Page 44 of Dancing Fools and All That Jazz
‘Thanks, Ingrida,’ Ruby replies. ‘This is so nuts. But I guess we only have to sleep here. By the way, Fay, whatever you paid, you were frigging robbed.’
‘We have paid nothing yet…’ Fay tuts but continues to inspect the amenities. ‘I see there is no storage space whatsoever. Not a wardrobe or chest of drawers in sight. We shall have to put our cases under the beds once we have retrieved the few things we need, otherwise we will trip over them.’
‘Let’s hope we can iron our costumes at the theatre.’ Bonnie holds up a crushed top from her case.
Ingrida flops down onto her bed. ‘I cannot believe we have made it to Paris. Thank you, Fay, for organising it all and you, Monica, for putting cost on your card.’ Ingrida gives a little smile, but her brows are furrowed when she adds, ‘I hope there will not be too much more expense.’
When I paid the taxi – a ridiculously large sum but unfortunately the only option after arriving so late – I noticed she was biting her nails. For the first time she is not living up to the name Ruby gave her, ‘Happy-To-Be-Here-Ingrida’. I guess nurses do not earn that much, although come to think of it, she announced she has just married a widower at the last rehearsal. So surely, she’ll be better off? When my dad died, he left a fortune to my mum. A flash of Vince’s face when he discovered how wealthy she was crosses my mind. I always suspected it was not just my pregnancy that convinced him to propose.
Ingrida’s phone rings, and she disappears into the bathroom to answer it.
‘Yes, thanks again, Monica, and well done, Fay. Youcertainly got us all organised.’ Asha pulls out her pyjamas and starts to undress.
We all unpack our overnight items. Fay meticulously places everything in an ordered line across her bed before selecting what she needs and then neatly repacking her suitcase.
I must say, Fay has been quite a revelation, the way she took control and made a plan of action. It’s a pity she has such an unfortunate manner; she reminds me of my old headmistress.
I sigh inwardly as I scan our crammed room.
‘Where did you say Clarissa and Hazel were staying, Monica?’ Asha asks me.
‘They checked into a four-star hotel in an area close to the competition hall.’
‘Four stars. Lucky them.’ Bonnie’s bed is strewn with her costumes, make-up, curlers and heaven knows what else.
‘If I could give our hotel one star, it’d be one too many.’ Cath laughs.
‘And we will probably have to be up at the crack of dawn to get back into Paris to our theatre in time for the run-throughs.’ Asha yawns before adding, ‘I have never felt so tired. It feels way later than eleven-thirty.’
I start to yawn too and putting my hand to my mouth, I realise I’m still holding Vince’s credit card. Smiling to myself, I tuck it back in my bag.
Vince, you have no idea how handy this has been… No idea. Still, the way you brag about your creditworthiness, our expenses should hardly have made a dent in your so-say vast credit limit. I vaguely wonder if I will be able to get a room in Clarissa’s hotel tomorrow.
My fingers glance the new business card inside my bag, which I pull out with an involuntary shiver of delight before putting it back and getting changed.
The journey to Paris was the only part of the day to go too quickly. I found a seat well away from all the others, in particular Ruby, where a smart, well-dressed man helped me put my case in the luggage rack.
‘Thank you.’ His eyes were a piercing green and twinkled when he spoke.
‘Jean-Claude at your service, may I sit ’ere, opposite you?’
I had nodded, determined not to blush.
Jean-Claude began talking and his enchanting French accent drew me in.
‘I visit London to see my sons. Zey are at university there. You live in London?’
‘No. I live in the north of the England.’
‘I know Manchester.’
‘Yes, I live close to Manchester.’
‘My sons, zey love Manchester.’
‘Are they both at the same university?’
‘Yes. Zey do everything together. Zey are identical twins…’
