"What made you choose this song?"
Sylva glanced up from the sheet of lyrics, dropping them back down onto the coffee table. "It's a pretty song, Topaz, but isn't it kinda ambitious if you only have a few days?"
"Not really." I know the words, pretty much." Topaz shook her head. "I have the CD somewhere - well, more likely I left it in Canada when I left home. It's just a case of getting the phrasing perfect, that's all."
She sighed, dropping down onto the sofa. "I make it sound easy, huh? I hope it will be."
"You look beat." Sadie emerged from the kitchen at that moment, a sandwich in one hand and a glass of milk in the other. "It been a long day?"
"In a way." Topaz admitted. "Trying rather than long. I think I'm just not used to going to the music company on a whim any more, that's all." She looked rueful. "I feel like I aged a few years instead of a few months, actually. It'd help a lot if Hollie would give me a good night's sleep."
"Babies are thoughtless like that." Sylva remarked. Topaz nodded.
"It wasn't all her fault today, though." She conceded. "I had to bath and change her when we got in, which led to screams for her dinner, so I fed her. Then I'd just got the poor kid off to sleep when someone rang my cell - it was a wrong number, but it woke the babe up. The caller got treated to some choice epithets for waking my baby." She looked sheepish. "Luckily I don't think he knew which harried single LA mom he'd reached, so I doubt the presses will be buzzing with news of my tantrum tomorrow. Hol took ages to get back to sleep after that, and once she was I stuck the baby radio on and headed down here to work on this thing. Kinda takes it out of you."
"But Topaz, this is kinda how it's gonna be from now on." Sylva shot her a doubtful look. "Weirdos and wrong numbers aside. You do realise that? Once you get back to working full time..."
"Yeah, I know." Topaz nodded her head. "And I'm thinking about ways to work around it, but I've not worked one out yet. There must be one - I just haven't seen it yet. Emily manages with Michael, and maybe if I was to go ask Kimber at the foundation, she might help me out by taking Hollie whenever the creche can't. I mightn't be a former Starlight girl like Em is, but Kimber's a sweetie. I'm sure she'd help."
She indicated the lyrics.
"For now, though, I have to focus on this, if I'm to stand any chance when I meet this Warrington guy. I ought to do it whilst I've brain time to myself."
"Anything we can do?" Sadie asked.
"I don't see what, except tell me if it sounds really awful." Topaz got to her feet, moving over to the CD player. "Could you?"
"Sure, we'll boo and throw rotten eggs." Sylva told her with a grin. "We can manage that, can't we, Sade?"
"Sure." Sadie agreed good-naturedly. "I'll save some of my sandwich just in case."
Topaz merely grimaced at them, skimming over the lyrics one last time, then setting the sheet down and pressing play.
One thing that had never been in any doubt was Topaz's ability to sing. When Jewel had first met her in Canada, it had been her powerful, yet sweet voice that had attracted the group's attention, and had brought Phyllis into the equation. Behind closed doors, the powers that be at Misfit Music secretly believed that she was the best singer they currently had on their books, and consequently had gone to great lengths to ensure the girl remained with them in Los Angeles, despite the complications her personal life had begun to throw up. As she finished singing, Sadie and Sylva set up a round of applause which made the Canadian laugh.
"It wasn't that good." She reproached. "As pros you should know that. I've sung it better today, and I went flat in that middle section."
"You sing so beautifully though." Sadie told her, a dreamy look entering her dark blue eyes. "I can almost imagine you as the woman in that film. You put so much emotion into it - I wish I could sing like that."
"Thanks, Sadie." Topaz was touched. "Well, at least I'm good for something, huh? I mean, I don't play guitar properly, and I can't write music or sketch the way you do. I can't play keys like Syl or drums like Copper. And I'm no musical genius like Nancy. I have to have something going for me, for Phyllis and Jetta to keep me on."
"Maybe you'll be an actress too." Sylva suggested. "I still can't believe you're going to audition for Milton Warrington. That has to be the most exciting thing ever, surely?"
"The more I think about it, the more exciting it sounds." Topaz admitted. "I think I was a bit thrown for six when Phyllis suggested it, but I've had all day to get used to the idea and I can't help thinking that it would be amazing to do. Lots of fun and I'd still get to sing - maybe even prove I can be more versatile than I thought. But it is still a big 'if', girls. Milton Warrington might not like me. When he meets me, he might decide I'm not what he's after. I refuse to get my hopes up too much - I'll just go in there and do my best - we'll see what comes next."
"Sane way of looking at it." Sadie looked approving. "But I hope you do get it, Topaz. If nothing else, noone could beat you on voice."
"Well, if you say so - but they could definitely beat me on experience and acting skill." Topaz rolled her eyes. "Those two things count a lot in films too."
"You've done music videos." Sylva objected.
"Not the same thing."
"No, but you're used to wardrobe and makeup and cameras and all of that." Sylva shrugged. "That's partway there, at least. You're not some showbiz rookie."
"True." Topaz grinned. "At least I have my own cheering squad at home, if nothing else!"
She glanced around her.
"Speaking of which, where are Copper and Nancy?"
"Nancy stopped behind to discuss album tracks with her Mom and Phyllis." Sylva told her. "Copper got a text from Aaron and I think she went to meet him - it's his free afternoon. There's just the three of us - and Hollie, of course - at home."
"Well, I'm dearly hoping that the younger Miss Stapleton will sleep for some time to come." Topaz said dryly. "Though we'll see. She is teething."
"Already?" Sadie looked startled. Topaz nodded.
"Yeah, though it doesn't seem to be troubling her majorly as yet. She's just dribbling a lot. The pacifier keeps her fairly happy - I'm not looking forward to when it becomes full scale."
"Well, if you need any extra help, just yell." Sadie offered. Topaz grinned.
"Thanks." She responded. "I'll keep it in mind."
At that moment the cellphone on the table began to bleep and Topaz scooped it up, hitting 'call receive' and putting it to her ear.
"Hello? Topaz." She said. "Oh, hi Phyllis. You did? And?" There was a pause, then, "Oh, fab. How did he sound - is he still keen to hear me? Great. That gives me more confidence." Another pause, in which Sadie and Sylva exchanged looks, then, "All right then. No, the song is going fine - I'm working through it and there are no problems. I'm gonna give it my best and we'll see how it goes. Well, all right. More than my best. Okay. Thanks for letting me know, Phyllis. Bye!"
She terminated the call, setting down the phone.
"Friday." She told her expectant companions. "At eleven thirty. That gives me two days. Apparently Phyllis thought he still sounded eager - he'd fitted me in as soon as he possibly could, and he hadn't forgotten calling her, so that's good. Seems I have something of the right 'look' as well as the right voice. But we'll see. I'm taking nothing for granted until I've seen him."
"Where do you have to go?" Sadie wondered.
"His office. Phyllis is gonna fax me through the details." Topaz replied. "Are you girls working on Friday morning? If so I'll drop Hol at creche, but..."
"We'll probably be in studio." Sadie pursed her lips. "We've got to lay the new track down this week or early next, apparently - so I can't see us having another free afternoon like this. We're only off now because someone blew up a tape deck."
"Cynthia has Friday free. Maybe she'll Hollie-sit." Sylva suggested. "You know she adores spending time with Baby Jewel."
"I'll ask her." Topaz nodded. "But for now I want to give that song another go. It's got to be perfect if I'm gonna blow this guy away on Monday, after all!"