Page 12 of The Interview
“Joe being Joe Layton, son of Marley,” he states.
“None other.”
“A family affair, then?”
I’m not sure if this is a statement or a question, but answer with a resounding, “Yes. I learnt at a relatively young age that, for me, there’s nothing more important. Outside of my husband and kids, my brothers and their wives are my best friends.”
He nods slowly, and I’m loving how he’s thinking about his next question and that nothing has been scripted.
“Speaking of family, I know the film is predominantly about the band, and yours and Sean’s relationship, but does Cam feature at all? How does he feel about everything? This interview, where we’ll be talking a lot about your past, in a very graphic film about your life, including your marriage to another man. Cam, your kids, are they okay with what you’re doing?”
“You think you’d be in our home if we, as a family, didn’t all agree to this?”
“Given the evils your husband is giving me right now, probably not,” he says, displaying his nerves with both a frown and a grimace.
I’m tempted to turn to see my husband’s expression but decide to remain professional and keep talking instead. “Before anything happened, any decisions were made, the very first thing I, in fact, did was talk to my husband. Discusswith himwhat I wanted to do.”
“Was he on board straight away?”
“No,” I admit. “His first concern, and one that remains, is the impact all of this might have on my mental health. His second was protecting our kids.”
Again, I watch as Daniel slowly nods. “I think that’s what people are probably going to struggle with most… what they’re going to find hard to believe.” He draws in a breath. “You’ve shied away from publicity, protected your children from the kind of exposureyouhad from a young age, lived a very quiet and private life, and now, suddenly, you’re putting it all out there. Do you understand why the public could call into question your integrity?”
“Hundred percent, but I think I’ve explained all of that. I didn’t want some two-bob film being made, telling more lies, that will no doubt be brought to my kids’ attention. Our kids are adults now. They were told the truth at an age-appropriate level about my life, Cam’s life, and everything about our pasts.We protected them from what we could until we felt they were old enough to understand, but there has always been arsehole journalists or delightful little fuckers at school—encouraged by their not so delightful parents—who’ve approached our kids and told them things they didn’t need to hear.”
“Such as?”
I let out a deep sigh and attempt to release the anxiety building in my belly as I recall events. “Being told at school that I was a groupie shagging rock stars from the age of eleven, that I stole Cam from Harry’s mum, and she was so traumatised, she blew her brains out. He was nine—justnine—when that happened.”
Tears burn at my eyes, but I continue. “Can you imagine trying to rebuild the trust, your relationship with a little boy, who, despite knowing that biologically I wasn’t his mum, had called me that from the time he could talk? He held on to it for a month, withdrew more and more until he confessed to his brother, who told his sisters, who told their dad. That was when we had to sit them all down and explain how Tamara had died. We then had to break Harry’s heart just a little bit more by telling him she’d also tried to take his dad out as well as herself. Do you have any idea the nightmares the kids had after that? That one of my girls still has nightmares?”
There’s complete silence in the studio.
“So, the first thing we did after I asked Cam if he was on board was to call a family meeting. We sat the kids down and asked if they’d be okay with the film. They backed me one hundred percent, because now they’re adults, they know everything, anyway. It’s my past. Everyone has one.” I shrug. “And when I was approached to do the interview and documentary, they insisted it could only go ahead if you were involved…”
“No way,” Daniel says with a head tilt and a grin on his handsome face.
“Yep. So, given all of that, I’d like to think we’ve raised well-adjusted, well-rounded children, equipped with the skills to make life’s big decisions. They said yes, and here you are.”
“Here I am.”
“Now, can we get on with the fucking interview? I wanna know what tea you’ve got to spill.” Breaking one of the many rules I’ve been given, I look right at the camera. “I’m about to be as shocked as you lot at some of the shit he’s uncovered, but bring it the fuck on, I say.”
“Let’s do this,” Dan agrees, appearing over my shoulder.
CHAPTER
SIX
GEORGIA
“Start right at the beginning. We’ve all heard the stories, the tales, the legendary fairy tale of Georgia Layton and Sean McCarthy, but did it all really begin when you were just eleven?”
My stomach, despite still being in knots, manages to perform a few acrobatics. At the same time, a warmth fills my chest as I recall my first meeting with Sean.
“It was the end of the summer holidays, before I was due to start senior school. I was eleven, Sean was thirteen. He was new to the area and had seen a poster in a local corner shop for a band looking for a singer. He auditioned, and the rest is history,” I finish with a smile and a shrug.
“Well, yeah, we know all about the band’s history, but what about you and Sean? How did that unfold?”
