The week following Jessica’s newspaper and TV interviews was particularly eventful..Sam had been a brick as always and now more than ever Ellie was glad of her support.
Brett had done his duty, keeping the paparazzi out of her hair as much as was possible, but to Ellie’s dismay had kept communication with her to a very basic level. He was even more polite, distant, cold and efficient… he no longer engaged in casual chat at all……surely he didn’t believe all the lies about her?…she wished that when he had been more friendly at the beginning of her journey she could have summoned the courage to make a move..but then, perhaps it would have been inappropriate.
Ellie had never been short of admirers, but all through her teens, life had been tough. Helping her Dad cope with the twins after Kira died left Ellie little time to socialise and she had a maturity about her early on because of the difficult times…worrying about her broken-hearted father, her frail little sister and wayward brother took the place of the usual teen experiences. How ironic that Jessica had accused her of being out of control when she had never even kissed a guy before, let alone most of the other things she was alleged to have done.
Even more ironic, it was the semi finals that Saturday…the love song theme night…it was uncomfortable to say the least.
And as the remaining solo acts sat waiting as usual in the Blue Room before the show, there was immense tension. Denise being voted out had shaken them all…she was an incredible performer….
All tense of course , except for Cindy Anne.
“You missed a fabulous party last night” she gushed ,” I got approached by a leading perfume manufacturer…They said I was the Face of the season……and I am lined up for so much TV work…haven’t had time to rehearse much..” she giggled.
“Well you seem to be popular with the viewers” Mumbled Pete, “Must be nice not to have to worry about a little thing like rehearsals” he added, uncharacteriscally lapsing into sarcasm.
Ellie remained silent, the media was saturated with her story, Jessica seemed to be popping up on any show that would have her…she was seemingly on a moral crusade for some reason…using Ellie as a ticket to airtime. It was so humiliating.
They said little else, allowing Cindy Anne’s irritating babble to wash over them as they waited to be summoned.
As usual Ellie was the last remaining one in the Blue Room…a polite cough announced the arrival of her chaperone
“Miss De’Vill, it’s time to go”
Ellie turned and gasped in shock….A new face smiled back at her
“Hello….um…where’s Brett?”
The new chaperone smiled and introduced himself.
“My name is Gus, Miss De’Vill, I am your chaperone for the remainder of the contest……I hope that’s all-right”
Ellie was stunned, it was anything but all right…but not Gus’s fault…”No no…it’s fine…I just…What happened to Brett??...is he ill? ..”
She felt her heart thrashing in her chest…trying hard to stay calm she clenched her hands into fists….
“I’m sorry Miss, Brett quit earlier this evening, well an hour or so ago… just walked out saying he was finished”
Gus’s words hit her like a ton of bricks….he’d quit??
“He quit? You mean he didn’t want to work with me anymore?”
Gus shrugged..”I don’t know all the details Miss De’Vill…I’m sure it wasn’t anything to do with you personally..he quit the job altogether….”
Tears welled in Ellie’s eyes…not swapped to look after someone else but literally left his job….she never even had a chance to say goodbye..it was so final. She felt sick…..Gus was reminding her they had to leave …but Ellie stayed frozen to the spot….
Tears began to roll down her cheek, she managed to ask Gus to allow her a moment alone to calm her nerves, even as he turned to leave, she began to cry silently…this was the last straw….
Ellie never cried much…since Kira died , when she saw how broken Red had been…the devastation in his eyes just after the accident, .she’d dried her own tears and become his rock..so young and yet such an old soul…Ellie held back everything…her fears, her wants…and put everything she had into helping Red and the twins….but now…she stood alone in the Blue Room and let the tears stream in rivers down her face.
“Oh Sweetheart”
The voice made her jump
“Dad??”
Red hugged her tightly as she sobbed…”I’m here kiddo….I’m here for you don’t worry”
Gus nervously popped his head round the door “I’m so sorry ..uh…they’re going crazy waiting for you”
Ellie sucked in a deep breath and stood straight facing her Dad.
Red smiled..”Whatever you do I am here, I won’t leave you”
“Ok Dad…I’m going to see this through”
“You don’t have to do this for anyone else…you know that”
“I know…I want to…for me”
Red winked at her…”Come on then kiddo…show them what a real singer can do”
