Tough Love (30 page)

‘Well, I was at a bit of a loose end tonight anyway …' Markie joked.

Karina punched his arm.

‘And I just want you to know that although Mum's not here I can't be bothered having a massive feud with her because I know she enjoys that sort of thing. I'm just going to keep out of her way.'

The others shuffled and glanced at one another as if they knew something Leanne didn't.

‘What?' she asked. ‘What's she done?'

‘Nothing,' Markie said. ‘Don't worry about it.'

‘You can't say that half an hour before I've got to front this launch. Come on – what?' she demanded.

‘She's been in an air-rage incident on the way back from the Dominican Republic. She kicked off with the steward, demanding to go in first class, pissed out of her head apparently. They grounded the plane and she was arrested in Jamaica. It was in the papers but she called me, looking for bail money,' Markie said, with a wry smile.

Before she knew it Leanne was laughing hysterically. ‘Get lost! She's banged up? What did you say?'

‘I said I'd get back to her.' Markie winked.

Leanne was still laughing. ‘Good. Make sure you leave it long enough for her to be crawling up the walls.'

‘Oh, don't worry. She's going to sweat, the silly cow.'

They had been appalled but not surprised that Tracy and Kent had gone ahead with their holiday, even when it was obvious where the funds had come from.

‘What's Nana Tracy done now, Mummy?' Kia asked innocently.

‘Nothing, darling,' Leanne said, feeling guilty that her daughter was now aware that Tracy was always doing something nobody approved of.

Tony took Leanne's hand. ‘Come on. Don't be worrying about your mum. It's your big night.'

*

There were banners with the
Globe
's name emblazoned across them all over the room. Leanne was grateful that they had continued to sponsor the event, even though she hadn't kept her end of the bargain. She had concluded that Victoria thought it best to keep her sweet so that one day, if she decided to tell her story, the
Globe
would be the only place she'd go.

A stage had been built at one end of the room and the silhouette of Leanne's twenty girls, in the
Charlie's Angels
pose, hung on the back. The hall was dimly lit as the guests took their places. It was filling fast. More than two hundred people had been invited and Leanne had been happy to receive a positive response from at least ninety per cent.

She was backstage now with her new clients, who were chatting nervously among themselves. Leanne remembered how she had wanted to do well, make a name for herself, but these girls understood they were a team.

Victoria popped her head round the curtain. ‘Everyone ready?' she asked, with a smile.

‘Just about,' Leanne told her.

‘You'll be great. The buzz this has caused is phenomenal. Just go out there and knock 'em dead,' she said. ‘Good luck, girls.' Then she shouted, ‘Five minutes to call.'

Leanne straightened her dress and went over once more what she was about to say. She had been rehearsing it all week.

Jodie came up to her. ‘Stop stressing.'

‘If I was ever going to stress, tonight would be the night.'

‘At least you don't have to get your baps out.' Jodie grinned.

‘What a comfort.'

Jodie hugged her. ‘Leanne, thanks for everything. You're amazing – you do know that, don't you?'

‘Don't be daft,' Leanne said, hugging her sister back. She hoped Jodie would be all right, that thrusting her into the limelight would help her, not make her illness worse. She seemed to be benefiting from the sessions with the psychologist, but that was all Leanne could hope for. She had to take it a step at a time.

‘One minute, Leanne,' Victoria said. ‘Then you're on.'

*

The hall was in darkness as Leanne waited in the wings for Victoria to introduce her. Her friend's words of praise went over her head as, nervously, she recited for the last time her opening speech. As she stepped onto the stage a roar went up, and she beamed at her audience.

‘All right. At least let me say something good before you start cheering me …' she began, with a twinkle in her eye. That wasn't scripted. And
suddenly she knew she was going to play it by ear, as she did most things. Why not? she thought. As a way to get through life, it had served her well so far …

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Published in 2007 by Ebury Press, an imprint of Ebury Publishing
A Random House Group Company

Copyright © Kerry Katona 2007

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