Melody 5 - Rising Stars

Chapter 8 - (i) Amy

--- AMY ---

"Hello, darling! Welcome home!"

Amy winced as her mum, Christine, swooped in for a sloppy kiss and a hug.

"Hi, mum," said Amy, as she lugged her suitcase into the hall.

"Don't worry about your case," said Christine. "Your dad can sort that. And these must be your lovely little friends. Hello girls! Come in, come in."

Rhian was standing agog in the doorway, taking in the impressive floor to ceiling stained glass window at the far end of the hall. Amy knew Rhian had only just got over the shock of driving up the gravel driveway and seeing a fountain on the lawn. It was only a small one - actually more of a water feature - but still enough for Rhian to be impressed.

"It's to let in more light, dear," explained Christine, who'd also noticed that Rhian was open-mouthed and blocking the doorway.

"Budge up, darlin'" shouted Amy's father from the back. "Coming through!"

Rhian dutifully made way for Jadine, Molly and bringing up the rear with their luggage, Amy's father, Maurice Anderson. He gave his wife a peck on the cheek. "Cor, these girls have got more clothes than the Queen of Sheba," he said cheerily. "I don't know where we're gonna put it all, love."

"I didn't know you were this loaded!" teased Jadine with a whisper.

"I'm not! Just don't hold it against my parents," said Amy softly.

"Course not. Your dad's a riot!" chuckled Jadine.

Amy smiled. As much as it had pained her to ask her parents if she and the girls could stay for a few weeks, she had to admit, they'd been great about the whole thing. Her mother had insisted that they move in straight away and had dispatched her dad to the train station in Woking to pick them up.

"We've got enough rooms for you all to have your own," said Christine. "But I thought some of you might like to share."

"We don't mind sharing do we, Rhian?" said Molly.

"No," said Rhian. "I think I'll need a room-mate to help my find my room! Your house is massive, Mrs Anderson."

"It's only five bedrooms, dear. And please, call me Christine," she chuckled. "Amy, I assumed you'd want your old bedroom. I can put a blow-up bed in there if you want someone to share with you."

"Don't bother with all that now, love. Stick the kettle on!" said Maurice. "I'm parched!"

"I've laid out some tea and biscuits in the conservatory," said Christine. "If you'd all like to go through and then we can do introductions."

"Mum, there's no need to be so formal," said Amy. "This isn't Downton Abbey." While her dad had held on to his working-class Cockney accent, her mum, who'd only grown up a couple of streets away from Maurice, now sounded like Lady Grantham. Though her posh accent did slip when she was angry or a bit tipsy!

"I'm simply making everyone feel at home," sniffed Christine. "Or would you rather I made your friends sit in the garage?"

"All I'm saying is there's no need to make a fuss," said Amy.

"Come on, love," said her dad. "You know your mum loves to fuss. Especially over you! Now, I bagsy a seat between these two lovely ladies." And Maurice proceeded to put his arms around Molly and Jadine.

"Dad!" said Amy, rolling her eyes.

"Don't worry," laughed Molly. "I'm sure he's a perfect gent!"

"Too right, I am," he said. "It's how us East End lads were brought up!"

As Amy was about to follow them to the conservatory, Christine held her back. "Could you come into the kitchen with me, darling," she said. "I need your help to bring out some cake."

Amy doubted that very much. Her mum wanted to get her on her own so she could bend her ear about something. However, Amy dutifully followed.

"Your dad's so pleased that you're back," said Christine.

"It's only temporary, mum," sighed Amy.

"I know, but you and your friends must treat this place like home."

"We don't want to be in the way," said Amy. "In fact we'll probably be up in London most of the time. It's only an hour on the train."

"Well, you can borrow my car to drive to the station when you need to. I'll leave the keys in the bowl by the door. And I've cleared some space in my exercise room. I thought you could all use it as a dance studio, like you did when you were little. And it would be lovely to hear you all singing in there."

"Mum, you didn't need to do that," said Amy, already feeling guilty about the trouble that her parents were going to.

"Oh, it's nothing," said Christine, fiddling with the cake stand.

"Shall I carry that through?" asked Amy.

"In a minute," said Christine, refusing to be rushed. "Amy, we're really pleased you've turned to us for help."

"Mum, you know I don't like asking..."

"I know. But your dad's thought you were rejecting us...because we're not your real parents."

"God, no!" said Amy, suddenly racing to her mum's side. She knew that every so often her mum would feel insecure about the fact that they were Amy's adoptive parents. Amy never gave it a second thought. She knew her parents loved her with all their hearts and she loved them. "Mum, that's not it at all. It's because you've both been so good to me that I don't want you to think I'm leaching off you."

"We've never thought that," said Christine.

Amy gave her mum a kiss on the cheek and a squeeze. "Don't worry, we'll treat this place so much like home, you'll be sick of the sight of us," laughed Amy.

Christine gave a strained smile.

"Mum, what's wrong?"

Christine struggled, before she finally said, "How long are you going to give this new project of yours?"

"As long as it takes," said Amy, getting slightly defensive. "Why?"

"No reason," said Christine. "I mean, you can all stay as long as you like. It's just..."

"What?" probed Amy.

Just as she thought her mum was about to say more, Christine put on her trademark smile and picked up the cake. "It's nothing, dear. Come on, let's take this through. It's Lemon Drizzle. Your dad's favourite."

As she followed her mum through to the conservatory, Amy gave an exasperated sigh. She refused to let her mum's comment bother her - after all, she already had a heap of stuff on her mind, without adding her mum's misgivings about the band into the mix.

Derren had left her a ton of messages saying he wanted to talk. Now he thought the band was finished he probably wanted to hook up again for another round of booty-calls - well he could forget that! She wasn't about to be anyone's rebound. Amy wanted to ask Molly why she'd been running down the corridor after Derren on the night of the showcase. It had all seemed pretty intense but the only bit she'd actually overheard was Molly asking Derren if he'd keep something secret.

Amy assumed they must have kissed...or was it even more than that?

She was trying not to let it affect her relationship with Molly, after all, the band was the most important thing right now. Plus Molly didn't know about Amy's past with Derren; and he'd made it perfectly clear that he and Amy were over, so he could do what he wanted with whoever he wanted. But Amy couldn't help feeling hurt that he'd given her that line about not wanting to be involved with her while she was in the band, and all the time he was chasing another girl in the band! And she couldn't help feeling a little disappointed that Molly must have given in to him.

And to top it all off, there was the matter of Lena's latest suggestion - she wanted to audition for a new 5th member. Amy wasn't sure. The four of them had gelled pretty well, why invite another girl into the mix? But Lena had insisted - and apparently she had just the girl in mind.