Secret Daddy(39)

Around me, the audience settled in. The place was packed out. Journalists and critics from up and down the country were in attendance, all of them amazed that I’d given permission for the play to be performed again. When the lights went down, the conversation quietened and then it began. There she was, my little princess, up on stage with a phone cradled in her ear, saying the lines I’d written all those years ago.

The first act was over in a flash but the second seemed to take forever. All the time, I kept my eyes fixed on her. When act three began, I felt on the verge of a heart attack. There she was, the rope tied around her, her body still. I began to panic. She’d been still for too long. She was dead. It was happening again. Oh my God, it was happening again. I shifted in my seat, unable to keep still any longer. I was on the verge of crying out, running up and grabbing her, when she twisted her hand. Her eyes opened and she fixed her gaze on me, her hand twisting into a slight thumbs up that only I noticed.

I sighed with relief, sinking back into my seat, fanning myself as my heart rate slowly returned to normal. She was all right. It was okay. She was fine. The play ended shortly afterwards and a huge round of applause spread around the theatre. The cast lined up and took a bow and then Erica, their leader, stepped forward and pointed down at me. “The writer of the play,” she shouted. “Mr George Atherton. Come up here, George.”

I shook my head as she waved again. “Come on, George, don’t be shy.”

I scowled at her but there was no getting away from it. A minute later I was in the middle of the stage, taking a bow as the applause continued. I squinted at the lights, seeing right to the back of the theatre. In the far corner, shrouded in darkness, it looked like someone was standing there. I blinked, looking closer. For the briefest of moments, it seemed as if Cassie was standing there, smiling at me. Then the curtain fell and I was alone with the cast, the applause slowly fading.

Donna’s hand slipped into mine as she turned to face me. “Well,” she said, grinning broadly. “What did you think?”

“That you are a wonderful actor,” I replied.

“Thank you,” she said as Nigel coughed behind her.

“And you were superb too,” I said, taking his proffered hand. “All of you were wonderful.”

“We couldn’t have done it without your kindness,” Erica said. “Thank you so much for letting us perform your play.”

“Don’t mention it,” I said, realising as I did so that I was surrounded by people and I didn’t mind. That was something else she’d done for me, brought me out of seclusion and back into the light. I turned to her and kissed her, not caring what anyone thought.

“We better get changed,” she said. “They’ve set up a press conference in the bar.”

“Best place for one,” Henry called out from the side of the stage. “You joining us for a drink, George?”

“I suppose so,” I said, my hand still entwined with Donna’s. “If you’re buying.”

He laughed and turned away. In a few seconds I was alone on stage with Donna. She looked up at me expectantly. “I wanted to say something,” she said. “I wanted to say thank you.”

“What for?”

“For everything you’ve done. You’re a good person, Daddy.”

“And you’re my good little girl. Now you better go get changed. Fame beckons.”

“I doubt it.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure. You were incredible.”

“You really think so?”

“Remember the contract, no lies.”

“I also remember you wanted to take me back to the club.”

“I was thinking I might resign as a member. I don’t think I need to go there anymore.”

“That’s a pity.”

“You think so?”

She nodded. “I was hoping you’d take me again. Another night with no rules, maybe?”

“Maybe,” I said, kissing her forehead. “Now go make Daddy proud.”





EPILOGUE



DONNA

Two months later



“Is it true your ex is up for attempted murder?”

I looked out at the journalist, shaking my head at yet another attempt to raise that issue. “I’m here to talk about the play,” I said, “not anything else.”

“So you’re saying it’s not true?”

“Do you have a question about the play?”

“Our readers have a right to know.”

I stood up. “Thank you very much for coming, ladies and gentlemen.”

I walked backstage to the shouts of questions behind me. I’d given them an hour, surely that was long enough? I had to get to the dressing room. Daddy would be waiting for me.