As she and Nick exchanged apologetic glances, Lily noticed that her cheeks were beginning to grow even pinker. So much for being discreet, she thought.
‘Righto, we are doing a run-through with the start of the set, so I can see if the blocking is working.’
Jessica had entered the rehearsal at some point. Lily hadn’t seen her come in but she was there, arms crossed, staring at Nick who was standing close to Lily.
Jasper started with a scene without Lily, so she took her script outside to practise lines with a cup of tea.
It was such a lovely afternoon, she thought as she sat under a tree on a little seat. She could hear music coming from the hall and she sipped her tea and sighed with contentment.
And then she heard a scream.
Dropping her script to the ground, she ran inside and saw Jess on the floor, clutching her ankle.
‘Call an ambulance,’ called Jasper but Jess shook her head.
‘I don’t need an ambulance. It needs to be iced, maybe strapped?’ She looked at Nick with sad eyes and Lily looked at him and raised her eyebrows.
‘Have we got any ice?’ he called. ‘I don’t have my work bag on me.’
Sheila shook her head. ‘We don’t, I’m so sorry.’
Jess moaned on the floor, ‘Help me, Nick,’ she said.
Lily watched as Nick and David helped her up and she wrapped her arms around Nick’s neck.
‘You’ll have to carry me,’ she said. ‘Can you take me home?’
Nick looked at Jasper who nodded.
Nick glanced at her, as he swung Jessica into his arms.
‘Lily, I’ll call you later,’ he said loudly.
‘Thanks, I hope your ankle is okay, Jess.’
But Jess ignored her and cuddled in closer to Nick’s neck, as though she hadn’t heard a word from Lily; in fact as though she didn’t even exist.
22
Lily woke to a text from Nick.
Ended up taking Jessica to the hospital for x-rays. They couldn’t see anything, said it was a mild sprain. She’s acting as though she’s broken it. I’m tired since it was a long wait at the hospital. Can we catch up Friday night?’
Lily typed back quickly.
You’re so kind. I hope Jess is okay. What did she fall over?
His text came back quickly.
Nothing as far as I could see. One minute she was standing, next she was on the floor.
Lily said nothing but it was clear Jess wasn’t being entirely honest. She typed back:
Have a good sleep and I’ll see you on Friday.
Then she went downstairs to set up breakfast.
When Gran was up, she filled her in on the rehearsals and Jess’s injury.
