Page 82 of Dancing Fools and All That Jazz
Fay also looks very preoccupated and when I ask her to help me stick the false eyelash back on, she does it without saying a word to me. I think this has something to do with the young lady she met in the café. I think this must be one of Fay’s estranged daughters Neil told me about, but the young lady had her arms crossed and she did not look at Fay’s eyes.
Ruby arrives a few minutes later. Her shoulders are slumped, and she quickly put on her costume with her back to us. She is very quiet and there is barely any noise in the room.
‘What’s up with everyone?’ Bonnie asks. ‘It’s so quiet in here. You could hear a pin prick.’
Fay shakes her head but does not say anything.
There is no more joking or laughter.
‘I don’t know about anyone else,’ – Cath turns to examine her mint-shade sari in the mirrors – ‘but I’mshattered. What we all need is a good rest and a stiff drink.’ She starts to sing in a quiet voice a song about wanting to be shown the way home and going to bed.
I do not know this song, but I am also tired, but I would not like to go to bed. I would like to go home.
‘Ladies.’
We all turn, and Clarissa is in the doorway, smiling at us.
‘How are we all feeling? Sheila’s group has descended on the café. They are making a terrible show of themselves. Such vulgarity. Many of the customers walked out. Apparently, someone has posted an online clip of her skirt ripping and it is being watched across the internet. You would have thought they would be ashamed of the incident, but on the contrary, they appear to be as proud as punch. That woman’s coarseness never ceases to amaze me.’
We all nod in agreement, but no one speaks. Even Fay, who I think would normally say something to Clarissa, just shakes her head.
Clarissa looks surprised no one say anything. She waits a moment, then clasps her hands together. ‘Anyway, I have come to wish you the best. You all look wonderful, and you danced splendidly in the first two numbers. I think at least one of them stands a good chance of getting into the finals and perhaps the best is yet to come?’
Clarissa’s eager face looks about the room and appears to fall as she see our not so happy expressions.
‘Oh, and I must tell you, Hazel and I have a treat in store for you later.’
Monica smiles. ‘How lovely. What treat is that, Clarissa?’
‘Hazel is treating us all to a dinner cruise on the River Seine. We can sit and take in the sights of Paris from the comfort of the boat and eat wonderful French cuisine.’
‘Well, that is marvellous,’ Bonnie jumps up and takes Clarissa’s hand and gives it a squeeze. ‘I just hope it won’t be snails, or frogs’ legs, on the menu. Ha ha.’
We all thank Clarissa, but I can see there is not the excitement nor grateful thanks she is expecting.
Monica is smiling, but she does not smile with her eyes.
Ruby is chewing her lip.
Fay is gently rubbing her toes in her ballet shoes, and I think to myself, maybe her feet, they are sore.
Asha has a hand over her mouth, and I wonder if she might be sick again. She looked a little green when Bonnie mentioned the snails and legs of the frogs.
‘Ladies, you all look a little tired.’ Clarissa pats Monica’s arm. ‘And it is no wonder. You had a full day of travel yesterday on top of the trauma of Janine’s thievery. However, I do urge you to dig deep and to give the Bollywood dance your all. Would it help to walk it through? We have a few minutes before you need to go to the green room.’
I jump up. ‘Ja. Thank you, Clarissa.’ If she can demonstrate to me the first steps, I think I will be able to remember the rest.
After the walk-through, Clarissa takes a photograph of us all in costume in a dance pose. We smile for thecamera, but I do not think many of us are smiling inside.
‘Now, ladies, I must head back to the auditorium to watch you all. I will not say good luck but as they say in theatre circles,break a leg.’
In the green room, we watch the screen for the previous dance to finish. It is some kind of street dance. Three young men are wearing baggy clothes and baseball caps. They spin on their backs, punch the air, do high kicks and point at the audience many times. There is loud rap music that blares out from behind the stage entrance.
‘Well, our dance will be quite a contrast to this.’ Bonnie laughs.
‘As long as they think it is from the ridiculous to the sublime and not the other way around, I’ll be happy.’ Cath tucks in a piece of material that is hanging down at the back of Bonnie’s costume.
Within minutes, the street dancers bounce out of the stage door, and we all line up in our correct order.
