Breakeven

Chapter 69

After breakfast we headed into the venue. I remembered how boring days could be just waiting around at venues and worried a little as to how we would keep 4 kids entertained all day, but the only other option was to go out somewhere, in the town where The Script play a gig tonight, Danny is bound to be recognised so at least staying in the venue offers us some anonymity.

We walked into the empty arena, a few sound technicians were busy on the stage but other than that we pretty much had the place to ourselves.

Danny spoke to the crew as we went in and Adam and Jessica went running into the arena floor, closely followed by Alleysha, who couldn't keep up with them. Soon after a game of 'Tag' started, Keira tried to join in, but she was clearly the easy target.

Danny came over and stood with his arm around my shoulder as we watched the kids playing happily together in the open space, maybe it is the simple things in life that bring the most joy. I smiled at the sound of the kids giggling out of breath as they went.

"Come on" Danny said as his head made a slight nod towards the door to the backstage area and he grabbed my hand leading me backstage.

We went and found the go karts backstage and jumped into them. I've never been great with the go karts, but I guess I don't get as much practice as Danny. I looked along the line and saw that he had got some kids karts brought in so that Keira and Alleysha would also be able to join in.

We drove the karts through to the arena floor and the kids soon stopped their games and decided that they wanted to have a go. So, we spent most of the afternoon speeding around the arena on go karts which was a lot of fun.

The games were over when Danny was called to do the soundcheck for tonight, there was a lot of moaning from the kids but we managed to get the go karts cleared away, but only with the promise that they could go on them again tomorrow.

As Danny climbed up the steps to join Mark and Glen on the stage I sat with the kids and waited for them to start playing. The kids were mesmerised by the soundcheck, Adam has always had a fascination with Danny's work, Jessica has reached a stage where she's incredibly proud of her Dad and let's not forget the last time Alleysha spent the day with Danny at a gig was when she decided that she wanted to be a pop star. Keira, seeing her Dad on a stage for the first time, sat so still, listening intently to every word he sang.

Sophie came in after the first song, carrying two coffees and offering one of them to me as she sat down.

"You're like a mind reader" I told her as I took the cup from her outstretched hand.

"I missed you last night" she said as she took a seat.

"Yeah well, my little angel was more like the devil child last night." I laughed "She really doesn't understand what's going on."

Sophie laughed. "She seems fine" she said as she glanced at Keira. I nodded, my eyes rolling as I did, if only she could've seen what I had to put up with last night.

"I made the papers" I told Sophie, as the words left my mouth I realised that I had been affected by those words more that I had been willing to let myself believe.

"You've read the papers?" she questioned, realising how out of character that was.

"Yeah, I went out for coffee this morning and the waitress gave me a paper to read." I explained "And apparently I was a notable absence from last night's gig while the rest of the families were all out in force to support them."

"What a load of shit" Sophie laughed.

"Yeah, but it's playing on my mind Soph. I literally want to scream at everyone and tell them to mind their own business, that me and Danny are just fine."

"What's Danny said?" she asked, the obvious question to ask really.

"I don't think he's seen it, and I don't want him to know that I've seen it."

"Why?" she seemed shocked that I hadn't told Danny and yet here I was blurting it out to her.

"I hate the level of control that the press have over us. I know that if we start talking about it, then there will be a problem, that really was never there." I tried to explain, but really, I made no sense. "Anyway, I'll be seen at tonight's gig and hopefully that will put all rumours to bed."

"Yeah, don't let them get in your head Kay, that's when they can destroy you"

I nodded, knowing that she was right. "How's Glen been?" I asked, changing the subject.

"He's loving it, being back out touring, but he's getting a lot more tired than he used to." She said

"Probably just take him a while to get back into the routine, they've had a long time off." I reasoned with her.

"Yeah, one step at a time eh?" she said as she focussed back on the lads.

We watched the soundcheck through to the end, and once the lads were finished we all headed down to catering to get some dinner. After we had finished eating, Keira came over to me and climbed up onto my knee. "Mummy, can we go back to the bus with the beds on?" she asked.

"I thought you wanted to watch the show tonight with Daddy singing?" I asked her.

"But I seen my Daddy singing" she said innocently.

"Honey that was just a practice, he's going to sing for lots of people tonight." I told her.

She didn't look convinced as she started aimlessly playing with my hand while we sat around talking. Danny glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Doors will be opening" he said to nobody in particular. I will never stop finding it strange how excited Danny gets about doors opening. And he loves to stand out of sight and watch everyone coming into the venue.

"Who's coming?" he asked as he stood up from his seat and started bouncing around. Mark and Glen just chuckled at him, they very rarely watch the fans coming in. Adam, Jessica and Alleysha were all very excited to go with Danny and realising that he probably wouldn't manage to stay hidden if those 3 went, I decided I would go too.

"Come on then, lets go and see how many people want to hear Daddy sing" I said to Keira as I stood up.

Danny lifted Keira out of my arms and then set of running down the corridors with the other 3 kids following closely behind. I walked up and joined them backstage, with only a flimsy curtain separating us from the crowds that would soon be entering.

We watched, all huddled together, as the fans started to burst through the doors of the arena floor, running like their lives depended on it whilst the security repeatedly shouted, "Don't run". It was all in vain because none of the fans slowed down until the had secured their spot on the floor, the lucky few along the barrier exchanged high fives and celebratory hugs. I glanced at Danny and saw the huge smile on his face as he hugged Keira a little tighter. The pride oozed from him, but I felt like it was more special to him to be able to share this with his children.

We stayed there for maybe 10 minutes, just watching in silence as the madness unfolded. Once it had started to calm down I turned to Danny, "You better go and get warmed up" I said with a smile as I took Keira out of his arms.

He leaned over and kissed me, "I'll see you later?" he asked.

"Wouldn't miss it." I smiled.

Danny then headed off back to the dressing room to warm up while we went back to the bus to get changed.