Page 63 of Never Too Late to Date

‘I got the stuff you wanted, and I got Kat a gorgeous dress.’

He pulled a sleek blue number out of the bag and held it up.

‘Do you think it will fit?’

‘Fit who?’

She hadn’t listened to a word he’d said.

‘It’s for Kat! Are you sure you’re OK?’

He leant over to kiss her on the head.

‘Are you upset because you’re leaving behind the glamorous world of showbiz and going back to the bar?’

He’d given her something to hold onto.

‘Yes, you’re right, Gianni mou. I am feeling a little sad. I just want to get home now. As soon as I’m off stage, let’s go. I’m not going to bother with the after party. I’ll come straight back to the dressing room, and we’ll get a cab to the port. Just wait for me here.’

‘OK, Mama, your call.’

It seemed like only minutes later when the knock came for her to go on stage. Her mind was all over the place, but she was set on a French exit and no goodbyes. It was easier all round.

The standing ovation for her last performance went on for several minutes, and there were tears in her eyes when she left the stage. It had been a wonderful experience. Everyone was gathered in the wings watching each other to mark the end of the tour. Finally, Christian took to the stage with his band. The crowd went wild, as did everyone backstage.

After three encores, the band was finally allowed to leave. The talk all around her was of the after party. Christian mimed drinking from a glass as he passed her.

‘See you in there.’

Suzie nodded, although she had no intention of going. Delayed briefly by Carol and Teresa, who wanted to talk about Christian’s performance, and then by Frank, wanting to witter on about nothing, she eventually slipped away and made for the dressing room. As she came round the corner, ahead of her she saw a man going into her room. For a moment, she could have sworn it was Christian. But she must be mistaken, surely. Her heart was in her mouth as she ran to open the door.

Facing her were two angry men, arms crossed and in poses so similar it shocked her to the core.

Giannis spoke first.

‘What the hell is going on, Mama?’

Christian’s eyes held none of the warmth they’d had in the bar.

‘I want the truth. Is this man my son?’

Her legs went from under her before everything turned black.

Chapter Fifteen

When Suzie came to again, she was sitting on one of the white plastic chairs, next to a table with a glass of water on it, flanked by her son and her former lover. She didn’t need to look at either of them to feel the waves of fury coming her way. It took her a moment to remember where she was.

The second she did, she put her hands over her eyes to make it all go away. How could she have been so stupid as to think that she could get away with it? Those who played with fire were bound to get burned, even if there’d been a nigh on forty-year delay.

Giannis picked up the glass and held it to her lips.

‘Try and drink something. You fainted.’

There was no ‘Mama’ at the end of the sentence, or any sign of affection in his voice. Her son was treating her like a stranger.

Suzie looked from one man to another. The similarities were so obvious up close if you knew what you were looking for. She’d been fooling herself that Giannis looked like her own father. He was virtually the spitting image of her former love, especially now Christian was older himself. With only twenty years or so between them, their shared height, hair colour, face shape, eyes and dimples were almost identical. Not that either of them was currently displaying those cute little dimples or likely to be for some time to come.

After a couple of gulps of the water, Suzie attempted to speak.