Secrets and Lies (13 page)

More than any of that it was the sheer, unadulterated love she had for her agency work that had made her so successful. She loved the buzz and adored the established theatre world in Ireland where she could mingle with actors and playwrights to her heart's content. Everyone in the business knew her and absolutely adored her. She was a witty, charming, lively woman who knew the acting world better than most and who was on first name terms with most of Ireland's glitterati. Everyone joked that they'd do anything to get their hands on Vivienne's little black book of contacts. Anyone who was anyone was in that safely guarded book.

Hope felt privileged that Vivienne was her agent and although they'd only known each other a few short months they'd immediately clicked and Hope truly believed that with Vivienne's help and her acting ability she would soon have her first serious acting role.

Vivienne had a soft spot for Hope. She'd always dreamed of her own daughter becoming a famous actress and that she would manage her entire career from unknown to international superstar, but it wasn't meant to be. Olivia had never been remotely interested in acting. She didn't have a dramatic bone in her body and was definitely her father's daughter; practical and sensible and business-minded.

Of course, Vivienne loved her daughter dearly but she was thrilled when she'd met Hope and was determined to make her a star. There was something about Hope that reminded her of herself and she wanted to give her every possible opportunity to succeed. Hope was very talented and disarmingly unaware of how gorgeous she looked. She had a certain inner presence that lit up a room as soon as she walked in. She was grateful for every piece of advice that Vivienne gave her and was a hard worker. She willingly accepted any bit parts and commercials that came her way and treated them all as a learning experience on the road to her “big break.”

Hope made a pleasant change to some of the other actors who were on the agency's books. Many of the younger actors were quite volatile and very impatient and would turn up at the agency after a failed audition crying loudly and bemoaning their bad luck or the directors' lack of vision in not casting them. Sometimes it was all Vivienne could do to restrain herself from slapping some sense into the youngsters. Hope seemed to take every rejection in her stride, always remaining positive, and Vivienne loved her for it.

“I won't keep you away from your handsome man for too long, my love,” Vivienne continued. “I'm calling to let you know that you are through to the second round
of auditions for the sit-com. The lead role is between you and one other girl.”

Hope almost dropped the phone in shock. This was it, this was what she had wanted for years; her first official acting role.

She'd auditioned to play the lead in a new sitcom, “Marmalade”, which was the story of four friends who get involved in each other’s lives and loves while renting flats in a large London Victorian town house. Liz, the female lead in the sitcom, and the role which Hope was desperate to play, was a single woman who was gutsy and big-hearted. She couldn't afford to pay the rent so she illegally sublets a room in her flat to Jerry, who was neurotic and incident-prone. Sexy hunk, Theo, lived across the hall. There was an undeniable spark between Liz and Theo but it took a while to ignite. Natalie was another tenant and she spent more time in Liz's flat than she did in her own. The trials, tribulations and romantic endeavours of the quartet were the essence of the show and Hope had been praying fervently that she would get to play Liz.

“Sweetie, are you still there?” Vivienne asked on the other end of the line.

“Sorry,” Hope gulped, not realising that she had been holding her breath. “I can't believe it. I'm in complete shock!”

“Don't be shocked, my love, believe it! Your name will be up there in bright lights with the best of them sooner than you think.”

Hope couldn't help smiling at Vivienne's enthusiasm. She was like her personal cheer leader sometimes.

“The only thing is darling, auditions are this afternoon at four o' clock.”

Hope's heart sank in disappointment. She'd been so looking forward to spending the day with Niall before he had to rush off again.

“No problem,” she replied, trying to sound positive. “I'll be there at four on the dot. I'm looking forward to it. Thank you so much Vivienne.”

“You're very welcome, my darling. The great news is that you won't have to wait long to find out if you've been successful either. The director will let you know tonight if you get the part because he wants rehearsals to start next week.”

“Wow,” Hope couldn't help feeling a little overwhelmed. Everything was happening so quickly. She'd spent so long playing the waiting game that she'd forgotten to imagine what might happen when her acting life actually took off.

“I'll let you go, sweetie. Call me as soon as you know. Ciao for now.”

Hope slowly replaced the phone in its receiver and turned to face her husband who was watching her expectantly.

“Well, darling, tell me everything, that sounded very exciting,” he beamed at his wife.

“I'm down to the final two for that role I was telling you about,” Hope explained.

“Oh, darling, that's fantastic news! Congratulations! I'm so proud of you,” Niall jumped up and wrapped her in a big hug.

“I haven't gotten the part just yet,” Hope laughed. “I've got to fight off the competition first. The only problem is that the final audition is this afternoon so I won't be able to spend time with you like we'd planned.”

“Don't worry about me, darling, your career is more important than a few hours with little old me. I can amuse myself for the afternoon and I'll be waiting for your return.”

“Are you sure you don't mind?” Hope asked hesitantly. She hated letting him down in any way.

“I'm absolutely positive. Go and get your script and I'll help you run through your lines.” He lightly kissed the top of her head and she went in search of the script that she hoped would change her life.

“Good luck, darling, break a leg!” Niall kissed Hope goodbye and watched her as she made her way into the theatre. It was almost four o' clock and Niall had decided to stay in town until his wife was ready. They'd planned to have dinner later at Chez Jacques, their favourite restaurant, which was right in the heart of the city.

Niall breathed a deep sigh of relief as he saw Hope disappear from view. “Peace at last,” he thought gratefully.

Of course he dearly loved his wife but she'd been wound up like a ball of nerves all day and had really started to stress him out. He had enough turmoil and complications at work without having to feel anxious when he came home to her. “You knew what you were getting yourself into,” he reminded himself. “It can't be all fun and games all the time.”

The rain that had been pouring down from the heavens most of the day had finally abated and the sun was beginning to struggle through the clouds. He strolled to the park where he and Hope had first met and went for a leisurely ramble in the fresh air. It had been quite a while since he'd been there but nothing had changed. A few familiar faces smiled and nodded politely as he passed them. He quickened his pace and inhaled the bracing air. The cobwebs were slowly starting to lift. He smiled when he saw the coffee house where he and Hope had had their first official date.

“Black coffee, one sugar please,” he smiled his megawatt smile at the barista who instantly blushed; he seemed to have that effect on women wherever he went. He took his change and made his way outside where he could admire the pretty view over the lake. 

He let his mind drift, trying not to think about anything much. Most of his life was spent surrounded by people; at work at home, everywhere he went there was someone who wanted a piece of him, so he treasured the rare occasion when he could be alone to switch off from the reality of life. He closed his eyes and tilted his face up to the warmth of the sun. The watery blue sky was dotted with fluffy white clouds and he watched them as they sped by.

It was a relief to be outside in nature, away from radios, television and computers. He was grateful for technology and the fact that he could conduct his business from anywhere in the world but the downside was that he was always easily contactable. There really was no escape, unless, of course he switched off his computer and his phones which he had resolved to do this weekend. His laptop and mobiles were securely locked away in his safe, guaranteeing him some peace and quiet for a few days anyway, before he would inevitably have to face reality and responsibility again. He hadn't seen Hope in almost a month and he was surprised at how much he'd missed her. He wanted their time together to be uninterrupted for once. She deserved his full attention, she was so undemanding and loving and he sometimes felt guilty that she had to be second on his list of his priorities, not that he would ever admit that fact to her.

Peace and quiet were pure bliss to him. There was nothing he enjoyed more than sitting in silence, doing absolutely nothing, and watching the world go by. His life was usually so hectic that he relished any opportunity to be alone and recharge his batteries. He liked observing the beauty of the seasons; the changing of the leaves from lush green to red then orange and gold; the creeping barrenness of winter as it took its icy hold on the landscape, then the welcome return of spring and the warmer, lazy days of summer.

Cork was his favourite place of all the places he'd ever travelled. It offered the culture and buzz of a city while the lure of the countryside was never more than a half hour drive away. Niall was one of the many Irish people who believed that Cork was the true capital of Ireland. There was the eclectic week-long programme of international films that made up the Cork Film Festival which was held every November. Hope said the festival signalled the countdown to Christmas for her. She always booked her tickets months in advance so she had the best seats in the house.

Then there was the Cork World Book Festival which was held in late April every year and was attended by many authors from all over the world. The International Choral Festival every May was well worth attending but the highlight for Niall had to be October's Cork Jazz Festival which had an all-star line-up in venues across the city.

He enjoyed travelling and was thankful that his job offered him so many travel opportunities and the chance to experience new places and people. He was quite a chameleon and travelling allowed him to be a different person wherever he went, a stranger who could blend easily with those around him.

Niall glanced at his watch, a Rolex, and one of his most treasured possessions. He'd promised himself when he was a young man that he would one day earn enough money to buy a Rolex, preferably by his fortieth birthday and he had achieved that ambition. He liked the finer things in life and buying that watch had been one of the proudest moments for him. It was six o' clock already. He sighed, knowing that Hope should be finished soon and he would have to return to reality, even though he liked the reality that Hope offered him. He rubbed his aching shoulders and neck, where he tended to hold most of the tension in his body. His life was very stressful, but it had been like that for several years and in some ways he was used to it. He had learned the importance of compartmentalising his life and he had the ability to be totally focused in the moment. Niall had developed a lifestyle that enabled him to make the most of everything. His mantra was “we're here for a good time, not a long time” and he was determined to enjoy every single moment of his life. A colleague had given him the book “Don't Sweat the Small Stuff” and he treated it as his bible. The advice in that book had been a light bulb moment for him and once he implemented the recommended strategies he'd never been more at peace with his life's decisions.

Maybe Hope would give him one of her expert massages later. He felt his neck twinge again and smiled at the thought of her expert hands on his body.

Reluctantly, he got to his feet and headed back into the city centre thinking that he'd treat himself to a well-earned pint or two before dinner.

The Saturday afternoon crowds had begun to abate as Niall walked the short distance into town. He was relieved to have the main street to himself except for a few last-minute stragglers.

He pushed open the door of Magee's Pub and savoured the warmth that welcomed him inside. The pub was busy, most people were watching sports on the huge television. He blinked in an effort to adjust his eyes to the relative darkness of the pub compared to the brightness of the outdoors and ordered a pint of Guinness where he stood at the bar, relishing his drink. Life is good, he thought. “Cheers,” he said to the publican who was busy fixing drinks behind the bar. “To a simple life.”

“I got the job! I got the job!” Hope jumped up and down
, doing her characteristic happy dance, ignoring the bemused glances of the passersby.

Niall laughed and watched her dance around the street, entertained by her exuberance. He loved her youthful and vivacious attitude to life and sometimes was amazed that she was his wife. She had saved him from himself. He'd been at a crossroads in his life when they'd met and, unknown to Hope, she had given him renewed faith in life and love. She'd wanted him as much, if not more, than he had wanted her and she'd given herself completely to him. He knew she'd do anything for him and he basked in the light of her love. He'd never met anyone like her. She accepted him wholeheartedly and always gave him her utmost attention, which was something that he hadn't experienced in a very long time. It had been quite a while since he'd been someone's number one priority and it made an intoxicating change.