Page 50 of Musical Games
The colour came back into Sam’s cheeks as she laughed. ‘Oh, Jamie, I wouldn’t piss on Ian Berresford if he was on fire.’
‘But, but you’re always pictured with him and Mum’s magazine says you’re dating.’
She closed her eyes and exhaled. ‘It’s all bullshit to help our careers. It’s not real. It’s just work.’
They drovethe rest of the way home in silence. Sam was still pale and stumbled slightly when she got out of the car. He rushed to help her, but she held up her hands.
‘I’m fine. I just need to go lie down for a bit.’
He nodded, biting the inside of his cheek. He opened the back door to let her in and she took off her boots. She looked so small. So tired and vulnerable.
‘Sam—’
‘I’m fine. Give me a couple of hours and you’ll be cursing my name again.’ She smiled weakly at him and left the room.
* * *
Sam layon her back on top of Fiona’s old bed, her eyes open but unfocused, tears tracking down the sides of her cheeks and catching in her hair. She remembered being stuck at the top of a climbing frame, too terrified to move.
‘Come on, Smulan,’ her father had cajoled, his voice getting more and more exasperated.
She remembered passing out on a school trip when they climbed up the steep steps to the top turret of a castle.
She thought back to the film crew. Only Shelley finally noticed how bad she was.
All the time she was an inconvenience, someone to get frustrated with. Someone who held everyone else up.
But Jamie? No matter how much he didn’t want to touch her, he’d held her tightly for over an hour and hadn’t once complained. He’d stopped her legs from giving way, calmed her down and made her feel safe. Who had ever done that for her before? When had she ever felt so protected? So secure? One day she would find someone like Jamie. Someone who would care for her as he had done. She’d settle for even half the support he’d shown her. She curled up on her side, wiped her eyes and closed them. The adrenaline and alcohol high was now wearing off. She needed to sleep.
Six hours later,Sam woke with a dry mouth, a full bladder and a headache. She felt awful but much more normal. She propped herself up. On the bedside table was a pint of water and a note.
Jamie wants you to know it was me who brought you the water, not him. He wants to make it clear he is not ‘some creeper who wanders into your room when you’re asleep’ (his words not mine). I told him you could work that out for yourself but he insisted I let you know. Now he says I’m writing too much so I’ve stopped listening to him. You take your time getting up. Food is downstairs whenever you feel up for it. With love, your Scottish mum, Morag xxx.
Sam bit back a laugh that turned into a sob as her heart overflowed. She loved this family so much. She loved…
Snap out of it, Smulan!
She blew her nose, drank the water, then went for a shower.
By the timeSam got downstairs, Morag was making an early start on dinner. ‘There you are, love. You feeling a bit better now?’
‘Yes, thank you. Just hungry. I’ve only eaten champagne so far today.’
‘You only need raw eggs in milk now and you’re Marilyn Monroe.’
‘Is that what we’re having for tea?’
‘Sadly not. You’re going to have to put up with roast chicken instead.’
Sam’s throat tightened. Before she could stop herself, she threw her arms around Morag. ‘Thank you.’
Morag patted her back. ‘There, there, love. Everything’s going to be just fine.’
The back door opened and Jamie entered. Sam disengaged from Morag.
‘You okay?’ he asked.
‘Yeah, yeah, just trying to persuade your mum to adopt me.’
