LITMIR.BIZ

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was taking her usual route home through the twisty streets of North London. It was a fifteen-minute walk home, or a five-minute bus ride, but Sapphire preferred the fresh air. Her life was so hectic, what with college and work, it felt like the only time she could think. As she pounded the pavement, Sapphire noticed a hole beginning to appear in one of her Converse trainers. It was last thing she needed. All her wages from her job went on supporting herself through her art degree at the prestigious Central Saint Martins college. Her mum helped where she could, but money was tight at home. There was just about enough for the two of them to live and eat comfortably, with the odd takeaway or cinema trip thrown in.

      A white van drove past and the driver honked his horn.

      ‘All right, sexy!’

      Sapphire blushed beetroot and pulled her jacket round her. At five foot six, with soulful brown eyes and a petite figure, there was no doubt she was a natural beauty. Not that Sapphire ever thought that. Her long, brown hair seemed to have a mind of its own and her double-D breasts were a source of constant embarrassment to her. Instead of flaunting them in tight tops, Sapphire covered up her assets in baggy T-shirts and oversized checked shirts.

      She put her head down and hurried home, away from beeping drivers and sleazy comments. Five minutes later she reached an old Victorian mansion that had been converted into flats. It was a rather dilapidated building, with crumbling brickwork and ivy climbing up the walls, but Sapphire liked it. It had character. She and her mother, Leonie, lived in a cramped little flat on the ground floor.

      As Sapphire opened the front door the smell of herbs and spices greeted her. ‘Hi, Mum!’ she called out, as she took her jacket off and hung it on one of the hooks in the narrow corridor. A fluffy black and white dog wearing a red neckerchief appeared at the end of the corridor, ears cocked.

      ‘Hello, Beatle, come here, boy!’ The ancient collie ambled up to Sapphire and stuck his wet nose in her hand. Beatle was named after her mother’s favourite band – The Beatles – and was nearly as old as Sapphire. He was like the third member of their family.

      ‘In here, darling!’

      Sapphire walked into the cluttered, cosy kitchen. An older woman, with the same tumbling hair as her but tinged with grey, stood stirring a big pot on the Aga.

      ‘That smells good,’ Sapphire said, as she came over to kiss her mum on the cheek. She caught a whiff of patchouli oil, her mother’s signature sent.

      ‘Lentil curry. I thought I’d make up a big batch and we could freeze the rest.’ Leonie Stevens watched her daughter as she went to the fridge and opened it. ‘You’re home early.’

      Sapphire came out from the fridge holding Beatle’s lead. ‘Mum, what’s this doing in here?’

      ‘That’s where it was!’ Leonie laughed. ‘I must have put it in there by mistake when I came back from our walk. I remember walking in and…’

      Sapphire shook her head fondly. ‘What are you like?’

      Leonie’s absent-mindedness was a bit of a family joke. She had been the ultimate rock chick when she was younger, and her party-loving lifestyle had left its mark on her memory. Sometimes Sapphire felt more like the mum in their household, but she wouldn’t swap Leonie for the world.

      ‘Jerry let me off early, the shop was quiet.’

      ‘There’s a letter here for you,’ her mum said, turning back to stir the pot. ‘It looks very posh.’

      Sapphire picked up the shiny black envelope from the kitchen counter. It had an address badge on the front, with her name printed in swirling black letters. It was probably a promotion for a product Sapphire could never afford. Carefully, she opened the envelope and pulled out a stiff piece of black card, covered in gold writing.

      ‘You are cordially invited to a party celebrating the fiftieth birthday of Brad Masters,’ she read out.

      There was a loud ‘plop’ as her mum dropped the wooden spoon in the curry.

      ‘Brad Masters?’ Sapphire repeated, confused. ‘He’s that big music industry guy, isn’t he?’

      Leonie kept quiet. In disbelief, Sapphire carried on reading. ‘It’s being held at his beachfront villa in Capri.’ She looked up. ‘This has to be some kind of mistake! He’s obviously got the wrong person.’

      Her mum hesitated. ‘Well, maybe not. I used to know Brad Masters, back in the day.’

      Sapphire’s eyes widened. ‘You’re joking!’

      Leonie nodded. ‘We were close for a while. Well, lovers actually.’

      ‘You…what?’ spluttered Sapphire.

      ‘Sex is natural, darling!’

      Sapphire stared at her mum in horror. ‘Ewww!’ She couldn’t believe her mum had dated Brad Masters!

      Leone smiled. ‘Maybe he’s decided to look me up again; he always was wonderfully generous.’

      Sapphire frowned. ‘The invite should be addressed to you then. Brad Masters doesn’t even know me!’

      ‘Well…’ Her mum started stirring the pot again. ‘He and I have stayed in touch a bit over the years. I may…have mentioned you.’

      ‘You and Brad Masters?’ Sapphire repeated. ‘He’s, like, a gazillionaire.’ She just couldn’t get her head round it.

      Her mum shrugged, as if being on first-name terms with one of the most famous people on the planet was entirely normal. ‘Brad’s a very nice man. I’ve told him about you and what a talented musician you are. Brad’s always on the lookout for fresh new talent and he said he’d like to meet you. I didn’t want to push anything when you were younger, because I know how the music industry works. But now that you’re eighteen…’ She left the statement hanging in the air. ‘Well, you’re old enough to make up your own mind.’

      Sapphire shook her head. She was having a hard time taking all this in. Then something else fell out of the envelope and she bent down and picked it up.

      ‘What’s this, a plane ticket?’ She gave a gasp. ‘It’s got my name on it! British Airways, First Class.’

      ‘Oh my goodness!’ said Leonie. She came over to have a look. ‘I did say he was very generous.’

      Sapphire shook her head. ‘I don’t get it, Mum. Why he’s done this? Did you know about it?’

      Leonie’s heart gave a sudden jump. What do I say? she thought wildly. ‘I didn’t know he was going to do this,’ she said eventually. At least that was the truth.

      Sapphire bit her lip. ‘What if he’s a bit, well, you know…pervy?’

      ‘Darling, I wouldn’t let you go if he was. Look, I know it’s a big surprise, but why don’t you think of it as a nice holiday, and the chance to meet the best-connected man in the music business? It could really open doors for you.’

      The first flush of excitement crept across Sapphire’s face. ‘You don’t mind?’

      Leonie smiled at her daughter’s expression. ‘Of course I don’t! I think it sounds fantastic. Just as long as I have the house phone number and you call me regularly.’

      Sapphire blew out a big breath. ‘Brad Masters. Wow! I’ll need a bit of time to think about it though.’

      Instinctively, she looked at the old photo on the dresser, of a smiling man with a little girl on his shoulders.

      ‘What would Dad think?’ she asked quietly. Her dad, Bill, had been a talented musician himself, until he’d been tragically killed in a motorbike accident when she was younger. Even though Sapphire couldn’t remember much about her dad, she treasured this photo.

      Leonie felt herself welling up. ‘I’m sure he’d be very proud, darling.’

      Sapphire

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