Grace

Chapter 52

Mum and Dad got up at about nine and very quickly ate breakfast before their first dance class of the day began to arrive. Though they didn't need the money the classes gave them, they still had to keep working. People had already started their lessons and some of them had a deadline to learn the steps by. Morally they had to keep teaching. I didn't mind too much. I worried a little that they'd forget all about me again, but I thought I'd always get odd moments like that after everything that had happened.

But the lessons were only from ten until four with an hour for lunch. They wouldn't be working all the time.

They said I could join in if I wanted to either with teaching, playing the music or being someone's partner, but for the first few days I didn't. I needed to get some homework out of the way, I needed to relax and I wanted to spend time with Clara. I couldn't practice the music Gabriella had written for me with lots of people going in and out of the house, so Clara and I took the bus into Blaenau Ffestiniog after lunch.

"Is there a nice café?" she asked.

"I guess," I shrugged. "Ben and I only came into town once with Grace."

She smiled. "Too involved with each other at home?"

"Busy enjoying not being followed by cameras."

"Tell me about it. They're not even following me, but it gets a little... invasive sometimes. I like Jessica, Tony and Dave, but the break from the cameras and the show is nice."

I slouched and sighed. "Yeah."

"Do you fancy a walk up Snowdon?"

"Now?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes. "In a few days maybe?"

"Um... ok. Sounds fun."

"I've been doing photography as therapy." So that explained the huge camera that was around her neck. "It would be great to take some photos up there. Like, with a cello."

Had I been drinking I would have spat it out of my mouth. "You want to lug a cello up Snowdon?"

"Maybe. There's a train line too you know."

"Ok. How about we walk up one day and location scout, get the train up the next and take instruments and we can do a whole photo shoot?"

A tentative smile came to her lips. "You have time?"

I nodded. "Course I do. We'll get Mum or Dad to drop us off and we'll check into a hostel or something."

She hugged me tightly round the neck. "You're the best."

"Ok, but I'm going to have to get some walking boots or something."

"And have blisters for the performances?" she asked and let me go. "Really, Grace?"

Ok, she had a point. "I think I have some old boots that'll do."

"Emily said there's a glade by a river that's a good photography spot too if you want to come."

"Definitely. Ben and I didn't explore at all because of all the snow. But I have to be back in the evenings to practice. Can you help with that? With the expression?"

She nodded. "I want to get back to playing too."

"We'll set up in the lounge or my room."

The bus stopped in the middle of town and I looked around properly for the first time. Wales was world famous for its slate, and it wasn't something the local authorities had hidden. There was a slate monument in an open space near the train station, it was inlaid in the pavements and all the roofs were made out of it. The buildings were small, but perfectly sized given their age making the place quaint but there was still a modern feel to it.