Melody 5 - Rising Stars

11 (iii) - Amy

--- AMY ---

"The girls have to move out," said Amy's mum, Christine.

"What?" said Amy. "Why?"

"You've already been here longer than your dad and I expected," said Christine, as she loaded the dish-washer. "Plus, there's all the stress, what with the unexpected visitors!"

Amy knew she was referring to Rhian's mum, Diane, turning up out of the blue yesterday evening. Amy remembered Diane from the day of the auditions as an overbearing, non-stop talker - and she hadn't changed one bit. All evening they'd had to endure endless stories about Rhian's childhood and every minute detail about life in rural Wales, until Diane had started to freak out about where the hell her precious baby was.

Amy had left Rhian countless messages but her phone was switched off and no one could get hold of her. Even though, everyone tried to reassure Diane that this was most unlike Rhian, she'd refused to calm down accusing Amy's parents of being irresponsible and that Sherri Holt would never have allowed her little angel to disappear like this.

Maurice and Christine politely but firmly assured Diane they were also concerned about Rhian's wellbeing and were on the verge of calling the police until Jadine's text had arrived saying Rhian was safe and well.

"It's too much for your dad to deal with, what with the business and..." Christine stopped herself, before adding. "...other stuff."

"What other stuff?" demanded Amy. Since she'd moved back to her parents, she'd had the feeling that her mum had been hiding something about her dad, but whenever Amy had questioned her about it, her mum had refused to say anything. Maybe now was her chance.

"Mum," said Amy, grabbing a dirty breakfast bowl from her mum's hand, before she could load it in the dishwasher and use it as an excuse not to look at her daughter. "What aren't you telling me?"

Christine sighed and sank into a chair at the kitchen table. "Your dad didn't want to know you."

"But you obviously do," said Amy, sitting next to her mum. "Otherwise you wouldn't keep making unsubtle remarks."

Christine pretended to busy herself with wiping crumbs off the kitchen table.

"Please, mum," pleaded Amy.

Christine took a deep breath. "Your dad has pancreatic cancer."

Amy was too stunned to speak. Her dad had cancer? No way.

"He can't have," Amy eventually stammered.

"He had surgery to remove a tumour last year," continued Christine.

"Last year?" blurted Amy. "How come no one told me?"

"Your dad didn't want you to worry," said Christine. "And he thought that surgery followed by the chemotherapy would clear it."

"And did it?" asked Amy.

Tears filled Christine's eyes. "We thought it had, but we always knew there was a possibility it might resurface. We found out yesterday, it's come back."

"Oh my God," gasped Amy.

"Your dad needs surgery again and a more aggressive round of chemo."

Amy felt as though she'd been punched in the gut. "But he's gone to work today," she said. Amy had the day off for the band meeting with Lena and they had a gig to prepare for that night.

"I know," said Christine, shaking her head. "He wants to carry on as normal until the surgery.

"That's crazy," shouted Amy. "He should be in hospital!"

"He's going in a couple of days. And that's why I think, when he comes out, it would be best if the girls weren't here. Of course you can stay, this is your home, darling."

"Is that why dad's been so keen for me to be involved with the business? Because he knew he might..." Amy couldn't bring herself to utter the words.

"Partly," said her mum. "But it's always been his dream that one day you'd take over. Having you working with him this last month, has made him so happy."

Christine let out a muffled sob and Amy reached out to hug her. They stayed like that for a while, crying and holding onto each other.

"Maybe this is sign," said Christine eventually, as she pulled away. "That you're meant to be at home with us and that this band business just isn't going work out."

"What do you mean?" asked Amy.

"Well, it'll be too expensive for some of the girls to live in London. And, Diane wants Rhian to go back to Wales. So I suppose the band will have to break up."

Amy didn't know what to think. All she wanted to do was race down to the store and shout at her dad for keeping this from her, but she knew that wouldn't do anybody any good. But maybe her mum was right. Maybe this was a sign.

From across the table, a mobile phone vibrated. Molly had left it on the table after breakfast and a text message had come through.

"You'd better give that to whoever it belongs to," said Christine as she returned to the dishwasher. "And maybe at your band meeting you can tell them about moving out."

As if in a trance, Amy got up and picked up Molly's phone. She didn't mean to, but she just caught sight of the text message before it faded from the screen...

Great to see you again last night.

Would love to hook up again sometime.

How about it?

Derren x

WTF?

Molly and Derren?

When had he got back? Why hadn't he texted Amy? And why was Molly seeing him?

Amy was overwhelmed by a wave of fury.

She had to confront Molly.

Right now.