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‘Well, I’d like you to give it a try,’ June insisted, in her no-nonsense voice.
‘Go on, lassie.’ Angus patted her arm encouragingly. ‘No judgement here. An’ ye’ve got a fine voice, I’ve heard ye.’
‘Oh, fine, okay.’ Carrie cleared her throat and looked at the music where June had told her. She didn’t remember what all the musical notes meant, now. Fortunately, she knew the song – a big power ballad hit from the early 1990s. She’d always loved it, and would always sing along if it came on the radio.
For a brief moment, she thought back to that day in the car with Claire.And when you need me in the dead of night,I’m just a minute away… ooh, ooh.
She shook her head imperceptibly. She never wanted to hearthatsong again.
The choir began the first verse, and Carrie steeled herself to come in on her part. It was an emotive lead in to a chorus and she knew, from having listened to it for so many years, that she had to attack those first words with everything she had.
The moment in the song came, and Carrie belted out the chorus as hard as she could. Its original singer had a terrific, strong voice with an amazing range, who could really warble those high notes in something that needed a lot of drama. Carrie tried to concentrate on the song and how she’d always heard it, hearing the original singer in her head as she sang.
As she shaped the words, giving them life and power, she couldn’t help thinking about Claire. The song was a romantic one, but there was a feeling in it about loss. Carrie felt the loneliness of the song resonate deep in her body. When she reached the emotional climax of the chorus, she felt something loosen in her chest. She poured everything she had into those words:Alone, alone.
‘Well. That was stupendous.’ June clapped, and Carrie opened her eyes to see everyone in the choir grinning at her. ‘I thought you’d do a good job, but I wasn’t quite prepared for that.’
‘Oh… thanks. I like that song.’ Carrie felt herself blushing. She’d really let herself go, and it had felt good. It had been…freeing.
‘Nice job,’ Angus, next to her, murmured and gave her a wink. ‘I love that song, too.’
‘Power ballads are my favourite.’ Dotty turned around from where she was standing in front of Carrie. ‘Though I have to say I dinnae think ye can beat a bit o’ Bonnie Tyler.’ Dotty gave them a couple of lines from the chorus of ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ in a wavery yet tuneful voice that sounded like it was more used to singing hymns.
‘Ah, I met Bonnie a couple o’ times.’ Angus smiled under his capacious beard. ‘Right stunner, she was, aye. Fair pair o’ lungs on her too.’
‘You met Bonnie Tyler?’ Carrie was doubly distracted by feeling self-conscious about her moment in the limelight by Angus’s revelation, and by Dotty’s unexpected love of power ballads.
‘Aye. Remind me tae tell ye aboot my colourful life before Loch Cameron, sometime.’ Angus winked at her.
‘I will,’ Carrie murmured back.
* * *
After rehearsal, Carrie helped tidy away the chairs and the tea and coffee cups from choir practice, and walked out with June, who locked up behind them.
‘Lovely day,’ June breathed, smiling up at the wide blue sky above them that was, for once, cloudless. ‘Just look at that sky, and the way it reflects in the loch. In October, too! You just can’t find that anywhere, you know. That’s what people call picture-postcard beauty. Or, they did, in my day, anyway.’
‘Itisstunning here,’ Carrie agreed, as they walked along the high street; she admired the baskets of riotously colourful flowers that hung outside many of the shops. Even the railings along the walkway that protected walkers from the drop down to the loch-side shingle beach were bedecked with baskets of trailing pink roses, bright orange geraniums and purple petunias. ‘The air is so clean, too. I feel like it’s clearing out my lungs every time I take a breath.’ She took in a deep lungful of air and let it out slowly, feeling a twinge in her collarbone. It was still sore, some days.
‘It probably is,’ June chuckled. ‘I’d prescribe Loch Cameron for anyone with asthma. Or any breathing issues. You don’t appreciate how much of an impact city pollution can have on those things. That’s the ex-nurse in me talking, of course.’
‘You’re right. When I was in London, my snot used to go grey from the soot in the underground,’ Carrie remembered. ‘Can’t be good for you, can it?’
‘Absolutely not.’ June shook her head. ‘Ugh. Really?’
Carrie took in June’s lined, brown skin and her bright eyes: she was living proof of the benefit of living somewhere like Loch Cameron. You heard about those Greek islands – was it Greece? Somewhere like that, anyway – where everyone lived well past 100 because of their diet and the cleanliness of the air and the water. Maybe Loch Cameron was the Scottish version of that. Although, Carrie reasoned, the diet probably wasn’t as good, what with the whisky and all the hearty pies and puddings she’d been putting away since she got here.
‘Really,’ Carrie laughed. ‘You know, it’s the air, but it’s more than that too, isn’t it? Loch Cameron? It has these strange healing powers, somehow.’
‘I’ve always thought so.’ June nodded as they walked along. She linked her arm in Carrie’s, and Carrie felt a rush of gratitude for the gesture. ‘You’re finding it’s helping you, I can tell. You really opened up today, in rehearsal. You know, you have a lovely voice.’
‘Thanks. That’s kind. I just enjoy singing. Always have.’
‘I’m not known for my kindness,’ June sniffed. ‘Just say it how I see it. You could front a band or something. Or at the very least, be a soloist somewhere more impressive than the Loch Cameron community choir.’
‘Hm. Thank you, but the community choir is enough for me for now,’ Carrie demurred. They walked past a group of school children at the edge of the loch who looked like they were doing some kind of nature study, holding little fishing nets and listening to their teacher who was explaining something to them. Carrie thought how nice that was; she felt a pang of regret that she and Claire hadn’t gone to school in Loch Cameron. Maybe their lives would have been different. Maybe everything would have been different.
‘Penny for them.’ June looked at her inquisitively as they walked along. There was a cold autumnal breeze blowing in across the loch, despite it being so sunny and clear, and Carrie was grateful for June’s arm in hers. They passed a tree with bright yellow leaves that drifted down on Carrie, landing on her hair as if they were confetti.
