Chapter 18- No Longer a Giry (Dinner)
The silence in the room was almost unbearable. Dominique was close to getting up and leaving when the door opened once more and a woman with long black hair walked in. She looked around and then took a few steps in, being followed by a man with short brown hair, who Dominique recognized as M. Bogart and a man with blonde hair that Dominique didn't know.
The woman spoke in a soft, but firm voice. "I am Meg Hughes. Madame Hughes will do." She said. (A/N If you have read the book, I just happen to like this description of her better, if not, than this is how meg is described in the book.)
Dominique stood, and bowed slightly. Madam Hughes, ignored him, and Jérôme who had stood, and started for her hand. She walked to the piano, which had a small makeshift stage behind it for practice on a very small scale. "I will be your choreographer and I will be blocking mistress. You will not question why I do things, you will just do them without hesitation." Dominique was beginning to like this woman.
The blonde man spoke next, as he sat at the piano. "My name is Gene Hughes. I am your voice coach. You may call me Gene or Messier Hughes." He said, and he motioned for the three youngsters to gather around him.
Dominique was a little annoyed with Messier Hughes, and still not sure if he liked the whole setup. He stood as far off from the piano as he could, and still be near Isabelle, and he purposefully place himself in between Isabelle and Jérôme.
"Now," Said Gene, playing a G major chord on the piano, "We need to warm up, and so I will take the men first."
Dominique sang much louder, and far better than Jérôme, but the man had a certain musical quality of his own. Of the two, anyone listening would only hear Dominique for the most part. Jérôme would slip in and out of audibility.
"Very lovely." Gene said as the men finished. "Now, if you please. Mademoiselle."
Isabelle hit every note exactly on pitch, with perfect volume and tonal quality. She smiled when she finished, seeing the pleased and impressed look on Dominique's handsome face. She didn't notice the impressed and slightly taken aback look on Jérôme's face.
The three finished the warm-up, and Gene played for them as they learned the songs. For Isabelle and Jérôme, this was their first time seeing the music. Isabelle, to Dominique's delight, sight read beautifully. However, Jérôme struggled, and fought to keep up with the other two. He looked quite exhausted when the practice was finished.
"Perhaps you should get some rest." Dominique suggested.
Jérôme glared at Dominique. "I think that I will go for a ride." Jérôme turned to Isabelle, and opened his mouth, but before he could utter a word, Dominique interrupted him.
"Isabelle?" He said.
She turned to him, again ignoring Jérôme, which caused him to glare angrily at Dominique again, she asked Dominique what he needed.
"Could I see you for a moment?" He asked.
"Yes, I think so." She bid Jeromk 'good day' and she and Dominique walked out the door, and down the stairs, where they were, save for a few passers, alone.
"Is something wrong?" She asked.
"No, I was just wondering if you would oblige me by joining me for dinner tomorrow." He asked.
She stared at him for a moment in disbelief, then she nodded her head, looking like she couldn't believe what she was doing. "I believe that could be arranged."
"Then I will meet you in front of your dressing room at six o'clock tomorrow evening." He said, and with that, before she could protest, he was gone.