Magical Mystery Tour

Feelin' Good

"You're sure you're ok then luv?" Sam asked standing in the bathroom door frame as I got ready to leave for the afternoon.

"Yeah, I think so...just missing Dad...it was hard last night" I said as I finished washing my face.

"I worry about ya' Tilly bean" Sam shook her head.

"Did he really meet you at your dad's grave last night?" Ginny asked finally. I smiled slightly.

"Yeah, he did...bloody surprise he said yes" I answered.

Ginny sighed loudly.

"Oh listen to you Gin," Sam laughed and imitated her sigh.

"Shut it Sam" Ginny laughed. "It's just...it's very sweet"

I laughed at the antics of my 2 closest friends. No matter what, it seemed after I'd had a bad night, they were there to make me laugh.

I finished getting ready, grabbed my coat and made for the door. Sam was waiting on the phone when I left.

"Remember, the show starts at 8" I reminded them, "I've got 2 numbers tonight"

"Yeah, Til..."Sam said cupping the receiver "We'll be there"

"Good luck tonight!" Ginny called.

I arrived at the bar just after 3.

"My leetle Tilly!" Sylvia called as I made my way inside. Sylvia...always spoke in a French accent during her cabaret shows, she would practice it the entire day beforehand as well.

"'Ello Sylvia" I smiled "Not too late am I?"

"Not at all Dahling," she said "Go get yourself ready"

"Sylvia!!!" a young blonde man came rushing out from backstage "I can't do my number! My partner isn't coming!" he whined.

Ah...theatre. Some days I wonder why I decided on this career path.

"Well, you can still sing Nigel, can't you?" Sylvia said dropping her fake accent.

"No!!" Nigel exclaimed "I need a Red, for my Red Riding hood number! You can't have a wolf without a Red!"

Sylvia thought a moment. "Tilly luv," she said before I disappeared "You're about Gretchen's size, yeah?"

"I think so..." I said raising an eyebrow.

"There ya' have it, Nigel," Sylvia said triumphantly "Tilly can be your Red"

"Tilly doesn't know the choreography!" Nigel whined.

"I'm not stupid Nigel" I interrupted his dramatics "I can learn and we have 5 hours to go over it a few times"

"Fine then" Nigel pouted as he went backstage.

"I'm just everyone's understudy tonight, aren't I?" I teased Sylvia.

"No...just Gretchen's," Sylvia winked "I lied about Ophelia. I didn't want her to come tonight"

I spent the rest of the afternoon, learning and mastering Nigel's number as well as rehearsing my songs. God, it was a rush for me singing on stage...I've always been a bit shy, but when I'm on stage...I always seemed to take on an entirely different personality. Especially that afternoon with my new song. I rehearsed it as Sylvia was on the phone. She cupped her hand over the receiver

"Lovely dear," she said excitedly, "I think we'll save that number for your final song"

"Alright Sylvia" I nodded feeling a bit high from the song. The band had sounded spectacular, and I didn't sound too bad myself.