Page 26 of The Typo

A x

PS: while you’re onshore, don’t forget to stock up on the ginger biscuits! I know I keep harping on about them, but when I went on a school trip to the Farne Islands, our teachers made us eat them beforehand and not a single kid was sick, despite the copious amount of junk everyone had also consumed on the bus on the way there.

ChapterFourteen

The call with Cameron started off like every parody of a bad Zoom meeting. At first, I thought everything was going my way. Ian cut our catch-up short, giving me crucial extra time to refresh my lippy and drink some water to try to counteract the dryness in my mouth. The three coffees I’d consumed earlier in the day had done their job of making me feel practically invincible, and if my hands were trembling slightly from the caffeine overdose, I figured I’d be able to move the camera so that they’d be out of shot.

I settled down at my desk, and smiled reassuringly at my reflection in the computer monitor. Strained features glared back at me. I tried again, but I looked more like I was baring my teeth rather than expressing happiness.

‘For goodness’ sake Amy, calm the heck down. You’re being ridiculous,’ I said out loud, which also worked well as a way of warming up my voice ahead of the call. ‘Here goes nothing.’

I moved my mouse to click on the link which Cameron had sent me. But then a message flashed up on the screen. Five minutes to go and my computer had decided to install critical updates. I tried to select the defer option, but an angry chord played out of the speakers, along with an error message informing me that I’d done that too many times and it was no longer an option. Typical. I sat back and willed the update to be a quick one. The computer started whirring and grumbling in a manner which suggested it was about to self-destruct rather than install new software. Thirty seconds to go until the appointed hour, but the multi-coloured circle of doom was still spinning on the screen, even though I pressed every button I thought might help me.

There was nothing for it. I’d have to abandon the computer and use my phone instead. I lost another vital couple of minutes waiting for the app to reinstall on my mobile. Eventually, I managed to click on the link and was greeted by a message saying I needed to wait for the host to let me into the meeting. Hopefully Cameron hadn’t given up on me. While I waited for him to appear, I tried to work out the most flattering angle to hold my phone. My preference was to keep it slightly above my face, reducing the likelihood of an accidental up-nose shot. But I soon realised that my arm strength was not what it used to be, and combined with the coffee shakes, it was probably best to try another position if I didn’t want to make Cameron feel seasick all over again.

Instead, I propped the phone up on a pile of old programmes and hoped for the best. It looked a bit precarious, but it was the best I could do. It was only later that I remembered that I should have used the ring light and tripod set up which we had backstage for the artistes to use for their social media.

By this point, I was so nervous I’d forgotten how to sit naturally and kept shuffling around on my chair. I stared at the holding message on the screen, my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth as my apprehension grew. I couldn’t believe that I was actually about to meet Cameron, even if it was across a video call. How would it feel to put a face to the name, something I’d failed to manage despite extensive internet research? He’d spoken the truth when he said that he had a low profile online.

And then suddenly the holding message disappeared, and an image started to load, so slowly that I wondered if the distortion of the pixels on the screen were as a result of me staring at it for too long. I got the briefest glimpse of a pair of kind brown eyes before Ian suddenly barged into the office, without even knocking.

‘Amy, one more thing about the marketing plan,’ he said.

I let out an involuntary yelp of surprise and knocked my phone to the floor. Scrabbling around, I jabbed frantically at the screen in my desperation to switch on mute and somehow managed to end the call, then plonked myself back down at my desk, heart pounding as I affected a nonchalant air.

‘Everything alright, Amy?’ Ian frowned at my chaotic behaviour.

‘Never better,’ I said, my jaw clenched. I had a horrible feeling that I might have briefly treated Cameron to the worst possible gurning expression as I clicked out of the call. And what if he’d heard the boss talking about the marketing plan? Wouldn’t he have thought that a bit odd?

‘In which case would you mind popping down to the box office with me?’ said Ian.

‘Sure, be with you in five,’ I said. I really needed to hop back on the call quickly and try to explain away the reason for my speedy departure.

‘Now, if you please.’ The boss had got his no-nonsense voice on.

‘No problem,’ I replied, although I was pretty certain that the expression on my face contradicted my words. What must Cameron be thinking?

I thanked my lucky stars that the staircase was too narrow for us to walk down to the box office side by side. I used the opportunity to tap out a quick message to Cameron, hoping he’d think to check his emails.

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Date: 3 Feb, 15:04

Subject:

Arghhh sorrrry, got called to urgent rEHEARSAL FOR BIG AUDITION CAN WE TRY AGAIN LATER?

AMY X

Now I looked like I was shouting at him, but I didn’t have time to delete the inadvertent caps lock, so I hit send and hoped for the best.

‘Amy, are you actually listening to me?’

Ian had stopped so suddenly that I slammed straight into his back.

‘Ooof, sorry,’ I said. ‘What was that?’

---