‘Of course I came. I wouldn’t miss this for the world. I’ve missed you so much these past few weeks.’ He hugged her fiercely.
‘And I’ve missed you,’ Bridie said, tears of happiness rolling down her face. The theatre was gradually emptying, the audience making their way out of the auditorium.
He looked around the theatre. ‘You’ve been keeping secrets from me.’ He wagged his finger at her.
‘I know,’ she said apologetically.
‘You used to tell me everything, Bridie. I was your confidante.’
‘Yes. But after what happened on stage during my last show in London, I felt I’d let you down dreadfully, behaving the way I did. It was so unprofessional. I didn’t want to tell you about this, in case I failed and let you down again.’
‘Well, I’m glad I was here to see what a triumph it’s been.’
‘Grandad – was it you?’
‘Was it me?’ He shook his head. ‘Was what me?’
‘Was it you who gave me this theatre?’
‘Ah, I heard about that. If only I could have given you this wonderful place, but I wouldn’t have my council flat if I owned a property on the seafront in Aldeburgh, would I?’ He looked about him. ‘It would have been my dream come true, my own little theatre by the sea.’
‘Come and be part of it,’ said Bridie excitedly. ‘Move into the annexe at Mum and Dad’s house. I know they’ve completed the work. It’s all set up ready. I just can’t bear the thought of you returning to London on your own.’
Something occurred to her. ‘How did you get here? Nobody was sure you were coming. You didn’t travel all the way here by public transport, at your—’
He held up his hand. ‘I am quite capable of travelling by public transport at my age. But I didn’t have to. Julian brought me.’
Bridie’s mouth dropped open. ‘I’m sorry – what did you just say?’
‘Julian brought me in his car. Came to pick me up from my flat.’
‘You came with … with Julian?’ Bridie was flabbergasted. Why would he even speak to her horrible ex-fiancé, let alone travel with him to Suffolk?
‘Yes – why not?’
‘Why not?’ Bridie couldn’t believe this. ‘Why not?’ Was her grandad losing his short-term memory? ‘We are talking about the same Julian who cheated on me and ruined my career?’
‘The very same,’ Grandad said with a chuckle.
Bridie did not think it was something to have a chuckle over.
‘Hi, Bridie.’
Bridie jumped at the sound of a familiar voice behind her. She whirled around. ‘You!’
‘Yes, me! How are you?’
Bridie blinked. She had to be imagining it. He was the last person she’d expected to see on the opening night at The Little Theatre by the Sea – or on any night, for that matter. She growled at him, ‘What do you mean – how are you? What are you doing here?’
‘I came to see your show.’
‘How did you even know about it?’ Bridie suddenly remembered that call she’d made to her agent. ‘Ah, silly me,’ said Bridie sarcastically. ‘The West End is a small world, isn’t it?’ The agent must have told him. But why was he even interested? Sheglared at him when she realised exactly what he was doing there. He’d come to gloat. ‘You came to see me fall flat on my face.’
‘Not at all,’ said Julian, smiling. ‘It’s been quite the success, hasn’t it?’
‘Yeah – no thanks to you.’ Bridie paused. ‘Actually, it was thanks to you. If you hadn’t dumped me, I would never have come back here, and met such amazing people, and found a life for myself I never knew could have existed.’
‘And achieved all this,’ said Julian, casting his eyes around the theatre. ‘You’ve achieved something quite remarkable. I never thought you’d pull it off.’
