Read Online Hannah in the Spotlight by Natasha Mac a'Bháird - Free Book Online
Authors: Natasha Mac a'Bháird
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if he just died and they moved here for a fresh start? And she doesn’t feel up to talking about him yet?’
Laura groaned. ‘Oh God, I hope it’s not that. Poor Meg, that would be just awful!’
‘I know.’
‘And not exactly helped by me asking her stupid questions.’
‘I know! That’s what I’m trying to say to you!’
Laura was looking so distraught that I tried to reassure her. ‘It’s probably not that. He’s probably walking around somewhere, completely fine, and planning to visit any day now. It could be anything, really. I just think it’s up to Meg how much she wants to tell us.’
‘You’re right,’ Laura admitted. ‘I’m just being nosey. Plus I’m convinced there’s a good story there, and if you want to be a writer you have to always be on the lookout for stories!’
We’d reached the crossroads which is as far as I’m supposed to go. Laura was about to cross, but then she remembered. ‘Oh, right. You’re not allowed to come any further.’
I blushed. Even with my closest friend, who knows exactly what my mum is like, it was embarrassing. ‘It’s probably time to head home anyway, dinner will be ready.’
‘What are you going to do for the meeting in my house?’ Laura wanted to know.
‘I’ll think of something,’ I muttered. Maybe Meg’s mum could give us a lift – as long as Meg didn’t mention Star Club. Or one of Ruby’s parents. I’d figure something out.
As usual it took us about ten minutes to say goodbye. As I trudged off home, I thought again about what Laura had said. There was a mystery there all right, and the clues were pretty strange ones. And it wasn’t all to do with her missing dad, either. Why didn’t she talk about where they had lived before, and why did she have a slight accent that came out every now and again? What could be going on with Meg?
Chapter Nine
We’d arranged to have the next meeting of Star Club on Friday afternoon. I was hoping to see the other girls in between, but I was busy helping Mum, Ruby was busy with ballet, and Laura didn’t even answer the phone when I called her. Meg didn’t seem to be around either – when I had a bit of time to spare I sneaked into their garden through the hedge, but there was no sign of her when I peeped in the window.
I did as much as I could on my own though. I typed up the scene we’d worked out together and printed out copies for everyone. I learned all of Pauline’s lines and practised putting in gestures too. The bedroom I shared with Maisie wasn’t exactly ideal for rehearsing – I could only walk a few steps before banging into one of our beds, and that was after picking up all her toys from the floor – but I did my best. All the best artists have to suffer for their art, I told myself, picturing poets struggling to write in garret rooms in Paris, and wildlife photographers crouching in uncomfortable positions under bushes all day longin the hope of getting that one perfect shot. All I had to juggle with was a cramped bedroom and a noisy bunch of siblings.
By Friday I was really dying to see my friends again and have another rehearsal. I knew Mum wouldn’t mind me spending the afternoon with my friends (I think I’d mentioned the rehearsal about seventeen times). It was looking like another crazy morning in our house though. I was sitting up in bed reading when Dad popped his head around the door. It wasn’t even eight o’clock yet, but there was no chance of a lie-in with Maisie in the bed beside me singing to her teddies.
‘Morning, girls,’ Dad said. ‘Hannah, Mum and Emma are still asleep. Emma kept us awake half the night, crying. She’s teething again.’ Dad had those dark circles under his eyes which he always gets when he’s exhausted.
‘Oh, poor Emma,’ I said. ‘And poor you too!’
‘I know. I just hope I don’t fall asleep in my meeting,’ Dad said, running a hand through his hair and making it stand on end. ‘Try to let Mum sleep if you can.
Laura groaned. ‘Oh God, I hope it’s not that. Poor Meg, that would be just awful!’
‘I know.’
‘And not exactly helped by me asking her stupid questions.’
‘I know! That’s what I’m trying to say to you!’
Laura was looking so distraught that I tried to reassure her. ‘It’s probably not that. He’s probably walking around somewhere, completely fine, and planning to visit any day now. It could be anything, really. I just think it’s up to Meg how much she wants to tell us.’
‘You’re right,’ Laura admitted. ‘I’m just being nosey. Plus I’m convinced there’s a good story there, and if you want to be a writer you have to always be on the lookout for stories!’
We’d reached the crossroads which is as far as I’m supposed to go. Laura was about to cross, but then she remembered. ‘Oh, right. You’re not allowed to come any further.’
I blushed. Even with my closest friend, who knows exactly what my mum is like, it was embarrassing. ‘It’s probably time to head home anyway, dinner will be ready.’
‘What are you going to do for the meeting in my house?’ Laura wanted to know.
‘I’ll think of something,’ I muttered. Maybe Meg’s mum could give us a lift – as long as Meg didn’t mention Star Club. Or one of Ruby’s parents. I’d figure something out.
As usual it took us about ten minutes to say goodbye. As I trudged off home, I thought again about what Laura had said. There was a mystery there all right, and the clues were pretty strange ones. And it wasn’t all to do with her missing dad, either. Why didn’t she talk about where they had lived before, and why did she have a slight accent that came out every now and again? What could be going on with Meg?
Chapter Nine
We’d arranged to have the next meeting of Star Club on Friday afternoon. I was hoping to see the other girls in between, but I was busy helping Mum, Ruby was busy with ballet, and Laura didn’t even answer the phone when I called her. Meg didn’t seem to be around either – when I had a bit of time to spare I sneaked into their garden through the hedge, but there was no sign of her when I peeped in the window.
I did as much as I could on my own though. I typed up the scene we’d worked out together and printed out copies for everyone. I learned all of Pauline’s lines and practised putting in gestures too. The bedroom I shared with Maisie wasn’t exactly ideal for rehearsing – I could only walk a few steps before banging into one of our beds, and that was after picking up all her toys from the floor – but I did my best. All the best artists have to suffer for their art, I told myself, picturing poets struggling to write in garret rooms in Paris, and wildlife photographers crouching in uncomfortable positions under bushes all day longin the hope of getting that one perfect shot. All I had to juggle with was a cramped bedroom and a noisy bunch of siblings.
By Friday I was really dying to see my friends again and have another rehearsal. I knew Mum wouldn’t mind me spending the afternoon with my friends (I think I’d mentioned the rehearsal about seventeen times). It was looking like another crazy morning in our house though. I was sitting up in bed reading when Dad popped his head around the door. It wasn’t even eight o’clock yet, but there was no chance of a lie-in with Maisie in the bed beside me singing to her teddies.
‘Morning, girls,’ Dad said. ‘Hannah, Mum and Emma are still asleep. Emma kept us awake half the night, crying. She’s teething again.’ Dad had those dark circles under his eyes which he always gets when he’s exhausted.
‘Oh, poor Emma,’ I said. ‘And poor you too!’
‘I know. I just hope I don’t fall asleep in my meeting,’ Dad said, running a hand through his hair and making it stand on end. ‘Try to let Mum sleep if you can.
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