‘Something silly, probably’
She grinned. ‘What, like ‘Barbie Girl?’
‘Not quite… you know Eddie Murphy?’
‘The actor? Yeah. He doesn’t sing though. Does he?’
She watched as he scribbled on his card and handed it to Beth. Before he could answer, Tara finished her song.
‘That was fun!’ she chirped. ‘One down, fifty to go… Paul, I think you’re up next.’
While Paul, in his red checked shirt, was enthralling everyone with his version of ‘I Wanna Be Your Slave’ by Måneskin, Christine handed her card to Beth who, like Becky, was also surprised by her participation.
‘Oh. Wow, interesting choice. OK, you can go after Paul.’
Unlike Aiden, Christine was completely unfazed by all of this. She pulled her shawl around her arms and when her turn came, casually took the microphone from Paul, everyone intrigued to see what song she planned to sing.
‘La Vie En Rose’ by Edith Piaf.
OK, Alex thought,maybe she doesn’t quite get the vibe of the evening but it’s fine. At least she’s joining in.
No one expected Christine to be good and she wasn’t; she was magnificent. Pitch perfect and every word sang like she meant it, even if half the room didn’t understand French. Becky melted as Christine, occasionally catching her eye, crooned one of the most romantic songs ever written. Becky knew it was for her.
‘Bravo!’ Alex yelled as she finished. ‘What a voice!’
Christine half smiled and put down the microphone. ‘Thank you. It’s a timeless song.’
She sat down beside Becky who threw her arms around her. ‘That was incredible!’
‘Do you speak French, Christine, or just those lyrics?’ Tara asked. ‘I know all the words to “Sonne” by Rammstein, but I can’t speak a word of German.’
‘Je parle français,’ Christine replied. ‘I lived in Paris for eighteen months in my twenties and was madly in love with a textile artist there. The song always reminds me of her.’
Becky’s arms slithered back off Christine. She hadn’t been serenading her. She had been serenading a memory.
Beth lifted the next card. ‘Aiden!’ she announced, handing him the mic. ‘And another unusual song choice!’
‘Woo!’ Tara yelled in anticipation. ‘Go, Aiden!’
Sheepishly, he put down his drink and walked over to the television. ‘I apologise in advance.’
The entire room broke out into a cheer as Aiden launched into ‘Party All the Time’ by Eddie Murphy, while Alex remained puzzled. How could she be the only one who’d never heard this song before?
As the song continued, she realised she did know it, at least the chorus. Alex knew it quite well – she just had no idea Eddie Murphy sang it.
Surprisingly, despite his forewarning, Aiden wasn’t terrible. He wasn’t West End stage level like Christine, but he could absolutely hold a note. His greatest skill however was getting the entire room up to dance.
‘Oh my God, Alex!’ Beth exclaimed at end of the song. ‘You used to sing this whenever one of us suggested going out for the night!’
Becky laughed. ‘Yes! And she’d changemy girlto the name of whoever it was. I’ll never forget that!’
Alex laughed, pretending that this wasn’t yet another fucking weird-as-shit thing to happen this weekend. He could have chosen any song, yet he chose the obscure one she was remembered for. Aiden didn’t say anything but as he handed the mic to Becky, his eyes darting towards her, she could tell he was just as mystified as she was.
