What Lies Beneath the Mask Read online

  “She hates it, right?” David stage whispered to Hayley who was no longer in shot of the camera. She nodded once and I scowled. The last thing I wanted was to come across as ungrateful on national TV.

  “I assume you two are out tonight?” They exchanged glances quickly at my sudden change of topic before Hayley nodded. “Good. I have a good impression to make, can’t have you two messing all that up.”

  “I don’t know how anyone could dislike you after eating your food.” I looked at David oddly. I knew we’d spent time together as a by-product of him dating Hayley, but I hadn’t quite realised quite how comfortable I was around him until he said that.

  “You’re lucky I haven’t grown fat David. You’ve never tried her desserts.” Hayley added.

  “Only because you eat all the leftovers before David gets a look in.” I teased her and she went an unattractive shade of beetroot, which was highly unusual for her. “I’ll try and save you some.” I said to David.

  “Thanks Belle!” Clearly someone paid attention when they were told to make sure the best friend likes you.

  “Sorry to love and leave the two of you, but I need to get home and start cooking.” I waved at them as I left, making a mental list of everything I needed to do.

  Chapter 40

  I had to admit it I was nervous, though I couldn’t pin down the exact reason with so many to choose from. I hadn’t introduced someone to my parents since Toby, and there was the added pressure of meeting Jack’s parents and sister at the same time. Of course, me being me, I’d decided to add to all that by cooking for everyone, which could end in complete disaster. Jack had said his family were easy going when it came to food, but I was still paranoid that I’d get it wrong and they’d hate me for it. Especially as I’d gone for an Indian menu with three main dishes in the middle of the table along with naan, rice, samosas and onion bhaajis. I’d been careful with what I made, including a lamb sagwalla, paneer curry and a chicken tikka, and I had my fingers were crossed that there was something for everybody. There was a knock at the door and I smoothed down my 50s-inspired rose print dress. Breathing out slowly I opened it to my beaming parents.

  “Hi honey!” My Mum sounded cheerful, and of course there was no reason for her not to be really. She looked like an older version of me, but brunette streaked with grey hair instead of my more copper colour. She was a lover of exercise classes and it showed; most people thought she was 10 years younger than she really was. My Dad was the complete opposite, with the start of a beer belly and receding ginger hair, but he always had a smile for anyone. They gave me a long hug before coming in.

  “Do you want drinks?” They nodded yes and I poured two glasses of white wine for me and Mum, and grabbed a beer from the fridge for my Dad.

  “So when do we get to meet this Jack you’ve been telling us about?” My Mum asked eagerly while looking around as if Jack would jump out from behind the sofa at any moment.

  “He’ll be here any minute. He text telling me they’d set off 5 minutes ago.”

  “What about Hayley, where’s my other favourite girl?” My Dad asked. Hayley had been like an adopted member of the family for years, especially since my parents hadn’t had another girl after me. As far as I knew they’d wanted another child after my brother, but it just hadn’t happened for them.

  “She’s out with David.” I was jittery and couldn’t help bouncing my knee up and down to release the tension.

  “The new fella?” I laughed.

  “They’ve been dating for a couple of months Dad, he’s hardly new!”

  “And what about you and Jack, how long have you been together?” My Mum asked eagerly. I stopped to think about it and realised I had no idea.

  “I don’t actually know. We were friends and then we were more I guess.” I’d have to remember to work it out later, I didn’t want to seem like a bad girlfriend.

  “Well I’m looking forward to meeting the boy who has stolen my little girl’s heart.”

  “Dad! He’s hardly a boy, he’s 25.”

  “With no small children or criminal records I hope.” Thankfully I was saved from answering his overprotective questions by a knock at the door; I was almost glad that the people I’d been so nervous about meeting were here.

  “Hi,” Jack greeted me with a swift kiss on the lips and as soon as he released me I turned to greet his family. “Annabelle, this is my Mum, Kate, Dad, Steven and sister Jill, everyone this is my girlfriend; Annabelle.” I said my best hellos and offered everybody drinks while they introduced themselves.

  “Jack and Jill?” I asked Jack quietly. He just shrugged.

  “We’re twins; Mum thought it was funny.” He had a smirk on his face as if he’d kept the name of his sister from me on purpose just so he could see my reaction.

  “Can I introduce you to my parents?” I asked nervously.

  “I thought that was the whole point of tonight?” He teased me and I stuck out my tongue in response.

  “Mum, Dad; this is Jack. Jack these are my parents Mandy and Stu.” Luckily for me everyone seemed to be on their best behaviour. At least for now. Once they’d sat down at the dining table, which Hayley and I rarely used because we kept it loaded up with fabric, sketches and other odds and ends, conversation started flowing and my nerves started to fade.

  “Where did you get this naan bread from? It’s delicious.” Jill asked while using it to scrape up some of the curry sauce from her plate.

  “Oh, I made it.” I replied quietly. “It’s not that tricky to do once you’ve done it once.” Jack gave my hand a squeeze under the table.

  “You’ve made all of this?” Jack’s Mum, Kate, clarified. I just nodded.

  “Wait until dessert Mum! You think this is good, well her real talent is desserts.” Jack boasted on my behalf and pride welled up inside me.

  “So Jack, what is it that you do?” My Dad butted in from the other end of the table.

  “I’m an apprentice carpenter.”

  “Are you any good?”

  “Dad!” I cried at the same time Mum went; “Stuart!” We glanced at each other and laughed while poor Jack looked like he didn’t know what to say.

  “I enjoy it.” I could see that, just like with me and cooking, he really wasn’t going to take the credit that was due to him. I pushed my chair back and walked over to the windowsill to retrieve the rose he’d made me.

  “Here Dad. Jack made me this.” I handed my rose to him and he looked at it in great detail while my Mum, and Jack’s Dad who was sat next to him, peered over his shoulders.

  “This is fine works son.” My Dad said finally and I felt myself relax. Jack’s Dad gave him a weird look and I wondered what was up with that, but decided it was probably best left until later when me and Jack were alone.

  “So how did the two of you meet?” Jill grabbed another piece of naan bread as she asked and I felt good that she was enjoying my food so much.

  “At the theatre,” Jack answered before taking a bite of one of the curries.

  “Oh, you sing like Jack?”

  “No, I guess the easiest way to describe what I do is that I’m the Assistant Director.” I worried the napkin on my knee, nervous about being the centre of attention. Jack made a weird noise beside me.

  “She’s being modest, she’s far more than that. Annabelle has done most of the staging for the show; she helps design the sets and the costumes, as well as keeping all of us in line.” Jack listed off the various things I did for the production and even I was surprised at how much it actually sounded like. “Oh, and let’s not forget that she choreographed a dance for the entire cast on her own.”

  “I had help with that.” I said in a small voice.

  “You mean I did exactly what you told me to do.” The look on his face was completely serious and I realised that not only was that an achievement, but it marked the first day of us being more than just friends.

  “Is directing what you want to do?” Jack’s Dad, who’d stayed mos
tly silent until now, asked.

  “No. I want to be a concept artist.”

  “Really?” Jill perked up and I nodded, “I have a client who is in the process of hiring a team for a new independent film studio. If you’ve got a portfolio, I could send it on for you if you’d like? It won’t be great pay being that they’re new, but for a fledgling career it’s a good starting point.”

  “Seriously?” I was definitely eager to give that a try; especially if it got me away from graphic design and into concept art.

  “Of course. Plus, I had a nosey through some of the sketches on the coffee table. Both sets were good, which were yours?”

  “The stage ones. The costume sketches are mostly my roommate Hayley’s. She’s a fashion student who works on the production with us.”

  “You know what, I want a portfolio from her too.” Jill said decisively.

  “What do you actually do?” I asked, curious now she’d included Hayley as well.

  “I’m a recruitment consultant. I work with artists, though mostly hiring behind the scenes crews for film sets.” Well I guess they do say that it’s who you know not what you know. Throughout the rest of dinner, we seemed to stick to neutral topics but nothing could wipe the smile off Jack’s face. Clearly he thought that tonight was going well.

  “Are you staying tonight?” I asked him quietly while we were clearing the dishes between the main and dessert. He nodded.

  “It seems to be going well.” I glanced over to the table where everyone seemed to be chatting away even without me and Jack as the common links.

  “It does. I think Mum and Dad really like you.” We were still speaking in hushed tones to avoid being noticed, but I caught my Mum watching us and smiling.

  “My family like you too. Though it’s hard to think why they wouldn’t.” He pulled me into his arms, which felt natural despite the fact that our families were in the same room.

  “You’re a smooth talker Jack Fenton.”

  “I’m your smooth talker.” He said with a kiss and released me to serve dessert.

  Chapter 41

  “That went well.” Jack said as he came back in through my front door. I was kind of disappointed that he hadn’t climbed through my window, like he’d whispered he’d do when he left earlier with his family.

  “You think?” I worried my lip between my teeth, meeting the parents seemed like a really big deal right now and I hoped that they’d liked me.

  “Yes. My Mum could not stop talking about you, and I’m pretty sure you have a friend for life in Jill.” He stepped forward and threaded his fingers into my hair.

  “For life eh?” I asked and he laughed.

  “That’s what you picked up on from that?” I looked at him expectantly. “Yes, for life. I expect to want you around for a long time.” Even if it was partly what I’d wanted to hear, the idea made me feel a little strange. Being around for a long time would suggest marriage, and children. Thoughts I hadn’t allowed myself to have before now.

  “So if I’m to be around a long time…” I went back to worrying my lip and Jack smiled.

  “I thought it was men that were supposed to get freaked out about the idea of marriage.” He joked and I gave him a stern look.

  “I am not freaked out by the thought of marriage.” I stepped back and put my hands on my hips. I knew we weren’t actually fighting, but there was a part of me that was enjoying being able to stand up for myself. Jack raised an eyebrow as if doubting what I’d just said. “I just hadn’t thought about it.” I added quietly. His face took on a look of mock horror.

  “Do you not want to become Mrs Fenton?” I groaned.

  “That just makes me sound old.”

  “That’s not a ‘no’ Annabelle.”

  “It’s not.” I admitted quietly, a massive grin spread across Jack’s face; “just to be clear, that does not mean you can propose tomorrow.” I wagged my finger at him sternly, but I doubt that anything could deter the smile that was on his face.

  “So Thursday?”

  “Jack!” I moved closer to him despite myself.

  “So not Thursday?” I shook my head. “But sometime in the next decade?” He pulled me the rest of the way to him and my arms went around his waist automatically.

  “Please don’t wait that long.” I wasn’t sure if he’d heard me or not but the smile didn’t leave his face for the rest of the night. Then again, that could have been for a completely different reason.

  Chapter 42

  It took Hayley exactly 45 seconds and one look at me to guess how last night went. “Oh my God. You finally slept with him, didn’t you?” I just smiled at her in an attempt to look innocent.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I said smugly.

  “Only you would wait until a family dinner party.”

  “They’d gone home, Hayley.”

  “Aha. So, you did?” She sounded excited, as if this was about her and not about me.

  “I thought we established that?” I sounded smug even to myself.

  “So…how was it?” This wasn’t going to stop until I gave in, but teasing her was way too fun.

  “A lady doesn’t kiss and tell.”

  “She does to her best friend; now spill.” She demanded, forgoing the coffee she’d normally make herself after getting through the door.

  “It was worth the wait.”

  “God, the expression on your face is enough to make anyone hurl. Is Jack going to be the insufferable too?” I shrugged.

  “He seemed happy.” The look she gave me made me giggle, though maybe it was just because I was feeling good about myself this morning.

  “It’s not exactly difficult to please a man.” She said triumphantly.

  “Alright you. Some of us are out of practice.”

  “Not for much longer they’re not.” The smile didn’t leave my face for the rest of the day, and Hayley seemed to be an equally buoyant mood, apparently, things had gone well with David last night too.

  Chapter 43

  “We have one month to go people!” John was excited by the prospect of opening night next month, I on the other hand was stressed out and worried about it. I hadn’t heard anything from Toby since the delivery of his monstrosity, but that wasn’t helping; all I could do was think about what he was going to do next. “We have a fantastic show and everything is falling into place, if anyone messes up so much as a fraction you’ll be cleaning the dress circle for our entire run!” There was nothing like tough love according to John.

  “What counts as messing up?” Jack asked me.

  “This is John, so anything from forgetting to wear your tie properly upwards.”

  “Ah.” He leaned in. “And just to check; I don’t get leniency for sleeping with the Assistant Director.”

  “Jack!”

  “What? Everyone knows about us anyway.” He defended. I just shook my head.

  “Doesn’t mean you can expect special treatment.”

  “Oh let’s face it no one would know any different anyway. We’ve been together nearly the whole time. And you favour me greatly.” He teased.

  “No more special treatment then. Get on stage Fenton.” He laughed as he walked to take his position. This was one of our first complete run-throughs and we were all a little bit nervous. We’d worked on the transitions between scenes a lot, but never the whole thing.

  “Places!” John shouted and everyone scrambled to get to where they needed to be. I moved to stand next to John and caught myself chewing on the skin of one of my fingers. I was nervous about how my staging would hold up, especially some of the more complex effects. To my surprise we got all the way through to Poor Fool without any mishaps. My effects had worked perfectly, the dancers had all been in time and I had to admit that Merry sounded great. Veronica had been a little wobbly at the beginning of Prima Donna, but she’d pulled it together well in the end. Unfortunately, that was when things stopped going so well. Poor Fool was a mess to say the least; Henry mis
sed his cue and one of the chorus members, Madeline, nearly fell off the stage.

  “What the hell is going on up there?!” It worried me when John was this mad. I knew that he had a lot riding on the show, and not just his reputation but also for his job as a director. While the rest of us were volunteers, John actually got paid and if this went badly, then he could end up finding himself out of a job.

  “John this is the first full run through, things are bound to go wrong. But we have a month to fix it.” John glared at me for speaking but I stood my ground. I was right and he knew it.

  “Fine. Back to the beginning!” He stalked off.

  “Right everyone, let’s not panic. Mistakes happen and we still have plenty of time to sort them out!” I was secretly glad that John had left and I’d had to pick up the job of directing; at least this way I could ensure that everyone was encouraged and not just insulted. The second run through was better and we managed to get through to the end of the All I Ask of You reprise with only a few minor hiccups, amazingly one of which was Merry forgetting her lines and I revelled in the fact that she came across as anything less than perfect. “Alright take a break. On the night, it’ll only be half an hour, but be back here by two today and we’ll start a run through of the second act.” There was a stampede of cast and crew ad people broke for lunch, while Jack and Henry made their way over to me.

  “That thing is horrible.” Henry flopped himself down in a chair.

  “Careful, you don’t want Merry to hear you talking about her like that.” Jack deadpanned and I had to try and stifle a giggle. Henry just looked at him reproachfully.

  “I meant the gargoyle.”

  “Well there is an uncanny likeness.” Jack continued. I couldn’t hide my laughter this time.

  “Jack you need to stop.” I said through my laughter. “Henry, I know the gargoyle’s ugly, but we have to deal with it.”