Page 66 of Before the Encore

Madison’s fingers twitched at her pocket.

Then, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Bonnie, lifting her up onto her toes. Madison’s woody scent enveloped her, and the knot in her chest loosened. Bonnie melted deeper, embracing Madison’s warmth, her muscular arms squeezing her tight. The gesture pricked her eyelids, a wave of emotion hitting her from all sides.

Madison eased her back to the ground and pulled back, steady eyes holding hers. “You ready?”

Bonnie nodded, and they walked towards the large welcome sign, flower petals drifting in front of their feet. Bonnie pressed the intercom despite knowing the entry code. It made her more comfortable to be greeted and directed by a member of staff.

While the buzzer rang, Madison leaned in. “Is there anything I need to know?”

“Dad’s name is Lee, and Mum’s is Jane.” She brushed her fingers on her jeans, peeking through the window. Nerves swirled in her belly.

“Got it. Anything else?”

The doors opened, and a cheerful woman greeted them in a purple uniform, her brown hair tied back into a ponytail. “Good morning! How can I help you?”

Bonnie flashed her practised smile. “We’re here to see Jane and Lee Eldrich-Grech. I’m their daughter.”

“Oh, lovely.” She waved them inside and towards the reception desk to sign in. “I’m Mel, and I’m one of the team leaders here.” She passed them a pen, and Bonnie wrote both their names in the visitor’s book.

Mel led them down the corridor, chattering away about the lovely weather. Tasteful pictures lined the walls; high-backed armchairs and sofas were placed methodically along the thick cream carpet. The care home was immaculate but had a distinct smell of floral baby powder mixed with disinfectant. Some residents smiled as they passed, others stared into the distance, like they were reliving far away memories. Mel steered them into an empty living room.

“Wait here, and I’ll go and check where they are.” With a genuine smile, she disappeared down the corridor, greeting someone cheerily as they passed.

Left alone, a faint whiff of polish lingered, mixing with another sharper, clinical smell. Morning light caught the hanging chandelier above, casting beads of shimmering light around the room.

“Eldrich-Grech?” Madison questioned, sticking out like a sore thumb in the soft, neutral room. Her hair was down and straight, black eyeliner making those blue eyes ethereal, and if Bonnie wasn’t mistaken, she’d ironed her shirt—or at least had Frank do it for her.

“My great grandad was from Malta. Grech,” Bonnie said, though she knew Madison would have more questions.

A trolley squeaked down the hallway. A loud laugh echoed from another room. Then Mel returned with too much energy for Bonnie’s nerves.

“They’re both in the music room down here, if you’d like to follow me.”

Bonnie nodded, fighting the bile climbing her throat. Like Madison could sense her unease, she brushed her hand against hers, a soft, calming touch that helped move her feet forward.

As they stepped inside the music room, quiet classical music drifted from a stereo. Sunlight glinted off a small, sleek piano in the corner, with a variety of other instruments stored at the side—a guitar, saxophone, and a box of percussion instruments. Floral-patterned seating centred around a low, polished table, with her mum and dad sitting in adjoining armchairs.

They glanced up as they entered, and Bonnie’s heart cracked wide open.

Her dad, clean shaven as always, with his shirt tucked into his trousers. Her mum, older than she remembered, but so much younger than most of the residents here. Wordlessly, her dad closed the distance and wrapped her in a hug, patting her in the awkward way he always did. She breathed him in, biscuits and laundry and something nostalgic that reminded Bonnie of their family home.

Mel excused herself to go fetch them tea and biscuits, and Bonnie pulled back, turning her attention to her mum. Her wavy hair held more grey now that she’d stopped dyeing it blonde. Light make-up coated her cheeks and eyes, cornflower blue and full of warmth. Mum grinned her familiar smile, and relief flooded her.

“Nora,” she breathed, tugging Bonnie into her slim body.

Bonnie tried not to mind the bony shoulders jutting into her. Her mum had never been a thin woman, but she’d lost a lot of weight since her diagnosis. Something about it made sense, like the missing parts of herself chipped away at her physical body too.

Bonnie blinked away tears, then realising she’d left Madison standing behind her, quickly cleared her throat. “Mum, Dad, this is Madison.” She hesitated, wondering if she should introduce her more than that. But what could she say? My opening act…My fuck buddy…The woman who’s a complete pain in the arse, but I can’t get enough of her…

Best keep it simple.

Madison smiled and shook both their hands. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”

Bonnie glanced at her, eyebrows raised. She’d never heard Madison sound so formal.

They sank into the cushion—her parents in the armchairs, Bonnie and Madison on the sofa. The music reached her ears now, and she recognised it as one Mum often played—Venus by Gustav Holst—and smiled to herself.

Madison leaned closer, brushing shoulders to ask, “Nora?”