regretted having lied about the situation, but now it was out in the open she was relieved. She loved her daughter and she had nothing to be ashamed of.
‘And what about you two,’ Hadley turned to Crystal and Belle. Crystal spoke first. ‘It’s a shame that the truth had to come out this way, by someone selling a story to make money, but we’re happy for Tahlia. Now she can be a mum and she doesn’t have to pretend any more.’
‘Yeah, we’re pleased for Tahlia. Not that we’re saying that it’s a good idea to have a baby when you’re fifteen,’ Belle put in.
Trust Belle to put in a negative comment. She was so paranoid about her own image.
Swiftly Crystal added, ‘But she’s a fantastic mum and Leticia is a great kid.’
Dallas had been sitting in on all their interviews, looking like the Grim Reaper, but over the course of the morning he was starting to look a little less foreboding and Crystal allowed herself to feel ever so slightly optimistic. Finally, at five, they were in the studio, rehearsing their two songs for the final – ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?’ and ‘Independent Women’. They were exhausted, but Dallas insisted they do at least three hours. Crystal took the fact that he was working them so hard as a good sign. It meant that he hadn’t written them off yet and, even though she was knackered, she tried to put her all into the songs.
As Crystal curled up in bed that night, pressing her face against the pillow, she could still smell Max’s Dolce & Gabbana aftershave on the pillow and she felt full of guilt, even though Max had repeated his promise that as soon as the competition was over he would finish with Belle.
Just one more week
, she told herself,
then we can be together.
She was determined not to contact Max, but wasn’t strong enough to switch her phone off just in case he might call. When it rang at midnight she immediately reached for it.
‘Hi, gorgeous, just wanted to say goodnight,’ came Max’shusky voice. ’I guess it’s going to be difficult to see you this week. I don’t know if I can wait till next week but I suppose I’ll have to. Love you, babe.’
There were so many things Crystal wanted to say. Instead she simply replied, ‘Love you too.’
Chapter 7
The Moment of Truth
‘ LOST ANGELS, YOU were absolutely fantastic! I love you!’ Sadie exclaimed after their second performance in the final. Crystal felt a rush of excitement. If Sadie was behind them it could make all the difference. ‘And, Tahlia, I’ve seen the pictures of your daughter and she’s beautiful!’ Sadie actually had tears in her eyes. She’d been unable to have children of her own and had two adopted daughters. Instead of ending their hopes it looked like Tahlia’s revelation might swing it for them.
Charlie was next and she simply backed up Sadie – although slightly less emotionally – and then it was Dallas.
‘Girls, that was without a shadow of a doubt your best performance of the competition. You deserve to win. You should win!’
‘What do you make of those comments, girls?’ Tess asked excitedly, thrusting the microphone in front of them. Crystal and Belle had always been the ones who spoke up before, with Tahlia just smiling shyly. But now Tahlia was first to speak. ‘I just want to thank all the judges for their comments, especially Dallas for believing in us and Sadie for what she said about my daughter. This has been one of the hardest weeks of my life and I couldn’t have got through it without the girls and my mum. Tonight I was singing for my daughter and I’m so proud I can finally say that. So everyone out there, please vote for us!’
The audience erupted.
Please
, thought Crystal,
let us win!
She looked at Belle and Tahlia and they smiled at each other.
They stopped smiling as soon as they got off stage, knowing that they had over an hour to wait before the results were announced. Crystal was unable to sit still. She paced round the green room,
‘And what about you two,’ Hadley turned to Crystal and Belle. Crystal spoke first. ‘It’s a shame that the truth had to come out this way, by someone selling a story to make money, but we’re happy for Tahlia. Now she can be a mum and she doesn’t have to pretend any more.’
‘Yeah, we’re pleased for Tahlia. Not that we’re saying that it’s a good idea to have a baby when you’re fifteen,’ Belle put in.
Trust Belle to put in a negative comment. She was so paranoid about her own image.
Swiftly Crystal added, ‘But she’s a fantastic mum and Leticia is a great kid.’
Dallas had been sitting in on all their interviews, looking like the Grim Reaper, but over the course of the morning he was starting to look a little less foreboding and Crystal allowed herself to feel ever so slightly optimistic. Finally, at five, they were in the studio, rehearsing their two songs for the final – ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?’ and ‘Independent Women’. They were exhausted, but Dallas insisted they do at least three hours. Crystal took the fact that he was working them so hard as a good sign. It meant that he hadn’t written them off yet and, even though she was knackered, she tried to put her all into the songs.
As Crystal curled up in bed that night, pressing her face against the pillow, she could still smell Max’s Dolce & Gabbana aftershave on the pillow and she felt full of guilt, even though Max had repeated his promise that as soon as the competition was over he would finish with Belle.
Just one more week
, she told herself,
then we can be together.
She was determined not to contact Max, but wasn’t strong enough to switch her phone off just in case he might call. When it rang at midnight she immediately reached for it.
‘Hi, gorgeous, just wanted to say goodnight,’ came Max’shusky voice. ’I guess it’s going to be difficult to see you this week. I don’t know if I can wait till next week but I suppose I’ll have to. Love you, babe.’
There were so many things Crystal wanted to say. Instead she simply replied, ‘Love you too.’
Chapter 7
The Moment of Truth
‘ LOST ANGELS, YOU were absolutely fantastic! I love you!’ Sadie exclaimed after their second performance in the final. Crystal felt a rush of excitement. If Sadie was behind them it could make all the difference. ‘And, Tahlia, I’ve seen the pictures of your daughter and she’s beautiful!’ Sadie actually had tears in her eyes. She’d been unable to have children of her own and had two adopted daughters. Instead of ending their hopes it looked like Tahlia’s revelation might swing it for them.
Charlie was next and she simply backed up Sadie – although slightly less emotionally – and then it was Dallas.
‘Girls, that was without a shadow of a doubt your best performance of the competition. You deserve to win. You should win!’
‘What do you make of those comments, girls?’ Tess asked excitedly, thrusting the microphone in front of them. Crystal and Belle had always been the ones who spoke up before, with Tahlia just smiling shyly. But now Tahlia was first to speak. ‘I just want to thank all the judges for their comments, especially Dallas for believing in us and Sadie for what she said about my daughter. This has been one of the hardest weeks of my life and I couldn’t have got through it without the girls and my mum. Tonight I was singing for my daughter and I’m so proud I can finally say that. So everyone out there, please vote for us!’
The audience erupted.
Please
, thought Crystal,
let us win!
She looked at Belle and Tahlia and they smiled at each other.
They stopped smiling as soon as they got off stage, knowing that they had over an hour to wait before the results were announced. Crystal was unable to sit still. She paced round the green room,
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