The second episode had introduced the students and kicked off the main narrative of the show – the start of the audition process for the Christmas production that would star the students and many A-list celebrity names who had pledged to showing up this coming December to star in their biggest fundraiser to date. As well as the camera crew that followed the action, the documentary showed other perspectives by cutting between the public areas in the building that were wired for film and sound. Ollie had swelled with pride when Moira and Ginny had been on the screen, taking the students through a song and dance number fromOnce Upon A Time At Christmas. They were truly spectacular. Moira had a singing voice that would have been a thing of legend if she hadn’t turned her back on her musical theatre career when she fell pregnant with Ollie, thirty-odd years ago. And Ginny was up there holding her own too – delivering each line with the kind of pitch perfect emotion that made viewers lock in and believe every word. And the students… The hunger on their faces, the determination to succeed, the sheer grit of their ambition. In real life, they’d be announcing later tonight who’d been selected for the lead roles in the festive show, but that was going to be the cliffhanger for season one.
This was why the Academy existed and as he watched, he knew that there was no way this place could be allowed to fail. It just couldn’t happen. He needed to secure its long-term future and if that meant signingThe Clansmancontract and committing another five years of his life so that he had the income to support it, then that’s what he had to do.
But…
Another shot. There was Stevie again in the background, in the canteen this time, deep in conversation with Ginny, before the cameras zoomed in on some of the students at different tables, reacting to their performances in that day’s auditions.
And as he saw her, every emotion flicked back to longing, to the absolute certainty that she was his person. Wasn’t she?
Was it possible for him to just pack up and go, and leave here for the next season of shootingThe Clansman, knowing that she wouldn’t be here for him when he returned? Knowing that she’d wanted something different and he’d been unable to give that to her?
The indecision was alien to him. He was someone who stood his ground, who had always been clear about what he wanted. Someone who had a plan and who stuck to it. Someone who tried to do the right thing. Only this time, there was no right thing.
And why was he still contemplating this, when she’d already given up on him? Hadn’t she made the decision for him? He was going to sign the contract. If she could walk away so easily, then maybe she was just telling him everything he needed to know.
He was so deep in thought that for a moment he zoned out of what was happening on the screen. But that changed as a voice thundered out from the speakers, shocking him back to the present. There was an audible gasp in the theatre, so he knew this wasn’t just his reaction. He focused back on the screen, tried to make sense of what he was seeing.
He’d already clocked that it was an audition day. The students’ task that morning had been to choose a piece by a female powerhouse singer, and they’d heard everything from Whitney Houston, to Kelly Clarkson, to Adele, to Aretha Franklin.
And now, he was hearing Celine Dion. Or, at least, someone who was singing the absolute shit out of ‘Think Twice’.
His first thought was that it was a technical glitch, a bit of over-dubbing that had been used from the original track. But no.
‘Jesus, how did we miss her?’ his mum whispered, as she grabbed his hand and squeezed it, her excitement making her hand tremble in his.
Because there, up on the screen, he was suddenly aware that what they were watching was a star in the making. She was magnificent. Spectacular. And she was someone who, as far as he knew, not a single person in this building had seen coming.
26
NETTA
Netta had sneaked into the auditorium to watch the screening, but she’d stood right up at the wall at the back. She’d been almost the last one in before they’d locked the doors, because she’d been mobbed in the canteen until right before the show started. The students that had come in to help her, including that lovely lass, Ava, had worked their socks off, and even Jessie and Georgie had pitched in too – although Georgie had been serving bottles of water from a seated position because the poor thing’s back was killing her. Netta could relate. She’d been the size of a garden hut before she’d given birth to both Mandy and Blair.
She’d decided to stay up at the doors so that she could nip out before the screening ended, to make sure she was back in the canteen and ready to serve drinks to guests who would be attending the VIP reception after the show. Although, it might have been a mistake to stand, given that her feet were killing her in her smart shoes. She had a moment of longing for her trusty Crocs, even though they’d never have matched this dress.
The lights had just dimmed after Ollie’s introduction speech, when Blair had sneaked in and stood next to her. ‘Are you worried about the lights, son?’ she’d asked, naturally concerned about the potential for another power outage.
Thankfully, he’d shaken his head. ‘Not in here. This room was all rewired in the renovation. As long as the live feed starts on that screen, then we’re good,’ he’d told her. The next sound she’d heard was his whisper of, ‘Yesssss!’ when it kicked in and the show began to play and, oh thank goodness, because what wonderful memories it brought back.
It was terrific to see the early days, when they were all working in rubble, and she was taking care of the basic teas and coffees for the construction crews. It made her quite emotional to see all those students she’d come to know so well, as wide-eyed newbies on their first day. And then she’d been astounded when the next episode had started and one of the first scenes showed the canteen, in all its glory. Of course, she’d known that cameras had been installed that covered the room – just like everyone else, she’d signed a release form to allow them to use all footage – but the truth was, after the first week or so, she’d completely forgotten that they were there and just got on with life as normal. Business as usual. She hadn’t thought for a second that they’d ever use anything from there when there was so much other exciting, dramatic stuff going on in other parts of the building.
Apparently, she’d been wrong.
Because the scene that was playing now, making her stomach turn and her legs shake under the dirndl skirt of her yellow dress, was one that she remembered only too well. She watched on, no longer standing with sore feet, but transported right back to that moment in time.
The tension in the air had been palpable as student after student came in that morning, all revved up and sitting at various places along the scale between excited and terrified. Audition days were always like this, so she was used to it by now and always had a few extra packets of Tunnocks teacakes on hand in case anyone needed a bit of a pick-me-up during the day. She wasn’t having anyone swigging back those energy drinks on her watch – not when a teacake could be used for medicinal purposes.
This was the third round of auditions for the Christmas show and it had been cut down to six girls still vying for the female lead.
‘Netta, you’re going to love this – we’re going with the theme of Female Power Ballads,’ Ginny had told her the night before. ‘So the halls will be alive with the sound of all the greats tomorrow.’
Netta had been so pleased to hear it, she’d been inspired to go home and watchThe Bodyguardin bed that night. If Kevin Costner wanted to sweep her off her feet, she’d have got off that plane in a heartbeat and clutched on to his ankles until he was the one who’d have to call security.
Anyway, that had set her up for a good day, and then the sound of all the girls rehearsing in various nooks of the Academy all morning had her singing along as she worked.
It had been interesting to see the different personalities and the way they handled it too. Some of them were super-confident. Some were studious and serious. And then there was wee Ava Strang, sitting on her own at a corner table, eyes closed, and by the very slight sound that was coming from her lips, Netta had known exactly what song she planned to sing. One of her favourites. An old classic. And a bit of a surprise given that the song had been out before this lass was born.
She’d slipped a Tunnocks teacake and a bottle of water onto the table next time she passed, right before Ava had been called through, and Netta had said a wee prayer for her as she’d headed off in the direction of the auditorium. Not that she was religious, but a word with the heavens never went amiss. Besides, she’d had no one else to talk to because the canteen was empty now that everyone had headed back to their classes or auditions.
