Backstage Drama

Coming Through

Chapter 11

Coming Through

Sara's POV

We couldn't find Dene that night. Because this was our second show, we expected him to be all over us and give us pep talks and what-not tonight. Plus Clare and I wanted to know what happened at the radio station (just in case Genevieve forgot anything) But he didn't. It was weird, he's normally everywhere when it comes to shows. We were all questioning it in the green room, this show would basically fall apart without Dene.

After the show, we all got told by Ben, Carla and Chris that we had to gather in the lobby when we got back from the hotel. This couldn't be good I walked out to stage door with Walter and Lewis, all three of us had to stop for photos and such to the fans. But there was one girl I met, not much older than me, who was getting a photo with Lewis. She came up to me next, "Wow," she said, in a New Zealand accent, "that was amazing," I smiled to her and signed her programme. "Do you know where Hayley Martin is?" She asked.

"I share a dressing room with Hayley, she'll be out very soon, if I see her, I'll let you know that you're looking-"

Hayley came up to the girl, "Hey Sara," she smiled, "Riley!" She said to the girl, hugging her. I wonder how she knew this girl, then again, Hayley knows everyone. "I'll meet you guys soon, okay? I can just go with the second group back home," she told me as she was signing Riley's programme.

I smiled and left Hayley to it. It was nice that some of her friends were coming to see the show. I caught up with Edith and the boys and walked back to the hotel with them.

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No one knew what was going on. Dene wasn't at the hotel waiting for us, so we had a feeling that something was wrong. Carla was talking quietly to Chris and Edmund (who we hadn't seen since the show began). Mr Cartwright (Who was always checking in on us at meals and at the theatre) and Mrs Bingley (Who had kept us on time throughout the season) were there, silently waiting for the cast.

After Mr Cartwright checked off the last cast member, there was a long silent pause in the room. There wasn't even someone checking in to bring some life. Edmund sighed, "As you may have noticed, Dene wasn't at the theatre tonight," he began. I was worrying now. Where Was Dene? Is he okay?

"Dene was in a car crash at about 4:45 today," Everyone gasped. No one could believe it. Even I couldn't. "He wasn't too badly hurt, luckily. He escaped with a broken arm and a sprained ankle, but he's been under observation all night. He should be at breakfast in a few days, but please be gentle. Do not ask questions and just go along with him. We don't want to stress him out any more than he already has to be. Is that understood?"

We all murmured yes to Edmund and he sent us off to our rooms for the night. No one really said anything, it was like a little spark inside of us died. When I got back to my room with Clare, I just crashed. Maybe some sleep would do some good to the situation.

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It was pretty quiet at breakfast the next day. No one really knew what to say, even though all we really wanted to talk about was something we shouldn't talk about.

Edmund turned up, he took the head of the breakfast table (the place where Dene normally sits) and cleared his throat to show that he wanted our attention. He didn't really need to do it more than once before the whole cast was paying attention. "Please go through the next few days as normally as possible. If it gets too hard, please let us know. We're always here to help," he said.

The rest of the breakfast continued on in a deathly silence.

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"And...faces!" The photographer shouted. We all plastered on our wife face as the camera shutter clicked. We'd been kneeling for god only knows how long by now and I was ready to stand up again. "Beautiful! Beautiful! I love you kids!" He cried, blowing us kisses. This guy had to be one of the best (and sassiest) photographers I've ever seen, even in the movies. He managed to melt our troubles away with his presence. "Now, could we please get Anna and the King up here? I need a beautiful shot for 'Shall We Dance?'" He said, ushering the wives off stage and getting Heather and Lewis on stage. My legs were numb as I walked off stage and watched Heather and Lewis be photographed from the wings. It looked a little bit awkward but it was supposed to be. The King wasn't used to the idea and Anna was in love with him. But Heather and Lewis just made it work somehow.

After the photo shoot (Which didn't go for long enough. I was having heaps of fun), we had a few hours of free time (we'll be doing the full routine once the show is up and running which will be in about a week). Heather, Edith, Walter, Lewis and I are going to go visit Dene in the near-by hospital. We bought a box of chocolates and a bunch of flowers for him.

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We arrived at the front desk of the hospital, we needed to ask what room Dene was in. A girl with long red fingernails was typing away at an old desktop computer, she barely looked up at us as we approached the front desk.

"Excuse me?" Edith said cautiously.

The girl at the desk rolled her eyes. "May I help you?" She said, barely even looking up from her computer.

"Do you know what room Dene Kelly is in? We're co-workers of his," Edith replied calmly to the girl.

The girl looked at us in disbelief. It's not like a bunch if teenagers would work with a man like Dene (unless they're us). "He's in room 10 C, on the 10th floor," she said.

"Thank you for all your help miss, you've been ever so kind," Edith said in a sickly sweet voice, just to annoy the woman. She gave us one more dirty look as we walked off.

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"Well, well, well. Lookie who it is, the best bunch of kids in the world," Dene said as we walked in his room. Thank god he was okay and still the same old guy. He seemed really happy to see us. He was even happier when we gave him chocolates ('Best thing I've eaten since I got here' according to him).

It was really good talking to Dene, but before we knew it, we had to go get ready for tonight's show. Though Dene wasn't allowed out of hospital until the next day, he did ask the doctors if he could leave now.

And you know what? They let him out.

I'm glad they let him out though, I don't think the cast could handle a show without Dene there.

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The cast on Dene's arm was quickly covered in signatures from the performers. "Who needs a programme when the cast can sign your cast?" He joked. His foot had healed by now, his arm would have to be in a cast for a little while, but otherwise he was okay. Dene was a fighter.

"Thank god you're back Dene," Ben said to him, "This show would fall apart without you."

"Come on Ben, no time for being deep, we have a show to put on!" Dene said.

"Classic Dene," I said, shaking my head. I walked off to the dressing rooms after that. The show couldn't get more dramatic than that could it?