‘But they’re doingAnnieat the Gaiety next year. I’m goin’ to go for that.’
‘Oh? What part?’ She hadn’t seen Annie in years, but as far as she remembered, all the children in it were girls.
‘Annie.’
‘Oh, you mean… Annie? The lead?’
‘Yeah, course.’ He shrugged. ‘I’m a good singer.’
‘Right, but she’s—’
Jack nodded. ‘A ginger, I know. But slap an orange wig on me and Bob’s your uncle.’
‘But Annie’s a girl.’
‘So? When I auditioned for the Dodger, there was a few girls tryin’ out for it. So I don’t see why I can’t play Annie. Only fair, innit?’
‘I suppose so. It’d certainly be a change from Cockney urchins …’
‘Well, that’s us back to work,’ Jack said, as the rehearsal break ended. He put the last Haribo into his mouth and scrunched up the empty bag. ‘No rest for the wicked, eh?’
Sive was on a high by the time the rehearsal broke up. It was like falling in love again and she was giddy with it, floating on air. She could tell Sam felt the same, his face flushed with excitement, his lips stretched in a broad smile. His whole being seemed to exude energy.
‘That was awesome!’ he said, hitching a rucksack onto his shoulder. ‘I can’t believe I get to do this as ajob.’
Sive smiled, loving his enthusiasm. ‘I know. It’s crazy, right?’
He shook his head wonderingly. ‘Even better than being Jack of all trades at the theatre. Not that I don’t love humping sceneryaround and sweeping the stage at Halfpenny Lane. But this is on a whole other level.’
Sive laughed, making a show of examining his lovely face, glowing with excitement. ‘Yep, you’ve got the bug. Completely stagestruck. You’re a goner. There’s no hope for you now, my friend.’
‘I can vouch for that,’ Ciara said wryly as she and Jack joined them.
‘There’s no known cure,’ Mitch said, cheerfully, picking Jack up and lifting him onto his shoulders. ‘Like Tiny Tim’s ailment.’
Sam grinned. ‘I’ve had worse addictions,’ he said as they all headed for the door. ‘Speaking of which,’ he glanced at his watch, I’ve got a meeting to get to.’
‘AA?’ Shay, their Mr. Fezziwig, said behind him, overhearing their conversation. ‘I’m nine years sober myself.’
‘Good for you!’ Sam turned to him. ‘But it’s Gamblers Anonymous for me. Three years bet free.’
‘Good lad.’ Shay clapped him on the shoulder.
Sive was surprised how open Sam was about his compulsive gambling problem, but she saw the value in it as it lifted the veil of shame and secrecy around it and helped others to talk freely about their addiction problems. ‘You still go to the meetings, though?’ she asked as they all trooped downstairs together and out into the chill evening air.
‘Yeah, I try to help out as much as I can.’
‘I guess you’re not coming to the pub, then?’ Mitch asked as he set Jack down on the pavement.
Sam shook his head. ‘Not tonight.’
‘Neither are we,’ Sive said as Mimi joined them. ‘We’re meeting Aoife for an early dinner before her show.’
‘And we’ve got homework to do,’ Ciara said, taking Jack’s hand.
‘See you all tomorrow, then,’ Mitch said as they all parted ways.
‘So how did rehearsal go?’ Aoife asked over plates of nachos and tacos in a buzzy little Mexican restaurant close to Halfpenny Lane.
