‘No tonsils, so it can’t be that,’ he said and she opened her eyes. ‘The West End, hey?’ he asked. ‘What shows?’
‘Just chorus, inSouth PacificandLegally Blonde,’ she said, feeling embarrassed and yet she didn’t know why.
He put his hands on her neck and felt gently around her throat. It had been so long since someone touched her that she felt herself relax at the feeling, even though he had gloves on and was a nurse. She imagined laughing about this with Nigel when she returned to London.
‘JustLegally BlondeandSouth Pacificon the West End.’ He laughed. ‘That’s not ajustsituation; you should be singing it from the rooftops.’
‘I would but my voice isn’t working,’ she quipped.
‘I love musical theatre,’ he said as his hands moved gently around her throat. ‘Always have.’
Maybe she should introduce him to Nigel, she thought. He would love to play nurse and patient in person.
‘Any pain?’ Nick asked.
‘No.’ She shook her head.
‘I have a piano here. You can try and sing now,’ said Gran, nodding her head in the direction of the piano against the wall.
Lily couldn’t remember the last time she had played the old thing. It would be well out of tune now, she thought.
‘No, Gran, I’m not going to try and sing. And the piano will sound like an old pianola after all these years.’
‘You’d be surprised,’ sniffed Gran.
‘Any coughing?’
‘Nope.’
‘You could go to the doctor and get a referral to see a throat specialist, but I can’t see or feel anything. I can get you a few names if you like?’
Lily shook her head. ‘No it’s okay, I think it’s more a weird little confidence issue,’ she said.
‘Singing in front of people can be hard,’ he said taking off his gloves. ‘Maybe you need to sing with no pressure.’
‘What do you mean?’ she asked.
‘We’re doing a production ofMy Fair Ladyin the village this year. You should audition,’ he said. ‘Jasper, our director, has some money from the council and they’re going all out – sets, costumes from the National, it’s going to be amazing. I’m auditioning for Freddy.’
‘Jasper Winterbottom,’ Gran said. ‘How is he? I heard he moved to London. He’s back now? You remember him, Lily?’
She nodded and looked at Nick. ‘I used to help Jasper and Sheila Trotter in the shows when Gran was still in them. Jasper was always so lovely to me; Sheila was hard work though.’ She laughed.
‘She still is,’ Nick said with a raised eyebrow.
‘I can’t believe she’s still in the society. I thought she would have retired years ago. She’s almost eighty,’ Gran said.
‘She’s only sixty,’ Nick said with a laugh. ‘And says she would rather die with her feet on the stage.’
Gran rolled her eyes. ‘Always so dramatic.’
Nick gracefully ignored her jabs at Sheila and went on speaking. ‘They have decided to expand and bring in four villages’ societies under one, and you have the biggest village hall, in the smallest village,’ he said. He took off his gloves and turned to Lily. He put the gloves and tongue depressor into a little rubbish bag and sealed it.
‘I can take that,’ she said to him and he handed her the items.
‘Thank you.’ He gave her one of those smiles that made her knees a little weak and she wondered if it was time she started dating again in London. She’d had a dry spell of late. She couldn’t really use the excuse of her work in musical theatre now. It was mostly because she couldn’t be bothered leaving the flat unless it was for work or an audition. Mostly she lay around on the sofa, making tea and watching reality TV shows, but it was also hard to meet people who weren't in theatre. The hours, the touring, the rehearsals. She had just given up on meeting someone.
Nigel had told her she was depressed before he left for the tour. She had told him she was just tired, but now she wondered. If her medicine was someone like Nurse Nick Stafford, she would be up and about in no time.
