Page 25 of No Angels

She huffs in frustration. “That’s not what I meant. I meant that your ears are untrained and you probably don’t even notice the inconsistency.”

“Why do you want to go back if it’s so cutthroat? You have nothing to prove.”

“That’s not true. I have something to prove to myself. And to everyone who told me I’d never make my way back into the spotlight.”

“You shouldn’t care what they think.” I don’t know why it matters so much to her. It never did before. At least not when I knew her.

“If I can’t do this it means the last twenty years mean nothing. What if I fade into obscurity?”

I scoff. “Now you’re being ridiculous. Your voice is immortalized on dozens of cast recordings and solo albums. You have twenty-five million followers on the streaming app.”

“But what if that isn’t enough?”

“Not enough? You’ve built a career that’s its own legacy and you’re the most famous graduate of Willow Creek High School. Your not enough is more than most of us can even dream of.”

“I can’t just leave it all behind.”

I want to shake her for being so stubborn and oblivious. “You can. People do it all the time. If beating yourself up like this doesn’t bring you joy, you shouldn’t do it. Tell them you changed your mind about your big comeback and they can fuck off.”

She twists her hands in front of her. “Staging a comeback was all my idea. My agent said I should just retire gracefully.”

“So you don’t actually have to go back?”

“No. I don’t. But I want to.”

“You still want to?”

She tips her head and smiles sadly. “I do. You’re weakening my resolve, but I want to make sure the people that deserve to be brought down a peg get what’s coming to them.”

“It sounds like revenge is what’s motivating you, not the need to prove something.”

“Honestly, it’s a little of both. After I had my voice surgery, my understudy convinced my producer I couldn’t handle the part of Eliza.”

“My Fair Ladywas what you were cast in?” It’s the one part she’s always wanted.

“Yes, and you know what that role means to me.”

I nod. I do know. She sang those songs incessantly. I know all the words as well as she does. Even twenty years later.

I walk forward and tilt her face into the palm pf my hand. “If you go, I’m not letting you forget about me like you did the last time. I’ll come to you whenever I can and now there’s such a thing as cell phones and Facetime.”

She blinks up at me, her eyes full of unspoken promises. “Okay,” she agrees.

Chapter Ten

Bianca

Mom’s oncologist pulls measide while she’s still under.

“You have a very worried look on your face, Bianca. I promise I have welcome news, this time.”

I relax a little, because Dr. Shumaker has always been open and honest about my mom’s prognosis and what we should expect. I take a deep breath. “Lay it on me.”

“The cellular degradation is slowing down, and I think the chemo’s working. I have every confidence your mom will beat it this time too.”

“So she’ll go into remission again?”

She gives a soft smile and nods. Tears pool in my eyes and I grab her hand. “This is welcome news.”

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