Angel Marquez begins her classes at Sarah Adam's Academy. She gets to meet her new roomates and finds out what the school year holds for her.
Angel Marquez-The Angel Blossoms
by
Paula Dillon
Angel Marquez had to hurry back to her cottage after leaving her friend Janice. It, was fifteen to nine and she had to be in her room in a few minutes. She would hate being on Mrs. Westfall’s bad side before school even began. It had been good seeing Janice Fletcher again and she looked forward to going to school with her. Mrs. Westfall was waiting by the door as Angel came back in.
“Cutting it close on your first night here, Angel?”
“Sorry Mrs. Westfall.”
“There is nothing to apologize for yet, Angel. I just want you to be aware of the rules.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Westfall. I will pay closer attention to the time.”
“You have five minutes to do as you want, Angel”
Angel chose to catch the last bit of what was on TV, so she sat with a couple of the girls. She had no roommates yet and wondered if that was to be the way it was. The ending credits were just rolling when there was a knock at the door. Mrs. Westfall got up and answered the door.
“Hello, can I help you?”
“We are so sorry for our lateness, please forgive us,” a male voice said, in a thick Japanese accent. “Our plane had to divert southward to avoid some severe weather. Please don’t hold it against our daughter.”
“Oh, you must be Mr. and Mrs. Takahashi. I am Mrs. Sandra Westfall, welcome to our school. There is no problem with the lateness, it is better to be safe than sorry.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Westfall. I am Takahashi Akio and this is my wife Chiharu and our daughter Natsuko.”
“Angel, please come over here.”
Angel got up and went over to Mrs. Westfall. There were three Orientals standing at the door. Two were clearly in their late thirties and one was a teenage girl. The teen was strikingly beautiful; she was about five foot five, slim, a round face with a bright smile, dark hair and eyes. Her silky black hair came down to her lower back and she had a very proportionate figure. Angel envied the girl’s appearance.
“Angel, this will be your first roommate, Takahashi Natsuko, with her parents Akiosama and Chiharusama.”
Angel had read enough manga to respond, she thought, appropriately. She bowed about halfway and said, “Konnichi wa. Watashi no namae wa Angel Marquez desu. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.” Of course, she made about a hundred errors in pronunciation and choices of words.
The Takahashi’s smiled and bowed back to Angel. “Konban wa, Angel Marquez,” Akio said. “It is good meeting the girl our daughter will be staying with,” he said in a crisp clear but accented English.”
“Angel, why don’t you help Natsuko chan get settled while I talk to her parents,” Mrs. Westfall directed.
“Natsuko, let’s go get your things,” Angel said.
“There is no need, I have my men to help,” Akio said. “Just make sure the girls in your room are decent and they will do the rest.”
“Natsuko chan is my first roommate, so that will be no problem.”
Angel led Natsuko to their room and the chauffeur and another man, began bringing her things in.
Natsuko turned towards Angel, smiling; she had such a pretty smile. “Arrigatou gozimasu, Angel chan.”
“You’re welcome Natsuko chan. Just call me Angel.”
Natsuko gave Angel a big smile and said. “Then you must call me Natsuko.”
“I have the last bed there by the bathroom, you can take any of the other beds.”
“If it doesn’t bother you, I will take the bed next to yours.”
“No problem girl,” Angel said, smiling back. “Then that will be your closet,” she said pointing, “and your desk is over there.”
Natsuko then directed the men bringing her things in, in Japanese. They worked efficiently, bringing all of her bags and things in. She pointed to where she wanted this bag or that box. One man brought in two violin cases and set them on top of her desk. When they finished, they bowed to her and said goodbye, Angel thought.
Natsuko grabbed Angel's hand and said, “We must say goodbye, I won’t see my parents again till summer time.”
When her parents finished talking with Mrs. Westfall, they thanked her for her patience and asked her to take good care of their daughter. They then turned towards the two girls. Both parents looked like they were fighting hard not to cry.
Akio bowed to his daughter and said, “Natsuko chan, we are sorry for having to leave you here. You have been our cherry blossom and bright morning star. Work hard and make us proud, daughter,” Akio said.
“I will work very hard, father and mother. I will make you very proud of me.”
Natsuko’s parents then turned towards Angel, “Angel, you are such a beautiful girl, please take care of our little girl.”
“It is my honor to help Natsuko in school this year.”
Her parents then hugged and kissed their daughter before tearfully leaving.
“Angel help Natsuko get her things sorted out, and then it is bed time. Six o’clock comes early,” Mrs. Westfall said.
“Yes ma’am.”
Back in the girl’s room, the girls got busy. Angel made up Natsuko’s bed, took her hygiene bag to the bathroom and then helped sort out her desk. Natsuko first hung all her clothes and then worked on her dresser.
As they worked, the girls traded information. Natsuko was fifteen, a Taurus and had type A blood. Angel didn’t know why that was important, but she told Natsuko that she was fourteen, a Virgo and had type AB blood.
“Then we are very compatible, as my grandmother would say. We are both earth types by our Zodiacs and our blood types are compatible.”
“I can only get blood from an AB or an O,” Angel said.
“No, that isn’t what I mean Angel, Japanese use to believe that certain blood types were only compatible with other blood types. I am an A and I am most compatible with A and AB. You are an AB and you are compatible with everyone.”
“If you say so.”
“It is an old Japanese tradition that has lost favor in the last few years. Still they sometimes share that information when they meet someone new that they date, or work closely with.”
“I see you play the violin.”
“And you play the guitar. What kind of guitar do you play?”
“I can play any guitar, but I prefer the classical guitar. That is what I have with me.”
“I play the violin, electric violin and recorder.”
“Cool, I haven’t seen an electric violin being played before.”
“It is different, but the same.”
The girls then talked about what kinds of music they liked and found they had a lot in common. They then talked about their parents. Natsuko’s parents worked with diplomats and were headed to Madrid. Her father was a trade attaché and her mother was a cultural/protocol officer.
Angel told her that she had a great, great, great Aunt that lived near Madrid, and that she had just come back from Madrid last month. Angel then told Natsuko about her extended family.
“Do you speak many languages?” Angel asked.
“I speak Japanese and English very well, along with a little French and very little Spanish. What can you speak?”
“I am fluent in Spanish and English. I picked up a little Japanese from my mangas and animes.”
Natsuko giggled, “Are you an Otaku?”
“I know that word, but I am not certain of its meaning,”
Natsuko explained that an Otaku is a person that is obsessed with one thing or another, above all else. Most often it described someone obsessed with Ecchi or Hentai manga or anime.
“No, I am not obsessed with anything, I think, although I work very hard at playing my guitar. I think I am pretty balanced in my habits.”
They finished getting Natsuko sorted out enough to begin getting ready for bed. Angel changed out of her clothes and into panties and sleep shirt, while Natsuko brushed her hair, teeth and washed her face. Natsuko came out wearing just her panties and pulled out a red silk pajama set from her drawer. The pajamas were almost as pretty as she was.
Angel saw that Natsuko’s breasts were large for her age, but not tremendously so. She didn’t hazard a guess at Natsuko’s bra size, but there was no doubt that what she had seen earlier was all her.
Six o’clock came early the next morning. They both headed to the showers when the alarm went off. The showers had a wet and dry area, so the girls could change into their underwear before exiting the shower. It was one thing that Angel loved about this school. After a quick shower and a brushing of hair and teeth, they dressed in their white blouses, red plaid skirts and blue blazers. Then they made up their beds.
There were thirteen girls sitting around the table for breakfast. Mrs. Westfall looked over every girl there and smiled as she saw all her girls in their uniforms. She straightened the tie one girl wore, patted a few stray hairs on another girl’s head and picked at some lint on another girl’s blazer. She thought all her girls looked so adorable in their uniforms. These girls were her family now. The table was served family style and plates loaded with food were set on the table.
As the girls ate, Mrs. Westfall continued. “If you girls have any special foods that you like, please leave me a note. I will try to accommodate any request daily, or at least periodically, if it is a special food item.”
“Today, I will tell you your schedule, in the future you may check the bulletin board, in the common room. I will also inform you of any major changes to your routine. At seven forty five, a senior will come to pick you up to take you to orientation. Your rooms will be inspected today, after you leave. So they had better be in ship shape.”
Many girls hurried to their rooms to restore some sense of order after they had eaten. At seven forty five, they were all sitting in the common room waiting, when there was a knock at the door. Angel smiled when she recognized the voice of Amy Spencer.
“Girls, this is Amy Spencer. She is here to escort you to your orientation.”
“Hello Amy,” Angel said.
“Hello Ms. Marquez, when we are in school attire, we will refer to each other by Ms. and their surname. At least when we are in a group.”
“Yes, Ms. Spencer,” Angel corrected.
Amy then led the group to their Chapeltorium, a combination Chapel and auditorium. The freshmen were led to the front rows. There were twenty or thirty upperclassmen present already. Angel sat next to Natsuko and waved at Janice when she saw her group come in. They were all seated by cottage.
When everybody was seated, Ethel Beckman made her appearance at the podium.
“Hello Ladies, it is good to see all these new faces here today. I called you ladies, because that is what you are and how you are expected to act while you are here with us. A lady takes pride in herself and in the institutions she is involved with.
"Here at Sarah Adams Academy we have a tradition of excellence and we expect no less from each of you Ladies. Many of our graduates have gone on to other esteemed institutions of higher learning; like Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Julliard, MIT or Oxford.
"We will accept no intolerance from any of you, to anybody, for any reason. Any infraction of this will be harshly dealt with. You are on an honor system here, at Sarah Adams Academy. I expect you to report yourselves, if you inadvertently violate a school rule. Bullying will not be tolerated. Just because you are all girls doesn’t mean there won’t be bullying. In the outside world, you will be expected to work with those you don’t like. Not liking someone is fine, just keep it to yourself and you will be alright; but don’t get caught spreading your hate around.
"You freshmen may ask any student here, bullies are sent packing, if the case warrants it. We sent two girls home last year for gossip mongering. It wasn’t just simple gossip the girls were engaged in, but hate filled rumor spreading. I know it isn’t easy to not gossip amongst yourselves, but you need to be very careful about crossing the line into prejudice.
"This afternoon you will all meet with your counselors to receive your schedules and there will be students who will take you around campus to show you the ropes, so to speak. Our class schedule is quite unique; as you will find out. If you find yourself falling behind, feel free to ask for help. We find that it works well for our students. It is better to ask for help, before you are told that you need help.
"Tomorrow, you will meet with all of your teachers for your Monday/Thursday classes and your Tuesday/Friday classes; you will receive a course syllabus, books and your first reading assignments. Wednesday, you will meet your Wednesday classes and do the same.
"If you work hard, there will be no weekend home work, so those days will be yours. If you fall behind in your coursework though, you will be expected to make it up over the weekend. It can be grueling at times, but it isn’t anything you can’t accomplish.
"Lastly, as a form of announcement, there has been a change in the school’s policy on makeup. We have adopted a school nail polish. It seems one of our girls is in a position where she needs to use it, so to be fair to all students; we have chosen a lovely shade of pink polish. This will be the only polish that is acceptable. If you ladies want to use it, you may purchase it at the school’s Student Union building. Please limit yourselves to two bottles till things settle down. Please don’t try to push us on makeup issues. The only allowed makeup, will be the school’s nail polish. There will be no mascara, foundation, lipstick or lip gloss, eye liner, eye shadow, blush or any other makeup. Violators will earn two demerits; don’t ask what happens when you get to ten demerits, you won’t like the answer.
"Uniforms are another area to earn quick demerits. The seasonal uniform will be worn complete at all times, when it is worn. Skirts will be no higher than two inches above the knee, while inside the quad. Students are not allowed to wear pants, jeans, shorts or T-shirts in the quad. PE clothes most definitely are not allowed inside the quad. You all have your uniforms on now. Wednesday is formal day; all girls will wear their long black skirts, with your white blouses, ties and black blazers. Gym clothes are accepted, but are not allowed inside the quad. If you go to the library on your own time, remember, it is inside the quad. In the cottage areas and Student Union, clothing is more relaxed, but must be tasteful. If you need guidance on this, you may ask your housemothers, or an upperclassman.
"Lastly, we all like to have fun at times. I am no different than you on this. Joking around is alright at appropriate times, but there will be no return of the trickster of last semester.” Mrs. Beckman said, focusing her eyes like lasers at a specific point, in the back of the room. “You won’t want to see me mad at you.”
Angel felt sorry for whoever was the focus of Mrs. Beckman’s attention. The lights on the audience were down, so it was impossible to tell who she was looking at.
“Pranksters may find that the joke is on them, so think before you pull a prank on someone. Thank you.”
Mrs. Beckman left the podium and was replaced by one lady or another over the next two hours. They passed the girls all sorts of information that the girls needed and gave them their encouragement.
At eleven they were allowed to take an early lunch and they were expected back in the Chapeltorium at two. Angel took Natsuko’s hand and dragged her over to meet up with Janice. She was standing there with three other girls.
“Hello, Ms. Fletcher.”
“Hello, Ms. Marquez.”
The girls made their introductions for the others.
Janet’s roommates were Melissa Conroy, Rebecca Alan and Danielle Stanford. They each smiled and welcomed Angel and Natsuko.
“Let’s go eat together,” Angel said.
“Great,” the girls excitedly replied.
As the girls were leaving the Chapeltorium, Angel was intercepted by a senior girl, who was escorting another student.
“You’re Ms. Marquez, right?” the girl asked.
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Good, I am Delores Crane and this is Ms. Madeline Boucher. She is your new roommate.”
Another round of introductions followed. Angel was glad to have another girl in her room.
“It is good to meet you Ms. Marques and Ms. Takahashi,” Madeline said.
Madeline was another raven-haired beauty. Her voice was a sweet mezzo-soprano with a heavy French accent. Her skin was a flawless ivory. She was the tallest of the troop, at about five foot eight, and she had to be a slender size two, except for her ample bosom. Madeline could easily pass for an eighteen year-old girl. She easily had the biggest chest of the freshman class. Her face was a perfect diamond, which reminded Angel of a young Katherine Hepburn. Her long black hair came to the middle of her back and was a mass of lovely curls. She had two of the bluest eyes, with a hint of violet, that Angel had ever seen. She had an incredible smile and walked with the grace of a runway model.
Angel led the troop to the lunchroom where she and Natsuko got to know their new roommate. Madeline’s mom was indeed a runway model. She had just entered a two-year contract with a New York house and would be jet setting quite a bit. Madeline was also a music student, she played the piano quite well, so she said.
During lunch, the girls all had a grand time talking with each other. They were quite at ease with each other. There was such a diverse quality to all of their backgrounds, but the girls also had a lot in common. Janice suggested that they all meet up at the student union after dinner and play some music.
“We just have to make sure we get back to the dorms by nine,” Rebecca said. “I am afraid of Mrs. Davis, our house mother.”
“I think Mrs. Westfall could scare the pants off a marine,” Angel said.
“It’s a date then,” Natsuko said.
After an hour, Madeline said she had to leave to get her room in order, as she had just arrived. Angel and Natsuko volunteered to help the girl and left with her. Angel took both girls by the hand and together they headed to their cottage.
Mrs. Beckman met them at their cottage and told them that there would be no one else would be in their room at this time, but that there was always the possibility of another girl transferring in.
The three of them got to work unpacking Madeline. Angel and Natsuko both wanted to drool over her keyboard. It was even better than Joyce's keyboard. Her clothes and things, were just as fabulous. She had clothes from many of the top designers, dresses, blouses, pants, slacks, shorts, skirts and such. Everything was so nice, even her exotic, luscious, lingerie was designer brands. Angel found out that Madeline was a 70F. Madeline explained that that was equivalent to a 32DD. She also had some really lacy, sheer, sexy sleepwear.
The three girls had her unpacked in record time. Madeline was so happy for their help. When they finished, she placed both of her hands on the girls upper arms and air kissed their cheeks as the French were custom to do.
“Thank you so much, I was at a loss about when I would be able to get this done.”
“You’re more than welcome, Madeline,” Angel said. “We need to stick together, girl.”
“ je vous en prie,” Natsuko said, in a Japanese accented French.
Madeline got so excited at hearing Natsuko speak French that she launched into a thousand words in French.
Angel, not to be left out, began talking in Spanish, while Natsuko joined in, in Japanese. The girls were loud enough, that Mrs. Westfall heard them out in the commons. She thought it odd hearing three different languages. She knocked on their door and entered.
“Keep it down girls. What are you all talking about?”
“We don’t know, we were just each talking,” Natsuko said, giggling.
The other two just nodded their assent.
“Geez, I know which room is going to be the wild one this year,” Mrs. Westfall said, in mock sternness, but she couldn’t hold back her smile.
The girls just giggled, as they headed out to the lunchroom. They all stopped by the Student Union to pick up a couple of bottles of nail polish and accoutrements.
Angel met with her counselor, Ms. Gwyneth Holtzman. She went over Angel’s schedule.
Monday and Thursday
8:00-9:20 a.m. Algebra (Math and Science room 104)
9:30-10:50 a.m. Biology (Math and Science room 216)
11:00-12:20 p.m. Government (Humanities room 208)
12:30-1:20 p.m. Lunch
1:30-2:50 p.m. Piano (Music Rehearsal room 4)
3:00-4:30 p.m. Orchestra (Music Orchestra 1)
Tuesday and Friday
8:00-920 a.m. English (Humanities room 110)
9:30-10:50 a.m. Spanish (Humanities room 204)
11:00-12:20 a.m. History (Humanities room 211
12:30-1:20 p.m. lunch
1:30-2:50 p.m. Reading music (Music Rehearsal room 6)
3:00-4:30 p.m. Guitar (Music Rehearsal Room 6)
Wednesday (formal uniforms)
8:00-11:20 Library (Study Hall) Wi-Fi access available.
11:30-12:20 p.m. Lunch
1:30- 3:30 p.m. Orchestra (Music Orchestra 1)
3:40-5:30 p.m. Music Appreciation (Music Auditorium 1)
“Music will be flexible, except for Music Appreciation and Reading Music. You might be working with the choir one day, or working in sections the next. You will spend a minimum of two days four hours in orchestra a week though. Do you have any questions about your classes or schedule, Ms. Marquez?”
“No Ma’am.”
“Tomorrow, you will go to your first Tuesday classroom, for forty minutes, after which, you have ten minutes to make your first Monday classroom, for forty minutes. From there, you go to your second Tuesday, second Monday and so on. Do you understand this procedure?”
“Yes Ma’am.”
“Good. Then you may tour the buildings and find your classrooms.”
“Thank You, Ma’am.”
Angel left and joined a group of students that had received their schedules. There were a lot of new students wandering the halls of the various buildings. She easily found all of her classrooms and where all of the restrooms were.
In the music building, she met up with her roomies, Natsuko and Madeline. They searched the Music building and then decided to call it an early day. They got back to their cottage at ten till four.
In their room, Madeline suggested that they show each other how well they play their instruments. Just play them loud enough for each other to hear. She started first on her keyboard. She turned it on and turned the volume way down. She then played Chopin’s Piano Sonata no. 3. She played about twenty measures and then made some adjustments to the keyboard. Soon she had a full orchestra, with percussion, playing Ravel’s Bolero.
When she stopped, Natsuko hooked her wireless receiver to Madeline’s keyboard and then got out her electric violin. She clipped the wireless transmitter to her waist, “turn the audio way down and bring it up slowly.”
Natsuko then began adlibbing some Reggae’. It was a very high-energy piece. When she was on the right key, she fluidly shifted into Pachelbel’s cannon. It was nothing like what Pachelbel ever imagined. She fluidly then shifted into Bach’s Partita No. 2, for Violin, in D Minor, BWV 1004, playing this piece properly.
When it was Angel’s turn, she started with Recuerdos de la Alhambra. She then played Classical Gas and finished with Neil Diamond’s, Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show, which she also sang softly to. The girls accompanied her with clapping and halle-hallelujahs.
“We are going to make out like bandits,” Madeline said, giggling when Angel finished playing. She pulled the two girls into a group hug.
After dinner, Angel, Natsuko and Madeline asked for permission, from Mrs. Westfall, to head to the student union. She allowed them to go after telling them to be back before 9:00 p.m.
Angel grabbed her guitar and Natsuko her non-electric violin, before the three headed out.
The girls met Janice with her guitar and her roommates, Rebecca brought her guitar, just inside the student union. On the first floor of the student union was a recreation center, with table tennis tables, pool table, dart boards, shuffle board and other games available. There were also rooms with stereos and TVs. They also had a few reading rooms and a snack bar. This was also the building where the cafeteria was located.
On the second floor, were music rooms with pianos, some were upright and some were grand pianos. In the largest room, there was a concert grand piano, the girls wound up in this room. The girls each grabbed a stackable chair and made a semi-circle near the grand piano. They sat and chatted a bit, before Angel started everything by getting out her guitar.
Angel played some fun songs that really didn’t tax her abilities. The girls really enjoyed her play. Natsuko got out her violin and tuned i, as Madeline sat before the grand piano.
When they were all ready, Madeline said, “Canon in D. Do you know this piece Rebecca, or Janice?” When the girls said no, she said, “Natsuko, you take first violin and Angel, take the second violin.”
Madeline began playing the bass line, with Natsuko coming in at the appropriate place, followed by Angel. She then took the viola part on the piano. Pachelbel’s Canon starts off slowly, so Natsuko and Angel easily fit in, as their parts came up. It is basically a follow the leader type piece of music. They sounded as good as any group that had been playing together for a while.
They received quite a bit of applause, their four girl audience had become about ten, with a few more girls coming in, following the music with their ears.
Angel turned to Madeline, “Bohemian Rhapsody?”
“Ok, I will play the intro, you lead Angel and we will back you up. Anybody else want to join us?”
A couple of girls stood. One of them said, “We’re choir girls, if you are going to sing, Angel, the choir mistress had us practicing after we heard your video.”
“Come on up.” Angel said.
Madeline began it, and Angel and Natsuko came in. Then Angel began singing. The choir girls provided her back up. There were some rough spots in their timing but they all knew what they were doing and soon they fit together like gloves. There were about thirty girls applauding, by the time they finished.
“Janice, did you learn Green Sleeves?” Angel asked.
“Yes, but I am not in your class.”
“Come on up, the only way to get better is by playing. How about you Rebecca?”
“Yes, I know it.”
“Madeline, you and Natsuko sit for a bit?”
“Can I sing it with you?” one girl asked.
“Come on up,” Angel said.
Angel helped Janice and Rebecca tune up, and then nodded to the girl, as she began to play. Angel played lead and followed the singer, while Janice and Rebecca played their acoustic guitars. Rebecca was obviously better than Janice, although she did a fair job too. The singer, Joyce, had a beautiful Alto voice.
The audience applauded their efforts as enthusiastically as they had the other performers. Various girls played and sang, till they broke it up by eight thirty. The student union closed at eight forty five.
Back in their rooms, Madeline undressed all the way, right in front of Angel and Natsuko. Angel saw that her fabulous figure was all her. When Madeline saw them blush, she apologized, “Sorry, my mom is a model, I have seen her get undressed so many times in a room full of people, male and female. I did some modeling too. I would undress and dress in front of other girls too, although they never let men into the teen dressing rooms.”
She put on a sheer black lace gown and peignoir. Angel went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and change. She was a little worried about things, but resolved to do her best.
Tuesday, Angel got to meet all of her teachers. The course work was as expected, till she got to Spanish. For some reason, she was put in a low intermediate Spanish class, along with Natsuko. Ms. Rosales, her teacher, asked her to stay after the bell for a few minutes.
“Ms. Marquez, we know that you are fluent in speaking Spanish. You are in this class for several reasons. First, we don’t usually advance a freshman in foreign language classes, we usually put them in a lower level class for at least one semester, so we can get a gauge on how well they write. You are in this class, but you will mostly be doing three things. First, you will help the other students in my class. I don’t usually do this, because most of the Spanish-speaking students, don’t speak pure Castilian Spanish, They speak a cultural variety, or dialect. You know what I mean.”
Angel knew exactly what they were talking about. “It’s like Canadian French, or Cajun French, true Frenchman might not be able to understand them. The Spanish many speak can be quite confusing. My family came from the Madrid region of Spain. The Spanish Spaniards speak, can be radically different, depending on which region of Spain they came from.”
“Exactly Angel, and even though we found some Americanization in the Spanish you speak, it is still closer to the Castilian we teach, than what many of the Hispanic students speak.”
“We also want you to work on translating. We will be giving you Spanish and English texts and we want you to translate it into the other language. Having you do this in self-study mode in this class, will make it easier for you at the intermediate level. We want you to understand the piece, and make your translations give the reader a better understanding of what the author actually meant. Sometimes, intent and meaning are lost in translation, especially in legal translation. We won’t be giving you any legal documents to work with, but this will help you see the difficulties legal translators face.”
“I understand, I think.’
“Good, hopefully, things will become clearer to you as the semester progresses. Now head on to your next class.”
Mrs. Delores Bloomington, Angel found out, was her guitar teacher, piano teacher and her music-reading teacher.
“I teach guitar here at school Ms. Marquez, but I have to admit that I am an acoustical guitar player and I’m not even in your league. I won’t be able to teach you much about guitar technique, not that you need much training in technique. I will expand your repertoire, help teach you to read music better and help you learn your pieces for orchestra, on top of teaching you to use the piano. I will also liaise with the choir, the chamber music groups and other groups that want a piece of your time. I will also help you develop your stage presence. After seeing you play for us this summer, that part won’t be hard. You do very well on stage. You seem to feed off the audience and then give them what they want.”
“You will need to work on your guitar every day; I don’t think I need to tell you that. I will want to hear you when you practice. I have a very good ear and can tell if you are letting things slide.”
“We have many very accomplished musicians at this school. I include you in this group. You may be in the top three students here this year. You, Ms. Takahashi and Ms. Boucher will become the foundation of our music department in the coming years. We have high expectations of you.”
After talking for an hour, Mrs. Bloomington took Angel to the Music Director, Mrs. Samantha Grogan. Mrs. Grogan gave Angel a large folder of music, and showed her where her chair was in the orchestra. She was to be seated next to a lute player, near the percussion section and behind the string section.
“Angel, for the most part, you will play the same music as the Lute player. But we hope to have you do two solos with the Orchestra by our Christmas program.”
“I will do my best to be ready, Mrs. Grogan.”
Wednesday, the girls dressed in their formal uniform, (black long skirt, white blouse and black blazer) and headed to the library after breakfast. All of the freshman girls headed there at the same time. There were four rows of girls entering the library. The girls had to scan their ID cards at the head of the lines.
The girls were called out by groups of ten and then taken on a tour of the library by a senior student. Angel’s group was led by a very tall blond girl. She had to be nearly six feet tall, very slim and had blue gray eyes. None of her roommates were in this group and only one cottage mate.
“Hello, I am Sandy Peterson; I will be your senior assistant this year. It will be my job to assist you in finding your answers, and help supply you with ideas. I won’t do the work for you, but I will help point you in the right direction. During this time slot you will be expected to do your homework, do any research that you need to do and do most of the writing that you need to do.”
“This is your study time; it will help you if you use your time here judiciously . Our school days are longer, but if you work here well, you won’t have to work as hard at home, or in your cottage. All you may have to do after school, may be some reading. If you have a wi-fi laptop, bring it so you can log onto the library's information directories. It will save you some time. If you need Internet access, see me. I can arrange Internet access for legitimate research, but no chatting, emailing, or just surfing. Now follow me.”
Ms. Paterson gave the girls the nickel tour. She pointed out everything the girls needed to know. She finally led them to their table.
“When you come here in the morning, scan your id cards, which are also your library cards for checking out books, at the door. Then come by this table. I will need to acknowledge your presence. That is our morning roll call. No scanning a friend in, if I don’t see you, you aren’t here. If for some reason you need to leave the library, check out with the librarian, Mrs. Newman. She has the desk right by the door. She will have to give you permission. Don’t try sneaking out the fire exits. There are surveillance cameras and alarms on the doors. That would be a major discipline for you, and an automatic Parent conference. Not good, believe me.”
“You may whisper with anyone here, if you need to, but no protracted conversations, please. You are here to work, not to gossip about boys, makeup or fashion. Books maybe checked out for up to two weeks, except for reference books.”
The library orientation took nearly two hours, after which they were released for a long lunch. Angel met up with her friends and Janice’s friends; the seven of them headed to the Student Union.
After they ate, they played pool and ping-pong, before hitting the school store. The girls were surprised to find that they could rent movie DVD’s from the school store, they were all PG 15 or G rated, but they could watch it on the TV’s, or their computers.
Angel and Natsuko had to leave and head to the dorm to pick up their instruments and music folders. In the orchestra practice room, the senior girls for each section made sure the girls got in their correct seats.
Natsuko was surprised to see herself sitting third seat, in the string section, ahead of some older girls. Madeline sat next to an adult pianist. She found out that if she could play the repertoire, she might be the orchestra’s pianist. Angel sat next to a junior girl, a Thelma Sue Watkins, who played a fifteen-string lute.
“My mom named me Thelma, after my Grandmother, but please call me Sue. I saw your videos, I just loved them all. Do you know that you just are so cute, etc. etc. etc,” Sue said, in a rapid fire New England accent.
Angel had never heard a girl talk so fast. She never got a word in edgewise till Mrs. Grogan called them to order.
“Girls, please put your instruments away for today. For you new girls, I am Mrs. Grogan. I am the Music Director for this school, and this is Linda Jones. Ms. Jones is our student conductor. Either of us may conduct you throughout the year. You will give her the same courtesy and respect you would give any conductor that stands before you.”
“Ms. Spencer, please stand… This is Amy Spencer, she is the Concert Mistress and First Violin. She, with Mrs. Bloomington, will work with the string section. Ms. Spencer will set the bowing and will play the concert A for tuning.”
Mrs. Grogan then introduced many other girls, who led their section, before getting into mundane matters.
“In your folders you will find a study schedule, a list of music, a calendar with play dates, and most of your music. We have three performances this semester and we will have six next semester. You will see we have our first performance in six weeks. I know that that is quick, but none of you are beginners. Work hard and we will do well. Slack off and we will suck, if you will excuse my French,” she said, smiling.
That got many of the girls giggling.
“Seriously girls, you are all pretty good, or you wouldn’t be here this semester. We may add some new students this spring as we do have some beginning students, but you will be our core.”
Mrs. Grogan then got down to the music. She read from the schedule and told the girls to read over the music carefully and practice it on their own and in small groups.
“Tomorrow, we will hit the ground running, so be ready.”
The orchestra then broke up into sections. The section leaders led their groups to different rooms to talk turkey. Angel and Sue followed Amy. In their practice room, Amy introduced herself again and talked more about her role. She also introduced Carol Rawlings, second violin and Natsuko Takahashi, third violin, explaining what their status was, why they were so designated and their roles in the group. Angel heard her name called and stood up.
“As first violin, I will have several violin solos. As good as I am with the violin, I feel that Ms. Marquez has the potential to be better with her classical guitar. She has three solos to learn with the orchestra this semester and another seven if she can manage it next semester. She can read music a little, but Ms.s Rawlings and Takahashi will help her, if she needs it.”
Amy then began arranging the seating. Angel sat next to Carol, but at an angle to the other girls. After they were seated, Amy went over some more administrative things.
“Girls!” Amy said, checking her watch. “I am dismissing you forty five minutes early today, but don’t leave! You are expected to be in auditorium one in fifteen minutes. You may leave your instruments here. I will lock the door. I need to see Ms. Takahashi and Ms. Marquez. Dismissed.”
“Angel and Natsuko, follow me and bring your instruments.” Amy said, after the other students had left.
Three other girls were waiting outside Mrs. Grogan’s door. There was their roommate Madeline, and two other girls. Amy made the introductions.
“This is Angel Marquez, classical guitar, Natsuko Takahashi, violin, Madeline Boucher, piano, Lila Dunn, flute and Terri Coulter, saxophone.”
The girls, except for Madeline, all had their instruments. It’s kinda hard to haul a half-ton concert grand around on your back, after all.
Mrs. Grogan smiled at the girls, as she exited her office. “I guess you are wondering what this is about. We are showcasing you today to your fellow students. You are the best of the new crop. We do this every year. We want you to put together a fifteen to twenty minute solo performance. Begin by extemporizing for a few minutes and then play several other pieces. Be as eclectic as possible, we want you to really show off, but the main thing is for you to enjoy yourself as you play. The order will be, Ms. Boucher, Ms. Dunn, Ms. Takahashi, Ms. Marquez and Ms. Coulter. ”
The five freshmen were escorted backstage by Mrs. Grogan and Ms. Spencer, who carried her violin. Amy, Natsuko and Angel tuned up together. Mrs. Grogan had Amy go on stage with the curtains closed.
She then began playing Bellini’s ‘Casta Diva’ as the curtains began parting. She then went into Vivaldi’s Summer, Paganini’s Caprice, and Bach’s Sonata no.1. When she finished she addressed the audience.
“Welcome to our first Music appreciation class for the year. I am Amy Spencer, first violin and concert Mistress of the orchestra. To all of you new freshman, this is when we students. You were each passed out a notebook. Print your name and the name of the teacher for your first music class on Monday in large block letters on the cover. You will be expected to keep notes on who performed, what they played if you know it, or were told what they played and you will be expected to critique their performance. This is an important part of your grade; so don’t forget. Also, be truthful, but tactful, in your criticism. Turn them in as you leave and your teachers will return them on Monday. Your instructors will be reading your notes. Use some intelligence in your criticism.”
“Tonight we have five of our best freshman musicians here tonight. We have many good musicians at our school, so don’t be offended if you are not up here tonight. These girls though, are a cut above most of us.”
“Also, remember, you will probably be in their position at least once this semester, so start planning and practicing, what you would play.”
“Tonight, you have already heard me play and you will hear from Ms.’s Madeline Boucher, Lila Dunn, Natsuko Takahashi, Angel Marques and Terri Coulter. Pay attention to each girl and take good notes. Please hold your applause till they are all through.”
Madeline walked on stage and sat before the concert grand piano. Amy introduced her to the audience. She then played some Chopin, Beethoven, some soft pop and some Jazz. Her play at times was dynamic, other times it was mellow.
Angel liked what she heard. She made her notes in the notebook, Mrs. Grogan had given them.
Lila then came out on stage. After she was introduced, she began with Tchaikovsky’s ‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy’, Moody Blues’ ‘Nights in White Satin’, some Mozart and some Beethoven.
Angel got some chills up her spine as Lila played Nights in White Satin. It was such an enchanting melody. She imagined how it might sound with a full orchestra.
Natsuko then took the stage with her electric violin. Angel already knew what to expect, but the girl blew everyone away. She played some Reggae, Pachelbel’s Cannon, some C&W, Rock and finishing with Mozart’s Rondo Alla Turca. It was a very athletic performance that had the audience going.
Angel hated to follow a performance like that, but she did. She started off with a favorite Classical Gas, transitioning for a few bars into a Beatle’s tune and an Elton John tune for a few measures. She hammed it up a bit like Tommy Emmanuel, playing it with more energy than she usually did. She followed it with Recuerdos de la Alhambra, Mediterranean Beauty, Paganini’s Caprice no. 24 and finished up playing and singing New Kid in Town.
Terri played a high energy Yakety Sax, Careless Whisper, Bad to the Bone, Baker Street, Money, Harden my Heart, My Love and Its Still Rock and Roll to Me.
When Terri finished, Amy led the other girls on the stage to a rousing applause. The audience had been so thrilled that they gave the girls a standing ovation as the six of them bowed to the audience.
Amy quieted the crowd down and said, “Is there any doubt that these girls are good?”
The audience again gave them a thunderous applause.
“These girls have set the bar high for you and gave you a target to shoot for. I know you may not meet their expertise, but that is not an excuse not to try. It is only by hard work and trying that these girls have gotten as good as they are. Let’s give them one more round of applause.”
The girls bowed to the audience as they applauded and then hugged each other.
Angel called her Aunt’s home that night. She found out that her Mom was in London and would be home in two weeks. Aunt Carmine told Angel that she would pick her up the Friday before her Mom got back. She talked to her cousins and introduced them to her roommates. She had a good time talking; it helped her, as she missed her mom.
(to be continued)
Angel classes begin and friendships are started.
Angel Marquez-The Angel Blossoms Chapter 2
by
Paula Dillon
School really began on Thursday. Angel liked the way the classes were run. Two thirds of the periods were lectures accompanied by a Power Point presentation. The rest of the class time they used individual computers at their desk to do practical course work. Each teacher had their own Intranet site, which worked just like the Internet. Students could log on a teacher’s site to check on assignments, the syllabus or even check their grades.
The teachers stressed the importance of class participation to the students, and a significant number of the students actually got involved. This was so unlike the schools that Angel had gone to before. It actually helped make the classes less boring. The teachers were even more interesting. They came on strong first, with a lecture on how a grade of a C was unacceptable at this school and that they KNEW that all the students in this class were more than capable of maintaining an A average.
At lunch, Angel met up with her roommates and Janice’s roommates. The cafeteria was much more crowded, as the rest of upperclassmen finally started their classes. There was plenty of room, however, for the seven freshmen to stake their claim to a table.
They talked about what they thought about this school, amongst other things that girls talk about. Janice’s friends were really interested in Madeline and Natsuko. These girls were the first real foreigners that they had ever talked with and seemed exotic. They wanted to know what the countries they came from were like. When they found out that Angel had just come back from Spain, she had to tell them all about the old country.
Lunchtime seemed to fly by. This was a new feeling to Angel. At her other schools, the boy Angel had pretty much been a loner, but here Angel was actually part of a group of girls, who looked up to HER. The summer she had spent as a girl made things go smoother than she had figured.
After lunch, Angel and her roommates headed to the music building, after making a stop by the cottage to pick up their instruments.
Angel’s first music class was piano with Mrs. Bloomington. The teacher gave her a smile, when she saw her student.
“Hello Ms. Marquez,”
“Hello Mrs. Bloomington.”
Mrs. Bloomington then began to give Angel her first real piano test. They were able to proceed a little faster, because Angel already knew what all the keys were, so she didn’t need all those dots that some instructors use with beginners. What she learned was how to sit, how to strike the keys and how to move from key to key. It was all accomplished by repetition. Angel played the simple scales as directed. She already had a high degree of manual dexterity; she just had to train her fingers to make music on the piano. It was different, but more of the same.
Angel made fewer mistakes than most beginners make, especially fewer of those ear shattering, soul wrenching, discordant notes. Still, it was apparent that Angel had a lot of work ahead of her. Mrs. Bloomington finished up the class by teaching Angel how to play a simple child’s song with one hand.
“Well, I am not going to sign you up for the Cliburn competition yet, but you did very well for your first lesson.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Bloomington. I sometimes used the piano to figure out a new piece of music which I was trying to learn. I would poke out the notes with one finger and visualize how I would play them.”
“How did you learn to play the guitar?”
“My Uncles and grandfather did and then taught me how to play. I guess it was like follow the leader. They didn’t use books or prepared lessons. Two of my other teachers, Pedro Aguilar and Ricky Montez, taught me how to work out the chords on a piece of music and then how to play the piece on the guitar. Now when I hear a piece, I just figure it out in my head.”
“Do Mr. Aguilar and Mr. Montez read music?”
“Probably a little better than I do.”
“That says a lot. Many rock musicians were like that. They learned how to play their instruments in their garages and got good at it and then got famous. There are many though, who were also very accomplished musicians. Learning to read music can only help you Ms. Marquez.”
“I know it will and I will always give you my best effort.”
“That is all that I can ask from you.”
In orchestra, Mrs. Grogan made an announcement.
“Students, I have made a couple of changes to our repertoire. You can look at the changes on my Intranet site. Ms. Marquez, this affects you. We have picked out your first two solos. You already know them. The first is Spanish Romance and the second is Recuerdos de la Alhambra. Mrs. Bloomington and Ms. Spencer will see that you get to know the arrangements we will be playing. Just listen for now, Ms. Marquez, so I can get the rest of the orchestra up to speed. Section leaders; pass out the new music please.”
This was the first time Angel heard the orchestra play as Ms. Jones directed them. She paid rapt attention to the music and knew she would have to relearn her parts as she tried to follow it along. She knew it wouldn’t be too hard though. It would just take practice.
They worked on four pieces that day. They would play one piece and Mrs. Grogan, who was taking notes, would make some comments. Then they would play it again, stopping at points where they needed work.
They worked on Angel’s two solos and Amy’s solos, Beethoven’s, ‘Violin Concerto in D Major OP. 61 2nd movement’ and Lalo’s, ‘Norwegian Fantasy movements 1 and 2’.
At the end of the class, Mrs. Grogan announced that they would work on Bach’s, ‘Brandenburg Concerto’, Beethoven’s, ‘fifth’ and Vivaldi’s, ‘Winter’ on Monday, and with their sections on Wednesday. With that she dismissed the class.
“Ms. Marquez, do you think you can catch on?” Mrs. Grogan asked.
“The arrangements are a little different from what I usually play, but it shouldn’t be a problem. I will relearn my parts.”
“Good, I will see everybody on Tuesday then. Look over your music and be prepared. Practice, practice, practice ladies.”
Amy, Natsuko and Madeline actually corralled Angel in a practice room and went over them a couple of times before they headed back to their cottage. Amy acted as their conductor, while Natsuko and Madeline played with Angel. Amy corrected Angel a couple of times. They were pretty confident after a half hour of practice. It was mostly a matter of timing, following the director and a few differences in a couple of measures.
After lunch on Friday, Angel met again with Mrs. Bloomington. For reading music, she took a stack of flash cards and went through them having Angel identify what was on the card. She went through the beginner cards and many of the intermediate cards. They spent an hour on various drills that taught the student how to read music.
For guitar class, Angel played her two solos and about a dozen other pieces across her many genres of music. She played many things she hadn’t performed recently and it showed.
“Let me guess, you haven’t played some of those pieces in the past few months?”
“No ma’am, but I have resolved to work through and expand my repertoire. I have been neglecting some really good pieces that weren’t among my favorites.”
“That is really good, Ms. Marquez. I have seen your music list; there is a lot of good music there.”
As Angel left her last class for the day, she stopped by the school’s shop and picked up some movies for the weekend. She and her roommates were stuck at school this weekend. They had talked about what movies they liked this morning, at breakfast. She also picked up several bags of microwave popcorn, while she was there.
When she got to the dorm, several girls were already being picked up by their parents. Natsuko and Madeline were already in their room, changing into more comfortable clothes. Angel showed them the movies she had picked up.
Madeline had Angel sit down at her keyboard and practice her simple scales for half an hour before dinner. Madeline, Angel found out, could be a harsher taskmaster than Mrs. Bloomington, but she also found Madeline’s sense of humor refreshing. The last thing they did on the keyboard, was Madeline playing the left hand to Angel’s right hand on a simple song. Angel did alright, but when Madeline joined her, the music she listened to on the headphones, sounded really good. The chords and other notes she played gave the music some depth and elegance.
There were three other girls spending the weekend at the dorm, Angel found out when she and her roommates came out for their evening meal. Mrs. Westfall said that they could stay up till midnight if they wanted. The girls were enthusiastic when Angel asked the girls if they wanted to watch movies together.
They all headed to bed after watching three movies. Mrs. Westfall even sat out there with them and watched the movies. They all had a good time and enjoyed the popcorn.
Angel, Madeline and Natsuko talked for a while before they went to sleep.
Madeline was the first girl up the next morning. Angel and Natsuko were still zonked out when she went out to the commons.
She was surprised to see a bunch of people sitting there talking with Mrs. Westfall. She knew from the pictures on Angel’s desk just who they were.
“Just a minute, Angel is still asleep.”
She went back into the room, “Angel wake up, time for breakfast.”
“Go away its Saturday,” Angel said, falling back to sleep.
Madeline smiled and went beside Angel’s bed. She pulled the sheets from under the mattress and securely grabbed them at two points.
“Last chance Angel.”
“Go away, let me sleep.”
Madeline then pulled up on the sheets, dumping Angel on the floor. Angel jumped up and chased Madeline out the door into the commons. She stopped when she saw all her family out in the lobby.
“Mom!” Angel said, as she ran into her mother’s arms.
“Angel,” Margarita said excitedly, and hugged her daughter.
“Angel,” Mrs. Westfall said. Her brow was raised in mock sternness, but she could hardly suppress a smile, when she saw Angel come out in her sleep shirt. “Please put some clothes on.”
“Madeline, you are so bad, I am going to get even with you,” Angel said, as she rushed into her room.
Natsuko had gotten up and was brushing her teeth when Angel came back.
“I see you got up.” Angel stated.
“I didn’t want Madeline dumping me on the floor. What got into her panties, this morning?”
“My family is here. Hurry up and get dressed, I want to introduce you to them.”
Angel and Natsuko came out ten minutes later.
“Hi Mom, Aunt Carmine, Sierra and Nevada, these are my roomies. This is Natsuko Takahashi, and this no good person is Madeline Boucher. This is my mom, Margarita Marquez, my Aunt Carmine Santiago and my cousins, Sierra Santiago in Yellow and red and Nevada Santiago in green and brown.”
“What was that noise we heard before you ran out here?” Margarita said snickering.
“That was me waking Angel up, Mrs. Marquez,” Madeline said, in her defense.
“Waking me up, you dumped me out of my bed and onto the floor! I would have gotten up if you would have told me my family was here.”
“I figured they were here to surprise you, so I let it surprise you,” Madeline said.
“Yeah, why did you all come down this weekend? I thought you were in Europe, Mom?”
“We were doing something I haven’t been able to do in the past. I wanted to surprise you for your birthday.”
“That isn’t till Wednesday.”
“At which time I will be in London. I wasn’t going to miss my daughter’s birthday. Get packed girl!”
“Can Madeline and Natsuko come with us? They are stuck here.”
Margarita turned towards Mrs. Westfall.
“It’s up to you Mrs. Marquez. Both of their parents gave me permission to decide on their after school activities. I can give you temporary guardianship.”
“How fast can you three get packed?” Margarita asked to the backs of three girls making a mad dash to their room. “Pack light, we will have a full car.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Marquez. Madeline and Natsuko both might be stuck here most weekends.”
“Where are their parents?”
“They are both out of the country, Natsuko’s parents are diplomats in Spain. They can’t make it back before June. Madeline’s mother is a superstar model. She is getting ready for the winter show and then there will be the spring show and the summer show. I doubt if she will be back here before June.”
“No they won’t be,” Carmine said. “If it is okay, they can come home with Angel anytime I pick up Angel.”
“I was hoping you would say that when I roomed them together, Mrs. Santiago. I just hate to have the girls stuck at this place all year long. I wasn’t going to suggest it just yet, but I hoped you would do this.”
Three happy girls came out of their room, each carrying their bags.
“Follow me,” Mrs. Marquez said.
Outside they met Janice sitting on her suitcase. She jumped up and hugged Angel.
“Did you know about this Janice?”
“Yes, my mom called me Thursday; she told me I couldn’t tell you.”
“You are so bad too, Janice, don’t expect mercy on any guitar lessons I give you.”
“All I can say is that it is a good thing I bought a van,” Carmen said.
“Oh wow,” Angel said, as they saw the new van. It was a large eight passenger van, with cargo room and two rows of seats in the back.
The kids put their cases in the back and climbed in.
“Your cousins are identical twins. How do you tell them apart?”
“Besides Sierra dressing in bright colors, while Nevada likes earth tones, they are mirror image twins. Sierra is right-handed and Nevada is left-handed. They also have birthmarks on the opposite shoulders, Sierra on her left and Nevada on her right.”
“Don’t give,” Sierra said.
“All our secrets away,”
“Angel.”
That exchange had everyone in the van laughing.
“How old are you Madeline?” Sierra asked.
“I am fifteen.”
“How did you get so big?” Nevada asked.
“Nevada, don’t be so rude.”
“I don’t mind Mrs. Santiago.”
“It’s Carmine, girls. You don’t have to be so formal.”
“I started puberty when I was between nine and ten. I was a 65B, what you guys call a 30A cup by eleven. When I hit thirteen I had a growth spurt, height wise that is. I jumped from five foot two, I believe, I was one hundred fifty eight centimeters, to about five foot seven, or about one hundred and seventy centimeters. I was still an A cup. I started modeling, my mom is an international model. Mom had me start birth control pills back then. I am a virgin, but modeling is a different kind of business. Some of the men that work in fashion are not so nice, you see. Over the next two years I sprouted. The doctors were confused. My Mom is a 70B cup and one seventy eight centimeters tall. Anyway, I grew so fast, I have some stretch marks on my breasts, I lost baby fat around my chest and now I am a 70F, or a 32DD. The doctors don’t know why I grew so fast. That is why I go to a girls’ school now. The boys I was around, got to be a problem.”
“You had a problem with boys?” Margarita asked.
“Yes, older boys want to have sex with me. I am not ready. It got really bad.”
Madeline then began talking in French and was surprised when Margarita responded back in French. They talked a bit, Angel could pick out bits, but she couldn’t understand much.
“Sorry, I was just telling your Mom some things. Boys think I am sexy and older than I am; they just want to have sex with me. I just want to be a young girl right now.”
Angel and Natsuko just hugged their roommate.
“My parents are in Madrid, because they will travel so much all over Europe, with their duties to the Consular staff, I wanted to go to a girls school, this school has an excellent music program. That is why I came here,” Natsuko said. “I used to live in Kobe.”
“That is the city that was devastated by an earthquake wasn’t it.” Margarita asked.
“Yes, that was in January of 1995. I was born a couple of months after that, but they taught us about that in school. They teach us a lot about earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan.”
“I imagine so,” Carmine said.
“Tsunamis are giant ocean waves, right?” Sierra asked.
“Yes, they are caused by off shore earthquakes and volcanic activity. A massive earthquake caused the tsunami that did so much damage in Indonesia and other parts surrounding the Indian Ocean.”
“Mom, you have got to hear these girls play. Madeline is great on the piano and Natsuko is awesome on the violin. They are better than I am.”
“Not better, just different,” Madeline said. “We each are very good at what we do.”
“Do we have time to go by Leo’s?”
“Just for a few minutes. I want to check on your guitar. Then we have appointments for fills for your nails. We have family coming over for dinner.”
“Is your guitar broken?” Natsuko asked.
“No, my other guitar is too valuable for me to carry around. It was made by Antonio Torres. He is like the Stradivari of classical guitar makers.”
“Oh really,” Madeline said.
“Yeah, it has been in the family like forever.”
“If forever is a hundred and fifty years,” Margarita said.
They got to the house and quickly unloaded. Mrs. Fletcher was there to pick up Janice.
“Don’t forget, the party is at seven,” Margarita said.
“We will be there,” Janice said.
After the car was unloaded the girls made a trip to the mall. Carmine stayed home to get ready for the party, while Margarita took the girls to the salon at the mall. Angel got a fill and another layer of fiberglass, while Natsuko and Madeline had simple manicures. Then Angel led them to Leo’s.
“Hello Leo,”
“Hey there Angel, I didn’t expect to see you so soon. Hello Mrs. Santiago, Mrs. Marquez.”
“Mom surprised me and picked me up. These girls are my roommates at school. This is Madeline Boucher, and this is Natsuko Takahashi. Girl’s this is Leo Granger.”
“Bonjour Monsieur Granger.”
“Bonjour Mademoiselle Boucher. Vous áªtes trá¨s charmante ma chá¨re. ”
“Et vous áªtes trá¨s gallant.”
Not to be outdone Natsuko said, “Kon'nichiwa shi Granger-sama.”
“Kon'nichiwa Takahashi-chan misu. Mata, hijÅ ni kireidesu. I know a little more French, but I am burnt out on Japanese, and please just call me Leo, everybody calls me Leo around here.” He said laughing.
“Are you here to check out your guitar?”
“No we are here to check on it and to show my friends.”
“Okay, this way girls.” Leo said.
Angel got her guitar case out of the locker and took it back into the store. She took it out of the case and inspected it. She then tuned it up and began playing on it.
“It sounds wonderful,” Natsuko said.
“Yes is does,” Madeline added.
“Leo, would it be possible to lend Natsuko a violin and can Madeline play that keyboard?”
“Sure thing, Angel.”
Leo got his best violin down and handed it to Natsuko. It was a used violin he had bought at an estate sale. While not a Stradivarius it was quite nice. Natsuko rosined up the bow and then tuned up the violin. It was a very nice violin she thought, not as good as hers, but quite adequate.
Madeline was quite satisfied with the Roland keyboard as she played with it.
Angel and the girls got their heads together and picked out three pieces to play. One of the pieces was Classical Gas. All three girls had room for a solo the way they played it. After Classical Gas they played Spanish Romance and Recuerdos de la Alhambra like Angel’s solo.
Leo got excited by what he heard, “You girls are hot. You have got to let me know when you come back to town. I would like to set up a show.”
All too soon, Margarita had to put a stop to it.
Natsuko bowed to and handed Leo back his violin, “It is a very nice violin. Thank you Leo.”
Madeline air kissed both Leo’s cheeks and Angel gave the bear of a man a huge hug.
Angel took care of her guitar and then placed it back in its locker.
Margarita had a few stops to make before they headed back to Aunt Carmine’s home. She picked up a few things they needed for the party.
The ‘Old Men’ were already there when Margarita pulled into the drive. Angel raced to their arms to get her hug. She then took time to introduce her grandfather, Fernando and her uncles Javier and Rolando. Her roommates poured on their charms for the ‘Old Men’, almost as much as the ‘Old Men’ did for them.
Inside were a few other relatives and friends. Angel, her cousins and her roommates mingled a bit and then headed to Sierra’s and Nevada’s. The twins grilled the girls, they wanted to know so much. They also bragged to the girls about Angel.
“Angel has some music on You Tube that has hit the rafters,” Sierra said.
“Yeah, some of her pieces have a couple of hundred thousand hits and thousands of comments,” Nevada added.
“You’re kidding, girls,” Angel said.
“No, it’s true, Angel,” Nevada said, logging on to her computer. After a minute she was on You Tube and showing the girls Angel’s videos.
Angel panned down the comments as the video played. Words like fantastic, brilliant, a true virtuoso popped out at her. She had gone back about five or six pages in the comments when she saw one in Spanish that caught her eye from Servando Morales.
“Oh, my gosh,” she said as she read the comment.
“What does it say,” Natsuko asked.
“Ms. Marquez is a brilliant guitarist, who has a maturity to her play far beyond her age. I met this young lady playing in a park in Madrid. I listened with joy as she played many selections from Spain’s great guitar music. She allowed me the honor of playing with her. Not only can she play well as a soloist but in our duets, she showed that she could blend and weave the music that our guitars were playing. Her name says it all; her play can bring tears to an Angel’s eyes. I have played in many of the great concert halls in Europe and yet I found that I enjoyed playing with this young lady more than some of the greatest musicians in the world. Watch this young Lady; I am sure that you will be hearing more from her. Bravo Angel. Servando Morales”
“Who is Servando Morales?” Madeline asked.
Angel shifted over to Wikipedia and entered his name. She allowed the girls time to read part of his bio and then she went to his homepage and played some of his music for them.
“He is amazing,” Madeline said.
“I had a hard time just keeping up with him. He doesn’t play like he’s eighty something.”
“Your videos were very good to Angel,” Natsuko said. “Were those done at school?”
“Yes, the school wanted to do some videos to use in recruitment. One of the girls, Vanessa Hall, got excited about them and posted them without permission. But enough about me, I think you and Madeline are better than I am. Madeline I love the way you can play the piano and Natsuko you play your violin so brilliantly.”
Madeline made motions with her hands and said, “Keep going with the adjectives, Angel. Don’t stop there, but I meant what I said. We are not better, just different. Each of our disciplines requires a lot of work to be excellent at them and while there are some people who can play several instruments well, they are very few. None of them that I know of reach the level of brilliant. There is just too much work on each instrument to play several extremely well. You are learning piano, I doubt you will ever play in the Cliburn Competition. I can play the guitar a little, but I am not destined to solo for a renowned orchestra on a classical guitar. Natsuko is fabulous on the violin; she is destined to play whatever venue she chooses. We are each very good, but I love to play with both of you. I think we sound smashing together.”
Angel gave what her roommate said a lot of thought.
The party was bigger than any other birthday Angel ever had. She was quite surprised at the number of people that had come; there were over thirty people there. Leo, Jeffery, Wee Willy, Joyce Drummond, and Janice and her Mom were amongst the guests there.
There was a lot of music. Angel played Javier’s guitar for much of the night. Madeline rued that there was no piano and Natsuko missed not having her violin. Natsuko was fascinated watching the twins dance with the adults. The girls did the Flamingo, Tango, Samba and the Mambo. She mentally played the violin to some of their movements. The twins got Madeline and Natsuko out on the floor and danced with them, also. It was strange seeing Sierra leading a much taller Madeline as they tangoed. Madeline had been taught how to dance by her mother, but she wasn’t quite as good as Sierra, but Sierra led her partner off well.
Angel’s birthday cake was shaped like a guitar and about as big. She had fifteen candles on her cake and would have had no problem blowing them out except for the fact that someone had switched candles to those trick candles that relight after being blown out.
The party broke up shortly after Angel opened up her birthday presents. One of the presents was something that was more fitting for the boy Angel; it was an extra-large Grave Digger Monster Truck T Shirt, autographed by Dennis Anderson. Angel had never been to a monster truck show in her life, and wondered what the third cousin twice removed was thinking. She didn’t make a big deal of it and handed it off to her mom before she hurried onto the next gift.
Sunday the girls went to church, Natsuko wasn’t Catholic, but went along anyway. Her parents taught her to study what other people believe and to make up her own mind. Afterward, they picked up Janice and had a leisurely drive back to school. They stopped a couple of times, to catch a site and to have a picnic lunch.
Natsuko and Madeline both received a bunch of hugs from Angel’s clan as the troop left with Margarita. They thanked them for letting them spend the weekend with them.
(to be continued)
Angel Marquez-The Angel Blossoms chapter 3
by
Paula Dillon
Angel continues to grow and blossoms as she cements her place in the hearts of her friends. Along the way she gets a few surprises.
Angel was amazed by the number of groups that wanted a piece of her time when things got rolling at school. She had a commitment with the choir, a chamber music group wanted her to play with them, a girl’s rock group wanted her, even Madeline, Natsuko and Carol Rawlings wanted to form a group. Mrs. Bloomington was very helpful in deciding which groups would help Angel. Besides the orchestra and the choir, she liked the idea of Madeline’s group. She urged Angel not to accept any others, yet.
School was school. There were lessons to be learned and a lot of studying to be done. The Wednesday study session was very helpful. A key point was that there was always someone there who could be helpful. Angel used this time to keep abreast of her classes.
>>>>><<<<<
After lunch on Tuesday, Angel picked up her guitar and hurried to the choir room. There were about thirty girls in the room when Angel got there. She was enthusiastically greeted by some of the girls as she entered the room. They stood around talking for a few minutes until Linda Macy, the choir director came in.
“Settle down girls,” Ms. Macy said. “We have a lot to do. Let’s give Ms. Marquez a warm welcome,” she said, turning to Angel, clapping.
The rest of the girls did the same. Angel began to blush a bit.
“Okay girls, that is enough. We have a show coming up at a children’s hospital in three weeks. Angel, we want you to participate in two songs with us. Do you know ‘Sing’ and ‘Rainbow Connection’?”
“Yes Ma’am.”
“Can you play and sing them for us?”
Angel took out her guitar, sat on a tall stool and tuned it. She then went into the intro to ‘Sing’. She then sang with the piece. Angel’s voice was clear and strong, as she sang.
Sing, sing a song
Sing out loud
Sing out strong
Sing of good things, not bad
Sing of happy, not sad.
Angel sang through the song and then created a bridge that allowed her to change keys and rhythm and lead directly into ‘Rainbow Connection’. She sang it through and bridged back to ‘What’s so amazing, that keeps us stargazing’ and sang it through to the end.
Everyone was silent until the last chords Angel played dissipated into nothingness. The choir then erupted into applause, which last ten… twenty seconds. Ms. Macy then got the attention of her students.
“Girls, girls, that is enough. We have got a lot to do,” Ms. West said. “Angel I loved what you played. It was nice how you bridged the two songs together. Unfortunately, the two songs will be separated in time. ‘Sing’ will be the song we will lead with and ‘Rainbow Connection’ will be our closer. I like the way you played ‘Rainbow Connection’ let’s make that our arrangement. Now for ‘Sing’…”
Ms. Macy then went on to explain what she wanted, to the choir and Angel.
Amanda Walker got a stool and sat next to Angel. Ms. Macy then began to direct. Angel began playing and sang the first line, Amanda sang the second. They traded lines and then the choir and piano, joined them at ‘Sing of good things, not bad’. They sang it through and bridged back and repeated from… ‘Sing, sing a song, Let the world sing a long’… to the end of the song. The choir faded out repeating ‘Just sing, sing a song, Just sing, sing a song’, and then Angel and Amanda sang ‘Just sing, sing a song’, one last time.
Ms. Macy gave them some comments and changed a few things, then had them sing it a couple of more times. She smiled when they finished the sing through.
“I like this girls, good job. That is how we will perform it. Now, while we have Angel with us, let’s do ‘Rainbow connection’.”
She went on to tell them what she wanted. She went through the music, assigning sections and a couple of soloists, to sing throughout the piece. Angel held up her hand to speak.
“Yes Angel.” Ms. Macy said.
“This is for kids at a children’s hospital right?”
“Yes, it is. Go on.”
“Well, it would be so cool if Ms. Boucher, she is a pianist, could carry in a small piano, like Schroeder plays. You know, Schroeder from Charlie Brown. She and I could play the intro.”
“Oh, that sounds wonderful, a sort of mixed up cartoon number. Charlie Brown meets the Muppets. Let’s talk to your roommate after class.”
They then sung through ‘Rainbow Connection’, a couple of times.
When the class was over, Angel was packing up her guitar when Madeline came in the room. She looked around and then walked up to Ms. Macy.
“Did you send for me, Ms. Macy?”
“Yes I did Ms. Boucher. Angel…”
Angel walked over and joined them.
“… had this wonderful idea. I will let her tell you.”
“The choir is going to a children’s hospital to sing. We are going to sing ‘Rainbow Connection’. I thought it would be so cool to have you bring in a small piano, like Schroeder plays in the Charlie Brown shows.”
Madeline was deep in thought, while Angel told her their plans.
“There are tiny piano’s that play like celestas, they play like a piano, but have metal bars instead of strings. I could say dress in a formal tux with tails and carry it in, along with a real tiny stool.” Madeline said. “Could I also do ‘Schroeder’ from ‘You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown’?”
“That’s what I am talking about,” Angel said.
“That is a great idea Ms. Boucher. Let me see about getting the piano,” Ms. Macy said, “We could add ‘Schroeder’ at the middle. This could be wonderful.”
“It would be cooler if you could play a small guitar or ukulele and Natsuko could play a tiny violin.”
“I could do that if I had the instrument.”
“We only have three weeks, girls. Get on it if you can.”
“Let’s find Natsuko,” Madeline said. “She should be leaving her violin class.”
Angel and Madeline rushed out; they didn’t have far to go. They found her and pitched their idea on the way back to their cottage.
“I have a quarter size violin, but it is back in Kobe.”
“Leo, he could help us out,” Angel said.
Angel hurried into their room and got her cell phone out of her desk. She called Leo at the music shop.
“Put him on speaker phone, Angel,” Natsuko said.
The girls then told him about the show and their idea.
“I can do the guitar and violin easy. I have both of them in stock. I know what you want for the piano, you couldn’t carry it in, but … em. Let me see what I can do.”
Angel gave him a contact number for the school and Ms. Macy’s office.
“Our next practice will be Thursday afternoon, Leo.”
“I can’t promise anything, but I will try.”
>>>>><<<<<
The next choir class found Angel, Natsuko and Madeline standing in front of the class with Ms. Macy talking. There was a knock at the door and a big burly guy stuck his head in.
“Where do you want the new piano, Lady?” He asked.
“Right here,” Ms. Macy said smiling like the cat that ate the canary.
The guy came in with a broom and swept a path into the room and a large area, big enough for a concert grand piano. He then left. A minute later, they could hear men grunting. The double doors to the choir room opened and two huge guys were pushing a tiny piano, on a huge dolly. The guys could have played defensive tackles for a professional football team. The piano was about eighteen inches tall, shaped like a grand piano. It was two feet wide and about four feet deep. A third man carried in a piano bench; that was about eight inches tall. The two men strained and grunted, as they lifted the piano off the trolley. The girls of the choir were laughing and having a ball.
Leo then came in, carrying two small cases. Angel smiled and rushed to give the man a hug.
“Hello Leo.”
“Hello Angel.”
“I loved that entrance, Leo,” Ms. Macy said. “That would be good to incorporate into the show.”
Leo handed Angel a small guitar case and Natsuko a small violin case. He and the guys just stood back.
Madeline made a show out of raising the top of the piano and putting the support in place. She then sat on the tiny bench. It was kind of strange seeing one of the tallest girls at the school sitting on the tiny bench, in front of the tiny piano. Angel and Natsuko took their small instruments out and tuned them, as Madeline got use to the piano.
Madeline stood and made a big show of bowing to where the crowd would be, she turned to the piano and made a motion of flipping her non-existent tails up, as she sat on that tiny bench. She leaned over the piano, like Schroeder did in the cartoon, before she tickled the ivories a bit. She then played the first four measures. The piano sounded more like a glockenspiel, than a piano. She then looked at Angel, who played the first four measures and then Natsuko played the same four measures. They then played them together and then continued with the song, with Angel singing.
Ms. Macy was laughing and almost crying as the girls finished. Leo and the guys were applauding loudly and laughing, as was the choir. It took several minutes for the girls to settle down enough for Ms. Macy to get control.
“That was wonderful, you three need to practice some more with those instruments, but you guys did pretty good. Now let’s try it again with the full choir.”
The second play through with the choir, Angel, Madeline and Natsuko were much better. Ms. Macy decided that they would forgo the usual piano accompaniment and just go with the girls. She had them do it another time.
Regina Wilson then came in and draped herself, like Lucy, on the piano, Mrs. Davis, the choir’s pianist, began playing Beethoven on her grand piano while Madeline hammed up like she was playing the tiny piano. Regina then sang the song ‘Schroeder’. Madeline as Schroeder looked irritated at Lucy, while Lucy made goo goo eyes at Schroeder.
That seen brought tears to everyone’s’ eyes as they laughed at the two girls.
After class, Angel put up her little guitar and skipped over to Leo.
“How were we, Leo?”
“Ya’ll were great! This school has a really good choir. I especially liked how you three hammed it up.”
“I just want to thank you. How much do I owe you?”
“Nothing, the guitar is yours and Natsuko can keep the violin. The piano was the most expensive; you can just donate it to the children’s hospital.”
Angel just gave Leo another hug.
>>>>><<<<<
Angel got together with Janet and Rebecca after school for a guitar lesson in the Student Union building. They practiced chord progressions and played some songs together.
“How did you get so good, Angel?” Rebecca asked.
“I don’t know? Determination, lots of practice, a family with many good musicians, a bunch of great teachers, and an excellent instrument that makes you just want to play it, I guess.”
“Whatever, you play very well!” Janet exclaimed.
“I just feel all this music, in my soul, which is shouting at me to play it. I can’t describe what I am feeling when I am playing well.”
“Better than sex,” Rebecca joked.
“I wouldn’t know about that yet,” Angel said. “But it just may be.” Angel’s Mom and Aunt had told her that there may be conversations that might be like this. They told her that girls talk about sex almost as much as boys do. She had talked and practiced with the twins.
“How would you know about sex, Rebecca? Have you done it yet?” Janet asked, kidding her roommate.
Rebecca blushed, “I haven’t done it myself, but I have been close to doing it a couple of times. We kissed a lot and his hands were everywhere, except down there. I did touch a boy down there, once. How about you, Angel?”
“I haven’t really had a chance. Between my music and my mom watching over me, I really haven’t had the opportunity. Mom won’t let me date till I am sixteen. She just started letting me play with makeup this summer.”
“How much do you practice your guitar playing, girl?” Rebecca asked.
“An hour and a half, maybe two hours a day.”
“Everyday?”
“Pretty much. I might have missed a few days over the last four years. That’s what it takes to be really good.”
“And you’ve never gone out with a boy?”
“Not yet. Mother was a stay at home Mom. After she divorced my sperm donor, I helped her get over him and start living again.”
“You hate, your father. Did he abuse you?”
Angel’s eyes began to glisten with tears forming, “He never touched me like that, but he did hit me once with his fist. He was a sexist pig and a control freak. Everything he did had to be a certain way, which was his way. After he hit me, Mom clocked him on the head with a frying pan and told him to get out. He never came home again, after that.”
“What did you do to get him so mad?”
“I didn’t have to do anything in particular, he was just a jerk.”
“How old were you?”
“Six.”
“I am so sorry Angel,” Rebecca said, as she reached over and hugged Angel.
She cried on Rebecca’s shoulder. This was the first time Angel could remember crying over this. She was wishing that she would have had a loving father.
“Please Rebecca, don’t spread this around.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t. I know when something is too important to tell.”
Janet walked with Angel back to her cottage.
“Let me guess, your father hit you, because you are like me.”
“Yes and my Mom really did hit him with a frying pan.”
“I understand, Angel. If you need to talk, find me. I understand where you are coming from.”
“I will. Thank you.”
They hugged and headed to their own cottage.
>>>>><<<<<
Wednesday morning the freshmen were in their formal uniforms and in the library. Angel brought her laptop as did most of the girls there. Angel spent the first part of the class getting familiar with the library’s intranet resources. The front page had menus of what was available. There was an online card catalogue, music resources, periodicals that included most major newspapers that could be read online, virtual art galleries, virtual museums and so much more.
She did her homework and emailed it to her teachers, when she finished it. There was a math program on the library's homepage that let her do her algebra and insert the symbols she needed. From her English teacher’s homepage she selected her research paper’s topic. She chose to do her paper on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s character, Sherlock Holmes.
She chose to read the novel ‘The Hounds of Baskerville’ and the short stories ‘A Case of Identity’, ‘The Adventure of the Red-Headed League’ and ‘The Adventure of the Speckled Band’. She also found ‘Howdunit Book of Police Procedure and Investigation: A Guide for Writers’ and ‘The Casebook of Forensic Detection: How Science Solved 100 of the World's Most Baffling Crimes’. That was a lot of reading she had to do, but she was a fast reader and she loved detective stories. The Library had the complete collection of Sherlock Holmes and would order the other two books using a library exchange system.
Angel copied the Dewey Decimal Classification for the Sherlock Holmes books and went in search for the books. A roving senior sent her off in the right direction. Once she was in the right area, she quickly found the books she needed. When she got back to her computer she had an email from the librarian. Angel was able to download a Kindle reader program and the two books she wanted.
Next she wanted to check out some Spanish History. She found books in both English and Spanish. She decided to read some of each. Again, Angel was able to find a couple of books and download one in Spanish. On a whim she emailed her Spanish teacher and told her about a discussion she had with her family in Spain. She had a recording of her great, great, Aunt Carmelita Ramos. Angel wrote a little about her 104 year old Aunt and what was in the recording (in Spanish, of course). She remembered that there wasn’t anything in it that gave her away. She offered to let her teacher use the recording if she wanted.
Mrs. Rosales was quick to reply to Angel, she initiated a chat program with her student. She wanted to know what media was the recording in. Angel replied that she had the recording on her hard drive of this computer. She asked if Angel could send her a copy. Angel found the recording and sent the file to her teacher. Mrs. Rosales said she'd received it and thanked Angel.
After four hours in the library Angel met up with her roommates and headed to lunch. They were glad it was lunch time, they had each used the time judiciously, but four hours is four hours.
It was still strange seeing so many girls in their formal uniforms. Unlike some schools, the uniforms here looked good and the formal uniforms with their ruffled blouses looked especially nice. Most of the girls acted particularly ladylike on Wednesdays, none were more ladylike than Madeline. She always seemed elegant. She would make an excellent straight woman for a comedy routine.
>>>>><<<<<
As much as Angel loved playing music, she also loved listening to music. Music appreciation this week was no different. Angel took notes as a string quartet played some classical music. Amy and Carol were in this group. Then there was a small choral group singing a cappella. There was a harp solo, a pop/rock group and lastly there was a senior who sang ‘Stetit Puella’, ‘In Trutina’ and “Dulcissime’ from ‘Carmina Burana’. The music was a full orchestra recording.
When Angel got back to the dorm, she checked her email. Mrs. Rosales sent her an email thanking her for the recording and asking her to come to the Advanced Spanish class room 208 at eleven on Thursday. Mrs. Rosales stated she cleared it with Angel’s Government class teacher. She got emails from the twins, Aunt Carmine and her mother. She also saw one from Servando Morales.
Dear Angel,
It was wonderful finding your videos on the computer. My assistant constantly checks what you call YOUTUBE, for interesting new artists. She brought your videos to my attention. Imagine my surprise at seeing that young lady that I played with in Madrid on her computer screen. Anita was surprised to hear that I already met and played with the young lady she was bringing to my attention. I loved watching you play and dictated a comment to her.
Anita checked up and read the other comments, and she found your reply to my comment. She did some research for me and found your school. I have corresponded with your school. I assume they checked me out. Four days later they sent me an email and said that they would be happy to forward an email to you.
I am glad for the opportunity to write you and tell you to keep up the good work. I will be in New York to play with the New York Philharmonic in December. I would love for you and some of your friends to attend this concert. Please tell me how many might attend and I will send you tickets.
With admiration and affection
Servando Morales.
Angel checked her calendar and saw that Servando was a guest Soloist and got the dates. She also noted that they also had a concert in New York the weekend before Servando Morales’ performance. We won’t be playing at the Lincoln Center, but still, I think we are a very good orchestra, Angel thought.
Angel composed an email back to him.
Dear Mr. Morales,
I enjoyed your comment on YouTube almost as much as when I got the opportunity to play with you.
I still remember the day I met you. I thought I was doing a favor for a nice old man. I was surprised though when you began to push and challenge me musically to play better. You remind me so much of the ‘Old Men’ who taught me how to play. My Grandfather and two great uncles, Pedro Aguilar and Ricky Montez taught me to love Classical and Spanish guitars.
I will always remember the time we played together fondly. I need to check with my mom and school about attending your performance. My school also has a concert in New York on December the sixth. It may not be the Lincoln Center, but I would like to invite you to attend it. I know that you may have a busy schedule, but it would be nice having you there. I may be playing ‘Spanish Romance’ or ‘Recuerdos de la Alhambra’. That is what I am practicing with our Orchestra. We have a very good orchestra for an all-girl high school.
Thank you for writing to me, I hope you will always be my friend.
Love,
Angel
She hit send and then printed out Servando Morales’ email.
(to be continued)
Angel Marquez-The Angel Blossoms chapter 4
by
Paula Dillon
Angel and her roommates continue their education and get to know each other better. Natsuko shows who is boss at table tennis and makes new friends. The girls are a big hit at the children’s hospital. Madeline wows the kids, Angel delights them and the kids have a grand ole time.
Saturday Angel and her roommates joined many of the students that were stuck on campus for the weekend. The Athletic Director, Coach Deborah Smith, got the students in the Student Union at nine and announced a Ping-Pong tournament. Sixteen students signed up for the tourney. The prize was a stack of movies and the use of the popcorn machine, for the weekend.
Madeline wasn’t playing, but she volunteered to be an official score keeper and flip scorecards.
Angel had played a little and she was a ‘middle of the road’ type player. Her style was that of a blocker. She selected one of the hard sandpaper paddles, which she used to just block the balls back across the net. She figured that she would be beaten after a round or two. She was a very frustrating defensive style player.
Luck of the draw found Angel up against Cindy Martin. Cindy was pretty good and won the first game, eleven to six. Angel began to find her rhythm in the second game and Cindy began to get frustrated by Angel’s style. Angel won the second game, twelve to ten. In the third game, Cindy was frazzled by Angel’s blocking style and lost it completely, eleven to five.
Everyone was surprised by Natsuko. She chose one of the pips down butterfly paddles and held it in a penholder style. The girls that were watching were amazed to see her play. She crushed her first opponent eleven to one, and eleven to two. Natsuko was up on the balls of her feet, gliding back and forth, as her opponent tried to win a point. Natsuko just smashed any ball that crossed over the net back at the poor girl. The hall echoed with the staccato of her “Hia!”, as she connected with the ball. The three points she lost in her two games, was her actually missing the table.
When Natsuko won the second game, Emily Davis, her opponent, just stood there staring at Natsuko blankly, shell shocked. Emily knew that she probably didn’t have a chance, but she didn’t think she would be beaten so badly in the first round. What surprised Emily even more, was the fact that Natsuko came over to her, gave the girl a big hug and apologized for beating her so badly.
Angel fell in the second round. She was up against Anita McDonald, a nearly six-foot senior, who was very athletic. Angel gave a good show, as she lost eleven to eight and eleven to six. She didn’t feel badly. Angel knew that Anita and her roommate Natsuko, would probably play for the title.
Natsuko played Renee Stoddard the second round. Renee was also an athlete and highly favored. They were the last two to finish the second round, as they played three long games, with many long volleys. Each point was highly contested and it was hard to follow the ball back and forth. Watchers could only hold their heads steady as they got dizzy if they tried to turn their heads to the motion of the ball. Natsuko won, eleven to nine, eight to eleven and sixteen to fourteen. Renee broke her paddle on the table after losing. Coach Smith barked at her, which snapped Renee out of her funk. Renee then met Natsuko and congratulated the girl.
The third round, Anita and Natsuko both won their games handily. Anita won, eleven to seven, and eleven to nine. Natsuko won hers, eleven to six and eleven to four. Coach Smith called for a twenty-minute break before the final round. Three groups of girls formed, one group around Anita, one around Natsuko and the rest of the girls just watched them.
A serious looking Renee approached the girl’s around Natsuko and said, “Excuse me, Natsuko.”
The girls parted as Renee came up to Natsuko. They didn’t want to be between the two girls, if the fur started flying. Things got very quiet around the two and many girls held their breath.
“I just want to apologize for my display earlier. You did a wonderful job and really played a very good game.”
Natsuko smiled at the girl and said, “You play very well too Renee-san. I have not had a chance to play at your level since I left Japan.”
Renee cracked a smile and picked up the smaller girl in a bear hug. When she put the girl down, Natsuko said, “I am glad that you are not mad at me. I hope that we two can become friends, Renee-san.”
“You can count on it, and please call me Renee.”
“Thank you, Renee.”
“I have some things to tell you about Anita. She is a tough nut to crack.”
The girls huddled up, as Renee talked to Natsuko.
>>>>><<<<<
Coach Smith called the girls together, “Okay, since we have two very good players in this final game, they will play the best of seven games, with a volley limit of thirteen legal returns. The server will lose the point after thirteen legal returns by the receiver.
Natsuko and Anita flipped a coin for first serve. Anita won and then the game began. Anita had the best forehand smash, but Natsuko kept pushing the ball to the girl's back hand. There were many long volleys. Anita began trying to get under Natsuko’s skin by beginning to lob the ball back. Natsuko at times was ten to fifteen feet behind the table to return the ball with a smash. Anita won the first game, fourteen to twelve. Natsuko came back to win the second, eleven to nine. The third and fourth games, went to Anita and the fifth and six games, went to Natsuko.
“Wow, that was quite a display,” Coach Smith said. “The winner of this game will win the tourney. Natsuko has the serve, let’s have a good game.”
The sweaty girls shook hands and began the final game. They traded points back and forth. Neither girl led by more than two points and they had two rallies that went to thirteen returns. In the end, Natsuko won, when her last smash just clipped the edge of the table and the ball dove to the floor. Anita almost face planted going after that last shot, missing the ball by inches. The final game's score was twenty to eighteen.
Anita just laid there in exhaustion. Natsuko rushed over to see if the girl was okay. Anita just laughed as the smaller girl gave her a hand up.
The coach got everyone’s attention and said, “Natsuko’s cottage gets the movies and the popcorn machine for this weekend.”
“Can we not have the movies and popcorn upstairs, so more of the girls can partake?” Natsuko asked.
Coach Smith just smiled, “That’s a wonderful idea. Let me check and I will get back to ya’ll after lunch.”
Madeline kept a little distance from Natsuko and Angel, as they smelled a bit. Angel and Natsuko headed to the showers, while Madeline helped Mrs. Westfall with lunch.
Angel finished first and was blow-drying her hair. She had dropped her brush and bent to pick it up, when Natsuko came out of the shower.
Lunch on weekends was fun food, chilidogs, spicy home fries and a salad. The chili was a low fat variety, turkey franks, and the fries were baked in a convection oven. The girls had as much fun telling Mrs. Westfall how Natsuko won the ping-pong tourney. Natsuko tried to be demur and get her roomies to talk about something else, but they wouldn’t hear of it. Mrs. Westfall even got into listening about the girls play.
“How did you get so good, Natsuko?” Angel asked.
“I learned how to play table tennis soon after I began to play the violin, at five years old. My parents stressed a balance between Academics, Music and Athletics. Children work harder in schools, than this school, Angel.”
Angel’s eyes got big, when Natsuko said that. She was doing very good so far, but she was working harder than she ever had before. Still, she would only give this up for her Mom. She missed being with her Mom, but she loved this school so much.
As they ate, the phone rang, Mrs. Westfall took the call and made notes. When she returned she said, “They are having a campus wide movie night tonight, from six to one. There will be snacks provided around eight, and popcorn and drinks available. Who’s interested?”
Everyone raised their hands.
“Ok, then get your reading and school work done. I will serve dinner around four thirty.
>>>>><<<<<
For about two hours, Angel and her roommates practiced their music, both alone and together. Angel began to get used to the smaller guitar and practiced her choir parts, as did Natsuko.
It had been quite a few years since Natsuko played on a 1/4 size violin. She had one at five and moved up to a 3/4 violin at seven. It didn’t sound as good as her Tommaso Balestrieri Violin and it was a lot harder to finger with her larger teenage hands, but then again, her Balestrieri cost nearly eight million yen. Her bow cost as much as some good violins. Her electric violin and its carbon fiber bow, cost nearly two million yen.
Madeline was happy to don her headphones as she practiced some Tchaikovsky, Ravel and Chopin on her keyboard.
After an hour, they all got together and worked on their choir project till three thirty and then broke to do some reading for school.
>>>>><<<<<
Mrs. Westbrook went to the student union building with the kids, she was part of the chaperoning for the girls and on top of that, she really loved some of the movies that were going to be shown. She didn’t always get the chance to be with her girls, but she loved doing it.
Almost all of the girls that had remained on campus were there for this movie night. Natsuko became a sort of celebrity among the girls for her generosity of sharing this experience.
Coach Smith was manning the popcorn machine and was the busiest person there that night; thirty-nine girls can eat a mountain of popcorn. Mrs. Westfall and Ms. Kramer were handling the drink machine, while Miss Seabrook, from the cafeteria staff brought out finger sandwiches, chips and cookies for the girls.
All the girls then sat on the floor to watch the movies. Some of the older girls were smart enough to bring pillows and blankets. It made their time seem like a big sleepover. The first movie they watched was the remake of ‘The Parent Trap’ with Lindsey Lohan and Dennis Quad.
Next, they watched an anime movie ‘Totoro’. It was about two young girls that moved to the country to be closer to their sick mother. The girls then get involved in many adventures, after meeting a forest spirit.
The last movie was ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’. Half of the girls there were in love with Daniel Radcliffe; the other half just wished they had his money.
After the movies, the girls got together and did a lot of the cleanups before heading back to their dorms. The girls just collapsed in bed when they got back to their dorm.
>>>>><<<<<
Sunday afternoon Angel gave guitar lessons to Janet and Rebecca. Janet showed so much improvement; since Angel first helped her get her guitar. Rebecca told Angel that she wanted to learn to play a classical guitar.
“You can practice some on your own guitar, till you can get a classical guitar. It’s just easier on a classical.” Angel demonstrated some of the classical guitar basics and had Rebecca try them. “You can also find some classical guitar lessons online and I can help you with them. You also need to do some finger exercises; classical guitar requires more manual dexterity.”
They practiced both the acoustic and classical guitars for about an hour and a half. Janet suggested that they go to the student center and get a coke. Sunday, in the student center, they found many of the students there doing what girls usually do on the weekends, talking with other girls and lazing around. The girls got their drinks and found a quiet section of the student center to sit and talk.
After a couple of minutes talking, Rebecca turned to Angel, “Angel, I understand that I have a lot to thank you for. You see… Janet told me all about her secret.”
Angel was stunned, but didn’t display anything except a half smile, “Which one?”
“Oh, you have more than one secret, Janet?” Rebecca said, turning to her friend, with a faked serious look.”
“Of course, I have more than one secret. I will tell them to you one at a time, Becca.”
“Anyway, she told me that she was born in the wrong body. I don’t care about that, she is such a sweet girl to me and I love her so much. She also told me how you and your cousins’ stuck up for her and how she has you to thank for getting her to go to this school.”
Rebecca looked around and not seeing anybody near, kissed Janet on the lips. It was the kiss of a lover, not just a friend.
“Anyway, thank you, Angel,”
“I see that you are okay with Janet. I just couldn’t stand seeing that other girl pick on her and mistreat her. I liked Janet, from the moment that I met her,” Angel said.
“Yeah, my Mom worked with people that were different, she taught me that different didn’t mean bad, or untouchable. She is a big supporter of LGBT Causes. Janet’s secret is safe with me.”
“What does your Mom do?” Angel asked.
“She is an organizer and fund raiser. My Dad is a lawyer for a big Wall Street firm and that lets my Mom do whatever she wants to do. My dad’s firm does some pro bono work for some of Mom’s causes. LGTB causes, just happens to be one of her favorite causes. I think she is a lesbian at heart, but she’ll never leave my Dad.”
“What makes you say that?” Angel asked.
“I see the way she looks at women. She has this longing look in her eyes. She loves my Dad, but…”
“I think I know what you mean, Rebecca.”
“She is a good person and a good Mom.”
“You do know that you have to protect Janet’s secret now, don’t you?”
“With my life. I am not going to let her get hurt. I wouldn’t do that, even if I didn’t like her.”
>>>>><<<<<
Angel was kept very busy the next week. Orchestra introduced a third solo piece for Angel. Angel had to begin working on Handel’s ‘Sarabande’ for orchestra and guitar. This was a new piece for Angel; she had never heard it before. Madeline and Natsuko helped her begin to learn it. Mrs. Grogan told her that ‘Sarabande’ might be a piece they would play for spring or the next fall.
Angel finished her reading for English and began writing her paper on Sherlock Holmes. She wrote her outline and started organizing her notes. She was going to compare and contrast Sherlock Holmes and Modern Forensic Detection.
In Spanish, she had two literary pieces to work on. Mrs. Rosales found out that Angel was doing a paper on Sherlock Holmes and wanted her to translate a two page Passage, from English to Spanish. She also selected a two page passage from ‘Don Quixote-Man From La Mancha’ for Angel to translate from Spanish to English. She was to translate the meaning of the two pieces and include explanations of Idioms, illusions and anything the reader might misunderstand. These two pieces would be the basis of her grade for this semester, along with the help she provided in class.
Learning how to reset the keyboard to type in Spanish and typing in Spanish, was a challenge in itself, for Angel. One of the senior girls worked with Angel while they were in the library on Wednesday. Angel also appeared in the Advanced Spanish classes, when Mrs. Rosales played excerpts of the recording of Angel’s great Aunt. She provided some of the background and explanations of the recording. The students had to take notes, as Mrs. Rosales told them that there would be several questions about the recording on their final.
At lunch on Thursday, Mrs. Beckman summoned Angel to her office. Angel was nervous about being called to the head’s office. Mrs. Beckman’s secretary sent her right in when she entered the outer office. Mrs. Grogan and Mrs. Bloomington were sitting in her office.
“You called for me, Mrs. Beckman?”
“Yes I did. Have a seat Miss Marquez. Am I to understand that you invited a Servando Morales to one of our Orchestra Concerts, in December?”
“Yes, I did. He emailed me and told me he was playing in New York. He invited me to his concert. I was going to talk to Mrs. Westfall and my Mother about attending. I returned the favor and invited him to our concert.”
“Well he contacted me; or rather his secretary contacted me, requesting tickets. We were happy to send him whatever he required. His secretary asked for a block of twenty tickets.”
Angel smiled, she was happy that she would get to see him again.
“In exchange, he offered to send us a block of tickets for his concert appearance. After talking with Mrs. Grogan and Mrs. Bloomington, we have decided to accept.”
Angel nearly jumped out of her chair, “How many tickets do I get?”
“We… will get enough tickets for the orchestra and chaperones, plus a few more. Do you think your Mom and Aunt would like to help chaperone this lot? Of course Mrs. Santiago could bring her daughters.”
Angel’s jaw fell slack, she knew that the tickets were expensive, “Oh my god, that’s a lot of money. Yes, I will call my Mom and Aunt tonight. They will do this, I think, if it is possible. This isn’t a joke is it?”
“If it is, it is a well-orchestrated joke, if you get my pun. No, they were being serious, I think. We wouldn’t be up front and center, but you are right, it is a sizable donation. Here are the details, call your family and get back to me. We have ten days to reply.”
Angel checked with her Mom and Aunt Carmine, they were ecstatic about the opportunity to attend the concert. They both put the event on their calendars and made a note to get some new dresses.
>>>>><<<<<
Saturday, Angel was relaxing with her roommates watching the school's soccer team practice. Madeline was really into soccer; her school back in France had been highly competitive for their age bracket in Europe. They had been in the top ten girls’ soccer teams, for the last five years. Natsuko was more into it than Angel. Angel just liked being with her friends.
Natsuko was hugging one of Angel’s arms and Madeline was hanging onto the other. They were sitting in a fairly deserted area with a view of the field.
“Angel, Natsuko and I were talking the other day and we wanted to tell you something. We are both glad that we got to room with you,” Madeline said. “Both of us had no real family besides our parents and you have taken us in. We lived by our parents’ expectations and to some extent we still do, but you have treated us like sisters and allowed us to join in with your family.”
“It’s been a blast, Madeline,” Angel said. “I love being with you two also. Besides my cousins, I really didn’t form any relationships. I feel that I need you two, also. I really like being with you girls.”
“I agree,” Natsuko said. “In my family, I had to grow up fast. I missed having some of the good times that we have had. My parents moved many times as they went from one diplomatic post to another. Angel, we just have one question. Remember, we love you Angel.”
“Yes, Natsuko and I have noticed a few things that just didn’t fit together. So we wanted to ask you.”
Angel began to get a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.
“If we are right, then don’t be afraid and if we are wrong, forgive our imaginations,” Natsuko said. “Were you born a boy, Angel?”
Angel looked from Madeline to Natsuko, she was afraid, but both girls were smiling.
“I thought I was so good hiding that old part of me,” Angel said, with a sniffle. “What gave me away?”
“Little things, it would be hard to put a finger on just one, you are very good, but remember, we have been living together for over a month now,” Madeline said. “You have never been entirely naked around us, even though you have seen us without any clothes on. Once, we both turned into each other and bumped our breasts hard. It hurt me, but it didn’t faze you. Also, at your birthday party, somebody gave you a… I don’t know, a strange T-shirt.”
“A monster truck T-shirt. What is a monster truck?” Natsuko asked.
“Yeah, that was a grave digger monster truck autographed T-shirt, it’s not exactly a gift most girls would crave. Monster trucks are a red-neck sport, in the US. They have these regular size pickup trucks, with some really humungous tires. They run around crushing things with them. I don’t see the sport in doing that, but millions of people in the US love that,” Angel said, with tears streaming down her face. “Not all of my relatives were happy that I became a girl. Some of them still want to rub salt into my wounds.”
“Yes, my body may be a boy’s body, but I know in my heart that I should have been born a girl. If you guys want, I can call my Aunt and leave this school, but I have loved being able to live with a really swell group of girls. I have learned so much from all of you.”
“Oh no, please don’t leave. We are so sorry,” Natsuko said. “We were just … things just didn’t … I don’t know how to say this, but we don’t want you to leave. You haven’t done anything wrong by us.”
“I was told that if other girls found out, and said anything about it, that I would have to go.”
“Angel, we won’t say anything about it. It would break up our group, we don’t want that,” Madeline said crying.
“And we love spending weekends with your family. I was often left at school when my parents were overseas at this embassy or that embassy. We are sisters now, Angel,” Natsuko added, also in tears. “You are so Bishoujo… such a pretty girl, Angel. Please forget we said anything.”
“I always had to be so proper. I had to be ‘the proper model’ that my mom is all the time. She is a bit aristocratic. Add to that, the hours I spend practicing on the piano and there was no time to have fun. With you, we have fun, and besides, we would hate having to break in a new roommate,” Madeline said. “Consider it a closed topic.”
Angel looked hopefully at her roommates and said, “Let’s get some drinks and go somewhere else.”
Angel cleaned up her face and they stopped by the student center. They picked up some cokes, found an empty music room and sat down to talk. Angel then told her roomies her story. They were all crying and hugging, when Angel finished her story.
“Do you think I can keep fooling the others here?” Angel asked.
“I don’t think that that will be a problem, Angel. You are such a girl,” Madeline said.
“Please don’t let my Aunt, Mom, or cousins know you know, they might pull me out, if you do.”
“Our lips are sealed.”
“Thank you. Oh, we will be at my Aunt's next weekend.”
“Now, that is what I am talking about,” Madeline said. “I just love her cooking, but I need to be careful not to put on any weight.”
“Sierra and Nevada wanted to teach me the Tango,” Natsuko said.
“Oh, that is so easy, Natsuko,” Madeline said, demonstrating, by taking the male role with Angel.
>>>>><<<<<
Angel and Amanda came out on stage together. There were about a hundred kids in the audience, some were connected to IV stands and some had monitors of some sort. Angel started to sit on the stool, but stopped. She took Amanda’s hand and together they stepped off the stage.
“Can some of the kids come up here and sit on the floor around us?” Angel asked.
Some of the nurses brought some of the smaller children up. They sat on the floor as Angel and Amanda sat on the edge of the stage.
Angel began playing her guitar and together with Amanda, began singing. After the first verse of ‘Sing’, the rest of the choir began filtering out on stage, singing too. The children loved this and quite a few who knew the song, began singing with them. Angel and Amanda had to hug quite a few of the kids before they could leave the front of the stage after the song. Angel went behind the stage and Amanda took her place in the choir.
After about forty minutes of singing, the choir took an intermission. The two guys that had first delivered the piano to the school, then made a show out of placing the piano on stage. Madeline, who was dressed in a Tux, with tails, five inch black patent stiletto heels and Ginny Moore, dressed in a Lucy costume, came out on stage. Some of the kids were in shock when they saw how big Madeline looked. With heels; she was over six feet, two inches tall. They were oohing and ahhing when they saw her.
Madeline made a show out of sitting on the tiny bench in front of the tiny piano. The kids were amazed at the sound of what they thought was a toy piano, but really was a quality child’s instrument. Madeline began playing the Beethoven number. Ginny sat on the floor and leaned onto the piano. She then sang the song ‘Schroeder’ from ‘You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown’. Madeline gracefully stood, an amazing feat, considering her footwear and how low she was sitting, and left the stage before Ginny finished with the line, “My Aunt Marian was right, never discuss marriage with a musician.”
The children went crazy with their applause, as Ginny left the stage. The second part of the concert began with the choir coming out on stage singing. They sang for about thirty minutes more. Then Angel, with her tiny guitar, Natsuko with her 1/4 violin and Madeline, came out on stage. Angel again sat on the edge of the stage. Natsuko stood next to her and Madeline sat at her tiny piano. The children needed no prompting to come and sit around them.
They then began playing ‘Rainbow Connection’.
After they finished, the choir mingled with the children. This had not been planned, but was a natural consequence of the show. The children loved the distraction from the problems that they had and the choir had fun mingling with the kids for a bit. Madeline found herself in a pack of children. They were amazed at the tall and pretty girl. Natsuko was talking anime and manga characters with a group of children, who wanted to know what her favorites were.
>>>>><<<<<
It was hard to pry the kids out of the girls’ arms, but all good things must come to an end. The sad, but happy girls of Sarah Adam’s Academy, waved to the kids, who looked out of the windows of their little part of the world.
For the next two hours, the girls sniffled, hugged each other and laughed about the good time they had; and pleaded with Ms. Macy to plan a return trip to the hospital. When they reached the school, Ms. Macy stood at the front of the bus.
“Girls, I just wanted to say that you exceeded my expectations. Your performance today was exceptional. I heard from the hospital staff that they thoroughly enjoyed our work. One doctor told me that we did more than medicine could, for some of the kids. I take it, that all of you had a wonderful time. I especially want to thank Angel Marquez, Madeline Boucher and Natsuko Takahashi. They added so much to our program today. Lastly, I want to thank everyone who gave of themselves to make other lives more bearable.”
(to be continued)
Sorry for taking so long to get this out. Blame Warcraft, hot temperatures, taking my Mom to her many Doctor Appointments, the stars being in the wrong positions and several other stories that have eked their way into my mind.
I really do like to hear your comments, they are important to me. I read each and every one of them. You help me mold the stories and guide me. I need to know what works and what falls flat on its face.
Thank you for your readership and support.
Paula
Angel Marquez-The Angel Blossoms chapter 5
by
Paula Dillon
Mrs. Grogan had a dilemma. She had so many good musicians that should get some solo time, and the administration had some specific girls that they wanted to highlight. There was Amy Spencer, first violin, Carol Rawlings, second violin, Natsuko Takahashi, third violin, Madeline Boucher, piano and of course Angel Marquez on the guitar. All of them would, at another school, have some solo time. They were all that good. Amy was a senior and she had done everything that had been asked of her. She would get the lion’s share. Carol would have to wait till next year, she was a junior. She wasn’t close to being second best; that was Natsuko, but Natsuko was a freshman. Madeline was up there too. Mrs. Grogan knew that Madeline would find a spot in some major orchestra when she got some more maturity. Her play was that good.
That left Angel. She needed to put her in, too. Mrs. Beckman really wanted her to be pushed forward. Mrs. Grogan came up with a solution. This year Angel would open with a couple of pieces. It was unusual for a concert to be opened with a solo like this, but it was an elegant solution. Angel just needed more work with a full orchestra and needed to read music a little better.
Mrs. Grogan called all five girls together.
“Girls, I have been presented a dilemma. All of you are good enough to deserve solos. Amy you will have four solos this school year and Madeline you will have two. Carol will have to wait next year. Natsuko will it be alright to wait two more years? Amy is a senior and she is very good. Carol will be a senior next year. At any other school you would have some solos.”
“I understand, Mrs. Grogan. Amy and Carol have worked so hard. I can wait.”
“We could split our solo duties,” Carol said. “I really like to play solos, but I feel Natsuko is better than I am. I wouldn’t mind sharing with her.”
“No, you are very good, Carol,” Natsuko said. “You should have your year.”
“Natsuko, if you and I were both freshmen. You would be sitting second violin and I would be third violin. Wouldn’t you say so Mrs. Grogan?”
“I’m not going to take a position on that, Miss Rawlings. I will just say that all of you are excellent musicians. I do like give the older girls have their chance. We will see what happens.”
“I can wait too, Mrs. Grogan,” Angel said, smiling.
“That is not an option, Angel. I know it is unusual, but I have a solution. You will open for us. You need to work with an orchestra more and get better at reading music. So next week you will open with ‘Recuerdos de la Alhambra’, while we get ready back stage. Then you will play ‘Classical Gas’, and just before you begin to repeat your opening theme the curtain will open and the orchestra will join you through the end. You will exit stage left and then take your seat next to Sue.”
“Yes ma’am, not a problem,” Angel said.
The orchestra began to work hard on the pieces they were going to play in their October concert. Madeline demonstrated her competence at the piano and sat with Mrs. Green at the Steinway. Linda Jones brought them to attention and began to put the orchestra through its paces. Angel was doing well playing with Sue and following Linda’s direction.
After five weeks of working together the orchestra was beginning to gel well together. They had gone over their whole repertoire at least twice and Mrs. Grogan liked what she heard. She then selected the pieces for their concert. After they had completed their last piece, Mrs. Grogan stepped up on the platform.
“Girls we will rehearse the full concert for the next three practices and a dress rehearsal on Tuesday, so be prepared. You all have the program. Make sure you know the order. We need to sound sharp next Wednesday. Come here dressed after lunch on Wednesday and we will do makeup. We will have girls from theatrical department to assist. We will be playing for the Morning Hills Retirement Community. There could be up to four hundred people at that venue, with residents and guests. Let’s give them a great show.”
Then Mrs. Grogan went over the order piece by piece for the girls to make sure they knew it. The students checked their programs and began ordering their sheet music.
“Girls, you all know that we are going to New York in December to do a concert. I have some news for you. Thanks to one of our students, we have also been invited to attend a concert in December put on by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Servando Morales a world renowned classical guitarist will be the featured Artist for the concert. We will need permission slips for anybody who wishes to attend. Your section leaders will now pass those slips out. We need these back by the eighteenth of October.”
“Dress will be formal. Your concert outfits will be acceptable, but you may dress in any formal gowns. This will be a wonderful experience for all of us. The New York Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the top world renowned orchestras. I hope that all of you can attend. I need to know the exact number of you who can attend on December fourteenth. Don’t worry about the cost of the tickets. We are being given a block of tickets. The school will pick up the transportation costs. The costs for you will be any the cost clothing you choose to invest in, and dinner. We will break up before the concert in three groups and go to three places to eat. This will cost between twenty five to thirty five dollars maximum, depending to what you order.”
Five girls then began passing out information sheets on the concert and restaurants, as the girls began to talk excitedly about the trip. The concert would be on the last Saturday before finals. That was the only downside. They would have to study hard the week before finals.
After class Angel had about a thousand questions to answer. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out who was responsible for the invitation with the clues Mrs. Grogan had dropped.
“It happened like this,” Angel told the assembled girls. “I met Servando Morales in Madrid this summer. I was playing my guitar in a park and had quite a crowd around me listening. There was this kind old man who came up and asked if he could play with me. I said yes. It didn’t take me long to realize that I had underestimated his skill. He challenged me in ways I had never been challenged before, but I did well. I didn’t know who he was exactly, even though he introduced himself. I found out who he was later when one of my cousins, saw a picture of us playing together.”
“Anyway, his secretary found my school audition videos that Vanessa Hall posted on You Tube . We exchanged email addresses. Servando invited me to a concert he was playing in New York and I returned the favor and invited him to our concert in New York. His secretary called the school, and well, the rest is history.”
“Well just who is this Servando Morales?” one of the girls asked.
“You can Google him. That will be better than me explaining. He has a page in Wikipedia and he has his own website and is featured in many others.”
“I can’t believe that one of us actually played with a world renowned artist,” another girl said.
>>>>><<<<<
Friday evening, Aunt Carmine and the twins picked the girls up. The twins excitedly helped the girls carry their bags to the van. On the ride home they talked.
“Angel, the first weekend in November we are going to go dress shopping,” Carmine said, “Natsuko and Madeline, do you two have dresses you can use, or will you two need to shop for dresses, too.”
“I have plenty of formals back in France, but that is the problem. They are back in France. I just love to go shopping though.”
“I too have many nice clothes at home, I too have the same problem, but I have enough money to buy more dresses,” Natsuko said. “I will enjoy going shopping with all of you.”
“Good, we will have fun, girls. I look forward to seeing all of us in formals.”
“Oh, by the way Aunt Carmine, we will be playing with the orchestra at Morning Hills Retirement Community this Wednesday.”
“What time?”
“Seven thirty, they will have a buffet before for us before that at five and desserts afterwards.”
“Mmm, I may see if we can come over to watch and record it. I know your mom would be interested in seeing you in concert.”
“Call Mrs. Grogan at school.”
>>>>><<<<<
At home, Sierra and Nevada got Natsuko and Madeline dancing, while Angel played the guitar for them. Madeline was a very good dancer, but she took the masculine role to Nevada because of their height differences. She was taller than everybody here. Could you see a girl that was five foot two dipping a girl who was nearly six foot tall? Carmine actually cut in on Sierra just for that same reason, although Natsuko was only five foot five.
Margarita arrived at about seven. Angel jumped into her arms and hugged her, “Hi Mom, it’s so good seeing you.”
Margarita kissed her daughter’s cheeks, and with a tear in her eyes, “It’s so good seeing you, too. Hello Sis, Sierra, Nevada, Natsuko and Madeline,” she said hugging each one of them. “Are ya’ll ready to go out to eat, I am starving.”
They all went to La Maison de Maurice for dinner. Madeline was excited after they hit the front door and quickly reverted to speaking French. The maá®tre de was from France and recognized that Madeline spoke true French. He was excited and asked, “Magnifique áªtes-vous tous de la France? ” (Wonderful are you French?”
Margarita answered, “Non, monsieur, Mme Boucher est le français le reste d'entre nous sont en anglais avec des liens á destination de Madrid en Espagne, á l'exception de Mme Takahashi, qui est Japonais., Nous parlons tous anglais cependant.” (No, Sir, Ms. Boucher is French the rest of us are English with ties to Madrid Spain, except Ms. Takahashi who is Japanese. We do speak English though.)
“Magnifique, if you Ladies would come with me, please.”
There were roses on live rose bushes everywhere in the restaurant. The girls ogled all the pretty flowers. They were surprised to see that they were all real. After they were seated they perused the menu. The menu items had French names and descriptions, with an English translation.
Madeline discussed the dishes with everyone as they looked at the menus. She pointed out things she had eaten before and gave her impressions of the dishes. After they ordered, they sat around and talked.
“Tell me Angel, how has school been?”
“It has been wonderful, Mom. I really enjoy it and I love the way they teach us. I do miss you though at times. How has work been?”
“Angel, it has been a real challenge. I just love the added responsibility and the people I work with. I do miss you too though. Our video conferences and emails keep me going. Are you excited about the concert in December?”
“Both of them Mom, our concert and the New York Philharmonic concert.”
“I can’t wait to go with you to that one and I will be at your concert, too.”
“We have one this Wednesday too.”
“I can’t go to that one; I am going to spend two weeks in Madrid and Paris.”
“If you could stop by the Japanese embassy, you could say hi to my parents,” Natsuko said, excitedly. “Tell them I miss them, I am working very and I love the school and all of you.”
“I will try to do that for you Natsuko. What about you, Madeline? Your Mom lives in Paris doesn’t she?”
“Yes but I don’t know if she is in Paris, New York or Milan. Mom, Antoinette Boucher, is on contract right now.”
“Antoinette Boucher is your Mom?” Margarita asked. “She is famous.”
“That she is. She feels she only has about three maybe four years left to model, so she is pushing hard right now. She will settle down after that. I hope.”
“You really miss her too, don’t you?”
“Yes I do, but modeling is such a demanding business, one that doesn’t appreciate models ageing well.”
“I know what you mean. She is already one of the older models around and she is quite beautiful.”
“She is thirty four. It hurt her a bit when she had to step down for a year and a half to have me. Models have to be seen to be remembered. Eighteen months is a long time for a model to be out of the public sight.”
“I am sure she misses you too, Madeline.”
“I know,” Madeline said her eyes glistening. “I love her, and I love all of you too. You have made me feel a part of your family.”
“Me too,” Natsuko said.
“I, my sister, and my girls are glad to have all of you in our family,” Carmine said. “I agree, with my sister,” Margarita said.
There were more than one pair of eyes glistening at that table; in fact, there were no dry eyes. The girls traded hugs with each other.
“Did Janice come home with ya’ll?” Margarita asked.
“No she went home with her roommate, Rebecca, this weekend,” Angel said.
“So she is getting along well with the other girls.”
Angel, Natsuko and Madeline just looked at each other and smiled.
“I would say so Mom, I am teaching them both to play the guitar, too.”
“I am glad that you are teaching others to appreciate the guitar,” Madeline said.
“Oh, Leo wants the three of you to come by tomorrow. He would like you to play at the plaza at the mall for lunch. So if you want to, you need to think about what you will play.”
“I am game. I feel we need to thank Leo. He helped out at a choir concert we had,” Angel said.
Madeline and Natsuko agreed with Angel.
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The seven girls arrived at Leo’s just after the store opened. After hugs they talked about the show, they wanted to put on.
1. Pachelbel’s ‘Canon in D’
2. Chopin’s ‘Nocturne’
3. Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’
4. Mason William’s ‘Classical Gas’
5. Francisco Tá¡rrega’s ‘Recuerdos de la Alhambra”
6. Neil Diamond’s Brother Loves Traveling Salvation Show
7. Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ ’
8. Mozart’s ‘Rondo alla Turca’
9. Paganini’s ‘Caprice no. 24’
10. Avril Lavigne’s ‘Keep Holding On’
“Good program girls, mind if I join ya’ll? I can play all of those pieces,” Leo said. “I will have drums and Viola set up”
“Trust me girls, Leo is good,” Angel told the others.
They talked about the pieces and then set about selecting instruments to use. A group of people moved out just before noon and set up.
A crowd began forming as they setup near the food court. At noon, Leo introduced the girls to the people gathered and told them that they were in for a real treat. Angel was becoming famous at this mall. Madeline began the bass line on Pachelbel’s ‘Canon’. It started out normally before Natsuko kicked it up a notch and charged the music with energy. Angel picked up the second violin part on her guitar, working it hard and Leo took the viola part, adding his fair share of energy. The crowd just ate it up.
Natsuko and Madeline then got together with Leo on drums with brushes for ‘Chopin’s Nocturne’. It was a lovely piece. Angel and the group then wowed them with the ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and went right into ‘Classical Gas’. They kicked it up a notch, much like Vanessa Mae played it. ‘Recuerdos de la Alhambra’ was a change of pace and nicely played in a classical manner. Angel had the crowd up on its feet accompanying her on ‘Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show’. Leo and Angel sang the next song ‘Don’t Stop Believin’. Natsuko and Madeline shined together on ‘Rondo alla Turca’ and the three girls did very well on Paganini’s ‘Caprice no. 24’.
Angel then had everyone on the edge of their seats as she sang Avril Lavigne’s ‘Keep Holding On’. Madeline really worked the keyboard, Natsuko was fantastic on the electric violin and Leo on the drums was superb, but it was Angel’s emotionally charged, powerful vocals, not her excellent guitar playing that made the song.
After Angel’s last “we’ll make it through, we’ll make it through”, there was nary a sound from the audience. Then there was one clap, then three claps and then the whole audience erupted in applause. Natsuko hugged her friend and then held up her right hand facing the audience. Angel had to dry her eyes; she had gone so deep into the song and sang it with all of her heart. She had sung the song so many times after she had heard it, but she had kept it to herself. She just didn’t know if she had the power to do it justice. Not vocal power, she had a strong voice, but that internal power that gives a song meaning. She had decided last night as they ate to do the song for her friends.
Leo was ecstatic as they left the stage; he and his employees helped the girls get back to the music shop after they signed a few autographs and shook a few hands.
“Wow, Angel, where did that come from?” Madeline asked. “You were incredible, Angel.
“I have never heard you sing so powerfully,” Margarita said.
“I guess I sang it for Natsuko and Madeline. After I heard them talk last night, I wanted them to know that I am there for them.”
Madeline and Natsuko were speechless. They just hugged Angel. Margarita, Carmen and the twins joined them. Leo made sure they had some space. The girls stayed around for a little bit and helped some customers make some selections of instruments. Natsuko had a group of kids talking to her about playing the violin.
From Leo’s they hit the arcade. The girls found a fierceness in Natsuko as they competed on the various games. The twins got in a no holds barred competition with her on one game. Angel found a wild streak in the usually demure, reserved Madeline on the Formula One racing game. It seemed her Mom had taken her to several real Formula one Races in France. It was the place for the fashionable to be seen, like the Derby in England. She had fallen in love with their speed and precision. Angel won of course, but not till after Madeline spun her out a time or two.
From the arcade they caught a movie, ‘Letters to Juliet’, starring Amanda Seyfried as Sophie and Vanessa Redgrave as Claire. Sophie took on a quest with Claire, to find Claire’s long lost love. They all got emotional as love was lost and love was found.
Back at home the girls all made pallets in the living room and watched some more movies on the big screen TV. They all had dressed in night shirts and sat on the floor leaning against the couch. Sierra and Nevada made popcorn and brought the others diet sodas. The twins surrounded Natsuko, while Angel had Nevada on one side and Madeline on the other.
They soon fell asleep on the floor. Natsuko was sandwiched between the twins, and Angel drowsily leaned against Madeline, who wrapped her arm around Angel’s shoulder. Angel woke later, feeling quite constricted. Madeline usually slept with a long body pillow, which she wrapped her arms and legs around. Tonight, Angel was that body pillow; she was wrapped so tightly in Madeline’s grasp she couldn’t wiggle out. Her head was snuggled right between Madeline’s impressive, for a fourteen year olds, breasts. Angel could see the smooth roundness of her cleavage. She couldn’t help herself and gave the girl’s breast a kiss and then another. Madeline just moaned a little and squeezed Angel a little harder. Angel just wiggled a bit and got comfortable before falling back to sleep.
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Angel woke a little sore. Sleeping on the floor was not her thing. Madeline was already up, as was Nevada. Sierra was trapped in a bear hug, but she wasn’t complaining, she just smiled at Angel. Angel had to wait a few minutes before the bathroom door opened. She could have gone to Carmine’s but she didn’t want to disturb her Mom and Aunt.
Madeline came out of the bathroom and stopped to give Angel a peck on her cheeks. A flushed Angel didn’t know what to do, so she gave her friend a hug before quickly heading into the bathroom. She did her business quickly as she knew there would be others who needed the facilities. As it was, she met Natsuko as she came out.
Angel grabbed a robe and headed for the kitchen. Nevada was already starting to fix breakfast and Madeline was sipping a cup of hot tea.
“Morning, Nevada,” Angel said, hugging her cousin.
“Morning, Angel, You want to start on some eggs and sausage while I work on the Waffles?”
“Sure. I will fix the coffee too.”
They were just about finished when Carmine and Margarita entered the kitchen.
“Angel after we eat and get dressed, I want to take you out for about an hour,” Margarita said. “I have got to leave early and head home to pack. My Flight is at seven thirty this evening.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Girls we won’t be going to church today, I am taking us all to an amusement park after Angel gets back,” Carmine said.
That pronouncement was met by whoops from all the girls.
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Angel went with her Mom. It was good getting to spend some time with her. They didn’t say much, Margarita just drove them to the park by the Mall and they just walked around holding hands.
“I miss you, baby, but I am glad to have gotten this job. How are you doing?”
“I love the school, Mom and I like my new friends. I miss being with you too. I needed this school, Mom. All in all I wouldn’t change a thing, unless… you wanted it.”
“Are you happy?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Then I am happy too. I will be home for Thanksgiving, your December concerts and Christmas. We are going to spend Christmas at our home, with everyone. If your friends are stuck here they can come too. I like them, Angel.”
“I love you Mom.”
“I love you too baby.”
They walked for a bit more before they headed back.
Back at the Santos’ residence the girls were waiting for the pair to return. Carmine had told them that Margarita just wanted to spend some time with her daughter.
“For eight years, those two only had each other, and now they are separated. It has been a bit of shock for both of them.”
“Madeline and I know what they are going through; we both went through the same thing.”
“Yes. My Mom would always follow the work as a model. She would be gone for months at a time. Four times a year she would spend six to eight weeks at Milan, Rome, Paris, Singapore or New York. We were never really close. She did her best as a Mom, but her heart was elsewhere. We love each other but we don’t know how to live together,” Madeline said.
“The Japanese, raise their families differently. Children are raised to duty, whether it is duty to the company, to a cause, to our school, or duty to our country. Many kids go to schools like Sarah Adams, and live there full time from a very young age. My Mom and Dad are committed to their consular work. So I understand.”
Carmine just gave the two girls a big hug.
When Angel and Margarita returned, Margarita gave everybody a hug. Then she got her suitcases and gave Angel a tearful kiss and hug before she had to go. Angel waved to her Mom as Madeline and Natsuko hugged her.
It’s hard not to have fun at an amusement park; it just took Angel just a little while longer than the other girls. Angel and Natsuko got into it at the shooting gallery. Together they won five stuffed animals. Then there was the ring toss, knocking down metal milk bottles, popping balloons with darts. It was the rides though, the girls loved. The park didn’t have one of those Mega rollercoasters, but it had a very good one. They then hit the tilt-a-whirl, and they all showed their lack of driving skills on the bumper cars. Poor Madeline had a big target painted on her. Carmine though set her sights on the twins, getting revenge for everything they put her through. Finally they hit the Top Spin and the Scorpion. Their last stop was at the Glamour shot saloon, where they all dressed as dancing girls from an old west saloon for a group portrait.
Madeline was acting like the young girl she was as they left the amusement park. Everyone had thoroughly enjoyed themselves. When they got home they all packed up and Carmine drove the girls back to school.
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Wednesday the girls spent hours getting ready to leave. Angel had to carry her Black concert jacket and her Gray Andalusian jacket. She would open the concert wearing the Gray jacket and then switch to the black jacket when she went off stage. Then she would sneak back to sit next to Sue.
Mrs. Grogan told all the girls to put on their own foundation and pressed powder, and eight girls from the theater department came in to do the rest. The girl who did Angel applied blush, a lot of eye shadow, eye liner and false eyelashes and finished with a red lipstick. The girls were given a small disposable, lipstick.
They got on the two busses and headed out on an hour long drive. Angel was happy to see Aunt Carmine and the twins when they got off the bus. There were families of a few of other the other girls there too. After hugs the girls were herded to where the buffet was set up.
“My you are wearing a lot of makeup, Angel,” Carmine said.
“Yes the girls from the theater dept. made us up. We will be under stage light.”
The girls ate and talked through dinner. Even though it had been three days, they enjoyed seeing each other. Everyone was dressed up, but they noticed one man who was especially duded out, in a very tailored Tuxedo sitting at the table with Mrs. Grogan.
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Angel walked on stage carrying her Cantu guitar. The audience applauded her arrival. She bowed to the audience and sat on a stool. She then positioned the mike in front of her guitar and took a deep breath letting it out slowly, before beginning ‘Recuerdos de la Alhambra’. The notes rang sure and true as she played. She had been a little nervous, but as she played, it was just her and her guitar, nothing else. After the last note faded into nothing, the audience erupted in applause.
Angel waited for a few seconds for the audience, then began playing ‘Classical Gas’. It was one of her favorite pieces. She wasn’t quite halfway through when the curtain began to rise. As she began to repeat the theme the orchestra, led by Linda accompanied her. The orchestra gave Angel’s rendition of ‘Classical Gas’ a new dimension. They sounded very good together, especially the string section and the brass section. It sounded like they had been playing together for years. Mason Williams could not have done better. This rendition lasted a little longer than she normally played, so the orchestra could get their parts in. When she finished she bowed, and then bowed again, pointing in Linda’s and the orchestra’s direction.
Angel slowly walked offstage, changed her jacket and took her position next to Sue. The orchestra was already into their program and Angel found their position and began playing.
After they played a couple of pieces, Amy Spencer stood and did her solo with the orchestra, ‘Mozart , Adagio for Violin and Orchestra in E KV 261’. Amy was wonderful; she played her part with feeling and expression. The orchestra did their part and helped her shine. The audience showed their appreciation for her efforts.
The orchestra played about fifty minutes after Amy finished her solo. The whole show was about an hour and forty minutes. The audience was on their feet applauding as Linda and the orchestra bowed. After a bit, Mrs. Grogan came on stage to more applause. Then they were surprised when roses were delivered. One bunch went to Amy Spencer, another to Linda Jones, a third went to Angel and individual roses were passed out to the whole orchestra. That was a lot of roses.
After the last ovation the girls packed up and went for dessert. Music from the concert was being piped in. The residents and the others who had attended applauded as the girls came in. The Tux approached the girls and introduced himself.
“Girls, I am William Draper, I am the director for the Philharmonic. I must say that I was thoroughly impressed to hear such an advanced orchestra play tonight. Ms. Spencer you were wonderful, you showed such virtuosity. See me when you are ready to find an orchestra to play with. You will definitely be allowed an audition. Ms. Marquez, when Servando told me to go see you I was a little hesitant, especially when I found out that you were just a freshman. I can’t say enough about you. You and the whole orchestra were wonderful. Ms. Jones, a wonderful job directing. Mrs. Grogan I can see some gold medals coming for your girls this year. Thank you for such a wonderful, enjoyable evening.”
“Thank you for such high praise, Mr. Draper. We are glad that you enjoyed yourself,” Mrs. Grogan said for the girls “Girls, thank Mr. Draper.”
Most of the girls just shook his hand and thanked him. He was surprised when some of the girls gave him a hug and he was a little uncomfortable with it. Linda, Amy and Angel were the last. They had been held back by Mrs. Grogan. One by one they thanked him too. Mr. Draper gave Amy a card with his office number on it. She was floating on cloud nine. He shook Linda’s hand and congratulated her. He then began to give her some pointers on directing an orchestra. Lastly came Angel.
“Ms. Marquez, I have to say that Servando Morales didn’t overestimate your skill. You could start today and play professionally, but don’t. Enjoy your school life and have fun. Mature in your skills and abilities. I am sure the world hasn’t seen the last of you. Work hard and take care.”
“Thank you Mr. Draper.”
(to be continued)