Page 17 (2/2)

Bree texted that she felt better and would roup numbers with the cast, so I headed there still sweaty and jittery from another coffee I’d eat after the matinee show

In the backstage area, I’d just laced my skates when I checked my phone and saw the wall of texts froes, and Bree walked in, putting on a smile

“Morning!” she said with a fake cheeriness that could not ray under the makeup she normally wouldn’t have applied until closer to showtime

“No,” I said “Forget it I’ you back to your cabin”

One of the skaters in an armchair looked up from her phone and said, “Oh, shit! What happened?”

As Bree lied about nothing being wrong, I quickly tapped out a reply to Ti her head upright as she sat on the edge of a chair This was clearly one of the days when bending over made her horribly dizzy She’d probably puked multiple times

“No,” I said again, co over to sit beside her

Bree’s ritted out

Theo Sullivan walked in eating a banana Mouth full, his eyes widened, and he mumbled, “Whoa! What happened?”

Bree’s eyes filled with tears she blinked away, refusing to let theently “It’s not your fault You can’t go on today”

“I have to We have a job to do”

The director, Matthieu, walked in right on cue, other skaters trickling in behind hi in on Bree Matthieu, a man in his fifties with a shaved head ore black turtlenecks and red-fralasses, stopped short

He exhaled sharply “Injury?”

As Bree said no, I said, “Yes She had a concussiona bad day” We should have disclosed that she still had sy the job We knew this But we’d hoped it would all turn out fine

“Sacra into a tirade in French about how this would roup numbers Bree looked to me for translation, but I just ht around her shoulders

I understood Matthieu’s frustration, but I wouldn’t let hi, Theo ca Matthieu’s rant, which was building steam

“I have an idea!” Theo said brightly

Stunned silent, Matthieu gaped at him The rest of the skaters did too Matthieu wasn’t the sort of guy people typically interrupted

But Theo only sra around with I’d love to test it with an audience I’d especially like to get your opinion on it I didn’t want to bother you I know you have soyou for help”