Breakeven

Chapter 73

The 2 hour drive from Dublin to Belfast gave me a lot of time to think.  I was excited to see Danny but I felt a strange nervousness about it.  I had tried so hard to reassure him that the speculation over our relationship wasn't affecting me, and he doesn't really know how much it was affecting the kids, turning up at his gig tonight is going to alert him that something isn't right and I don't want him feeling unsettled when he gets on the stage.

I pulled up in the venue car park and quickly checked my make up in the rear view mirror before lifting my handbag and locking the car.  Too late to turn back now.

I walked over to the venue and saw the crowds of fans queuing outside the venue, I recognised a few of the fans at the front of the queue and waved over to them.  One of the girls, Cheryl,  jumped out of her seat and ran over to hug me.   "How are you?" I asked as I felt her cold cheek pressing against mine.

"I'm freezing" was her reply

"What time have you been here since?" I asked, knowing that the answer would be a ridiculously early hour.

"Got here about 3:30 this morning" she said with a laugh "We can't all rock up two hours before doors and get straight in you know Kay"

I chuckled "I won't be at the barrier though Cheryl, you know it'll be worth it"

"I know but I wish they'd hurry up and let us in" she said with a giggle as she turned to go back to the queue.

"Would a cuppa make it better?" I asked

Cheryl turned back to me, "Kay you are an absolute angel, a cuppa would make everything more bearable, especially if your husband brings it out to us"

I laughed "I can't promise he'll bring them but let me see what I can do"

Cheryl ran back over to the queue and I headed to the back of the building.

After showing my AAA pass, I was given access to the backstage area at the arena.  I saw Quinner first as I walked down the corridor.  "Is everything alright Kay?" he asked with concern as he walked towards me.

"It's fine Quinner" I smiled.  "Where's Danny?"

"They're sound checking, go on through" he said with a smile as he passed me.

"Oh Quinner" I said, spinning on my heels, suddenly remembering my conversation with Cheryl "Is there anyone that can take cuppas to the queue?" I asked cheekily.

"Stop promising them stuff Kay" Quinner laughed "I'll get Jason to take some out."

"Thanks Quinner, you're a star" I said with a cheeky grin.

"Yeah yeah, I'm a star, whatever you say Kay" he replied sarcastically as he walked off shaking his head.

I walked round to the doors at the front of the arena.  The music from the sound check filled the corridors "All the hurt, all the lies all the tears that they've cried ....." I heard Danny singing as I opened the door and walked into the arena, the stage seeming miles away from me as I wondered why I had decided to enter the arena from the back.

The lads seemed oblivious to my presence at first as I walked towards the stage.  Danny suddenly spotted me and stopped singing "Whats up?" he asked into his mic as I saw fear in his face.  Slowly the song collapsed as Mark and Glen also stopped playing.

"Nothing" I replied shaking my head and frantically trying to gesture with my hands for him to continue the sound check as I knew he probably couldn't hear me.  Danny walked slowly down the stairs at the side of the stage and walked towards me, colour drained from his face.

As I approached him, tears filled my eyes.  How could I be so stupid as to believe this was a good surprise, of course he would panic when he saw me. "Danny, nothings wrong, please continue the sound check" I told him as he wrapped his arms around me.  He pulled out of our hug and looked into my eyes, his hands resting on my shoulders.

"What's happened Kay?" he asked with concern.

"Seriously Danny, nothing's happened." I reassured him. "The speculation was making life difficult and I just wanted to be with you."

"Where's the kids?" he asked as his eyes darted around the arena.

"They're at your mums, I just wanted a night with just the two of us."

"Promise me there's nothing wrong?" he asked

"I promise" I replied as I held my pinky out towards him.  He linked his pinky to mine and smiled before leaning forward and kissing me tenderly.

"Well it's good to see you" he smiled as he pulled back. He turned and ran back up to the stage.  As he ran up the stairs Mark started to play the intro to If You See Kay, I laughed as Danny grabbed his mic from the stand "If you see Kay, will you tell her that I love her" he mumbled as he giggled at Mark before the music dropped out again and they continued with the soundcheck.