’t they?” I held my breath, waiting to see what she would say.

  “Yes, they’re lovely,” she agreed. “I might actually ask Lavender who made them – it would be great to get some to sell in Everything’s Rosy. They’d look a treat dotted around the shop.”

  This was my chance. “Well, you’ll never believe it, Mum,” I started, forcing the words out before I lost my nerve, “but I actually know who…” There was a sudden noise by the door and we both swung round. It was Crystal. She was standing there with her hands on her hips and her chin jutting out.

  “I made them,” she said. “The candleholders are mine. I made them.”

  Mum dropped the flower she was holding and literally stepped back in shock. She looked from me to Crystal and back to me again. I could just imagine what she was thinking.

  “What’s going on?” she said in the end. “Did you know about this, Sam?”

  I suddenly realized I was still holding my breath. I couldn’t believe I actually thought this was going to be a good idea. I must’ve been mad.

  “It’s got nothing to do with Sam,” said Crystal, jutting her chin out even further. “Sophia Malone asked me to make the candleholders for the tables, but I didn’t know you were doing the flowers.”

  She spun round and started to walk out of the room.

  “Wait!” said Mum. “Let’s talk…can’t we just talk, Crystal, please?”

  “What’s left to say?” said Crystal. She turned back, her eyes glittering. “I’m pretty sure you said everything you wanted to say to me on the night of my birthday.”

  Mum took a step towards her. “Look, I know you’re upset, Crystal, but I didn’t mean to hurt you. It’s just that I had all these dreams for you…”

  Crystal shook her head. “But it wasn’t about my dreams, was it, Mum? It was about yours. It was about me coming along eighteen years ago and ruining all your dreams. I was just One Big Mistake, wasn’t I? Isn’t that what you said? That you didn’t want me to make the same mistake you made.”

  “But I didn’t mean you!” cried Mum. “You and Sam – you’re my special girls…”

  “Special,” spat Crystal. “You didn’t make me feel very special that night, did you? What do you think it feels like when your own mother says she wishes you’d never been born?”

  Mum lurched towards Crystal. “I didn’t...” she gasped. “I…” Her voice broke and she started to cry.

  “Look, this is stupid,” said Crystal, but her eyes were bright too. “They’re going to be bringing the guests in soon and you haven’t even finished the flowers, and anyway I’ve got to get back to Tyler and the guys. If you’ve got something to say to me, it’ll have to wait.”

  “What do you mean, Tyler and the guys?” croaked Mum.

  “Oh sorry, I forgot to mention,” said Crystal. “My loser boyfriend is playing a gig at the celebrity wedding of the year…guess he’s not such a loser after all!”

  “But she doesn’t think he’s a loser!” I cried out in desperation. I couldn’t keep quiet a second longer. “She fell in love with a musician herself. Didn’t you, Mum?”

  Mum froze.

  “What the hell are you talking about?” said Crystal.

  “It’s true,” I said, the words tumbling out. “Dad used to play in a band and Mum came to see him in a gig and they fell in love and that was way before he got a job in a bank. Tell her, Mum. Tell her it’s true.”

  “What a load of rubbish!” snapped Crystal.

  “Come on, Mum. Tell her about Stevie and the Stingrays. Dad was in a band, just like Tyler, and it didn’t stop you falling for him.”

  But Mum just stood there, speechless.

  “I don’t know what you’re on about, Sam,” said Crystal, “but whatever it is, I really couldn’t care less. I know you’re just trying to help, but it’s too late!” And she flounced out of the room, just like she always does when she wants to get the last word.

  “She’s right,” sobbed Mum. “It’s too late.” She sank down onto a chair and put her head in her hands.

  “Come on,” I said, before she lost it altogether. “Crystal’s right, let’s get the flowers sorted, at least.”

  I managed to get her up and we worked really hard together until the tables were finished. I could see her hands shaking like mad as she clipped and shaped the flowers, and every few minutes a huge tear ran down her face, but she didn’t say a word. We were just packing up when Lavender came in.

  “Oh darlings, it’s absolutely stunning,” she cried. “And who would’ve thought the little candleholders and the flowers shaped like hearts would come together so perfectly. They’re quite simply a match made in heaven.”

  In hell, more like, I thought, as I texted Ellie and the others that everything had gone completely wrong.

  Lavender ushered us into a sort of small waiting room near the hall. She said she needed to bring some forms for Mum to sign and she hurried off down the co
rridor.

  We’d been sitting there for about fifteen minutes when the music started. I went to stand by the open door and peered round so I could just about see into the hall. All the guests had arrived. The room was packed full of beautiful women, and men in their smartest suits, all sipping champagne and looking outrageously glamorous. The Garlic Pickers were standing on the stage at the far end. Tyler was right in the middle and he was singing directly to Sophia Malone. The lyrics were quite simple, but it was such a romantic song.

  “He wrote it for me,” said Crystal, coming up alongside me. “It’s called ‘Precious Girl’ and he wrote it for me when I moved in with him. He thinks I’m special even if my own mother doesn’t.”

  “You are special,” said Mum quietly, coming out of the room. She held her hands out to Crystal, pleading. “You’re my precious girl and if I ever made you feel that you weren’t wanted then I am so, so sorry. I’d do anything to take back what I said that night, Crystal. You’ve got to believe me. Anything.”

  Tears started to run down Crystal’s face. “But you said you didn’t want me,” she sobbed, crumbling suddenly. “You said giving up your place at university was the biggest mistake of your life – and we all know why you had to give it up…”

  “But I didn’t mean—”

  “You did!” cried Crystal. “You gave up everything for me. I ruined your life. That’s what you meant when you said—”

  “No,” said Mum firmly, pulling Crystal into her arms. “That’s not what I meant. Having you was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life and I couldn’t love you more or be prouder of you. I think you’re incredible.”

  I started crying as well then, it was just too much.

  And then Lavender arrived with the forms. “Oh darlings,” she gasped, looking a bit flustered. “Does anyone need a tissue?”

  Mum was very quiet on the way home. I kind of thought she’d be over the moon, but I guess six months of upset and rows don’t just evaporate into thin air.

  “I’m so tired,” she said as we drew up outside the house. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this tired in my life.”