The Prize - Part Three

So, to reprise... Kate and Lucy won tickets to a dance show and are invited backstage afterwards for an interview. Kate is writing a  novel about angels, and claims the show has helped with her research.

The company is a little dismayed by this news. What's more, their founders, Gabes and Luke, have found out and instructed them to dazzle the two ladies a little - invite them to the hotel for dinner - as they could be a threat...

What is the relevance of Kate's choice of career?
How quickly will Lucy get over Martin?
Who are the mysterious founders, Gabes and Luke?
And will this story EVER be finished or develop something resembling a plot...?

The Prize -  Part Three

Pauline tapped on one dressing room door after another, but all were empty.  She frowned… yes, she’d told them to get a move on, but had they left already?

‘Pauline.’

She turned at the sound of Vio’s voice, found him watching her from the doorway to the green room.

‘Have they gone? I hope they…’

‘I told them to make sure they didn’t arrive before the car did.  They wanted to stretch out a bit, so they’re going to circle once or twice first.’

‘I don’t know what Gabes and Luke are going to say…

’

‘Same as they always do.  Don’t frighten anyone and don’t crash.’  Vio shrugged.  ‘You know, I’d quite like to have gone with them,’ he said wistfully.  ‘But I promised to wait for you.’

‘Thanks; that’s kind of you.’

Vio grinned at her, raising a dark, sultry wing of an eyebrow. ‘Gabes and Luke as well, of course; they’re picking us up in the limo.’

‘Flash gits,’ Pauline said, making him laugh

.

‘Come on. Wait for them out front.’  He threw a casual arm around her, hugged her against him.

‘Um… Vio?  This is new,’ she said, glancing at his hand resting on her shoulder.

‘Do you mind?’

‘No.  But Gabes and Luke will give you the ‘no fraternising’ lecture if they find out…’

‘We just won’t have to let them find out, then, will we? Besides, thinking of leaving at the end of the run.’

‘What? Vio, no! They need you!’

‘I need me, too, Paulie! Other things need me! The company needs new blood – Gabes has got a couple of likely lads lined up for training in off season, so why not go now before I’m burned out?’

‘Because… we’ll miss you.’

For a minute, Vio wondered if that was what she’d meant to say.  It wouldn’t do any good, though.  There were too many impossibilities in the way of them being ever any more than friends. The realisation saddened him, but as they neared the door he gave her shoulder a quick squeeze before releasing her, just in case the limo was outside already.

‘If Gabes wins, I’ll think about staying,’ he said, unwilling to leave the subject. ‘But not if Luke does.’

‘But his choreography’s brilliant! Well, so is Gabes’, but it’s just so… Luke’s really good at bringing out the shadows…’

‘You weren’t with us, last time he won.  I think only Charlie and I survived that particular tour.’

‘But, Vio!’

He shook his head.  ‘Let’s just hope Gabes gets the win.’

*

We were shown into a private saloon set up with several small dining tables, and a relaxed seating area to the far end of the room.  Windows were long and wide and lusciously draped and a small bar area at the side of the room was staffed by a young man whose crisp good looks would have made him stand out in any crowed other than this one.   Once we’d ordered drinks, Peter sat at one end of a leather sofa, smiling at Lucy and patting the seat next to him invitingly. Dominic shot me a slightly wary glance I wasn’t supposed to notice, and so I eased myself into a soft, squashy armchair – I didn’t want him to worry about having to share a sofa with me – and he found a neighbouring chair to arrange his beautiful limbs in.

‘So,’ he said, smiling in a friendly sort of way. ‘You’re an author.’

‘Of sorts,’ I agreed.  ‘It’s hard work to make any money at it. My husband works, though, and he’s happy to support me while I try.’

‘Oh, you’re married!’ Dominic said, as if it explained something he’d been puzzling over.

‘Yes.  And very happily, too, so you’re all quite safe with me.’ I glanced across at where Lucy was flirting delicately with Peter. ‘My friend isn’t, though. So I’m not quite sure I’d fancy Pete’s chances of escaping unscathed!’

Peter gave me a swift half-smile.  ‘Scathed is good,’ he said, and turned his full attention back to Lucy.

The outclassed eye-candy barman brought the drinks over just as there was a commotion outside and most of the rest of the dancers piled into the room.

‘Tell me about your latest work?  The one you’re researching by looking at us?’ Dominic suggested, over the chaos of arrivals and greetings and the sudden rush of male bodies crossing my eyeline.

‘It’s the flight thing,’ I said. ‘How does the human form behave in the air? How would an avian human fly? Birds have tails to help them control their positions in the air – angels with tails would just look stupid… I looked at athletes – the Olympics were really useful – the trampolining and the gymnastics and even the swimming – and that led me on to look at dancers…’

Dominic tried to keep talking to me, but as soon as the new arrivals had finished their orders at the bar, they came over, demanding attention and introductions to Lucy and me, and I found myself part of four or five conversations at the same time, bewildered and trying desperately to keep up…

‘Have you ever done dance yourself, Kate?’ Samuel, tall, fair, blessed with fabulous cheekbones, asked.

‘Oh, I went for lessons once. Mixed tap and ballet… I was three. I didn’t like the noise of the tap shoes, apparently, so I never went again…’

‘Did you not want to?’

‘Yes, but that was how it was in our house; you got one chance and if you didn’t like it, you’d made your mind up and you never got another go.’

‘It sounds harsh.’

‘Practical,’ I corrected.

‘And you write?’ This was from one of the more mature members… ah… Vio, that was his name.  He still looked to be under thirty.

‘Yes, I do. Sometimes, I even sell things.’

‘What is it you enjoy so much?’

‘It gives me the chance to talk to people, ask them stuff.  I’d much rather ask you questions, Vio, than talk about myself.  Did you all know each other before you joined the company, or…?’

‘Some of us trained together.  Gabes and Luke put the group together, though.’

‘So, what do you do when the tour ends? Do you get any down time or…?’

‘Kate…’  One with an elaborate neckline tattoo sat on the arm of my chair and handed me a glass of something I initially thought was orange juice. ‘Your latest work – what will you do with it? Who will read it?’

‘Oh, well, I’m on the agent trail again, so no-one at first… It’s about six months off being ready, anyway, and I might try it on a few peer-review sites…’

Someone passed me another drink.

And then the door opened again.