‘As if you ever would,’ Angela said. ‘When you’re better, we should talk. You’re wasted in that bookshop. You should be in fashion. I bet you have lots of ideas fermenting.’
‘That’s very nice of you, Angela, but the truth is—’ She got in low and quiet.
She can’t.
He rushed in. ‘The truth is Mum needs to focus on her health right now.’
‘Of course,’ Angela said. ‘We’ll chat once you’re better. Well, I’d better get cracking with the sewing. Magda’s out there champing at the bit to get started. There are only so many buttons for her to sew on in the meantime.’
‘Could I join you?’ Sofia asked.
‘Of course, darling. Come with me.’
Gabriel shot out of his seat. ‘Mamá, don’t you think we should head home?’
Sofia struggled to stand but managed with sheer will and a little support from Angela. ‘I’m fine, mijo. This is where I want to be. It’ll do me good.’
‘Would you like me to help you?’ he asked.
‘No, Angela will give me an arm to lean on, won’t you dear?’
‘Anything for you, darling.’ Angela and Sofia linked arms.
‘You see? Nothing to worry about. Why don’t you go find Bruce and help him with the sets?’ She winked at him but he couldn’t share in her levity. The blood drained to his feet and forced him to sit.
Sofia and Angela made their slow way up the aisle while a bony fist wrapped around his heart. They’d agreed she wouldn’t tell anyone that he’d come up with some of the designs, but Sofia had looked ready to spill their secret. If he weren’t around, would she do it anyway?
He’d be lying if Angela’s words hadn’t sparked a little flare of possibility. Did she really see so much potential? Had he wasted his time becoming an architect? If he’d stayed and followed his dream, he would have been around when his mother got sick. He could have helped sooner. But staying hadn’t been an option and revealing the truth about how they’d worked together wasn’t either. His mother had to get the credit for the work on the play and his sole focus needed to be looking after her. But she’d effectively dismissed him and given him permission to go find Bruce.
He wouldn’t let fear of the future get to him. He’d focus on the good, on how much they’d loved the designs, on how Lexi and Angela felt about Sofia’s work, and that she’d succeeded in delivering on her Rivervue legacy. He chose to feel happy, just for the next few hours while they were inside the theatre’s walls where Sofia shone.
After all, the place was all about make-believe.
***
Bruce assigned Gabriel to Jeanie and Mike before his duties as stage manager took him away—Lexi had called him to her side to assist during the rehearsals onstage. Luckily, working with the siblings squashed Gabriel’s disappointment as he soon found himself enjoying their company while they put coloured cells over the lights. They both had excellent stories, which they willingly shared in embellished fashion, and Gabriel had to stifle his laughter too many times to count, fearing he’d disturb the actors on the other side of the curtain. Having such a good time they missed Lexi calling an end to rehearsals, and Bruce had to come break up the party. At least they’d finished the task he’d set them.
Jeanie and Mike said their goodbyes with a promise to catch up for coffee during the week and hurried out of the theatre, leaving him behind with Bruce.
‘Looks like you guys had fun.’ Bruce helped Gabriel put away the leftover cells in the electrical cupboard.
‘You know? I really did.’ It had been a long time since he’d had any fun; even in Sydney life had become a grind. He had two housemates he barely saw and the carefree gay life that he’d expected to have in the city hadn’t worked out. Making true friends had been hard. Everything was so rushed and so intense that he couldn’t relax. Not that he’d been free of tension in Brachen but being away from the buzz and distraction of Sydney had allowed him to see what mattered.
And what he’d missed.
‘Will you be staying around much longer?’ Gabriel asked when they’d stacked the last pieces of equipment.
‘Yeah, I’ve got to keep working on the sets. How about you? What are your plans for tonight?’
‘Nothing really. I’ll take Mum home and that’ll be it.’ His watch read a little after nine, and he chewed his lip. ‘We should probably get going. I hope Mum hasn’t exhausted herself.’
‘Last I heard there was a lot of laughter coming from wardrobe.’
That was good, right? But his worries held a tight grip on letting any happiness flow. She’d been so tired lately, worn out from over a week of chemo and barely able to keep food down. At least now they were done with the designs, she wouldn’t feel the need to come to the theatre so often.
‘I’ll walk with you, if you like?’ Bruce said.
Gabriel blinked out of his thoughts. How long had he stood there staring at nothing?
‘I’d like that.’ The walk would only take a minute but he’d take ten seconds with Bruce if it meant they were together.
They walked in silence, which only made the sounds of laughter more noticeable the closer they got to wardrobe. Inside Angela, Sofia and Magda sat in a circle whooping with joy, Sofia’s cheeks wet with tears. Reams of fabric covered the large cutting table, while clothes had been pulled out and put on separate racks for the actors, the beginnings of their creation going from vision to reality, but that paled next to Sofia’s happiness. He and Bruce exchanged amused glances before Angela noticed them and wiped her eyes.
‘Gabriel, your mother is wicked, I hope you know that.’
‘Oh, shush. Don’t listen to them, mijo.’
They regained their composures but it would take a while for the redness to fade
