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Is there someone who is feeding information to the media? I hate to think that any of our friends and neighbors would do that. If they recognized Alex at all.
Of course they recognized her. Otherwise, Mrs. Murphy wouldn't have acted like she was on an episode ofMurder She Wrote.
"I'm still waiting," I say to Alex.
She turns to me. "Waiting for what?"
"For you to share your worries with me. Let me carry some of that weight."
She sighs. "I just don't know what to do. I don't want to stop singing and I feel like I'm really letting my fans down."
"Okay," I say. "Then why not go back?"
A shudder runs through her. "I-I don't think I can go back to those huge crowds. The screaming and the lights. Not to mention all the layers of hair and makeup and costumes." She looks like she might be sick at the thought.
"Well," I say, "what would be your ideal setting for a performance?"
She peers up at me, brow furrowed. "Wow," she says. "I'm embarrassed to say that I've never thought about other options." She pauses for a moment. "I think I'd like to play in smaller places, where I can actually see my fans instead of staring into all those lights."
"Good," I say. "What else?"
"No more arriving on the stage on a guide wire like Peter Pan. It's scary as hell and uncomfortable."
"That's an actual thing you've done?" I sit up and gaze down at her, impressed.
"Yes," she says. "It was, of course, my father's idea. Trying to keep up with the big showy entrances of my competition." She thinks for a minute. "I guess that's the other thing I don't understand. Why does it all have to be competition? Why do I have to try to beat other performers? Can't I just sing and enjoy it?"
"I think that's what you should do. It sounds fantastic. I'd love to see that."
"But I can't," she says, her voice full of resignation.
"Why not?"
"I have a contract for all these concerts coming up. The only way out of it was to fake an illness but no doubt they're going to sue me for breach of contract for faking my illness."
I hold her close and bury my face in the sweet spot beneath her ear.
* * *
ALEX
Caleb and I talk for a little while longer and then I drift off to sleep, safe in his arms.
Noises in the hall wake me and I sit up in the bed with a gasp. "Caleb!" I whisper. "Did you hear that?"
He's immediately awake and holds his finger to his lips. He slips out of bed and tiptoes to the door, resting his ear against it. His brow furrows as he listens. He gestures for me to stay in bed then he slowly opens the door. I pull the covers up to my chin, as though that will protect me from whatever harm is in the hallway.
The light in the hall goes on and Caleb says, "I caught you, you bastard."
There's a tussle in the hall and I jump from the bed to find out what's happening.
Oh good lord. Not again.
Caleb and Nicco are rolling in the hallway, swearing and grunting as they tussle.
"Hey!" I shout and clap my hands, like they're two dogs fighting at the park. Maybe I ought to get a bucket of water to toss on them. "Stop it!"
The two of them pause mid-death grip, take a look at each other and then realize they're both wearing only their boxers and that basically blasts them apart from each other.
