"Oh Patrick, please the children would love it." Shelagh had seen a poster on her way past the box office, for Shrek the musical.
"Shelagh, we both know how busy we are, plus Teddy is only one." Patrick replied while putting his shirt on.
"Patrick the last time we spent time outside the house as a family was when we went camping, we both know how that went, also Teddy wasn't born then." Shelagh argued.
"We wouldn't be able to take a crying baby into a theatre." Patrick quickly replied.
"We could always find a babysitter. I know it would be hard after Mrs Penny moved to Manchester. Please it would be fun." Shelagh whispered.
"Ok, we'll go. What date?" Patrick questioned.
"March 15th to April 3rd." Shelagh replied.
A week later. "For goodness sake!" Shelagh said going through the mail.
"What is it darling?" Questioned Patrick who was sat at the table with Tim and Angela.
"Its been cancelled." Trying not to spoil the surprise for Angela, they had panned go on the 16th. "The lead has broken her leg. I'm going to see if they will be back next year."
"Mummy, who and what has been cancelled? Not christmas?" Angela asked, while Patrick and Tim were laughing at the question. "Whats so funny."
"Nothing angel. No not christmas." Shelagh said while giving Tim and Patrick a stern look. "Anyway I'm heading out to see. Bye."
"Bye darling." Patrick called.
"Bye mum." Tim called.
"Bye mummy." Angela called.
Shelagh always loves the send of that she gets.
Shelagh entered the box office and went to the front desk.
"Hello, I was wondering if you have any news about Shrek the musical?" Shelagh asked.
"Oh hello, its been cancelled until further notice." The lady at the front desk told Shelagh.
"Until further notice?" Shelagh questioned.
"Yes, they need someone to take over just until the tour ends after Polar. They need to find someone by the 1st." The lady said.
"Oh, what do you need in someone?" Shelagh asked.
"Someone who can sing, dance and act. Why are you interested?" The lady questioned.
"Yes, maybe, should I leave my number?" Shelagh asked.
"Yes please." She said while Shelagh wrote her number down and get it in. "We will be in contact, my I asked your name?"
"Shelagh Turner." Shelagh said. "Bye." She went on her way.
Later that day, the phone rang but before Shelagh could answer the phone Tim got to it.
"Hello Turner residence, how can I help you?" Tim answered the phone.
'Hello, can I speak to Shelagh Turner?'
"Yes of course let me go get her." Tim paused. "Mum someones on the phone for you." Shelagh quickly came to the phone.
"Thanks Tim." Shelagh said as Tim walked away. "Hello Shelagh speaking."
'Hello Shelagh, my names Laura I heard your thinking about doing the part of Fiona, just until April 3rd.'
Yes I am." Shelagh said.
'Will your come down to the theatre tomorrow at 9?'
"Yes of course." Shelagh replied.
'See you tomorrow at 9, bye.'
"Bye." Shelagh put the phone down.
Later at dinner. "So Shelagh how did it go today?" Patrick asked.
"Oh fine, I believe it is going to be back on!" Shelagh replied with a big smile.
"Yay, easter is back on!" Angela Shouted. Shelagh looked at Patrick.
"Tim told her that once you'd gone, because she wouldn't stop asking if it was christmas." Patrick new that look. "Anyway why you so happy?"
"Well, amazing house, lovely job and the best family. But I don't know if you know them." Shelagh said while tickling Angela's belly. "It's someones bath time. Come on monkey."
The next day, in. "I need to head out at quarter to 9." Shelagh said with a smile on her face.
"Whats tickled your fancy?" Patrick asked.
"Oh nothing just tea with an old friend." She lied.
"Ok love." Patrick said.
Shelagh really heats lying to Patrick but she doesn't want him to know not until opening night which was going to be hard to keep it from him, until then.
At breakfast. "Right well I am off. See you later." Shelagh kissed Patrick, Tim, Angela and Edward.
"Bye." They all said.
"Dad is mum ok? She looks very happy." Tim asked.
"Daddy, mummy was very happy after she got a call, which Tim answered. I think." Angela added.
"Phone call? What time? She was also happy after she went out yesterday. I think we have something to do. Tim get Teddy coats and I will get Angela and the keys." Patrick called.
"Daddy where are we going?" Angela asked.
"To see where your mother is going." Patrick replied.
"But she said she was going out with an old friend?" Angela asked.
"She did. Tim who was on the phone?" Patrick asked.
"Someone just asked for mum. She sounded Scottish." Tim said while getting himself and Teddy into the back of the car. Patrick put Angela in the front seat and set off.
Ten minutes later, they found Shelagh walking into the theatre. "Dad didn't mum come here yesterday?" He saw the poster for Shrek The Musical. "Dad look. Its back on, she must be sorting something out."
"Whats mummy sorting out?" Angela asked.
"Lets go home." Patrick avoided her question.
"Shelagh, I'm Laura." Laura welcomed her.
"Hello Laura." Shelagh said.
"So your wanting to try out for Fiona until the end of the Poplar?" Laura questioned.
"Yes." Shelagh replied.
"Can your sing, dance and act." Laura asked.
"Yes I went to a singing, dancing and acting primary school, then went on to nursing." Shelagh said.
"Well you've go the job, you will need to learn the lyrics and words. And can you come to rehearsals tomorrow so you can meet the cast and also go through all the songs and scenes." Laura said while giving Shelagh the lyrics and lines. "Bye see you tomorrow."
"Bye." Shelagh exited the building. 'Oh god what am I going to tell Patrick?' Shelagh thought.
Later in Shelagh and Patrick's room. Shelagh was reading her lines, when Patrick came in. "What are you reading?" Shelagh gave him her lines. "Whats this?" He read Shrek The Musical on the front.
"That is where I went today. Patrick are you ok with this?" Shelagh asked.
"Oh Shelagh I am so happy for you." Patrick replied.
"Please don't tell the children. Are you sure? I am going to have to be out a lot." Shelagh asked again.
"Shelagh, it will be fine, i won't tell the children. Oh Shelagh I'm so happy." Patrick repeated.
Over the next few weeks, Shelagh has been rehearsing like crazy and the opening night was coming next week. She had been to a photoshoot with Max who was playing Shrek and it had been put up at the front of the theatre. No one else knew that Shelagh was going to be in Shrek until Saturday. Tim asked once Angela had been put to bed. "Mum I was walking past the theatre yesterday and I saw the poster."
"Alright, you caught me a few weeks ago I there to ask if there was any news about the show and they said they needed someone to play Fiona and i stepped in." Shelagh knew what poster what he was talking about.
"Mum I'm happy for you." Tim said.
"You are?" Shelagh asked.
"Yes of corse. Why didn't you tell me?"
"She didn't know what you would think." Patrick stepped in.
"Mum I always going to be happy with what ever you want to do." Tim said.
The night came, they told Angela that they were going to the theatre but nothing about that her mother was going to be in the show. They got to the theatre and were put in a box close to the stage that had three seats. Patrick would have Teddy on his lap, Angela would be sat in the middle of Patrick and Tim. Angela was starting to think about where her mother would sit. Then she noticed that her mother was no where to be seen. "Daddy where is mummy?" Angela asked when as the lights went down and the music started to play.
"Just watch." Patrick whispered.
After a few minutes of the musical Angela saw a face come through the book on the stage. The face looked recognisable. It finally came to her, it was her mother. She gasped and did a little gig in her seat. Angela was surprised to see to see that her mother has no glasses on.
At the end of act 1, the lights turn on, "WOW, that was amazing!" Angela almost screamed.
"It was Angela. Your mother is doing amazingly." Patrick exclaimed.
"When can we go see mummy?" Angela asked. Teddy's head popped up, they decided not to get a babysitter as Shelagh was in the musical and he would want to see her.
"Angela, mums busy, we can see her after." Tim said.
"Theres another act? YAY!" She almost shouted.
"Yes there is, but Angela please be quite." Patrick answered. "Angela what has been your favourite part so far?"
"Um, probably where the princess is singing to the other princesses. Anyway who's mummy playing? I thought she was the princess but she had different hair and no glasses." Angela asked. Tim laughed.
"Angela that is mum." Tim said.
"Yes it is. Teddy how do you like it?" Patrick asked Teddy. Tim gave his father a look.
Teddy put up two thumps as Shelagh had told him to do.
The lights went down.
At then end of the musical, Patrick was shocked when he saw his wife singing morning person. They all went to the stage door, where they would see Shelagh when she was ready to go and meet people.
"Hello are you Patrick Turner?" The name at the door said to Patrick. He nodded. "Shelagh said that you could come in. Come on." They all followed the security guard into the building. They were taken to Shelagh's dressing room. The man knocked on the door. "Shelagh there are people here to see you,"
"Come in." Shelagh shouted as she was taking of her green faceprint.
"Mummy!" Angela shouted as she ran up to Shelagh.
"Hello Angel girl" Shelagh picked up Angela and placed Angela on her lap. "How are-"
"You were amazing!" Angela interrupted Shelagh.
"Thank you darling. Did you have fun?" Shelagh asked.
"Yes, why are you still green?" Angela asked.
"Well Angela, your mums an ogre." Patrick stepped in.
"Do you live in a swamp?" Angela asked. "Did you know Teddy watched the musical?"
"No, I believe I live in a house with you. Yes I did know that. How was he?" Shelagh asked.
"He was fine." Patrick said while passing Teddy to Shelagh.
"Mummy where are your glasses?" Angela asked.
"Angie, how about we go and get something from the front, so mum can finish getting ready." Tim asked.
"Ok, mummy I will be back." Angela said.
"Ok." Shelagh replied.
When they came back Shelagh had got rid of all the green faceprint and was taking out her contacts. "Mummy, why are you pocking your eye?" She was hushed by Patrick.
"Right I am going to get changed in the bathroom." Shelagh said.
"Ok darling." Patrick replied.
Once Shelagh had gone in. "Daddy can we come here again?" Angela asked.
"Probably, please do be quite Teddy is asleep." Patrick replied. Then there was a knock on the door.
"Shelagh?" The lady said. Shelagh came out dressed in a simple blue dress and then went to answer the door.
"Hello Laura." Shelagh said.
"I came to bring some of the photos from the photoshoot and tonights show." Laura gave Shelagh the photos.
"Thank you." Shelagh said.
"See you tomorrow." Laura walked away.
"Bye." Shelagh closed the door. She let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding.
"Darling are you ok?" Shelagh nodded. "So Angela what did you and Tim get?"
"We got a book, poster and another book. All with mummy's face on it."
"Great." Shelagh said.
"Are we ready to go?" Tim asked.
"Yes, I believe so, Patrick I will take Teddy and can you take Angela she look tried." Shelagh answered.
It was the final night of the musical and the family have been to all the show. Sometimes one of the nurses would go with Angela so Patrick could work and Tim could do homework.
In the end Angela had learned all the lyrical and was starting to memorise the lines.
Shelagh was happy to get it all done with so she could spend more time with the family.
Tim was having enough of going.
Patrick was happy to see Shelagh more.
Teddy was missing his mother.
The End.
