Page 42 of The 3am Shattered Mums' Club

‘Okay, well, don’t keep her up too late – I am trying to get her into some sort of routine.’

Daz laughed. ‘Routine? She was up five times last night!’

‘Four and a half. One time was just a squeak in her sleep, and I misinterpreted it. I admit I was too hasty in getting her out of her cot that time, but I was on autopilot and I didn’t know what was going on.’

‘Ah, well, I have a good feeling about tonight. You just have a great gig, darling! Break a leg— Oh wait! You already did that!’ Daz laughed long and hard at his own joke.

‘Yeah, well, lucky this gown goes down to the floor, and I have a stool to sit on.’

Mel kissed Daz and then leant in to kiss Skylar. As she did, she inhaled her beautiful biscuity skin and freshly washed scalp. She looked so cute sat up and tucked inside the crook of Daz’s arm that Mel was quite taken back by the pang of sadness in her gut as she walked out of the front door into the waiting taxi.

* * *

‘Darling, you look simply fab-u–lous!’ Robbie crooned as she made her way into the bar, trying her hardest to walk as gracefully as she could with the damn boot on.

They air-kissed on both sides – neither of them wanting to bodge their own or each other’s make-up.

‘Thanks, Rob, but I feel about a hundred and five,’ Mel said as she began following him.

‘Darling, you can pull off your showbiz age for a few more years yet – thirty-seven, isn’t it?’

‘Yes, it is.’ Mel smiled and wondered exactly how much longer she would be able to get away with that and followed Robbie towards the door of the green room. It was a tatty room at the back of the stage that had never seen a refurb in the fifteen years Mel had been performing here. Rob had had more work done on himself than the entire venue had in all that time, which was why The East End still had a fairly shabby – minus the chic – look about it. Yet, it didn’t deter the punters, for once the lights were down and the stage was lit, the room came alive with an energy that, for Mel, any other venue had yet to rival. And that was why she kept coming back to perform and the hundreds of customers came back to watch her and the many other cabaret acts. The East End was her favourite club to perform in. Everyone here felt like family.

‘You look amazing, Mel. That dress! Have I seen that one before?’ Robbie stopped at the door to the green room.

‘Come on, Rob, you know this dress is as old as I am. I’m just glad I was able to squeeze into it.’

‘I must say, darling, your rack looks fantastic. Post-pregnancy boobs suit you.’

‘Well, it will give the punters something to look at if I cock everything else up tonight.’ Mel let Robbie open the door for her, and audibly gasped when she saw what was behind it.

‘A little welcome home for you, sweetie.’ Robbie stood aside and let Mel walk through into what was now the new green room. The walls that had once been a sickly yellow colour with peeling paint were now gleaming white. The one brown sofa with springs sticking out of it had been replaced with a smart grey two-seater with a dapper black-and-white coffee table in front of it. The mirror that ran the length of the wall behind had been ripped down and replaced with a neat rectangular mirror and on either side two wall-mounted silver stars with bulbs.

‘Oh, wow, Robbie, this is amazing.’ Mel stood in the doorway.

‘Well, we couldn’t have our mama bear coming back to a shit tip, could we?’

‘It must have cost you a few quid.’ Mel looked down at the fresh-looking grey carpet, which had replaced the red sticky pub one.

‘Let’s just say Uncle Robbie will be getting a little less Botox this year.’ Robbie tittered and took Mel by the elbow and escorted her into the room.

Mel slapped his arm. ‘Oh honey, you don’t need Botox. I haven’t been able to tell if you’re smiling or frowning for years! I’d say you’re literally set for life.’

Robbie let out a guffaw, but as Mel had just pointed out, his cheeks barely moved.

‘Now, you go and test that nice new chair – that set me back a few quid – and I’ll make you a nice drinky-poos. The usual?’

‘Lovely,’ Mel said, looking around. Then she turned to Robbie. ‘Thanks, Robbie.’

‘Anything for you, my shining angel. I’m just glad my Dorothy is finally home. See you in a sec.’

Mel settled herself in front of the mirror and checked over her make-up and then looked around the room. She felt the familiar tingle in her tummy returning. Those pre-show nerves, which weren’t really nerves, more of an anticipation for what the night would bring. She looked at herself in the mirror, and for a few precious seconds managed to push all thoughts of Jeff Haddon out of her mind.Yes, I’m back.

* * *

Mel sat it in the green room listening to the act that was before her finish their final song. Her tummy tingles had settled with the vodka cranberry and orange that Robbie had brought through earlier. She would wait to have a second one once she had done her set.

Tonight, it was all Adele classic hits. She had done the sound check, warmed up her vocal cords and was just waiting for the sign from Robbie.

---