Seasons In The Sun

Chapter 8 :Mark

I've seen the picture it's written all over your face. Tell me what's the secret that you've been hiding?

Coming back from honeymoon, I had to start another gruelling work schedule. Thankfully, it's a UK tour, and Nicola can come along. It's so refreshing to see her sit and chat with Georgina, laughing and running her hands through that silky hair of hers, and knowing that she's mine. Just as I know she loves to see me on stage knowing that I belong to her. Glancing away I see Kian looking at her, with an expression of deep hurt and regret on his face. Again I felt that twinge, that something wasn't quite right with my perfect life. I feel like I have a thorn in my happiness, and more and more I'm beginning to believe that Kian is that thorn. I'm trying to keep the thought out of my head, I've known Kian for years and he's as good as my brother, but the way he looks at my wife sometimes worries me. What is it that my sub conscious knows? What is this secret the three of them share?

It had become almost tradition for Gemma, G and Nicola to come on to stage with us for the finale, in fact, they had developed their own act for a support group. They weren't looking to go into the music industry, they just liked performing. This time they had been given a fifteen minute slot to perform fifteen minutes before we came on. This meant three songs, and we all knew the three they chose would be for their respective husbands/boyfriends, and that each would sing a lead. I wondered what Nicola would sing this time, we never knew til they went on. The next day they had two hours to rehearse their set and we were banned from the arena, but Shane, Nicky and I crept back half an hour early. I was greeted by the faint sounds of the most romantic love song ever. As we went up the steps I heard the strains of Nicola's lovely voice singing, then the music abruptly stopped. We scarpered, knowing we'd been spotted by someone. we stopped around the back to catch our breath, hands on knees, bending over we were all sent flying by the back doors swinging open and the three girls grabbing us and shouting, "you're nicked matey!" and "Busted Nicky!" Oops. It was alright for the other guys, it hadn't been their song. Nicola was livid, having had her surprise spoiled. As it always was, she couldn't stay mad at me for long. She socked me in the stomach and told me I'd better make it up to her. We all went inside for the rest of the rehearsal, now that her secret was out, Nikki didn't mind me watching her rehearse. She came running off stage having done a perfect number and leapt into my arms, covering my face with kisses. Then she hit me again. She'd really been looking forward to surprising me with 'When you say nothing at all'. She walked off with Georgina and Gemma, they had time for a dress rehearsal of Nikki's song, as she trailed her hand from mine like she didn't want us to part, although we'd never be truly apart, I saw Kian standing in the shadows, watching us with hatred all over his face, he walked away before I could call out, but now I was terrified. What ever this secret was, it's explosion was close, I could feel it. When our rehearsals started, Georgina stood right at the stage, trying to catch one of Nicky's ankles as payback for our stunt, but Nicola stood at the back, and I couldn't see her clearly, but I could see her. The lads rushed off to do a costume change, and someone came up to her, I was on stage for my solo 'You belong to me'. I recognised the way this person walked. Kian! I saw her gesturing no, and shaking her finger in warning, I think he moved his arm, and by God she slapped him! Jesus, what the hell is going on?, I thought. I didn't realise that I'd stopping singing until Ronan's voice came across the PA asking, "Mark, what's wrong?" Nicola and Kian were looking at me, she walked away from him, towards the stage, and looked back once, holding up her hand in a 'stop' motion. "Nothing" I told Ronan when all I could think was, "I don't know Ronan, and I'm not sure I want to know."

"Dammit Mark!" "What? That's my part, not yours!" "No, it's mine" "Right you two cut it out, Kian, it's Mark's verse, what's with you? You've been picking on Mark all day." "I just want this to go right" "How? By spotting flaws that aren't there?" "You shut up Mark!" The tension was so thick you could have cut it. Kian had been yelling at me all morning, ever since... Ever since that scene with Nicola... "Alright lads take it from the top" Once again, Kian cut in on my verse. "Kian! What the hell is your problem?" I screamed at him. Nicola came running on stage to calm me down, she stood close behind me with her head on my back, and her hand in mine. Kian's face darkened at this and I felt a strange jolt. This time, everyone could see it, there was something very definitely wrong, only everyone else seemed to know. "What the hell is going on? Why do you keep looking at my wife like that? She never did anything to you!" "Oh your ignorance Mark astounds me, your perfect wife did more to me than you know, and with me." the thick atmosphere started to put pressure on my chest. "What the hell are you talking about?" "You're not the only one who's had her!" The whole room froze, this wasn't in my head everyone was stunned into silence. "Go on Mark ask her! Ask her what happened that night you fought at Bryan's birthday party. Ask her where she was." I looked at Nicola, begging her with my eyes to deny it. Her face was pale, she looked ready to collapse, "Nicola?" "Oh Mark, I didn't know it was him, I thought it was you-" that was all I heard, the claustrophobia hit me with dizzying force, my wife slept with Kian! I collapsed on the stage, I wasn't unconscious, the weight of what I'd learned took the breath from my lungs and the strength from my muscles. I felt her slender arms around my neck and I flung her from me! She landed at Kian's feet, through my blurred vision I saw him help her up, she shoved him so hard he almost went off the side of the stage. "Get off me! You bastard! You've wrecked my life! What did you hope to gain? I won't ever be with you, I hope to God I never see you again!" She ran off stage after looking at me with so much regret I almost changed my mind. When she'd gone the only sound was my sobs. Sobs that racked my body. I felt so much pain I thought I'd die. I saw Georgina crying in Nicky's shoulder, his arm absent mindlessly round her waist, her arm across his chest. Shane came to me and set me on my feet. He gripped my shoulders and searched my tear stained face, then he hugged me while the pain poured out of me, I was so grief stricken I almost couldn't breathe. Then I felt my stomach roil, I tore from Shane's grasp and I ran to our dressing room and into the bathroom. The thought of Kian and Nicola together had made me physically sick. I emerged ten minutes later to find Nicola perched on a sofa.

I was such a tangle of emotions I didn't think I could handle it, then I slammed a door down on those emotions and sat at the other side of the sofa and waited for her to speak.

Chapter 9

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