Chapter 4
At the end of the evening, Malcolm went around the band members with envelopes of cash. The girls left the keyboards there to be collected the next day, while the other band members took their equipment with them, Brent being the only one to need help taking his drums out to his father’s works van. Several of the parents had expressed their appreciation of the event being both suitable for the teens as well as good entertainment for adults.
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Two of the late arriving couples left with more to think about than many. Zac Martin, Marcus Waddington, and their wives had thoroughly enjoyed the evening, but it left them wondering just where they could place the band members to achieve the greatest outcome. One thing that the two promoters were certain of, and that was that it was going to be a long-term project. For at least two on the stage, Marcus was starting to think in terms of a lifetime.
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Another couple were driving back to Coventry as well. The writer for the Coventry Observer was sitting in the passenger seat as his wife drove. He was thinking back about that article he had written after the Deep Purple concert, as well as his critique of the concert in the Cathedral. They had parked near the church, and his eye had been caught by the names of the organists on the signboard.
“Tomorrow morning, my love, we’re coming back to that church. Both of those girls on stage tonight are listed as the church organists. They’re both still only thirteen, and there has to be a story there.”
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Wendy and Willow strolled home.
“That show was something else again, my daughter. You and Jacob were almost like a couple with the way you sang together. At times, it sounded like the Carpenters. I thought that the sing-along was good, but this was almost professional. There seemed to be a lot from the school there, and the few that I spoke to were happy that they had come. Miss Russell and the Head were there on the Reverend’s table, and looked as if they were enjoying themselves.”
“That’s because there are now a lot more opportunities to open up the theatre to the paying public. I can see us even more certain to be playing at a school dinner dance or two.”
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At that very moment, in Birmingham, a popular influencer, who had been sent a link to a video clip by a friend, was extolling the joy of watching Rick Sacks and the Hikers, with their debut single ‘Love and Marriage’. She was particularly taken by the sound of a real church organ. She paid the small fee to download the six-track album for listening before she slept. As Wendy inserted her key in the front door lock, the recommendation was on its way to her followers.
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As Willow was in her bed, tired but happy, she thought about the events of the evening. The band had been different without Alec and some strings, but it had sounded good. She thought about what he mother had said and realised that there were several songs that she and Jacob had sung, together. One, she suddenly remembered, had him singing the words ‘You are my everything’ as he looked into her eyes. Surely, she reasoned, it was only his showmanship coming to the fore. Before settling, she googled The Carpenters and realised that she had heard most of the songs on a MOR radio station while in Bristol.
Sunday morning, the family walked through a thin layer of snow to the church, where Edie had the heaters going at full blast. Willow went up and played Bach as the pews filled with the congregation. The bells had stopped, and she saw everyone rise, and faded the music as the Reverend reached the altar. During the hymns, she was gratified to hear the ladies of the choir leading the singing and doing it as well as the school choir.
When the church had emptied and the bells had gone quiet, she tidied the organ loft and went outside, where only a few remained. Wendy was waiting for her in the porch.
“Come along. Your father’s gone over the road and opened up for anyone who wants tea or coffee, and most of the church followed him. There are a few who want to talk to you, so close the door and follow me.”
They went across the road and into the club, which had kept a lot of its warmth from the previous evening. Ashley had the big urn going and was starting to hand out free teas and coffees. The first person to speak to her was Rick.
“Just letting you know, Willow, we’ve sent out a link to our supporters and groupies. It went out around six, so should be on your computer when you get home. It’s the video of the debut single, with a link to a paid download of the album. It’s only a pound, but that will give the church two pence for every sale. If we sell a few hundred albums, that will be two pounds a hundred, so we may be able to give a bit to the Roof Fund.”
“Thanks, Rick. I will look forward to looking at it. I may even download the album myself.”
The next person to speak to her had been talking to Wendy, who brought him over.
“Willow, sweetie. This is Bruce Miller, the writer from the Observer. He did that great piece about you after the Purple show. He and his wife were at the show last night and just had to come back to hear you this morning.”
“Good morning, Mister Miller. I’m sure that hearing me play hymns wasn’t worth the trip on a cold day.”
“On the contrary, young lady. It has provided another string to your impressive bow. I missed the Blue pop concert in the school, but have purchased the DVD, which shows you, and your friend on the other keyboard, from a new perspective. I was at the Cathedral to cover the school concert and there you were, again, up there on their organ. Now, I hear you playing wonderfully on the old organ here. I said to myself, ‘Bruce, there has to be a story in this.’ So, here I am, asking you if you would make this old man happy with the background of how you came to be here. I even heard one of the ladies here saying how you’ve improved their singing.”
Willow looked at him, then a questioning glance at her mother, who nodded her head.
“Mister Miller. I will give you my story, but it must be in private, and only published if other things happen. When I tell you how I came to be standing here, you’ll know what those other things may be. I will tell you the truth, and give you all the relevant copies of documentation, but you have to promise that you will not publish unless it becomes imperative. When we finish here, if you and your wife would like to walk around the corner to our house, we can sit and discuss whatever you want.”
“I will agree to sit on it for as long as necessary, Miss Rose. With a talent like yours, it won’t take long before the national press are hounding you and nipping at your heels.”
“Exactly why I’m going to tell you the truth, so you can refute anyone who publishes any other version for their own gratification.”
He looked at her to gauge her sincerity, and his honed senses told him that there was much more to this story than he expected.
“My wife is bound by any promise that I make, Willow, and I promise that I will be bound by your wishes. I will, in future, be reporting on other concerts that you appear in, and will treat you as fairly as I do the others. If you’re going to be here for a while, I’ll go and speak to the Reverend.”
“You may want to talk to Rick, who was just speaking to me. We did a recording in the church last week, with me playing an organ overdub of his band. The video was sent out on the internet yesterday. I should be able to play it for you at home.”
He went off and Wendy got them cups of tea.
“Are you sure this is wise, darling? He could be just out for a slice of fame for himself.”
“It’s insurance, Mum. If he does renege and print, at least it will be the truth. If someone else follows our trail and writes something truly awful, at least we have a record of the truth with an independent journalist. With the exposure I’ve been getting, it’s going to have to come out sooner or later. I hate having to conceal my true self from the school and all my friends. The sooner I get operated on and can declare myself to be a medically created woman, the happier I’ll be. That will be years, unless we can get it in earlier. Even if it’s allowed, it will cost more than we can afford. In the meantime, we just keep doing what we do best.”
After the congregation had warmed enough to go home, Ashley and Wendy put all the cups and saucers in the industrial dishwasher, locked up, and the five walked to the Rose residence. Bruce was saying how much good will there was towards them as a family. He had been told, by the Reverend, about the link between the Roses and the Leighs, something that he thought could be an article all of its own.
In the house, Wendy put the kettle on, and they divested all their coats, since the house was nicely warm from the central heating. Bruce put a recording device on the table and just looked at Willow. She started at the very beginning, from her birth, with Wendy supplying a copy of the original birth certificate. There were old photos, school reports and results from Clifton. When they got to the original misunderstanding of Miss Russell bringing around the girl’s uniform, they supplied copies of the clinical report, photocopies of the scans and prints of the scars that still marred Willow’s body. Wendy owned up to forging a new birth certificate to allow Willow to appear at the school without the fear of being bullied.
“After that, Mister Miller, things just got out of hand. The Purple concert was the first, and the rest seemed to just move along, one after the other. If you want to delve into the earlier days in Bristol, feel free to ask about William Rose. I doubt that there will be any who really care after six months of us being here. You can talk to our doctor at the clinic in Gaydon, she’ll tell you that there really is no other path I could have taken. The next step is for a complete transition, the sooner the better. I feel so much more alive as Willow, and I have no need to fear bullies, unless all that you now know becomes public.”
“I have to tell you, all of you, that I admire your family values to create the best life for your child. I’ll write this up for myself. I’m sure that if I keep writing reports of your career, anyone looking into your life will come to me as a contact point. I’ll be able to warn you at that time. Now, how about we look at this video that you say that you overdubbed?”
Willow went and got her laptop, turned it on and found the link in her in-tray. She clicked on it and the video started. She had heard it when it was being recorded but was amazed at how much better the organ made the tune sound. When it finished, there was silence around the table. Wendy was the first to speak.
“I think that you’ve just gone and done it again, my daughter.”
“Why, Mum. Rick said that it was only sent to groupies and friends and expects to sell a couple of hundred copies of the album download.”
Bruce laughed.
“While you were busy looking at the band, Willow, I looked at the YouTube statistics. That clip has been seen more than half a million times since it went online, and, if you click on it again, I think that you’ll find that it’s been accessed a few hundred more while we watched.”
Willow clicked the link again, and they waited a few minutes to repeat the process, finding that it had been accessed nearly seven hundred times in the few minutes that they waited. Bruce put his hand on her arm.
“You just keep giving, Willow. That, my girl, is the sign that this video has gone viral. Those numbers, for an independent band on YouTube, are getting towards being a viral sensation. Rick and the Hikers are going to find promoters knocking on their door next week.”
“Aaaarrrggghhh! Why does this keep happening to me?”
Ashley grinned.
“It’s your talent adding to others. Oh, talented daughter. There were a couple of guys there, last night, and they gave me their business cards. Perhaps you’ve heard of them, Bruce?”
He handed over the cards.
“Zac has been working with a real sleazebag, one Artie Hamilton. If he’s broken off the partnership and gone in with Marcus Waddington, that is a real plus in our favour. They were both at the dinner dance, you say. That can only mean that they were there to see someone who was presenting some entertainment, and we know who that has to be, don’t we? Do you have a number for this Rick?”
“I have it on my mobile. I’ll give him a call and put it on speaker.”
She dialled the number. When he answered, she asked him where he was.
“We’ve just got to Racheal’s home and put our feet up. What’s up?”
“Do you recall telling me that you may sell a few hundred albums locally?”
“Yes. That’s all a local band can expect.”
“We’ve just looked at the video clip on my computer, and it’s had over a half a million hits, and climbing by about a hundred a minute. I have Bruce Miller of the Coventry Observer with me, and he wants to ask you a few questions.”
“Rick, it’s Bruce. I write the entertainment reports for the Observer, and I’ve just been interviewing Willow. Tell me; do you have a band bank account that you can look at on-line? If so, can you look at it now and see if there’s been a take up of the album download.”
“Just a moment while I open up my laptop. That was a hell of a show last night, by the way. Now. Banking accessed, let’s see what…. Holy crap! Thanks for warning me. According to our balance, we’ve been paid for over a quarter of a million album downloads.”
“Rick, can you give me your address so I can come and talk to you. I’ve been around the traps for quite a while, and I know that there will be some trying to get you to sign on contracts that fleece you dry and work you to death. There were a couple of promoters at the dance who were looking at Willow. She’s safe as she’s underage, but you’re not. You will be rich pickings for the wrong guys.”
“I hear you, Bruce. I read your reports, and you sound like a fair judge, so I’ll wait here for you. Thanks, Willow, for ringing, and doubly thanks for making the single sound so good. Talk to you later.”
He gave Bruce the address and then rang off.
“Before we leave you, who else knows what you’ve told me?”
“Other than the medical staff, only us and both sets of grandparents. Mum’s side were with us over Christmas and are really happy for me. I bonded closely with my grandmother.”
“And the other side?”
Ashley groaned.
“Not so good, Bruce. They kept calling her Bill when we went to see them. I’m afraid that I put my foot down and we left then to their own prejudices. We haven’t spoken since.”
“What! Even when she presents as a lovely teenage girl. Look, folks, when I’ve seen Rick, I’ll give Marcus Waddington a call and sound him out on what he has in mind. We’ve spoken in the past, as he mainly organised classical concerts. I expect that it was Zac that put him on your trail. I came here to see about getting a nice story about a young talent, and here I am in the middle of an emerging story about a local band creating a hit single.”
The couple put their coats back on and walked up the road to get their car. Ashley watched them go. He wasn’t totally happy with a reporter now knowing everything, but he was trusting Willow’s hunch that they may need and independent record of the truth and giving Bruce enough time to verify things. They hadn’t gone out of their way to fool the school; it was the school that had set the tone of proceedings. He closed the door and went back into the kitchen.
“Now! What about this record?”
“That depends on what the rest of the band say, Dad. I just added an overdub track to the existing song. They’re a local group and have been playing parties and stuff for a while. I don’t think that they have an organist, there wasn’t an organ on the tracks I listened to.”
“Tracks?”
“Yes, there were three that we re-recorded with the organ. Rick said that they were half the album. I haven’t heard the others. If there’s four, or five, in the band they and split the proceeds equally, it will be a nice little earner. The church is getting two percent of sales for the church roof.”
“And you?”
“Never discussed. I’m underage, remember. If they want to slip a few pounds my way, we’ll have to sort out a separate account for my earnings. This isn’t a school thing, so nothing goes to them.”
“That’s the thing, Willow. With it being outside the school, it is yours to run with as you want. I doubt that the Hikers will want you on stage, as they can’t recreate that authentic sound, so any organ player with a good unit will do. You deserve something out of it. The debut video doesn’t work without the organ track, so their success is very much down to your input, and they should accept that.”
“We’ll see what happens in the week, Dad. If you can set up an account for me so we can set aside anything that comes my way.”
“There is one that we already opened when we came here. It’s mainly to fund your tertiary studies. If you can add to that before you go to Uni, it’ll be good. Now, I feel like taking my favourite ladies out to lunch. How about our steakhouse?”
They all got ready and took the car out to the steakhouse, where they had a leisurely lunch. While they were there, Willow’s phone rang, and she left the table to answer it. When she came back, she sat down and took a sip of her drink.
“What’s up, sweetie?”
“That was Rick, Dad. They have decided to give both me and the church a five percent cut of the profits. He said that the video was now being viewed in America, and that the album sales have passed four hundred thousand. The band are getting queries about merchandise, and their email account has hundreds of messages that will take weeks to work through. He says that he’ll be coming to Stoneleigh, later today, to see us. I gave him our address. He says that he will need a bank account number to deposit my earnings, with thanks from a grateful band, and will need the account number of the roof fund to deposit that donation.”
“Wow! The lad doesn’t hang around! From what I’ve read about viral videos, the take-up tends to peter out once it has gone around the world. Asia isn’t likely to buy up big, although Japan does like western music. From what’s happened, so far, I’ll guess that the final sales may be somewhere between one and one and a half million. That will put the band on the international map and give them the backing to go their own way. It will give you between forty and fifty thousand by the end of the week. That’s an impressive result from an evening playing the church organ. It will also boost the roof fund, very likely enough to get the repairs done when the weather improves.”
“The other thing, Dad, will be the number of albums out there with me named as the Stoneleigh organist. I’ll have to see Miss Russell or the Head tomorrow and let her know what’s happened. We should talk to Reverend Russell on the way home to let him know of the windfall coming his way.”
They stopped at the vicarage on the way. When they were let in, Miss Russell was there, having stayed overnight after the dance. They were sat in the formal lounge and the Reverend asked what had brought them around.
“Do you remember the guys that came to the church on Thursday evening?”
“I do. I listened for a while but couldn’t make out what you were doing. All I could hear was bits played on the organ.”
“That’s because we were all listening to the songs through headphones. Last night, Rick told me that the link to the debut single went out to the fans that they had email addresses for.”
Miss Russell leaned forward.
“Who is Rick?”
“He is Rick Saxon, and the band is Rick Sacks and the Hikers. He is the boyfriend of Racheal Epstein, the older sister of Jacob, who lives on a farm nearby.”
“I remember her, she’s about ten years older and, if I remember rightly, was a good student without a skerrick of musical talent.”
“She and Rick had been here last week to check out a marriage venue and he had been really taken with the old-world sound of the pipe organ. Anyway, I followed the link to the YouTube video this morning. The track is really very good. There is a link to buy a download of a six-track album.”
“The world turns faster and faster.”
“Exactly, Reverend. The thing is, in the ten or twelve hours after being sent to a few hundred locals, the clip had been viewed over a half a million times. I rang Rick and he checked the bank account. Mid-morning, they had sold over a quarter of a million albums at a pound a piece.”
As the Reverend sat back and Miss Russell’s jaw dropped, Ashley clarified the latest news.
“Rick rang Willow while we were having lunch. He told her that the band has decided to donate five percent of the profits to the Roof Fund, as a thank you to the church. They are going to pay Willow the same amount as the stand-in organist. Everyone who had seen the video say that it’s the organ addition that lifts the track out of the ordinary. I’ve calculated that, by the time the link has gone around the world, the Roof Fund may be around forty thousand better off. Rick wants the account number so he can start paying in.”
“Now that is what I call a result, brother dear. Tell me, what happens to Willow’s share?”
“That’s going into her Uni Fund. Both Wendy and I went to Cambridge, and Wendy’s parents live there. They were the ones with us over Christmas.”
“Can you wait while I get my laptop. I always carry it with me in case of emails from the school.”
Miss Russell left the room and Edie went to the drinks cupboard.
“I think this calls for a sherry, being such a grand day.”
She poured small glasses for all the adults and gave Willow a glass of lemonade. Miss Russell came back and started her laptop. Willow told her to go to the website for the band, as there would be a link to click on that. She found the video and clicked on it to play, and they sat as the track played. When it had finished, Miss Russell spoke.
“That is an ordinary piece of music made extraordinary by your playing, Willow.”
“What is extraordinary, Miss Russell, is the number of views under the picture. Which is now at over eight hundred thousand views.”
Marianne Gregory © 2025