The Summer Theatre by the Sea

by Tracy Corbett

  What? A buzzing sound hummed in his ears.

  ‘You can opt for St Mary’s if you don’t want to study Internal Medicine at Hammersmith,’ she said, no doubt trying to sound reasonable. ‘Or even the Deanery hospital in Plymouth, if you’re insistent on staying in Cornwall. The choice is yours, but you need to make up your mind, and fast.’

  Oh, so now he had a choice. Big of her. The buzzing in his head switched to a high-pitched screech. He kicked a loose stone off the clifftop, watching as it bounced off the rock face and plummeted into the sea.

  ‘Are you listening to me, Barnabas?’

  He rubbed his face. He didn’t want to lose his temper or say anything he’d regret, but it was proving difficult. ‘I’m listening.’ He kicked another stone, this one bigger. It didn’t budge. Pain shot up his foot.

  ‘You’ve prevaricated long enough. All the courses start in September, so you’ll need to relocate in the next couple of weeks if you don’t want to miss out. The decision is yours, but your father and I will be very disappointed if you pass up this opportunity to further your career.’ She paused. ‘Naturally, we’ll resume full financial support if you agree to continue with your studies. I know you feel we’re being harsh, but we’re doing this for your own good.’ The line went dead.

  Had she hung up on him?

  Chucking his phone into the sea was tempting, but he knew he’d quickly regret it, so he shoved it in his pocket and let out a growl, trying to vent his frustrations. He was twenty-seven, for fuck’s sake. His parents shouldn’t be making decisions on his behalf. But he couldn’t really blame them, they wanted what was best for him. It was just a shame they couldn’t all agree on what that might be.

  His phone beeped. Sighing, he dug it out and checked the message. His mother. We love you very much. And didn’t he know it, which was why disappointing them caused him so much grief.

  He climbed down from the rocks. How did he feel about his parents taking such drastic action? Annoyed? Frustrated? Or simply relieved that his life finally had some direction? All he really knew was that he felt a crippling sinking feeling in his gut.

  Below him, the rest of the cast had gathered on stage. The sun’s glare bounced off the pale-stone flooring, shrouding them in a hazy glow. Tony and Sylvia stood centre stage, shielding their eyes from the sun as they watched Daniel gesticulating wildly.

  Kayleigh was sunbathing, stripped down to a vest top and tiny skirt, the heart tattoo on her stomach visible where she’d rolled up her top.

  Lauren and Paul were sitting on the stone steps, their body language giving off very different signals. Paul was relaxed, his legs stretched out in front of him, his face turned up to the sun. In contrast, Lauren hugged her knees to her chest, her large sunglasses swamping her delicate features.

  The tension between her and Glenda remained awkward. Glenda sat on a fold-up chair, her demeanour assured and superior, while Lauren shrunk slowly before their eyes, both in terms of weight and cheerfulness. He imagined the dynamics might change once the police paid Glenda a visit. If they ever did.

  As he descended the curved steps, he could see Nate carrying a wooden throne down from the car park. Behind him, Charlotte carried a large pair of donkey ears, the wicker material making her nose twitch when it brushed against her. The sight of her eased the sinking feeling in his gut. She was wearing jeans and what looked like one of her sister’s tie-dye tops, not a button in sight. Her hair was wavy and soft, and her bum moved gently beneath the stretch of her jeans. And he thought the view across the bay was nice?

  He’d discovered there was a lot more to Charlotte Saunders than met the eye. Her outward movements might be careful and deliberate, but beneath the controlled exterior was an incredibly sexy woman. His pulse rate kicked up a notch just thinking about last Friday night. Having had her wicked way with him backstage at Smugglers Inn, she’d left without saying a word. Talk about hot. It was the stuff of fantasises. The fact that she remained cool and aloof whenever other people were around only heightened the sense of anticipation. Engaging in a summer fling was proving enormous fun.

  ‘So, we’re all in agreement that the show goes ahead?’ Tony’s voice came into earshot as Barney reached the stage.

  Murmured agreements followed.

  Barney walked across the stage, aiming for Charlotte. With any luck, she’d have more props which needed carrying down from the car park and he could assist her. It would be a welcome distraction from thinking about his future.

  ‘Which brings us to the role of director.’ Tony blocked Barney’s path. ‘What do you say, Barney? Will you help us out?’

  Momentarily too shocked to speak, he ground to a halt.

  Daniel marched over. ‘I protest.’

  Tony turned to Daniel. ‘We took a vote.’

  ‘I didn’t vote for him.’ Daniel refused to look at Barney.

  ‘But everyone else did,’ Sylvia said, giving Daniel a disdainful look.

  ‘And we agreed we’d go with the majority.’ Tony turned back to Barney. ‘We all think you’d make a fantastic job of directing.’

  Daniel’s objections were drowned out by a chorus of people telling him to ‘shut up!’

  Tony looked hopeful. ‘What do you say? Will you do it?’

  Barney tried not to look at all the expectant faces in front of him. ‘Sorry, but I’m with Daniel on this one. I’d make a terrible director.’

  ‘You see?’ Daniel looked smug. ‘I told you.’

  Tony shook his head. ‘No, you wouldn’t. You understand stagecraft and you’re well respected.’

  Was he …? ‘That’s kind of you, but I’ve only been doing this a year. I don’t know much about acting.’

  Daniel made a noise. ‘My point exactly.’

  ‘You know enough.’ Tony gestured to the group, ‘And we’d all pitch in and help.’

  Everyone except Daniel nodded.

  ‘And the blocking’s been done, so everyone knows their moves. It’s not like you’d be starting from scratch,’ Paul added, unhelpfully.

  ‘Yeah, and the lines are learnt, so that’s covered.’ Nate nodded in agreement.

  Barney glared at his so-called friends. ‘Look, I appreciate the offer, but I don’t want the responsibility. I’m not a leader.’

  Sylvia touched his arm. ‘How can you say that? Look at how well you took control when Jonathan collapsed. We all went into a panic, but you were so calm and assured. He would’ve died if you hadn’t taken charge.’

  How could he tell them it was all a front? That beneath the surface, he’d sunk into a panic, almost gripped by a fear of messing up. ‘Sorry to disappoint you.’ He moved away, hating the looks on their faces.

  The sinking feeling in his gut returned. And then he stopped mid-stride, realising he was sick of disappointing people. According to his parents, he had no valid reason to stay in Penmullion. But what if he did have a reason? Directing the play would keep him in Cornwall until the end of August. He’d be committed to the project. It would give him a focus, something to occupy his mind and body. It might even help him make a decision about his future.

  He turned back to the group, looking from Tony and Sylvia’s dismayed expressions to Nate and Paul’s hopeful ones. These people had welcomed him into their lives. They’d befriended him when he’d been lost and confused, never judged him, and had supported his music endeavours. He owed them.

  ‘Don’t expect any miracles, okay? I’m no Kenneth Branagh.’ The words had barely left his mouth before he was ambushed with hugs and kisses.

  Over the crowd of heads, he saw Charlotte standing nearby. Her smile let him know that she approved of his decision. The swell in his chest was a completely disproportionate reaction, but he revelled in it anyway.

  ‘Good decision.’ Tony slapped him on the back. ‘Right, let’s get started.’

  ‘Where do you want us?’ Sylvia sounded eager.

  Eight hopeful faces and one disgruntled one looked at him.

  Barney
realised they were expecting him to take over immediately. Oh, crap.

  Lauren came to his rescue. ‘We could cover the bit we didn’t get to last Tuesday?’

  He nodded. ‘Good idea. Er … what was that?’

  ‘Act Two, the forest scene. Would you like me to take the kids somewhere quiet and rehearse their dance?’

  ‘That’d be great, Lauren. Thanks.’ He touched her arm, shocked to feel how thin she was beneath her loose top. No wonder Nate felt that drastic action was needed.

  He took a moment to collect his thoughts, feigning an excuse of needing to check the script before they began. In truth, he was starting to panic. It was just amateur dramatics, he told himself, not heart surgery. No one would die because he didn’t make a good job of directing.

  He flicked through the script, wishing he’d paid more attention to how Jonathan structured rehearsals. Why everyone thought he was the best person for the job, he didn’t know. He turned to the stage, only to find Nate and Paul already in position. He’d thank them later.

  Everyone was watching him, waiting to see what he’d do. No going back now. ‘Okay, we’ll start with the bit where Lysander is trying to stop Helena from leaving.’

  Paul nodded and lifted his arms, allowing a reluctant Daniel to hug him. ‘“When at your hands did I deserve this scorn? Tis not enough that I never deserve a sweet look from Demetrius’s eye, but you must flout my insufficiency?”’

  Daniel moved as if to kiss her, but stopped. ‘Do I seriously need to kiss him?’

  Paul growled. ‘Her.’

  ‘You’re a man,’ Daniel snapped back.

  ‘But I’m playing the part of a girl. How many times do we have to have this fucking argument?’ Paul reverted to character, preventing Daniel from responding. ‘“I thought you lord of more true gentleness.”’ He grabbed Daniel by the shoulders. ‘Now kiss me, or I’ll knee you in the nuts.’

  ‘That’s not in the script!’ Daniel pushed Paul away. ‘And I am not kissing him!’

  Barney intervened before a punch-up ensued. ‘Okay, we’ll stop there.’

  ‘You think I want you to kiss me?’ Paul jabbed a finger at Daniel. ‘I’d rather snog a frog.’

  ‘Take five minutes everyone.’ Barney manoeuvred Daniel to one side, out of earshot. ‘Look, I know you’re not happy—’

  ‘You think?’

  ‘But you need to rise above it.’ Barney knew flattery would be the only way of placating someone like Daniel Austin. ‘Commit to the part. In the original play, they would’ve kissed, wouldn’t they? Act as though Helena is the woman of your dreams, no matter who’s playing her, just like a professional actor would do.’ He hoped this last bit might hit home.

  It had the desired effect. Daniel straightened his shoulders. ‘I am professional. I have an agent.’

  ‘I know.’ As far as anyone knew, Daniel’s professional-acting credits included a car-insurance advert and playing a corpse in Casualty, but Barney wasn’t about to bring that up. ‘And anyone watching you can see that. You have quite a stage presence.’ Christ, how it pained him to suck up to such an annoying little twerp. But as Daniel was now basking in the praise, Barney knew he was on the right track. ‘But if you don’t portray Lysander correctly, and show how he’s affected by the love potion and smitten with Helena, then you’re not going to look very professional, are you?’

  After a short period of deliberation, Daniel nodded. ‘I’ll try, but I make no promises.’

  What a drama queen. ‘Good man. Have a break and then we’ll try the scene again.’ He patted Daniel on the back and watched him walk off.

  ‘Nicely played.’

  Barney turned at the sound of Charlotte’s voice. She was sitting on the ground by the pillars, attaching flowers to the wicker donkey head.

  ‘I didn’t realise you were there.’ He went over. ‘Nice ass.’

  She smiled. ‘It’s amazing what you can make out of papier-mâché.’

  ‘I wasn’t talking about the donkey.’

  She raised an eyebrow. ‘Very amusing.’

  He liked that she no longer took offence to his teasing. ‘I like to do my bit.’

  She attached a bell between the donkey’s ears. ‘So, promoted to director, huh? I’m impressed.’

  He crouched down next to her. ‘You are?’

  ‘Of course. I expected you to refuse. You surprised me.’

  ‘I surprised myself.’ The sunlight was hitting her in such a way it looked like she was wearing a halo. There’d been nothing angelic about her actions last Friday night. And for that he was truly grateful.

  ‘It was the right thing to do.’ She threaded wire around the bell to secure it. ‘It would’ve been a shame to let everyone down.’

  He held the bell steady for her. ‘I’m still not sure I’m the right man for the job.’

  Her expression softened. ‘You know, for someone with your skills and confidence, you can be incredibly insecure at times.’

  He bent closer so he could whisper in her ear. ‘Are you referring to any specific skills?’

  ‘I knew it!’ Kayleigh’s voice made him startle.

  Where the hell had she come from?

  She appeared next to him, hands on hips. ‘You two are hooking up, aren’t you?’ Her accusatory gaze switched between him and Charlotte. ‘I thought something funny was going on the other night, at rehearsal, and now I’m certain.’

  Charlotte’s confused look switched to a defensive one. ‘No, we’re not. Nothing’s going on. Why would you think that?’

  ‘Don’t bother denying it. I ain’t daft.’ Kayleigh swung around to face Barney and shoved him in the chest. ‘Bastard!’

  ‘What was that for?’

  ‘For messing around behind my back.’ Tears pooled in her eyes.

  He sighed. ‘How many times do I have to say it? We’re not together, Kayleigh.’

  Kayleigh pouted. ‘But we dated. We had fun, didn’t we?’ She leant into him. ‘What about Valentine’s Day?’

  He tried to peel her hands away when she clutched hold of his T-shirt. ‘What about it? It was months ago.’

  ‘I thought it meant something.’ Her forehead fell against his chest.

  Charlotte was looking at him like he was scum. Great.

  ‘Then I’m really sorry for misleading you.’

  Kayleigh’s head jerked up, knocking his chin. ‘Bastard!’

  ‘So you keep saying.’ And she was probably right. It was his fault for not setting her straight before. He only had himself to blame. ‘Look, Kayleigh. You’re a really nice girl, and we’re friends, but that’s all. I’m really sorry if you thought it was more than that.’

  ‘Because of her?’ Kayleigh jabbed a finger in Charlotte’s direction.

  Charlotte picked up the donkey head and moved away. Sensible woman.

  He wanted to go with her, but he couldn’t keep running away from his problems. ‘It has nothing to do with Charlotte.’ Because it didn’t, not really.

  ‘I’ve seen the way you look at her,’ Kayleigh shouted.

  ‘Keep your voice down.’ People were watching.

  She started to cry. ‘If it weren’t for her you’d be with me.’

  Cruel to be kind, he told himself, and braced himself for the fallout. ‘Again, not true, Kayleigh. I’m sorry to be blunt, but you and me were never going to work out.’

  Her crying increased.

  Okay, a bit too cruel. ‘Please don’t cry, Kayleigh. I never meant to hurt you. I’m sorry.’

  ‘And so you should be.’ She thumped his chest. ‘Well, you can find someone else to be in your crappy show, because I’m off.’ She pushed him away. ‘And don’t think you can come crawling back to me when she’s back in London.’ Kayleigh snarled at Charlotte, who hid behind one of the pillars.

  ‘There’s no need to quit the show.’

  ‘Yes, there is!’ She flipped him the finger. ‘We’re over!’

  He felt it wouldn’t be helpful to point out that the
y were already over. ‘Please don’t leave. We can sort this out. It’s just a misunderstanding.’ He tried to follow her as she stormed off. ‘Kayleigh!’

  But there was no point, she was gone. Fuck it! He’d messed up spectacularly. And now there was no one to play Puck. Why had he ever agreed to direct? He was causing more problems than he was solving.

  When he turned around, numerous faces looked at him expectantly. No point putting off the inevitable. He went over to the group. ‘Kayleigh’s quit the show.’

  He was met with a chorus of, ‘Why?’

  Barney really didn’t want to divulge details of his ‘thing’ with Charlotte, especially as she’d made it abundantly clear that the fewer people that knew about them, the better. ‘Personal reasons.’

  He should have known that wouldn’t suffice.

  ‘What kind of personal reasons?’ Glenda was blunt as always.

  Paul came to his rescue. ‘Kayleigh has a crush on Barney, but he doesn’t feel the same way.’

  ‘Tell us something we don’t know.’ Glenda pulled a face. ‘Hardly the news of the century.’

  Tony intervened. ‘I think what Glenda means is, what happened to make her leave today?’

  Barney shrugged. ‘She got upset when I set her straight about us not being a couple.’ Which was entirely true; no need to mention the bit about him flirting with Charlotte.

  As if on cue, Charlotte appeared in his peripheral vision. He really hoped that Kayleigh hadn’t blown it for him. He wasn’t ready for their fling to be over; things were just heating up.

  ‘I tried to let her down gently, but I failed. Sorry, guys.’ He hated to see their disappointed faces. ‘Do you want someone else to direct the show?’

  Only Daniel nodded. Everyone else assured him he still had their support.

  ‘So, what are we going to do now?’ Sylvia looked concerned.

  He had no idea.

  Paul slapped him on the back. ‘Let’s forget about Kayleigh and focus on finding a replacement to play Puck.’ He squeezed Barney’s shoulder. ‘Anyone spring to mind?’