This story has been two years in the making. It started life as an intended two-book project, with the first one fully edited by Jill, then the second one with about a third edited. It went onto the back burner when other things and other stories came into my life. I sincerely thank Jill for her time, and Eric for correcting the factual errors I had made. So, after that, here is the first chapter of --- ‘Essentially Egg’.
Chapter 1
They say you always remember where you were and what you were doing the moment you heard dramatic news. One time I recall, with absolute clarity, was the day my world turned upside down and my future moved from a branch line onto the express track, although the latter wasn’t apparent at the time.
My first girlfriend left me, without saying goodbye. She wasn’t the last to do so, but she was the first. Thinking back, she reminds me now of a chicken we had when I was little. It was a white hen that allowed me to hold her but roamed our garden, destroyed the flowers, and crapped everywhere, especially places you had just swept.
My folks had a small-holding out Elmstead way where we had a few chickens. This Houdini of chicken-land escaped from almost every pen we put her, even managing to fly over a ten-foot fence. She fell ‘foul’ of a local fox one night while perched on the handlebars of my bike. All the other chickens were safe in the henhouse, but it was her wandering ways that brought about her downfall. However, my life became a lot cleaner after we had tidied up the blood and feathers.
I was just eight at the time, an ovoid tyke. My face was sort of oval with the chin being the thin end. My mother kept telling me I was “her little angel.” My body was, at that time, the other way round. I was thinner at the shoulders than the hips. Add a pot belly and you get the picture. I was shaped like a ten-pin. In my early teens, I managed to rid myself of the pot belly by doing a bit of running, which I stopped once the weight had disappeared. I ended up with big hips under a smaller chest which wasn’t that much better.
My parents, Bill, and Betty Grosse had done me no favors when they christened me Edward George Grosse. I became “Egg” on my first day at kindergarten and that stayed with me throughout my schooling. If I did well, I was a “good egg” and if I did badly, I was a “rotten egg.” In high school chemistry, I was always looked at whenever a noxious smell was generated by any of the experiments, even if I was nowhere near the source.
I did well enough at school, being able to go to Wayne State University which, fortunately, was in the nearby city of Detroit, allowing me to remain living at home. By that time, we had finished with horses and cattle. My father and I had converted part of the old stables into my own place. I had also gained my driving license so was happily self-contained, able to come and go at my own pace.
That pace was controlled by the chickens. We had slowly built up some chicken sheds that had become our main business. My high school mornings had included fresh egg deliveries to a number of shops in our area before I was dropped off at the school gates, usually with a few dozen for teachers, who had standing orders.
By the time I attended Wayne State, my father had converted the spare room into an office where he controlled his unexpected empire. We had some part-timers who would come in early to collect the eggs for grading and packing. The morning deliveries had been replaced by a truck coming by mid-morning to collect the shipment. It went to a central warehouse that now handled our output, along with other producers in the area.
My part in the business had evolved into introducing hatchlings that were sent from a nearby hatchery. I would make sure they were fed and watered and looked after until they were transferred to the pens with all the others. We classified ourselves as “free range”, but our chickens hardly ever saw daylight, scratching around in the enormous sheds under big yellow lights.
At the other end of the process my mother was in charge, picking out the older chickens to be collected by another truck. It took them to a factory, once a week, one that had a deal with a local fast-food chain. It was odd to think that I might be sitting in the outlet near the college and eating some nuggets that I had nurtured a few years beforehand.
The layout of our place was pretty simple, one half of the frontage was an old horse yard with the stable behind it; the other half was the garden, kitchen garden, and the main house. A road ran up the middle and out the back we had three large sheds which housed the chickens, a good size car park for our workers’ cars and the trucks that came. Then a packing shed, toilets, and restroom. Behind that again was another five acres where we used to run cattle before they got too much of a worry to keep.
In Wayne State I found myself that girlfriend, or, should I say, she found me. I was somewhat shy around girls and not one to put myself forward as a potential date. Henrietta Penny was different. She was very sure of herself, a bit flirty and difficult to consider as a steady sort of girl. However, she saw some potential in me. Not for sex, though, more as a source of wealth. With a steady wage from the business, I wasn’t short of money like most of the students, and she gave me kisses in return for my wallet.
She would drag me into a dress shop and, when she found one that she liked, she would pull off the ticket and give it to me to pay, all the while looking into my eyes. In that way she reminded me of that roaming hen from my younger days. One of her other things was the need to move up in the world. She was often on my case for living in a stable, when I could afford to move into a condo, the higher the better. That also reminded me of my feathered friend. I put up with her antics as I didn’t have much choice in the matter. Having a girlfriend who acted odd was better, at that time, than having no girlfriend at all.
It all came to a head just before my last year. A big party had been planned after the end of term as a prequel to the prom night in our last week there, next year. I had bought Henrietta a very nice dress, which she looked gorgeous in, and had collected her in my car to drive to the hall where we were to dance and make merry. She and I danced a bit and then she said that she needed to go to the toilet and would meet me by the punchbowl in a few minutes.
I was standing by the punchbowl about twenty minutes later with still no sign of her when a girl, who I had admired for some time from afar, came up to stand beside me, filling her glass.
“Looks like we’ve been scrambled, Egg.”
“What are you talking about, Josie?”
She pulled her phone out of a pocket in her dress and showed me the last message, which read, “Find somewhere else to live, you’ve been replaced.”
“Oh, Josie, I’m so sorry for you, but how does that affect me?”
“Well, it’s your girlfriend who replaced me. I saw her leaving with my partner, Reynard, a few minutes ago. They’ll probably be up in his penthouse soon having sex. He’s rather good at that - but a bit needy.”
I stood there shocked. The girl I had been looking after for some months was now in the highest roost of all and shacked up with the fox.
“Where does that leave you, Josie?”
“Up the creek - without a paddle! I’ve been living with him for three months and all my stuff is at his place.”
She then tapped out a message on her phone to him, asking about her things. We stood and sipped punch until the answer came back that she could pick them up the next day, as long as it was in the afternoon, and to leave her key when she left.
To take her mind off her dilemma I asked her if she wanted to dance so we went out on the floor together. The DJ put on some slower numbers, and we danced with our arms around each other.
“How come you’re smiling,” I asked, “I’d have thought you’d be sad?”
She kissed my cheek, “It’s because I’m dancing with a guy who has no need to strut and preen. I never realized before just how nice you are, Eddie.”
“Thank you for that. Have you anywhere you can stay, tonight?”
She bit her lip before whispering, “With you, that is, if you want me to.”
I was still a virgin, and she definitely wasn’t but I swallowed hard.
“Of course, I think that I’d like you to stay with me tonight.”
We left the hall and went to my car. It did have a whiff of Henrietta’s perfume, so Josie pulled a little bottle from her bag and gave the car a good spray of something new, and to me, exciting. I drove her back to the family farm and pulled up outside the stable.
“Don’t worry, Josie, it’s a bit different inside.”
When I opened the door and ushered her in, she gasped. We had pulled out all the stops when we remodelled the place. The entry was straight into an open plan kitchen / lounge / diner and was all bright and shiny. I told her that my bedroom was through the door at the end and that there was an ensuite bathroom.
I offered to sleep on my couch while she took my bed. She smiled, took my hand, and pulled me through into the bedroom. There she turned, put her arms around my neck and really kissed me, releasing the shackles that had held me back for many years. My crush on her turned to love that night. I lost my virginity on that bed before going to sleep, sweaty and naked, worn out from the events that had brought us together.
It was my alarm that woke us both at five. I opened my eyes and looked at her with her long dark hair across the pillow and offered a little prayer of thanks for my good fortune.
She asked, drowsily, “Why the alarm? It’s Sunday.”
I kissed her and told her I needed to go and look after my little ones. She pulled me down on her and we made love again before showering in my bathroom together. I loaned her a robe while I made us coffee and toast and then also loaned her an old shirt and some jeans. Because of my odd hip size, they all fitted her perfectly. She joked that she probably had some stuff that would fit me.
I had some sneakers that she could pull tight. Then I took her out to the hatchling shed where I checked out the current batch, making sure they were all right, and topped up their food and water. Josie was in heaven with the furry little chicks, picking them up and stroking them.
“Don’t get too attached to them, Josie, they may end up as the three-piece box you eat in a few years.”
She pouted and then laughed with me.
“Eddie, this is something that you’ve hidden from us. What else do you hide away, waiting to be discovered?”
I kissed her.
“Josie, last night you discovered something that no other girl has --- my love.”
“What do you mean?” Josie argued. “You were fantastic last night and far more caring of what I wanted than I’ve ever known. Didn’t you and Henrietta roll around in that lovely bed?”
I hung my head. “She would never come inside my home. If we had to come here for me to pick something up, she would sit in the car and then get on my back about getting a condo in the city.”
“So, you and she – didn’t?”
I closed my eyes and admitted that last night was my first.
She put her arms around my neck and kissed me. “If you improve on what you did last night, you’ll be the lover from heaven. I can’t wait to find out how good you can be.”
“Are you sure? There must be plenty of buff guys at university who would be happy to be your guy.”
“Don’t you want me to stay?”
I held her close and told her that my place was her place for as long as she wanted. After I had made sure the chicks were all right, I took her into the main house where my mother was cooking a proper breakfast. I told Josie that this was how I normally started the day, and it gave me time to get back into the stable and get ready for the day of study. My mother looked surprised when we walked into the kitchen.
“Now who’s this lovely girl, Eddie, this is something a bit different for you.”
I introduced Josie and told my mother that we were both majoring in Business Administration. I said that we had only got together last night due to a very strange situation which we had to explain.
My mother sniffed and nodded. “Good riddance to that Henrietta, she was never a genuine girlfriend.”
When my father came in for his breakfast, we repeated the introduction, and my mother gave him a wink to say she would tell him later, but he asked where Josie came from. She told us she was from the city.
My folks seemingly knew that we had slept together last night but nothing was said about that. Back in the stable Josie looked more carefully.
“So, the reason that there’s none of her things here is because she’d never come in. What a stupid bitch! She’s going to get a wake-up call with Reynard. I can tell you that! There’s one big difference between you guys and that he’s all flash and no substance and you’re all substance and no flash. The penthouse belongs to his mother, his car belongs to his father, and he used to try and get me to lend him money. It’s probably because I didn’t that ended up dropping me.”
Having time to spare, we undressed and made slow and wonderful love for a couple of hours. I was introduced to pleasing a girl with my fingers and tongue. When we were both drained, we nestled.
“I’m going to love teaching you new ways to make love.”
I told her that we had all the time in the world. I put together lunch for us after we had showered and found her something a little better to wear from my wardrobe. She asked if there was anything I couldn’t do. I had to admit that I wasn’t the greatest cook in the world and hadn’t installed a laundry because there were two machines in the main house.
After we’d tidied up from lunch we got in my car and went to get her stuff. Last night’s dress was in one side of my wardrobe, to be joined by others this afternoon. I was shown where to park in the tower block car park, Reynard’s space being clear. In the elevator we held hands, and when we got to the penthouse, she let us in with her key.
She discovered that most of her things had been tossed into the spare room. We took several trips to take them down to the car. I found myself carrying the sort of items that I’d never touched before. I found the experience strangely exciting. We finally found everything we could. She left the key on the kitchen worktop before we pulled the door shut with a satisfying bang. Outside the door she pulled me to her and kissed me.
“Thank you, darling; without you I don’t know if I would’ve had the strength to do this.”
We went back to the stable and took her things in to be packed away in drawers and hung in the wardrobe. I was hoping that whatever was happening between us would last as I was more under her spell with every passing hour. We had dinner with my parents that evening, my mother doing a roast. Chicken, of course.
With the meal over we were sitting quietly when my mother looked at Josie. “Josie, I can see that you’re an experienced girl. Please tell me that you’re not leading my son on so that you have somewhere to stay.”
I waited with my heart in my mouth as Josie considered her reply.
“Mrs. Grosse,” she said. “When I saw my boyfriend and Henrietta leave together, I was shocked, I admit, and was worried about where I was going to go. Eddie and I danced for quite some time, and I realized just how nice he was. He didn’t come on strong but there was strength in him. He was kind and thoughtful. When he offered me somewhere to lay my head, I thought that he would be just like other guys once we were here. No, he offered to sleep on his couch. I could see that it was a genuine offer, leaving anything else to me. I think that was the moment I knew that I wanted to be near him. Today has been magic, from the cheeping chicks this morning to this magnificent roast tonight. I’m so happy I could almost cry.”
That night she wore a lovely nightie and I put on some pyjamas. That lasted all of ten minutes before both items were on the floor beside the bed. I drifted off to sleep with an angel in my arms, and knew I was in heaven.
When the alarm went off, she knew what was in store, and she had her own jeans, blouse, and boots on - ready to help me. Together we got the job done quickly. I showed her the other sheds where the laying hens were just waking up and looking for breakfast. When we got into the main house to have our own, she was asking questions about the operation, from the cycle of chicks to the fast-food supply. She was no slouch in Business Administration and could pick open a business plan as good as anyone.
She did some calculations in her head, and I could see the wheels turning as she realized how much we were turning over. She didn’t say anything at the time, but when we were alone again, she spoke to me about it.
“I really hope you don’t think of me as a gold-digger but what I heard today has staggered me. If your parents leave you this business, you’ll be a very wealthy man and I want you to know that it’s all new information to me. I don’t want you to think that I’m here because of it. The last two nights together have been the best of my life and I’m really falling for you in a big way.”
I kissed her and told her that I was happy she was in my life and any reason she was here was all right by me, and especially right if she loved me for myself. Seeing that we were on the summer break, and it was Monday I asked her if there was anything else she needed to get.
“The one thing that wasn’t in the penthouse is my guitar, well, guitars, actually. They’re at the house of one of my friends. Can we go and get them please? They won’t take up much room. I promise.”
We got the car going and I drove us into the city again, but this time to quite a good neighborhood. We ended up outside a detached place that looked well cared for.
“This is where Donna lives,” she told me. “You may recognize her from school but she’s not in our stream.”
She rang the bell, and a girl opened the door, squealed, and hugged Josie. She wanted to know what had happened on Saturday evening, and we went inside. Josie explained how she was dumped and showed her the text message.
“That bastard!” exclaimed Donna. “So, who exactly is this fine upstanding young man? He looks familiar.”
“Donna, this is Eddie, sometimes called ‘Egg’ but I’ll never call him that now. He saved my bacon on Saturday evening, even if it was his girlfriend that went off with old Foxie.” They talked some more and then Josie told her that she wanted to pick up her gear.
Donnas’ face fell. “Dad doesn’t want us to use the garage anymore. That old fart across the road has complained again.”
“What can we do now? I don’t know where we can play; do you?” Josie sighed.
They looked at me.
I said that I may have an idea but that it would depend on how many of them got together.
Donna smiled. “Well, usually there are five of us and we don’t play that loud. It’s just that the old biddy across the road isn’t into country rock. We call our group the Pixies and we’ve done a few small gigs. We were hoping to do more once we graduate and Wayne State has already asked us if we could play prom night, next year.”
I made a decision that seemed important, for some strange reason. “I’ve got a place which should be OK, as long as you’re happy with it. If Josie can get her gear, I can show it to you. If you want, you can come with us. I’ll bring you home again.”
When Josie had said her gear wouldn’t take up much room, she was being a little flaky. Two guitar cases went in the trunk. Donna had to share the back seat with an amp. I drove back to the stable and parked.
Donna looked around. “This is a stable! We may frighten the horses, you realize.”
Josie laughed. “Donna, looks can be deceiving; this place is nothing like the outside once you get in.”
“I’ll make us a drink after you’ve both seen another of my secrets,” I said as I led them further along the outside of the stable and used a key to unlock a door. After I opened it and turned on the lights, they both gasped and Josie grabbed my arm for all she was worth.
The room was my studio. It didn’t have any fancy recording gear because you can do it all on a computer these days. The room was big enough for an upright piano, my own guitars, an amp, and my violin in its case. The walls had been lined with old egg trays.
“The only things that can hear you play here are chickens, who usually like a little music at times.”
Josie and Donna ventured inside. Josie came back to the doorway where I was standing. She held me close with tears in her eyes. “Eddie, darling,” she said, “If you play these instruments, I really do love you.”
Donna came and gave me a hug as well. “Are you sure we can set up in here, I wouldn’t want to be a bother?”
I grinned. “Music is a big part of my life already. A little more will be perfectly good with me, especially country rock, which is one thing I enjoy when not playing classical pieces.”
We unloaded Josie’s stuff, and the girls wanted to try the place for sound. Donna asked if she could use one of the guitars, and they plugged into Josie’s amp. They started off with an old Dixie Chicks number and sang along with it. I went and pulled out something I didn’t play often, an electric violin.
When I plugged it in to my own amp and joined in there was something that I had never felt before. Here I was, after years of playing alone. I was with the two girls, and we moved from one song to another, their faces alight with joy and my mouth getting tired from smiling. When we stopped, after about forty minutes, we were all bathed in sweat -- but happy.
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 2
Both girls hugged me, and Donna kissed me as well. We shut everything down and went back to the other end of the stable, and my living quarters.
Donna stood in the doorway with her mouth agape. “Wow!” she breathed, “This is great, like a penthouse disguised as a hovel.”
“Hey!” Josie exclaimed. “Not so much of this ‘hovel’ stuff, this is all class, and the outside is the look it always had when the horses were here. You wouldn’t have heard them complaining.”
I put the kettle on while Josie took Donna through to the bathroom to freshen up. When they got back, I could see that Donna had been given a quick view of the bedroom and the lowdown on the current situation. Donna wanted to know if she could bring the other girls over to have a session in the studio.
“You’re welcome to bring them here,” I offered. “Anytime I’m not in school.”
Donna was studying medicine and two of the other three girls in the Pixies were doing a beautician course together at one of the trade colleges, while one had graduated this term with a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Composition. We arranged for the following Thursday.
Donna said she could lead the others with their gear. One of the girls had use of a van which would carry the equipment while the other two would be with Donna.
After I’d splashed my face, we took Donna home again, via a little café where we had lunch. I sat in the car while Josie went up to the front door with Donna. I wondered just how I had got to this point, only three days from just existing… to now feeling so alive.
Monday night, we just cuddled in bed and whispered sweet nothings to each other. Tuesday, after the chicks and breakfast, we stripped the bed and remade it. Josie took the sheets and pillowcases into the main house to put through the washing machine while I buzzed around with the vacuum and a soft cloth. After she came back, we went into the studio, and I showed her a few things that we didn’t have a chance to talk about on Monday.
I had put a mounting on the wall by the door which would take a mobile phone and there was an outlet by it. This would let you mount a phone to record what was going on in the room. It featured its own charger, so you didn’t run your phone out of power. I had a laptop computer that I used to store the camera images and could also be used to record the sound. I explained that we could set up a direct feed from the amps through a mixing box and that they could each have a CD to take away with them. It wouldn’t be big-city studio quality, but they could, at least, hear what they sounded like.
She wanted us to play a little, so I made some changes. I set up the mic behind the piano and one in front of her amp. We both had microphones on stands which were also plugged into the amp. That required two inputs into the mixer. After I had set it up and we got a good sound level, I set the computer to record, and I played the piano while she played her guitar. We both sang and spent an hour just jamming along with songs we both knew. I put the recording onto a CD so that we could listen to it in the real world.
We both went over to the house to find that my mother had folded the sheets. She gave us a very bright smile and said that she had made a salad with enough for all of us. When she asked what we had been up to, I put the CD into the player in the kitchen and we sat and ate while listening to what we had put down.
At the end of the hour my mother gave us both big hugs, saying how good we sounded. I was a bit surprised at how we blended our voices. Josie had a stunned look on her face.
Back in my room, she held me close. “Eddie, my sweet, I never realized just how nice my singing voice was and I would never, in a thousand years, have thought that we could sound like we had sung together all our life. I’m happy - but I’m also a little scared that this is all a dream.”
I kissed her and told her that if this was a dream, I didn’t want to wake up either.
That afternoon we helped my mother separate those chickens destined for collection and moved the older chicks into the first laying section. I told Josie that the other hens would teach them where to go if they didn’t get it straight away. We then thoroughly cleaned their pen and hosed it out.
In the morning, it would get fresh straw and the truck would bring the boxes of new hatchlings for me to look after. Another one would be taking away the older birds. I explained that during school days I would be doing all this in the evening, but it was nice to get it out of the way so quickly.
That evening, at dinner, Josie asked why we didn’t go with battery hens as it could be easily automated. I could see my father almost ready to argue and cut him off.
“Josie, we came into this from having a few chickens while the rest of the property had various crops, and a few cattle. We also stabled the horses for a local riding club. We never considered a battery set-up because it’s cruel and inhumane. We may send our old chickens off to the fast-food guys before their natural time, but while they’re here they’re our companions on this property, not an egg-laying machine. That’s why we stopped at the size we are now.”
She smiled. “Good answer. I was just testing your level of commitment. I ran the numbers through my head and came to the same conclusion. You’re at the optimum size for your methods and I totally agree with the way you’re doing things. You do realize that if your customer demands more output, you’ll either have to change or sell?”
My father smiled. “Josie, it took us five years to get to this point. It keeps a very nice roof over our heads and allows us to do things we like. If our customers want more, they’re going to have to find someone else. Besides, the state has outlawed battery chickens so we can’t get any bigger than we are now. With some small changes we could look at hydroponic cropping, maybe tomatoes or something else. Well done for coming up with your thoughts. That business course must be good.”
Wednesday, we went into the city. Josie had found that she was low on some of her bathroom supplies, and we also got in some other things for Thursday when the other girls would join us. We had decided that we both needed matching outfits to show the world we were a couple. To make it easier we decided on denim and ended up with new jeans and matching fringed jackets. With my odd-shaped body we could get both our outfits from the girl’s side of the shop. She offered to pay for hers, but I wouldn’t allow her. I wanted to buy her things because she would wear them for me, not as some sign of her power over my wallet.
We had lunch in the city after putting our bags in the car. We then went to a movie and sat in the back stealing the occasional kiss. I was feeling very calm about it all, even if I was moving in a lifetime direction with her. That evening we wore our matching outfits for dinner and my mother smiled a lot. When I asked what the fun was, she told me that we looked like sisters if you discounted my lack of breasts.
She laughed. “Also, that you’re far too ugly to be a girl!”
Josie argued that there was nothing wrong with my taste in clothing, or my looks. That night Josie was the recipient of a good tongue lashing and she loved it. She then returned the favor, and I experienced something that I had never thought I would ever know.
Thursday, I met the rest of the Pixies. Donna drove in first with a van following. She got out of her car and rushed over to give us both a hug.
“Isn’t this exciting?” She then turned to introduce the others.
In the car with her were Emily and Pet, and the van driver was Janet. Emily played keyboard and sometimes bass guitar. Pet was the violin player. Jan was the drummer. She had bought the van when she had a standard set of drums to carry but now used a much more compact electronic set plus cymbals.
They had their own small PA system, so we took that in first and set it up, then arranged the drums and keyboard with the guitarists and singers finding enough room to do their thing. I showed them the mounting on the wall and Donna set up her phone to record the session.
I put out microphones for the singers and ran them to the PA. I then put a mic in front of the PA speaker, the guitar amp, and one which had the drums and keyboard going into it. Lastly, there was a mic next to the normal bits of the drum kit. They jammed for a few minutes while I got the mix right and started the computer to record. I sat back, with my eyes closed, to listen.
Then they started playing their set. As they got used to the surroundings they loosened up and it sounded nice. The drums were just right. I may have played the violin a little differently, but it was all right.
Emily, on the keyboard, was great and a real pillar around which the others could work. They did about a dozen songs before Donna spoke.
“Eddie, would you like to join us?”
I looked at Pet. “If you don’t mind, I also play violin.”
She smiled. “Knock yourself out.”
I added my lead to the others in the amp and got a sound level. When we started playing, I was worried that the two violins would be too much. When Pet saw that I was good she smiled and we started to compete, ending up doing more and more complicated solos and duets whenever we could. All the others carried on but with a bit more verve.
We played for about an hour before Donna called for an end. I put my violin down and stopped the computer. Donna stopped her phone recording, saying that she was going to need to buy bigger chips if we did this more often.
Pet gave me a hug. “That was fantastic. You made me play as if my life depended on it and it was lovely to be free to explore the songs in a new way. Today, I think I’ve learned that I was holding my playing back.”
I cut a CD and took them to the living area where Josie had set out drinks, cake, and cookies. We played some of the CD of the session and I said that I would have a copy for each of them by the time they came back.
“Girls, I would like you to listen to this,” Josie said as she put the CD we had done together into the machine.
After we had listened to a few tracks she ejected the disc to silence.
Donna was the first to get her wits together. “Eddie, how would you like to become a Pixie?”
I was stunned and had to sit down.
She went on. “Just because we’re an all-girl band now it doesn’t mean we have to stay that way. Even the Chicks add a number of guys when they play live. You’ll just need to wear something that blends with us. With your voice, it will open up our repertoire.”
They all looked at me and Josie pleaded. “Please say “yes,” Eddie, I just know that we can make the big time, even if it’s just the local area, and with you added we’re certain to get popular. We can make sure that it doesn’t impede our studies.”
“Eddie, if you step in to play violin more,” Pet added. “I can concentrate more on my writing. We haven’t done any of my songs yet -- but I think that the girls will be brave enough to try them out with the two of us playing as well as we did today.”
I nodded in amazement and ended beneath five girls who all wanted to hug me. Now, that was a very new experience and something I could take any day. They were all, without doubt, lovely and very desirable. We set the days that they could get back here, and they went off, leaving the kit set up.
Over the next week, we were in the studio four times, and I was beginning to blend in with them. One day Josie and I wore our denim with the fringed jackets and the next time they turned up all sporting the same look. Pet came the week after with a CD she had put together with three of her new songs. We worked them to the point where we could fit them into the set.
The following session Donna told us that we had a gig on the Saturday at one of the local ‘cowboy’ bars where they had live music and a little dance floor. She assured us that it wasn’t one of those places where the band has to play behind a wire fence to keep them safe.
We worked hard on a one hour set and then loaded the van with everything that we would need, finishing up in my room for a drink and cookies. I found myself over one side with Pet, who was in the process of writing off to get a permanent position somewhere with an orchestra but was finding it hard going. We spoke about violin players we liked.
The night of the gig at the Chuck Wagon was something I hadn’t experienced before: playing to an audience of strangers. I’d spent most of my musical life playing for my own pleasure and for a recorder. I needn’t have worried because they loved the girls as soon as we set up and got going. Our hour went by, and we walked off stage to cheering and stomping of cowboy boots. The management wanted us to go back on and do a second session and offered a good wad of cash as an inducement.
We started the second session with me and Josie on guitars, singing some of the songs we had done before. One by one the others joined in, and we did some of the songs we had played in the studio. Here, with the atmosphere of smoke and whiskey, they were so much better, and I left the guitar to take up my violin. We finished the night with a batch of four popular songs with Pet and me taking our part to the max and the others doing their best to keep up.
After we had packed up and had been paid, we were asked if we wanted to do the Saturday night every second week for the next three months. Of course, we all said we would. Then we realized that we would need to learn new stuff every gig to add to the really popular songs. It’s only Top Ten stars who play the same old stuff over and over again; the rest of us need to work for our cash.
The girls were all over the moon at getting a regular gig. You can guess their reaction when Donna walked in at the next session and told us that she had been contacted by another promoter who wanted us for the Saturdays in between. This meant that we would have to practice mid-week.
It didn’t matter to Josie and me because all we had to do was walk next door. I wondered if the others would be serious enough about the band to keep coming. I needn’t have worried because everyone turned up early, worked hard and the result was that we got better every time we played.
The second gig turned out to be a western-themed night club called the Dude Ranch which worked just as well as the cowboy place. By the time Josie and I were into the next semester we were playing regularly and doing our duets in both places. One good point about the night club was that they had a piano, and I took advantage of it to add to our sound. We played around with two violins, a keyboard and piano and not having the whole band on stage at any one time. This gave us an edge because you could turn up every week and not hear the same set twice.
We were adding new material by Pet on a regular basis and hardly anyone commented unless they asked what exotic album we had mined for the songs. We all went out one Saturday and shopped for similar outfits. We got jeans and jacket sets in dark denim with fringes and two sets in leather, one red, and the other black.
It was an advantage that I could buy at the same places as the girls, so it was easy to co-ordinate. I could try things on once I got over the fear of being chucked out. Oddly enough, no-one twigged that I was a guy. The worst was when they dragged me into a shoe shop to get boots to go with the outfits.
Josie was settling into life with me and the family. She would help out and was learning the business as fast as she could. One comment that my father had made about hydroponic crops had taken root and she was doing some studies on the setups as a side project. At school we were joined at the hip and at home, more often than not, we were joined in other places.
We didn’t see much of Henrietta because she was in another course, Arts, or something, but when we did see her, she had a scowl on her face, and it looked as if she had not added to her wardrobe lately. Reynard strutted around like he owned the place and, oddly, was hardly ever seen near Henrietta, even though it had become general knowledge that she was now living with him.
Late in September, we were walking back to the stable after breakfast when a strange car came into the yard and stopped.
A big man got out. “Are you Eddie Grosse?”
I smiled, “Yes.”
“My daughter, Henrietta, is pregnant and she told me that you’re the father. What do you have to say for yourself?”
“Impossible! We never made out beyond kissing, let alone sex. Where and when did she say this happened?”
He looked a little flustered but no less angry.
“She said it was here. She said that you raped her in the stables. She said that you forced her into a stall and raped her on the straw."
I had to stifle a laugh. Her disgust was now coming back to bite her on the bum.
“Mr Penny, there are no stalls in the stables and certainly no straw. Would you like to inspect my home? I assure you that Henrietta has never been inside this building.”
I led him to the door, opened it and stood back. He went in and looked around.
“There’s been time for you to make some changes.”
“Since when?”
“The night of that end of term party.”
Josie laughed, “That’s rich! Eddie was in the bed here with me and we were making love. Your precious daughter had dumped him and gone home with my ex-boyfriend Reynard, no doubt getting truly screwed by him in his mother’s penthouse. She’s been living with him since that very party.”
He asked for and got the name and address of Reynard. He then got back into his car after muttering an apology for bothering us.
“Hey, Eddie the Egg Man,” Josie laughed. “How about we celebrate your escape from fatherhood by taking me to bed and giving me a good plucking. Who knows, I may hatch.”
I knew she was joking because I saw her take her pills, every day, like clockwork. She wasn’t the sort of person to mess up her schooling by getting pregnant.
The next week at college we found out that Reynard and Henrietta had pulled out of their classes. I silently wished them well but soon had something else to bother me.
Donna announced that she had got us a very good gig at the end of October. The problem for me was that it was a Halloween show and that we would be dressed as witches.
I held my shock as she explained.
“It’s at one of the big dance halls. The promoter has seen us a couple of times at the night club and has offered us a good payment. We’ll go on stage following another band of guys, all dressed as demons. So, we’ll have to be totally opposite, and witches will work well. We’ll be playing from about ten to after midnight so will be on stage for about two hours. We’ll need to be there before eight so we can change without being seen.”
Pet immediately commented that such a set would give us scope to try out something new and I could see where she was going. With her and my classical studies we knew that there were tunes that have a demonic slant.
I said, “Like Danse Macabre or Sorcerer’s Apprentice.”
When she nodded, I then said, “So I’ll be some kind of warlock, then?” and was howled down.
“You’ll be a witch with us,” I was told. “It shouldn’t take much work, not with Donna with medical training and two nearly fully trained beauticians.”
Bewildered at this turn of events, I just shook my confused head. We had a good session playing our usual sort of stuff with Pet and me trying to give it a spooky feel with odd tuning on the violins. After the other girls had left, Josie and I went over to the house for dinner, and she told my mother about our big break. My folks had always known about the Pixies but were amused at the fact that I needed to dress up for a show.
My mother looked into my eyes. “Eddie, this could be a breakthrough event for the Pixies. You should really try your best to make the show memorable. Your father and I may even go. I think I still have the Dracula and Bride of Dracula outfits we wore at the last Halloween party we went to. They may need taking out, though. If it works for the girls, you can always step back after that and play as you’re normally dressed. You already look like a girl when I’ve seen you leave for a show, especially in the slim legged leather outfits and matching boots.”
That evening Josie and my mother hatched a plan to make me appear feminine in every way. The start would be in the evenings for the rest of the week and all weekend, with me having to play at the nightclub dressed in my new persona. I thought that it was a lot of trouble for one show in a long dress and pointy hat.
Perhaps I had seen too many versions of “Hubble, bubble…toil and trouble.” That wasn’t the witch vision that the rest of the girls had in their minds.
By the time I found out what I would look like, it was way too late to back out.
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 3
Josie said that my introduction to the world of women started when we got back into the stable. She had me strip and then she lathered up my body and attacked me with a safety razor in the bathroom. I was then instructed to shower with her body wash and hair products. After I dried, I was given one of her nighties to wear.
“Isn’t this over the top?” I asked as I stood there looking stupid.
“Don’t be a spoilsport! This is all to give you the feelings and reactions that a girl has. I won’t have you clomping about the stage when we play. Our success depends on you looking the part or else we’ll all look stupid.”
I sighed and nodded. When I got into bed, I found out that I was doing even that simple activity wrong. With a nightie you sit and swivel to make sure it stays in the vicinity of your legs. That night I was only allowed to use my tongue and fingers, but she went to sleep satisfied. I found out that just pleasing your partner can be just as much fun.
In the morning, I was allowed to dress as my usual self, seeing that it was a school day. Josie measured me around the chest before I dressed, and we discovered that my “band size” was the same as hers. When we got home, I was sent to the shower again. I returned to the bedroom to find an outfit set out for me and Josie waiting to instruct me. I mentioned that I could, at least, wear my usual jeans because they were already a woman’s size, but I was told that it was all or nothing from now on.
The panties slid up my hairless legs easily. She showed me how to tuck my dangly bit between my legs to create a bulge-less groin, something she’d found out, researching on-line. Then she had an old bra of hers which I was forced to put on and fasten myself, almost wrenching my elbow as I did so. She said that she had wanted to use water-filled balloons in the bra cups but the chance that I would puncture one with my violin bow was too great. She had filled a couple of old stockings with hatchling seed, something that was in plentiful supply. With them fitted into the bra my world view, along with my balance, shifted.
Before I put on anything else she had me walk about, sit, stand, and walk some more to get used to the new protuberances on my chest. I was then given a slip and a shift dress to put on.
“That’s enough for tonight,” she said. “We’ll move to hose and heels another day.”
I was able to wear a pair of stage boots with the dress and realized that I had been getting about on stage in two-inch heels for weeks without noticing it. I was then given a short session on standing and sitting and standing up again with comments on how I should sweep my skirt to sit, and to make sure I kept my knees together.
“Now we can go to dinner, your mother’s looking forward to this.”
On the way to the main house my stride was revised as we went, arriving with me taking shorter steps with one foot in front of the other. In the house, my mother hugged me and said that I was being brave, and then chided Josie for not making me up. Josie promised that I would look better tomorrow night. Even eating dinner was different as I was told several times to take smaller mouthfuls and chew “daintily.” My father could hardly stop sniggering.
After dinner we went into the studio, and I spent the evening learning how to play the violin with breasts in the way. Guitar was OK except that I found that I couldn’t see the strings past the breasts, which was a problem at first. The piano was all right as I was now keeping my arms wider and found that I could play close notes by leaning back a bit and having my arms under the breasts, instead of trying to work alongside them. Josie took some pictures which she sent to Donna.
That night was a repeat of the previous one -- oral satisfaction while I wasn’t allowed to touch myself. I did have a soft ejaculation which surprised the hell out of me and meant that I had to rinse out the nightie. Josie gave me a kiss and another nightie and told me that I was doing well.
The next day, being Friday, meant that some changes could be made that would last all weekend. After our classes, Josie and I walked over to the medical faculty where Donna took us to a private room. There I was stripped naked again and she used special gel on my body which stung a bit. When she wiped it off it carried any remnants of my body hair.
She then got me on my back with my legs in a stirrup contraption and she carefully shaved my groin area. Then I just laid back and closed my eyes as she did some things with an icepack and special glue. When I looked next my groin had a woman-like slit and my penis had been glued away from view.
Josie had been prepared and she pulled out some panties for me which now fitted as if they were made for me. I put my clothes back on and it felt odd as I walked but I soon got used to the new feelings between my legs. The three of us then got in my car and went to the other college where our two budding beauticians were waiting.
I then underwent some things that I knew were not temporary. OK, the silicon breasts could be removed with the right solvent. The hair extensions, the ear piercings, and the new-look eyebrows were not something that could be ignored come Monday when we went to classes.
I was also given a new hairstyle and color. All the girls had decided that our hair would be jet black as witches. I was allowed to redress, Josie pulling the things I had been wearing in the evenings out of a bag. The bra fitted like a glove and now the slip and dress felt as if it was sitting right. Then I was back into the chair for a laser treatment followed by a full make-up with the two girls discussing the best “palette” for my face.
With red toenails and new, shaped, red fingernails I was way beyond the point of no return. When the five of us walked out into the open air again I had the feeling that I was being looked at. I was waiting for someone start pointing at me, and shout “Freak!?” As Josie, Donna, and I walked to my car we even got wolf whistled.
We dropped Donna back at her car and went home for dinner. My mother welcomed me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
“Oh, my! You look magnificent. I think that you have to be called ‘Edie’ from now, it really fits you.”
My father just stood there with his mouth open.
I traipsed over to him and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Watch out Daddy. There are flies about.”
We had our dinner and then my mother decided that ‘we girls’ could have a movie night. Dad went off to his workshop to watch sports and the three of us sat on the settee and watched a “chick-flick” which would never have been anything I could have sat though before. My body must have been channelling someone new because I found myself reaching for a tissue just after the others. I had never cried at a sad ending, and it was totally new to have tears at a happy one.
In our bedroom I was instructed on how to now remove my clothes after I was shown how to take off the make-up. That night I was moisturized for the first time, something that I guessed would become natural after a few weeks. Tonight, was another first. It was the first time I had to sit to pee and get comfortable in bed with breasts. The biggest first of all was when I had tongued Josie to her third climax and she then went down the bed and licked my new slit, so bringing me to a very new explosion of feelings as I climaxed with my soft and captured penis.
Saturday morning, we did the hatchling duty with me wearing my usual jeans and boots but also one of Josie’s blouses over a bra. My hair was in a ponytail and matched her look. At breakfast it was “Edie” this and “Edie” that until I started to connect to the name.
Back in our bedroom we stripped and went into the shower with special care not to get our hair wet. When we got out and dried, we both smelt very girly. Then I was told that today I needed to buy some new stage gear because the others had already decided on a slight change to our look.
When we redressed, I was put into a black bra and panty set. It was very sexy and created more cleavage than I thought possible. Then I added a new black camisole and another first: black tights. I was then given my red leather jacket and pants and finally was allowed to put ankle socks on inside the red boots. I would need to learn to wear just the tights or stockings in the future. With the jacket now closed over my rack and again fully made up it was a very different me who left the stable that day.
Josie had put on her red leather outfit as well and we went to the shop in the city where we had bought the earlier outfits, I ended up buying a selection of blouses in black, red, and white, wearing the black one to leave. I was also wearing a red leather skirt that felt as if it was showing my crotch. Josie laughed and told me it was perfect.
I had bags with a similar length skirt in black and two denim skirts in each of the colors that would match the fringed jackets, one very short and the other to the knee. Josie had similar purchases in bags herself. We put the bags in the car, and she dragged me into a shopping mall where I was, at first totally scared, and then at ease as we both got admiring looks. We sat with drinks in front of us when Josie showed me a picture of what we would be wearing for the Halloween show.
I think that she had chosen a public place so that I wouldn’t scream and rant. As it was, I nearly fell off my chair when I looked at the anime witch that she showed me. If I thought that the outfit that I now wore was revealing I had a lot of learning to do between now and the show.
Josie explained that there would be three red witches and three black ones. I was to be one of the black ones and Pet would be red. I could see the logic because on stage it would look good as we both played our violins. As my mouth flapped a bit, she explained how I was going to achieve the bosom that the costume needed with a strapless bra. Also, how I would get over the fact that every time I moved the slit in the skirt would show stocking tops and a garter.
I gasped, “Are all of us going to be that brazen?”
She told me firmly that we would be, and we would love it. I asked if we were trying to pick up boys looking like that and was told that if we did, it would show that we’d done the job.
I finished my drink and went to get us two more, moving as if I had been a girl for longer than three days and taking the money out of my purse to pay for them. I chose a couple of buttered rolls for energy and a nice guy offered to carry my tray back to the table.
I thanked him nicely and smiled as he left.
Josie sat back. “What on earth have we made and let loose on the world? That guy nearly asked you out and just ignored me. I’m jealous. It must be those child-bearing hips of yours that fill out that skirt.”
When we had finished the rolls and drinks, we stood to leave. On the way out we passed the table where my nice tray-carrier was sitting with a pretty girl who didn’t have her best face on at the moment.
As we got close, I could hear him saying “Darling, for the third time, I was just being helpful.”
She looked up and saw us. Suddenly her face brightened. “Excuse me, but are you from that band that plays at the Dude Ranch night club?”
Josie smiled and said that we were. The girl then told us that she had seen us play and that we were fantastic. She pulled out a notebook and a pen and asked us to give her our autographs, which we did.
As we left, I heard him ask, “So, darling, just who is it that’s taking you to night clubs then?”
The afternoon was spent in a shoe store where I walked out, somewhat carefully, on a pair of three-inch strappy red heels that matched my outfit. My old boots were in a carrier bag along with a pair of black heels similar to the red ones. The logic was that I could still wear boots with denim skirts. The leather skirts just needed something better.
I was also now sockless and feeling the effect of shoes against my stockinged feet for the first time. There was a quick stop at a small store that sold cheap jewelery and then we went home. I learned that a girl gets into a car differently when wearing a dress or skirt, especially one as short as the one I now had on.
At home we put our new things away and Josie changed into her new red skirt and pulled on a pair of heels similar to mine. We had arranged to meet the others at a pizza place just around the corner from the Dude Ranch. When we arrived, we were all dressed alike and looking good enough to eat. When we got up on stage that night, it was as if someone had flicked a switch.
The girls all moved slightly differently, and the audience was even more receptive than before, especially the guys. Going from pants to skirts was a watershed moment for the Pixies. I forgot how I was dressed as I played my violin. I thought that even my voice had modulated to fit my look, and no one booed when I sang.
At the end of the night, we were tired but happy. The audience was drunk and happy and the management was just richer … and happy. They asked if we could extend our time there to the end of the year and we all said “Yes.”
Before we all went home, Donna told us that we should meet at the dance hall on Sunday after lunch so that we could check out the venue for the Halloween show. She told us that we should dress casually as it wasn’t a group thing as such, and she gave Josie a small bottle of solvent so that I could lose the breasts and free my penis for the following week.
When we got home Josie put the bottle on the side and told me that she would use it Sunday evening because I needed to still be “Edie” tomorrow. I was too tired and wired after the show to argue and we just cuddled that night.
In the morning, I found out that for a girl, “casual” means so much more than it does for a guy. We did the hatchlings with me in jeans and a shirt, had breakfast, and reported last night’s show to my mother. She said that she couldn’t wait to see me dolled up, so I had to promise to give her a showing before we left for the next gig.
I was then into the shower with Josie, and we washed our hair this time. I discovered the joy of wrapping it in a towel, something that I never could before.
Josie checked me over for stray hair and we took our time getting dressed. She loaned me another set of bra and panties and told me that next time we shopped I was going to have to get my own. I still found it hard to believe as she handed me a pack of light tights and a black flared skirt.
She remarked that my new black shoes would do and that a white blouse from my purchases would look good as well. When we were dressed, she sat me down and brushed my hair out and fluffed it up, and then got to work on my face. When she had finished, she declared me to be casual enough and sent me off to show my mother the new look “Edie” while she finished her own dressing and make-up.
My mother took one look at me and teared up before hugging me tightly and whispering “Edie, my girl, you look wonderful and so natural. We are going to have to get you some more things to keep you going.”
I laughed. “Mom, that’s just what Josie said. It’s just to get us through this Halloween show. Josie showed me the costume picture yesterday and I’m only just realizing that if I look girly now, I have to ramp it up a notch or two before that night. The outfit is the sort of one that you would have never let me out of the house wearing, had I really been your daughter.”
When I walked back to the stable, she stood on the porch and watched me go. We both waved as we got in the car to head into the city. Because we knew my size it was easy for me to follow Josie into a big store that opened Sundays and she “helped” me pick out a range of bras, panties, slips, half-slips, camisoles, and nighties in a range of colors.
The only thing that I needed to try on was a selection of strapless bras so that I had my own for the show. After that we both chose a black and a red garter belt and a handful of packs of stockings. I queried the number of things I was buying and was told that a girl can never have enough underwear and hose.
We then moved to the ladies’ outerwear, and I ended up with another couple of skirts and tops, along with three dresses. These were something to behold and never anything I could have imagined wearing. They came in differing lengths, one long to mid-calf, one to the knee and another about as short as the stage skirt. The long one featured sparkles, the middle one had a psychedelic pattern, and the short one had been made for a night in white satin.
We put the bags in the car, and I asked if I should look at a furniture store to buy another wardrobe and was told, “Later, sweetheart.”
We had lunch in a small café and then went to meet the others at the venue. I could see, straightaway, that Josie had been correct with her “casual” prediction as the two of us didn’t look overdressed when we joined them. Donna took one look at me and declared that I was still beautiful in daylight, something every girl wants to be. I suppose that my inverted egg face helped when made up and the breasts now had turned my pear shape into an hourglass figure.
The promoter, Harry, turned up and showed us inside. The place was huge, considerably bigger than our previous venues. He told us that he would supply amplification as the place already had a PA system and that both bands would use the same kit. We saw where we would be able to change in a big room with a couple of shower and toilet cubicles. I would be changing with five gorgeous girls -- but hey, I would be one that night as well.
Up on the stage we looked out over the dance floor, and I saw a big clock on the far wall. I asked if that would be there on the night and, when told it would be, a little scenario grew in my mind.
I said to Pet, “If we can work it so we can stop playing as the clock flicks to midnight, maybe we can play a bit of Danse Macabre before we move into other things.”
She commented that we could get back in the groove with The Devil Came Down to Georgia.
She then said that she had written some new lyrics for some of her songs that we already played, this time with suitable spooky words. The two of us also agreed that we would have to play electric violins with a hall this size.
Harry then told us that fixed cameras on the walls would record the dancers and also everything on stage. He said that he would be recording the evening with a view to using footage in an advertising campaign on TV the following year. The audio would be mixed properly on the night and recorded to a hard drive. I was almost overwhelmed by all of this as it was a far cry from the venues we had played in so far.
The show was on a Friday so we would still be doing our usual Saturday night at the Dude Ranch. The season with the Chuck Wagon was nearly over so we would need to look for another place. Donna said she was already on that.
Before we broke up, we had a group hug and Donna gave us cards from the costume shop where we would get our outfits. Josie and I could go during the week as there were a couple of days when we had just one lecture. I stood frozen as I realized what that meant. I would have to go and try the outfit on as a girl, which meant that I would have to go to school as a girl.
We parted after agreeing to have sessions in the studio on Tuesday and Thursday until the night of the show. As Josie and I walked to the car, arm in arm, she asked, “I saw you freeze back there; what’s the matter?”
I told her that if we were to try on the witch outfits during the week, I would need to have my breasts on -- which would mean that I would be wearing a female outfit -- and that meant that I would have to go to classes as a girl.
She giggled. “Now you’re getting it, love. With the new hair, the new earrings, and the very nice eyebrows, you will have to go as one unless you really want to be the butt of jokes. You can do it. Hell, you looked better than a lot of girls in the class even when you were wearing your baggy shirts and jeans. It will be no biggie, when you turn up as “Edie” I’ll bet you that all the comments will be along the lines of when you’ll go out with the guys. You’ve already shown that you can pass with a stranger. Harry never considered that you were anything but one of the girls. You, young lady, are every inch a Pixie and I’m so proud of you.”
“What about us?” I wailed. “What about my manhood?”
She laughed. “Lover, you fully satisfy me when we make love woman to woman. Tomorrow we’ll go to a store I know of and get you some gaffs and then I will release your little friend from his prison. I’ll get some of that glue from Donna and will redo you on the morning of the shows so that you can wear the outfits properly. Don’t worry, my love, you can do it.”
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 4
So, that night, we made love as women again and I went to sleep with a smile on my face and the taste of woman on my tongue. Monday morning, I was all nerves again, but Josie helped me through it with the chicks and my mother was also supportive at breakfast.
My father just shrugged. “Do whatever you want, my child. Just remember that it will be you that will carry any consequences.”
I gave him a peck on the cheek and told him I loved him, too.
I followed Josie’s advice and didn’t glam up for school. The denim outfit with the fringed jacket and a new, longer, skirt just needed the boots I wore on stage to complete the look. She helped me apply my make-up -- but I did attempt to do a lot of it myself. I decided that my old backpack wasn’t right for the new me and went over to the house to ask my mother if she had a big bag I could use.
Fully equipped with my new look we went off to school. Except for one of the girls asking where Eddie was, we didn’t make any waves at all. I sat through the lectures, we had lunch in the school cafeteria, and, whenever I needed to go to the toilet, Josie came with me to the female ones, which were much nicer than the ones I went into the previous week. As we worked through the day, I became more and more settled in my mind that I was looking and acting like a girl.
The only sour point was when one of the known lesbians wanted to know if we would join the LGTBQ club and gave me a handout with the meeting times. I put it in my bag and said that we would think about it, and she told us that it may be very beneficial to our careers. With just having to get through to the end of the education year, I wondered just how much help it would be. Maybe, if we were in the first year, it may have been a help in fitting in but now, who needed it?
When I made my feelings known to Josie she chuckled. “You really don’t get it, sometimes. She thought that you were a girl, not a guy, and was only picking up on the bits of tomboy that still remain. Her gaydar was right but her interpretation was a mirror image of reality.”
I had to think about that for a few minutes.
She finally threw her hands up in the air. “Donna made a mistake with our hair color for the show; she should have made us all blondes.”
We had time to get to the costume shop and look at the witch outfits. Josie said that she would wear a red outfit and I would wear black, so the lady pulled a couple off the rack and gave them to us to try on. My black one fitted like a glove, probably because there wasn’t that much more material than a glove.
We both came out of the change rooms at the same time, and both said “Wow!”
The lady looked at us and told us that the boys would be drooling come the Halloween party. “Wait until they see six of us on stage,” Josie said. “The dancefloor may get a little slippery.”
I asked about the cost of the outfits and was told that these could be had cheap if we didn’t want to bring them back. They had been loaned out a number of times and really should be replaced. I asked about the ones for the other four girls and was told that they were also ready for sale. I paid for all six as I wanted to help the others out and repay them for some of the help, they had given me.
We left the shop with our costumes in bags and carrying our pointed hats. Josie sent a group text to the others to tell them that their costume would be theirs and were already paid for. They would come in handy if we did another Halloween show or went to work a street corner somewhere.
That afternoon, when we got home, we stripped down, showered, and dressed in the costume from the skin out. I had a black thong, black push-up strapless bra, black garter belt and stockings. The outfit fitted very closely, and the hat needed to be pinned to my hair so that it stayed in place. When I did up the black strappy sandals and looked in the mirror I almost came in my thong. Josie was still getting dressed and was looking at me with her mouth hanging open.
“Josie -- flies!”
After she was fully dressed in the red outfit, she made us both up and we went over to the house to show Mom.
She was taken aback. “If I didn’t know better, I would have said that you are two absolutely gorgeous babes who’ll attract the guys like moths to a flame. Actually, I do know better, and I still think you are guy magnets. You’d better go and put some clothes on for dinner or else we will have to call the paramedics for your father. Not to restart his heart but to put a splint on his stiffy.”
We went back to the stable and Josie took some pictures of us to show Donna. We got back into the daytime outfits for dinner, and then we went back to the bedroom where Josie used the solvent on a cotton bud to soften the glue.
It took about half an hour to free me from the prison. Weirdly, I felt a little astounded when it didn’t leap out but just hung there as if it was embarrassed to be out again. After she had undressed, and we started kissing it realized why it had been let loose and we fell on the bed so I could ravage my true love.
Tuesday, I found out about another part of being a woman. You don’t wear the same outfit two days in a row; nor do you wear it in the same week. This was going to get harder as things went on. I now knew why I had so many sets of underwear and was able to put together a skirt and top that Josie said looked good.
After our morning lecture we went off to a business area. I parked where Josie told me to and followed her into a shop where they sold things for artists such as me. I came out with a dozen gaffs, all matched to my skin color, eleven in a bag and one on. It was not quite as realistic as the glue method but was good enough. We decided that I would certainly need to be glued to wear the witch outfit.
That afternoon I was asked out by Charlie, one of the guys in our class but had to say that I was playing in a band on Saturday nights. He asked where and I said that this weekend we were at the Chuck Wagon. He said that he may come along and catch the show.
Josie told me that I had done the right thing, not refusing but still keeping him interested.
“But I don’t want him to be interested!” I argued.
She reminded me of what my mother had said last night.
“I hope he brings along a hunky friend,” she added.
Tuesday evening, the girls all turned up for our studio session. We were pretty well set with what we would be playing on the Saturday evenings so worked on the Halloween set, seeing that it was now just three weeks away. Pet had some new lyrics for her own songs so the instrumental parts were not a problem and when we tried the words out, they were not that far removed from the originals. The two of us played electric violin and played about with an effects box until we were happy with a spooky setting.
Thursday evening, I put a clock on the wall and set it to ten fifteen and we played the set as if it was live. At midnight, Pet played the opening part of the Danse Macabre final section, and I joined her with the main tune.
She had given Emily sheet music to follow on the keyboard, set to orchestral output, and I must say it worked well. It was only a three-minute piece and we hit our straps with The Devil Came Down to Goergia after that. We ran it out as a long piece with plenty of solos for everyone, finishing the set at half past midnight according to the clock. These girls were really good and great to be playing with.
Donna said that she wanted us to do a full-dress rehearsal the next Thursday. We should repeat tonight’s set on Tuesday but to think about an encore, should everyone ask for one.
I said that they should change in my room on Thursday because being out in the outfit may lead to an arrest if they broke down and stood by the side of the road. Josie showed them the pictures she had taken of us, and Janet had to sit down, overcome with the prospect of what she is going to look like at the show, being a girl from a very upright family down south.
We decided that Saturday night at the Chuck Wagon would dress in black leather. Josie said that I would be all right with a gaff. She asked Donna to bring some of the glue next week, so that we could ready me at home.
Saturday we were back in the city for me to look for more everyday outfits, cheap enough that I could get a few but not so cheap as to be throw-away. In the afternoon, we dressed in our stage outfit. I was getting more and more used to putting on a garter and stockings and walked in the three-inch heels as if I had been born this tall. Mom came over and took a couple of pictures of us for her scrapbook and we were off to our fame and fortune in a cowboy bar.
We met up with the others at an Italian place for a meal together and then went to the Chuck Wagon for our gig. We created a little bit of mayhem, playing our stuff in short skirts. We posed provocatively. Even I leaned forward a lot while I was playing. At one point Pet and I were on a roll, and we backed into each other while bending forward, much to the enjoyment of the guys in the crowd, including the guys from my class and, I noticed, at least three others that I knew.
We had a ball, and everyone had fun, drank and ate a lot and put a smile on the bar owner. He apologized when he paid us, saying that our last appearance in two weeks would have a bonus payment for being such good sports and that he was sorry that he had already booked another band for the following three months. We had some help from a group of six guys when we went to load up the van.
I was about to get in my car to go home when they asked if they could take us out for a drink. Donna said that it would be nice and approved of the bar they suggested. They led the way in their cars, and we followed along behind, me getting more worried with each passing mile. There were plenty of parking spots at the bar and we all went in.
The guys asked us what we wanted, and Donna said we would all have bourbon on ice.
Two drinks further on I found myself dancing with Charlie to a slow song on the jukebox, in a crowd of us all dancing with guys.
My pal seemed to like the feel of my butt through my leather skirt, and I really didn’t want to make a scene, even when he started kissing my neck. Passing a doorway, I was suddenly pulled through it into a passageway and he then really kissed me on my lips. I responded in kind and the kiss became steamy with his hands roaming over my body. One part of him had decided it had found home as it was pushed against my groin.
The fact that I was woman enough to turn him on was something new – and felt too good. Unlike my previous kisses with girls, his kisses were firm and strong, and I didn’t mind as his tongue began to explore my tonsils.
When our lips parted, he said. “Come home with me tonight.”
I came to my senses. “Sorry; no can do. Actually, Josie and I need to get going, it’s almost time for my father’s medicine. Last time I forgot, he went outside with a carving knife, and it took me ages to find all the bits and get rid of the body.”
I gave him a soft kiss on his lips. “See you in class next week.” I left him to find Josie being pushed up against a wall with Charlie’s mate, Bruce, ravishing her lips. I tapped him on the shoulder. “You had better unhand Josie; she needs to be taken home before her policeman husband gets off his shift.”
He stepped back.
Josie smiled and we both said “Goodnight,” picked up our coats and bags, and then left the bar.
We got in the car and Josie laughed. “Hells bells, Edie, you even bullshit like a woman. Thanks for stepping in; I was starting to wonder where the nearest motel was. How did you get on?”
I grinned. “Would you believe that I may have been in the next room, if it had gotten any further. My father was right; the consequences need to be considered.”
When we got home it didn’t take us long before we were rolling around in the bed relieving the tensions we had built. It was a memorable bit of outright lust the first time but much slower and more loving the second. As we cuddled afterwards, I whispered, “I love you, Josie.”
She whispered back. “I love you too, Edie.”
Sunday, we put on jeans, boots and blouses and went into the city to just stroll in the public park, hand in hand, and talked about where the Pixies could be heading. We both wanted it to be as good as we could make it but wondered how long it would be before we made it to the big time, or even if we would.
Donna, we knew, was serious but we weren’t too sure about Janet and Emily. We already knew that Pet was looking at a steady job. It was a given that, if Josie and I remained an item, she would have a future at my side. The following couple of weeks were pretty straight forward if you discounted a certain classmate trying to get me to go out with him. Josie thought it was a hoot as I came up with every excuse under the sun to put him off.
We went through our Halloween set on Tuesday and Thursday with Thursday a full-dress rehearsal. That was fun seeing the other girls all having difficulties coping with the very skimpy outfit and trying to keep the hats on.
We decided that we would go on stage with the pointy hats but would get rid of them as soon as we could. If we played as freely as we had done on Saturday, our hair would be flying around anyway. After the Tuesday session, I discovered that the other four girls had, indeed, had a good time with their boys on Saturday and Donna had a dreamy look when she said that she’d had a very good night.
Saturday, the Dude Ranch was packed, and we really enjoyed the night. We did that one in darker denim with short skirts and the place was jumping. The two nights in the studio that week we took a break from being witches and worked on a few more new songs that Pet had come up with. When we were sitting in my lounge area after the Thursday session, I suggested that we had enough original material for an album, which made everyone stop and think.
That Saturday night was our last at the Chuck Wagon. I, for one, was not unhappy to see the end of it. We took our bonus with gratitude and gave the boss a kiss on the cheek. It had been good to us, but I had the feeling that the Pixies needed to be in front of bigger crowds and the coming Friday night would see if I was right.
Tuesday and Thursday evening we did the full set to the clock and in the costumes. We found new ways to be sexy and spooky at the same time. Whatever happened on Friday, we had put in the work to make it as good as possible.
Friday, we got home as soon as we could and dived into the shower. I was then on my back with my legs apart, thinking calm thoughts, as Josie recreated my captive penis and the girlish slit without ending up with her fingers stuck to my groin.
We then dressed in our costume underwear, she in the red; me in the black. I had my costume and shoes in a bag and the hat ready to go. When she had finished dressing, Josie took some care to do our make-up and hair. We had put on conservative shift dresses and could have been going out to dinner when we left home with our instruments in the trunk.
We met up with the others at the pizza place -- but we were all too wired to eat much. We stayed off the drinks because there would be no time for a toilet break once we were on stage. At seven we got to the back entrance of the hall where we were welcomed and led to the dressing room that had been allocated to us. It took a few trips to get everything from the cars and van into the building. The instruments went to the side of the stage ready for the change-over and our outfits and make-up boxes went down to the changing room.
The other band was already set up and in the next room getting ready. Before they went on, a bit after eight, we all wished them luck. They were a four-piece called “The Ramrods” and were all about our age.
We took our time getting ready, making sure that none of us would have a “wardrobe malfunction” during the set. Our beauticians gave us witch-like faces with a heavy dose of glamour. There was a speaker in the room, and we could hear the guys up on stage. As their set went on, Pet looked at me. “It’s just their normal stuff with a few specials thrown in.”
I had to agree. They were playing standard songs and I picked out odd ones like Mack the Knife, Monster Mash, and one that I hadn’t heard before about Jack the Ripper.
All too soon their time drew to a close and it was our turn. As they played their last song and the curtains closed, we were at the side of the stage looking fabulous and ready to take our kit on once theirs was off the other side.
The management had provided a couple of guys to do the heavy work, but they needed to be reminded to stop looking at us as we took our gear on stage. I asked one if he could tell me the time and asked him to make sure we were in place by twelve minutes past ten. It was a close call, but we were ready.
Donna gave the signal to pull the curtains just on a quarter past ten.
A cheer rose as we were revealed with the first song being a duet between me and Josie, one of our originals, with the others playing accompaniment. As we moved into the set we got moving and shaking and the dancefloor was a throbbing mass of bodies. I tried to look for my parents but there were several Dracula costumes and when you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.
The big venue and huge crowd brought out the performers in us. I was having a ball dancing around the stage flashing my garter and stocking tops and having an epic battle with Pet to see who could play better. I had become a girl fiddle player in an all-girl group and loved every minute of it. As we approached midnight, we timed our last song of the day to finish with just five seconds in hand. Donna had arranged for recorded chimes at midnight, and, on cue, a bell tolled twelve over the PA.
Pet started the last part of Danse Macabre where the devil violinist calls for the dead to rise. As we finished that short piece and the crowd got their breath we moved into our last number, a stretched version of The Devil Came Down to Georgia, finishing up at just before half past. Pet and I may have been half the size of Charlie Daniels, but we fiddled just as hard.
The crowd roared as we faded from view behind the curtain and Harry came on to the stage with us and pleaded for us to carry on for a while. Still wired we said “Yes.” As the curtains opened again, we started playing some of our other material with Donna calling the songs as we went.
We finished the second time an hour later and could play no more. It was just as well as the crowd had fallen by the wayside by that time as well. We took a bow as the curtains closed with applause ringing in our ears. It had been intoxicating and I wanted more.
Harry was effusive in his praise and told us that his guys would carry our stuff out to our van, so Janet got him the keys. We went down to the dressing room to change out of our witch outfits but first, lined up for a pee.
As we were stripping, we were hugging each other and smiling a lot. It had been an amazing evening and I was bushed. When we were all back in our normal outfits and the costumes bagged up, we left the dressing room, walking out to find a number of people waiting for us to emerge.
Harry had a wad of bills for Donna to hide in her bag. He introduced us to two guys who were from one of the TV stations who wanted to talk about a spot on one of the local shows. Donna pleaded exhaustion and told them that concentrating on anything else tonight would be impossible. She took their cards to call them the following week.
Janet got the van keys back, we double-checked that we had everything and went out to our vehicles, saying that we would meet, tomorrow evening, at the Italian place we’d eaten at before our show. We didn’t say much on the way home. When we arrived, we found lights on in the house. My mother came out in her dressing gown and asked us to have a cup of cocoa with her. We sat in the kitchen with welcome mugs, and she told us about her night from the perspective of one of the dancers.
She said that my father had been shocked by our costumes but had really liked our take on the music. They had left after the first set, and she told me that he would look after the chicks in the morning so we could sleep in. As we stood to go to bed, she hugged us both.
“It was a wonderful night out, you girls were all fantastic and I’m so proud of you, my daughters.”
In the stable we cleaned our faces, undressed, and dived into bed after turning the alarm clock off. We were woken by the sound of Josie’s phone telling her she had a text. I looked at the clock. It was after eleven and I didn’t feel too bad.
She looked at her phone while I gazed lovingly at her, and she gave a little squeal. “Get moving, sister, there’s things to do, people to see and a show tonight to get ready for.” Whatever was in the text had certainly galvanized her.
While she was in the shower, I took a sneak peek at her phone and read, “Watch Saturday Local today. Harry rang and we’re on it. Meet at Italian place an hour earlier tonight.”
Well, it didn’t use so many words but if you hadn’t read Donna’s messages before you wouldn’t make head or tail of the text.
Saturday Local went on the air after the midday news, so I followed Josie through the cycle of toilet, shower, face cream, and powdering. All of which had become a natural way to start the day. Then I wondered why I was doing it today as the show was over.
Josie was like a whirlwind, sorting out outfits and underwear for the two of us and we walked over to the main house looking like a couple of well-dressed ladies who had been in a salon all morning. I had to say that this was one thing I did love about my time as a girl, the way you can look so good, and then, ten minutes later, with a good wardrobe, look totally different, something a guy could never do.
My mother expected us for lunch or else she always made extra in case we turned up on the weekends. There was a TV in the kitchen and Josie turned it on and found the right channel. We all sat and ate our lunch as the news of the day was shown: all doom, gloom, war, and disaster that seemed to be the way of the world.
When Saturday Local came on the announcer said. “We have a packed show for you today and we lead off with our gal about town, Shirley Gordon, who went to a Halloween party last night and wants to tell us about it. You don’t usually tell us what you do at parties, Shirley. What was so different about this one?”
The shot went to a ravishing blonde. “Yes, Hal, there are things that happen at my parties that would make you blush. The Halloween party last night was in the dance hall behind me, and everyone was blown away by a local group of girls who looked, and sounded, like they were international stars who had dropped in from outer space to brighten our night. Have a look at this.”
They played a clip, obviously taken by the fixed cameras, of us on stage doing our thing. It ran for a good thirty seconds, and I had to say that I was entranced by us, as witches, and the energy we were putting out. When she came back on, she was in the hall with Harry and asked him what he thought of the Pixies.
Harry complimented us by saying that we had been a surprise for everyone with the show we had put on. Almost every song had been in the spooky vein.
He then said that he had been getting calls all morning from patrons wanting to know when our next show would be and that a rival TV executive had been there last night, but he didn’t think we had signed anything yet.
“I had a call this morning from a record producer friend who also had been here last night. He asked me how to get in touch with these six lovely ladies because he wants to get them into a studio to cut an album.”
I sat there with a stunned look on my face.
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 5
Shirley then came back on. “They’ll be at the Dude Ranch night club tonight if they can muster the energy after efforts of last night. I know we don’t usually have long clips on this show, but I pleaded with the producers to allow us to show the last part of the girls’ show. Have a look at this and I may see you tonight at the Dude.”
The screen went blank for a second or two and then opened up with us all standing on stage as the midnight hour chimed and then carried on with our show through to the end of Devil and the curtains closing.
As the studio announcer got started on the next story, we four sat there with our mouths open, our hot drinks now cold. It was Dad who broke the silence. “Eddie, I think that you’re going to be Edie for a lot longer than you thought.”
He got up, came over, and then hugged me. “I had a wonderful time last night, we both felt like we were teenagers again and it was a lot of fun, even more so knowing the two of you as we do. I got over my shock at the costumes because, as you played, they were so right for the situation, and you really didn’t show any more than a lot of other teenage girls these days.”
My mother had a tear in her eye as she also hugged us. She sat back. “What now, girls?”
“We don’t know yet, Mom,” Josie admitted. “We’re waiting for Donna to get back to us. She’s our manager, so to speak, as we’ve never needed anyone in that role before. I’m still stunned at the amount of time they gave us today, an amazing twenty-odd minutes of prime-time day TV. It’ll make waves, we know, but how high those waves reach is for us to find out. All I do know is that if it wasn’t for my dear sister, Edie, here, all of this would never have happened. I suppose we have to thank Henrietta and Reynard for bringing us together and bringing me into such a wonderful family.”
Mom put the kettle on again and, while we were sipping our hot coffee, Josie’s phone chirped again, and she looked at the text message.
“Change of plan, Donna wants us to meet up at the denim shop to pick out a new stage look at two thirty.”
It was a bit after one, so we finished our drinks and went back to the stable to get our bags, refresh our lipstick and make sure we had everything we needed for tonight in case we weren’t able to get back before the show.
On the drive into the city, I took hold of Josie’s hand, and we carried on in silence for a while until I said. “Well, sister, what about us now? I may have to be “Edie” for a while longer than I thought. I expected to be back in my old guy clothes today and I don’t know if I’m upset or happy to still be in a dress.”
She thought about it a bit. “We can let the prisoner out tonight and you can still be my Eddie. I think that if Donna gets her way, you’re going to be a girl in an all-girl group for some time to come -- so you’d better get used to it. I think that next week we’d better get you to the university administration and reregister you as Edweena Georgina and a transgender. You won’t have any problems proving that you’re capable of passing. That way it can all go through, and you can graduate as Edweena.”
After we parked near the denim shop, we met the others who were all bubbly. It took a while to say hello as everyone was hugged by everyone else and we must have looked a sight to other shoppers. Donna said that we needed to upgrade our stage outfit tonight as they had seen our denim jeans, skirts, and the two leather looks before. She had enough cash from last night to pay for a couple of outfits each as well as having some to split between us. She then said that the bank account for the Pixies had grown nicely with our regular gigs over the last three months.
In the shop she added. “Now, I think we need to do things in a co-ordinated fashion. I think that a denim dress with front button-through would allow us to be as chic or as sexy as we like, just by having it buttoned or not. The same thing can be said about a leather double-zip dress. This shop has noted that we’ve been seen on stage in their outfits before and the management has kindly offered us a good discount, as long as they can take a picture of us today to put in the window, that we’ve all autographed -- once they have a print.”
The sales manager stood by us, and then she and another lady led us through the store to a couple of racks where they had collected dresses along the lines of what Donna had explained. I thought it was a good move to make sure we continued to have a professional look. By four we had all tried out some different designs and colors and had made our choice for the next “Pixie Look.” The denim felt very soft, in a graduated color scheme that featured vivid red in a flame design at the hem and muted back through the pinks with black across the shoulders. The leather dress also came in black and red but this time in quarters, one side of the bodice dark red, the other black, and the skirt was the opposite way around. They would both look stunning on stage as well as in normal use.
Donna said that the Dude would now allow us use of a dedicated dressing room so we could change before we went on stage. We were all dressed nicely enough for a little dinner meeting beforehand that we had been invited to. She told us where to meet and we found ourselves in a nice restaurant, sitting at a table with Hal and Shirley from the TV station, along with some executives. I had to smile as there’s nothing like the idea that a rival station was about to scoop you to bring out the big guns. This could prove to be a very interesting meal.
I hardly knew what I was eating as the TV folk gushed over us with phrases like “stellar careers,” “international stardom,” and similar buzzwords designed to make us roll over and sign the contracts they were likely to have already made out in their briefcases. We allowed Donna to take the lead and they didn’t reckon with a girl who was training to be a specialist doctor and wise to the ways of the world.
They also didn’t expect to have two of the group who were nearly master’s in business administration as we picked the holes in what they were offering with ease and made hard-nosed comments on what control they had thought they could have over us.
We finally agreed to a couple of things, as long as they put up the money. We would allow them to bring cameramen along to tonight’s show as long as the Dude management agreed. We would go into their studio one evening to record a half hour interview with Shirley and we would talk to them again after we had talked to the rival station.
The verbal agreement was that they would, in the future, pay each of us fifty dollars a minute for any video of ours that they used on air and that we would do the interview for free. It was all dependent on other offers and Donna told them, “The outcome of any discussion about recording.”
That night we changed at the night club, the management being all over us and willing to go along with anything we asked. We set up our kit and changed into the flaming denim dresses. When we went out on stage, we were greeted with a standing ovation before we even played a note. My folks were there in the front, dressed, alarmingly, in good western outfits. I started to wonder at their lifestyle before I came along. I suppose that no child really fully knows their parents.
We did our show to the best of our abilities, seeing that we were all still pretty tired. It must have been good enough because everyone was dancing at times and the applause was constant when we finished each tune. A couple of times someone would shout out “Play some spooky stuff!” so we relented towards the end of our set and did a couple of the spooky takes on Pet’s songs and finished the night with the Devil Came Down To Georgia.
When we finished to a lot of whooping and hollering, I think the audience had enjoyed the entertainment. The cameramen were very good, moving around in front of us and sometimes coming up on stage -- but keeping low. Sometimes they filmed the crowd. We would have to work really hard to keep up this level of entertainment.
When we had changed back into our normal outfits and packed the van with our gear, the manager asked us if we could join him in a quiet room to discuss our future. This would be interesting. We were joined by Harry, from the dance hall, and two of the TV executives we had spoken to at dinner. The offer was that we should extend our three months here, at the Dude, playing every Saturday night until the end of the year. This was agreeable to us since our stint at the Chuck Wagon had finished.
The last things took my breath away. Harry, in conjunction with the Dude wanted us to star in a proposed Christmas Spectacular at his dance hall. He would organize other bands to support us, and it would be live on TV with advertising between the bands.
They had already decided that it would be called “A Very Pixie Christmas” and the money that they had clubbed together as our payment made us all gasp. They were either all crazy or else they could see dollar signs as they looked at us. The TV guy then said following that he wanted us to be the anchors of a New Year show which was still to be organized, and the details sorted out.
Donna told them that we needed to discuss it all, but the regular gig was a given. They said that contracts would be drawn up, but we needed to decide and sign soon so that they could put together some teasers to go out on TV.
I gathered that both Harry and the Dude management would be riding on the back of the shows, so it could turn out to be good for everyone. The girls all agreed to meet at the stable on Tuesday evening for a discussion. Instruments could be left at home.
We were in a daze when we left them, and I drove us home. Josie was quiet for a while and then she giggled. I asked what it was she had thought of.
“I’ve just visualised you in a Santa’s Little Helper costume. It’s usually a cute skirt with lots of petticoats and a little red hat with a bell on top.”
That vision made me laugh as well.
“If I could look good in the witch costume, why do you think I’ll have a problem as a Little Helper?”
“Easy, as a witch you were spooky. A Little Helper has to be totally girly and you’re not quite there --- yet. Maybe by Christmas you will be -- but it’s going to take a few more girl experiences.”
We got home and my parents came out of the house to give us a hug. Mom told us that we had been, once again, fantastic. I asked if we could come in and talk. Dad still wore his western gear, complete with gun-belt.
“I hope that’s not loaded, Dad”.
He snorted. “Of course, it is, love. No cowboy would leave the house without five bullets in the cylinder. Safety’s on, though.”
We sat down and we gave them the new information, as far as we knew.
Dad sighed. “You girls need a good agent. Leave that to me. I have a pal in that game.”
I told them that all the girls would be here for a meeting Tuesday evening. Mom insisted that we use our big lounge, and she would keep us supplied with food and drink. Later, in our bedroom, Josie carefully released my little prisoner.
“Hello, little one” she said as it appeared from the folds of my groin, “I hope you grow up quickly, there’s someone here that wants to meet you – in person.”
I asked her if she could remove my breasts because I was getting an itch where they were and couldn’t scratch the place. By the time I was back to my original shape my little friend had become a teenager and we cleaned our faces, creamed my chest, and went to bed to see if it could match my age, again. It was quite successful but took a long time, much to my frustration and Josie’s enjoyment.
Sunday, we sat and made a list, actually several lists side by side. We now had a show every Saturday until January so would need to keep getting new material or else moving things around so the audience wouldn’t start thinking they were listening to an album. The second column was the Christmas Show. The third was the New Year Show. The fourth, with a question mark, was recording. I added another column.
“What’s that one for?” Josie asked.
I wrote on the top “Exams.”
“Oh shit!” she exclaimed, “They’re all in December.”
We knew that Donna would be in the same boat, but she was a good student and I expected that she would be all right. I spent all that day as Eddie, and it felt good for a while. But when I looked at Josie getting ready to go out, I felt guilty that I stood there in slacks and a sweater that I had worn since I got up and wasn’t rushing around trying to perfect my look.
She saw me looking odd and asked what was wrong.
I told her that I wasn’t a happy “Eddie.” I missed the joy of dressing to look good.
She held me close. “My darling, I don’t think the other girls have any idea of what you’re giving up for them.”
We went into the city and saw a movie, cuddling and kissing in the back row.
Monday was a school day, and I took a lot of care in the morning. After doing the chicks and having breakfast I attacked the dressing as a problem to be overcome. I made sure the gaff that day was particularly snug and pulled the bra tighter to hold the breast forms without glue. I wore the sexiest underwear I could, stockings and a garter belt, and my red leather skirt with the jacket over a black blouse. Josie picked up on my need and helped me create a pretty dramatic look with the make-up and not just a normal day-time job.
I got a few looks that day and not just from the boys. During lunch-time Josie borrowed the car keys as she wanted to go and get some feminine supplies that I didn’t need, yet. My admirer, Charlie, saw his chance and came to sit alongside me.
When he said he had something to show me in the storeroom I followed him in, and we restarted what I had stopped all those weeks ago. I don’t know why I felt in the need to prove to myself that I was a girl but when his hands started wandering, I told him to stop. I would do something that I knew he wanted instead.
Twenty minutes later he opened the door to make sure no one was around and kissed me nicely before he went out. I took a few minutes to redo my lipstick, having left quite a ring around his penis.
I was really a girl inside and smiled when I got to the next class.
Josie came in. “Hey, girl, you look like the cat that got the cream”.
I laughed. “It looked creamy but tasted definitely salty.”
Her smile faded for a second but then she beamed. “Good girl, that’s one of the experiences you needed to know what a girl is. Maybe we can go out with him and his friend and get ourselves reamed.”
I wondered why she felt the need for another man. Was it because I was no longer man enough for her?
Tuesday evening arrived and with it came the rest of the Pixies. Once we were all sitting in the lounge with Mom fussing around with food and drink Donna said. “We need to do some planning. I’ve had a call from the studio, and they’re prepared to get us in on weekday evenings or Sundays to make an album. They will cover the costs for a percentage. I think that we could do one with our original songs, as Edie suggested last week. Does anyone have anything else to say?”
Janet put her hand up. “Yes. I’ve got a problem. As you know, my folks are strictly conservative and one of their friends showed them a recording they had made of the Halloween show. My father phoned me on Sunday, and he told me he was coming up next Saturday to take me out of this “devil’s circus.” He wants to take me home, to go to work in the mill. I don’t know what to do.”
We were all quiet. Mom, who was bringing in some cookies at the time, broke the silence.
“That’s easy, dear. You just disappear. I did much the same thing when my folks didn’t accept my true love as a likely husband. We still have the room that Edie used in the house before she moved out to the stable. You move here and they’ll have a problem finding you. They can’t take you off the stage at the Dude because there’ll be the bouncers to get past.”
Donna agreed. “That’s a fantastic way out. You have the van. It won’t take much to move you from that apartment. The band funds can help with any costs, and you can pay it back out of future earnings.”
Janet looked relieved through her tears and gave everyone a hug, telling us that we were the best.
Donna grinned. “That one was unexpected. Is there anyone else?”
Pet stood and paced for a few seconds, and then smiled. “Yes, I got a letter last week offering me a job as second violin in an orchestra in Boston.”
We all started to congratulate her, but she put her hand up. “They’re too late. I’ve written back to tell them that I’m a permanent member of an up-and-coming band. I gave them some references to YouTube and Facebook sites and told them just to type in Pixies Detroit.”
We all then gave her a hug. Donna looked at Emily, who shrugged, “Nothing happening here.”
It had become Josie and my turn in the spotlight.
“Well, you know that the two of us are doing Business Administration and we considered the next few months as a sales problem, one of supply and demand. We need to sell our songs to the audience. Because of the fickle market we do have to make continual changes until we become a known brand. Only then can we play the same stuff week after week and get away with it.”
They were all nodding, so I went on. “Over the next few months, we have a number of distinct product lines we have to work on. One is the Christmas Show – we need to have some input into the other bands, and we’ll also have to learn some standards as well as putting together variations of songs we know, similar to the spooky ones we did Friday.”
I went on. “The other line is the New Year show which has similar problems with slightly different inputs needed. We’re going to have to split our stable sessions to clearly get work in on both problems otherwise we’ll end up with a week to put a whole show together.”
“The third part is the album which we’ve already spoken about. I suggest that Pet comes back to us on Thursday with a list of a dozen songs which we can record. Ones that feel as if they have a thread running through them to make the album sound like we thought about it. I had a random thought and wondered if it could be called A Way with The Pixies.”
After the girls left, Janet stayed behind to look at the room. She hugged me and then Mom, telling us that we were lifesavers. We worked out what needed to be done and she said she would make her move tomorrow and skip her course for a day.
Mom told her to cancel her phone plan and go to another provider to get a new number as she could be tracked if she kept the old one live. Maybe I’m really the progeny of an affair between two CIA agents, now living under cover.
Janet unloaded the gear from the van into the studio. That Thursday, she moved in, and we had another person in the house. Mom was happy to have yet another daughter to look after.
Dad had pulled out all the stops in cleaning my old bedroom. Mainly by putting the collection of things he had stored there somewhere else. The van stayed parked next to the stable. We could drop Janet off on the way to Wayne State and pick her up on the way home.
We didn’t touch the instruments on Thursday, either. Donna had a lot more information to impart. We had an appointment at the studio on Monday and Tuesday of each week and would just need our own instruments, as in-house amps would be provided.
Pet gave us all a copy of her list of likely songs.
Donna then said that she had also been contacted by the costume shop, thanking her for the nice advertising of our witch outfits on TV. She said that she had told them about a Christmas show and we would get outfits very cheaply as long as we could get the shop name in the credits.
Our interview with Shirley was now set down for next Wednesday evening but the format had been changed slightly. This time we would be guests on “Detroit Diary” a live show that concentrated on all the local happenings. The other thing was that one of the good salons had been in touch and had asked who was doing our make-up.
Being told that it was two of the group who were nearly at the end of their course they told Donna that they wanted to come on board as our go-to salon. Also, they would consider taking on Emily and Janet as employees, even before they had finished the course. The whole room squealed at that one, even me. Things were moving along at a faster pace. Donna was instructed to get back to the salon and arrange a session before we went on TV next week.
Josie looked at me. “Edie, my love, the salon experience is one more hurdle to jump, as you move to womanhood.”
Pet then asked when we would be having a session on the instruments. We agreed to assemble on Saturday morning to polish up the act before the show at the Dude that night.
All in all, it had been a very busy and interesting week.
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 6
Saturday morning, we were setting up to run through our set when my Dad came into the studio with another guy. He was introduced as Allan Maxwell and was an artist’s agent. He said that, if he could, he would sit in a corner and just listen to us before he made up his mind. As it was our intent to do a run-through for the show tonight, he was welcomed.
He took the piano seat where he wasn’t in the way, and we just got on with things.
The main part of the session was to work out the order so that we didn’t sound too much like previous shows. We added a couple of new songs that Pet had brought along. As she and I, as well as Emily, could read music, we played the backing first and then I went to guitar and played that part.
Donna and Josie were extremely good at picking up tunes by ear and it only took a couple of goes before they could take over. We took a couple of tries, before we were able to play the tunes as a band. Then we added the words.
We had done this so many times in the last three months that it was second nature. Everyone except Janet and Pet sang so it was just a matter of seeing whose voice fitted the songs. This time it was mine as the song was about something sad, the loss of a love, and my lower register seemed good for that. I did seem to sing all of the sad stuff. We played the songs as a complete package and then decided to call it a day.
Allan stood. “I manage a lot of singers and groups, but I’ve never seen something like that. Will you play those tonight?”
Donna said we would.
“Amazing,” he said. “If you’ll have me, I’ll be happy to be your agent.”
“Let’s all go up to the house,” I suggested. “We can have something for lunch and discuss this. I’m sure Mom has put something together.”
We sat around the kitchen table and Allan told us what he could do for us, from arranging gigs to organizing transport and accommodation should we need to travel. He was up front about his cut, and we knew enough to know it was a reasonable rate. He said that he would see us at the Dude and then he could finalize being our agent before the contract signing with the TV station.
He had been told about our commitments up until the New Year and said that he would start looking for places where we could play once those were out of the way. He also said that those places would be dependent on how the TV show went at Christmas. He had a few ideas that might help with that.
When he left, we went back into the studio and did the set we had planned for tonight to make sure it flowed. We then loaded the van. Our outfit would be our new leather-zipped dresses.
Donna, Emily, and Pet left to freshen up and get ready for the show, saying that we would meet at the Italian place at six. Janet came back to the stable with Josie and me. I could see that she looked a little worried. I asked her if we could help, and she started crying.
“Today my father’s coming to collect me,” she sobbed. “I know I can’t go back. I still love my folks. What can I do?”
“Will he know where we’re playing tonight?” Josie asked.
We all had a think about that and decided that if he knew about the video clip he would know about the Pixies; therefore, it wouldn’t take much for him to figure out that we would be at the Dude tonight.
I phoned the manager at the Dude and explained what we thought may happen. He said he would talk to his doormen. He asked for a description.
Janet got on the phone and described her father. She was a bit happier when she went up to the house to get a shower and dress.
Josie and I took turns in the shower. It wasn’t too long before we were ready to go. With the van we could hang our outfits in the back. Josie said she would ride with Janet to keep her spirits up. We said “Bye” to Mom then I took the car and headed for tonight’s show.
At the Italian restaurant we had a nice meal, being treated now as regulars, as well as minor celebrities. We parked around the back of the night club, and a big guy at the door greeted us and another couple helped with the kit. That went up on stage first while there weren’t many people in the place. Then we went back down to our changing room to get ready for the show.
Janet was a bundle of nerves. Just before we went on, she took a peek at the crowd and nearly fainted. I looked and she pointed out her parents, sitting at a table with the manager talking to them.
I nodded. “Don’t worry, they’re being restrained. Just play the show as we always do, and you’ll be fine. They’ll either talk to you after or they won’t. It’s your call.”
I asked the other girls to use modest levels on the zips tonight and we went out on stage and did our show, including the new songs. The crowd seemed happy, with a lot of dancing. I could see Allan at a table with a couple of guys I hadn’t seen before. He looked like he was smiling.
Janets’ father looked sour. Her mother smiled and tapped her feet.
When we got to the end someone yelled, “What about the Devil!” followed by a general call of “Devil, Devil.”
Donna winked. “It looks like we have a signature ending, girls.” We hit our straps with the Devil once again visiting Georgia.
After we finished, we were asked if we would mingle with the crowd for a while. We went out to the dining area to meet and greet. Donna and I took Janet’s hands and pulled her towards her parents.
Her mother got up and hugged her. “Oh, my darling daughter that was wonderful. Your father has been tromping around the house saying that you turned into a harlot. All I saw was six very pretty and talented girls who gave out a lot of enjoyment.”
Her father then stood up, slowly. He was mindful of a very big guy standing next to him. “Are you coming home with us?”
“No, Father,” Janet answered respectfully. “I’m not coming back to that strict and smothering town. I love you and Mom but I’m not going with you. I’ve found my place here with a group of true friends. I’ve nearly finished my course and have been offered a good job in a good salon. You can tell Uncle Robert that his fire and brimstone no longer binds me to his will.”
“Your Uncle Robert is a fine and upstanding man, harlot. He should not be vilified in this den of iniquity.” Her father’s eyes blazed with righteous anger.
His wife, still holding on to Janet scoffed. “Hah! Fine and upstanding? That man was a genuine lout in his youth and took many young girls’ virginity, including mine. There are things I could tell the good people about your brother that would have him railroaded out of town. Don’t give me your insane nonsense any longer. My daughter is old enough to make up her own mind. Make your peace with her now, or else go home by yourself.”
He sat back down and held his head in his hands for a few moments. Then he lifted his head with tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry, dear, but I can’t forgive that. Come home when you’re ready, Flora, but don’t expect to be welcome in our church, again.” With that he stood and left.
Janet held her mother. “Mom, what on earth have you done?”
Her mother sighed. “Something I should have done years ago but was too lazy to. Now, where can I stay?”
Janet bit her lip. “I’m hiding with Josie and Edie. I haven’t given up my apartment, yet. Would you like to come and live with me there? We can find a hotel room for you tonight. I can move my things back in tomorrow.”
She turned to me. “I’m sorry, Edie; you went to so much trouble.”
I hugged her and told her that I was happy for her. I was sad that her parents had broken up.
“The bed in my old room is a double. Your Mom can come back with us and stay the night. I’m sure we can rustle up a nightie and dressing gown for her.”
She hugged Donna and me.
We left her with her mother as her father went out the door with a minder to make sure he left. We then went over to the table where Allan looked on with interest.
He and his companions stood as we approached, “You girls are something else. That could have been a Japanese play without words. Is her mother staying?”
We said she was and then he turned to the two guys with him. “Donna and Edie, I would like you to meet two friends of mine who really didn’t want to come out tonight. They’re now glad they did. These fine upstanding gentlemen are Jack Carver, owner of one of the biggest venues in Chicago and the other is Matt Dover, who has an equally big place in Cleveland. I dragged them here by saying that I wanted to show them a group who would fill their halls. I think they didn’t believe me.”
“Young ladies,” Jack started, “we’ve done a lot of business with Allan and when he says he’s sitting on the next best thing, he’s usually been right.”
Matt laughed, “We have to forget about that surf band you had on your books who only sounded good when they were high. The higher they got, the worse they got.”
The guys laughed together and invited us to sit.
Allan chuckled. “When you started the songs from this morning, I told these guys that I had heard them transformed from a couple of bits of written music this morning into something that sounded like you had been playing them for years. If I hadn’t seen them evolve with my own eyes, I would have said it was impossible.”
Jack looked at us, “Girls, I’m happy that I came along tonight. As it turned out, I’ve had a very good meal, a few drinks with friends, and I’ve been entertained by a very professional outfit. Allan tells me that you may not be available until next year. That’s good with me. There’ll be a venue waiting for you in Chicago when you get there.”
“Well said, Jack,” Matt added, “The same goes for me and Cleveland. Allan will be talking to us again, I know. I loved the look and the sound. Where have you all played before joining the Pixies?”
Donna revealed that everyone was new to playing in a band, but Pet had graduated with a music degree and was our main composer. They both shook their heads in wonder. Allan said he wanted to meet us at the recording studio on Monday evening with some paperwork.
Donna and I went off to mingle with the audience.
I saw Josie and went to join her. On the way I noticed Charlie and Bruce with a table full of guys from school. After we had spoken to that table, I asked, “Fancy a little bit of passion with your friend Bruce?’
She grinned, so we walked over to the table where the guys were and I sat on Charlies lap and put my arms around his neck to give him a very nice kiss while Josie did the same thing with Bruce, much to the amazement of the others.
We continued to sit on their laps while we spoke to the others, cementing our guys’ status at school. We then left them to mingle some more, finally collecting Janet and her mother and going to change.
A couple of guys helped us load the van and I called my mother to tell her about our guest. When we got home the lights were on and Janet and her mother went in the house while Josie and I went into our home.
As we undressed, she giggled and told me I was a tease with Charlie and that I needed to be very careful with him. We put on our nighties, dived into bed, and gave my little friend some exercise.
It was odd, but after I had kissed Charlie, I seemed happier when Josie and I made love as women.
The next morning, being Sunday, we saw to the chicks and then went over for breakfast. Janet and her mother were there with her mother wearing something that my Mom must have loaned her. Everyone was happy, especially Flora, who was chirping away like a machine gun.
When she slowed down, she smiled. “Sorry about that, I’ve been missing my little girl so much I just had to bring her up to date with things, although most of it won’t interest her any longer.”
Janet had love in her eyes. “Mom, I was taking everything in and some of it I made note of. I may send my friends back home a letter or something to let them know I’m all right.”
Josie asked just where this very conservative place was. We were told the family home was near South Lebanon, which was north of Cincinnati. It was a very white and very Baptist village. Her Uncle Robert was, as we had gathered, a fire and brimstone preacher.
After breakfast, we helped Janet load up her van again with her stuff and followed her and Flora to the apartment. When we got there her mother explained.
“When we got here yesterday my husband asked everyone where Janet was, and no-one knew. Whoever thought of spiriting her away had a brilliant thought. When we tried to ring her there was just a message to say the service had been discontinued. I thought that I’d lost her for ever. One of the guys told us about the night club and I’m glad he did, even if it was something of an ‘event’ as far as I’m concerned. Your Father took a long time before he would go in, something to do with the Devil being inside.”
We got all of Janet’s things back into her apartment after she had gone through it with the vacuum, much to her mother’s approval. We then took the two of them to one of the Sunday markets where Flora bought some clothes to be getting on with, changing before we left and giving me my mother’s dress.
We told Janet that all we needed were the instruments on Monday evening and she came back to my home to load up the van again while her mother settled in. As we were loading, Janet confided that we may see a lot more of her Mom as she had been a singing teacher “back home” and was very keen to see more of what we were doing.
On the way home Josie commented that we seem to be growing helpers like dough rising. I had to agree but did say that we may need them all if things got bigger.
“That’s one scary thought,” she said. “It started out as a bit of fun and a way to make some pocket money. Before you and I met there was no way I could have predicted what has happened. I still can’t get over the Halloween show and how I felt so powerful and brazen up there on that stage. You looked like the she-devil herself with your hair flying about.”
I smiled at the recollection and agreed that “she-devil” may be the right word! In my own mind, however, the words “man magnet” still resonated and I was starting to wonder if I was angling for something else with Charlie, more than friendship and a little kissing … maybe.
Monday, we went back to class, and it went along quietly until lunch. When both Charlie and Bruce came and sat with us, they were full of how they had a good time at the night club, being their first time at an up-market place. The Chuck Wagon had been more their preferred venue up to now.
“I hope you guys realize that this is the sort of place we’ll expect you to take us in future,” Josie smiled. “No dives or greasy spoons for ladies like us.”
Bruce laughed. “Josie, darling, if it gets me some kisses from you and maybe a little more, I’ll be happy to take you to the Ritz.”
Josie grinned. “You, buster, may have put yourself into a new category with me, as someone who may be interesting to know.”
I watched Charlie as this conversation continued. “Charlie, I’ve enjoyed my times with you, but you do know who I am, don’t you?”
He peered into my eyes. “Sure, I do, Egg. You were once a fairly ordinary guy and now you’re a beautiful girl. I want to make you mine, one day.”
That made me freeze for a few seconds. “Are you sure? Do you care enough, even if I don’t have all the equipment to make you happy?”
“Edie,” he affirmed. “You already have what I like. Anything else would be a bonus, but I can wait until you’re ready for that.”
I looked at him and felt wobbly.
Josie put her hand on my arm. “Charlie, if you’re sure about that will you treat her gently, if you’re the one to give her the ultimate girl experience?”
He nodded. “I promise never to hurt her, Josie, because I love her.”
I melted a bit more. “Look at me and say that again, Chuck.”
He looked at me, right in the eyes and said, quietly, “Edie, I love you.”
Bruce, obviously going with the flow, added, “Josie, I think I’m falling for you, but I do need a little more time with you to be sure.”
“Thank you for being frank, Bruce,” Josie said, with obvious disappointment. “Our short time together was exciting. I think I’d like to try to see if you can re-ignite my fire.”
“When?” Bruce asked.
“We’re in the recording studio tonight and tomorrow but we’re at the TV station on Wednesday evening for an interview with Shirley. Perhaps we can all go and have a drink or two after that.”
I was flustered all afternoon and hardly knew what I was being taught. In the car going home, I asked, “Josie, what about us?”
She looked a little sad when she replied. “Edie, do we really have an “us?” You look like you’re heading towards being a girl and it will be an important thing with the Pixies. I love you but we’re becoming more like close sisters. I can tell that you enjoy our lesbian activities more than hetero sex. I’m a real girl and need a bout of lust now and then. You only get that way after you have been with Charlie. I can see that you’re contemplating what it’ll be like to have him inside you with his weight holding you down. We have to be realists, my darling sister, and that realism is that we need to move apart some.”
I had tears in my eyes. “I’ve let you down, haven’t I?”
She put her hand on my arm. “No, Edie, you could never let me down. It’s just that we’re both evolving. The last months with you have been magic and I’m so happy with what you’ve done for me. I think that it may be time for me to go and look for a place of my own, at last. I was always too lazy to do so before, so I shacked up with the wrong guy just for somewhere to sleep. You, my love, have helped me get stronger. I’ll start looking after the exams. Until then I’d love to stay with you, please?”
“As you said earlier today, thank you for your frankness. I just ask that you care for me as I move further along my own path. I’ve been thinking about Wednesday night, and I expect that you’ll go all the way with Bruce. That will be a line we draw at the end of our sexual activities together. I suppose that the thing for me will be to see if Charlie loves me as much as he professes. I don’t know what to do if he wants to make love.”
Josie grinned. “Don’t worry, girl, I’ll help you get ready. I think you should be glued for that or else he may want to give you a blow job and that would spoil the whole experience. He can still taste you, but he’ll need to lick your slit to get anywhere, and I know you like that.”
We got home and showered and put on casual outfits and went up to the house for an early dinner. Mom, being aware of what we needed on Mondays and Tuesdays for a while, had prepared something simple. After we had eaten, we were about to leave for the recording studio, when she asked, “Before you go, girls, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing wrong, Mom, just changing.”
Mom looked at me. “You’ve started thinking about sex with a boy, haven’t you?”
I hung my head but all she did was go to a drawer and pull out a packet of condoms. “Enjoy your first time, Edie, I know I did. Get him to use one, or more, of these. Do we have a likely time?”
I blushed and admitted it could be Wednesday night.
She nodded, “Just be in time to get to school in the morning. Your father will look after the chicks.”
I was in a daze as we went to the recording studio. I came down to earth with a thump when we got there because Allan arrived. He brought two copies of our contract, which outlined the services he would supply and the rate he would take of any income we got from his groundwork. Each of the Pixies signed the two copies.
He then said, “Let’s go and start making your first hit album.”
Inside the studio we put our instruments out where we were told, and an assistant plugged them into various amps. The studio manager wanted us to lay down the backing first and then sing over it into special microphones. We had decided we would like a more “live” sound and insisted that we do the songs in a single take.
He hemmed and hawed but finally agreed.
We were able to move about a bit but were warned not to bump into anything. That evening we put down three songs after getting used to the place. I think that Allan got happier as we moved through the session. Flora had come with Janet and spent her time in the control booth listening and making notes.
Tuesday was almost a repeat performance. Charlie and Bruce joined us for lunch and then Charlie and I showed the others where the storeroom was. We had a very nice kissing session.
That evening we put down another three tracks and the studio guy told us that it had been a pleasure working with artists who were so serious about their music, and not in it just for a laugh. He wanted to know what we wanted to call the album. Donna told him the name should be ‘A Way with the Pixies.’ He said that would help him with the final mix as well as the production of the songs to create a flow.
Wednesday, we had an early finish, so we went home for Josie to prepare me for my sacrifice, because that was how it was looming in my mind. She introduced me to the wonders of an anal douche, followed by a shower with plenty of smelly soap and creams. Then we remade my girly slit, which got easier every time we did it.
We weren’t wearing stage gear, but Donna had told us all to glam up. By the time we left for our favorite Italian place we both looked, and smelled, fabulous. We both had big bags with nightwear and a new outfit for tomorrow.
Mom came over as we left the stable and gave us both a hug and a kiss. She then said, “Josie, if Edie goes the whole way tonight you know that there’s a spare bed in the house for you, if you want. That way I can keep my daughters close.”
She continuously amazed me with her insight.
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 7
I wondered if I’d been thinking about myself as a lamb being carried to its fate. When we got to the TV studio, I realized that I had dressed mostly in white, from white underwear to my white slip, and white satin dress being worn for the first time.
I had added a light pink sweater because it was a bit chilly. But beyond that -- I had dressed as a virginal bride!
At the TV studio, Allan was waiting for us. He told us that he had renegotiated our arrangement with the TV station, seeing that we hadn’t actually signed anything, and he had signed a new contract with them on our behalf. He said that we would not be doing the two big shows alone as he had a number of acts in his own stable that would fill out the show. That was a relief because it had been weighing heavily on us, seeing that we also needed to prepare for the end of the year exams.
We all looked different tonight, not really being used to being just individuals.
Allan told us that he wanted each of us to be more unique on stage in future so that the fans could fixate on the one they liked most.
The interview went well after we’d been totally made up for the TV lights. Shirley had done her homework, and asked each of us, in turn, how we got to be in the Pixies. I revealed that I was a late addition when the group was using my studio for practice.
Donna brightened. “She fitted right in -- as if she was made for us.”
It came out that three of us were in our last year at Wayne and that two were nearly at the end of their beauticians’ course. Over the next half hour, we managed to get plugs in for our favorite eating places, our new soon-to-be friends at the salon, our favorite dress and costume shop and Harry’s venue.
Towards the end Josie blurted the news that we were recording an album and that we hoped it would be out in the New Year. The last bit was a surprise. Instead of having another guest for the second half hour of the show Shirley announced that their cameramen and audio guys had recorded one of our shows and that they had put together a half hour special called ‘Pixies Live on Stage’ which would follow us.
I’d almost forgotten about that time they had filmed us.
Bruce and Charlie had been in the studio audience. They met up with us when we got out of the unmaking session and had re-applied normal make-up.
Charlie looked at me with wonder in his eyes. “Edie, you’re so beautiful tonight. Would you care to join me for a drink?”
I drove him. Josie went with Bruce in his car.
We ended up at the same place we had first kissed.
As we went in, he stopped me. “Edie, love, there’s something I need to tell you which shouldn’t become known at the school. This place belongs to my family and there’s a door which leads to the hotel next door, also ours. I don’t want the others to know because they could think that I’m just doing college for fun. I’m really serious about doing well because I may be taking over here, sometime.”
I agreed to keep it quiet. We went into the bar and dance area. His explanation told me why the staff seemed to know him so well the last time we came. Bruce and Josie joined us, and we had a couple of drinks and danced a bit until I saw Josie give me a little wave as she went through a side door with Bruce.
“Is that the door to the hotel?” I asked.
When he said it was, I added, “Bruce is now way ahead of you. Aren’t you competitive?”
He laughed. “Edie, I only want things to go at your speed.”
“OK, Chuck, let’s go and find out what speed I have. I think that I may be ready now. If I say ‘stop,’ please do so and we may be able to try again.”
I picked up my bag and he held my hand as we went from the public area to a small lobby.
“We have school in the morning, so we have our outfits with us.”
“It’s going to be hard for you this term, seeing that you have those shows to get ready for, Saturday nights to do, and an album to cut.”
I laughed. “Don’t worry; I think I’m up to speed with our classes and Josie is on top of her studies, as well.” We got in the elevator, and he pressed a button that looked fairly high in the building. When we got out, I could see that this wasn’t a usual part of the hotel.
“Welcome to my home, sweetheart. It’s not grand but I like it.” When he opened the door, we walked into a very nice apartment with leather covered settees and chairs, an enormous TV screen with a blinking light. “That’s recording your show tonight,” he explained. We then moved through to his bedroom and one of the biggest beds I’ve ever seen.
“Wow!” I gasped. “How many maidens have you deflowered on that baby?”
He laughed and whispered, “I’m not saying, but you’re the first in this room that I love. The rest were just finding out what it was all about.”
I put my bag down.
He took me in his arms, and we kissed, and then kissed some more. He put his hands under my sweater and eased it up and I allowed him to pull it over my head. He put it on a bedside chair.
“My bride,” he breathed. “You’re my dream girl.” He took off his jacket.
We took turns removing an item of clothing until I was standing there in my bra and panties, and he stood there breathing heavily with a big tent in his boxers.
“Looks like we’re almost naked,” I said. I put my arms behind me and undid my bra, allowing it to drop on the floor. They may have been false but the effect on his body was very visible. We stood close and he pulled my panties down as I eased his underwear over what was fast becoming my last hurdle.
On the bed, we kissed, and he caressed my breasts, even though I couldn’t feel a thing.
I felt it when he went lower and started kissing and licking my slit. I started panting and groaning and he finally had his head between my legs and tickling the end of my poor penis with his tongue when I came into his mouth.
He sucked and licked, and I shuddered with a very long feeling of climax. When he came back to my head and kissed me, I could taste myself.
It was time for the main event, and I was ready for him as he lubed my anus and put on a condom. With my legs up under his armpits he kissed me as I felt the end of his penis pressing against my rosebud then, all of a sudden, I relaxed, and he was in.
What I hadn’t expected was the immense feeling of desire that surged as he started to move in me. I crossed my ankles behind his back as he kissed me and told me he loved me.
I had no other option but to tell him I loved him as well. He stroked faster and came deep inside me as we kissed deeply.
Josie was right; it had been the final hurdle and that moment decided my life. As his weight held me to the mattress and his tongue probed my tonsils, I could feel him still throbbing while my nails raked his back.
When we uncoupled, I had a sense of something now missing. We took turns in the bathroom to tidy up. When I went in, I took my nightie with me and when I came out I stood in the doorway so he could see my silhouette with the light behind me.
“You really are every inch a girl,” he said. “Come back here and let me cuddle.”
So, I did and we slept for a little while and both woke in the night. He made love to me again and this time was better than the first, now that I knew what to expect.
He had an alarm on for six, and he kissed me awake. I pushed him back on the bed and used my mouth on his morning glory. Then we went into his shower and laughed as we washed each other.
When I was dressed in the outfit, I had brought with me for school and he had dressed from his own wardrobe, we went down in the elevator to a dining room where Bruce and Josie were already sitting with some breakfast in front of them.
“Come on, lazybones,” Josie said. “School waits for no woman.”
When we had finished, we took our bags and, after kissing our boys for a few minutes, went out to my car, and then drove the short distance to the campus.
All Josie said was, “Over that hurdle, then?”
“Twice -- and it was wonderful. You?”
She laughed, “What a man. Four times and every one of them a winner!”
We went through the day as usual, and I found that everything now seemed clearer and sharper than earlier in the week. It was a bit hard sitting for long periods, but I wiggled a bit to relieve the pressure. The boys joined us for lunch. Charlie said that they would be at the Dude Saturday night, and we made a tentative date for drinks afterwards.
That evening, when we got home, Mom was waiting to be told about our night of sex and we gave her an idea that we had both enjoyed it.
Josie went off to look at my old room and we made up the bed. She pulled enough things in from the stable for a couple of days. I would be sleeping alone for the first time in months. I was, at first, sad about it. Then I realized that sleeping with her was no longer the right thing for us. Overnight we had become more than lovers, we had become sisters -- and sisters stay with you for life.
Shortly into the session in the home studio, the next evening, we all decided that we were good enough with the repertoire as it stood. It would see us through the next four weekends before the Christmas show.
Donna had an email from Allan telling us that he had two other groups that would open. We just needed to have about five seasonal songs with the last one to be “Jingle Bells.” He had a singing star to be dressed as Santa ready to do it with us. This would be the last song with the credits rolling as we waved to the crowd and snow fell on us.
Pet now had some seasonal words to a couple of her own songs, so we just needed to perfect another three. That took a big load off of everyone. As far as New Year was concerned, there would be a bigger line-up with us doing linking pieces and introductions.
Allan had said that we would all need to be involved and had sent a list of other acts which he wanted us to look at and pick out which ones each of us would introduce. The idea would be that we did a number that led up to midnight and then the show would feature lots of laughing, kissing, and hollering as the station went to a live fireworks display.
What had been looking like a huge wall of work had become very doable and still left us time for our studies. We finalized a list for Saturday and called it a night. Josie, Donna, and I would be hitting the books on Friday evening to start getting ready for exams. Janet and Emily had tests of their own to study for and Pet said that she was meeting up with Flora to talk about suitable songs for our end of year shows. Flora possessed a wealth of knowledge about songs.
Friday was an early finish, and we went home to study, asking each other questions to check our knowledge. During the evening, we moved all of Josie’s things into the house. I surveyed what now looked like a half empty wardrobe and wondered about a good shopping trip.
Before we went to bed, we all sat and watched the show from the Wednesday evening. I could hardly believe that it was me, looking just like a teen girl. The show afterwards was very well done and showed each of us as good singers and players. Mom hugged us both and told us just how proud she was, and my father did the same.
Saturday morning, I moved the latest batch of chicks in with the bigger ones and cleaned out their area. When I got in for breakfast Dad told me that he had asked for a break with the hatchlings to give me time to sort things out. We wouldn’t be getting another batch until the New Year, so my mornings were free. I think that Mom had told him that I may not be around some mornings. Josie got a call from Donna who had taken on board what Allan had said about outfits.
Tonight, we would all be wearing a different outfit from our collection. We had either of the leather skirt sets to pick from and Josie chose the black. That left me with the red. I smiled as I wondered if I may end up just being known as “The Red Pixie.”
The Saturday show went well. We breezed through the songs and the only difference was that sometimes, while I was playing a complicated solo, I could hear the odd shout of “Go, Red!” Maybe I look good in red, but I know I feel great in white.
At the end of the show, we mingled again. Charlie was there with a couple of older people who turned out to be his parents. I could see Josie going over to speak with Bruce, sitting with some of the other guys, so I went over to Charlie and gave him a kiss on the cheek before taking the spare seat.
His folks were introduced as Charles and Tanya Wilson and Charles was the third. That meant that Charlie was the fourth, something he’d also left off his school records. Must be a distinguished bloodline, I expect, but yet another secret of his.
The parents told me how good we all were and that they had viewed a recording of the interview and show after. Tanya then looked at me. “I think you need to powder your face, dear,” and stood.
I’d been a girl long enough to understand the desire for a private discussion, so I agreed and we left the table and went to the ladies toilet. Once in the line waiting for the “never enough” free cubicle she said, in a low voice, “Edie, I know that you spent Wednesday night with my boy. This makes me happy because the only others he has spent the night with have been guys. Bruce was a regular for a while. His father was very angry when he came out to us and is also relieved that our son may have turned a corner.”
I kept my cool. “How do you know all this?
She told me that all the passages in the hotel and the lobby had CCTV for security and they had monitored Charlie whenever the bartender had notified them that he had been with someone. I went along with her inside and did my ablutions in a daze. I was redoing my lipstick as she stood beside me.
“You’ll be a good addition to the family, my dear,” she gushed. “With those hips I can see a whole new generation of Wilsons to keep the dynasty going.”
When we were walking back to the table I said, “Sorry, have to mingle,” and veered off to find Josie.
She was with some patrons, so I just whispered to her, “We have to talk.” Then I started out for the dressing room, stopping to talk with some more of our fans on the way.
I was out of my stage outfit and into the dress I had brought for going home, when she came in.
“What’s up?” She asked.
I told her to sit down and then divulged what I had learned. Charlie and Bruce had been gay lovers and Charlie was lying when he said that he would wait until I was a proper girl. “Instead of a girl experience, Wednesday I’d been the bottom in a homosexual partnership.” I started crying. “I’m only a smoke screen for Charlie to stay sleeping with a boy while pretending I’m his girl. I don’t know if I should be pleased that he thought I was good enough to get away with it, or mad at him for hiding his true intentions!”
Josie comforted me. “You did enjoy it, though, didn’t you?”
That made me think about my feelings for a few seconds. If he wanted me act as his woman, it was all right. I would do it again anytime with a real man, and I might do it that way until I had the proper equipment to be loved as a true woman.
That was the first time I had seriously considered that Edie was here to stay and not just a device to help out the Pixies. I think Josie had seen it earlier when she had decided to sleep apart.
When the other girls came in to change, Josie told them that I wasn’t feeling the best and we would see them Monday evening at the recording studio. We also arranged to meet at the stable on Thursday to work on songs for the end-of-year shows. We would keep Wednesday and Friday open for study.
I told Josie that she didn’t have to sever her relationship with Bruce because of this. She admitted that I’d solved a dilemma for her. Bruce had not been all macho man, as she had originally told me. He had tried to take her in the butt. She had insisted that he do the right thing, seeing that it was there for the taking. We would have to fend the guys off, starting Monday. I was sure that together we would come up with a plan.
When we got home Mom raised her eyebrows when she saw us in the kitchen having a cup of hot chocolate. We told her that our little affairs were over. We hugged and I went off to my lonely bed to think about my future. There would be people to see, plans to be made, and body changes to arrange if I was going to go down that path. The alternative was to return to Eddy, hopefully reconnect with Josie and change my name back at Wayne.
The biggest problem with the latter plan was the Pixies. I’d been a loner, but now had become an integral girl in a bunch of girls on track to being music stars. It was too heady to give up easily. Would they miss me if I dropped out of the group? Would it change the sound? As I drifted off to sleep, I knew that Josie and I were going to have a very serious discussion on Sunday.
Because there were no chicks to see to, I didn’t have the alarm set and I slept until the normal breakfast time. I just pulled a gown on over my nightie and went up to the house where I found both Mom and Josie similarly attired.
I sat with a coffee while Mom got things going. As she had things sizzling in the frying pan, she looked over her shoulder at us.
“What happened last night that has the two of you so quiet?”
Josie sighed. “We both found out that the guys we’d spent Wednesday night with had been gay lovers. Edie’s guy was trying to pass her off as a girl while actually using her as a gay partner. Mine wanted to ream my butt.”
“Oh, my!” Mom said as she plonked eggs and bacon in front of me, “That doesn’t sound nice. Both of them must have been convincing to get you into their beds in the first place.”
I snorted. “Yeah, plus some wishful thinking and a couple of glasses of bourbon and it seems I’m an easy lay.”
Josie shook her head. “No, it’s my fault for pushing you in that direction. Don’t be hard on yourself. Charlie had me fooled as well. Bruce was adequate in the sex department, in the end. It was nice to be thoroughly reamed.”
Mom looked at me. “You’re not so good in that direction, honey?”
I told her that my libido had faded since I’ve been Edie, even when I was only using a gaff during the day.
Josie looked embarrassed and then admitted that I hadn’t been totally satisfying in that department, for some weeks, but was very good with my tongue and fingers.
Mom frowned. “Next week, Edie, we’re going to get you to a doctor to see if there’s something odd with your hormones. I know one who can look at you. You may need to get testosterone injections and go back to being my Edward again.”
“No! Not that! I love being Edie,” I almost shouted. “I love being a Pixie and I’m not going back. If I’m going anywhere it’s going to be with real breasts and a vagina. I want to be a woman because that’s when I’m most alive. I want to be up there on a stage with a skimpy outfit and strut my stuff. Dammit! I want to be one of the Pixies!”
They both looked stunned.
Josie recovered first. “Good for you, girl. I know you can be one of the best. You’re already one of the prettiest in the band.”
Mom looked at me. “That sounds like you have your mind made up. I’ll need to speak to your Dad, but I think he already realized that his son and heir already moved out.”
I giggled and told them that Tanya Wilson had declared that I was a good choice because my child-bearing hips would have “guaranteed an extension of the dynasty.” That broke the seriousness of the occasion, and we all had a laugh.
Josie and I sat in my old bedroom and did some studying --- but my mind wasn’t in it.
“Josie, how about we get dressed and you come over to the studio. We can work on a couple of songs that would be just duets for the two of us. It may settle me down enough for school tomorrow.”
So that’s what we did.
By lunch we had three songs that we had recorded on her phone with just piano, guitar, and two voices. They were wistful lyrics I had written years ago which suited our mood perfectly. Up at the house for lunch Josie played them for Mom, who told us we should do some more while we had this creativity going.
It was good for both of us. We were back as the best of friends and the best of sisters. We ended up with seven tracks that we had on both her phone and my laptop.
I burnt a few CDs for us. One I gave to my mother at dinner, thanking her for her sage advice. She put it on as we ate, and both of my parents got up and gave us both hugs. My dad said that we sounded beautiful together and that he was so proud of us. What could have been a really crap day turned out well.
Monday, we were both invigorated and the morning class was good. We were now into exam time and were going over what we needed to know. At lunch, the guys came and sat with us.
“You two dashed off Saturday night. What’s wrong?” Charlie asked.
“Charlie,” I soothed. “Our problem was that we found out that you’ve both been lying to us as well as to your parents. Your mother thinks that I would be a good woman to carry your babies and I didn’t tell her that it wasn’t possible. Now, you can just leave us alone but remain as friends and you can go back to playing ‘hide the sausage’ together, again. I won’t be your ‘butt buddy’ ever again.”
Josie looked at Bruce. “Whatever she said.”
Charlie looked sad. “Friends?” We both nodded.
Then he asked, “Secrets remain between us?” We nodded again.
The two of them then stood and took their meals over to his usual band of mates who welcomed them with hoots. No doubt there would be a rumor started that they dropped us because we were “frigid bitches.” We didn’t care about that; we had a lot of things on our minds besides boys.
Monday night at the recording studio we put down another two tracks and Flora asked if she could sit in on our next session at the stables. Tuesday we were not bothered at lunch, and we added another two tracks that night. At this rate we would have a twelve-song album worked out by next week, which would be good as we needed to be ready for the exams.
Allan joined us on Tuesday. He told us that he wanted to bring along a couple of others to our Thursday evening session to start setting the agenda for the Christmas show.
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 8
Wednesday, we finished early, and then went home. Mom had organized a doctor visit, so she and I drove to the clinic. The lady she had booked me to see was very nice after getting over the shock of me not looking much like an Edward George.
I explained how I ended up coming to see her in a dress.
She said that she had seen the TV thing last Wednesday and was already a fan. I then had to undress and get examined. My stuck-on breasts and glued penis caused some consternation.
She asked if it hurt when I got excited.
I told her, truthfully, that I had climaxed a few times like this, and it had not grown by much at all. She got some solvent and freed my penis so she could check my testicles and also used the solvent to remove my breasts. She took blood samples and some readings and got me to redress. She called Mom in to hear her preliminary thoughts.
“Edie is a healthy person, girl, or boy. I couldn’t detect any lung or heart problems. What does worry me – if we talk about Eddy - is the fact that his testicles seem a little undeveloped and his penis is unresponsive.”
“What’s better– if we now talk about Edie – are the same things, plus what looks like perfectly formed female hips. She also has good legs, a minimal Adam’s apple, and very pretty facial features. ‘She,’ and I use ‘she’ on purpose, is starting to develop breast buds under those forms and I expect that I will find a decreased level of testosterone when we get the blood results back in a week, or so.”
“We can set up another appointment next Friday, but I expect you to come back with a gender decision then.”
When we got home, we had dinner and told Josie and Dad what we had been told. Josie and I did some work with our books, and I had an early night. After I had cleansed my face and put on my nightie, I had a good look at my wardrobe and took notes on what range I had. If I was to become the ‘Red Pixie” I would need to do a little shopping for red outfits.
I was starting to think that I needed more girly dresses, maybe gauzy and light as well as a few short, pleated, skater skirts. So far, the winter had been kind but, eventually, I would have to get some cold weather dresses and, “horror,” slacks.
Thursday evening, I made sure the studio was tidy and that there would be enough room. As the girls arrived, we talked about how things were going. Janet and Flora arrived in the van and then Allan turned up in a car with two passengers, both of them had a song in the Billboard top ten during the year, with one being a finalist on the national talent show on TV.
Introductions were made and Allan said he was sorry that he was upsetting our usual session but that we needed to get some ideas down for the two TV shows. One of his stars was slated to be our Santa and, indeed, already had the body for it.
The other would do two or three songs during the show and had two of them that he wanted to do with us as backing singers and the band. We already knew one which we ran through.
The Santa would be closing the show and we finalized our vision on Jingle Bells as the finale with the credits. We just had to choose another for before that. We worked around a few old favorites and then decided on Silent Night where we could do the chorus and he could do a couple of the verses.
Allan had gone off to talk to my dad and before he came back, we had gone through all of the songs for both stars, and they were happy. Allan said that he would book Harry’s hall where we could do a proper rehearsal or two next week. The Christmas show was the night before Christmas, so it gave us a week without school to rehearse the New Year show, seeing that we would be mainly hosting it.
He then told us that we had an appointment on Saturday morning at the dress shop, followed by lunch with him and then the salon had been set aside for us in the afternoon. He said that this was something we needed to get used to in the future.
After the three of them had left we got on with finalizing the set list for Saturday and then discussed the color thing. We could either go with different colors or different styles. But, with six of us we might have to do it as pairs.
If Josie was black and I was red, it was okay whatever we wore. But if we were both in black one could always wear long skirts or slacks while the other was in a short skirt or shorts. The Spice Girls had set an example here, one always well-dressed while a couple of the others got away with jeans.
Friday meant school and then some study, and then, much too soon, Saturday had arrived. When Josie and I got to the dress shop the others were already there looking through racks. The manager got us together, with her main saleswoman. She graded us by skin hue and body shape, and then brought us dresses to try.
They knew their stuff. When we assembled again and looked at our reflections in a big mirror, we were amazed at how different we looked from our usual outfits and also how different we looked from each other. Instead of being the red one I had ended up as the pink one, while Josie looked fabulous in lilac. Donna sparkled in red, Janet dark blue, Emily yellow, and Pet in white.
After that we needed to get shoes and accessories. A nearby shoe store took our sizes and came back with the shoes for us to try. We did try on a variation of dresses, skirts, and tops -- but all with the same basic color premise, so matching shoes was easy. Then Allan turned up to take us to lunch. He paid for everything.
As we ate, he told us that things were moving forward at a good pace. The recording studio wanted us to finalize the album on Monday evening so that they could edit it and put out a digital version before Christmas, with a CD in the New Year. That meant we needed another three tracks. He said he was mindful of our exams and that we should skip our sessions or anything else, until we got together on the following Saturday.
He then told us that the management at the Dude would not be too bothered if we did a normal show that night. They understood our need to pass our exams. The week after that, he said, would be a bit different as he had the rehearsal hall ready, and the costume shop now had our color list.
That afternoon we were all pampered at the salon. Emily and Janet worked on Josie and me, while the salon girls looked after Pet and Donna. The manager looked on with a smile on her face. Then the salon girls worked on Emily and Janet. They were finishing their course next week with their final exams. They had been officially offered permanent places in the salon. They were both over the moon with getting jobs so quickly.
Allan came in as we were finishing and told the other girls to head home and then head to the Dude later. He asked me and Josie to hold on as he wanted to speak to us. We found out that my father had copied another CD of our little relaxation session. He wanted us to sign a separate contract with him to record a CD of our duets in the New Year.
He asked us what we would like to be called. I was too surprised to think but Josie said, “How about the ‘Stable Sisters’. We don’t want to cut across the Pixie music.” He then asked if we had a name to call it and I said “Genesis.”
I was quiet as I drove us home and Josie asked if we were doing something wrong.
“No, Josie, we’ll be all right. What we do together is nothing like the music we play as a group. If anything, the Pixies will be playing to bigger venues and I see us in smaller, intimate places, if we do a public appearance. We’ll have to let the others into the loop, though. Maybe we can cut copies of our CD for each of them to listen to. Now that I think about it, we do duets at a lot of our shows, but not so often lately unless we’re asked to do extra time on stage.”
At home my mother looked at us and declared that we looked beautiful.
I spoke sternly to Dad about passing our CD out but did forgive him in the end. We had a light meal, made sure we looked good, and then went off to the Dude.
We had now been there often enough to be comfortable with the set-up. When we got on stage in our new outfits we were greeted with a bit of whistling from the men. Our show was good. No, our show was great! We felt great and the audience was great. When the Devil finally left Georgia, we were in the mood to mingle for a while. But the three of us taking exams explained that we needed to be up early so left earlier than usual.
Sunday became book day and Monday was the day of our first exam. Thankfully we only had one that day, so we were home in the afternoon, reviewing our notes for Tuesday.
Monday night we put down three acceptable tracks and the producer told us that he would give Allan the master as soon as he had produced it. Allan could organize a CD. It would need photos and liner notes. That would take a couple of weeks to get into production. The rest of the week included exam, study, and sleep each day until our last test on Friday morning.
Friday afternoon, I went back to the clinic for the results. They turned out as we had expected. My body seemed more girl than boy. The doctor gave me a prescription for “blockers” to hold up any further male development. My doctor had been at the Dude on Saturday evening and told me that there was no way I could pass for anything but a girl after she had seen me on stage.
Friday evening, we got a message to meet at the dress shop again after lunch. We were scheduled in the salon before we went to the Dude for the Saturday night show.
Looking fabulous seemed lovely but it was taking up a hell of a lot of time.
In a new pink outfit, I did my thing that night and Allan told us that we then had all day Sunday and Monday for rehearsal for the Christmas Show.
Our friends from the costume shop would outfit us and the other singers would join us.
He expected that we would have it pretty much in the can by the end of Tuesday because the TV station now wanted to record it Wednesday instead of going live on the Christmas Eve. That was good with us.
Sunday morning, we were headed for the venue when Josie said, “Do you realize that we only have a couple of semesters to go and then we’ll have to find a job?”
I laughed and told her we already had three jobs. The chicken business or whatever else we do with the spare land, the Pixies, and now the Stable Sisters.
“Yes, the spare land,” Josie said. “A few good size sheds would fit there, and we could run hydroponic crops. Maybe we can grow tomatoes. I don’t think your dad would be happy if we grew hemp.”
I chuckled at that one because I could remember one evening when I was very young, and my mom and dad were acting very strangely and giggling a lot. I found out a week or so later that they had tried weed as an experiment -- but had decided that it wasn’t for them.
“I wonder what herbs and spices are hard to source. We may be able to grow something that our contact at the distributor finds hard to buy. I’ll ask Dad.”
When we got to the hall we parked, picked up our instruments, and then went in. The place was already jumping with most of the Pixies already there; just Janet, the van and her mom hadn’t come yet. I was staggered by the line-up of talent that Allan had put together and hoped that someone had some idea of the overall structure of the show because I sure didn’t.
In the end, when Janet arrived, we found that we really didn’t need all of our gear. The hall had amps and a sound system and a small band that the TV channel used. Everybody except us was hardened professionals, and we just had to follow orders. We even had a script that had been written for us to use as we introduced the various acts.
I had thought that the show would be an hour -- but the powers that be, spurred on by Allan, no doubt, had decided that it would last two hours with about twenty-eight minutes off for advertising.
Sunday morning, we pulled together a semblance of order out of a mess of chaos. The Pixies were to open the show and then we took turns introducing other acts.
At about the twenty-minute point the Pixies played a song after a break. We sort of repeated the format until we opened up again on the hour. Then, towards the end, we did our singing with the top ten guy and finally sang Silent Night with Santa arriving, Jingle Bells ran with the credits. Once it was explained, it all sounded easy, and that’s how we found it.
By the time we packed up on Sunday we had run through the whole show with stopwatches to ensure the timing. The producer announced that we would run through the whole thing on Monday -- in costume and make-up, and with the cameras rolling, to get the best settings and sightlines. “Wednesday,” he said. “We’ll record it with the audience and special effects, mostly consisting of artificial snow and big fans.”
On Monday morning, we found ourselves dressed in what can only be described as fairy dresses in our own colors, complete with dramatic make-up and head-dresses. With the cameras came the lights, and with the lights came the heat.
It was one of the hardest days at work I’d ever done. Everyone was sweating by the time we finished. The producer said that it would be easier the next day with the fans going. We would stop for breaks so that make-up could reduce the sheen.
On Wednesday, there was enough of a crowd of paid extras to make it look like a party. They obviously had done similar shows, because when we took breaks between segments they sat around talking about other shows.
When we wrapped, the TV executives said that we all deserved a meal and that a room had been reserved for all of us at one of the good hotels. We all took turns at the showers in the changing room and our dress shop had delivered another batch of dresses for us. This time elegant gowns.
The pecking order became obvious when we got to the hotel. “All of us” only included the stars, us, and the house band. We enjoyed a lovely meal and the finishing of one half of the big projects. During our meal we were joined by Harry, some of the TV people, Hal, and Shirley -- with their partners, as well as a couple of their news reporters with an attached camera crew.
After we had our cheese and coffee in front of us the TV executive stood and said that a decision had been made. We would be back in the hall again Friday and the weekend because they had now decided to record the New Year show as well. No doubt it would be cheaper to do without paying union rates on New Year’s Eve.
Pretty much the same crowd would be involved. We wouldn’t have to wear a costume, just elegant gowns for the girls and suits for the guys. He said that he would get a song list out to us before Friday, so that we could see what we needed to practice.
The Pixies would meet at the stable on Thursday afternoon. Allan said he would have the list for us by then.
At least we would be over and done in time for us to get some Christmas shopping in on the following Monday and Tuesday, Christmas being on Wednesday.
We still had our Dude show on Saturday evening. Allan said that we should do it in our fairy dresses and promote the TV show during the evening. The TV people would appreciate the gesture. The dressers were told to have them available with the accessories to go with them.
It would be good, after all the rush, to have the period between Christmas and New Year as a genuine holiday. Our next semester started in the middle of January so we would be back in the saddle then.
What the Pixies would be doing next year was all up in the air at the moment. Our time at the Dude Ranch would be over. Allan had not yet given us any idea of where we would be playing next. With two TV shows under our belt and an album in the marketplace, it was likely that we would be playing somewhere, perhaps in other cities.
Thursday, we rested in the morning and got the studio tidy. All the girls turned up after lunch, along with Flora, Allan, and the TV producer. They had the list which had blocks of songs for each of the acts, with the Pixies doing four before we would have a mass group all singing Auld Lang Syne and then the biggest star (our Santa) would count down to midnight and it would be over.
Once again it seemed easy. We were able to go through the tunes they had requested before we packed up for the day. Friday, we went back to the hall with the whole crowd. By the time the day ended we had worked through the show and ironed out any kinks.
The show was meant to last three hours with advertising taken off, without special effects. At the finish we were told to meet at another venue in the morning, one of the up-market hotels with a magnificent lobby. We would be recording there using their fantastic decorations as backdrops. They wanted us there at ten so that we didn’t upset the breakfast routine.
Saturday proved to be not your ordinary day. The vast hotel lobby had been decorated magnificently. The TV people had already worked out where the small band would be placed and where the rest of us would perform our segments. The midnight count-down would take place in front of a large pool fed by a waterfall coming out of the wall. They had placed a clock next to it. Someone would reset it to the time that each segment would start just in case it came into shot.
I looked longingly at the baby grand. We had already worked out our music. Every one of the Pixies, except for Janet, would have their instruments fitted with remote senders used by the sound guys for the recording and relayed to us via ears.
First time jitters seemed to be the rule of the day, but one of the other singers told us not to worry. If we took our ears out, we would find it odd to hear just the natural portions of the small band as someone sang in an otherwise silent room. With the ears in it sounded as if we were all amplified.
Janet’s drums had been silenced and she would be singing along with us. When we did our bit, we would sound like an acoustic group. The reduction in our orchestration helped the hotel carry on with its business without too much disruption.
Because we had a limited time, whenever an act was set to perform, the producer had his cameramen move around and get the best sight line. As per rehearsal we still wore casual clothing. Tomorrow there would be colored lights, strobes, and an audience who would make it look like a New Year’s party.
Our songs took place with us on six different steps of the main staircase. We would look good. It took most of the day to go through the show and be certain that nobody felt unsure. The hotel had provided us with lunch. Tomorrow we would record. I, for one, opted to get out and go home with Josie for a light dinner. When we got to the Dude it felt like going back into a normal world; except that we would do this show in our fairy outfits.
Once our gear was on stage we were changed and made up by the TV dressers and a couple of ladies from the salon. It caused quite a cheer when we went on and Donna explained our fairy dresses. She begged them to watch the Christmas show on TV.
One of our other singers was in the audience. We got him on stage to perform one of his songs. It went down so well he had to do a second one, an old standard that we could fudge.
Actually, the show was a blast as we let loose with our usual things and ended with a group of songs that we would be seen playing on the TV show. Of course, the Devil needed to be driven out of Georgia, again, but we were getting so that we could do that one in our sleep.
Once we had changed, Allan knocked on the door, and then came in with an envelope for each of us. They each contained a wad of cash, which was our Christmas bonus. Donna had been putting a couple of hundred into our accounts each week, but this was special and would give us money to shop for Christmas. The TV specials paid well, and I looked forward to seeing the spreadsheet at the end of the month. We didn’t mingle as we needed to be back on set the next morning to be gowned and beautified after much needed sleep. The next day we went back to the hotel where a room had been set aside for our dressing. Attired in gorgeous gowns we went out to the lobby where extras in party outfits waited to be the crowd.
We got the first segment in the can. During a short break, Allan and the producer came over to us. “Edie and Josie,” the producer explained. “We have a problem. The singer for the next segment got drunk last night and is in a cell, waiting for his appearance in court tomorrow. We’re stuck a whole twenty minutes’ empty. Allan tells me that you two have something different that could fill the void. We can’t come back here again tomorrow. I’m desperate. Can you help?”
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 9
Josie and I looked at each other and she said we could. The producer sent a dresser off to the shop to get a pair of totally different gowns for us to change into. We turned to the others.
“Girls,” Josie said. “Edie and I have been playing around with duets using guitar and piano. Allan has got hold of a CD we produced in the stable studio. He wants us to fill in with twenty minutes of duets. It’s nothing like Pixie music.”
“Is it something like you two did in the early days?” Donna asked.
Josie nodded.
“That’s all right then,” Donna continued, “Is it good with the rest of you girls?”
The others all agreed with Donna, so we were good to go.
I told the producer that I would like a microphone in the baby grand and that Josie would sit next to me with her guitar. I asked that they have the full sound piped over the hotel PA system in the lobby, seeing that it was quieter tunes. “Also, it would be nice if we had our extras dancing in real time.”
He thought for a moment. “It sounds good. I just hope you can deliver.” His body language showed that he was still not sure. He was probably thinking about some of the other singers in case we bombed.
With the changes decided, we did another segment, now out of sync but I was sure it would be fixed in post-production. The clock man was given the time to set, and we did another twenty minutes.
The segment after that didn’t need the Pixies in it other than the introduction, so Josie and I went off to change into the new gowns. The dresser had come back with a beautiful pair of gold evening gowns and gold shoes to match. We had our faces cleansed and changed, getting a new and dramatic make-up and jewels to suit. We were ready. We then waited until the producer was ready to film and decided on three songs.
“These three songs should do the trick,” Josie said. “I think we picked the only three that aren’t sad ones.”
I sat at the baby grand and played some notes. Josie sat next to me with a borrowed guitar and strummed a few chords so that the sound people could get a mix and for the extras to know what they would be hearing.
They first recorded the introduction. Janet announced, “Welcome back to our party. We’ll now slow things down a bit so that you can all get your breath back. Tonight, is the first live performance of the Stable Sisters.”
The opening shot across the top of the piano showed the two of us and we started playing and singing. I loved it, me at a baby grand in a great room full of dancers. As we sang, we forgot where we were and put our hearts into it, moving from one song to another until we had finished the three and then the dancers applauded as we stood to take a bow.
I rather hoped that the producer would want a second take, but he came over, gave us both a hug and told us it was a wrap. Then we got back into our Pixie outfits with our original make-up to finish the show.
We all had a light lunch and got back into the recording. We kept at it until we had reached the countdown, and everyone cheered at “midnight”. General hugging and kissing ensued as the credits would be running. Finally, the director called cut and we all went off to get back into ordinary clothes. The TV people dismantled the set and retrieved all of the gear and microphones.
Allan told us that we had a meal to go to -- on him. We all made our way to our favorite Italian place where he had booked a big table. As well as the Pixies and Flora, we were joined by my parents and families of the other girls. A lot of them I had never met before. It was very up-beat, and we ate and drank with a lot of laughter.
As it drew to a close, Allan stood and proposed a toast. “To the Pixies,” and then told us that the Dude Ranch would be hosting a private Christmas party for us all as well as some other invited guests. They wanted to thank us for making their club the place to be for nearly six months.
He then told us that a digital version of our album was on the internet and a few of the radio stations had picked up on some of the songs. I was surprised since I hadn’t had time to listen to the radio for weeks.
On Monday, Josie and I took our cash and did some serious shopping. We splurged on gifts for the others in the Pixies, for our folks, and just a little bit for ourselves. We saw matching necklaces in one shop with ‘Sisters Forever’ in enamel on a gold base with jewels. We bought one each to give to the other. Tears glistened at the thought of someone who I would give my life for.
We did almost nothing on Tuesday except sit around and talk about what we had done over the last few months. Life doesn’t have a roadmap. Often you just go down a path to see where it leads. It could end in a bog or on a superhighway.
We had been lucky. But had also put in the hard work. All of the Pixies were solid musicians and had become seasoned performers. We didn’t know exactly what the following year was going to throw at us. In my heart, I knew it would be good.
My mother was organizing lunch in the kitchen and gave out a shriek. We rushed in to see what was wrong.
She pointed at the radio, and we could hear ourselves singing. It took me a few seconds before realizing that we were hearing the Pixies being played on the radio. That proved to be a total mouth-gaping moment for all of us.
That evening the four of us sat in front of the TV with snacks and drinks and my parents saw the Christmas show for the first time. It was almost the first time for Josie and me as well. Having been part of the stops and starts of putting it together we were amazed at how smooth and unblemished it had come together.
As the credits rolled, I clung to my sister with tears flowing. Mom tried to fold us both in her arms.
Even Dad was sitting there with a stunned look on his face. He was the first to come to his senses. “You girls were so good; I can’t believe that I’m sitting here with a pair of superstars like you two.”
We started to get it together, but Mom was totally wiped out and couldn’t stop hugging us.
“Just wait until they show the New Year’s effort,” I said. “It makes that one look like a kiddy party.”
“In what way?” Dad asked.
Josie hooted. “Because the two of us get twenty minutes on our own, that’s why. And it’s all down to you giving that CD to Allan --- thank you very much!”
Mom suddenly stopped hugging us. “What, the two of you, on your own? Without the rest of the Pixies?”
I smiled. “Yes, Mom, just the Stable Sisters, hogging the screen for a whole twenty minutes. It was a lot of fun.”
“Stable Sisters?” Dad asked.
Josie said that it sounded all right when she thought of it.
The phone started ringing and it didn’t stop until after midnight, so many of our friends, neighbors, and business associates wanted the let us know how much they enjoyed the show.
I hardly ever put my mobile on, and Josie went mad with hers until the battery died. Many of the messages on hers were referring to various Facebook and internet sites. All you had to do was type in “the Pixies” to get what seemed like a couple of million places where our audiences had recorded us on their phones and were now putting them up with abandon.
We got some sleep that night. In the morning, but a little later than usual, we had breakfast and handed out our gifts to each other. There was a lot of “It’s lovely” and “You shouldn’t have” along with hugs and kisses.
My folks had bought us girls matching dresses and Mom admitted that she had gone to our favorite dress shop where the ladies had shown her what we had worn on Sunday. Although mainly gold, these came to our knees, with sparkles.
We loved them and just had to change into them for our lunch at the Dude. We added our new necklaces and some other glitz and became a very smart group that Dad drove into the city.
The lunch lasted until dinnertime and then became dinner. The place was not quite full, but a lot more than I had expected had arrived. I met the parents and siblings of all the Pixies for the first time with time to be sociable.
The staff from Allan’s office, others from the recording studio, Harry with Jack, and Matt, the other two venue owners that Allan had introduced me to; TV people, Hal, and Shirley, most of the stars and band from the New Year show were all there, and a few more that I hadn’t met before. They were obviously somebody special, the way were being treated by the other movers and shakers.
Josie introduced me to her parents, Alicia and Brad Sanders, and her mother took me aside and told me that she was very happy that her daughter had discovered true friends to be with, after that “horrid Reynard boy.”
She said that Josie now seemed more adult and that she, her husband, and her son Jordan, were so proud of her.
Josie joined us and she and her mother hugged.
I wondered if it was the first in a very long time. I also met the families of the other girls, and they were all very proud of their daughters and were all wondering what the next year would bring.
Donna’s parents worried that she wouldn’t finish medical school. Donna assured them that she would become a doctor. “Come hell or high water.”
They were even happier when I said that both Josie and I had Business Administration to complete and that nothing would stop us from that, now being so close.
Janet’s father had not been invited. I knew that Janet and her mother didn’t really care. We did get to meet Jack, one of Charlie’s school friends. It seemed that he and Donna had been going steady since that first night we had “gone for a few drinks.”
We gave out the gifts that we had bought for the other girls and got some back in return. During the afternoon the stage curtains were drawn to reveal a stage set up with amps and instruments, including the club’s baby grand.
Someone called out “Jam session” and we were drawn to the stage like moths to a flame. The band went up and started playing tunes from the two shows, so we took turns to singing while they pumped out the backing.
There were a lot of microphones scattered around so we could all do our bit. It was crazy singing with the other established stars and having a lot of fun. The other guests clapped along or danced as we let it loose and let our hair down.
It seemed like a set-up as the stars sang and then left the stage, leaving the small band with just us Pixies up there. They started playing one of our album backings.
They had it right and we just stood there and sang along with it. Pet and I saw a couple of violins which we picked up to give the authentic feel. The band kept us up there with another couple of numbers and then their leader called out for Pet and me to solo.
She had an evil grin on her face. “They expect country fiddling, do you know any Paganini?”
I nodded, and we agreed on a piece we both knew. We stood there to give them a short, but very effective, recital of one piece from that master with me being able to do the more strenuous bits because I had stronger fingers -- while Pet displayed much more technique.
The looks on the faces of our audience was something to behold, as only my parents had heard me play classical music. Even the rest of the Pixies, except for Josie, who had heard more of my playing than the others, stood back with wonder in their eyes. We got a round of applause when we finished, and the band hit the intro to “Devil.”
We all laughed as we did our, now usual, closing number. Only it turned out that it wasn’t exactly the end of us providing the entertainment.
“We haven’t seen the Stable Sisters yet,” Allan called out and those who had been at the Sunday recording started calling, “Stable Sisters.”
I was embarrassed to be picked out in front of the other Pixies, who were now leaving the stage, followed by the band. I went to a microphone. “Surely you can’t be serious; most of our stuff is a bit sad. It’s only the ones that we did on Sunday that are straight ballads.”
The producer of the show challenged us, “We want to hear whatever you can play. There are people here who want to dance.”
I sat at the baby grand and Josie picked up a guitar from where the band member had left it and came over and stood beside the piano. She whispered, “Let’s play four – two from the show and two they’ve never heard before.”
She then started with the intro from one of the show numbers. Most of the couples in the room ventured out on the dance floor and slowly moved along with the tune. We then did one of the sadder songs, but it seemed to feel better than it did when we recorded it.
Maybe the two of us weren’t so sad now.
We stretched them out, and finished off with another sad one and then another one from the show. It was when we stood together and took a bow that I realized that we were in the same color that we had worn in the show. This, I realized, was the first time anyone other than those at the Sunday recording, my folks and Allan, had heard our music and I wondered why we had been asked to finish off the jam session.
It had been a bit of fun to brighten us up when we were feeling down. It was never meant to be serious until being thrown into the deep end on Sunday.
We left the stage enveloped in hugs from a lot of people who all told us that we really tugged at their heart strings. Allan told us that we two had that something extra that made for great live performances. He had heard it on the CD. “I think what you guys did today, even as a surprise performance, is going to give you something to keep you occupied for a while.” One of the guys that everyone had been very careful around, stood up, then went up onto the stage and up to a microphone.
He told us his name and that he was the A&R manager of one of the biggest record companies in the country and that he had come along today to see what all the fuss was about. He said that, in the space of a couple of weeks, a group called “The Pixies” had shot into everyone’s world and today he had seen why.
He went on to tell us that yesterday he had seen an unfinished production of the New Year Show and last night had watched the Christmas show. He then said that he was here, today, to offer us a Christmas present. He told us that he was going to get his company to offer us all contracts to record a double album of ‘Seasonal Party Music’ with everyone who had been on the two shows taking part.
He finished to a lot of cheering and clapping. I could see the other stars smiling. I knew that a Christmas album was timeless and would be bringing income for years to come.
He then waited for the noise to subside. “I’ve listened to a digital file of the album that the Pixies have recorded, and I want to get them on contract so that my company can distribute their album nationally.”
I sat stunned. We only finished the thing a week or so before and now he wanted us to go national! The rest of the Pixies had big smiles and their families started clapping. He waited until the noise died down again and I expected him to wish us all a Merry Christmas and step down.
“Today, I think I saw an act which has something to make it an international sensation. I saw a twenty-minute segment of the New Year’s Show and could hardly believe that it had been performed in one take with just a few minutes notice. Today, I don’t think that the Stable Sisters expected us to ask them to play. Let’s face it, they’re Pixies. I don’t want to take anything away from the other Pixies. But these two girls have something that only comes along once in a while. If they can translate that into the Pixie repertoire, then it will be magnificent. However, I’m prepared to offer them a recording contract on their own. Thank you for your time and I will let you get on with the party.”
With that he left the stage, shook hands with some of the others, and gave Allan a man-hug. He then came over to Josie and me, as we both stood motionless, totally shocked.
“I hope to see you two in my office sometime next month, Allan will arrange it. I have a copy of that CD you recorded, and I can’t believe that you did it in a home-built studio. Happy New Year to you both and congratulations, you’re both going to be stars soon.”
He, and a few of his retinue, left us standing, still unable to take it in. The other Pixies came over and gave us hugs.
“I suppose you two will sign the contracts and be megastars soon; just as we were getting going,” Janet said, with some bitterness.
“What on earth are you talking about, Janet?” Josie countered. “You know that we’re Pixies and will remain Pixies until the natural winding down of the band. The band finally breaking up is inevitable, but I don’t think it’s any time soon.”
Donna looked shocked, “You mean you would pass up a chance at fame and fortune for us?”
I shook my head. “Donna -- all you girls -- we don’t have to be apart from the Pixies to do well. We can work like before. Josie and I can open the show alone and then the rest of the Pixies join us. We end up the band we are now, or at least the evolution of it. I can see Pet with us on violin and then Emily on keyboard. All we need to do is to choose, or write, some songs that fit the instruments we’re playing.”
Pet smiled broadly. “Look, it’s been pretty easy to write new songs for us. We have such a versatile line-up. I can write some ballads in a blues style that Edie and Josie can start out with. Then we can add others as we go. I think it’s a great idea and the Stable Sisters can have a parallel life on record. It would be good to open up with a few chart toppers and it will bring more fans to our shows. So, what if the billboards say The Pixies featuring The Stable Sisters. At least we’ll be up in lights.”
We agreed to think about it next year and the group broke up again. Josie’s mother was standing by us as it played out and she whispered quietly to me. “That’s just what I was saying before. The Josie of old would have grabbed at that fame and fortune and ran away laughing. She’s now a much more caring girl.”
She turned to my mother and asked, “Can I come out and see where my girl has discovered this new outlook on life?”
Mom said it was all right and gave her our address and phone number, which was written in a notebook. Harry came over as well, telling us that he was a little sad that the Christmas show didn’t happen at his dance hall -- with paying customers. He was glad that everything went the way it did. I told him to talk to Allan as we may be able to put a few shows on his stage next year. We would have more time to make them good. We all talked more before we sat for dinner.
Afterwards, as we were preparing to leave, the manager of the Dude came over and told us that the Saturday evening between Christmas and New Year was a closed event for some high rollers in town. He told us that we didn’t have to play but he would be happy if we did. He wanted us to keep the act to as many quieter songs as we could, until the guests had enough liquor in them to want to rave.
Donna looked at us. “Can we do something to say “thank you” to the Dude on Saturday? It’ll be our final night of residency.”
We all said we wanted to try to make some changes and what better sounding board than a captive audience.
Hell! We had all day Thursday and Friday and most of Saturday to pull a rabbit out of a hat.
Emily said it best. “We can do it, girls. We’re the Pixies!”
That, I think, was the moment the world tipped yet again. We’ll move forward, stronger and way more experienced than when the girls first graced my home-made studio. It was still the festive season, and the New Year show would be broadcast next week so there would be something for the scribes to talk about.
Allan wished us a Happy New Year and then said that we should keep it as a quiet time because we don’t want to be seen as Magic Pixies, in two places at the same time. He then said he would see us before that, anyway, as he was going to take part in the Saturday dinner with a big bunch of local businessmen from the city, with their families.
On the way home my mother told us that the whole day had been the best Christmas present anyone could have given her.
My father was quiet for a while. “Do you realize what you girls gave up by not going solo?”
“I think we do, Mister Grosse,” Josie said. “We’ll give up being forced to jump to people’s orders who think they know better than us. We’ll give up just being the two of us, alone in hotel rooms while others make money from our talent. By not going solo we won’t give up the love and friendship that we have with the other girls and, yes, we may find the odd time when we’re being ordered and feel alone, but we’ll do it as a group of six and I’ll lay a bet that Donna will walk all over anyone who tries to mess with us.”
We were all tired, happy, and full of food when we got home so we just hugged and kissed goodnight.
I went out to the stable and my own bed. After undressing, cleansing, and putting on my nightie, I got into bed, determined to have some thoughts about the events of the day but fell asleep directly.
Bowing to the cold of the following day, I dressed in jeans, boots, old flannel shirt, and a thick sweater after I had showered. The other girls started turning up not long after we had finished breakfast, along with Josie’s family.
Her younger brother, Jordan, had been a little shy at yesterday’s celebration, but was slowly thawing out. He was fascinated by our chicken set-up. He wanted to be a vet, so he and his father went off to look at our operation with my dad.
Mom got busy in the kitchen and Josie took her mother out to the stable. Once everyone had arrived, we went into the studio to do a bit of hard work.
We quickly decided on the full Pixie section with quieter numbers at the beginning and then some more rowdy ones at the end. To do a two-hour show you need about twenty songs, and we already had a suitable list of fourteen, so it just left us to find six or so to complete the set.
Josie and I could do the three that we had done on Sunday and Pet said that she would write us two, both with her on violin and Emily on keyboard, and have them ready for us to work on the next day. We did a few of our favorites to let Josie’s mother see how we worked in the studio, putting her phone in the bracket so that she had a record of us to look at.
After that, we all went up to the house for lunch Mom had put together and sat around.
Josie’s father came over to the two of us. “Edie, your father tells me that you and Josie were planning to put in some hydroponic sheds and branching out.”
Josie admitted that we were thinking about it.
“I’ve a couple of pals who run a small chain of grocery stores. I’ll have a word with them to find out what they find difficult to source. Perhaps you’ll allow me to partner you in the project, seeing that my business is building houses and industrial buildings.”
“Dad, you really are the best,” Josie said sweetly. “I’m so sorry I went off the rails for a while. Maybe I was just rebelling, but I’m grounded now. If we do well with the songs this year, I’ll put my share into the project, just as long as Edie and her family allow it.” She then gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.
Another one, I thought, that may be a few years late, but not, thankfully, too late.
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 10
After lunch the other girls left. Pet and Emily would be coming back Friday afternoon -- but we wouldn’t see the others until we met at the Dude for our last show for some time. They had booked another band for a three-month stint.
Josie’s family stayed and we discussed the business and the likelihood of expansion on our spare land. At one point, Josie’s mother asked her to show her the stable again and, when they got back, she looked very closely at me and then smiled. She then came over and hugged me, telling me that she was very glad her daughter had found me and that she was sure that we’d all be spending a lot of time together.
As we waved them off, I bumped hips with my love. “You told her everything, didn’t you?”
Josie colored a bit and then nodded. “I had to,” she said. “She was starting to question me about my sexual preferences and whether we had a lesbian relationship. I think she was getting upset about me not supplying any grandchildren.”
She looked as if she was about to cry, so I held her close and whispered in her ear. “It’s all right, sister. I don’t mind as long it stays in the family.”
It had been a big day and we were all tired, so we went off to bed early. I decided to have another shower. After I’d dried off, I came out to find Josie in the bed. “I just want to be reassured,” she whispered.
I got into bed, put the light out, and then I reassured her.
We were lying there in the early hours when she whispered, “Edie, my love, my sister. I really do love you and I wonder if you could get some sperm taken so I can have your baby. I’ve realized that true love isn’t all about sex. It’s about trust and caring and we have that bond that’s almost visible when we’re together - on stage or off. Can you talk to your doctor before you go too far, please?”
“Anything for you, my love,” I said. “I should be seeing her in January. Maybe you can come with me.” We then dozed off with our arms around the other and I felt that this might be the best Christmas season of my life.
Friday morning, we showered together and kissed a lot. She then put her gown on and went back to the house to dress. I put on jeans and a sweater again and put the heater in the studio on low before I went in for my breakfast.
My mother, being psychic as well as a wonder woman, picked up on our moods pretty quickly. She kept it to herself until Dad had gone off to do what dads do, something I still hadn’t figured out. She sat in front of us. “Right, something’s changed. Was it something that happened yesterday?”
I smiled. “We can’t put anything past you, can we?”
Josie grinned. “I had to tell my Mom how I got to be staying here and why I was such an apparent member of the family. I told her that I had loved Eddie and I have truly discovered that I still love Edie. It’s a shift in my thinking and last night I asked her if she could have some sperm saved for me.”
Mom sat for a few seconds. “Wow! That’s heavy stuff. Do you mean that I may end up with a daughter and a daughter-in-law with grandchildren to spoil?”
Josie smiled. “I won’t allow you to spoil my babies. That will be my job!”
We all laughed and had a group hug. That morning, Josie and I went into the studio and just played anything that took our fancy for a while. It was as if she could read my mind, starting with the intro of a tune I was thinking of.
When we stopped, she begged, “Edie, can you please play me some classical pieces. What you and Pet played the other day was amazing!”
I played a few of my favorite pieces, ending up with a violin version of “The Swan,” which was normally a cello piece.
She had tears in her eyes as I finished. “That was so beautiful. There’s so much I haven’t heard by being just a top ten girl.”
I went and picked up my own guitar and played her a classical guitar piece.
She whispered, “Can you teach me to play like that? “
I told her that she would need to learn a new technique. She was good enough and still young enough to give it a try.
After lunch, Pet and Emily turned up within a few minutes of each other. Pet had written two songs that we could learn. As the three of us could sight read, Pet played her violin while Emily played the piano, and I did the guitar part. We played just the music through a few times until Josie had picked it up. Emily went back to her keyboard while I sat at the piano.
We ran through the instrumental parts a few times until Josie was happy with her playing, and then she and I had the words to sing. I had them in the piano rack and she had a stand with them. We played and sang the same song five times. Then put away the words and music, playing it again from memory.
After that, we did the same procedure with the other song. They were both love songs about yearning and uncertainty with a happy ending and I loved them. It took all afternoon before we were happy.
Then, as a test, we played a song from the normal list that we could do as a quartet and two new songs in reverse order to how we had learned them, recording them on Josie’s phone. The test piece actually gave us a breakthrough and Emily said she would look at others from our fairly big play list that we could adapt for our quartet.
Josie sent the two songs through to Donna, who texted back that they were beautiful. The two girls stayed for dinner and then went off to their homes. We had now changed paths to be more inclusive with the Stable Sister repertoire. It remained to be seen if the crowd liked it tomorrow evening.
Saturday morning, Donna texted to say we should wear our zipped leather dresses for one more time as hardly anyone in this crowd would have seen them. With our instruments and our outfits, Josie and I headed into the city for our last show of the year, as well as our last show at the Dude Ranch.
I felt almost sad about it but also felt upbeat about what may follow in January and beyond. When we went on stage, just the two of us, I sat at the lovely baby grand and Josie sat with her guitar resting on her legs. The manager had introduced us as tonight’s entertainment without naming us. To most of the audience, we were just background music.
They had eaten the main course before we went on, so I wasn’t surprised when a few of the ladies pulled their partners out of their chairs to dance, cheek to cheek. We did the two songs we were supposed to, and then Emily and Pet joined us, and we did the two new ones.
The last two members then came on stage, and we started the full group numbers. By the time we got to the faster ones the crowd had imbibed enough to appreciate them. We ended up finishing the set. Then we had to play for half an hour longer. It was a lot of fun and, most of all, it worked out very well. When we finished Allan came over to us and asked about the quartet pieces.
Pet said that we had learned them yesterday.
He just shook his head. “You girls never cease to amaze me. That whole set sounded like you had played that way for months.”
After he left us, we were approached by Charles and Tanya who were very effusive in their praise. Tanya told me that her boy had become inconsolable about me dumping him. She was worried that he might go back to his old ways.
“I liked Charlie, at first,” I explained. “He was, and still is, very pleasant to be with. The problem is that he’s in a world of his own. That’s why I stopped seeing him. With the band, I need certainty.”
When I looked around the room, I realized that we had spent the evening entertaining most of City Hall and an awful lot of very well-dressed men and women. I saw some jewels that I would have to work a lifetime to afford.
Several came over and told us how happy they were at seeing us live, as they had seen the Christmas show. Some even said that they had seen teasers for the New Year’s Show and promised to watch it. I suppose it doesn’t hurt to be in front of the cream of the city society.
The night club manager came to see us after we’d changed and gave each of us an envelope, as “A little something from me in appreciation for how much you have done for the business.” He wished us every success and a Happy New Year.
We packed our things into the van but kept our instruments with us, had a round of hugs and kisses, and planned to meet at the studio, on the sixth of January to discuss our future. The year had almost ended with just the recorded show to keep us in the public eye. We were all going to spend the New Year with our folks. Even Josie was going home for a few days.
I wondered how I would get through it without going crazy. We had been together every day since that fateful dance. I loved having her beside me. Sunday afternoon I took her home, somewhere she had not been in almost three years. They welcomed her like a visiting royal. I also received an invitation into their house.
Her home was filled with her parents, brother, uncles, aunts, and their families. After a hectic round of introductions, I was made very welcome. When she finally walked me back to the car, we couldn’t have a proper kiss because we could see the faces at the windows. We made do with a hug, a cheek kiss, and an “I love you, have a Happy New Year” before I got in the car and drove away.
It had been funny, for a while. We had been treated like visiting pop stars by the extended family. It had taken a while to break the ice. It made me think about what life would be like when we did get well known, and there were fans wanting to talk to us.
I suppose we’d better discuss that when we meet. I wonder if there’s a book on how to be friendly but stay an icon.
I spent the next day just talking to my parents about the business and the likely changes we could make. Dad was all for it because he was getting a bit tired of chickens and the thought of having something making money that didn’t crap everywhere appealed to him.
Tuesday, we got a letter in the post that fundamentally changed the dynamics of our life. It’s funny how big business sends you bad news at a time their offices are shut. It’s so you can’t go to town and vent your anger. The letter was one that we had talked about before. Our main customer wanted us to double our egg production and gave us six months to improve our operation.
Dad put it to one side, “I’ll talk to the shits next year and tell them that we’ll stop supplying them at the end of June. We don’t have any new chicks going through and we can go back to supplying local shops with eggs until we run out of hens. As they decrease in number, we can move them into one shed. That way we don’t have to build to go into the hydroponic business.”
Mom sighed. “I suppose the timing’s perfect. Edie and Josie will have graduated then and can put their spare time into helping us get the new project off the ground. I won’t miss the smell of all that chicken shit. I suppose we had better let the fast-food guys know that we’ll be pulling out. They may go to whoever takes on the egg business, but the chickens they’ll get won’t be as meaty as ours.”
New Year’s Eve we sat in front of the TV with drinks and snacks. We watched the show until midnight, and a little while into the fireworks. Because they had seen the Stable Sisters live it wasn’t such a shock to see Josie and me in our gold dresses, in a very elaborate setting.
Mom gave me a hug as the advertisements played and Dad said that he was still amazed at being in the same room as a star.
I laughed. “So that’s what time does, thank you. Last time you spoke like that I was a superstar. What did I do to slide down the scale?”
He laughed and stood up. “All right, my girl, you’re a super nova and that’s it.”
I stood as well and hugged him. I kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Daddy dearest, Happy New Year to you, too.”
I went to bed and wished Josie and the girls a Happy New Year as I lay in the dark with the distant sound of fireworks to keep me company. That’s one advantage of living further out with acreage around you. It does diminish the sound of parties on the next property.
I woke up next morning with the thought of it being a whole new year. In my mind I started to work through what it would be filled with. One thought was that I had the last semesters to get through to finish my Business Administration degree. Now, with a whole new business to create, I wouldn’t have to go and look for a job.
Secondly, I had things in Pixie-land to achieve, an album to be released, shows to organize, and the Stable Sisters to whip into shape. I knew that we would have to go into the recording studio to re-record the seven songs we had put down to get a better sound. Perhaps we could do more with the quartet and include the other two as Sisters.
Thirdly, or should that have been my first thought, Josie and I needed to figure ourselves out. Should she move back in with me? Should she stay in my old room when I pick her up again?
The plan was to go and get her Friday afternoon. That led me back to the future without chickens and I knew I would have to have a serious talk with my parents today about funds and income, things that would shape our plans.
As I ruminated a picture flashed into my mind. A certain Houdini Hen who looked me in the eyes as it crapped on my freshly cleaned floor. She had come back to give me a warning! Aim for the stars but make sure that when you rest, always be out of reach of the foxes and wolves of the world.
I showered and dressed in one of the denim outfits with jeans that I had first worn on stage. I pulled on the boots and went into the house to find both of my parents having coffee while there were things sizzling in the pan.
“Just in time,” Mom commented.
Dad looked up from buttering his toast. “You look nice, Edie. Special occasion?”
I laughed. “Well, yes. It’s the first day of a new year and the first day of our new business as well.”
Mom was putting things out on plates. “First day of a renewed relationship as well, I think.”
We ate our food and, as I sat with a fresh cup of coffee. “I woke up this morning and made a New Year’s resolution. It’s time to take more control of my life, instead of just allowing myself to be led. I’ve decided that I need to know more about the people around me. I met the band’s extended families for the first time last week after being with them for a good six months. We signed contracts with Allan, who seems a good guy. He’s your friend, Dad. Can we truly trust him?”
My parents looked at me with half smiles on their faces.
Mom grinned. “I think our little baby grew up overnight, Bill. It must be time to let her know that Allan is someone she can bet her life on.”
Dad nodded and went out of the room for a while, coming back with a small box, which he put on the table in front of me. When I opened it up, I saw two medals. One was a Purple Heart, the other a Bronze Star. I looked at him in wonder.
“Allan and I were in the Army between ’95 and ‘03. In ’02, we were sent to Afghanistan. We were in a six-man team out on patrol in two trucks. We went into a village and five of us got out near a house that had the front door wide open. We moved to the side of the door and then three of the guys rushed the place ready for anything -- Allan and me behind. What they weren’t ready for was a claymore mine that killed all three of them. Allan was in front of me. I was looking back out into the road -- keeping watch. He took some of the bits of metal they put into those things, and undoubtedly saved my life. I got some as well, mainly in the back of my legs and my butt.”
He took a sip of his coffee as I waited for the rest. He sighed and went on. “That’s when some guys in the house across the road opened up. They targeted the one of us that had stayed with the trucks, which gave me time to shoot back with my M16. I then grabbed the RPG that Allan had across his back and put a round into the house. Allan was in a bad way so I dragged him to the vehicle that had avoided the gunfire and drove him back to base as fast as I could. By the end of the day, I had met your mother.” He looked lovingly at her.
“I was in the base hospital working as a nurse when Bill and Allan were brought in. Your dad had a lot of small wounds in his lower back and legs, as well as a bullet hole through his shoulder. Allan had shrapnel pieces that had gone through his flak jacket and a fair bit of damage to his legs. Fortunately, it had all missed his vital organs. You’ll never see either of them in shorts in summer, though, because the scars are still visible.”
Dad frowned. “They sent out a large group to bring back the bodies of our patrol, four guys I had had breakfast with and knew well. I was told that they think I had killed five of the Taliban -- guys that couldn’t have been much older than kids. I still have nightmares of that RPG round going through window killing them. I’m not proud of it. They gave me that medal for saving Allan’s life under fire, but he never got one for saving mine. Crazy, isn’t it?”
“Bill was up and around in a few weeks, but Allan was in my care for about three days before they flew him back home. Your father made sergeant before he shipped back to a base here. We kept in touch. We found out where Allan was and went to visit him. Eventually, we all ended up here in Detroit. Allan was your father’s Best Man at our wedding, and later your Godfather at your christening. Yes, Edie, you can trust Allan with your life. He also knows exactly who you are, but don’t push it!”
I got up and went to hug them both as tightly as I could. “Thank you for telling me. You two are really the best.” I sat down again.
“The Army helped us get this small farm and the rest, as they say, is history,” Dad added. “The one thing it taught me was that life can be taken away in a split second. I don’t get mad when things happen that change your point-of-view. It’s all part of moving on and I’ll move as best I can until they lay me to rest.” And then he looked at me. “If my unruly daughter doesn’t give me a heart attack with her antics.”
My mother joined him in a laugh. “Check out your bank account, dear. I think us girls need to hit the New Year sales. You need to buy some things for yourself.”
I powered up the computer and checked my account online, somewhat surprised by the healthy amount. No doubt my share of the shows had been paid. It did leave me some leeway for serious shopping. I also had the cash that I’d been given on Saturday night as well as some left over from our Christmas shopping spree.
I wanted to concentrate on business outfits first, seeing that I’d decided to project an image of someone with breeding and taste.
We took my car into the city, shopped with gusto, and then came home with a lot of bags. We had eaten in the shopping center and made several trips back to the car to lighten our load. Once the store’s inventory ran low, we called it a day.
It had been my first day of shopping as my mother’s daughter, with Mom beside me --a totally new and chastening experience watching her skill at getting to a bargain.
Over lunch, I asked her if she learned the art of hunting a good deal in the Army.
She told me that she has to hold herself back or she might have killed someone who gets between her and that perfect blouse. She was smiling as she said it, but I still wasn’t sure if she was joking or not. You didn’t serve in Afghanistan without being properly trained and even I knew it had been a very dangerous place.
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 11
I’d been lucky with my purchases, getting four beautiful skirt suits in different colors as well as some good blouses, shoes, and more lingerie. I was also very lucky to pick up a ski jacket in bright pink for when the winter really kicked in.
Friday, I dressed in one of my outfits that I knew Josie liked seeing me in, to pick her up. She must have been watching for me because I had hardly got out of the car when she came out of the house to hug me. “Edie, I so missed you. Wait until I get you in bed, tonight.”
We went into the house, and I said hello to all her folks. Her mother hugged me and told me that she had been totally enraptured by our segment in the show.
On the way home, Josie was laughing all the way and telling me about her time with her family. She said that her mother must have ran her phone hot because she had been texted by just about every girl she had been with at high school, and hardly had time to draw a breath.
“It was good to catch up with them but most of them were a bit shy around me, as if I had moved on to a higher plane. It was weird, I had laughed and played with these girls at school, yet they now look at me as if I’m some kind of goddess.”
I grinned. “Oh, the problems of being a pop star and celebrity. Just wait until our albums hit the stores. That’s when you’ll see some real changes in people’s outlook.”
I waited until we got home to inform her of the changes in our business model. She immediately thought about the logistics and costs. She said she would now have to ask her dad to come out and give us a quote on reworking the chicken sheds, one at a time.
The first thing she said when we got into the house, after giving my folks a hug, was, “I’m sorry to be an inconvenience, but can I move back in with Edie? My time away from her made me doubly sure that we’re a couple.”
Mom laughed, “Sure you can, Josie. She’s been fidgeting and climbing walls since she dropped you off.”
So, Josie’s luggage went into the stable and was followed, in quick order, by the rest of her things. The main problem was that I had bought extra at the sales and our wardrobe almost overflowed.
As she put her things away, she looked at my new outfits and declared that I was a genius.
“Why?”
She told me that if we went into the final year at Wayne looking like we had already graduated and were working in an office, we would get better grades from the professors. “When you look successful, they’ll already be halfway to giving you “A” grades.” That night she was true to her promise about getting me into bed.
Saturday, we were back in the city, and I was showing her where I got my outfits and shoes so she could pick her own. A couple of colors had sold out of sale stock, but she ended up with a big enough discount from buying six outfits that it didn’t really affect the bottom line.
Especially when I got another two myself.
On Sunday the two of us plus my dad walked through the chicken sheds trying to see just how much needed to change and also working out how we would manage the chickens until the last batch left in a truck.
Josie suggested that we keep a few for layers and the two of us told her that was how we had started out. We could buy a dozen eggs a week and not have to hose down the veranda and patio twice a day. She suggested ducks or geese and Dad said that they shit twice as much as chickens.
Monday, we both went to the salon where Emily and Janet were working, having made our appointment in December. I endured a full-body hair removal having been without glue since after the last show at the Dude. We also had treatment on our hair. Mine had reached a good length and seemed able to be worked on. They also gave me a pedicure and manicure with top-of-the-range hard nails, so I could play the guitar without chipping them.
The other two girls were in high spirits, even if they were working so soon, after a few days off. They told us that they would see us after lunch on Thursday. The manager seemed very kind and gave us a discount when we paid, telling us that her business had grown already after some exposure from our shows and the interview.
In two weeks, we would start back in classes, so we took it easy. We both knew that we would be spending a lot of time in the stable studio, before school again.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, I instructed Josie in the art of classical guitar. Once she had caught on to using all of your right-hand fingers, she started to get some good sounds.
We sat for quite a while on Wednesday facing each other, her back on her usual instrument, with me playing something and her playing it back to me. Like all guitar playing, a lot of it is making muscle memory of a range of typical chord and note shifts. She had already mastered playing by ear.
Thursday, we had a visitor in the morning. Allan turned up to join us for lunch. He told us that there were things he had to tell the others. Today would be a good opportunity to get an idea of what days we could all get together. He said that he’d been on his phone constantly since he reopened on Monday morning and there were a lot of irons in the fire.
I could see Josie looking quizzical. She drew a deep breath as Mom was putting the coffee on.
“Josie, dear heart, I know what you are going to say but I’ll tell you that Allan has the very best intentions toward working with us. It’s not my place to tell you why.”
She shut her mouth.
Allan looked at Dad. “You’ve told her then, Bill?”
Dad nodded.
Allan looked at Josie, “Josie, you and Edie are the two most perceptive girls in the Pixies, and you deserve to know why Edie trusts me. I’ve known Bill and Betty since the late nineties. Together they saved my life and I’m forever in their debt. Edie can tell you the rest. But you can be sure that I’ll do my best to get the Pixies into the charts and people’s minds. I’ll make money out of it. If you’re as successful as I think you’ll be, it will be a lot of money. That’s just a side issue because I really think that you girls can make it to the big time. I’ll be there to watch your backs, and help you get—and do—what you want.”
The other girls started arriving and we got them into the house and around the kitchen table with drinks in front of them. Flora had come along as well.
Allan took the floor and congratulated everyone on a very successful last six months and assured us that the next year would not be so regular with shows. But the shows we’d have would be bigger. He told us that we would be playing in Chicago on a Saturday night at the end of March, Cleveland two weeks later, and Cincinnati two weeks after that.
Each one of those shows would have us on stage for three hours. We would get paid about ten times what we had been getting at the Dude which, he said, had been a pretty good rate for a night club. There would be more dates set, once the three of us had graduated -- but no more than one a week. Travel to other cities would be by air on the Friday evening and back on Sundays so no-one should lose any work or school time. “Your lives and school come first,” he vowed.
He said that he had been negotiating with a number of promoters who had seen the TV shows and wanted us on their stages. But first, we needed to finalize the album and that would involve a photo shoot to get the cover art -- as well as advertising artwork. For that we were booked into a photo studio on Friday of the following week. The dress shop and salon would be on hand to make us look wonderful.
He then told us that the record company had requested, as we all had expected, for the Stable Sisters to go into a professional studio to remake the album with some additional tracks. He suggested that we rework everything to include tracks with the quartet and possibly the complete Pixie line-up.
There were questions on how we would get paid and who would be paying for all the photography and studio time, and he had answers for all of that.
I could see Donna wondering what was in it for him. He reiterated that he was putting up some of his company money, with the certainty that it would be returned before the middle of the year from album and show income.
He then added that anyone of us that put in extra, such as Pet with the song writing, would get extra payments to cover it. He then gave Janet a gas card to use with the van that had all of us now paying for the use of it and said that any repairs or servicing should be billed to his company. He gave her his business card.
Josie and I were smiling at this real-life business plan. The Pixies had launched a business. He then told us that he and Flora had been talking and that we would all have singing lessons before we went back on stage.
Flora added. “It’s not because you can’t sing, and sing beautifully, but because you need training so that you breathe better and are able to hold notes longer if you have to. It does improve most songs if you can extend some of the words.”
We could see the logic in that. She asked if we could use the stable studio for that, one singer at a time, for a few weeks.
He wound up his presentation, “The show that you put on at the Dude the other night was fantastic. It’s perfect for that audience and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
“There were a number of very influential businessmen there that night who have also been on me in regard to sponsorships, in return for your appearances in their advertising. It will not involve all of you together. But I’ll make sure you all get equal time. You all look good in different ways that make you perfect to be a model – sporty girl, diva -- you know the sort of things I mean. You may find yourselves in photo shoots, individually or maybe as pairs and you will be paid accordingly after you each sign individual contracts with me.”
He nodded slowly before adding, “I know that you like to play and there’s no reason for you not to. I’ll see if I can get you small venues. It won’t be every week because you do need to spend the time on the groundwork.”
“By this time next year, I’m expecting you to have been nominated for a couple of Grammys -- at the very least.”
Allan then left us. We had a bit of conversation about what he had said. It was agreed that we’d heard a lot of good things. Not playing every week would be a nice rest. Pet asked if any of us could add to writing songs. Josie said that the two of us could look at it, perhaps adding lyrics, if she came up with some music. Emily was happy to help out, especially if she could concentrate on things for the quartet.
We then went into the studio and just played whatever came into our heads for more than two hours. We felt immense relief, knowing we still had it in us. We enjoyed just playing a lot. Hugs, smiles, and kisses overwhelmed everyone. Josie and I booked for singing lessons for tomorrow, as long as I collected Flora, and then Janet would come over after work for her.
Friday, I went and got Flora and while she was in the studio with Josie, I made a phone call to arrange a visit to my doctor on Monday, their first day back seeing patients.
For the next three days, Josie and I spent a lot of time in the studio. We doodled with random tunes, making subtle changes to some, and rejecting others. In the end we had six new songs on the computer and Josie’s phone. I’d written down the music, and then started thinking about other instruments for them. Orchestration was something I’d never tried before -- and it wasn’t easy. We sent the files to Pet, to check over.
She came back to tell us we were doing really well for beginners. But there were two that might have us in court if we did them live or recorded.
She said that one of us must have heard the original song sometime, and it had stuck in the mind. That was all right. It left four that she thought we could adapt into the new playlist.
Pet told us not to worry, it happened to everyone. It was only a problem when the original artist complained. We could, she said, get away with playing them at small parties.
On Monday, Josie and I went to see my doctor and have a serious talk. I undressed for the doctor, who seemed happy to see me -- without glued bits this time. She did say that my breast area still showed signs of nubs. They were no bigger than before.
Josie affirmed that I was able to get hard and ejaculate, but she explained that it took a bit of work. Both women giggled. The doctor agreed to our request and gave me a letter for a clinic that would take and store sperm.
Josie called the number we had been given. We were given a time that very afternoon to see them. It was across town, so we stopped off in the city for a little window shopping and lunch.
At the clinic, I filled in a lot of forms, agreed to their fee should my sperm be viable, and then Josie helped me collect a sample for them. It was a fairly long process, not satisfying her first. But her mouth and hand eventually did the job, and we had a little, well, a bit bigger than that, sample which they sealed and whisked away.
I would be contacted by the end of the week if the tests showed my sperm to be suitable for impregnation. That night I did the part that I had not been able to do in the clinic, and then we both went to sleep satisfied.
For the rest of the week, we messed around in the studio during the day and in bed during the night. It was cold now with winter kicking in, at last. We just dressed in jeans and sweaters and had the heater in the studio running.
By Friday, Josie had become quite good at classical guitar and even started to follow the notes in my music books. I found myself writing down music that I could hear in my head, and then trying it out on the piano.
Together, that week, we made tremendous strides in our musical careers. I had decided that, once my degree was out of the way, I would try to enrol in the music course that Pet had finished, if I had enough time.
Thursday, we got a text on Josie’s phone from the clinic. We had given them her number because I hardly ever turned mine on. They asked us to come back and finalize my contract with them. My sperm count was good enough to save.
They asked me to abstain from sex until then, as they wanted to collect a back-up sample. We texted back with agreement of the appointment, and then kissed with the notion that it wouldn’t lead to bed.
“Edie, my love, do you mind if I stop taking my pills? It would be wonderful if we can make our baby naturally.”
I nodded – a fatherly nod. That evening, at dinner, I asked Mom what she thought about the idea, and she smiled. My father just spread some of his mouthful of food on the table.
When we had patted his back and got him breathing again, Mom said, “Look, girls, if that’s what you want then to go for it. I’m happy that you’ve been so careful up to now. But, if you do have a baby Josie, you have a couple of very willing grandparents, who’ll be behind you every step of the way.”
Friday morning, we were up and about early, skipped breakfast, and then went off to the photographer’s studio for the shoot that Allan had arranged.
It was located in the industrial area in a big building that looked fairly ordinary from the outside but was magnificent inside. It featured changing rooms galore. When we finally saw the inside of the studio it was like a microcosm of many different worlds.
The ladies from the dress shop told us that they had been there several times when the makers wanted to get new catalogues or were starting a new advertising campaign. The manager told me that she had never seen something so elaborate as this before.
When we were all assembled, Allan introduced us to the three photographers. He told us that we would be starting out taking pictures that would grace our album and the liner notes. They would take pictures of us in a range of outfits.
He then said that after that we would have more pictures in different outfits that would be in our personal portfolios, which would be used to sell our time and image to those wanting us for advertisements.
Professional modelling is tough. I couldn’t do it day in and day out. I became hot and tired. By the time we had finished the changes, poses, and the smiling, I was ready to drop.
We carried on all day with just a short break for a light lunch. At the end of it we were back into the clothes we had arrived in, after being sports stars, pop divas, harlots, and grand dames. It had been amazing.
Allan got us all together and thanked us for our patience with something obviously so new to us. The main photographer then said that we had been a joy to work with. He hoped he would see a lot more of us.
Allan then asked us if we had worked out what we would be doing about the Stable Sisters. He wanted those who would be included to be back on Saturday, for another session with a more classical look.
Donna told him that we were working towards doing some songs with the whole group. Pet and Emily were probably the main additions to the Sisters.
Allan asked the four of us to be back the next day and to bring our violins and guitar. They already had a piano and organ available as props.
The next morning the four of us turned up, all a bit unsure with what they expected. We did a series of shots wearing elegant gowns. Some of the pictures were knee-length. Others were floor-length. All involved elegant make-up.
We posed standing by a piano with instruments in our hands and without the instruments. In others, we took our places as if we were playing. At one stage, we played one of the numbers we had performed at the last show while all three photographers crept around us, with their cameras being filled with digital images.
Pet and Emily were sent home, and just Josie and I did some more pictures. This time they had us in loving poses, heads together, looking into the others’ eyes -- that sort of thing.
Finally, Allan told us that we were now earning real money. The two of us found ourselves posing in very up-market dresses in elaborate settings, with some guys dressed as if we were at a posh party.
The final set of shots saw us both in big-skirted ball gowns with a couple of guys in tails. The photographers were very busy and extremely careful with all of the poses. We found out, before we went home, that we had just completed the shoot for a magazine spread to launch the dresses onto the high-roller market.
The next time we saw Allan, I said that it wasn’t nice that we would get extra money when the others got nothing.
He laughed, telling me that we all had side jobs which paid a similar amount so none of the Pixies were missing out. He said “Wait until the spreads get into the magazines. You’ll hardly open one without seeing a Pixie. You girls are gold.”
The middle of January found Josie and me back in school, this time dressed for success. It worked almost immediately. Instead of just being handed an envelope with our grades from last year, we were both called in to see our teachers and given our results in person, along with hints on how to improve.
The lectures also changed slightly with the lecturers speaking to us all as if they knew that there were likely prize winners in their audience. It helped us and also helped the others, including Charlie -- who, thankfully, avoided us like the plague.
The same time we went back into the recording studio to re-record our Stable Sisters album. It ended up as a mixture of duo and quartet pieces. All of the songs were original, the same as the full Pixies’ album.
They released the Pixies’ album in the beginning of February. All of us were booked at the biggest CD store in town, for a signing session. I hadn’t realized it, not listening to the radio much, or spending hours on social media, but over the past couple of months there had been an uplift of interest in the Pixies locally.
We spent several hours in the packed store with marker pens defacing the CDs put in front of us. The funniest thing was that they had a big rack of our albums with the six of us, three each side, as cardboard cut-outs in outfits taken from the photo shoot. They begged us to sign our own image before we were allowed to go home.
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 12
Allan arranged a gig on a Saturday night at a civic party. We did our new look show and it went well. I wasn’t highly excited about it. We played our music and then went home. I may have been the only one feeling a bit jaundiced. But I did have a lot of other things on my mind.
I wondered if it was the prospect of being a father that outweighed the upgrade of becoming a woman. Was I worried about the future of the farm against my likely career as a music star / model / businesswoman?
Our school lectures seemed better than ever, and we were really on top of our studies. Josie and I made love most nights. I was a bit more manly having suspended my blockers. Did I want to be a father? Was I ready? More to the point, would our having a baby affect our life with the Pixies?
The magazine spread earned wide praise. We finished the Stable Sisters album, and it went on the market to a reasonable acclaim. The pictures on the cover and notes were tasteful and effective.
The four of us had made Allan split the income from it six ways so that the other two girls weren’t left out. We were all earning a regular income. Allan told promoters that we would be available for more shows after the end of July. To cap it all off, the Sisters became a very slick music-writing machine.
At the end of February, Josie announced that she was very late with her period and Mom took her off to buy a test kit or two. When she tested positive, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. When the band was told we all had a party.
My time as a father had come and my time as a man was ending. I went back on the blockers, saw the doctor, got an appointment with a gender specialist, and started on hormones.
My doctor told me I couldn’t go any further, except for breast augmentation. I hadn’t seen her until late last year. I could wait for the final operation, but the idea of my own breasts occupied my mind.
Things were happening around the property. We had shipped out enough of the older chickens to allow us to move the remaining ones into the other two sheds. This allowed Brad’s crew to repurpose the shed into a hydroponics set-up.
Our farm part-timers had become nervous because it looked as if we were down-sizing. We got them together and told them the plan. Most said they would be happy looking after the plants and picking the fruits or vegetables. Everyone agreed that plants would be much cleaner than chickens.
The biggest expense in the change-over involved buying the growing set-up -- tubs, pumps, and piping. We could use the old lamps with slightly different bulbs and a specialist company helped us out with selecting them.
Our people cleaned the top layer of the floor and dumped it over the back lot. It may lead to us doing something horticultural. Then we had several truckloads of builders’ sand spread and rolled in. This was a lot cheaper than any other flooring solution.
With the inside and outside cleaned with high pressure sprayers, the shed took on a whole new appearance. I couldn’t wait to see the other two overhauled. But that would be down the road after we shipped more birds.
The other change included the laying of a concrete slab on one side of the house. My parents had decided that we needed a complete apartment for Josie and me with our coming baby. It would feature a big bedroom, walk in closet, full bathroom, and a second bedroom big enough for when our child got bigger. With Brad on board and thinking about his grandchild, it would be built before the due date, sometime around the end of October.
Throughout that January to March period, we still held regular sessions in the studio and put together a show that we could stretch to three hours, if needed. We did, during that time, evolve a little more. Donna took less of the vocals, leaving most of that part to Josie, Emily, and me. We made every effort to be inclusive.
We knew that, in a little while, Josie would drop out of the line-up, for a few months. We discussed how we could cover that period. The idea was floated that we may need to bring in someone new and it caused us all to stop and wonder. Were the Pixies still a bunch of girls having fun, or had we become a brand where the personnel could change?
In effect, the Pixies were slowly becoming the Stable Sisters plus. We kept our new songs back for the moment, building up a new album set and being far more careful about what we added to ensure our sound remained true.
During March, we went into the recording studio on weekends and cut ‘Pixie Capers’ which would go on the market in May. On top of that, we had more sessions in the recording studio to put down our tracks for the Christmas Album, which would be released around the time my baby was due.
We were all doing fairly regular photo shoots and it was becoming a steady job for us all. The money was nice and there seemed to be quite a bit of that, thank goodness.
Things were too good to last.
Donna broke the bubble on the weekend we played in Chicago. She told us that she was also pregnant and would be marrying her Jack on the second Saturday in April. Not only were we invited but she wanted us all to be bridesmaids, with Josie as the Maid of Honor. Neither of them would be showing too much, that day. She also said that her next two years of training would be full-time and that she wanted to drop out of the Pixies by the start of the Fall semester in August. It was a shock to us all. We had spoken about getting replacements, but nobody thought that it would be this quick.
The show was the biggest we had done, by far. The venue was huge. The audience was massive -- and very happy to see us. Our opening band that night set a high bar.
We went on after the break and ran until nearly midnight.
On top of our playing fee, we earned a lot from CD and poster sales. I was surprised to see the vendors selling a DVD taken from the show the TV crew had filmed. I bought a few for my own collection.
When I saw the quarterly spreadsheet that Allan gave us April 1st, I was amazed at how well the Genesis CD, of just the four of us, was selling. The Billboard placings over the past quarter for both albums were impressively positive.
With the wedding in the middle of April, I just had time to get my boob job done and I was operated on quietly and privately in a specialist clinic during the week after we got back from Chicago. Josie saved the course notes for me. I didn’t really miss a lot because we were coming to the end of the semester, and it was mainly review.
By the time we hit the stage in Cleveland I was almost back to being myself. Well, me with natural breasts, instead of falsies. I now racked an upper female form that matched my hips.
The show went well. Because it was the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Allan organized for another film crew with an idea for a longer DVD of live Pixies, especially as it was likely to be one of the last times this line-up would be on stage. We were in the top ten, in the hearts of our fans, and in love with big shows and big crowds.
I had to laugh when I thought about my first time on stage at the Chuck Wagon and wondered whether I would ever play in front of small groups again.
In the weeks between the show and Donna’s wedding, Allan found us a stand-in guitarist who could take over Donna’s place. Joyce was already a fan, knew all the songs, and seemed delighted to be a Pixie. After three sessions, you could hardly tell the difference on stage. She was, however, a total musician who was with us for the long haul.
Donna’s wedding verged on mayhem. Jack was quite a catch, being in the same medical stream as Donna and also on track to be a specialist surgeon. His folks were quite wealthy, and the ceremony took place in one of the cathedrals in the city.
Our dress sponsor had provided our gowns. Our salon did the full make-over and the press attended in force. I’ve never been so caught up in the wonder of the day before and it went like a dream. Janet caught the bouquet as the happy couple left for their honeymoon.
On top of all that Josie and I had our end of term exams, which weren’t too bad. The week after the wedding was a lot quieter for us all. When I say ‘quieter’ it was still full on with the sponsors.
The wedding pictures found their way into all the magazines. The remaining five of us were still in demand for fashion shoots. Josie and I were off until mid-May. We prepared for the show in Cincinnati on the Saturday before school started for our final term.
Allan ran ragged trying to find things we could do without cutting into our schooling. He would be very glad when we graduated.
The Cincinnati show went without a hitch. We went on stage, again with an opening band, and did our set with Joyce filling in for Donna. She was accepted by the fans and came off the stage that night fully committed to the band.
Everything was good until breakfast when Janet didn’t come down.
Flora went to find her, but there was no answer from her room. She got the management to open Janet’s door. Inside were the obvious signs of a struggle and no sign of Janet.
Flora had a mean look in her eyes as she called in the police. Viewing the security tapes of the corridors showed a couple of guys carrying a bundle to the rear of the hotel. The outside cameras caught them loading it into a van and leaving.
I could tell that one of them was her father and Flora identified the other as his brother. Most of us went home on our scheduled flight -- but Flora and Emily stayed behind.
Allan promised to call the salon to tell them what had happened. It took most of the week before they found Janet. The brothers had taken her to their hometown and set about bringing her back “into the fold.”
The police finally tracked her down in the barn of one of the parishioners, chained to a post with just straw to sleep on. She spent three weeks in a hospital to heal the scars. They had tried to whip the “devil out of her.” They also found traces of semen in her that was matched to the DNA of her father or his brother, the laboratory being unable to split the result.
Janet made a statement which accused her uncle of rape, and the police charged the brothers with kidnapping, assault, and just about everything else they could think of.
It was good that it was the abduction took place in Cincinnati. It was up to the county authorities there to prosecute. Flora told us later that the police chief from her hometown had said that the brothers were just doing “God’s Work.”
Flora started divorce proceedings, clearly determined to take her husband to the cleaners. Her town was divided about the preacher, half being shocked and ashamed with his activities, and the other half following the line of the police chief.
Janet came home but never went on stage as a Pixie again. She had been traumatized to the point where crowds and big men got her hyperventilating. She wasn’t able to go back to work at the salon. She and her mother set up a singing school to reap some of the benefit of having been a Pixie.
She donated her van to the Pixies and bought herself and her mother a nice hatchback to take her to those photo shoots that still had her contracted. The media had a field day at the trials with the usual split between the liberals and conservatives taking opposing views.
Her uncle got five years. Her father received a two-year slap on the wrist. In the divorce settlement, her mother took him for pretty much everything he had. She put the house on the market and the two of them vowed never to visit the town again.
The whole affair should have slowed us down. We had a meeting with Allan, and he told us that he wouldn’t organize anything on stage until August, giving us time to finish school and also decide on our future.
We had the second Pixies’ album that would be in the market by then. We could spend our session time working up a show to feature it and getting two new girls up to speed.
We had not seen a lot of Donna since the wedding. She and Jack had bought an apartment and told us that they were now concentrating on their medical careers. “I’ve loved being a Pixie,” she told us, “Now it’s time to get serious. I love you all, but my future will be more normal.”
I wondered if she had taken what had happened to Janet as a sign and wanted to get out of the limelight. Joyce stopped being a paid as an extra member and became a full-time Pixie. It didn’t take long to get her into a photo shoot, adding her figure to the cut-outs, and her name to what would be our third album.
Abigail joined us as a drummer and became a full Pixie with her cut-out replacing Janet’s. Beautiful and blonde to the max, she soon vied with the rest of us for top billing in the sponsor stakes.
Moreover, we found that she had a great voice. We tried a few songs with her as our vocalist, ending all thoughts of her being just the drummer.
We had a meeting that included Allan and, after a short look we had Dave and Wally join us, as bass player and drummer. They had been in the Ramrods that played the Halloween show. That band had broken up, the two guitarists packing up and going south to find fame and fortune in sunnier states.
We became the Stable Sisters plus four. The two guys were paid a flat rate as extra members. With eight now to fit into the studio I financed a little project of my own after talking to Brad.
He put down a concrete slab to the back of the stable and added a new studio grafted onto the old one. This was fully lined with proper acoustic tiles and the old studio became the control room, with the addition of the right equipment.
It also made a good relaxing room, with the addition of some armchairs and a coffee machine. The work had been completed during the week of our final exams in June.
Josie and I graduated with honors. I often wonder how much dressing for success added to our GPAs. The graduation became an event with a lot of photographers wanting pictures of the two of us, with our folks, and also with our school friends.
The following week the new-look Pixies did the honors at the prom, which seemingly outdid all previous efforts.
We didn’t have to go looking for work. The first shed came online with its first harvest. We had underestimated just how much we could produce out of one shed. With chickens we had used about the first two feet of height but with the plants growing on mesh we were now using more height. Our much happier workers had taken to the new work with gusto.
Instead of one truck coming for eggs in the morning we now had several from different supermarkets and small outlets making smaller collections. Any eggs left over were shared by the workers. Talking with Brad we could see that we would equal our previous revenue, with just two sheds operating.
Allan got us some more shows to play. We spent most weekends flying somewhere, playing on Saturday night to a big crowd and then flying home again Sunday. Once we had settled into the new studio, we rehearsed our third album ‘Pixie Movement’ which was more dance-oriented with the beefier line-up. Talking about being “beefier,” Josie now showed her baby bump. I went on guitar in August while she stayed home.
The loss of a single violin didn’t really affect the sound, especially live. Our new songs were suited to using two keyboards on stage. One was programmed as a piano, when we did Sisters’ songs, with Abigail and me singing duets. Emily used either of the two keyboards for the rest of the set.
We moved into the new bedroom in the extension and furnished the spare bedroom as a nursery. Our sleeping arrangement became two singles because Josie wanted to sleep, without me bothering her.
I took the opportunity to remodel my old rooms in the stable with new paintwork, lighting, and electric outlets. We used it now if anyone came to stay overnight. It became a second home for Alicia as Josie got closer.
My first few months after graduation were nothing like I had imagined they would be. The farm was doing nicely, and the only real input was nutrients we added to the water and the electricity to run the lights and pumps.
A guy with a tractor plowed the back lot where we had spread the chicken manure and we planted potatoes. Well, everyone wants potatoes, don’t they? Getting toward the end of the year we moved the remaining chickens into one shed and planned the upgrading of their old shed starting the following year.
Josie went into labor in the first week of October and our daughter was born after a six-hour session which left her drained. We named our baby Alicia Elizabeth after both our mothers.
Alicia, or Ali to me, was a lovely child. I would hold her in wonder that she was the fruit of my loins. She would try and latch on to my nipples and would cry when the well was dry. I would give her back to Josie for her meal. Both sets of grandparents spent a lot of time with her and that allowed Josie to have a little rest. She slept a lot in the time before Christmas.
I know that a ten-week-old child can’t appreciate Christmas, but we did the whole Christmas thing. Alicia and Brad stayed over in the stable and Jordan in my old bedroom. Jordan was now into his first year in Veterinary School and loving it.
He was, as it turned out, a super fan of the band in all its forms and had collected quite a lot of our merchandise. He had also truly thawed when it came to interacting with the Pixies. He was in seventh heaven whenever he was able to sit in on a practice or recording session.
We got nominated for the Grammies but didn’t win the Best Album, or the Best New Band. You don’t have to win to have a nice time. The other two Ramrods caught up with Dave and Wally and they went out for a drink together.
Ali had stayed at home with my folks, and I hoped that Josie and I would get together while we were away. The hosts, however, had put us all in separate rooms. I was starting to wonder as we kissed occasionally but hadn’t slept together since I had gotten my breast job.
I held off the final SRS, thinking that she may be frightened of what she felt if we went to bed as two complete girls. Back home she stayed out of the Pixies and just looked after Ali, buying a car. She would take the baby to the park in it. We shared the bedroom but hadn’t shared a bed for some months.
The Pixies still played regularly, about every couple of weeks, in big arenas and halls. The fourth album was coming along nicely, and the crowds still paid to see us. The year crept by as we played, recorded, and also spent a lot of time at photo shoots and socializing. In March, I decided that I’d gone too long putting things off. I asked Allan if he could give us a month or so without a performance so I could take medical leave and have the operation.
It was embarrassing, painful, and took a while for me to come to accept that I was now fully female -- as far as appearance went. The bandages, the bruising, the catheter, the hormone injections, the lip job, the dilating -- it was all unpleasant, and unwanted. However, I had to suffer through it all to pass into the wonderful world of womanhood.
It did wonders for my marketability as I was now more feminine than ever before, and it showed in my photo shoots.
We were about to go back on the road in late May and I spent a day in a meeting with Allan and some of our backers. My parents had gone off on a cruise and Josie was home with Ali.
When I got home the house was quiet and her car wasn’t in its usual spot. I looked in the nursery and it all looked as it usually did. Then there was a knock on the door and one of our workers had Ali in her carrier.
“Miss Josie left Ali with us while she went out. We have to go home now, so I’ve brought the little darling, so you can take her. She’s been very good.”
When I asked about Josie, he told me that mid-morning, about an hour after I had left, a yellow F100 had pulled in. I knew that Dave drove one of those. About a half an hour later, both the F100 and Josie’s car had left.
I took Ali back into the nursery and changed her before giving her a bottle. Josie had stopped breast feeding her a couple of weeks before. I carried her around while I checked all the rooms.
All of Josie’s things were gone. I sat down with my baby in my arms and cried. After I had put Ali to bed, I looked further and found a letter in the studio. Her guitars and amps were gone, and the letter was put in the space that was left.
It read like a Harlequin romance novel. She wrote that she had loved me and still did but needed to have a real man in her life. She confirmed that the man was Dave. He had been meeting her on the days she was supposed to be taking Ali to the park. She had decided that she couldn’t two-time me any longer and that her new life, according to Dave, had no room for a baby. She urged me to be a proper mother for our child.
I tried to make phone calls, but Josie, Dave, and Wally had all blocked me. I called Allan and told him we had a crisis. Then I went back into the house to cry some more.
That night I didn’t sleep much at all and spent a lot of the time sitting by my baby’s crib and wondering if I was up to really being a mother for her. I must have looked like hell when Allan turned up the next day.
He was, as usual, unflappable. I suppose that having faced death you find everything else somewhat less critical. He read the letter, and then made a couple of calls himself while I made us some coffee.
I was still in shock. After our wonderful years together, she had put a knife in my heart. I realized that I had been living with one of the vixens, and then thought that I was lucky in a way. She had gone, true, but she had left me something you can’t buy. I had my home, I had my future, and I had my baby to look after. I was still able to reach for the stars and the foxes were still far below me.
By the end of the morning, I’d pulled myself together and Allan had been in contact with all of the other Pixies. We still had our core group. With me, Emily, Pet, Joyce, and Abigail we’re almost a group -- but with a show coming up in a few days there was just us five.
Allan arranged with the others to come into the studio the next day and told them to be prepared to do some work. He then took Ali and me out for a meal, which did cheer me up a bit. He told me, in no uncertain terms, that the show really does go on and that we could go on stage as a five piece again as long as we believed in our abilities. We had a big show on the Saturday, and we’d better be up for it.
I smiled, bravely, for the first time that day.
“Allan, we can do it. We’re the Pixies.”
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 13
Allan grinned. “That’s my girl. Make sure you take something to help you sleep tonight and tomorrow will be a good day. I’ll arrange for a nanny to come to the house this afternoon to look after Ali, to give you a little bit of free time.”
The nanny turned up at four and immediately took control, making me feel like a kid again as she figured out what Ali needed and also what I needed. I showed her where things were in the kitchen and she made me a light meal, gave me two tablets with a glass of water and sent me off to bed, after I had shown her the spare room. I had to admit that I was pretty drained, and I didn’t take long before the pills worked, and I was asleep.
The next morning, she woke me. I showered and dressed. She had already fed and dressed Ali. My breakfast was put in front of me.
I was told that I had better finish it by the time she had given Ali a push around the farm. I didn’t think I was hungry but ravaged the food, and couple of cups of coffee before she got back, telling me that it was a lovely place with a lot of lovely people. Lovely people, she assured me, who all worried about me and my state of mind.
I made the effort, went into my bathroom, and brushed my teeth, then carefully made myself up. Ready to face the world, I went out to reassure the workers that it may have been the end of the world yesterday, but today was a new beginning.
I went back into the house and led the nanny out to the studio to show her where I’d be working. While we were there, the other Pixies started to arrive.
Emily and Pet were incensed, having known Josie for a long time. Pet said that Josie tended to be someone always on the look-out for herself in the early days, but she had thought that her time with me had changed things.
When Joyce and Abigail arrived, we had a meeting to decide what songs we could do as a five-piece and who would sing and play which instrument, the last directed mainly at me. Emily said that she had been playing around with an electronic drummer when she played at home and had brought it with her. If one uses one of those you have to program the beat first, then you’re limited to playing the songs as programmed. We worked out a batch of songs that would fill out the middle of the set.
I would play electric piano with Abigail doing the duets with me, having already played like this while Josie stayed off stage. We would then move into a longer set of Stable Sisters music with Pet added on her violin, Emily on the keyboard, and me picking up a guitar.
The last part of the set was Pixie music, with the same line-up and me picking up my violin, as needed. We then started working through the set until the nanny stopped us to say that she had lunch ready for us all.
We stopped for lunch, and I thanked the nanny. She told me that she was just happy to be in the same room as the Pixies. The other girls gave Ali a bit of attention. I told the nanny to come back to the studio where she could sit in the control room with Ali and watch us work through the set.
We started back at the beginning and worked, non-stop, until we reached the end. I thought that our closing Devil sounded a little weak, but with a hall full of yelling fans and the volume at eleven it would probably work. Perhaps it may be time to retire that one. Whenever I looked out into the control room, I could see both the nanny and Ali with big smiles.
The other four left after arranging to come out again the following afternoon. As their cars left the farm another arrived. It was Allan.
He surprised me by going up to the nanny and giving her a kiss, “How did it work out, darling? I see the rest have come and gone.”
That’s when I found out that the ‘nanny’ was actually his wife, Helen, a registered nurse, and a secret fan of ours. Over a meal, I found out that Helen and Allan had been married for over twenty years and that she had been one of his nurses in Afghanistan, when he was in the hospital recovering from his wounds. She had rotated home on the same flight with him and had stayed with him during his recovery.
Although she was a fan, she had never been to any of our shows or other events because she, like poor Janet, had anxiety in crowds, so today had been extra special for her.
She was, to my surprise, also my godmother and had stood with Allan at my christening.
“And that,” she said. “Brings us to another matter, my girl. What are you going to do about little Ali? Allan tells me that she is named but not christened. Because you never married Josie, the naming is entirely your call.”
That was another thing that I had left up to Josie. I said that I would think about it. Allan stayed with Helen overnight and I had a good, and natural, sleep, only getting up a couple of times to see to Ali. Once again, I had been pulled through to the other side of a crisis. Allan had tried a couple of times to contact my parents, but they were out of range or having too much fun.
Allan stayed with me, planning out the rest of the year as Helen took his car and went off. She was back before lunch bringing Chinese take-out for us all, as well as another lady.
This, I was told, was Doris, a registered nanny, a friend of Helen from the Afghanistan times and now an employee of mine. We had the meal and Doris was made known to Ali. Before the others arrived, we moved all of my stuff from my bedroom into the stable and Doris took her bag out of the car and settled into the bedroom. I was told not to worry, but to concentrate on my core business, the music.
As I hung away my outfits, I made peace with myself, vowing to do well and give Alicia the best childhood I could, with the help and care of others who loved us. After the rest of the group arrived, Allan gave us all a pep talk before he and Helen left.
Doris sat in the control room with Ali, who was already smiling. We went through the whole set again, then added a few more, in case we needed an encore, and then loaded up the van with our instruments.
The venues now always supplied amps and PA when we played. The van would sit in the airport car park while we were away. We were booked in Boston and had spent the last couple of days with the primary goal of giving the fans a good time.
That night I went back to my old hide-away. But, with all the redecorating, it wasn’t the same as before. I became determined to forget Josie -- other than the good times. She had got around before I knew her, and no doubt would get around again.
It bothered me that she had wanted my baby. But then I thought that maybe, just maybe, she had thought that having our baby would give her contentment, and remain with me, no matter that I was fast becoming a woman. I guess that her need for sex overpowered her desire to nest. I wasn’t happy that she had been carrying on with Dave and then realized that the whole thing must have been hatched when we were down at the Grammies.
The next day Alicia came to the farm with Brad. She held me and cried a bit, making me weepy as well. She said that she was sorry that her daughter had not reformed. “She’s still the tramp she was as a teenager.”
I told her not to worry, introduced her to Doris, and told her that little Ali was going to be well looked after. I assured her that she and Brad were welcome to visit us anytime. I also told her that we had a christening to arrange, but that I would have to organize it around what Allan had booked.
Alicia and Ali went for a stroll around the farm. Brad took me over to the three sheds.
“Edie,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about the second shed and the upgrade. With what we learned from the first it should only take a few more weeks to get operational. Now, the third shed is something else again. I know that you and Josie worked out that two sheds would give you a good turnover. My pals love the produce you supply so would be happy to take extra. I’ve done a little survey in the area, and I have discovered that there isn’t a good vet for miles, other than one who is nearly at retirement age and looking for a new face to take over his practice.”
“My boy, Jordan, will be into his third year and has to find somewhere to have work experience. My proposition to you is that we move the remaining chickens to the rear of the third shed until they are ready to be trucked off. I will then, at no cost to you, convert the front of the shed into a vet clinic, offices, and treatment rooms. The old vet will be happy to relocate as his lease is coming up next year and it would allow him to carry on beyond retirement, without any worries. His wife is his receptionist, and he says they wouldn’t have a problem coming here.”
I nodded. “You seem to have it all thought out. I’m happy with that plan. You just have to convince my dad. It’s still his property, after all. I suppose that once the chickens have gone, we can use the back part as holding pens for any animals that need to stay.”
We shook on that, and he got his tape measure out and went off to start his planning.
My folks would be surprised about a lot of things when they got back from their cruise.
Leaving Ali in the capable hands of Doris, I drove the van to the airport on Friday afternoon where the others were waiting to unload their instruments. After I had parked the van and joined them in the airport first class lounge, Pet showed me an email which she had received.
It invited her to meet with the orchestra that had offered her a position a year or more ago -- and to bring me with her. We were to meet them Saturday morning. They offered to pick us up from the hotel and return us in good time to get ready for the show. I looked up from the paper see her smile.
“I’ve accepted the invitation. I just wonder what they want of us. It’ll be lovely to meet the people I might have been playing second fiddle to.”
Our flight was good, and the hotel couldn’t have been better. After breakfast we made ourselves ready and went down to the lobby to meet our ride. At the allotted hour, a chauffeur came into the lobby, went to reception, and was pointed in our direction. He came over, gave a little bow, “Ladies, I’m Geoffrey, driver to Lady Grove. I’m here to take you to the concert hall.”
We followed him out to a gleaming Rolls Royce. He settled us into the back seat.
I couldn’t help noticing that there were people looking at us and pointing us out to their companions.
We were driven, in some style, to the hall, which would have been Pet’s workplace for the last year had she taken them up on their offer. Inside we were greeted by what looked like the full orchestra. We then met Lady Grove, she told us, straight off, that she was known as Kelly in this hall and nothing else.
She got straight to the point, looking at Pet. “You, young lady, should have been playing serious music with us for a year by now. However, you did, I think, make the right decision to play with the Pixies. I was sent a short video of you doing Danse Macabre and one with the pair of you doing what looked like an improvisation of a Paganini piece -- which was very impressive.”
“I’ve asked you to come here because I’m planning next year’s concert series and I want to put on a double violin performance. I thought we could play Mozart with the Concerto in C Major to fill the first half, and then Bach with the Concerto in D Minor for the second half. Then we can finish with Bach and the Aria Number 5 as an encore. Do you know any of these?”
Pet had heard, and played along with, the first two. She had played the Aria 5 with the school of music. I admitted that I knew the pieces, but my only classical playing, up until we had done the Danse Macabre, had been alone in my home.
“You’ve never played in front of an audience!” Kelly exclaimed.
Pet told her that I had been the ultimate wallflower, until I met the Pixies.
Someone produced two very good violins. We were asked if we could do the encore piece to reassure the rest of the orchestra that we were the real deal, if we agreed to her offer.
Pet gave me a wink, as we tuned up.
We went to stand facing each other. The orchestra all took their places and I had to suppress a giggle seeing them all in jeans and casual outfits instead of the usual tails and long dresses.
“I don’t know if I can do this,” I whispered anxiously.
Pet hissed back. “Just read the music and lose yourself in it. You’ll be all right.”
With the First Violin as leader, we got ready to play. If you’ve never heard of Aria Number 5 you would have known the piece by the more familiar name, “Sheep may Safely Graze.” It’s a lovely piece of music. The first notes started, and I was transported to my little studio where I used to play along to recordings.
Classical music is one third being able to follow the sheet music and two thirds the memory of the playing. As instructed, I lost myself in the piece and was almost sad as we finished, only opening my eyes, after some seconds of silence, to find the orchestra standing to applaud.
I looked at Kelly. “Was that all right?”
She broke into a big grin and told us we were magnificent, as if we had played the piece a dozen times a year.
She asked if we knew anything else.
“Josie told me that Edie had played her a violin version of The Swan,” Pet said.
Kelly asked me if I could do it now. She and Pet stood back as I closed my eyes and played.
It sounds mournful as a cello piece -- but much happier on the violin. About halfway through I could hear the first cello joining in quietly as if he couldn’t help himself. At the end I stood and there were audible gasps as everyone started breathing again, just as Josie had done when I played it to her. The orchestra applauded politely.
The cello player rested his instrument and came over to me and gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Bravo, young lady. You are a star in many ways. That was magnificent.”
Kelly beamed, “It certainly was, Antonio. When she gives up the pop world, there’s another here for her with the likes of us. I’ve heard your piano playing and I think you’re exceptional with that as well. Could you grace us with a sample?”
I looked at the concert grand and my heart skipped a beat. I sat before the most magnificent piano I had ever seen.
Kelly pointed to the sheet music on the stand. “This music is what we came in today to run through. We have a concert next Friday and Saturday night with a great pianist.”
Another voice said. “Only in his own mind -- he has flash, I give him that -- but he doesn’t have the feel for the music. I just heard The Swan as I was coming in, who was that playing?”
Antonio stood up. “Maestro, this lovely young lady had us all entranced. I think she may surprise us on the piano. She has music in her blood.”
“Maestro” looked at me. “We’re just about to run through the Warsaw Concerto followed by the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto Number 1, which we’ll be playing next weekend. Do you think that you can play enough to allow us to run through them? That will allow me to conduct from the rostrum, rather than the piano.”
I nodded. “I’ve played them a few times on my old upright at home, while listening to a recording. I’ve never played a classical piano piece live, though. I hope I don’t mess it up.”
He looked sternly at me and then smiled. “If your piano is as good as your violin, I don’t think I’ll be unhappy.”
I made myself comfortable.
He went up on the rostrum and the rest of the orchestra tuned to my middle C. He then took up his baton, stood for a few seconds, and then started the first piece.
The Warsaw features a sudden opening. The first chords exploding in a wall of sound. Once I got going, I went into another world and played as if my whole world was encapsulated in that terrible time that the music depicted. Every now and then I glanced at the conductor who had a very serious look on his face as he followed the music book. For a player you just follow your music, but a conductor has everyone’s music in front of him.
There were short periods where I didn’t play. I took that opportunity to flip the music over to the next point where the piano comes in. I also looked at the orchestra with wonder. Little old me -- playing a concert grand in front of a renowned orchestra with a well -known conductor leading us.
I had sometimes imagined a similar scene when I used to play these pieces alone at home. I looked to one side and saw a group of people with Kelly and Pet in the stalls. I then needed to get back in the saddle.
The entire piece lasted less than ten minutes. I concentrated again and we went along to the glorious finale. As we played the last chord and allowed it to fade slowly a collective sigh came from the orchestra. The conductor got down from his rostrum, pulled me from the piano stool and gave me a huge hug.
Applause rolled from those in the stalls. I felt like I had just run a couple of miles. The level of concentration for the classics is much more that you need in a pop concert.
I asked for some water, and someone was sent for a glass, which I drank at as if I had just trekked out of the desert.
The conductor turned to Kelly. “Where have you been hiding this young lady, Kelly? She is magnificent! I’ve hardly heard the Warsaw played with that level of feeling. Can we keep her?”
Kelly told him that we were only talking about next year and the double violin concert.
I then got the music for the First in front of me and the conductor got the orchestra ready and then nodded to me to lead off.
The First is a longer piece, about forty minutes. I was bathed in sweat when we finished. After a brief session of hugs and thanks, Pet said that we had to get back to the hotel, as we might be needed before the show tonight.
The conductor asked what orchestra we were in front of, and gasped when told that we were in the Pixies, a lowly pop group.
“It’s a pity we can’t get tickets,” Kelly said. “It would be fun to see.”
Pet pulled out her phone, called the venue, asked for the ticket office, and found that they had a batch of ten seats that were normally held back for the band. She asked them to save them under the name “Kelly” at will-call.
She advised Kelly to dress casually and take a taxi, rather than her Rolls.
Before we left there were a number of younger orchestra members gave us hugs and told us that they would also be in the audience tonight.
We gave Kelly Allan’s business card, telling her that she should contact him to discuss dates that Pet and I could play for them. Geoffrey took us back to the hotel.
When we got back, we were in time to see Allan arrive for the show. We told him where we’d been and that someone may be in touch. We then had a late lunch, joined the others being pampered in the hotel spa, and then went off for our usual light dinner that we found worked best before a show.
In our dressing room our dressers did their thing, our make-up artist, ably helped by Emily, transformed us into rock divas. We could hear the pretty good opening act. When they finished, we psyched ourselves for the first performance of our new look.
“Girls,” Emily said. “We’re going up to give the fans the best show we can. Who are we?”
We all cried. “We’re the Pixies” and had a group hug.
I sat at the piano, with Abigail standing alongside me as the curtain went up. The usual roar lessened as I started playing, and we started singing.
I noticed Kelly, the conductor, and a bunch of other people in the front row and hoped that our show wasn’t too down-market for them.
As we moved through the set, I went from piano to guitar. Finally, Pet and I vied to be the best fiddler, as Emily and Joyce laid down a solid beat and Abigail gave it her all.
We stopped. A roar came from the crowd and then the shout of Devil which seemed to be a standing order. It took about fifteen minutes before the Devil had been driven off and we stood across the stage to take our bows as the curtains closed.
“That showed ‘em,” Pet commented. “There’s no keeping the Pixies down.”
I was very tired, but also happy. I had come through a trial this week. The Pixies had worked hard to come out on the other side and still wow the fans. My baby is being well cared for at home. I’ve many good things to look forward to. Life, today, is back to being good.
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 14
It had certainly been one busy day. I was ready to drop. After we had changed, though, we had a message that there was a private party that we were required to join. It turned out to be in one of the larger staterooms which Kelly had taken for the night.
We arrived at polite applause, and we found ourselves in the room with many of today’s orchestra, Kelly, and the conductor (Richard – call me Rick). We were joined a little later by Allan, who wondered who had invited him. We introduced him to Kelly, and she took over making us very welcome with plates of finger food and a range of drinks.
Rick was very interested in our songs and surprised that we had written nearly all of them with the notable cover being the final one. He said it had been the best version of that he’d heard. The song is a favorite, even among classical violinists with a young outlook.
Kelly was more interested with the early part of the show. I told her that Pet had written some, while Josie, no longer with the band, had been involved with me, for others. She was referred to our Stable Sisters albums for further listening.
Pet and I didn’t last very long, before we had to make our excuses and head off to bed, leaving as Kelly and Allan got together.
On the way to our rooms Pet stopped. “I think today proved to be something we may look back on as a critical moment. That orchestra would have been good to play in. I think we’ll be doing so, again, sometime.”
In the morning, we had our breakfast and checked out. A small bus with a trailer took us and our instruments to the airport. The dressers and make-up girl joined us for the return trip.
I sat with Pet. We talked about playing the classics. We both had been caught up in the moment as we played with the orchestra. Pet was having second thoughts about passing on their offer to play. I assured her that if she did decide to play with them, it would be from a different perspective.
I took all our instruments back to the farm with me in the van. We were due to have a session later in the week to go over new songs. Back home I was able to take my baby in my arms and stroll around, taking her to see the chickens, which she loved more than I did.
Doris took the opportunity to go home for a few hours. She took my car to collect a few things she had forgotten. I stood in the middle of the parking area and looked around me.
On the back lot we had furrows with a few different types of potato planted. The packing shed looked the same. One of the old chicken sheds now looked very clean and freshly painted.
The stable had the extra studio addition, and the house had the big extension where I had thought I would find love and happiness, but had only found rejection and sorrow. I held, in my arms, the huge exception -- the one reason to keep going, my baby Alicia.
I looked over at the stable and remembered when Dad and I had constructed the original studio. I must have been about eight at the time. It had been a refuge for me with my first true love, my music. I didn’t consider myself a good player, then. I just played along with songs on whatever came to hand.
I used the old upright that Dad had rescued from the junior high school, my guitar, and then the violin that I had suddenly decided I wanted to learn. Everything I did was from books, the internet, and just playing for hours.
I understood more, now. I had been shy and withdrawn. Ashamed of my shape, I had found solace in my playing. I shunned socializing. In my mid-teens, I had read an article about a savant who was a brilliant mathematician. It was hard to accept but I had come to realize that I might also be on the spectrum. It might also explain my talent and my memory for music. Also, my single-mindedness!
I was now in a good group, writing new music, and had remarkably played a concert grand in front of a proper orchestra, even if it was a casual and private performance.
I had gone from being an oddly shaped and shy boy to a well-figured and outward girl. I had moved from a virgin to a seasoned lover, to a father, and now back to a virgin again.
I giggled when that thought came to me because you would never consider a dilator as a lover. I had to start thinking about new directions for Ali and me.
If the Pixies stayed as a five-piece, it would be easier to concentrate more on the Sisters style of music. Without Donna and Josie around to push the country rock, we might be able to move in that direction.
When I thought of Josie, it was now without grief. The months of separation -- even when we were in the same room together -- had driven the love down to a low place in my heart.
Her leaving was, I now realized, inevitable given her sexual needs. At least it had happened without arguments and things being thrown. On Monday, I found out roughly where she was. Allan came around to tell me about the situation regarding Boston. But first, he revealed that he’d heard from an agent in Los Angeles. The agent had been approached to add a new band to his talent list, called Josie and the Ramrods.
Allan said the guy knew that Josie had been a Pixie. He contacted Allan to ask what he should do. Allan told him that Josie, by leaving the Pixies and joining another band, had voided her contract with him.
That’s when I found out, that among the slightly smaller print on the paperwork we had signed, was a clause that stated that if you went to another band, your contract became voided, and your income stream stopped. That meant that Josie was on her own with just whatever money she had put aside -- unlike Donna and Janet who were still getting their portions of the income.
As far as Boston went, he told me that he and Kelly had a very good talk, both at the party and also at her home the next day before he flew home. The upshot was that Pet, and I were provisionally booked to go to Boston for two weeks for rehearsals and the two shows.
Allan was very upbeat about it, saying that it would be good, not only for our reputation, but also for the Pixies as a whole.
“Maybe not so much the Pixies by then, perhaps more Stable Sisters,” I answered.
He smiled, “So much the better, I think.”
My parents came home on Tuesday from their cruise along the Keys with a tan and a bag of plastic keepsakes. They were, of course, surprised to find the house with no Josie, me back out in the stable, and a full-time nanny who Mom remembered fondly from the old days.
It took a while to explain how it all came about and a lot longer to tell them about my weekend. Dad laughed at my description of playing a concert grand as being “better than sex.”
Mom just held me close and said that she couldn’t be prouder of me than she was now. They both nearly smothered Ali with hugs and kisses.
Wednesday morning, we were having breakfast when the landline rang. Dad went off to answer. I heard a muffled “She what!!” and another short conversation.
He came back into the kitchen, where I was giving Ali her bottle, looking shocked.
“What’s wrong, love?” Mom asked.
He looked at me. “Edie, when you have done feeding Ali, go and pack for a week away. That was Allan on the phone. He said he had a call from some lady, or something, who wants you in Boston today. It appears that her soloist has called in sick, and she needs your help. Allan is coming by in an hour and you both have a flight after lunch, which, he says, is on him.”
I sat there, stunned.
Mom asked, “What’s this all about, love?”
“Mom, the orchestra is playing on Friday and Saturday night. The soloist is a pianist, booked to play the Warsaw Concerto and the Number One. They are the pieces I played while I was there Saturday morning to help them out. I expect that tomorrow and Friday I will be running through it again with them. This time, though, I’ll also play for an audience in two classical concerts, Friday, and Saturday.”
“Oh, my! This I’ve got to see. Bill, get on that phone and get us on a plane to Boston Friday, with a hotel room Friday and Saturday nights. Then ring the hall there and get us two seats. Make sure you tell them it’s for the soloists’ parents. Now, give Doris the baby and get moving, girl. Your public is waiting!”
I packed a good size bag with a few of my favorite dresses, a few skirts and tops, shoes, and enough lingerie to last a week, or more. I left the bag outside the stable, found the key to the van and gave it to Dad, telling him that our instruments were still in it.
Allan arrived and loaded my case. He told my folks that Helen would be staying at the hotel, flying in on Thursday evening. Dad said that he had booked the flight and hotel.
Allan told him that the seating was all arranged. I could see that he was excited and, as we drove away, I asked, “You seem happy, today, what’s up?”
He laughed. “In all my years looking after performers I’ve never had a concert pianist before. I called up a friend of mine who does that sort of thing and asked him how they are treated. He said, ‘Like jewels, Allan, good ones are few and far between. If you have one of those it’s first class all the way.’ So, we’re flying first class and staying first class, a few floors above where you stayed on the weekend. I’ve spoken to Kelly about your fee and her offer staggered even me.”
We went via Pet’s home where she was waiting with her bag. I didn’t say anything until she was loaded, and we were on the way again. “Good to see you, Pet, but why are you here?”
Pet shrugged her shoulders. “Ask Allan. All I know is that he called and told me to be ready for a rush trip and pack for a week.”
Allan grinned. “I’ve called the other girls and told them that something came up. I rescheduled the next session to the end of next week. To answer your question, our Edie has been called on to take the place of the soloist in Boston. Kelly told me that she wanted you there as well. Other than Edie playing piano, I’m in the dark myself.”
Pet gave a little squeal and told me that it was a dream of hers to be a soloist and I was one lucky girl to get on stage with the orchestra.
Allan stopped at a restaurant and bought us lunch and we spoke about what was in store.
We got to the airport and experienced valet service all the way, until we were in the plane. In the air, I asked Pet about what she would be called if she was playing classics, “Pet” being a bit too jazzy for that market.
“I never use my surname because I come from a French-Canadian background and the family name was Fleur. My grandfather changed it to Flower when he came south. My parents did me no kindness when they called me Petunia. But, there again, they were heavily into the flower power era when they got together. I suppose my name isn’t as bad as my three sisters, Lilac, Hippeastrum and Gazania. Lilac is happy with it but Hippy and Gaz changed theirs as soon as they were able.”
I chuckled and told her how I was lumbered with the nickname ‘Egg,’ and she said that Grosse was also French. She asked if I had any relatives in Grosse Pointe. I had to remind her that Grosse Pointe wasn’t named after anyone in particular but just because it was a big bit of land sticking out into the lake.
In Boston, we were greeted by Geoffrey as we got our bags. He took us to the hotel where we were all booked into the penthouse suites. When we went down for dinner, we were shown to a table which had been reserved.
The other chairs were empty. Our waitress told us that the booking was set for dinner in a half an hour. We were welcome to use the bar prior to that with all drinks being billed to the table. We went and had soft drinks for Pet and me, while Allan had a beer. We still had no idea of why Pet had been invited -- but I knew her presence helped me keep the butterflies at bay.
We saw Kelly and Richard come in and went to greet them. Kelly thanked us for coming at such short notice. Rick was a little cagey. It appeared that he wasn’t sure that what Kelly had in mind was such a good idea.
We were joined by the orchestra principals, the first violin, first viola, Antonio -- the first cello, and the percussion and brass leaders. The meal was good, the conversation lively, and the drinks plentiful if you wanted them. We spoke about our show the weekend before, about the planned series for the next year, and anecdotes about funny things that had happened in the past.
By the end of it we still had no idea of what was planned. Kelly told us that we would be picked up in the morning, after breakfast, to be taken to the hall, and then gave us a wink.
We went off to bed early and I had a really refreshing rest after calling home to make sure that Ali was OK with me away. In the morning we were picked up by Geoffrey, and he took us to the hall. The rest of the orchestra strolled in after we arrived, many giving us waves. They looked happy to see us. In the hall, we were shown to the front row of the stalls and the rest of the orchestra came down and sat in the first few rows. By their behaviour I expected that this was a normal thing, perhaps to get instructions from the conductor. Kelly walked onto the stage with Rick, and everyone became quiet.
“Ladies, gentlemen, and distinguished guests,” she said to gentle tittering. “Today we’ll work on a pair of concerts like no other that we have attempted. Friday night is our one night of the year when only subscribers are in the audience. I’m happy to say that we are almost booked out. Saturday is also nearly fully booked with some subscribers as well as general single concert purchasers. As such, I’ve decided that the two concerts will not be identical, as we would usually play them. No, I think that this week we will give the subscribers something extra for their support with a one-off concert that will be different to the advertised one, which we will do on Saturday.”
She looked around and the orchestra was on the edge of their seats, knowing that what she was about to reveal may bomb or be the hit of the season. Kelly then continued, “After the shock of hearing that our pianist had pulled out, we’ve been lucky enough to gain the talented Miss Edweena Grosse who did so well playing for us before going on stage across town, and absolutely wowing a vocal crowd. I’m just glad that our audiences have more decorum.”
Her joke drew muted laughter. “She’ll play the Warsaw and the Number One as the second half of both nights. I thank her in advance for her input.”
The orchestra applauded lightly. “Last Saturday, we also heard the violin playing of Miss Grosse and Miss Flower. I’ve decided that we’ll go ahead with our advertised first half on Saturday. But on Friday night, we’ll have Miss Flower on stage as a soloist.”
She looked over at Pet. “Would you be happy with the Lark Ascending, my dear?”
Pet smiled and nodded.
“Also” Kelly continued. “I’ve heard our two soloists play a rendering of a Paganini piece which sounds quite remarkable, the way they did it. Would the two of you be happy to perform that for us on Friday evening?”
Pet looked at me and I nodded. She said that we’d be happy to.
Richard then stepped in. “I’m not sure about this yet and Friday may revert back to what we originally planned, if the performances aren’t to my standard.”
So that’s what he was worried about. Pet looked at me and winked. We both smiled. We’ll show him that the Pixies never turn in a bad performance.
Kelly then said. “Thank you for your attention. Today we’ll work through the Friday night performance for as long as it takes, lunch will be provided. Friday we’ll do the two first halves and the second half in full dress. Dinner will be supplied before the show starts. Right! Let’s get working.”
Everyone left the stalls and made their way to their places and started setting up their instruments.
Kelly came over to us. “I hope I haven’t put you in it, girls. We have a conductor who can be quite anal at times. There’ll be a short opening piece before you go on. These guys have done it dozens of times so it shouldn’t need any work. Most of the day it will be about the two of you versus Rick -- and I hope you win.”
We stayed seated while the orchestra got ready, and then played the first piece for both nights. I had taken a quick look at the posters when we arrived, so I knew that the two concerts were billed as “Classical Favorites” so wasn’t surprised that the opening piece was Dance of the Swans from Swan Lake.
The piece lasted less than ten minutes. It was well enough known for the audience to be comfortable with it. The second piece that Kelly had planned was The Lark Ascending and it usually ran for about a quarter of an hour. Pet had a stand with the sheet music and was given the violin she had played previously.
I sat entranced as the rehearsal went on. She was hesitant at first, for a first try as a soloist. Rick, now in Maestro mode, demanded a second run-through, and then a third, with her playing it from memory, before he was smiling.
The fourth item for the first half was Danse Macabre and I was called up. We did the first run with the music in front of us. Standing in front of a full orchestra with Pet and playing it became one of the highlights of my life.
Richard, the tyrant, needed three more tries before he declared it ready to go.
Kelly asked us if we could do the Paganini without needing the music, so everyone else sat back while we let it rip.
Even Richard stood open-mouthed when we finished, and the orchestra applauded. That took us to a late lunch and the mood was much more up-beat as everyone smiled and made comments of how we were going to blow the audience away.
In the afternoon, the orchestra did the expected second part of the first half which they would play on Saturday, as advertised. It was the Serenade for Strings by Dvorak and well suited to the rest of the program.
After that the concert grand was rolled onto the stage and we did the Warsaw twice and then the Number One before Richard and Kelly called it a day and congratulated everyone, turning to us with a smile.
Allan had sat through it all in silence but was effusive once we left in the car. He told us that he was being opened up to a whole new world and looked forward to seeing where it all went.
That night we were joined by Helen for an enjoyable dinner. Allan told me that our dress supplier had gone “over the top” with our outfits and that we both had three dresses. One for the Friday rehearsal, the second for the Friday performance, and the third for the Saturday one.
Pet argued, “But I won’t need one Saturday.”
Allan laughed. “In the short time I’ve known Kelly, I’ve realized that she doesn’t let any opportunity pass her by. Expect her to ask you to play something Saturday, even if it’s the Paganini as an encore. By the way, Edie, do you have something for an encore?”
I said that there were many of the etudes I could play. Maybe tomorrow Richard would suggest something. So far, he’d acted as if one may not be called for.
Both Pet and I were a little “hyper” so Helen gave us both a couple of acetominophin tablets to help us sleep.
We were bright and smiling at breakfast. One of our dressers got us into the rehearsal dresses. They were sumptuous, and she helped us get made up and bejeweled.
When Geoffrey came for the five of us, we were being photographed. Our dresser thought it was a hoot and posed a bit.
I told her, “Don’t do that; it only encourages them,” and then posed a bit myself.
At the hall we were taken in through the back way into the dressing rooms. Kelly came in, “There’s a small contingent from the press that we usually let in for the dress rehearsal. We don’t allow photos during the actual performance.”
“Today we’ll do the Friday show in real time first, with all the introductions.” When she left, she took Allan, Helen, and our dresser to lead them to the stalls.
The backstage PA came to life and a voice instructed the orchestra to take the stage. A guy knocked on our door and came in to turn on a TV screen that showed the full stage from a camera that may have been slung under the balcony. The speaker then switched to the microphones on stage. He told us that the show was being recorded by the local classics station for later broadcast.
We sat quietly and watched the tune-up. Kelly came on stage and told the small audience that the concert would not be as advertised, but she hoped they enjoyed the music.
Richard then came on stage, with the orchestra standing, and took his place on the rostrum. When they moved into the Dance of the Swans our companion asked Pet to follow him. I gave her a hug and told her she would be great. She went off to wait for her debut performance in front of the press. When the orchestra finished the first piece, they all stood and bowed behind the conductor, who was bowing as well.
Kelly came back on stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we’ll depart from the program slightly. You, our wonderful subscribers, are in for a rare treat. Some of you may have been, like me, at the Pixies’ concert last week and listened to two of the best violin players outside an orchestra. Tonight, we bring you one of those fine ladies, please welcome Miss Petunia Flower to our stage.”
Richard had moved to the side of the stage and came back into the center with Pet. He went to the rostrum and a tuning note sounded. Pet checked her violin and made sure it was comfortably tucked under her chin. The orchestra and Pet then played the Lark.
I was unhappy to be pulled away from the screen to be led up to the wings and given a violin. I quietly checked it for tune.
Pet and the orchestra finished the Lark and took their bows and Kelly came back on stage to say, “How was that, ladies, and gentlemen? We nearly had Petunia with us a year or more ago, but she decided to stay with the Pixies and she’s much better for it. So, you have seen one Pixie here -- so we thought that we should give you the other marvelous violinist from that line-up. Please welcome Miss Edweena Grosse to Boston, again.”
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 15
Richard came to the wings and escorted me to the center of the stage. I could see an audience of more than the dozen or so I had expected.
He went to the microphone, “Tonight we welcome Edweena as our pianist for the piano concerto, but now you will see the violinist in her.”
Pet smiled at me, and we checked the tuning as the orchestra readied themselves. Richard took the rostrum, raised his baton and we played Danse Macabre. When we finished there was definite applause from the press so I guess that we might get a good report tomorrow.
Pet went to the microphone. “I really hope that there will be a request for an encore tonight. This is one we prepared earlier.”
When we finished the Paganini, Kelly came back on stage and went to the microphone. “Now that’s something to save for when your grandchildren tell you that classical music is boring. I know that you would like to hear a little more of Edweena on her own so we will close this half with her. We started with a bunch of swans, now we finish with just the one.”
I looked at Antonio. “Antonio, could you bring your seat up front and join me?” He looked a little shocked as this wasn’t on the program, but he picked up his cello and a couple of violinists carried his chair and his peg stop to a place beside me.
When he was set, I said. “You start and I’ll come in with the second stanza.” So that’s what we did, a violin and cello duet which I thought it was beautiful. When we finished, most of the audience, whoever they were, gave us a standing ovation.
Rick brought Pet back on stage, and then led us off with the orchestra following.
In the wings, Kelly said to me, “That was very naughty but wonderful. Make sure you do it that way tonight. Fifteen minutes and you’re on again.”
I had a drink of water, checked my make-up, and went up to the wings again to wait with Kelly. I asked her about the people in the audience and she told me that there were journalists and photographers from all the papers in Boston, and its suburbs, as well as some national music scribes that she had managed to cajole into being here. The rest were members of the board, various helpers, and the crew who would be front of the house tonight. It was nice to let them see what everyone else had paid good money to witness.
“Besides,” she giggled. “It stops them all taking sneak peeks and not doing their job.”
The orchestra came up and walked past us with smiles on their faces. Rick came and stood beside me.
When the orchestra had finished tuning, Kelly went out on the stage. “Tonight, you heard the wonderful Edweena Grosse play violin and now you will hear her again. Because our original soloist pulled out of this performance this week, I asked her to come to play tonight’s performance of the Warsaw Concerto and the Tchaikovsky Number One. Please welcome Miss Edweena Grosse back on stage.”
Richard took my arm and led me out to the piano where we both bowed to the audience. He made sure I was comfortable before going to his rostrum and waited until everyone had stopped fidgeting. Then we were into it with a bang.
When you’re in another musical world, time seems to stand still, and then it races at double speed as you approach the final chords. As the last notes faded, I sat with my hands slightly raised and Richard stood facing the orchestra. When he put his baton down and turned around there was genuine applause, which I hoped would be replicated for our real performance.
I stood and took a bow and then sat down and we did the Number One. At the end of that we left the stage. He took me by the hand while the orchestra stood, and then they followed after a short time. It would depend on how the audience reacted tonight whether we would come back, or not, for a second bow. I would think that Pet would be included if that was the case.
We were given lunch and the press was on us like a swarm of flies at a barbecue. Any questions regarding our classical careers we deflected towards Kelly and Allan, any regarding us folding up the Pixies got a resounding “Never!”
Helen came over to us and hugged us both, telling us that we were the best two girls on the planet -- pop or classics. The crowd was finally led out of the hall, the doors closed, and it was time to run through the Saturday show.
You guessed it! Kelly and Richard were having a very close conversation. She came over to us and asked us if we would consider more involvement for the Saturday show. We waited.
I could see Allan standing back with his mental calculator ready to tote the extras.
Richard started the discussion, “We’ll go into the first half with the program and do the Dance of the Swans and then the Serenade but instead of the program I would like to bring Petunia on to play the Lark, seeing that it would make a trio of violin music.”
Pet nodded as if it was expected.
He went on. “For the second half we’ll do the Warsaw and the Number One as we did it this morning. I would like you, Edweena, to do an encore. Do you have something?”
I said that I thought an etude would be enough and he nodded.
“Then” he said “I know the audience will want more so I’ll bring the two of you back with your violins and do the Paganini. I would like you to do the Swan with Antonio if they are still applauding. Will that suit the two of you?”
I said it sounded doable. Pet said she was happy with that.
So that afternoon we went through the revised program in full, complete with announcements, the proper moves, and we finished around five, without encores.
Geoffrey took the four of us, and our dresser, back to the hotel where Pet and I had showers and had a meal sent to our rooms. When we were dressed in new, glittery dresses we were taken down to the hotel salon for a touch-up before Geoffrey came for the six of us, my parents having arrived during the day.
The performance that night was a carbon copy of the morning, only with a couple of thousand paying customers. They appreciated being given something new and different to listen to, played by two totally unexpected soloists. Everything we did was applauded and when we finished the Paganini, we got a standing ovation.
We were expected to mingle during the break and Mom almost bowled me over with her rush to hug me. Dad had a tear in his eye when he also hugged me. Then they both hugged Pet.
Helen stayed off on one side, with Allan, near the wall. With this crowd I thought it was brave of her to face her fears for us, so I went over to speak to them. Allan told me that we had a genuine future with this music and that he was looking forward to reading the papers over the next few days. All too soon we were called to go back.
It was time for our second half and my debut as a concert pianist. When we finished there was another standing ovation and Richard brought me back to the piano after our bows and “first exit.”
After the audience settled with my return to the piano, I played one of the softer etudes and then they wanted another. This time I played a little piece that I had been toying with for weeks whenever I was alone in the studio. It was a medley of our best tunes from the Pixies and Sisters albums, played in ragtime and was quite complicated. That got them standing again, and then it really was time to be off the stage, carrying a huge bouquet.
Back in the dressing room Pet held me close and told me that I was wicked, bringing the Pixies into a concert hall. I said that most of the crowd would think that it was a Joplin piece that no-one had heard before.
There was an after-show party that went to midnight. We stayed upright the whole time, taking in the adoration. I noticed Antonio in deep conversation with Kelly at one stage and I wondered if she was now planning a solo concert for him some time in the future.
It was Helen wilting that allowed us to ask Kelly if Geoffrey could take us to the hotel. When we got there, it was just the formalities of getting undressed, cleansing the face, and diving into bed, to go out like a light.
I slept late. Mom knocking on my door brought me out of my slumber.
I pulled a robe on and opened the door. She came in and fussed, telling me that there were a bunch of people downstairs, who wanted to see me. I had a shower, dressed in one of my favorite outfits, made sure I looked good, and joined her in the elevator.
Pet was already in the breakfast room, surrounded by a half a dozen guys with microphones and cameras. I went over to help her out. Together, we were able to answer most of the questions they had.
I finally said, “Look, we had a busy night last night and I want my breakfast. If you don’t mind, we need to eat.”
They took the hint and went off, leaving us in peace to have a very large breakfast.
I felt as if I hadn’t eaten for days and topped up my tank as we ate in silence. Finally, Allan couldn’t help himself. “Do you know that last night you two broke the mould. I don’t think that two girls from an all-girl pop group have ever had this many column inches in the paper, without doing something outrageous.”
He had a pile of papers and was busy cutting out large sections. All had our, and the other orchestra members, pictures. They’d written enough words about us to fill War and Peace.
I turned to Helen, “You were the brave one last night. It must have been hard for you in that crowd.”
She said that it taken a lot out of her, but she was glad she had done it as it would stay with her for life.
Mom added, “Amen to that. Watching those two playing was so wonderful; I was so proud I could feel my heart racing.”
I laughed. “Yes, and Allan could probably hear the coins chinking into our bank accounts.”
“You’d better believe it,” he chuckled. “This is one sweet gig. I think that you’ll be in demand, when all this hits the media.”
We were sitting with our coffees when the elegant Geoffrey came in and walked up to our table. “I’m so sorry to bother you so early but Lady Grove has got three TV stations at the hall who want to record tonight’s performance and talk to you lovely ladies. Would it be possible for you to come with me to the concert hall? I’ve never seen her flustered before, and that’s the only word that describes her this morning. I expect that you’ll want to bring Mister Allan with you.”
Pet and I stood, and she gave me a wink.
I looked at Allan. “Mister Allan, sir, I believe I can hear the sound of distant cha-chinking. Would you care to join us?”
He smiled and made sure he had his calculator in his pocket.
Geoffrey was upbeat when he took the three of us back to the hall, telling us that he’d never seen such interest in any of their concerts. Kelly, he said, was quite overwhelmed, something he had never, ever, thought he would see.
When we got there, we had to run the gauntlet of photographers. Pet said, “This is almost as bad as the Grammies.”
“Without the bad fashions,” I commented.
Inside we found Kelly sitting in the lobby with three guys sitting on chairs, all a little apart and looking grumpy. When she saw us, she got up, “Thank goodness you came. These gentlemen have been demanding things that I’ve never heard before. I am sure that you, Allan, with your experience, can help us manage. They all said that their management had been to the performance last night. It appears that two pop stars playing classics could be popular.”
The guys looked ready to start talking but Allan told them to stay seated and stay quiet. He needed five minutes before he would talk to them. We left them and led Kelly into the body of the hall where he asked her what they wanted. She said they all wanted to film tonight for a TV special, should it be good enough. They had demanded space in the stalls for fixed camera positions.
Allan asked, “What have they offered?”
She said that none of them have offered anything, seemingly expecting her to be grateful for the interest.
He then looked at the layout of the hall and asked if there was enough spare room if the last couple of seats on either side of the balcony were taken and Kelly said that those few patrons could use two of the boxes.
These, she told us, were hardly ever used. There were two each side.
Allan asked if the TV people could use the two front ones. She nodded and then we went back to the lobby where the guys were still waiting.
Allan addressed them. “Right, we’ve made our decision. We’ll allow one TV channel to record tonight, and the cameras must be small ones. You have that technology. The camera points will be in the front boxes on either side of the stage and the two ends of the front row of the balcony. We’ll allow a fifth camera in the center aisle of either the balcony or the stalls. You’ll be able to fit any microphones you like as long as Kelly approves, and the cables can run out the back to a truck. Are you all right with this, so far?”
They nodded.
“I’ll ensure that the two girls will stay in town to Monday morning if you have a morning show,” he added. The three guys nodded, seemingly interested.
One asked, “Which channel will it be?”
Allan grinned, “The one that puts up at least a half a million for the opportunity to make more back. If you syndicate the resulting show and add advertising, you’ll get your money back and more. I’ll take the resulting DVD and distribute it later with the profit being split between the orchestra, these girls, and the TV station.”
One of the guys asked if they could see the sightlines. We all went into the hall and Allan pointed out the four fixed spots. The same guy then asked, “How about some of the very small cameras, fixed in place on stage, recording to chip?”
Allan looked at us. I said it was all right with me as long as it didn’t mess with the lines of the piano.
Kelly said that one on the rostrum to show Richard’s face would be all right and others put around the orchestra would be all right as long as they weren’t visible to the audience and didn’t get in the way.
The same guy had come to a decision. “My station will put up six hundred thousand as long as we get immediate access to set up. Who do we pay?”
Allan said that he should put the money into the orchestra account and the other two guys thanked us and left. The winning bidder was on his phone barking out orders.
Kelly just stood there looking shocked. She then gave Allan a hug and a kiss on the cheek and told him that he had been wonderful.
She then looked at us. “You know that this is going to be big. I think we may have to rethink tonight and give them something that classics lovers will want to watch and then want to buy for their collection.”
She then pulled out her own phone and rang Richard to be in the hall after lunch. She went to her office, no doubt to call the whole orchestra in early. We wouldn’t need a rehearsal, just a sheet for everyone to know what went in what order -- as soon as that part had been decided.
When we left, I saw a couple of TV station vans parked outside with guys pulling cables out of them.
Geoffrey took us back to the hotel. “That was the best bit of bargaining I’ve seen in a long time. That money will go a long way to keeping the orchestra going. I think that Kelly would be without a reason to live if it closed.”
At the hotel, the two of us were sent off to the spa to be pampered for a couple of hours before lunch. After lunch, we were dressed in our final outfits which were fine, and full-skirted. With our hair up, we looked like royalty. Geoffrey came for us in the mid-afternoon, and we were taken around the back of the hall where there was a couple of TV trucks parked with a heap of cables snaking in through the back door.
Avoiding the guys moving things around we were taken into the inner sanctum where Richard was waiting, resplendent in what must have been a new set of tails. With him was the orchestra leader, and we all sat down to hash out the agenda.
The plan was simple. The Dance of the Swans, followed by the Serenade for Strings. Then Richard or Kelly to announce a surprise soloist and Pet doing The Lark, followed by me joining them for Danse Macabre and the first half ending with our Paganini, as an encore, if needed.
The second half was easy, just the piano concertos, a couple of encores if needed, and then me getting a violin and Antonio coming to the front of the stage to do the Swan.
Pet brightened. “I know that this is your bit, Edie, but can we do that as a trio?”
I looked at Richard and he just shrugged.
“Of course, we can. It’s the only thing from the program that hasn’t been rehearsed that way. We have the time, is Antonio in yet?”
The leader went off to find Antonio and we went down to the smaller rehearsal room. Antonio came in and we told him what we had planned, and his face lit up. Pet asked for, and was given a viola, and I got a violin.
We asked for the room to be cleared. The three of us worked through the piece four times, each time it got better. The addition of the viola, halfway in between the other two instruments, took a little while to blend, but Pet was an adventurous player, who took Antonio and me to a new level.
He had tears in his eyes when we stopped for a breather and then we did it the last time before the concert. That time we all had tears in our eyes.
Pet was wiping hers eyes with a tissue.
“I feel like I’ve just had a refreshing shower after a day soaking in a scented bath.”
I nodded as it was an apt description of how I felt, as well. Antonio gave us both hugs and thanked us for the interesting experience, and then we went off to get something to eat.
Kelly had arranged for a catered meal beforehand, so we stood around with our food and drinks -- making sure we didn’t spill anything. The orchestra were all in their finest outfits tonight and it looked like a scene from a Regency ballroom, with just Pet and me in bright colors, as befitting soloists.
Kelly told us that the TV money was in the bank, and she could hardly believe the orchestra’s good fortune. We also found out that the after-show party tonight would be us, Kelly, Richard, the leader, and the firsts, to be joined by invited guests only, to keep it from getting rowdy. The body of the orchestra would be off to a party of their own at a night club.
Pet, Richard, and I had a good look at the stage area before any public came in and we were happy at what had been done. There were microphones at most of the main points in the orchestra and some others on long stands to take in the general sound. The cables had been routed to be almost invisible from the audience in the stalls.
There were about ten small Go-Pro style cameras to show the soloists, the conductor, and the first violin, with a couple set for wind and percussion players. Looking out we saw cameras set up in the boxes and on the balcony as discussed. I felt excited by the thought of the resulting presentation.
That’s one DVD which will be in my collection, that’s for sure!
With the doors about to be opened, we made our way down to the dressing rooms, Pet and I being careful with our big dresses.
Allan joined us and told us that things looked like they were going smoothly. He said that he was now pretty pally with the TV big shot, who appreciated working with someone who told it and sold it -- on a handshake.
We were booked for the morning show on Monday, so would get a wake-up call. As far as he knew at the moment, we had Sunday off. That meant I could go with my parents to the airport and see them off.
After Allan left, Richard came to see us, and sat down. “I’ve come to apologize. I may have been a bit worried about what was going to happen when you arrived. I’ve worked with many big names in this business. But you two girls are up there with the best when it comes to professionalism and sheer hard work -- on top of your spectacular talents.”
We told him it was all right. We understood that someone from the pop world had to be expected to be treated as if they were beginners.
He went on. “Kelly had said something about a double violin program next year. I’m very happy, if the two of you find the time. I was quite taken by some of the tunes at your own concert last week and wondered if we could do something like a “Pixies meet Puccini” concert.”
Pet told him that she already had drafts of our Pixie and Stable Sisters music in orchestral form and could send him some to look at, if he was interested. We discussed the show tonight and asked him to make the announcements, leaving Kelly to sit in the front row and enjoy the show.
He said he would talk to her, and then he left us as the speaker on the wall said, “Thirty minutes, get ready.”
Pet and I made sure that our violins were correct and in tune while we waited, hearing the murmurs outside the door as the orchestra got ready, and then we heard the applause and watched on the screen as they went on stage.
The usual tuning followed but was quite short. They shuffled as they stood for the conductor and generous applause greeted Richard as he came on. There was silence as he stood tall, raised his baton, and then they were into the Dance of the Swans.
Pet and I sat in the dressing room and played complicated bits to warm up the fingers until our dresser came in to make sure we looked good and didn’t have any food smears down the back of our skirts. All too soon they were into the Serenade for Strings, and we went up to the wings, carrying the violins and bows.
As the applause for that died down, Richard took a microphone from his stand and turned to face the audience, telling them that tonight there was a change to the program in that now they would be hearing one of our soloists and asked them to welcome Miss Petunia Flower.
Pet went out to great acclaim, and then they did the Lark in all its glory. Pet made you believe that you were soaring into the sky. When she finished, the audience applauded and, in groups, they stood in ovation.
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 16
After Pet had taken a couple of bows and the crowd settled back in their seats, Richard took up the microphone. “Tonight, you have just heard one of the rising stars in classical music, but we now have another surprise for you. We have, not just one, but two rising stars for you, please welcome Miss Edweena Grosse.”
I went on stage and took my place alongside Pet. Then I smiled at the audience.
Richard turned his back on the crowd and picked up his baton, raised it, and then we were off into Danse Macabre with Pet and me trying to be lady-like, but unable to stop ourselves from moving a little like pop stars.
When it came to an end, the audience leaped to their feet. We bowed a couple of times and turned to acknowledge the orchestra. There were cries for more, so we readied our violins to play something, and the crowd quietened again. We then did our Paganini duet and had to finally be led off with the audience still on their feet.
There would be no mingling tonight during intermission. My folks, Allan and Helen did visit us in the dressing room to tell us, once again, that we were wonderful. Allan said that he had stuck his head in the main TV truck and the director had told him that the feed had been great, with the content being excellent.
They went back to their seats as the speaker told us it was ten minutes to go. Pet gave me a hug and I made my way up to the wings again. While the orchestra waited to go on, I got a lot of hugs.
They got the go sign and filed out to take their places to applause. They went through the usual ritual of tuning and settled to wait for Richard to lead me on stage.
We left it for a few more seconds than usual. Then Richard took my hand and led me out to the piano where he made sure I was comfortable as the audience clapped.
Once he was on the rostrum and things went quiet, we hit those first notes. We were in Warsaw again. When we finished there was deafening silence before the place erupted.
I stood and bowed.
Then I held my arm out and the orchestra rose and bowed along with Richard. I then sat down at the piano again. I expected that many out there were waiting for an encore, not the full bloodied forty minutes of the Number One.
When we finished there was a standing ovation and cries for an encore. I sat and played the etude. Because of the continuing calls, I did my ragtime mix of Pixies’ songs.
At the end of that they still wanted more, so Richard handed me the microphone and I waited until there was enough quiet to be heard.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” I said. “I thank you for your very kind acceptance of me and my friend Petunia tonight.” I waved her to come out as the crowd clapped. I motioned for Antonio to be brought forward, and then turned back to the audience.
“We’ve just enough time for one more encore. This is something that the three of us put together this afternoon. Not even our wonderful conductor has heard it yet. Again, Petunia and I thank you. I think that you might have been almost as loud as our audience last Saturday night. This concert started tonight with a group of dancing swans, and, with the wonderful Antonio, we’ll leave you with just one swan swimming smoothly in still waters. Please remember, though, that concerts like tonight are just like those swans, serene and graceful on top of the water. Looks can be deceiving. They’re paddling like crazy out of sight.”
We readied ourselves.
Then Antonio led us into the Swan. I was almost in tears myself as we played. The trio sound was magical, and the audience was absolutely still as we worked through it.
When we finished, we allowed the last notes to die before letting our arms down. The place finally went crazy, again. I saw my folks in the front row, Mom bawling her eyes out alongside Helen who was in a similar state. Kelly was also being comforted.
I hoped we hadn’t overstepped our mark when we did it so mournfully.
Richard came off the rostrum and actually hugged us right there on stage --and then even gave Antonio a man-hug as well, much to his surprise. A young girl brought out two sheaves of flowers for us.
The orchestra stood and clapped.
We bowed several times, before someone had the sense to lower the stage lights. Richard led the three of us off the stage with the orchestra not far behind.
We didn’t go back, even though the audience wanted us to, because it was late enough, and we had gone some time over a normal concert time limit already.
Backstage we engaged in hugs all round, with many in the orchestra with tears in their eyes, telling us that it had been a highlight of their lives. We finally managed to get down to the dressing room where we changed into something less difficult to move in, and then let our hair down to feel normal and less like divas.
Kelly came in to hug us, her eyes still red. She told us, yet again, that we were the best. Then we were led out to the Rolls and taken to a very swanky place which was all lit up. Food and drinks were set out waiting. Geoffrey said, “This is Lady Groves’ home, Jeeves will take care of you,” and he got back into the Rolls to go and get more passengers.
Jeeves turned out to be a middle-aged guy in a butler outfit who told us that his name was Jackson and not to take any notice of Geoffrey and his flippancy. He asked us if we wanted anything to eat or drink. We both opted for water and asked him where the toilets were.
Suitably comfortable with some fluid going in, we spoke to the people already there. They were, we found, mainly business associates of Kelly, or, as they told it, Lady Grove. Some had been to the concert tonight. But many had been there Friday night and they were all nice, polite, and happy to be able to speak to us.
Allan turned up and told me that Helen and my folks had gone back to the hotel and would meet us for breakfast. He also said that the TV boss would be at the party later and was very keen to talk to us about further events.
He reminded us of our early start on Monday and that he had got us on a flight home mid-afternoon. We were then cornered by a music critic who wanted to know about our teachers, our motivation, and our heroes. He either had a fantastic memory or else just wrote whatever he thought because he didn’t take any notes.
The TV guy arrived and seemed happy with his purchase. He asked us about our classical careers. We told him that he had just seen it. He then wanted to know about what we had going for the Pixies. We referred him to Allan about future dates.
Kelly joined us. She told him that she was thinking about something next season for us to star in. He went away happy. Pet and I pleaded tiredness, and it wasn’t bluff, we were both starting to fade. She got Geoffrey to take us home. We said our goodbyes and left the party.
Geoffrey told us that we had done something no-one else had done before. No-one had seen Kelly cry in public. It proved that she was just as human as the rest of us. He knew that everyone would love her more because of it.
As he let us out at the hotel, he told us he would be back early on Monday morning to take us to the TV station. In the hotel elevator, Pet and I hugged, and then we went to our rooms and welcome sleep.
I found that sleep didn’t come easily. I lay there, in the dark, and thought about people and things. I wondered what direction the band would go in, whether I would get any more classical gigs, and if my own future will continue without any bigger shocks. I started thinking about the people in my life, and, oddly, my thoughts turned to Jordan. He had been friendlier as he got older and saw us more often. I suddenly realised that he was a very nice guy, almost boyfriend material.
In the morning, I walked into the breakfast room. Helen jumped up and rushed over to hug me like there was no tomorrow. She kept saying “Thank you” over and over.
I finally pulled back, “Thank you for what, Helen?”
“Thank you for last night. For years I have held myself in and held in my fears and my memories of things I saw during my service. Last night, you broke through that wall with that music. I truly cried for the first time in over twenty-five years. It was as if all of my troubles flowed out of me with the teardrops.”
We hugged again. I laughed, “Well, I’d better register myself as a medical professional. I’m famished, that playing makes me hungry.”
Both of my parents held me close and also thanked me for the experience.
As I got my breakfast Pet joined us and had her own round of hugs. We settled down to serious eating. Allan had a pile of Sunday papers. There were a lot of column inches about last night’s performance, along with some good photos and sidebars about our Pixies’ involvement.
I asked Allan what was happening today, and he told us that the local outlet for our dress supplier had set up a fashion shoot in the city center early afternoon. But this morning I could take my parents to Logan airport. He’d rented a car for me.
I spent the morning with Mom and Dad, who were both still a bit shell-shocked at the level of attention as well as the sudden blast of raw emotion they had felt with our last piece.
Dad said that it was as if a light had been turned on and showed a sign that said it was all right to cry. He said that he was embarrassed to tear up but looked around and saw a lot of other guys crying as well. He also said that it had been a brilliant concert and that there was nothing we could have played to follow the Swan.
We got them, Helen, and their luggage into the car. I went to the airport with them where they were checked in with everyone smiling when they saw me. Perhaps it was my picture in the papers the last couple of days that had raised awareness.
Mom hugged me and told me that Ali would be happy to see me when I got home. I said that I would be delighted to see Ali. Dad hugged me, and told me, again, that he was proud of me.
Back in the car, going back to the hotel, I wondered if this was, indeed, the high point of my life, and that it could be downhill from here. Then I started to think about the Stable Sisters again and wondered if Kelly would ever have all five of us on stage with her orchestra in country outfits playing behind us.
I had a little giggle at the thought and the driver glanced at me in his mirror. “Are you all right, Miss.” I told him that everything was perfect and thanked him for his care.
When he stopped at the hotel, he passed me a folded poster of the Pixies and asked me if I would sign it for his daughter. I took the marker, asked him his daughter’s name, and signed it with a personal message to her to believe in herself.
After an early lunch, a small bus picked us up and took us out to a beautiful park by the Boston Harbor where there was a tent set up as a changing room. Pet and I spent a couple of hours in next season’s dresses with the harbor and park as a backdrop.
We worked to order, and it all went well. We were packed and back in the bus with our dresser and an outfit each before dinnertime. We had our meal in the hotel, and I went to bed early to try and sleep the clock around.
Being beautiful and in demand is hard work!
The next morning, I had the wake-up call at crazy o’clock. I had time to shower before our dresser came around to pick something suitable for a TV show for insomniacs. Pet and I had coffee and toast before we left, determined to have something better when we were through. I’m old enough to expect the unexpected but spent a mind-numbing two hours at the morning show studio, for just ten minutes of on-screen time.
Then we were taken to another studio, where we were given different dresses to wear, and new make-up. We spent another two hours pre-recording a segment for one of the talk-show hosts. I could’ve eaten the hind leg off a donkey by the time we finished.
Allan had turned up and took us to lunch, which raised him immeasurably in our esteem.
Monday afternoon, we visited the outlet for our dress supplier and had our photos taken with the manager and salesgirls, coming out with new outfits on, and leaving our original ones for them to put on dummies to be displayed in the store. That done we went back to the airport, after going to the hotel and collecting our bags.
It was quite a relief to be heading home. I expressed my exhaustion and asked Allan not to contact me until the end of the week. Pet expressed similar thoughts. We told him that we appreciated his efforts and thanked him for his input over the whole weekend. We spent a lot of that flight in contented silence. All three of us were, I think, mentally and physically drained.
As the plane started its descent, Pet and I went to the aircraft toilet and, on the way, she told me that she would be visiting the farm on Wednesday. Allan dropped Pet off, and then took me home. It was quite late, but the lights were on and Mom came out while Dad picked up my bag and took it over to my room.
I thanked Allan again, and then went inside. I had a peek into the nursery where Ali was sleeping quietly. Doris told me that she had been as good as gold. I sat at the kitchen table with a mug of cocoa, feeling content.
Mom told me that what Helen had said Sunday morning had been a true miracle. Helen had strolled through the crowds at the airport when they arrived as if she had no anxiety problems at all and now talked about coming along to future Pixies’ concerts.
Mom also told me that she had felt as if her own soul had been cleansed. “Your father,” she almost whispered, “has had the two best nights since that firefight.”
I borrowed the tub in the main bathroom for a skin softening soak, wrapped a robe around me after I had dried and then went over to the stable. I fell into bed to sleep without any alarms or morning calls. I had dreams of being on an award stage. All around me were chickens. When I looked at the award it turned into an egg, which cracked open and dropped the yolk down my dress. That orange looking stripe was front and center in the newspaper article I was then reading.
When I woke up and thought about the dream I wondered if someone, somewhere, was looking into my past and writing an article about the famous Pixie concert pianist that started out as a weird guy called Egg. Or maybe, I thought, that kind of public exposure was just something I was scared would happen.
I spent most of the morning with Ali, wandering around the farm and talking to the workers. It was wonderful to be back in the normal world. In the studio, I sat with Ali on my lap and played around on the piano with one hand, after telling it that I had played one of its big brothers. I hit on a nice set of notes and a tune formed in my mind. I grabbed a fresh music book and started jotting down the notes and then trying them out. Before long the words began to form. I took Ali back into the house, had a sandwich, and then asked Mom to look after the baby for me for a while. I went back out to the studio.
By mid-afternoon I had a song which I called Stability which was about a new baby and the need to give it a stable childhood. The final verse was about her coming of age. I set up the recording equipment and put the piano part onto the computer, cut a CD which went into the CD player and played that to add the guitar parts, repeated that to add the vocal and then repeated it again to add the violin part. A very long way round, but it was possible without spending big money on a multi-track recorder and a producer in the control room.
I checked the sheet music I had written to make sure any overwrites had been made legible and then shut everything down and took the final CD into the house. I thanked Mom for looking after the baby. I explained my surge of creativity. We prepared dinner. I looked after Ali and her needs before we sat down. Her smile and simple love looked after my own needs as well.
I thought that, before long, we would need to buy a highchair. She was growing so quickly. We had our meal, and then over coffee, I put the CD player on and played what I had produced.
My parents sat in silence as it played through. When it finished Mom gave me a hug, “Oh, my darling one. First you make me cry with a release of tensions and now I want to cry with joy. That was so beautiful!”
Dad came over and gave me a kiss on the forehead and told me I was more than wonderful, “But I won’t call you a supernova just yet,” he joked.
Wednesday morning I’d finished breakfast when Doris came to look after Ali for me. I sat on the front porch and wondered what Pet needed to talk to me about and was surprised when three cars pulled into our driveway and parked next to the studio.
The first car contained Pet and Emily. The second held Joyce and Abigail. Flora and Janet got out of the third. Janet came rushing over to me saying “Thank you! Thank you!” She held me tightly.
After Pet came over to us, Janet went over to her and gave her the same treatment. She acted like the Janet we knew before the kidnap. I wondered just who was treating her and, more importantly, with what.
I led them all into the house and Mom fussed around getting drinks. Pet revealed that she had texted Emily to tell her about the concert on Thursday morning. Emily had phoned the hall and got a block of tickets and then they all got a flight to Boston on Friday afternoon. They stayed at the airport hotel and attended the concert Saturday before flying home Sunday morning on an early flight.
Emily said, “It was something we felt we should do. We stayed under the radar and were near the back of the balcony for the show. It was an experience of a lifetime. Poor Janet almost had to be carried to the taxi. She was howling like a baby after that last piece.”
“She wasn’t the only one,” Mom commented. “I think every woman in the place bawled that night, along with quite a lot of men.”
“There was nothing I could do,” Janet marvelled. “The tension in me just snapped and the tears took all of the fears and memories with them. I feel like a teenager again, but without the church clouding the horizon.”
Mom then told them about Helen and her similar healing.
The crux of the matter was that Pet, Emily, and Janet were the last remaining members of the original Pixies. Without Josie and Donna to drive the country aspect they wanted to move on to something else. That “something,” they hoped, would be based on Stable Sisters music.
“The problem I have,” Pet warned. “Is that Josie is still one of the original members of the Pixies’ side of things. I wonder if she’ll stick something in our spokes, as we move forward.”
I told them to wait a moment. I went and got my copy of our contract and asked them to carefully read the clause I pointed out to them. I told them about her going to LA with Dave and Wally to join with the other two to market themselves as Josie and the Ramrods.
Abigail saw the light first. “So, she’s voided her contract?”
They knew she had gone and that the guys had gone as well. The enormity of her treachery came home to them. Joyce and Abigail came and gave me a hug.
Flora mused, “So the emotion you were giving out during the concert was some of your own as well.”
I nodded. “I just felt one with the music and I wasn’t trying to beam my emotions into the audience.”
Flora smiled. “You don’t have to try when you reach that level on stage, it just happens. You could ignore it, or you could embrace it with a new sound.”
“Play them your new song, love,” Mom suggested.
As I went to the player and slid the CD in, Pet tapped the contract and asked, “So, if I left to join an orchestra, would that be voiding my contract?”
“Certainly not,” I argued immediately. “Or we would both be out of contract this week. Josie went and formed a new group within our field. I expect that they will be doing covers of our songs that use her voice. She is, so to speak, our competition. Donna didn’t void her contract to concentrate on medicine. She and Janet still get their income from the albums, downloads, and the merchandise sales.”
Flora added, “Yes, I was wondering about that. Those contracts are very generous and very forgiving, and also unique in this business.”
I put the CD on. They listened to it carefully.
Joyce said, “When did you do that?”
“Mostly yesterday afternoon,” Mom answered. “I think it’s amazing.”
“That’s exactly what I was going to say. How much of the Sisters music did Josie have an input to?” Emily asked.
“She was mainly a sounding board,” I explained. “She helped a lot with lyrics and sometimes offering suggestions on the tune. She didn’t actually write any music herself. She could hardly read it, at first, let alone write it.
“So,” Abigail said firmly. “We’re sitting here with the two main writers of our past hits and three who read and write music?”
“Make that three and a bit. I can get by,” Janet said.
I looked at her. “Do you want to be in the line-up again, Janet?”
She nodded her head, “I can do more percussion if you want. I’m not limited to the drums any longer because I think I can now try new things, if you’ll let me?”
“If I can keep on singing,” Abigail smiled. “Then you can do whatever you like, honey.” We all laughed and gave Janet hugs of welcome back.
“I’d like to see Edie on keyboard more,” Pet said. “Perhaps we can get a grand into the studio for her.”
Emily said that she was very happy with that, considering that we’ve been working lately with two keyboards on stage.
By the time we went over to the studio for a little relaxing time, we had decided that we would promote the six Stable Sisters more and ask Allan to just allow the Pixie shows to peter out. We had evolved again, and the rock was going to be replaced with ballads and blues based music, much the way that the Sisters had been playing already.
The critics may, or may not, like it. In the future, we were playing for us and the fans, not for the fame and fortune.
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 17
We spent most of the afternoon discussing the songs we would be dropping and the ones that would make up the core of Sisters shows. Many staying were already classed as Pixie hits. We could build on that and cement the move with our next album.
We got the amps turned on and just played the things we liked for an hour or so. We then had a short discussion on why Josie left and the effect that had on all of us. The fact that she hadn’t been on stage for some months had helped lessen the damage to the band as a whole.
After we packed up, I said that I’d contact Allan to let him know of our decision. We arranged a full day in the studio on Monday. We were a very bubbly group who left the studio to find Alicia, Brad, and Jordan standing by the third shed with plans and tape measures.
We went over to them. Alicia looked a bit worried, not having seen the others since Josie left. I gave her a hug, “Hello, Ma,” which was what I had come to call her since Ali had been born. One by one the others took my cue and gave her a hug. Then we all went and gave Brad a hug. When we turned towards Jordan, he looked like the deer in the headlights. The other girls went first to soften him up and then I gave him a big hug and asked, “How are you doing, Uncle Jordan?”
I was a little surprised when he actually hugged back. It was a nice surprise because I had always thought he was a nice guy but shy.
“Hold on, I’ll go and get the little one.” I went into the house while the others told Alicia and Brad that they had no anger aimed at Josie, just sadness for me.
With Ali in my arms, I then asked what they were doing, and Brad said that he had been playing around with the dimensions and had realized that he could make the front of the shed two-story, if he used a steel girder frame.
“That way,” he said. “We can add accommodation above which would be good for Jordan to live in, or as somewhere a worried customer could stay.”
I said it looked good to me, and then an idea popped into my head. “You have the camera with you?” I asked. “How about we get a couple of pictures of you standing in front of the shed. Then you can get an after shot on the day the Vet opens for business?”
Brad passed the camera to Flora who posed them in front of the shed and took a couple of pictures. Flora then said, “Why don’t you join them, Edie, they’re your family, too?”
I went and stood between Alicia and Jordan and posed for a couple more pictures. Pet suggested, “Give Ali to her Uncle to hold. It’s about time he held her”.
I passed Ali to him. He looked as if he was scared, he would drop her but she enchantingly wiggled into him, causing him to grin. We posed again for a couple more pictures.
Emily said that it was amazing just how much like Jordan Ali was. Brad remarked that she was a blood relative after all and a DNA test would probably say that he could be the father, seeing that it was his sister’s baby.
I was in the process of taking Ali back from him at the time, and, though he was turning red in the face, I noticed a flash of something deeper in his eyes.
As I walked the others back to their cars Flora took me aside. “That young man has a crush on you, you know.”
I said that he had a crush on all of us as he was an avid fan.
“No, my girl,” she argued. “He’s falling for you. He probably hates his sister for hurting you. Tread carefully and treat him nice. He may turn out to be someone who’ll be a friend for life, or even something more. He’s nothing like Josie, thank goodness.”
I said my goodbyes to the band. I told the Sanders that I would be in the house when they’d finished what they were doing. I went inside to have a cup of coffee, and a long think about what Flora had said. The others came in and we sat around the table and discussed the shed.
Jordan looked a little pre-occupied. I wondered if he was thinking the sort of things that were in my own mind.
Alicia asked, “Now, how about this christening? I know she’s called Alicia Elizabeth, but what will her surname be?”
I pondered, “Well, when she was born the hospital records showed her as Alicia Elizabeth Grosse-Sanders. We have a birth certificate issued in that name. I don’t think she would like to go to school with a hyphenated name. She looks like her grandmother and a lot like her uncle so I think her christened surname should just be Sanders.”
Alicia beamed. Brad smiled.
Jordan looked like a bomb had been dropped on his head. “B-B-B-But who was the father, do you know?”
Mom, darling Mom, explained succinctly. “Why Edie, of course, when she still had the Eddy bits attached.”
Jordan went white and stood up, knocking the chair over and rushed outside to stand next to their car. I turned to Mom. “You explain it to these two, Mom, Jordan needs my personal attention.”
I went out to where Jordan was shaking his head with tears drenching his cheeks.
“How? How?” He whispered.
“The ‘how’ is easy, Jordan. I was born a boy and only became a girl after I joined the Pixies. I only became a full girl after Josie and I had created Ali, our baby. The ‘why’ and ‘what’ is harder to decipher.”
He stopped muttering and turned to me. “You were still a boy when you came to the house that day to pick Josie up?”
I told him he was right, and that I’d been living and dressing as a girl since just before the Halloween Concert and was only supposed to be dressed like that for the show.
“But you’re so beautiful,” he whispered. “Did you have surgery?”
I smiled. “Only to give me breasts and a vagina, Jordan, everything else is me, the one and only original.”
He stood there for a moment or two. “When she was home that New Year it was ‘Edie this’ and ‘Edie that’ and she was almost too much to take. I’ve been a fan of the Pixies since the early days and loved seeing them whenever they played locally. When you joined them, it was as if a light had been turned on. They became more than just another band. I was jealous of Josie because she was in a relationship with you. I always thought you and she were lesbians.”
I smiled. “That was the main problem, Jordan. She loved me and did so when I was plain old Edward. The rift started when I became the ‘Edie’ that she and Donna had created for a one-off show. They had turned me into a girl overnight and I had to go to school on that Monday. They decided that I would blend easier if I stayed a girl and, in the end, it was easier. I think she wanted to have a baby to help her settle, but her need of a real man in her life was the reason she left. I don’t hate her for it. In fact, I feel sorry that she went suddenly. I would’ve liked her to tell me, face-to-face.”
“So, if she wasn’t the lesbian, what does it make you?”
I laughed. “That’s the big question to which the answer has yet to be written. I’m now legally a woman and have everything that a woman needs, except a womb. I’m accepted by the fans as a woman. Like you, none of them have seen me as anything else. Hardly anyone remembers Eddy playing violin in the band. They just think it was Edie in her tomboy days.”
He laughed at that. “Exactly what I thought after I saw you in the flesh.”
“I’m sorry I let you down. I would hate it if you don’t want anything to do with me. I can understand it if you walk away right now.”
He looked startled, “I’ll never walk away from you, Edie. For a start you’re the parent of my glorious niece. And …..” He gathered his courage. “I think I’ve always loved you. I’d bottled it up because you didn’t like boys. You do like boys, don’t you?”
“Of course, I do. There’s one special boy standing in front of me right now.”
I opened my arms and he rushed into them and held me close.
We stood like that for a long time, his breath ragged from the emotion. I patted his back. “Josie went to LA and started another band. She won’t be coming back. Even if she did, there’ll be no room for her in the Stable Sisters.”
His head pulled back and the fan in him took control. “What about the Pixies?”
“They’ll be around for a little while. Today we all decided that the Sisters will be our future. You’re the first to know. Come into the studio and I can play you the first track of our new album and you can tell me if you like it or hate it.”
I led him to the studio where I sat him down and played the Stability recording.
His eyes were shining when it finished. He whispered, “Thank you so much for that, Edie, my love.” Then he kissed me.
The line in the old Phil Spector song goes, ‘He kissed me in a way that I’ve never been kissed before.’ The Crystals had nailed it with those few words.
I put my arms around his neck, and we kissed some more until I said, “We’d better get back to the others. Your mother might be worried.”
We went back to the house. “Everything is understood. Jordan was a little misguided. He’s now happier knowing the truth.”
“Your mother has explained how it all came about,” Alicia said. “I still can’t understand why Josie upped and left.”
I sat down. “That’s the easy part. She’d been having sex with Dave from the Ramrods, our bass player. She apparently decided that her satisfaction was more to her than my sexless love, or even more than caring for our baby. I understand she couldn’t really help herself. Since she had Ali, she’s been acting as if there was something she was missing. Whether it was just a man or freedom again was something only she knew. As I’ve just told Jordan, she’s a woman who needs a man, not a neuter. The thing is that I’m the father of Ali and your daughter is the mother, all normally conceived and delivered, and nothing will change that.”
“It’s a bit of a shock,” Alicia said, “I suppose that what we do now will set my grand-daughter’s life. I think that I can accept things to give her some stability.”
Jordan snorted.
“What?” Alicia demanded.
He smiled, “Mother, dear, Edie has just played me the first track of the new Stable Sisters album and it’s all about ‘stability’ in a young girl’s life. She’s way ahead of you. Edie has Ali’s best interests very close to her heart. If Edie’s future as a music star is anything to consider, I don’t think Ali has anything to worry about.”
Alicia said she would organize the christening and asked me who I wanted as godparents.
“Why, Allan and Helen Maxwell, of course, they were mine, when I was christened, after all.”
Mom agreed. Alicia would organize the venue, no doubt in the church they sometimes attended. As Mom led the Sanders out, Jordan and I exchanged phone numbers. I didn’t tell him that I hardly ever put my phone on because it might be on more often now, if only to take his calls. I’ll just have to cope with all the extra rubbish to take his pearls.
While I had my phone on, I scrolled through the dozens of messages, deleting about ninety percent without opening. I found one, near the top, from Allan.
I pressed the button to answer and got through to his office and then connected to the man himself. He told me that one of the billionaires who lives in Boston had invited Kelly to a dinner party on next Saturday and asked her if her “latest stars” could attend. Allan had already spoken to Pet, who said she would be happy to go.
I said that I would also be happy to help Kelly. Allan said that I would need to take a partner. Pet would be taking the guy who she had been seeing fairly regularly. I said I would see what I could do, and then asked him about being the godparents for Ali when she was christened. He said he and Helen would be honored.
I sent Jordan a text. “Big party Sat. next week. Can u be partner? Details follow.” I knew that I was being a bit forward, but he was the only single guy I knew who I could be seen with. I thought that he may brush up all right.
I had Kelly’s number on my phone. I texted her with the question, “Coming to party. How posh?” The answer came back five minutes later, “Thanx, very posh. Long frock, good suits.”
I was in the studio working on a song about a new-found love when my phone rang. If I was going to leave it on, I’d better get used to it bothering me.
It was Kelly. She thanked me again for accepting the invitation. “I called Algernon today to tell him that you and Petunia would be there, at his dinner party. He asked if I could use my influence to get the rest of the Pixies to come. He told me that his family had been to your show and his daughters are huge fans. He hasn’t been a very big partygoer in the past. He told me that he decided, just after the concert on Saturday, that he needed to be more outgoing. His wife, who I’ve never met, also decided to be part of the scene."
“Was his wife at the concert and did she cry a lot?”
“How did you know?”
“That’s the fourth or fifth woman who has told me that they’ve been changed by that concert. I’ve been told that it felt like a wave of emotion passed over the audience. My father has told me that it was like a light went on that said it was all right to cry.”
There was silence for a few seconds. “I’ve kept that suppressed because I thought it was only me being silly. All of my staff and all of the orchestra have been very friendly and helpful since that night. I’ve realized that I may have been a little driven. Even Richard has been open and accepting comments and suggestions. Your father could be right, but I don’t believe in the supernatural.”
I told her I would see who in the band would come and that we were back to six members again. I then rang the other four to tell them that a billionaire from Boston wanted us to attend a dinner party he was putting on. One by one, they all agreed to come. Janet said she would bring her mother. She didn’t have a new guy, yet, but the others all had boyfriends.
I phoned Allan and told him that the entire band plus partners had been invited. We needed to organize our dress supplier to fit us in Boston. We would need a men’s outfitter to supply suits.
He told me that he would get on to it and also organize fourteen plane tickets because he and Helen had also been invited. I thought that it was going to be a rather big dining table, if the fourteen of us were just some of the guests.
Jordan called to ask about my message. “I would love to be your partner. Where is it, do I need to drive, and what will I wear?”
“Thank you. It’s not local. Actually, it’s in Boston and the dress code is very formal. That’s all right because we’ll be outfitted by professionals in Boston on the day. All the Pixies are going, so you’ll know a few of the guests. We’ll fly out Friday afternoon and could be back Sunday afternoon.”
“You are joking?”
“Welcome to my world. I’ve been to almost every big city in the country in the last year or so and have hardly seen anything except a stage and a sea of faces. Being looked after is one of the things we stars have to put up with. Our partners all get the same treatment. If you don’t get hooked after the first outing, you may not be human.”
He laughed. “Darling Edie, I really didn’t think it through when we kissed. I’ll try to enjoy myself although I’ve never been outgoing before. I suppose I’ll get by. How fancy will it all be?”
“Think of the Oscars, but in a private house.”
He choked and started a coughing fit.
Alicia came on the phone. “Who’s this?”
“Ma, we were talking about a party which he has agreed to attend as my partner. He asked me how fancy it would be, and I think I might have shocked him. The party is next Saturday and is hosted by a billionaire in Boston, who invited all of the Pixies and partners.”
She chuckled. “I can see why he’s coughing, now. That’s something that will really get him out of his comfort zone. He’s always been a bit shy. What will he have to bring?”
I told her just personal things, underwear and casual for a couple of days, in case we stayed over.
We finished the conversation. That weekend would be something that would make or break our relationship. Being on stage the first time got me hooked. He had to go through a similar baptism of fire for himself if he wanted to stay the course.
He’d obviously not thought about being friendly with strangers when he became a vet. It seemed that he just thought it was all about animals, without thinking that the owners are different animals as well. Animals that could be more aggressive than an angry cat.
Pet texted me on Friday and asked me if I could get to the Italian place we liked. Just us girls, on Saturday evening, so I replied that I would see them there.
I thought that I could take the band van. Doris was using my own car. Then I decided that I would like a new car of my own. I drove the van down to my nearest Ford dealership and bought a red Mustang. I suppose I should have thought about the planet and taken an electric one, but I came from an old-fashioned family who wanted the burble of a vee-eight. I did have to back off with that as there were only six-cylinder ones available. I asked for it to be delivered to the farm on Saturday morning.
They asked if I wanted a custom plate and I asked for STBL1TY. They were happy to take my money and wanted me to have a picture taken next to the car for them to frame and put in the showroom.
When it was delivered Saturday morning, I signed the papers, and the delivery driver went off with his companion.
My dad looked at it. A wicked smile appeared on his face, and he held his hand out, “Keys.”
He got in and we didn’t see him again until just before lunch. When he gave me the keys back, he grinned. “It does go well, and I’ve filled it up with gas for you, those car firms are notorious for having the bare minimum in the tank.”
I laughed. “I’ll leave the keys on the hook in the studio when I’m away. You may want to make sure it’s still up to scratch.”
That evening I put on my favorite stage outfit. The red leather skirt suit, topped with a red bra, and black blouse. I carried my heels -- I could change when I got to the restaurant.
Dad was right, the car did go well. I had to concentrate a lot to keep it within the speed limit. A couple of times I saw a police cruiser pull in a few cars behind me, only to turn when they realized I was staying legal. Maybe red hadn’t been the best color to pick. When I arrived, I pulled into a parking spot near a light. I got out, changed into my heels, and then locked the car.
In the restaurant I saw Pet and Emily were sitting at a table already. I went over and we had hugs before I sat down. They, too, were in glad rags. I asked what the occasion was, and they told me to wait.
Finally, we were joined by Janet, Joyce, and Abigail. That’s when we became the center of attention for the maitre’d and the waitresses. The chef even came out to talk to us about his speciality that he had prepared “just for us.” We ate one of the best meals I’ve had.
I was still in the dark when we got to the coffee stage.
Emily then called us to order. “Tonight, we’re here to celebrate the amazing performance of Pet and Edie last weekend, a performance that will go down in the history books. Not only did they blow everyone away with their raw talent, but they also blew Janet’s fears away. For that the rest of us want to thank the two of you.”
Pet and I looked sheepish.
Emily went on. “When I was wondering what we could do to as a token of our thanks, I remembered the pendants that Edie and Josie used to wear with the ‘Sisters Forever’ logo on them. After Wednesday and our decision, I purchased six matching pendants that I would like you all to wear, when we’re together. It may be the only piece of stage outfit we have in common, but I think that it shows just how connected we are. We’ve gone through a few changes. With the slower pace of Sisters music, I think that it’ll be just the six of us, for a long time to come.”
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 18
She dug into her bag, brought out six boxes, and then handed them out. When I opened mine, it was more than I could take in. It was a pendant, yes, but what a pendant! It was gold filigree with ‘Stable Sisters Rule’ in diamonds and emeralds.
This won’t be joining the one now resting in a drawer at home. It would be front and center most of the time. Almost in tears, we had group hugs and cheek kisses. We all put them on and carried on with our meal, ordering more coffees as the originals had gone cold.
We then discussed the party in Boston. I told them that we would be outfitted by our sponsor. I couldn’t tell them any more about why we were invited except that the host and his family were fans and had seen us on stage the week before, as well as being at the Saturday night concert.
Janet asked, “Did his wife cry?”
I said that she did and now wanted to become more sociable.
“That’s why, then,” she said. “They want to celebrate the two angels that freed her of her bonds, as they freed me of mine. I saw lots of cameras that night. I wonder if the DVD will have the same effect, or whether you just had to be there. Every time I go to bed, I pray my thanks for my release. Mom says that there were a lot of other women crying at the end. Maybe it was a minor miracle.”
Emily told us that it had allowed her to realize that she didn’t need a proper job any longer and had left the salon. She said that it hadn’t been the money, just the security that kept her there.
We agreed to meet as arranged at the stable on Monday morning. We would use the time to work on new songs for the new Sisters album, prior to going into the proper studio.
Pet asked me who was going to partner me to Boston. When I said it was Jordan, once he had stopped coughing, she laughed. I had to explain his reaction on being told it was going to be like the Oscars in a private house.
The others had their boyfriends set to join us, except for Janet. She told us that she had a boy in her singing classes who looked like suitable material, but that she hadn’t got that far with him yet.
When we left, I said I could take Janet home. The others did a double-take when I pressed my key-fob, and my red Mustang flashed its lights. I got in my side and changed my shoes while Janet got in the other. I took her home, but we went the long way round with the windows down and the radio up loud.
She was almost in fits by the time we arrived at her place. She reached over and gave me a kiss on the cheek before she got out. “Edie, I’m so glad I met you.”
When I got home, I went into my bedroom to undress, hanging the new pendant on my mirror. In bed, I laid there for a while wondering just what it may have been that affected the audience. I was sure it was nothing I had any part of.
It occurred to me that this time next week we would be on display at the elegant party, whatever it was about. Then I had the thought about Friday night. It would be my first date with Jordan. I giggled. Good girls don’t go to bed with the guy on the first date. I decided that next Friday night, I wasn’t going to be a good girl.
Sunday, I played around in the studio, Ali by my side in her carriage. I was very close to getting another two songs finished when my phone rang. It was Jordan who was apologetic at dropping the phone on me. I told him that I fully understood. I had nearly puked when the girls had told me that I had to go on stage as a witch. I told him that it was only natural to be shocked by the prospect of mixing with rich guys and added that rich guys are only poor guys with money and were usually as nice as pie.
I don’t think he believed me. I then asked him what else he needed. He said that his mother wanted to see me at the church as the priest would be there until late. I said I could do it. I put Ali in my car, told my parents where I was going and then drove to the church. Alicia was there, talking to the priest when I walked in with Ali in my arms. We had a good discussion about the christening.
The old guy was pretty cool for a priest and knew well enough not to shove his faith down my throat. I guess he was one of those who gave you tiny bits until you were full without noticing it. He had heard of the Pixies, though, and said he liked our Sisters music better.
I pointed out that if the papers got wind of the event there may be a crowd. He rubbed his hands. “Good, I preach better to a full house.”
When I left there with Ali in her baby seat I went for a drive, into my namesake, Grosse Pointe. It’s generally quite a lovely area, big houses on big blocks and a very park-like feel. I suppose that once I had enough money it would be expected that I buy a house in a posh area, but I was happy at the farm. The thought of being surrounded by auto industry executives held little interest. I was just cruising when I heard a siren behind me and saw flashing lights in my mirrors.
I lowered my window as I pulled over and a large policeman came and stood by me as his partner stayed back.
“Miss, what are you doing in this neighbourhood, we haven’t seen you around here before?”
I said that I was just looking.
He asked, “Looking for what?”
I said that I was wondering about buying a house and he told me that it was a very expensive area, and then asked for my license. When I showed it to him, he took it away to run through his computer.
When he came back, he said, “Sorry about the stop, Miss Grosse. We didn’t know who you were. Casual visitors down these streets are usually looking for somewhere to break in. My daughters love your songs. Have a nice day.”
They got back in their cruiser and pulled out as I was putting my license away. I thought that it does pay to be a celebrity, sometimes. I suppose I was lucky to have been pulled over in an up-market suburb. There were some places around town where they would have had me out of the car and face-down in the road. That’s if they hadn’t just shot me, and then said that they thought I’d been going for a gun.
I’d had enough excitement and flirting with danger for the day, so went back to the farm to see what Mom was making for dinner. As I drove along, I started to love my car. The rumble of the exhaust, the comfort and the good sound system was much nicer than my old one. It may have been a teeny bit narcissistic, but I did have all of our albums loaded into the CD storage that I could play and sing to as I drove. One advantage of writing and singing the songs is that you do know all the words.
On Monday, we spent all day in the studio, working on a new album that would start with Stability. Janet brought along some percussion bits and pieces, her electric kit still here from previous days.
We worked on Stability first, adding keyboard, more guitar, and drums. When we were happy, we put it into the computer.
Pet had two songs in the same vein. They were on sheet music, so Emily went onto piano, and I took up the guitar, while Abigail got used to the words.
Once we were pleased with them, we reverted to me on piano, Joyce played guitar and Emily added keyboard. It really didn’t take that long before both were added to the computer file.
I played them the two songs I was working on, and we agreed to get together on Wednesday evening to work on those.
Tuesday, I finalized the two songs as far as I could on my own and started on a song about a pop star who bought a house in a very ritzy area. Only to have troubles with the neighbors who thought she was beneath them. The hook to this was that they were all drug pushers and fraudsters with nary an honest worker among them. The working title was Lowering the Tone.
Wednesday, Allan turned up while we were in the studio to tell us about the timetable for the weekend. We were flying out on Friday, early afternoon, and had free time until Saturday afternoon, when we would be taken to a salon first, and then to the dress shop. He said we were booked to return Sunday afternoon.
The guys would be sent off to get a tidy haircut and trim of all those nasty ear and nose hairs before they went on to the mens shop for their suits. We were lucky that it was a modern dress party, so there were no fancy outfits.
I could just see Jordan in a Regency Dandy outfit.
After he left to speak with Dad, we got working on the songs and had my new two on the computer before we finished. At this rate, we would have the bones of a new album in the can within a month and could go into a proper studio to put it on tape. The atmosphere when we were together was very positive. We had all been through some problems and overcome them and were all very comfortable with each other.
Joyce added a lot to the guitar side. Abigail was singing good enough to be a star in her own right. I expected that would be her future after the Sisters.
Janet was back to her solid backing, now adding bells and other sounds as we went along.
Thursday, I started transcribing what we had done, so far, onto sheet music. I started to add orchestral instruments into the mix. I thought that Stability would sound nice with proper violins and woodwinds. Was I being pretentious or was I actually starting to evolve into a serious artist?
I made sure I spent as much time with Ali as I could, so that she wouldn’t start to think that Doris or Mom was her mother. We had hours looking at picture books together with me pointing at different animals and saying the names.
She loved listening to me play the piano with a very serious face as she absorbed everything. I wondered if she, like me, would be gifted. It would be lovely if, in twenty years, a forty-odd Edie graced a stage somewhere with her daughter.
Finally, it was Friday. I packed my bag for the weekend with the usual: dresses, tops, skirts, and underwear. I packed a very nice, and specially purchased, negligee set for Friday night.
The limousine service arrived for me. Allan and Helen were already on board. We went for the rest of the girls and guys. By the time we reached the airport we were chattering away, like it was a school outing.
Jordan sat next to me, holding my hand, and looking as if he was being transported to the guillotine. I kept telling him that it will be all right and to loosen up.
The other guys were a mixed bunch, from a typical football jock (Abigail’s) to a mop-haired musical type (Pet’s). Allan told them that they would be given a make-over to ensure that they fitted in with genteel society, on Saturday.
Everyone was introduced. Abigail’s jock was called “Matt” and I remembered him from Wayne, a couple of years ahead. He had been on a football scholarship and had been known as “Masher” on the team.
Pet’s musician was “Anton,” and Joyce’s guy was a normal looking fellow called “Matt” as well, so we immediately changed him to “Matty.”
Emily had a new guy, very good looking, called “Ian.”
With a bunch of guys around, Jordan lightened up and before long we were happily at the airport. This was where the world that they knew suddenly changed.
Pet and I had already been exposed to the level of service that turned out for music legends. We had porters take the luggage and a dedicated lady from the airline to guide us through check-in and into the first-class departure lounge. We were given free drinks and nibbles and would be told when it was time to board.
The other girls had got to be happy with this when we travelled as a band but none of the guys had seen anything like it.
Matt asked why we had this treatment and Pet told him that this is how airlines treated stars. With the whole band, it would be full on service for everyone.
Jordan sat there with a glazed look on his face. I squeezed close to him and told him that he would be “Okay.” He slowly came back into the present and started getting involved again with me holding his hand. It was something that seemed to soothe him and felt right to me.
We were guided into the first-class section and sat in those lovely wider seats that allowed you to sit a little sideways if you wanted. Then we took off for Boston.
In Boston, we were met by Kelly, Geoffrey, and porters who took care of our luggage. Allan and Helen went with Kelly in the Rolls. The rest of us were split into three stretch limos, to go to the hotel.
I could see the guys really starting to get with the flow. Their banter slowly dropped from boisterous to a more civilized tone. Even Jordan was perking up. I wondered if it was the sight of that wonderful Rolls Royce or the experience of being in a stretch that helped.
At the hotel we attracted porters again and our bags were whisked away to our rooms. That’s when I found out that each couple was sharing a room. No individual rooms had been booked. The look on Jordan’s face was priceless when we were both given matching keycards.
I took him aside. “Jordan, dear, if you want to make a fuss we can ask for a separate room, but I really would like you beside me tonight, even if we don’t do anything but sleep.”
He hugged me and whispered. “Let’s go and have a look at our room, it might have a sofa, I can stretch out on.”
“No, you don’t, buster,” I thought, “Tonight you’re mine.”
While we were together in the lobby, Kelly told us that we had dinner tonight with her in the hotel restaurant so stay dressed as we were. Tomorrow we would be picked up after breakfast. The TV station wanted to show us the final cut of the concert before it went on air. This would also be the master for the DVD.
Flora whispered to me that it would be interesting to see if they have got the Swan in, and if it had any effect on screen.
I told her that I thought that you just had to be there on the day. Also, if the effect still worked on the screen, the whole country may be walking around with smiles on their faces after they have seen it. We then would be listed as a medical treatment. In which case, a lot of therapists would be out of a job.
I grabbed Jordan’s hand and pulled him towards the elevator. “I just have to freshen up and change for dinner so come on up and see our room.”
On the way to the elevator he asked, “What do you mean, change? She said come as you are.”
We got into the elevator and pressed the button for our floor. “Jordan, sweet thing, when Lady Grove says stay as you are she means, ‘Don’t wear heels or put your hair up,’ it doesn’t mean ‘Stay stinky from hours in a plane.’ Now, I need a shower, are you going to help me wash my back?”
He swallowed and then grinned. “Of course, I can wash your back, Edie, is there anywhere else you would like me to rub?”
I smiled and told him that he was getting the picture.
“Edie, I’m sorry I’m not up with sexual references, I’m still a virgin.”
“I thought that. I did tell you that I’m one as well.”
“But.” He asked, “What about you and Josie?”
We got to our floor and the doors opened. As we walked along the corridor I said, “When Josie and I made love I was doing what I expect you to do. When you do what I expect you to do, I will, for the first time, find out what Josie felt. The good thing,” I grinned. “Is that if you go off-program, I can set you right again.”
We went into our room where we found a small suite with a lounge, a separate bedroom and all of our bags unpacked and put away. “I hope you didn’t pack anything you shouldn’t,” I said, “I should have warned you that first-class service means everything gets done for you.”
He stood in wonder at the sight of the huge bed.
I got behind him and put my arms around his waist, pressing my breasts into his back. I could feel the tension rise. He turned, held me close, and then we kissed. This time it was a fullbloodied one that lasted while he ran his hands over my back, and then down to my butt to pull me against something that had come between us.
We were alone, the blood was rising, and a bed waited for us both to lose our virginity. I made sure that he slowed down a bit, because I didn’t want him to feel the indignity of a premature ejaculation.
We left our clothes in piles on the floor as we moved to the bed.
He certainly didn’t need any signpost to see where he wanted to go. I think that our first coupling was the climax of too many months of thinking about it, because it drained us both. We ended up with him pinning me to the bed with his weight as we both panted words of love.
After some minutes I whispered, “I think you might enjoy that shower now.” We got off the bed and walked into the bathroom, with me holding my hand to my groin to stop drips from falling on the floor.
Jordan got the shower going and we both got in and kissed with the water cascading over us.
It wasn’t long before he was ready again.
I put my arms around his neck, and he put his hands under my butt and he entered me again as I wrapped my legs around his waist. I was pushed against the shower wall as we kissed the whole time, he drove into me before he came, again.
We finished showering after that and wrapped ourselves in the soft towels to dry. Jordan was quiet for a while. I knew better than to interrupt his thoughts. I patted dry, put another towel on my head in a turban, and then went back into the bedroom to sit at the vanity and inspect my face.
I could see him in the mirror as he came out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist.
He came over, stood behind me, and put his hands on my shoulders.
I looked into his eyes in the mirror and knew what he was thinking. I put my hands over his. “Darling, you’re wondering if I’ve had sex with you because you’re Josie’s brother. That, my love, is as far from the truth as it can be. You have a lot of the mannerisms that Josie had, but you aren’t her. You’re the one and only Jordan and I love you for that fact only.”
I stood, we kissed and then we needed another shower twenty minutes later. When we dressed, I helped him choose something casual but smart and dressed myself in a fresh set of underwear with a skirt, top, and low sling-backs.
Out in the corridor again we walked hand in hand, very much the couple. We met Pet and Anton at the elevator. She took one look at us and winked at me. Down in the dining room, I could see that all of the guys had that smug look that said that they, too, had gotten lucky.
Allan and Helen joined us. We stood around and talked for a while.
Kelly came in and got us all seated. I could tell that she approved of us all. She had not met the other four before. I formally introduced her to them along with their partners.
Kelly told them all that she was very happy to see us all tonight, looking so happy and rested after our flight. We started a lovely meal, probably the best meal the guys had ever had.
Pet asked her if she knew what tomorrow night was all about.
“No, I don’t, and I usually get told these things. Algernon and I have done the odd bit of business together and he has donated to the orchestra. His wife, Fiona, was one of those Stepford wife types, always perfectly made-up and dressed, but shy. From what I heard she’s a different person lately. Maybe this has something to do with what tomorrow will reveal. You must all be prepared for an experience like no other you may have had. Algernon made his money in IT and has branched out into Aged Care Homes and Full-Service End of Life Hospices. I believe he’s making a lot more money at that.”
We finished the meal, had a few more drinks and retired back to our rooms to carry on whatever we had been doing before.
I got the chance to wear my new nightie for a little while but put it back on around midnight.
Jordan proved to be a loving, caring, and magnificent lover. I didn’t have any previous experience to gauge him by, but he was more than good enough for this girl.
We had a morning wake-up call and showered again before dressing for breakfast.
I had to tell him that a three-day weekend doesn’t mean one pair of underpants worn three times. We went via the hotel shop to get him some more, meeting Pet and Matt in there doing the same thing.
Pet said, “Men!” and we laughed.
After breakfast we had ten minutes to freshen up before a bus came to take us to the TV station where we were welcomed with open arms. We went through introductions with our very friendly station manager, who was surprised to see the whole band on his doorstep.
We were taken into a big boardroom where chairs had been set out. We were joined by the main camera and sound men and the post-production people,
The concert had been trimmed to two and a half hours. They had done that by dropping the ‘Serenade for Strings,’ and shortening the applause and silent periods. The rest of the musical content remained.
Pet sat on one side of me and held my hand while Jordan sat the other side and held the other, as if they thought I may jump up and run.
It was as I remembered from the sound. Seeing the visual as someone in the balcony had done was different. Hardly anyone moved until the last notes of the Swan died away. The credits rolled over the vision of us all making our bows, and then leaving the stage.
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 19
I had tears in my eyes. When I looked around, Pet and the other girls who had seen it already were also glistening. Jordan sat with tears streaming down his face. He turned to me and buried his head into my shoulder. Pet had let go of my hand and was comforting a weeping Anton. Ian and Matty were wet-eyed. Abigail was rocking a weeping Matt.
Flora said, “I think it still has the power to heal.”
It took some time for everyone to get back together. The two girls from post-production said that they had seen the last bit several times while working on it but hadn’t expected what they felt seeing it complete.
One said that she felt as if every bit of her fears and worries had fallen away and the other one agreed.
I asked both Janet and Helen if they were all right. Both of them said that they felt refreshed, rather than drained of bad thoughts.
I had worried that the effect may have reversed the original treatment. All of those unaffected in the room were seemingly those with no hang-ups that they knew of who were happy with their lives.
We kept the door firmly shut as we got our drinks from the tea and coffee that waited for us. Allan had red eyes as well.
I asked him if he’d seen the original performance as I remembered that he hadn’t been sitting beside Helen at the end.
He told me that as a technology nut he had been in the TV truck watching and talking to the producer and had been walking back toward the backstage as we had finished. He told me that my dad had told him that he was not having bad dreams any longer and that he would let me know in the morning if they had left him as well. No-one put forward the suggestion that the Swan should be cut.
The TV manager knew a good thing when he saw it. When we left the room, we were led to a studio where the six of us were made-up for TV. A set of flustered morning show hosts came in and spoke to us for about thirty minutes before we all got cleansed and normal make-up reapplied.
The guys had been sitting in the audience seats and were strictly instructed not to make a sound, as the normal audience would react in real time when the interview went out.
By the time we got to a restaurant for a lunch, Jordan had recovered, and his eyes were bright and darting around as if he was seeing the world for the first time and taking it all in.
“I envied Josie for being in the bright lights, but now see that it’s a lot of work. We’ve been pampered by everyone we meet and yet I feel like I’ve done a day of hard work. How can you girls stand it?”
Emily was standing nearby, and she answered for me. “How do we stand it? We just go with it and enjoy the life, honey. After the hard work of writing the music and the performing for two or three hours on stage, this is the easy part.”
After lunch we kissed our guys as they were taken away in the bus for a new experience. If they thought that the morning had involved pampering, they sure had a surprise waiting.
Allan, Helen, and Flora were whisked off in a town car. The six of us were bundled into a stretch to go to the salon where we all had the works, emerging back into the daylight looking, and feeling, like goddesses. Back in the stretch, we went to the dress shop where they were waiting for us with our outfits for the evening, along with the right shoes, bags, and jewels.
That all took the whole afternoon. When we got back to the hotel, we found five guys who may have been boys a few hours earlier. They now looked like successful businessmen.
“They scrub up well, I knew I should have brought one of my own,” remarked Janet.
Emily told her that she’ll get her chance another time.
We had some time to freshen up and assembled in the lobby, much to the amazement of other guests. We were joined by Allan and Helen who had their own glad-rags and then Flora, looking quite regal in something that I knew had been bought for the occasion.
We were told that our transport had arrived. When we went outside, we found seven town cars, one for each couple. The trip was quite a long one, as Algernon lived some way from the city.
We arrived on a small street, and I saw a sign that read Buckminster. I wondered if we were lost as this was not the huge estate I had envisioned. We pulled into the driveway of a property that looked like it may have once been two properties, where both had been altered to make one huge home.
There were plenty of cars there already and our driver told us that he would be contacted when we wanted to leave, because only the vehicles of the top people had room on the property. He confided that this was the first time the owners had put on a party like this. He hoped it wasn’t the last.
A valet opened the car door for us. We got out and the driver left by an exit gate, possibly to pick up more guests. The valet asked us to wait until all of our party had arrived. Jordan and I stood under a marquee as the others came in and joined us.
When we had all arrived, a footman came over and asked us to follow him. I say “footman” because he could have been an extra in a costume drama set in Victorian times. In the house, we were led into an obvious bit of remodelling because it was a sumptuous ballroom with a small band playing light music.
There were a lot of people already there, who turned to look at us as we entered. I saw Kelly in a magnificent evening dress with enough diamonds to drill to China.
She came over and told us that it was time to meet our hosts for the evening.
Jordan had been very gentlemanly, putting his arm out to put my hand on. He looked as if he was actually happy.
Kelly led us to where our hosts were. The couple left their conversation and came over to greet us. Algernon was a most impressive man, white-haired, with a cheery glint in his eyes. He gave me a hug and shook Jordan’s hand and welcomed us both to his “little” get-together.
His wife, on the other hand gasped when she saw me. She gave me a very strong hug and said, “Thank you, I think you’re the one who changed my life!”
Pet and Anton got the same treatment. We stepped aside for the rest of the band to be introduced. Fiona then beckoned to a couple of teenage girls to come and meet their favorite band. We all gave them both a hug and told them that we were happy to meet them.
We were then free to circulate and meet the rest of the guests. Many seemed to know who we were. Others told Pet and me how much they enjoyed the concert. Some even said that the Pixies show had been great.
Jordan was doing well, talking freely.
I wondered if this morning chased away all of his inner demons. I half listened to the small band. They were pretty good at what they did.
Eventually we were ushered into a similar-sized room next door, which had been set up with tables and chairs. We were led to a long table where our whole group were seated along with Kelly, Richard and our host and his family. We were on the top table with a billionaire.
What else was in store?
The meal was good and surprisingly normal. No great chef tricks, but decent service, hot, and tasty. The dessert was also simple.
I had the thought that this billionaire must have come from a much lower stock and had not left his roots far behind. I noted that no-one was leaving anything on their plates. Looking across the other tables I noticed the orchestra leader and all the firsts among the other guests.
When we had all finished eating and had drinks in our hands, our host stood, went to a microphone, and then asked for quiet. “I know you are all wondering why you are here tonight. We haven’t been known for being social butterflies in the past. I can assure you that this is the first event of many in the future. My wife and my daughters attended a concert a few weeks ago where they were entertained by the fabulous Pixies. I thank the entire band who have joined us tonight.”
People applauded.
He went on. “I didn’t go to that show but did go to the concert organized by my good friend Lady Grove, which, my daughters told me, featured two of the entertainers from the week before, in a totally different guise. I’ve spoken to several people who explained that it was a debut for both young ladies due to the advertised soloist calling in sick. The concert I saw looked like it was presented by seasoned performers. They both showed a level of talent that no-one had suspected. That concert had a profound effect on both me and my wife. We both cried at the end, and it leads me to the announcements I’m making tonight.”
He stopped for a sip of water. “Tonight, I’m announcing a donation from my company to the orchestra to allow them to attract the stars that we want to see in Boston. That donation will be five million dollars a year, for the next ten years.”
The other diners applauded.
I could see the orchestra members at their tables hugging and smiling.
“Good for them,” I thought. “It made our involvement well worthwhile”.
He then looked at his smiling wife, “One of the effects of that concert was that we both, and many others in the hall, found ourselves crying. With our tears, we appeared to lose our fears and inhibitions. With that in mind, I have talked to my managers, and we have come up with something which should help others to release their own fears. A great number of our countrymen suffer from depression and anxiety. To address this, I will invest ten million dollars into an Institute which will look into the effect of music on the frail, infirm, and anxious people within my own clinics. We need to try to understand just what makes music a healing force.”
Again, much applause followed his remarks.
“I wanted to call it the Grosse-Flower Institute but was given to understand that the two angels who played that night have enough on their plate. Instead, it will be known as the Grove Institute. Lady Grove has agreed to be its first Chairperson. We will make room in one of our hospitals and recruit a team of specialists to explore the concept.”
During more applause, Pet turned to me. “Thank goodness for that. If I ever get something named after me, it will have to be a music school.”
I wasn’t unhappy. Kelly had put a long time into bringing music to the good folk of Boston. I expected that she would be fantastic as the Chairperson.
Before he sat down again Algernon had one more trick up his sleeve. “Tonight, I also announce, on top of the donation to the orchestra, a yearly underwriting of one night of the season, continuing indefinitely. It will allow Lady Grove, and her successors, to put together a concert of their choosing with all costs covered. I know that she’ll use this to bring innovation to the stage and probably make us question our likes and dislikes in classical music.”
More applause followed.
I could see the members of the orchestra hugging and high fiving. The endowment would cement about one eighth of a long season and free scarce funds for other things.
Again, I wondered why we were here. Then I looked through the doors to the ballroom where the band had moved back, and a cello, violin, and viola was revealed. I nudged Pet. “Looks like we may be asked to be the after-dinner entertainment.”
She looked and laughed. I then glanced to Antonio at one of the other tables, who smiled broadly, and then gave me an exaggerated wink.
Before he sat down, Algernon looked over to us. “Tonight, while it’s not possible to bring you the complete orchestra, I humbly ask Edweena and Petunia, if they could join Antonio to recreate that last piece of music that broke our barriers and cleansed our souls.”
We both smiled and nodded. The meal carried on, as he sat down.
“Surely they should have asked you before, if you wanted to play?” Jordan asked in a whisper.
I said that it seemed to be part of my life that some performances came out of the blue. “Anyway,” I added. “We’re the Sisters and the Sisters Rule.”
When the meal was over, we all stood and mingled for a while. Pet and I found Antonio and we went into the ballroom to make sure the instruments, the same ones we had played on stage, were playable and in tune.
The small band had left their kit on the stage, including a standard set of drums, a couple of guitars, and a keyboard. Tucked away beside the stage I noticed what looked like a piano under a dust sheet and went to have a peek. It was a baby grand and a plan sneaked into my brain.
I pointed out everything to Pet.
She didn’t have to be told what I was thinking.
“Tell Jan that she should use brushes and tell the others to play quietly,” I hissed.
She went off to talk to the others. I went to see Fiona to ask her if we could have the piano uncovered and pushed forward as I would like to play a little bit, before we did the Swan. She thought it would be lovely and went off to get a couple of the footmen to do the job.
I spoke to Antonio, told him what I was planning and asked him if he would like to be on stage with us and maybe pluck the cello like a bass to some of our songs. He smiled and said he would love it.
I added that the first viola may like to join in if she liked.
He said she was a fan, and it would be a high point for her. I then went to find Abigail and told her that I wanted to play a few etudes on the piano to get things moving. I asked her to wander over, stand by the piano, and be ready when I moved into the introduction of one of our songs.
Lastly, I went over to Kelly and Algernon and said that I had seen the piano and we just couldn’t do the Swan without a bit of musical lead-up. He smiled and told me that I could do as I wished, and he would be happy to listen.
He then went to the microphone, “Ladies and Gentlemen. Miss Edweena Grosse has said that she would play a little piano music before we hear the main event. If you would like to carry your chairs into the ballroom, you may be more comfortable.”
In the meantime, I went over to Moyra and Beverley, his two daughters and asked them if they liked Sisters music.
Moyra beamed, “Oh, yes, we sometimes sing to our hairbrushes.”
I grinned mischievously, “I’m going to play a little trick on your dad. There’ll be a bit more than a couple of tunes tonight. If you feel the desire to come up on the stage and sing along, we will be happy to have you join in.” I gave them a wink and they giggled.
The guests all started moving into the ballroom. I found Jordan in a deep conversation with Matt. When I got to them, Jordan said, “Matt and I were just talking about our experiences this morning. He was telling me that although he had been a football star in college, when he thought about the responsibility of playing for money, he couldn’t bring himself to try out.”
Matt nodded. “Yes, but, after this morning I feel as if it doesn’t matter any longer, I’m going to try out at a team that has offered me a place. If I get picked, I’m going to do my best and not worry about failure. I feel free now.”
I smiled. “That’s good. Now, we’re going to play the Swan tonight a little later. I want you to both think hard about how it affects you. Janet told me that she felt refreshed, after hearing it the second time this morning, so let me know if you feel the same. Jordan, darling, I’m afraid that I have to go and earn our place in tonight’s soiree, but I promise to make it up to you later.”
I wandered over to the piano and ran my fingers up the keyboard to make sure it was in tune. I started playing a little Erik Satie piece to allow the guests to stop talking and start listening.
I had my back to them so couldn’t see what was happening but could sense that they were now seated and concentrating. I moved into a couple of the etudes and then the ragtime mix of Pixies tunes. Abigail came and leaned against the piano and gave me a wink. As the ragtime mix finished, I went straight into the intro of one of the ballads and Abigail started singing.
It was all low key. As we went through the song, I heard Janet come in on the brushes and it was all very nightclub-like. There was a bit of polite applause when we finished, but I went straight into another ballad. As it progressed, I could sense movement on the stage as Emily joined in on keyboard and Joyce brought in the guitar. With the next song, Pet was on the stage. I also heard a bass line emerging from the cello followed by the viola.
We did another slow and easy ballad.
Pet then led us into one of our hits.
Finally, we were joined by the sisters who came up and sang along with us through a string of three of our hit numbers that we were sure they would know.
I nodded to Abigail.
She looked at Pet and gave a sweep with her finger to say it was the last. As we finished, I stood and turned to face our small audience. Not all had been seated. There were several couples standing in the empty spaces clapping, so there must have been some dancing.
I took a small bow and then went up on stage, hugged the sisters who looked like they had just won the lottery. I then took the violin from Pet, who collected the viola from the first as she left the stage smiling broadly.
The other Sisters all then went back to their guys.
Pet, Antonio, and I prepared to play the Swan as the last item for the night. It was deathly quiet as Antonio drew his bow over the strings and we went deep into the joy of the music.
I played, as I usually did, with my eyes shut. When, as the last notes hung in the air, I opened them to see a number of guests weeping openly, while the others started applauding. I looked at Jordan who smiled and gave me the thumbs up, so it may have refreshed him as I thought it would.
Kelly and Algernon came over. Algernon got up on stage and gave the three of us a hug and then turned to the audience. “I think I’ll make another announcement tonight. At least one of next year’s orchestra seasons has to include this wonderful group we have just been entertained by. What we’ve just heard were not the Pixies, but something far more refined. I think they have a long career ahead of them. I do thank you girls for lighting up my party and you’re all welcome any time you’re in Boston.”
Moyra and Beverley were off with their friends, hugging everyone they could. I could see some of their friends showing them pictures on their phones, so I guess that they will be the center of attention for a little while.
Kelly was standing next to me with her arm over my shoulder, as if I was a long-lost daughter. “Kelly, I think that the first thing you and the Institute should look into is the effect of tonal harmonics. I’m not sure if it was just the tune, but more the effect of the three different instruments. It may even just be a single chord played together that causes a harmonic in a person that causes them to be released. It doesn’t affect those who are stable and have no hang-ups. It refreshes those who’ve heard it before. The thing is that I’ve never heard the Swan played as a trio like ours before.”
She gave shoulder a squeeze. “Thank you, Doctor Edie, you may well be right. I feel as if I had just had a good shower followed by a brandy. Come along, it’s time you met a few more of the guests. I think they want to speak to you.”
On the way we collected Jordan who looked like he had just gotten out of bed, he was so bright. I thought, wickedly, that next time he gets out of bed he’ll look a bit more ragged.
Kelly introduced us to three couples who were friends of hers and all had different orchestras. All three wanted to talk about Pet and me gracing their stages. One even started talking about an orchestral Pixies’ concert.
I referred all three to Allan, who Kelly had beckoned over. As the discussion continued, I found that one had a big orchestra in Chicago, another hailed from Washington, and the guy who wanted a full band on stage was from New York.
Allan told them to put forward their proposals and likely dates. He would see what we could do. He gave them his business card.
I asked them to let me know what they wanted us to play because we may not be as lucky as we were here in Boston.
The Chicago guy asked, “Lucky, how?”
Kelly told them that we had only been brought in for the concert with a two-day notice.
He marvelled. “You did a whole concert with just two days’ grace?”
“Wow,” said another. “How long did it take you to rehearse what we heard tonight?”
Kelly laughed. “Rehearsal, what’s that? Tonight, was out of the box and totally off the cuff. Even I haven’t heard these girls play that way before. My two firsts certainly hadn’t left the hall today. No! That was pure improvisation.”
Richard had joined the conversation. “When I first walked in on these girls, they were playing a piece that sounded like a couple of concert violinists. When Edie said she could do the Warsaw and Number One I found it difficult to believe. Then I found it difficult to deny the raw talent that was on stage with me. I’ve been told that the TV performance has been finalized.”
Allan said that we had seen it and it was very good. “The DVD should sell well in the classics genre, but I think that with the right marketing it will do well on the general sales, seeing who’s on it.”
Richard asked, “Did the Swan do her trick on screen?”
Allan said it had.
The New York guy asked, “Trick, what trick?”
“Something about that piece,” I said. “The way we play it, has a healing power, but it only works well on people with fears and hang-ups.”
He scoffed. “Now that’s something I find difficult to believe!”
“Why don’t you ask your wife what she felt,” I pointed out. “You don’t get eyes like that, without a few tears.”
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 20
He turned to look at his wife. “Did you feel something, darling?”
“Of course, I did, you big lump. Not that you would notice without being told.” She came over to me and hugged me. “Thank you, I think my husband may be in for a torrid time, because now I’m able to stand up for myself. I know how I can get my way in future.”
“Go get him, girl,” I smiled.
She stepped back, now beside him, not behind as she had been before.
I turned to Kelly. “I think that it may be time we left for the hotel. It’s been a long day.”
Kelly took me aside, “Please hang about a while, until the others have left. You girls have really made Algernon’s party one that will be spoken about for months. I rather think that he would very much like to have a quiet discussion, afterward. He’s a dear friend and I’m proud to know him, especially now he’s seen the light of the real world. He’s been a driven man up to now and may be ready to open up. Not to say that he didn’t open up already tonight. You realize that his input will guarantee the orchestra continues for a long time. I rather believe that it’s all because of you girls.”
Jordan and I went back to the band. They had congregated in a group with a few extras.
Antonio was there, so I went and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek, “Well played, maestro. We wowed them, again.”
“Edie, there’s a lot I have to thank you for and one of them is that Richard has asked me to solo in one of the cello concertos next year. It would never have happened without the Swan.”
I congratulated him and told him he deserved it. The viola first also came over and gave me a hug, telling me that it had been an absolute honor to be on stage with the Pixies.
I saw the small band starting to take down their kit. I went over and thanked them for the use of their instruments.
The guitar played snorted. “You’re thanking us? It’s us who should thank you girls. That was an honor to be able to watch. It was a masterclass on how to entertain and I know all of us learned something. I had my phone filming Joyce as she played. And you, well you did things on the piano that would have my teacher pulling her hair out. How on earth did your teacher let you get away with those fingerings?”
I laughed. “Teacher? What teacher? I’m purely self-taught by listening to albums, reading sheet music, and playing along on an old upright that my Dad saved from the dump at the junior high school. It was the same with guitar, and the violin.”
“You play guitar as well? Please show us, so I can tell people that the great Edie Grosse has played my guitar.”
I picked up his guitar, which was still plugged in, and started playing a few tunes while he filmed me.
The orchestra guys saw me and came over. “Pity you never took up classical guitar.”
I just had to start playing some Segovia pieces for him. “That’ll take the wind out of his sails,” I thought. Silly me. Richard and Kelly had big grins, and I could tell that Allan had his cha-chinging coin mind in overdrive.
The New Yorker asked, when I stopped. “Do you know the Rodrigo?”
I played a bit of that wonderful tune from the Concierto de Aranjuez. Joyce also stood and watched with a look of interest in her eyes. I didn’t go very far with it because it sounds better with an orchestra.
Richard asked. “How many dates have you clear next year, Edie? We could feature you in the double violin concert that we have planned. We could do another piano concerto. Now you’ve just shown us that we could run a guitar concert. How many more instruments do you play?”
I told him that he’d heard my complete package.
Slowly, the other guests took their leave. In the end, it was just us and the hosts and a photographer from the social pages, who posed us in various groupings, before he thanked Algernon for the invitation and left.
Algernon took us back into the dining area. We sat at the top table again and he had his footmen bring out the best brandy. “A toast to whatever angel is watching over us. My life is turned on its head. My girls have been on the stage singing with pop stars and my wife has a lifetime of social scene ahead of her.”
We all answered. “To the angel!”
I’m not a spirits drinker and that brandy was like fire in the throat followed by a warm feeling in the stomach.
He added. “Tonight, I announced a number of donations for things that will bolster my own businesses. I’d like to do something that has no direct link with me. Does anyone have any ideas?”
Everyone looked blank.
I nodded. “Yes, I’ve an idea. I know of a couple of guys who were injured in Afghanistan, and it has had a profound effect on my life as well as theirs. Could you sponsor a concert tour that’s aimed at veterans? It could still be your company that’s the naming sponsor, but it will only benefit the vets. It could even be a free show with invited guests only if you want to keep the venue size down.”
Allan had a smile on his face. He knew who I was talking about, even if no-one else did.
Algernon looked shocked. “I served in Vietnam. Since your concert I’ve had no more bad dreams. That’s a great idea, Edie. What do the rest of you think?”
“Don’t worry about asking,” Fiona said. “I think there’s no one here tonight who will disagree with Edie. I think it’s brilliant and we could pay for some of the anti-war singers to hang our flag out for all to see. We could also have patriotic singers who will sing to the vets themselves.”
“For Those Who Served” concerts sprang into life that night. It would become a part of my life but didn’t know it then. We drank to the new project. Finally, we picked up our things and were led by our beaming hosts to the front door where a line of town cars waited just for us. We completed a session of hugs, kisses, and “thank you for coming / inviting us” before we went to our cars.
Our driver held the door for us. I thanked him for waiting so long. He grinned and told me that he was on a special rate since midnight and that he should thank me for buying his next phone for him.
Back at the hotel, Jordan and I went straight to the elevators, up to our floor, into our suite to shed our glad rags on the way to bed. I was tired, but he was a new man with strength and purpose and a totally different technique in bed, from the night before. He played my body like a violin.
I had several orgasms before he came. I lay cradled in his arms and just went to sleep. Who cared about the wet spot?
In the morning I woke up with him gazing at me.
“Wot choo lookin’ at, den?” We laughed, and he kissed me once more. I lay in his arm with my head on his shoulder.
He smiled over at me. “Sweetheart, I still can’t believe that I’m in bed with you. I find it hard to believe what happened yesterday. It was like someone’s dream, but I was living in it. That Algernon was a really nice guy. I talked to a billionaire.”
“Just think, darling, he may be in his bed with his wife right now, saying, ‘I can’t believe that I had a friendly discussion with that nice Jordan.”
We showered, dressed, and picked up last night’s clothing before we went down for breakfast.
Jordan asked, “What about these outfits?”
I told him that the outfitters would come by the hotel to pick them up. We only got charged if they were damaged.
At breakfast you could tell who had a good night sleeping. The rest of us just looked like we had a good night. Allan told me that he didn’t have his usual dream and Helen said that it was probably the first night without it since they were married.
Matt was as bright as a button as he looked through the national morning paper for the football results.
Abigail remarked, “The way we played last night was dreamy, not how we usually do things. I wonder if we could recreate the sound for the Stability album; it would certainly be different.”
I told her that we had better leave that for a couple of albums in the future, because it was something we should keep back for private functions like last night.
Joyce asked, “Do you think we’ll be asked to more, then?”
I told them all about the three guys with orchestras who were keen to get us on their stages. I thought that they would have sponsors in Chicago, Washington, and New York who may put something on.
“Then you can play more of that classical guitar,” Joyce said, “Last night was fabulous when you did the bit of the Rodrigo. Can you play it all from memory?”
I told her that I had played a lot of things when I was young, accompanying albums. I hadn’t played that piece for about ten years. I would have to listen to it again to reset the memory.
I told her that knowing lots of small pieces we played on stage was harder because it was all different tunes, different times, and different keys. Classical music, even the long concertos, had a progression, usually, which made them easier to remember, even if you couldn’t remember the end when you started at the beginning.
Allan told us that he thought we may have some dates in the next couple of years alongside orchestras. It was a good thing because it widened the buying demographic. Then he asked, “What about that suggestion at the end -- the shows for the vets?”
Pet said that she thought we would not be in many, seeing the age of the audience. Algernon or Fiona would need to create an office and a set of contacts, to put all the shows together.
Flora said that she thought that if they set up for shows on military bases with local vets bussed in, the singers and players might be able to be transported by the military, as it would be a good look for the current administration.
A waitress brought us a few copies of the local paper and said that we should look at the society page. There was an article with the heading ‘Local Businessman to Sponsor Orchestra’ and an article about the things he had announced with photos, and a rider that the Pixies had performed for the guests.
There were a couple of sidebars on the group and also of Pet and me as concert soloists. The writer had remembered pretty much everything we had talked about. I thought that the overall article was a good report on the evening.
Allan kept a couple of the papers to add to his clipping file which must be in its second or third book. We stood up to leave the table and Allan told us we had twenty minutes to be back in the lobby, as our morning was now filled.
We went back to our rooms to pack, ready for the flight this afternoon and then assembled again in the lobby. A bus picked us up and we were taken to the big Aged Care center where Algernon and Fiona were waiting.
We spent a couple of hours talking to the residents and signing autographs as many of the women there were Stable Sisters fans. The old guys were just happy to see six bright young women grace their home.
Jordan asked me why we did it.
I told him that with what Algernon had put into the orchestra and, indirectly, our band; it was a small thing to do in return. We played on stage to make people happy, and it was just the same sort of thing that we were doing now, making people happy, especially those whose whole world was now enclosed by four walls.
He gazed into my eyes. “Edie, my darling, you six are all angels. I’m honored to be among you.”
Algernon and Fiona got on the bus with us when we left and directed our driver to a very good restaurant with their own driver following. We had another great meal.
Jordan remarked that if he came on other trips, he would have to get an exercise machine.
I told him that there was one in the stable he could use.
After lunch, we picked up our bags and the bus took us to the airport. While we were waiting in the first-class lounge, Jordan and I sat a little way off so we could talk. I said, “Darling, I have a nice big bed at home, but I don’t think your mother would appreciate you moving out before you graduate as a vet. Once the clinic has been built and you’re working from the farm, we may be able to steal some evenings. Before then, I think, we’ll have to find whatever time we can.”
He agreed and said that his mother had been very protective of him since Josie went off the rails, at an early age. He was glad I wasn’t pushing it, but wondered if he could wait.
He then floored me when he asked if it was possible for him to be listed as the father on the paperwork for Alicia.
“That depends on the state laws,” I answered. “It would be awkward if I was listed as the mother having been a male at the time of birth. If we put Josie down as the mother, then you could be charged with incest.”
He went white and swallowed. “I didn’t think of that.”
“If we put down that Edward Grosse is the father and Josephine Sanders the mother, we can adopt Ali when we’re husband and wife, if you want. We’ll have to contact Josie to get her permission, but I don’t see her standing in the way.
Allan called the two of us over to the rest. “I’ve just been talking to Emily who tells me that you’re all now certain you want to move on as the Stable Sisters. Is that correct?”
We all said it was, so he carried on. “I don’t have much for a couple of months. There’s just a show back in Chicago, which Jack can advertise as a Sisters show. Beyond that Harry wants you back in his hall for a Halloween show, again. After that you’re back in Cleveland late in November and that can revert to the Sisters as well. Are you all sure of this? The Pixies have a proven record and dropping the name could lower your income.”
Pet argued for all of us. “If we play as the Sisters, I think we may lose some of our country rock followers. But when you look at the existing Sisters album sales, I think we may get some of those along to shows because they’ll be happier without the rowdy crowd. We may even gain numbers. We decided that from here on, we’re playing for ourselves. We’ll need to set aside dates for possible classical concerts for the entire group. Those will need a lot more rehearsal than we’re used to.”
Joyce agreed. “If we do go more up-market we won’t have to play lots of shows in big venues because our fans won’t expect it. I’m excited by the idea of doing a show with a full orchestra. I’m sure that Pet and Edie will come up with suitable songs that would fit. I’m all for taking it slower and more rehearsed because I think we may last longer that way.”
We all nodded, and Allan said, “Right, as long as I know what way you’re thinking and that you’re all behind it. I think you’re right to go that way. Let’s face it, if you cement your place as mature artists you stand a chance of going until you’re ready to retire instead of burning out and playing tiny halls in the boondocks for peanuts, while wondering how it all went wrong. I’ll see if I can get you into a Christmas show but it won’t be as crazy as the last one you did.”
When we got back to Detroit our bus was there for us and the porters loaded it with our luggage as we got on board. I told Jordan that he was now in normal class and would have to carry his bag into his home.
We all agreed that when the guys got home their parents or flatmates would hardly know them with the new haircuts and new appreciation of their own worth.
Matt was itching to contact the football team and start playing again. Anton had told us that his fear of rejection for his songs was gone and that he would be submitting ideas and tunes with the aim that the Sisters would play them. Matty and Ian had not undergone the full effect, but both said they had a new desire to do well.
One by one, they were dropped off. The rest of us sat in the bus as couples kissed. When it was time for Jordan to get out, we kissed first, and then got out together.
I spoke to Alicia while he retrieved his bag. I told her to expect a different son in the house from here on as the trip had opened his eyes to the wide world and the possibilities it held for him. Finally, I was alone with Allan and Helen.
Helen sat next to me on the way to the farm. She told me that since I had come into their lives, they both had been cleansed and were ready for anything. She laughed, “With you around, young Edweena, anything is possible.”
I told them that I would take them home if they wanted to stop for a while. When we got to the farm, we unloaded all of our cases and sent the driver on his way.
In the house, my folks greeted us, and Mom said that she could cobble something simple for dinner. We said that we could do simple, after what we had over the weekend.
Allan and Dad went off and Helen and I helped Mom while talking about our experiences of the last few days. Mom was amazed at the fact that we had been honored guests of a billionaire. Helen told her that the band did have to sing for their supper.
Over dinner Dad said, “Allan tells me that you are going to do shows next year for vets. I’m proud of you girls for that. Many of us feel that we’ve been totally forgotten.”
I was feeding Ali at the time and blushed. “It’s just an idea we floated. It’s up to Algernon and Fiona to get put into action.”
Allan then said that I would be pretty busy, if everything happened that had been spoken about. He said that Pet and I would possibly be on a few concert stages and that even the whole band might get a few shows in that environment. When I thought about it there didn’t seem a lot of time for Sisters shows, especially if we did a couple of albums.
We loaded up the Mustang with their cases and I drove them home, helping them take them out when we got to their house.
They both hugged me. Helen gave me a kiss on the cheek and told me that I was a true angel.
I drove home and thought that I doubted that angels drive a Mustang.
Over the next few weeks, we put together a long set with the six of us and different mixes of instruments. Joyce asked me if I could teach her how to play classical guitar. One day, we went to one of the big instrument shops and each picked new ones.
We tried them out in the store, creating a bit of mayhem as the customers realized just who was sitting there and playing something very different. We had never had to bother with buying instruments before, because we had all started out with what we normally used.
By the time we left the store, and put two cases in the Mustang, we had been in a deep conversation with the manager, who had promised to sponsor us should we need anything.
We referred him to Allan and gave him a card which we all tended to carry these days. From then on Joyce would come over to the studio where I showed her the way to play and some of the tricks while Ali would look on from her stroller in wonder. She was growing so fast!
In the middle of October, she had her first birthday. The highchair almost wore as much creamy cake as her face. It was a lovely day for Jordan, me, both sets of grandparents, and godparents to be.
We played Chicago like we’d never been away or had any problems. We did more Sisters songs and the crowd loved it. For once, there was no call for the Devil as a finale, after we had finished with a string of hits.
Between that show and Halloween, we revisited our previous set and added some more that Pet had rejigged in a spooky way. The thing that stumped us was what costume we would wear. We didn’t want to be witches again.
Janet suggested that we all dress as brides but instead of white we have an apricot color.
No-one disputed that so we went to see our costume shop, who said they couldn’t help. Then we went to our dress shop. They were only too happy to outfit us in apricot dresses with short trains and half-veils so we could sing. They had several white wedding dresses, left over from the previous year, on the racks that they could dye. The manager said that she would get them reworked, with a long slit in the side so we could expose a lace garter with a black ribbon.
The show itself wasn’t like the one we’d done so long before. There were two bands on before us. They had reworked their own songs to have a spooky feel. When we went on, we got a lot of guys who called out for us to marry them, including our own guys that were in the audience dressed as grooms. When we finished, we had them come up on the stage to lead us off in twos.
The five guys who had been on the trip were now constant companions when we went away.
Janet had finally snared her singing pupil, Colin, who was only too happy to be mixing with the rest of us. I think that the first time they shared a room in Chicago was the first time for other things, because it was a different couple who went back home the next day.
We kept our Chicago set for Cleveland.
Allan got us another show in Harry’s hall, where we did a half and half Christmas show. It was half our own songs and half traditional carols, with some of the local stable of stars on stage with us.
It was a lovely show, and everyone had a good time. Mom and Dad were there along with Ma and Pa with Jordan and Ali, far more aware of things around her. She loved the music and kept jiggling whenever she heard it. Perhaps she’s destined to be a dancer when she grows up.
The christening was a rousing success, as far as the preacher was concerned. He had a full house, with more outside, and gave a sermon that included a lot of pointed remarks about fidelity and love.
Jordan and I stood next to the font when Alicia Elizabeth Sanders was christened. A lot of press attended. The odd thing was that they mostly got the wrong end of the stick and wrote that Jordan was the father, and I was the mother. We didn’t make that mistake on the official paperwork.
Jordan was now into his third year. Brad was way ahead on the chicken shed conversion. He had the plans approved and the slab had been poured and the steel frame erected before the weather stopped things. The chickens that were left were all in the back of that shed with a partition built to keep the weather out. They would all be gone by March.
The second shed had been finished and was in the early days of production. We had also put a gate into the horse yard in front of the stable. Brad didn’t take long to build a steel frame open fronted shed to house all the cars.
A stone roadway with a generous parking area had been laid. That would leave the area in front of the new vet clinic clear for customers.
Before Christmas I received an official invitation to play a piano concerto in Boston in April, followed by the same in Washington in June. New York had commissioned us to present a full show with them in July. Boston wanted Pet and me for the double violin concert in August.
Allan had put together a tour around the country for the Sisters, with two cities a week over a sixteen-week period, which was broken up by our concert commitments. It looked as if the coming year was going to be busy for the Sisters. We scheduled recording sessions in February and March and another lot in October and November.
One of the last events of the year was the release of our classical DVD, which was number one in the classics charts on debut and inside the top one hundred in even the pop charts.
Allan gave each of the Sisters a box of twenty to give out.
Marianne Gregory © 2022
Chapter 21
Christmas Eve, the family sat in our lounge to watch it. I had put some serious money into the family coffers and Dad had bought a giant flat screen TV and sound bars.
That night, Jordan and I cuddled on one sofa with Ali on our laps. Jordan had finally admitted to his mother that we were a couple. She, surprisingly, was happy to go along with it, considering that many in the wide world thought we already were Ali’s parents.
He and I would be spending the night in the stable.
Mom and Dad were on one two-seater while Ma and Pa were on another. Doris was on a single chair. We had eaten a good meal and were all ready to snooze when Dad put the DVD into the machine and the screen lit up.
I sat and watched Pet do her part, and then myself on the screen with the violin first, and later coming out to sit at the piano.
The sound through our new system was fantastic. I was almost crying listening to my piano playing and remembering the sheer exultation of the moment. Finally, there were the encores, and I introduced the Swan Trio.
When the credits rolled as we left the stage, I could hear sobbing. When I looked around Doris was weeping and, strangely, so was Alicia, who was being comforted by Brad.
Now that was a way to end a year!
Mom got up and went to Doris, while Jordan handed me Ali to go and help his own mother. Brad was at a loss and Dad took him aside to get something hot for both women, once they’d recovered. I went and sat on one side of Alicia to hold her hand while Jordan held her and told her that he understood. I looked down at Ali, who had tears in her own eyes.
When the tears had slowed down, we sat at the kitchen table while the Sanders were brought up to speed on the “Swan Effect.”
Alicia looked at Brad.
“Darling Brad, before you I’d been a tramp like Josie. You were my saviour but before you came along, I’d already had two abortions. It’s lucky that I was still able to have Josie and Jordan.”
He kissed her.
“I knew, my love. I was told by one of your friends that you were a tramp and to stay away. I was certain that you were the woman for me, and for life.”
“I’ve had that bottled up for twenty-five years and stressed the whole time for nothing?”
She sobbed. They clung to each other and kissed.
Doris, it turned out, was like Helen and Mom. All three had seen things when they had been in the military that had followed them in their dreams. Mom told her that she’ll now be able to sleep at night.
Dad and Jordan carried the cot over to the stable. It looked like our first night there, together, will have a little spectator. Mom helped Doris into the bedroom and then came back to give me another hug and a thanks for helping her friend.
Alicia also hugged me firmly and told me she was happy for tonight as it freed her to live the rest of her life. She went off to the bedroom to get ready for bed. Brad came over to give me a big hug, telling me that it was my magic that gave him his love back.
Jordan held Ali while I went and got her things for the night. When I got back, he was smiling.
“Ali just said her first word to me. She called me Daddums.”
She and I had been reading and looking at picture books - but so far, her speaking had only been approximations of the animal names. I took Ali from him, and he carried her things over to the stable. When she saw the cot, she distinctly said. “Sleepies, Mommy” which made me start crying as I undressed her. I made sure she was clean before I put her in her sleepsuit and laid her in the cot.
I kissed her forehead, “Goodnight, Alicia, sweet dreams.”
“Night, Mommy”.
I stood there dumbfounded.
“I wonder if the Swan did some magic on her tonight?” Jordan asked. “That was the first time she’d heard it and she has been a little slow in talking up to now.”
He had to hold me as I sobbed. Then we undressed and went to bed to make the most passionate love. We kept it quiet in case we woke the baby. It seemed lovelier because we held back and took it slow and easy. I think that if I’d been a real girl that night, I might have made a baby of my own.
Christmas day was wonderful. Presents were given and received with a lot more love and feeling than I’ve ever known. I was here, with people who had all had the Swan treatment, all bright and cheerful. Only Brad had been unaffected, but he was a strong, silent type already, with a grounded outlook. Mom, Dad, and Doris had all been stripped of their bad dreams and Jordan had had his youthful fears removed and was a better man for it.
Alicia had her guilt leave her and my Alicia had whatever had stopped her talking totally removed. She had become a baby chatterbox and laughed a lot when she played with her toys. In fact, for her age, she was positively precocious.
We all stayed happily together until January. On the first day of the New Year Brad and Alicia needed to go home to start the year and get Brads’ business back into life.
Jordan told them that he was staying with me and would be home later in the week to pick up his things.
His parents said that they were happy for him and when they left, they both held Ali and she gurgled. “Bye, Gran, bye Gramps.”
Doris was also going to leave as she now felt strong enough to go and visit her family, something she said she couldn’t do before. Her bad dreams had been likely to wake them up.
I told her to take my old car and use it as her own.
“Just let me know when it needs any servicing, I’ll pay for it.”
She told us that being with us over the last year had been wonderful, but Christmas Eve had been extra special.
By the end of the day, Dad, Jordan, and I had taken out the single beds in the big bedroom and replaced them with the big one from the stable.
Ali had her cot back in her room and said, “Thank you, Mommy,” when I reset her hanging mobile over it. We made up the singles in the stable. Mom made us a family dinner for the three generations: my parents, my husband to be, and my baby. It was perfect.
With the New Year came new commitments. I needed to start working on the next Sisters album to be recorded for release later in the year. We had decided most things but felt that we wanted to add more instruments. We had to discuss what session players we would need and set aside time for them to try out the pieces.
I knew that Pet and Anton would have that in hand. In the meantime, I had to find somewhere with a concert grand where I could practice my concert piece.
I discussed this with Jordan, who suggested that we simply extend one wall of the studio, yet again. We could put a grand in before we rebuilt the wall. It looked easy and when Brad was at the farm again, I asked him if it was possible.
He smiled and told me that the original extension had been built with that sort of thing in mind. It would only take a month.
Kelly had requested Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto Number 2. It lasted about forty minutes. Rachmaninoff had big hands and his chords were often difficult for women. With my hands also a bit larger, and a bit stronger, they helped me with some of the more aggressive chords.
I got on to my favorite music store to order a concert grand and Brad gave me a time window in which it could be installed. By the end of February, the new studio had been doubled in size and the old upright looked dowdy with a concert grand gleaming in the lights.
I didn’t play it until the acoustic tiles had been put up. Then only with the store’s tuner on hand to see if it needed tweaking. While the studio was being extended, I also had a proper mixing board with multi-track tape and digital recording equipment installed. All we needed was a producer, and we could make our own masters in future.
The day I played the piano, my father was on hand to operate the recording gear, having taken a course with the suppliers.
Ali cried when she saw the grand and wanted one her size, so we went to a toy shop and I bought her one in her size, with sixteen keys. The tuner restrung it with proper strings and she was happy when I showed her how to play Chopsticks.
With the set-up we now had it was a breeze to record the next album in-house with me at the piano, and a few session players from the local orchestra to round out the sound. Stability turned out to be the best seller to date and found a place on the M.O.R. charts as well.
We could buy off-the-shelf backing of the orchestral parts of concertos. This allowed me to play almost anything I wanted with a full orchestra. If the orchestra opened, I just followed.
If the piano opened, Dad would start the backing at the right point. We got the similar backing for single and double violin concertos, especially the Mozart in C and the Bach in D minor that Kelly had suggested. With this it was easy for Pet and me to be concert ready before we even got to rehearse with the live orchestra.
Another thing that had a future effect was that I now had room in the control room to get a load of shelves installed for our CDs and for my own collection. It had been in drawers, boxes, and cupboards all over the place. It was quite an impressive collection when it was put in the shelves as it amounted to several hundred CDs.
Joyce was still coming around to learn classic guitar, something she was getting very good at. We had the backing disc to the Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez which we were very close to have mastered as a double guitar piece.
We were relaxing with a cup of coffee, and she was gazing at my CD collection and pulled one off the shelf.
“What on earth is this? I’ve never heard of these guys.” She asked.
I took it from her and put it into the player.
“This was a line of music that I explored when I was about ten or eleven, but it didn’t resonate as much as classics. I tried listening to jazz guitar but, now you’ve pulled this out, we can listen to one of the most famous duos between the two world wars.”
I pressed the start button, and she heard Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt recorded in Paris at “The Hot Club.”
She had a look of wonder as she listened, and I could see that she loved it. As a violin player it’s straight forward if you can play gypsy style. As a guitar player I was waiting for her to ask the obvious question, which she did at the end of the third track.
When she finally asked about some odd sounds with the chording, I went and held her ring and small finger of her left hand together.
“How would you play if that was permanent?”
I than explained that Django was of Romani descent and had been in a fire when he was younger which badly burned him. He started playing the guitar again, but those two fingers were almost useless to him. I explained that he had other bad injuries, especially on one leg, and it had taken some years before he could walk with a stick.
We listened to the CD right through and she wanted it piped into the studio for us to accompany. I could see that we needed to get this out of the way before we got back to the Rodrigo.
I’d last listened to this music while I was in my guitar days and before I’d taken up violin myself. As we jammed along with the album, I realized that it was something I should have gone back to. We didn’t get back to playing classics that day but mastered a couple of the tracks, her on guitar and me on violin, and it was a lot of fun.
Before we finished for the day, she wanted to try out one of our Sisters’ songs in that style and it seemed to work. We ended by playing the ones we’d got right plus the Sisters’ one with her singing and recording to the computer. I cut a couple of CDs, one for her to take home.
She also borrowed the “Hot Club” CD so she could listen to it again at home. She joked that the two of us could write new pieces in the same style and record a jazz album.
I laughed.
“Django played in Cleveland in the forties. We could call it The Hot Tub de Cleveland.”
I wouldn’t have made that joke if I’d foreseen the result of our fun afternoon.
I made the mistake of playing the tracks for Jordan, Ali, and my parents after dinner that night, thinking that they would have a laugh. They all loved it. Even Ali had a big smile on her face and whispered. “Groovy, Mommy”
I gave my mother a stern look.
“What on earth have you been teaching my daughter during the day?”
“Lots of things, Edie,” she laughed. “We chatter along like a couple of pals, don’t we, sweetie?”
Ali smiled. “Groovy, Grannie.”
By the time we got together as a group again Joyce had listened to the CD and had worked out most of the guitar parts. She had loaned it to Pet who had mastered the violin style. She had passed it to Emily and Janet who had loved it as well. They all wanted us to do something along the same lines as a fun piece.
Pet and Abigail came up with some lyrics. We played around with the tunes and came up with a dozen jazz tracks. We brought in the producer who had recorded the Stability album to run the recording.
We did the whole set in a single day. He had a big grin on his face when we finished. He came back the next day and we did a set of about ten of our Sisters’ numbers in the same vein.
He output the two sets of masters for two CDs and made us twenty copies. For a laugh we sent Allan a half a dozen copies. We added a covering note to say that they were samples for an up-coming album, which we would call “Instability at the Hot Tub of Cleveland” and waited for the laughter.
At the beginning of March, we were finalizing our set for the tour that would be starting in the middle of May. We had stipulated that we didn’t want to do huge stadiums, and to keep the seating down to five thousand or less.
That way we could use smaller amps and didn’t need to lug tons of equipment around, making it much easier on us, and ensuring that the venues would be sold out. We were popular, but not huge, and this allowed us to travel a little way under the radar. It made our lives easier.
That would leave most of March and into May for me to get the Rach under control and for Pet and me to get the two double violin concertos down pat. Allan turned up with Matt Dover, the hall owner from Cleveland, and another guy. They waited until we had finished the song we were doing, and then Allan asked us to sit down while he outlined a proposition.
Well, it was the new guy, Gerry, who had the proposition. He owned a jazz club in Cleveland, and he wanted us to do the jazz material, live on his stage. He also said that he would arrange, and pay for, a proper video and audio recording of it as a one-off event. He said that he had made an offer which Allan had thought was all right. He also told us that the club was called the Hot Club after the French one and the date he wanted was the anniversary of Django playing in Cleveland.
His proposed date was a weekend at the end of July, in between one of our tour dates and the three weeks set aside for Pet and me to be in Boston for the August concert.
I thought it was madness, but the rest of the girls thought it would be fun, so we agreed to do it. We stipulated a good hotel. He told us that we drove a hard bargain, shook hands with Allan on the deal and hung around while we finished doing the set that we were working on.
He then took us all out for a meal and laughed when we told him where we wanted to go. We knew that our favorite Italian place would fit us in even if they had to hire a marquee.
Brad had been busy with the shed conversion and the old vet came to have a look at it in March, to declare it was great. The building itself was like a big box with windows, plain, but inside was all smooth surfaces that could be cleaned easily. There was a waiting room and reception either side of the entry, a short corridor with a kitchen, toilets, and storeroom on one side and the surgery and operating room on the other, the last having no windows and positive pressure ventilation.
At the end of the corridor was a door to the shed and steps that led up to a two- bedroom apartment and a home office. The vet formally gave us permission to use “Elmstead Veterinary Clinic”. That went up over the door the following week with a signboard outside at the roadway.
Jordan was finishing the third year of a four-year course and it worked out well that he would be on-site in case of emergencies. Most of his fourth year was work experience and we were visited by the college to ensure that the site could provide the right training.
By that time the old vet was working from our farm and Jordan was already doing a lot of the consulting under his supervision. At the end of that month, the last of the chickens were shipped out and we had to go back to buying eggs again for our own table.
The end of the shed got a similar treatment to the other two. The flooring was picked up with a front-end loader and dumped in the back lot. The interior was steam-cleaned and repainted. Instead of the hydro conversion, we added a load of skylights and cages for sick animals, as well as putting down a gravel floor. There were big doors at the end to allow the vet to park his own car and the pet ambulance, leaving plenty of room for anything else that would come up in the future.
In the meantime, I’d been working with the backing of the Rachmaninoff and, by the time I went to Boston at the beginning of April, I was happy with it. Kelly had sent a message that both Pet and I were needed but she assured Allan that Pet would not be needed on stage.
We were both formally asked to go on the board of the Grove Institute, alongside Kelly, Fiona, Algernon, Antonio, and two other members from the research staff.
On top of that, we were also asked to go on the board of the “For Those Who Serve” office which now had a dozen staff who were working on the government to get venues, dates, and funding for shows to start next year.
Someone, I suspected Allan, had sent Kelly the two jazz CDs. She said that she loved them, being so refreshing in this age of electronica and rap. She told us that she, and a bunch of her friends, had already booked a table at the night club on that date.
As far as the rehearsals went, my time at home worked its magic and we only needed three days with the orchestra to nail it. They were opening with the Beethoven Pastorale, which is a good hour long. With mine going over the hour in the second half, made for a good night.
Washington had said that they would be opening with Dvorak New World which is also about an hour long.
We spent a couple of days with Pet and me on violins rehearsing the two double violin concertos and the encore for the August concert. We had worked on those in the studio with backing, so it was another easy session.
Kelly said that they would use the New World as the first half, because, even with an encore that we had planned, the second half would be about an hour and a quarter.
By the time we got to the concert nights it was almost business as usual. The crowd seemed expectant as they sat waiting for the opening half and they were good with the applause at the end.
When Richard led me onto the stage there was more applause and a few stood, which was nice. The Rach 2 was a very spirited piece, and I did it with as much flourish as I could muster, and they were on their feet and calling for an encore, so I did a couple of Chopin pieces which seemed to satisfy them.
The write-up in the Saturday paper was very nice and the Saturday concert was a rerun but at a slightly louder level at the end. That one was also filmed and recorded by the TV station.
Our dress supplier had outshone herself with my gorgeous long dresses and I felt like a queen as I took my bow and was given flowers. Pet told me afterward that it was a lovely performance, and that my technique was getting better with every concert.
Sunday, we flew home and spoke about the July concert in New York. Anton and Pet had just about finished the scores for it and would send them to the orchestra next week so that they could comment. She had put together our parts to rehearse when we could, as the songs would be played a little slower and more “night clubby”.
In May, we went on the road for the early part of our tour as Stable Sisters. We did ten shows in three weeks down the eastern coast and then went home to get ready for the Washington concert, which gave the others a bit of a break.
I had a week off because the Washington orchestra only wanted me around for a week, so I caught up with the events at home. I spent a lot of time with Ali. We played together with me on the upright and her on her toy one. I was impressed, for a nearly two-year-old child she had developed some interesting techniques.
She was talking quite sensibly now, in short sentences, and we spoke about lots of things. I told her about being on stage. I’d gotten tickets for Mom and Dad to come to Washington and look after Ali when I was on stage. I took her with me when I flew there the week before.
She loved the plane ride and looked out of the window when we took off and landed, declaring that she had seen sheep, cows and even a pack of big pussy cats.
I’d told the orchestra that I was bringing my daughter and they were very good, having someone to look after her while I rehearsed. After the first run-through Ali was full of the wonderful sounds she had heard and the girl that looked after her told me that I had a budding prodigy on my hands, if her future playing was on the same level as her enthusiasm.
They had a small piano that they used in competitions, and she sat at that and wowed everyone with her version of Chopsticks and a few other songs that had no chords, her little hands not big enough yet to reach multiple keys.
I was told that we had to come back in a couple of years and do a mother / daughter piano concert. The thing that floored me was that there was some sheet music on the piano, and she looked at it, getting about eighty percent right. She was sight reading before she was able to read.
When my parents arrived, they took over and she sat on Mom’s lap on the two nights of the concerts. She declared that the New World was “dreamy groovy” while my bit was “wild!”
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 22
We all flew back on Sunday morning and my parents were treated to concert pianist class for the first time. On the way they told me that they wanted to join us when the band played in Florida on our next leg, which started in the following week.
So, we left Jordan in charge. Well, he couldn’t very well leave with his commitment to the vet, and there was a big crowd of us that flew to Jacksonville, our first date. The tour included Orlando, Miami, Tampa, and Tallahassee before coming home in time to go to New York for our concert there with the orchestra.
That couple of weeks exposed Ali to the raw emotion that is a pop concert, and she was hooked. She saw her mom and her aunts on stage in front of thousands and it was a whole lot different from watching us in the studio. She could hardly stop telling us how wonderful we all were, and how much she loved us.
Mom and Dad took time out on our off days to have a look around and declared, once we had got home, that they thought that they would retire to Florida. They asked me if I wanted to buy the farm and business.
I talked it over with Jordan. He was incredibly supportive because he could work from home when he graduated. Dad got a proper valuation, and we agreed on the figure so, by the end of the year, Jordan and I would own the farm.
The New York show was an absolute hoot. It was a three-night set of concerts, all fully booked. When we got there for the rehearsals it went like clockwork.
Saturday night was recorded. The orchestra was doing it in casual but smart outfits and, right from the start, everyone wanted the audience to leave smiling. The conductor was young and animated, and the three shows went so well, we were asked back the next year, if we could find time.
We played and went to parties. I have to say that no-one does parties like New Yorkers, and we met a lot of lovely people.
The shows got rave reviews, especially once it was known that we had supplied all the music. There was a lot of talk about just what we may pull out of the hat next. At a couple of the parties, we let a few of the music scribes know that they might see something different if they came to Cleveland.
We had a couple of weeks where we did shows on the northwest coast, Seattle, and Portland, and then across to Salt Lake City, and Kansas City. After that it was the jazz event in Cleveland.
All four grandparents wanted to see this. Jordan was also coming to look after Ali. The old vet would cover the clinic and our workers needed no supervision on the farm. Allan and Helen would also be there so it would be quite a crowd of us.
Luckily, the club was a big place. When we arrived and settled into our hotel, we had a look. The stage was not the largest we had performed on but big enough for us all, along with a baby grand. Courier had shipped our instruments, so we just needed to unpack the crates and set up.
Our line-up was close to the party in Boston. Me on the piano, Pet on violin, Abigail singing, Joyce on guitar, Emily on keyboard, and Janet with a very minimal drum kit which she would be using brushes on for about half the time. The event had started as a Saturday night only but the interest from jazz fanatics and the media had extended it to a show on both Thursday and Friday with the Saturday event being filmed.
We did a sound check that Tuesday afternoon once we had set up. Wednesday, we did a rehearsal of the full show in the afternoon with the video and audio guys getting the camera and microphone placements marked.
We were in our outfits we would be wearing for the show. Three guys with shoulder cameras filmed close-ups of us as we played. These would be added to the final output whenever, or if ever, it was released on DVD.
I suppose that I had better say that our outfits fitted the era being recreated. Pet, Abigail, and Joyce were in Romani style dresses while the rest of us were more “Paris Bohemian”.
Our whole crowd sat through the Wednesday rehearsal, and little Ali was literally jumping up and down. In the setting that had been decorated to be a Paris nightclub of the thirties, the music sounded right.
It’s difficult to explain that sometimes music can fit a time or a setting like a glove, and this was one of those times. At night with candlelight and wreaths of faux smoke in the air it would be almost perfect.
The Thursday and Friday shows were great. The crowds on both evenings were there for the event, and the anniversary, as well as for the music. The fact that it was us playing was no great deal. Anyone who looked and sounded right was good with them. That was, of course, not the case with those scribes and magazine photographers who came along.
The Saturday night was something else again. The fixed camera positions were discrete, and the extra microphones were not a bother. The audience had a different vibe. Our own followers were there; our family and our friends from Boston were there, including Algernon and his family, and members of the “Vets Concerts” office and the Institute. There were also genuine fans of the duo we were depicting, and it had to be good to please them.
When we went on stage, we had good applause as we settled. I then started off with some piano that was followed by Pet and Joyce. Janet came in with the brushes and Emily added some very subtle organ. It was a long intro and when Abigail walked out in a full gypsy gown with lots of beads and started singing, the crowd became enraptured.
The first half was the album we had recorded some time ago. Then we had a break before we went back and did the Sisters’ songs with the jazz slant.
That way we pleased the purists and our own fans with a unique experience. There was applause at every song, and I could see camera operators in the audience filming the reactions to our playing and pictures of couples dancing. Some of the jazz fans had come in period costume. I knew it would look good on the DVD, if produced right.
For something that started with a CD on my shelf and developed into a musical joke, it became a point in our careers that I think we could all look back on with pride. In the space of a month, we had been on stage in New York in front of a full orchestra, played pop concerts across the country, and now played jazz in a night club in Cleveland.
When we mingled during the break and afterward there were a lot of congratulations and questions about just what we would be doing next. I had to say that no-one knew what the future held as tonight had come out of nowhere.
I carried Ali around with me as I mingled and, whenever someone asked her what she thought of it, she would tell them that it was “groovy” or “fab”. One time there was a guy with a distinct French accent who was incredibly happy he had been here for the show. She told him that it was “Tres Bon” when he asked.
I really do not know how my child picks up things. At one point I sat on the piano seat with her standing in my lap and we did something that we had been playing around with in the studio. It was a simple Erik Satie piece with no chords, and she played the keys she could reach while I played the ones further away.
It was just for my family, but someone filmed it on his camera and put it on the social media as “Edie Grosse, famous pop star and concert pianist, with her daughter Alicia, soon to be more famous than her mother”.
Jordan and the family went home on Sunday morning, but I had a meeting to attend that afternoon. It was a serious meeting of the “Vets” board where I, and the rest of the Sisters’, were given a list of dates and places that had been pencilled in for next year, along with lists of acts that had put their hands up to appear, usually for just board and lodging.
On top of that there was a long list of possible sponsors, mainly well-known brands, who would want our time as we got into it. At the end of that meeting, Algernon brought up another matter - the Swan Effect.
He told us that he wanted us to have some control over the way it was used. We couldn’t stop people watching it, but we could stop it being used for nefarious purposes. He had applied for copyright of the terms Swan Sonics and Harmonic Healing as well as a bit of a list of similar names that all relied on the Swan as a means of making money. The three of us who played it, and the orchestra. were shown as the originators of the Swan Effect. He was serious in wanting to stop healing shops popping up where they offered to help you lose your fears for a large fee. We signed on the paperwork he had, to give our consent to being principals.
After that there was a general discussion about future shows. Kelly was busy creating a future season in her mind.
“What do you think about me putting on a special show at the end of the year, say November. You could play the Rodrigo. Algernon said he would sponsor it, and it would create interest.”
We told her to send us the dates when she had something fixed as we were certain to be able to perform it by then. I told her that I could send her a CD when we had it right.
She said that she was looking forward to the double violin concert at the end of August and would see us in the week before.
On the flight home Abigail sat next to me and confided that she had been asked about being a solo singer and was worried that it would upset the rest of us.
I told her that if I could be her pianist, she could do some of the bigger night clubs very easily. Making her solo album would be a breeze with the studio we now had. I told her that Pet would be extremely happy to provide some original songs and the score for a small band, if needed. It could even be an Abigail album with the Sisters’ just playing in the background. For the rest of the way we discussed the year so far and what was to come before we got to Christmas again.
At the end of the week, we would be starting another leg of our tour, this time it was the last quarter of the country we had not visited this year. We started in Sacramento and went on to San Francisco, Los Angeles, and then to Dallas, before coming home so that Pet and I could be ready for Boston again.
After Boston we would do the final leg of the tour; Columbus, Charlotte, New Orleans, Houston, Memphis, and, last of all, Nashville, before going back into the studio to work on another album and another Christmas show here at home.
I thought that we might have to ask Allan for some more time off next year. On top of that, who knew what concert performances we may be offered.
After a short break at home, we were off again on the next leg of our tour. This time Brad and Alicia who wanted to come along as they wanted to see California for themselves. It was easy to decide that little Ali would join us for the trip as well.
Jordan and I had passed that first rush of lovemaking because I’d been spending more time away from home than ever. We were solid, however, and he was always very caring on my first night home. I wondered if we were better because of the many “first nights” that we had.
The show in Sacramento received great reviews. The fans loved us, and we sold plenty of merchandise. We did well in San Francisco, and then we went to Los Angeles for three shows, on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
I think that, besides our hometown, Los Angeles held our biggest fan base, with all three shows sold out. We arrived on Tuesday afternoon and enjoyed the pool before dinner.
Little Ali leapt around in the paddling pool, having a wonderful time. We then went in to dress a bit better for dinner, and I got Ali ready. Alicia and Brad looked after her while I got ready.
I’d showered and dressed and had done my make-up when the room phone rang.
“Miss Grosse, this is Evelyn at reception. I have a lady here who wants to talk to you. She says her name is Josephine Prentice - nee Sanders.”
I sat on the bed and thought for a second or two.
“Can you please ask her to go into the bar and find an alcove. I’ll join her there in a few minutes.” I finished my face, made sure I looked presentable, picked up my bag then left the room.
I knocked on Alicia’s door.
“Ma, Josie is downstairs. I told them to send her to the bar. I am going down now to speak to her. If things are bad, I’ll tell you later. If you text me in about twenty minutes or so, I’ll answer Y or N. If it is Y, you can all come down and wander in. Just let the band know.”
She said that she understood and that she hoped that she could see her daughter.
I looked in the mirror in the elevator on the way down and made sure that my Sisters’ pendant was showing. When I got to the bar, I saw Josie sitting in an alcove with a worried look on her face.
She saw me as I walked toward her. She stood up and promptly broke into tears, so I held her as she sobbed her heart out. Between sobs she whispered. “Oh, Edie, I was such a bitch to you and I’m so sorry.” I got her settled down and we sat while a server brought us drinks.
“One of the guys in the music scene here is a classics nut like you and he gave me a DVD early in the year. It was you and Pet on stage with an orchestra. I was so envious. I thought that it was not right that you should do so well without me. Then I watched it right through to the end and it was an hour before I stopped crying. When I did, I felt as if someone had taken a hose to my bitchiness and selfishness and washed them away. I saw things in a whole new way, and it changed my life. For the past three months, it is like I’m walking in a different world.”
“Josie, sweetheart, you’ve been cleansed by the Swan Effect, there are learned people looking into how that piece of music can affect anyone with fears and hang-ups. You’re certainly not the only one who’s been affected. Your mother: your brother, both my parents, Allan, Helen and even Janet have been through it. I am so glad for you and I’m sure the others will tell you the same.”
“Surely everyone hates me for walking away like that.”
“They didn’t like it, but everyone understood why you went. There are feelings you can’t keep at bay.”
My phone buzzed and I replied, Y.
Josie smiled. “You never used to have a phone on. It was a pain trying to get in touch sometimes.”
I told her that my world demanded that I change some of my habits.
She looked at my jewelery.
“You have a new pendant. It is so beautiful.”
I told her that Emily had bought one for each of us when we got Janet back, as thanks for the Swan Effect, and that my old one was in the drawer at home. I then put my hand on her arm.
“Josie, this is serious. In a few minutes, your mother will be joining us. She has really missed you and she isn’t angry, just a little disappointed like everyone else. She will have Ali with her. Ali thinks I am her mother and Jordan is her father. Do not, under any circumstances, tell her different, until we get a chance to let her know, when she is old enough to understand.”
She nodded and then her face lit up as she saw her mother, father, and her baby come in. I don’t think she expected Ali to be walking alongside her grandmother and looking so much older than the almost two-year-old she was. When Alicia saw her daughter, she rushed forward and held her close. The two stood there and cried while both told each other that they were sorry.
“Mom, what have you got to be sorry for, it was me that did all the bad things?”
“I will tell you later, darling. Now go and say hello to your dad.”
Josie hugged her father, and he kissed her forehead and told her she was safe now.
Little Ali piped up. “Who is this lady, Mommy?”
“This is your Auntie Josephine, your Daddy’s sister. She came here not long after you were born.”
“Auntie Josie, are you a pop star too, like my other Aunties? I saw them all with Mommy on stage, and they were so groovy.”
Josie crouched down.
“Ali, I used to play in the band with your Mommy before I came here. I’ve been in a couple of bands here but I’m not in one now. I’m too busy with my husband to play.”
Just then all the other girls arrived, and they all squealed and came over to hug Josie and welcome her back, introducing her to Abigail, who she had never met.
I took the opportunity to let Alicia know that her daughter had watched the DVD and was very affected by it.
She nodded her understanding.
“Josie, you mentioned a husband, where is he?” I inquired.
She told me that he was waiting in a café across the street to see if she came out alive. I laughed and told her to fetch him in and, while she sent the text on her phone, I got the server to set two extra places on our dinner table.
When her husband came in, he was introduced and was overwhelmed to be with the entire Stable Sisters. It turned out, as Josie revealed her last year or so over dinner, that Tony Prentice, her husband, was a mixing desk operator at big shows and a producer in one of the smaller studios here in Los Angeles. They had met when Josie had been in the studio with her second band.
Pet asked about the Ramrods and Josie snorted, saying that they could not get out of the rut they were in. She had made such a fuss that they kicked her out.
“I was a bit wild then,” she admitted. “They now play parties and surfing clubs up and down the coast and make enough money but will never be any better.”
Pet laughed. “The first time we heard them play at the Halloween show we knew that they didn’t know the meaning of hard work.”
Josie went on. “I joined a small band of girls who were happy to have an ex-Pixie in their line-up. It only took one album for them to get drunk with the fame and most of them ended up pregnant about the same time. I met Tony while we were recording that album, moved in with him, and we have married since I saw your DVD. It made me realize just what love can do for you. I am pregnant with our first, and due next March.”
We all congratulated the happy couple, and Alicia said that having two grandchildren to spoil would be almost too much.
“You wouldn’t know the old studio now,” I said. “We’ve extended it twice and the old one is now the control room. The new studio is big enough to have a concert grand in it that allows me to rehearse the classical concerts.”
Tony asked me what we had to record on. I told him our set-up.
He whistled. “That’s one beautiful set-up, especially in a private studio.”
I chuckled. “My dad took a course with the supplier, and he produced a couple of demo discs we used for the classics, but he hasn’t done a proper album yet. We had a temporary producer in to do the last thing we recorded.”
He asked what that was.
“Why, our jazz album,” Joyce said. “We did a show a couple of weeks ago for the anniversary of Django Reinhardt playing Cleveland. It was supposed to be a joke but may well be a sleeper that will give us income for years when it’s released, especially if the DVD goes well.”
“I read about that, but the article said the group was called Instability.” Tony argued.
Josie laughed. “Tony, darling, these girls are the Stable Sisters, the name would have been part of the joke.”
“Yes,” I added. “And we had no idea that there was a night club in Cleveland called the Hot Club. We sent Allan the discs under the name Instability at the Hot Tub of Cleveland. We did think about a cover shot with us all in bubbling water and I am really wondering what they’ll come up with when we do the shoot for the album. We were all dressed like Romani people for the shows.”
Josie grinned. “So that is where that video I saw of you and Ali playing piano was taken? It was real, not faked?”
I told her that the note on the video was close to the truth when it said that Ali will be more famous than her mother. “The only thing holding her back is a piano that she can play with her little fingers; we’re limited to single note tunes for the moment.”
“What are the plans for the Sisters’ now?” Tony asked. “You seem to have done everything possible already?”
Joyce told him that she and I were going to present the Rodrigo as a double guitar piece later in the year in Boston.
Pet told him that she and I would be doing a double violin concert at the end of August, also in Boston.
Abigail said that she intended to cut an album of herself as the named singer with the rest of us as a backing group.
Emily said something that was a surprise to me when she declared that she wanted us to do a double piano concert. She had a couple of concertos in mind.
Janet said she wanted us to do another jazz album because the way we played was so smooth.
I laughed. “It looks as if I will be playing quite a bit with the others next year, even if we don’t tour. There is the Grove Institute and the vet concerts to put together, and I expect that there may be a few orchestras who want me to do either a piano or a violin solo. If not a guitar solo once Joyce and I have wowed them in Boston.”
After that Pet and I had to explain the why and what of the Grove Institute and our involvement in the vet shows. We said that a Boston billionaire was involved with these, and Emily giggled.
“Algernon is such a big teddy bear and his wife, Fiona, is a real doll. We played songs at a party at their place a while back, and we had their daughters on stage singing with us. It was a hoot. They are such a lovely family.”
I could see Josie taking this all in and could see the sorrow that she felt in not being involved.
“Are the two of you going to our shows, here?”
Tony said that the tickets had gone so quickly they couldn’t get a seat.
Pet, being Pet, already had the box office number on her phone and called them to see how many band seats were left. “Reserve two under the name of Prentice.” Putting her phone away. “There are two seats for you for all three nights to pick up at the box office. If you don’t want to see all three shows you could always pass them on to friends.”
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 23
After the meal, the other girls left us, and Alicia went off with Josie to explain why she was sorry. Brad went off to have a drink or two in the bar which left me and Ali with Tony.
“Edie, Josie was devastated once she had watched that DVD. She told me a lot about her time with the Pixies, and her time living with you and your family at the farm. I saw that the papers have said that her brother is the father of little Ali, so Josie is really your sister-in-law.”
“We were like sisters before she left, and it was a huge letdown when I got home to find her gone. Has she shown you our “Sisters Forever” pendant?”
He nodded.
“That was the original for the one we all wear now. If you knew her before she saw the Swan, you would have known what a sex-mad girl she was then. I was disappointed when she left with Dave, especially as we went from a seven-piece band to a five-piece band just days out from a big show. Look, I was never sure what I would feel when I met her again, but I am happy for the two of you.”
I gave him a card from Allan’s office.
“I’m all over the place until we get this tour finished. We will be back in the studio around the end of September. If you have any free time then, call Allan. He will arrange transport for you. You can stay in the stable.”
When Josie came back, she was in tears again, and holding her mother close.
“Thank you so much for welcoming me so easily. You have no idea how long it took me to go to reception and ask for you, Edie. I feel as if a huge weight has lifted from my shoulders.”
She looked at little Ali who was asleep in my arms. “It was a real honor to meet my niece and hope to see her grow into a superstar.”
We hugged and whispered. “I love you” into each other’s ears at the same time. We laughed, air kissed, and exchanged phone numbers.
Tony gave me a hug. “Thank you, Edie, you’re the best.”
Josie and her mother had a long hug which threatened to be tearful again and then Alicia hugged her son-in-law, and told him he was welcome in Detroit, anytime.
They walked away, arm in arm.
Alicia and I stood together and watched them go. She then gave me a hug.
“Go and find my husband in the bar, I’ll put Ali down in our room. I know that you may not get much sleep tonight having met Josie again. This has been one hell of a day.”
She took Ali from me and headed toward the elevators.
I stood for a while and recovered my thoughts. I realized that Josie and I still had the mutual attraction, but that now, with her married and me living with Jordan, it could only be as sisters again.
I went and found Brad in the bar, and he told me that meeting his daughter again was something he’d dreamed of, ever since she disappeared. He’d thought there may have been a lot of recriminations and harsh words, not the outpouring of love that happened.
I told him that his wife had gone to their room and was going to keep Ali with her during the night.
“You have no idea how much she loves Ali.”
“That little bundle of fun has been her link to Josie,” he said. “Did you tell Josie not to let on that she’s the mother?”
I nodded, we both had a drink, and he went off to bed.
Next morning, at breakfast, I asked Pet to give the box office a call and to ask if there were another couple of seats available and, if there was, add them to the Prentice booking.
She did her thing and reported that two extras had been added.
“What’s the plan, Edie?”
I told her that Tony must have parents and, if they were here in Los Angeles, it may be nice for them to meet his in-laws. I then texted Josie to say there were two extra seats for Tony’s family, if he had any.
About ten minutes later she rang me to tell me that it was very generous, and that his folks would be delighted to come.
I told her that her parents and Ali would be in the same row, and to follow them after the show. I also said that we had a sound check at the hall this afternoon if she wanted to pop in.
That morning we had a photo shoot. Our sponsors were very good and didn’t mind us having a joint session, so we were taken to a beach where we posed wearing bikinis and wraps. We had six different teams of photographers and each one had one of us to work with for their own products. With make-up girls and dressers, it amounted to quite a crowd. Then they took the band photos. One was very hard to get right as it involved a photographer up a step ladder in the sea, with us out there as a group looking up and smiling while trying not to get our hair wet.
That one ended up on the cover of the “Hot Tub” CD. Thankfully, not the DVD, which turned out to be the more popular seller.
We went back to the hotel for lunch, and then went to the hall to do a sound check, where we found Josie and Tony outside. When we were up on stage we did a few numbers from the show, one of the slow ones, one from the middle and one from the last part.
Then Pet asked Josie if she remembered any of the old songs. She came up and we did one of the early duets together with me on the electric piano. It brought tears to my eyes remembering when we used to do it on stage. Her time in Los Angeles had not been kind to her voice, and she knew it.
“Thank you, girls,” she said afterward. “That was fun but not something I could do for a living now.”
She and Tony came back to the hotel with us, and we sat around the pool for the rest of the afternoon. Josie commented that having Abigail out front was a real eye opener for her, because it had turned the Sisters into something even more special.
She also told Joyce that her guitar playing was great and Joyce said it was because she had been learning different styles, and it altered her pop playing slightly.
We got a bit more of her story during the afternoon. Her voice had been roughened by singing with the Ramrods doing more rock numbers in smoky hotels. She said that when her income stopped, she had contacted Allan to ask why, only to learn why the tap was turned off. She said that she was very careful with her savings, and still had a bit, but had to deny Dave a lot of things he had asked her to buy, like cars and flash jewelery.
Tony, when I got to talk to him, was very interested in how we worked as a band. He told me that of all the bands he had worked with live, we had the most basic equipment he had ever seen. We didn’t even have a mixer out in the middle of the audience, and he was staggered that we just had a guy, today, standing out in the hall; on his phone to another who set the mix from a small unit in the wings. “Where’s the strobe lights; where’s the fireworks?”
I smiled and told him that we let the music do the talking and that our audience was not into all the flash-bang of a stadium crowd. I wondered if he might think we were old fashioned when he saw us perform.
During the afternoon Josie played in the paddling pool with her “niece” and her mother. It was lovely to see them together and laughing.
Brad and Tony got together for a while over a beer or two and it all seemed idyllic.
I, on the other hand, was thinking ahead so pulled out my phone and rang Allan. I told him who was with us now, and he wasn’t surprised. I told him about Tony and asked him if we could hire out the Stable Studio now as it was a genuine recording studio.
He saw through me in an instant. “You’re thinking of offering him a job, aren’t you?”
I had to admit that it crossed my mind to have a permanent producer, but we would need him to have regular work.
He chuckled. “I suppose that the thought hasn’t crossed your mind that Josie might make a good farm manager?”
That one made me stop and think because that thought had stayed away, maybe because I was scared at her coming back into my life.
“Allan, I’ll take your advice on board, but nothing will happen before Mom and Dad move down to Florida.”
He laughed. “They put Jordan in charge and are down there now, looking for a place to live. With what you’re going to pay them for the farm, they’ll be able to live there earlier than they expected.”
I told him that I was prepared to give them a lump sum over the top to cover whatever they bought so that the farm money could fund their new lifestyle. He said that I was very generous but could well afford it these days.
He asked how the photo shoot went. I told him we all got wet.
He chuckled at that. “The guys in Cleveland were very happy with the show. It exceeded all their expectations and we’ve arranged to split the costs of making the DVD, and then split the profits. They think it will be a big seller and so do I, being something so very different. I’ve been in touch with a distribution company in France where I sent the CD. They are very interested in distributing the DVD in Europe. It’s all in the early stages, so don’t talk to the girls about it yet.”
After we finished our talk, I called the farm and spoke to Jordan. I told him about Josie, and that she had been changed by the Swan. I told him that she was going along with Ali as her niece, and that her husband was a nice guy.
I also mentioned that he was going to get another nephew or niece himself.
“That baby will be a half-sibling to Ali. Even if they aren’t told, it will be interesting to see how they interact.”
I proposed that he come to Los Angeles sometime and meet them. I said I would get the address before I left, but I expected that his mother already had it.
He had to go and visit a neighbouring farm and stick his arm up the butt of a cow, so I told him to have fun and that I loved him. We made kissy noises before we hung up.
We had an enjoyable dinner that evening. Josie now more relaxed with us and Tony felt like part of the Sanders family.
Josie had a lot of questions about my new life as a concert soloist and the new people I was mixing with.
I told her that it was a lot of hard work to juggle all the balls I had in the air.
When she asked about my parents and my life with Jordan, I held nothing back, including that the folks may be living in Florida somewhere next year. I told her that Jordan and I were planning on marrying by then and that we would be co-owners of the farm.
She asked about Ali.
“Jordan is happy to adopt her if you give your consent.”
She nodded. “Send me the papers when you’re ready. I’ll set up an address for you, so Tony never finds out.”
The next day we relaxed, then hit the salon, and a light buffet before heading for the hall. Our dressers got us ready for the show and we went to the stage.
Applause greeted us as the curtains opened. I started with a new tweak, a longish piano intro with Abigail joining me to sing, and then the rest coming in for the central section and the end. I looked out and saw my future in-laws with Ali standing on her grandmother’s lap, dancing to our sound.
Alongside her Josie looked as if she could cry.
I hoped they were tears of joy. Tony and his parents watched and listened intently. About halfway through the set I saw Alicia say something to Josie, hand her my child, and then got up to sneak out of the hall.
When she came back, she waited a while before she took Ali back and I silently thanked her while we played. Our last third of the show included the hits and favorites, and the crowd sang along with a lot of them.
Ali and Josie were singing together, and Ali had a big smile on her face. At the end, the crowd yelled for more. We had a quick huddle before the curtains opened again.
Abigail went out front. “Thank you for being such a good crowd tonight. Los Angeles is one of our biggest fan bases. A few weeks ago, we played something completely different in Cleveland. We were asked to put on a show in a jazz club to commemorate the anniversary of Django Reinhardt playing in that city. Go look him up on the internet. He was a French Romani guitar player and his sound, for the day, was distinctive. There will be a CD of these songs available but wait until you see the live show on DVD, it will be awesome.”
With that I started with the long piano intro of the opening song of the live show, and we simply grooved for another twenty minutes, the audience went silent but politely applauded our individual solos until we played the last notes and bowed, at which time the place erupted with a roar, and a lot of them were on their feet, yelling.
I looked down and saw Josie with her mouth open, and Tony and his parents with big grins. Ali was doing a little jig and I could see by her mouth movements she was shouting “Groovy!”
As we left the stage, Abigail laughed. “That went well.”
The stage manager took me aside and asked. “Do you know the people sitting in the band seats?”
I said that it was my daughter, her grandparents, and the younger couple was Josie, one of the original Pixies, and Tony Prentice, her husband with his parents.
“Look, I don’t know if you know this, but his father is Martyn Prentice, one of the best producers around some years back. You would have still been getting into your teens when he was at the height of his fame. He had a spectacular flop, mainly due to the artists themselves, and decided to step away. This is the first time I’ve seen him at a show in more than five years. I’d heard that he would never go to a pop show again.”
I thanked him for his information and said that I would keep it in mind if he came backstage with the others.
Back in the dressing room we changed out of our outfits and, when we were back into normal dresses, Pet opened the door, and we welcomed our visitors.
I picked up Ali, who told me that the last bit was “Totes Groovy” and then welcomed the Prentices. Martyn and Maureen had smiles on their faces, always a good sign.
Maureen gave me and Ali a hug and told me that she had thoroughly enjoyed her evening. It had been different to what she had expected when her son had told her that they had tickets to a pop concert.
Martyn was standing next to her and added. “I’ve been reading so much about you girls, and it was a welcome chance to hear you for myself. If I hadn’t seen your piano playing tonight, I would have discounted the reports on your concert as hype. I can now see that it’s all quite possible.”
I asked. “Josie hasn’t given you the DVD, then?”
Maureen admitted that it had been passed to her but that they hadn’t watched it yet.
I advised them to watch it because it also had Pet, our violinist, playing with the orchestra as well.
Martyn asked about the encore. “I loved jazz when I was younger and that was smooth. You had the crowd in the palm of your hand. I’ve never been to a pop show when no-one whistled or shouted for such a long time.”
I told him about the show in Cleveland and that what we played tonight was a jam session, which had got away from us after the first couple of verses of the song.
Tony and Josie joined us, and she told me that there was no way she would have improved to keep up with us the way we now played.
I advised her that we’ve all progressed together because of the mix of things we’ve been involved with. She might have surprised herself if she hadn’t come to Los Angeles.
Tony turned to his father and told him what we had at home with the studio.
His father mused. “There are so many things you can do with that set-up that the manufacturers don’t advertise. You can turn ordinary into great but with how you girls play I would say that great becomes world class.”
I laughed. “Then you’d better come to the farm and show us what we’re missing.”
He shook me. “Thank you for the invitation, is there room for the four of us?”
I was looking at Josie out of the corner of my eye.
“There is. Since Josie came here, we’ve converted two of the chicken sheds into hydroponic production but the third one is now a two-story Veterinarian Clinic. There’s a two-bedroom apartment over the top. There’s also the stable but that has just a couple of single beds in it now.”
He asked. “When are you back there?”
I had a think. “Pet and I are doing a double violin concert in Boston at the end of August. We have a final three weeks of touring and then Joyce and I are doing the Rodrigo with Boston sometime later. Sometime in late September and October would be good, depending on the Boston date.”
I gave him one of Allans’ cards and told him to double check because Allan knew more about where we’ll be.
They all came with us to a restaurant for an after-show snack. We all were hungry after the shows, and it helped us wind down. Alicia and Brad left early with a very sleepy and wiped-out Ali.
One by one I mingled with those who had come along, seeing the stage manager having a laugh with Martyn, and Maureen looking on with a smile on her face.
I stood next to her. “I hear that you two haven’t been out much lately?”
She moved away from her husband, and we sat to one side.
“Edie,” she said. “Martyn was well respected at one time, but he produced a couple of albums for a band who thought that they knew it all. They wanted a different sound and took their masters to someone else to produce the way they wanted. Unfortunately, Martyn’s name somehow stayed on the cover notes and the two albums were widely, and correctly, given a big thumbs down. Martyn was castigated by the press who didn’t bother to find out the truth. He’s been a recluse since then. Tonight, seeing him so animated has been wonderful.”
I told her that if they came back to the next two shows, to sit with him and watch the DVD of my piano concert through to the credits beforehand, and to make sure that Tony or Josie was with them when they did.
The press report on Friday morning couldn’t figure out what was in front of their nose. It gave us a split review, one for the actual show and one for the encore. The first they called “smooth girl pop from an established outfit.” The other they said was radical and shouldn’t have worked in front of a pop crowd but was a miracle that did work, and work well.
Allan was obviously monitoring the press as we moved around, and he rang me to ask what it was that we did. I told him that we spent nearly half an hour, in a jam session, having fun with French jazz of the thirties. He laughed and told me that I could tell the girls we would be touring Europe next year, dates to be finalized.
I put my phone down and sat with a stunned look on my face. Joyce looked at me. “Is there anything wrong, Edie, you look shocked. I hope everything is all right at home?”
“Everything’s good. That was Allan. He’s been talking to a distributor in Paris for our Hot Tub album and DVD. He just told me that we have a tour of Europe being arranged but the dates are yet to be finalized.”
She laughed. “You’re pulling my leg?”
“No, Joyce, we’ll be playing jazz in seedy nightclubs across France, and eating snails with a bad wine chaser.”
She whooped which brought the others around. I told them what I had told Joyce and there was a lot of hugging and smiling. I picked up Ali and told her she may see the Eiffel Tower, and the scamp said “Tres Bon, Maman”. I’ll have to ask my mother where she picks up snippets of French. Her knowing that the Eiffel Tower was in France wasn’t a problem as we had several picture books of a teddy bear that travels widely.
I had a rummage around in my luggage and found the two CDs that we had recorded before the Cleveland show. I would give them to Martyn tonight if he came along, to see just how serious he was when he said he would come and produce for us.
That afternoon was strange, to say the least. I was out by the pool and a waiter came up to me. “Excuse me, Miss Grosse, but there are some people at reception who want to talk to you. They say they have some sort of award they want to give you and Miss Flower.”
I asked him to send them to the bar with the drinks on me and I would join them in a few minutes. He went off and I went to find Pet as she was swimming laps. I stopped her at one end and told her to get out and get dry. “There’s some people in the bar who have something for the two of us.”
About ten minutes later we walked into the bar. We had to stop and take in what was waiting for us. It was a group of six “girls” in fabulous pale outfits, just white, off-white, or pale pink. All well made up and all with a white feather brooch pinned to the left breast of their tops.
They saw us and squealed a bit and then, as we got closer, one of them stepped forward.
“Thank you for seeing us, it’s such an honor. We’ll all be at the show tonight along with a lot more of our club. The six of us are pleased to give you something that we all put in for, as a thank you for what you did for us.”
I smiled. “Well thank you, but just what is it that we did for you?”
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 24
“We are the administrators of the Swan Club. It all started when a few of us got together, one evening, to watch your classical DVD. When it finished, we were all crying and felt as if we could tell each other what we had been holding back.”
“Before that, we had been best friends. Now, we are best girlfriends. That evening we planned our transformations and haven’t looked back. All six of us, here today, were getting by as guys, and one by one got liberated by the Swan. Some of us aren’t quite as successful in passing as others. None of us care. We’re living the life we were meant to live but had kept repressed. We’ve registered the Swan Club, and we would like the two of you to be our patrons and wear these brooches.”
She passed each of us a box and when I opened it, I gasped. The feather brooch was exquisite in its beauty, filigree platinum and gold with a covering of tiny diamonds. They must have quite a bit of cash behind them to get these.
“I have a third one for the brilliant cello player but have not had a chance to get in touch with him.”
Pet told her that we’ll be seeing him at the end of August when we play a concert in Boston. The girl told us that she, Dianne, was the nominated leader of the club. She said that she’ll arrange for one of their number to contact us there so that he could be presented with it.
We agreed to be patrons although I didn’t say that I was also like them. We were given a flier that detailed the club. It had started in Los Angeles but was growing like wildfire across the country.
Dianne told us to expect to see more “girls” at our shows, and that they would appreciate it if we wore the brooch on stage.
We said we would be honored and gave each of them a hug and an air kiss. I gave Dianne one of Allans’ cards and said that he would be able to tell them what we were going to be doing.
Dianne was amazed. “Surely you have a fan club website?”
We admitted that we didn’t know of one.
“Leave that to me,” she said. “I’ll email this guy with an alpha version for you to accept, and you’ll have one within a week or two. We have some clever guys, well, girls now, who do web work from home, and they’ll be happy to work for our patrons.”
We spoke some more, and then said we had a show to get ready for. I told them where we were likely to go after the show if they wanted to come along.
As we walked back to the pool Pet mused. “I wonder if we can do something as an encore for them. It could be with the Stability tune, but it shouldn’t take much to come up with some new words.”
By the time we had finished our light dinner before the show we had come up with some verses that spoke of the life of a person, who was not in the body of their choice, and the problems that caused.
The last verse concerned the ability to change that was all now readily available. We showed the words to Abigail who could sing from them. She is a quick study and sang them without the pages during the encore.
Pet and I wore our feathers on stage and could see a lot more of them scattered around the audience. The Swan Club members were all standing out in pale dresses. The front row had all seven of the family from last night, Maureen and Martyn holding hands and smiling a lot. I took it as read that they had finally viewed the DVD.
We did the same show and then did the new version of Stability with Pet going to the front of the stage and acknowledging the members in the audience. “Swans of the world, this is just for you.” We then played a song which was captured on several hundred phones and had probably reached the four corners of the country as we sang it. It had been a sidebar for the show but, unwittingly, we might have just created an anthem for the transgendered of the country. After it appeared on the new fan site two weeks later, it spread across the world.
After the show we had a visit from the family. Maureen gave Pet and I big hugs when she saw us. She explained that they both had cried and shed their fears. Martyn was now ready to get back behind a mixing desk, and wanted it to be ours, if we would let him.
I gave him the two CDs and told him we had the masters in the studio and that they were from the sessions to record the Cleveland show. I also said that we may be distributing them as a double CD set in Europe before a tour there next year.
Many of the Swan Club members came to the restaurant. They just wanted to hug and tell us how we had changed their lives. A lot of them were very good at passing and some were not so good. All of them were happy with their new lifestyle and were determined to keep moving down the track to womanhood. Several that I spoke to were well connected and well educated.
I spoke to Dianne, and she told me that they were developing a support group for new members to help them with clothing, make-up, and medical procedures. She said that most had not been changed long enough to be on serious hormone treatment. She knew of some that had gone out and had breast augmentation already. The pale and pastel colors, she told me, was just a way to recognize each other.
I pointed out that they had black swans in Australia, and she laughed. “Ooohh, party dresses!”
On the Saturday evening we extended the show a bit with both encores from the previous nights and it was a lot of fun. I could see little pockets of pale outfits among the crowd, and I hoped that they were enjoying themselves. I never had time to have hang-ups when I started dressing as both Mom and Josie were there for me. I hadn’t come up against any bad situations, but I knew enough of the world to know what some of these new girls would encounter.
Sunday we were off to Dallas, where we had another two shows at the end of the week and then we would be home. Pet and I needed to finalize the double violin pieces and the aria as the encore. The Dallas shows had several Swans in the audience and waved as we went on with our brooches.
When we got home the first thing I did, after making up for lost time with Jordan, was to go to our dress supplier and talk about a range of pastel dresses. I wanted the feather motif embroidered on the left shoulder so that I could keep the diamond brooch safe.
The manager photographed and measured it and told me that they would organize a pink A-line for me as a test. Eventually, I ended up with a range of styles, colors, and hem lengths and, as soon as she saw mine, Pet wanted some for her own use.
Pet and I rehearsed the double violin pieces, and Joyce and I did the Rodrigo until we were happy with them. We recorded all the pieces and sent the Rodrigo off to Kelly.
By the time we got to Boston, in the few days before the concert, Kelly had finalized a special concert as a Christmas Present for her subscribers. She had set three concerts over the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in the first week of November.
It took all of four days for all three to be booked out. She told us that she had a list that she could contact whenever we would be playing. Algernon and Fiona were underwriting it as a one-off.
We did two rehearsals with the orchestra, the second in full dress. Our dress supplier had done us proud and was obviously following the pastel trend as both were strapless and floaty. We decided that our Sisters’ pendants with our diamond feathers would look good.
Kelly was very interested in the story about the Swans and got her IT guy to look it up. What they found was that the club already had more than a thousand members. The fan clubs that we had never heard of, in various places around the country, were now linked to the main website. We even had a few small ones in Canada.
At the hotel we were approached by a delegate from the Swans. We arranged for her to come to the hall and present his feather to Antonio during the second rehearsal, in front of the whole orchestra.
The three concerts went like a charm. The orchestra did the first half, had a break and we came on to do the two main pieces which were both about a half an hour. The encore was the Aria 5 as we had rehearsed, and we were led off on all three nights to a standing ovation.
Both of us had noticed Swans in the audience and I think our own feather was a good thing for them to see. I went on the website when I got home, and it was full of posts about us on stage with the orchestra.
Another nice pair of faces I saw at the concert was Maureen and Martyn. I introduced them to my parents, who had come along to see us.
There was a party at Algernon’s house after the show on the Saturday, and I pointed out my folks and the Prentices to Kelly to see if they could come.
Pet and I had a Town car to take us, and Geoffrey drove my folks, the Prentices, and Kelly in the Rolls.
My Mom and Dad were overawed by all the luxury they saw that night. Kelly and Algernon made sure that they and the Prentices were made very welcome.
Fiona was every inch the perfect hostess and Kelly even asked Martyn if he would produce the albums that she had on tape of the concerts, after we had completed the Rodrigo.
Martyn and Maureen were invited to stay with us, and Martyn wanted to come up as soon as he could. He said he had some ideas about our current unreleased tracks. He told me that he had been to Cleveland and now had a copy of the live performance audio and he thought it would make a better CD than the one we first made.
He went to the farm while we were on the last leg of the tour and worked quietly by himself. When I got home, I listened to what he had done with the masters he had available, and it was like chalk and cheese. He had remastered the Cleveland audio to enhance the live feel, reset some of the odd volume settings, and it was great. He had also remastered the Sisters’ songs we had done in a jazz style in the studio to also give it a live feel.
He suggested that we release the Sisters’ one as a separate album which we ended up calling “Stable Sisters Swing” and then allow the DVD to have a run before releasing a CD of the audio.
He told us that it would be nice to remaster our earlier CDs but a waste of time considering the new songs we would be recording before Christmas. He did say that our setup was great and suggested a couple of things that would make it greater, so I gave him the authority to do whatever he needed.
Martyn and Maureen were now living in the stable apartment and were quite comfortable and settled in. We had swapped the two singles with a new queen-size. Maureen told me that she was happy to get away from the heat of California and the constant background of the past.
Mom and Dad had found a place in Fort Lauderdale which they liked. Allan had told them that I would pay for it, and they weren’t happy at taking my money. I was adamant and we flew down one week to sign the documents and hand over the check. They would move there after the beginning of the following year but wanted to spend the holiday season with the rest of us.
It looked as if next year would be starting with as much change as ever. Jordan and I decided that we would stay in the extension bedroom and to refurbish my parents’ bedroom as a guest room once they had moved. My old bedroom would become a guest room and the smaller room that Dad had used as an office would become Alis’ playroom to keep her bedroom uncluttered.
While all this was happening, Jordan went down to California for a few days and stayed with Tony and Josie and patched up all the old problems. He told me that Josie had spoken to him about signing the adoption papers, and that she was now very ashamed of leaving her baby behind.
They made the arrangement for the two of them to come to the farm to live. I also planned for them to join Jordan and me at Boston when we went with Joyce and Matty for the concert.
That organized we just needed to furnish the apartment over the clinic for them to stay in, and that took about a week to complete. The farm could now sleep five couples. I hoped that we would never need more than that.
Between us Pet and I had about a dozen new songs for another album. We had tossed up about doing it in jazz style, but then decided that we would end the year in our Sisters’ style and work on something else to be released next year.
If we were spending some time in Europe, we could do one called “Postcards from the Sisters.” All we needed to do was look up the places we would be playing at and write a song about each one. That could be done before we got there and would still be relevant here at home. Allan and Martyn agreed with our idea.
We got a lot of the next album recorded before the week of the guitar concert and looked like we would get that album finished, and the European one started, before Christmas. Martyn kept telling us to slow down but said it with a smile.
The big event for that year was a certain little poppet turning two. This was a family affair. Brad and Alicia came for the day. Everyone else was already living at the farm. She got a lot of birthday gifts. The one that excited her most was a small piano that I had commissioned. It was big enough for her to keep playing for a couple of years, and the keys had been specially made thin enough for her hands to be able to make some simple chords.
Ali ended up with a load of new clothes and some new dolls and plush toys. We had already put a small single in her room and it was strewn with various dolls and cuddly animals. She was growing to be a very girly girl and would always want a different outfit every day. She could now carry on a conversation, and the picture books now had a lot more words in them, which she often read to me. She had a good supply of female role models to follow now.
Mom was still about, although she and Dad were taking trips down south to organize furniture and gadgets for their new home. Mom told me that the best bit for her was shopping for new warm climate outfits. Then we had Maureen and Martyn out in the stable and getting very well settled in. Doris was almost full time, now in my old room.
Tony and Josie were now living over the clinic and Josie was starting to get a handle on the new dynamics of the farm business. I could see that Josie made sure she always treated Ali like a niece. I could also see the joy on her face as she did so.
The guitar concert was something else again. Dad stayed at home to oversee the farm. Mom, Jordan, all four Prentices, Allan, and Helen, Joyces’ parents and her Matty joined Joyce, Ali, and me in the first class for the trip. The rest of the Sisters would be going for the weekend show. Kelly had been told who were coming so there was a line of Town Cars waiting for us when we cleared the airport terminal.
Joyce and I had our classical guitars as well as a spare each, supplied by our instrument store. We did one rehearsal in casual gear and the next day we did one in costume. I say costume because we were both in Spanish outfits, long skirts with petticoats, and peasant tops. We would do the concerts sitting down with microphones in front of us to amplify the guitars.
The orchestra and Richard were all in Spanish rig as well. Antonio had his brooch that stood out on the bright red bolero jacket he wore. On Thursday evening as we went on the stage, I could see a big block of pastel dressed girls who all waved as we appeared. It wasn’t seemly to wave back, but we both smiled in their general direction.
At the end of the Rodrigo, we stood with Richard and took our bows. “I hope you girls have worked out an encore,” he whispered.
I just grinned and when he went and stood next to his podium, Joyce and I sat down on our seats and the applause hushed. Of course, we had worked out an encore, in fact we had two.
The first was a Julian Bream piece which we swapped leads while the other played a rhythm and bass line. The audience demanded more so we did our second one, a Segovia piece which we played together. That one had been very hard to master but we nailed it, thank goodness. I could see a big grin on Martyn’s face because he had been the only other person to hear both pieces which were now on a master in the studio.
The local music reporter joined us at the hotel the next morning. He asked me if I was playing any other debuts next year. He had seen me on stage with the piano, violin and now the guitar. I told him that I had run out of instruments.
He suggested that with my keyboard skills I could always do an organ recital, perhaps the sonata and fugue that everyone wished they could be able to play. The following week Kelly emailed me a copy of his column which was very nice but ended with a question to his readers. “What would you like to see Edie Grosse play next and what piece would you suggest?” I suppose that it was a good way to gauge just how many readers he had.
The Saturday evening concert had the same block of Swans as the previous two evenings, but it looked as if they had block booked and were sharing the seats around. Saturday, I thought that I could see Dianne and the other five of the committee.
The rest of the Sisters had flown in on Saturday afternoon and were in the front row with the rest of our crowd. The concert was good, our part was lovely, and the two encores were well received. When the audience wanted even more, I had a quick word to Joyce and then asked for a microphone that I could sing into.
Joyce started to doodle around the tune of “Stability”, and I adjusted the microphone. “On this stage last year, Petunia, Antonio and I played a little encore that we had put together that has had far-reaching consequences. It has led to a very large portion of tonight’s audience being here. You can tell them by their dresses and the feather brooch. They are the Swans, and all want to live a new life. I know that a lot of you tonight have experienced the effect that the trio we played that night and have some idea of what they have experienced. We wrote this song in a two-hour window between being asked to be patrons of the Swan Club and going on stage that night. We called it “Ability” and it has become something of an anthem.”
I then joined in with Joyce and we worked the doodle into the intro of the song which I sang. When we finished there was roar that was almost pop concert in its loudness. I think the orchestra experienced the first time it had followed someone off stage to clapping, hooting, and stomping feet.
I could see a lot of them with big grins on their faces. Richard smiled. “That should give them an idea of what might happen when we get all of you on stage with us next season.”
Algernon had gone over the top with his party that night and had sent a couple of attendants to tell the Swans to hang around as there was a party to go to. How he rustled up a fleet of coaches at such short notice, and at such a late hour, says a lot about the power of unlimited funds.
The party ran into early Sunday morning. The girls from the Swans were perfect party guests, mostly careful with the drinks, and very entertaining to talk to.
Maureen and Martyn went early with my folks and Ali. That left us to enjoy ourselves. Of course, there was some finger food, and he had the small band playing again but we didn’t take over from them. Well, not all together. Each of us would find ourselves singing along with them for a song or two but we left the stage to them.
Algernon made a short speech where he spoke about the likely season to come but didn’t give away too much detail. He also spoke about the “For those who Served” concerts which were coming together quite well and would kick off in the summer.
That led to several the Swans speaking to us and asking how they could help, seeing that they had a wealth of computer knowledge, and many of their number were in transport and logistics. We pointed out the members of the office staff for them to have further discussion.
Pet had also worn her brooch and there were a lot of selfies taken with the three of us with various Swans, as well as most of the orchestra.
Even Kelly, Richard, Algernon, and his family wanted to have one. The Swans had talks with Kelly and were discussing the work that the Grove Institute were doing.
Kelly told me that they hadn’t managed to isolate any one sound that affected people. Everyone started to cry at different parts of the piece. It looked as if the tones needed to synchronise with a persons’ own harmonics for the effect to occur. She said that it would take a lot of number crunching to find any link between the subjects that brought about a particular result. It may even come down to what hang-ups they had in common. Who knows?
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 25
On the flight home on Sunday afternoon, I sat between Maureen and Mom and quietly spoke about the future as Ali dozed in my arms.
Mom said that she was going to push Dad into being in Fort Lauderdale by Easter and Maureen said that this would be a traditional weekend for Jordan and me to wed.
We batted it around a bit, and, between us, we thought about an Easter Sunday wedding, at the farm, with a big marquee set up. It would be kept quiet from the press, just for invited guests.
I remarked that I didn’t want a band at the reception, just a DJ. Having a band would be too much of a chance that we would want to get up and play. There was only one thing I wanted to play with that night. Before we landed, we had told Allan about our idea so that he could keep the period clear. In the end it worked out differently because in April we all went to Europe to start a four-month tour.
One of the best things about the trip to Boston was that Josie and I spent a lot of time together and developed a sisterly connection. She was becoming one of Ali’s favorite Aunties.
I told her that I didn’t mind if she knew where she stood. She assured me that her own baby would take up all her time when it arrived. She said she was determined never to walk away from this one and having Ali to spoil was a bonus.
One morning after we had returned home, Josie and Jordan were taking turns to read a story to Ali and Maureen was sitting next to me looking on.
She turned to me and asked me if I would like to take a walk. When we were some ways from the others she said. “Josie plays with Ali as if she was her mother. I wondered why she had been so uptight when I first met her. Did she leave Ali with you?”
I told her that she was right, but that Josie wanted Tony to have no idea of that.
“So, who are you to Ali, you certainly act as if you’re her mother and Jordan looks the part for the father. Did he and Josie do something they shouldn’t?”
I stood still and faced her. “Maureen,” I said seriously. “I’m the father. Alicia is the baby that Josie and I produced while I still had the means to make it happen. I transitioned not long after. That’s what drove Josie away. She needed a man in her life and, unfortunately, we had one playing bass with us who fitted the bill. She parted from him before she met Tony. I’m happy for the two of them now that I have seen them together. Josie was very mixed up, but I think that the Swan saved her life.”
Maureen hugged me. “You poor thing, being left with a baby. I can see that you and Josie still have a lot of love for each other as friends. I thank you for telling me this. It will be our secret but knowing the truth will let me divert any questions that may come up. I’m looking forward to having my own grandchild to spoil but now I have one already it’ll be fun to shop for them both as they grow up. Are you and Jordan going to adopt?”
“Perhaps after we formalize Alicia, but we had not spoken about any others yet.” I then laughed. “First, though, we must get married. We were holding off until he graduated but I can’t see any reason we should wait now. I think I would like to be a spring bride, but the problem is that I don’t know where I’ll be when spring comes around.”
She then asked who else knew the truth and I told her that Pet, Emily, and Janet were in the band when this happened and that my parents and Josies’ family knew, as well as Allan and Helen.
“Right” she said “That gives me several people I can call on if needed. It certainly isn’t in the media that you were a boy.”
I chuckled. “When I first played on stage with the Pixies, we all wore jeans and boots. I already had long hair. I’ve been told since that most people thought I was a tomboy and that a certain witch costume brought out the girl in me. Even Jordan told me that he thought that Josie and I were in a lesbian relationship, and it shocked him to know the truth.”
That morning Maureen became the “Granny” that I had never experienced before. She took a position where she was very protective of us all.
Allan had started to use our studio for his own acts and Martyn was kept busy with Tony helping him in the control room. As Allan had some established singers on his books that were serious about their output it was a win-win for everyone. The results of their labours would be heard next year when the new albums hit the airwaves. Allan had put Martyn and Tony on the payroll, and I knew from hearing what they did for us that it was money well spent.
Of course, with Tony working with his father, Josie was now a permanent fixture around the farm. After Boston trip, she took on a paid position of managing the farm property. That would be overseeing the hydroponic and other production, making sure the workers were happy and keeping the books for the studio hire.
The workers had finally come around to the fact that she was back and ashamed of what she had done. Her relationship with them was back to normal. With this agreed, it freed Jordan to go full-time as a vet when his course ended in the middle of the year. He and the retiring vet were getting on well together and business was good, so much that we needed to mark out specific parking spaces for their customers.
The clients for the studio had parking set aside in the front of the studio and we had some more covered areas put in for them. Brad had also built a toilet block which would be needed for strangers using the studio. We registered Stable Studio as a business, and it eventually earned enough to cover the costs.
The downside to this was that the Sisters didn’t have a place to work on new songs unless we paid for the studio time. We got Brad to build a soundproof room inside the rear of the third shed, behind the clinic. It was reverse-cycle air-conditioned, with the pump outside to minimise any extraneous noise. Because it was already inside, it just needed stud walls and plenty of insulation as well as the sound proofing.
It was big enough for more than a dozen players and had easy chairs to relax in. I moved the old upright into it as well as all our own kit. It had enough power outlets to run a show. It turned out good enough to rent out as a rehearsal room for the acts using the studio, when we weren’t using it ourselves.
December was a busy time for us in the main studio, organizing a new album which was on a master before Christmas, so we all deserved some time off. Allan presented us with our preliminary timetable for the following year. We had free time to relax or record up to early April and then went on tour in Europe. It was not a pop tour, as such, but dates had been saved in case a promoter wanted to have us put a pop show on.
Allan said that some of our back catalogue would go on the market there, alongside the jazz album. It depended on the take-up of the other discs. That gave Martyn an excuse to remaster the later Pixies and our early Sisters albums to improve the quality. Allan also organized the different language covers with the old pictures, all as Stable Sisters releases. We would be doing all the jazz dates as “The Stable Sisters AKA Instability” which would let us go on as simply the Stable Sisters if required.
He gave us a list of places where we would be playing. We started in Paris, then on to Orleans, Dijon, Lyon, Marseille and Toulouse in France, Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, and Seville in Spain. There was a ferry ride to Italy where we had Naples, Rome, Milan, and Turin, and then Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Hanover, and Hamburg in Germany before our final show in Berlin. There were no big halls or arenas, just big night clubs, jazz clubs and dance halls.
The money offered wasn’t the greatest, but Allan considered it a good investment. We would have to rely on album sales to make up any shortfall. This meant a pared-down travelling group, flying without the first class, reasonable hotels instead of top-of-the-range and coach travel between most of the gigs. Such sacrifices we were making for the sake of our music!
This meant that the wedding had to happen in the beginning of March. Josie was now showing a pronounced bump, and the expected delivery was the third week of that month. Mom, Alicia, and Maureen took on the wedding planning with gusto which would allow me time to get with the Sisters, to work out a “Postcards” album before we left. It would just need three songs from each country to make a reasonable album and Pet had already started on those, given that some of the places we would visit were a no-brainer. But first, it was Christmas to celebrate.
The band had no commitments this year. We were not performing in any Christmas or New Year show, and it was very much a time of rest for us. Pet and I had split the task of the “Postcards” album and she was writing the French and Spanish songs, and I had the Italian and German places.
With the internet it’s easy to look up a town, get details and places nearby, and get an idea of what a visit to the town may look like. We were both creating like mad. Emily was our editor of the lyrics and the tunes as we wrote them out. In the middle of January, we planned to use the rehearsal room when it was finished and had booked the Stable Studio for a recording session at the end of February.
In the week before Christmas, we had two deliveries from couriers. One was a box of twenty DVDs of our jazz show from Cleveland as well as twenty double CDs of the remastered audio, with the picture of us in the water and looking up at the camera on the cover. The other was ten sets of the Boston orchestra season.
Each set was a CD of each of the performances and Martyn must have pulled all the stops out to get the Rodrigo one as the last CD. With that one we got cards from Kelly, one from the whole orchestra and one from Algernon, Fiona, and daughters. I had posted them cards earlier but had baulked at buying any gifts. What can you buy a billionaire?
Josie and I had gone into the city a couple of times and had bought up big for the family. It was lovely to be walking the shops with her again, sometimes arm in arm but never holding hands. We had also bought festive produce packs for our workers who would get them with their Christmas pay and bonus before having two weeks off. She and Tony also went into the city for him to choose his gifts for his parents.
The festive season was certainly out of the picture books. The countryside was white and the only clean roof around was on the hydroponic sheds due to the hot lights. Alicia and Brad came over in his work truck which had four-wheel drive.
Once again Ali was showered with gifts but was not the only one this time. Mom and Maureen oversaw the Christmas dinner with Josie and me helping as needed. Ali was given a few little jobs that kept her interested, and she had been really looking forward to the Christmas day, the first that she was able to experience and remember. She still loved a pink bunny that she had got last year but had no memory of getting it.
It was a lovely day with the family. We had done a lot of different things since the previous Christmas. The four Prentices were here for the first time. They enjoyed a Christmas Dinner with snow outside but none of us had any thoughts of going out there. It was the first Christmas dinner I could remember where we ate turkey instead of chicken.
We ate too much and drank some wine and sat about in the lounge in the afternoon. Dad put the Cleveland DVD into the player so we could watch it. It was so smooth both Ali, in my arms, and I, went to sleep! I woke up as the credits were running and Mom was bustling around to see if anyone wanted drinks.
Josie was almost in tears, saying that it had been so wonderful. Martyn looked at me and winked. “Well Edie, first you produce a piece of music that clears fears and hang-ups, and now you’ve done one for those with sleep disorders.” I looked around and saw Jordan with his head back and his mouth open and Dad in a similar position, and I laughed.
We were all too full for much else that day and everyone woke up in time for a cup of hot chocolate. Jordan took Ali out to the animal cages to check with the few that were being kept over Christmas to recover and give them some food. She liked that little job. The cage area had some flame heaters to keep it warm, and these needed to be monitored for fuel and turned low for the night. When the lights were turned off the animals would settle down.
That night both Jordan and I couldn’t sleep having had a couple of hours in the afternoon, but it didn’t matter. We had other things that we could do that had not diminished in enjoyment. I really did love that man and our lovemaking was just that, all love.
In the week between Christmas and New Year we sat down and worked through the plans for the year to come. I was going to be away for some months and Jordan couldn’t get away because he was up for his final exams. He was good to look after Ali and I knew that Maureen would help after Mom and Dad had gone south.
Josie would be busy with her own little Prentice. Allan had promised Tony and Martyn some interesting sessions but hadn’t told them who was coming to the studio. We had a very quiet New Year, and, in January, I worked on my “Postcards” songs.
One of the things I investigated was a piano teacher for Ali. It was one thing for an eight-year-old me learning the piano by playing but was another for a two-year old. Any bad habits she learned now would live with her for ever. I had enough bad habits on the keyboard for both of us.
Pet knew of someone who had taught her and brought her over one day. The lady listened to what Ali could do now and said that it would be an honor to give her lessons, if only to be listed as her early teacher once she had become world famous. I paid her, and she came over twice a week to take Ali through the standard tutorials.
By the end of February, the “Postcards” album had been recorded for release while we were away.
We were now using the rehearsal room to work through which songs we would be playing should we get asked to play as a pop group.
Another thing that happened at that time was a very serious visit from Allan.
He told us that Kelly had sent her classical CD sets to friends in her field and Allan had received some requests from a few orchestras. He had negotiated dates and payments.
Some of us were involved in several classical concerts across Europe.
I was now flying out to Paris, on my own, some ten days before the others. I was booked to play the Warsaw and the Tchaikovsky One in Paris with a famous orchestra after a few days of rehearsal and then would join the rest of the band to start the tour proper. That would be a four-night stint in a large jazz club, also in Paris.
We would be doing two nights in Orleans, another two in Dijon and Lyon and four in Marseille then two in Toulouse. Allan had factored in a weekend break in case we were needed to do a pop show but now Joyce and I would be doing the Rodrigo in Seville in the first week of June while the others had a break.
The longest stop in Spain was a four-night stint in a dance hall in Madrid and then we were off to Italy. He had put in a free weekend on the first week of July there as well which was now filled with Pet and I doing our double violin concert in Vienna, of all places, the spiritual home of all violinists.
The week after our last show in Berlin, near the end of August, I was now going to be doing the Rach 2 with an orchestra there before being allowed to fly home. It looked as if it was going to be one hell of a summer for us and especially for me. I talked it over with Jordan and Ali and told her that Mommy was going to be away for a few months playing her piano. She said that she understood and would be a good girl while I was away, and that Auntie Mo and Aunty Jo would help her if she needed it. She told me that she was learning so much now and would play me some new pieces when I got back. I hugged her with tears in my eyes.
I rang Kelly in Boston and thanked her for her recommendations, and she told me that it was so that I could grace her stage again as a world-famous soloist and then laughed, saying that it would cost more to book me then. She then told me that Allan had emailed her with our tour dates and that Algernon was taking his family to Paris to see me play and will stay on to see us in the jazz club.
She then told me that the “For those who Served” concerts were kicking off in April with a range of artists booked to perform. Pet and I should get an email about that. We were not listed on any concert this year but there were some spots after we came home that we could fill in at if we wanted.
March came around all too soon and with it my wedding. We put a marquee up next to the hydro sheds, and it was decorated, and seats hired. We were having a civil ceremony with a celebrant and Dad would be giving me away. Pet and Emily were my bridesmaids, Ali was the Flower Girl, and Tony was standing with Jordan as best man.
We used the blow heaters to warm up the marquee. Our dress supplier came up with glorious dresses for us in a medium pink. Seeing that Jordan and I had been living together for quite a while I didn’t think that white was being honest.
The guests were by invite only and we had a security service at the gate. The only press allowed in was a national woman’s magazine that had made us an offer we couldn’t resist. The reception was in the number three shed where the animals had been relocated to the vet clinic for a few days. It was well lit, the floor now well rolled, and the caterers were able to set up the tables and chairs. The DJ could tap off the power from the rehearsal room.
It was a full house. We had the entire band, their partners, and families, plus Kelly, Algernon and his family, Allan and Helen and the girls from his office. Then there were several principals of our major sponsors, our workers and their families, and Dianne and the other five Swan administrators. Not forgetting the Prentices and Donna with her family.
It was a lovely day for me, being pampered and dressed in the morning for a lunch-time ceremony. Ali looked wonderful in her very pretty dress, and she told me that she felt like a princess. I told her that this was because she really was a princess and that one day, she would meet her own Prince Charming.
Pet and Emily also looked wonderful, and the photographers had a field day with us before we were allowed to walk over to the marquee, me on the arm of my father with my daughter carefully carrying the flowers in front of us. As we walked down the aisle, I could see Jordan looking handsome and a very buff guy in a suit standing next to him. I could see now just what Josie had seen when she had married him.
After the ceremony we went into the shed for the reception. This was a lunch followed by dancing and drinking. Jordan and I would be leaving around three to go to the airport for a flight to the Niagara Falls for just three days. He needed to be back for his work, and I needed to be back for mine. The lunch was good, the company better and the DJ kicked us off with the bridal waltz.
Donna and Jack came along with her little boy, now pushing three, and Jack and Algernon were soon in a long conversation about looking after the geriatric population. My parents were up from Fort Lauderdale with very new tans. I was hugged and kissed by just about everyone, and then Jordan and I went to change for the limo that would be taking us to the airport. When I threw the bouquet, it was caught by Pet which prompted Anton to drop to one knee and propose, much to the enjoyment of everyone. We were driven away to the sound of applause and, for once, it wasn’t for me.
We had a lovely time in Niagara Falls, just being tourists and spending a lot of time in bed, like every other newly married couple in the place. When we got home, we found that we had missed some of the fun.
After Anton had proposed to Pet and she said yes, Ian had followed suit with Emily and then, with all the excitement and some dancing, Josie had started to break waters a couple of weeks early. She had given birth to Georgina Odette Prentice very early the following day, followed some thirty minutes later, by Martyn Jordan Prentice. Ali laughed when she described the scene. “Mommy, you should have seen the water run down Auntie Jo’s leg, it looked so funny.”
We had kept some of Alis’ things, but Maureen needed to go and buy a second set which went into the second bedroom over the surgery. Jordan and I went to see Josie in hospital as soon as we got back and saw her twins in their cribs. They were not that much smaller than Ali had been and were quite active in their movements.
She told us that it hadn’t been as bad as Ali and to tell her that she was going to have a couple of cousins as playmates in coming years. I asked about it being twins, and she said that she had kept it quiet. “Just in case there were problems”.
She then thanked Jordan and me for being such good friends on top of being family.
“I hope you had a lovely time on your honeymoon, it’s going to be tough for you in Europe, Edie. Make sure you look after yourself and don’t push it too hard. I know that once you’re on a roll you don’t stop until you run out of steam; just take it easy for a change.”
The next day a small container was delivered, and we loaded all our instruments and spare stage outfits. When a customs guy came and inspected it, he watched as we packed the spaces with old blankets and sealed the doors. The truck came back the next day and our stuff was then on its way to Paris.
Jordan drove me to the airport the day after and we kissed. I kissed Alicia and told her that she should look after her Daddy. She promised that she would “keep him in line” and we sniggered together before I gave her a kiss and made my way through the emigration to wait for the plane to be loaded up.
I had been bumped to business class for this trip, so it wasn’t too bad. I spent most of the flight snoozing and daydreaming about how my life had evolved is such a different track to what I had expected in senior school.
When we arrived in Paris I was greeted by a representative of the orchestra and taken to a hotel where I was allowed the rest of the day to relax and get over the trip. I was visited by a French journalist and photographer who had reasonable English and answered a few questions about my musical career. He was very interested in the fact that I was a concert pianist who also played jazz on stage as he had never heard of such a thing.
“Some play jazz for fun,” he said. “You, Madam, do it as business.”
I told him that as far as I was concerned it was all music. The odd thing about the interview was that, as he finished, his photographer pulled out a couple of the French release Sisters CDs from her bag and asked me if I could sign them for her. I did so and said, “You like?” and she smiled, “Tres bon!”
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 26
The journalist had obviously not gone far with his research because he and she jabbered away in French and then he came back to me and asked me if I was a pop star as well in the USA. That led to more questions and answers before he was happy.
The next day I was in the hall with the orchestra and playing my part as the pianist most of the day. We were to have a full-dress rehearsal the next day and then a day off before we did the first concert on Friday evening. The next day I saw the dress that they had for me and could hardly believe my eyes. It was close to my bridal dress in design but was a cobalt blue.
I was gowned and sat at the piano after they had played their first half, a very nice interpretation of Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz which runs about an hour. It all sounded good to my ears, and the conductor agreed, so I was back into my day dress and in the hotel before dinner.
The following day one of the lady violinists, Louise, who spoke English, showed me around Paris. We looked at the Eiffel Tower but didn’t go up it; we went to the Louvre but didn’t see the Mona Lisa. When I asked, I was told that it paid to book ahead for both attractions, and to be in line around six in the morning if I wanted to be out by lunch. That was something the travel agents don’t bother to tell you.
“At least you can stand and look at the Leonardo for a few minutes if you do get in front of it. Not like London where they have a moving walkway that takes you past the Crown Jewels at the speed that they have decided is enough time to look but not inspect.”
Louise was pleasant and knew her city. She took me to a little bistro she knew for a good lunch. I asked her about the jazz club where I was going to play the following weekend, so we went there that evening as normal customers. We had a very nice dinner and listened to some good New Orleans jazz from an English outfit.
She told me that the English still loved that type of jazz more than any other style. When she took me back to my hotel, she gave me a hug and said, “Madam Grosse, you’ve been a pleasure to be with today. I’m looking forward to our concert and I’ll come along and see you play jazz as well. I think it will be an interesting experience.”
The next day I took it easy. In the afternoon, I spent some time in the hotel spa that the orchestra was paying for. I dressed carefully and did an evening make-up to suit the cobalt blue dress, had a light dinner and waited for my transport.
I was picked up by a very smart lady driver who ushered me to her limo and helped me in. At the concert hall I was quite surprised at there being quite a crowd outside. I asked the driver if she spoke English. When she said she did I asked her if the crowd out the front was usual.
She laughed. “Madam, they’re waiting to see if they can get tickets for tonight. There was an article in the paper this morning that said that you were a pop star in the USA that played concert piano for fun. I think that it has interested a lot of people.”
The conductor had other thoughts, asking me if this was all a “bit of a laugh” and I assured him that every time I played music it was serious, no matter what style or genre. He was mollified and wandered away muttering something that my basic French could understand, something along the lines of “derrieres on seats”. At least tonight might be a full house.
After I was dressed, and my make-up touched up, I stood in the wings and listened to the orchestra in full fury with the Symphonie and noted that the audience was well behaved and applauded well. There was no mingling here, so I stood with the rest of the orchestra for a glass of soft drink before it was time for the second half. I had several the members talk to me, many saying that it was a very good crowd. The buzzer sounded and they readied themselves to go back on stage. Louise gave me a hug and told me that I was the main attraction tonight, and to soak it up.
When the orchestra had finished tuning, they stood as the conductor led me onto the stage to some polite applause. He sat me at the piano and then went to his rostrum. There was silence and then we were in the Warsaw. At the finish I sat for a few moments until the applause swelled and stood to take a bow, waving to the orchestra and conductor to take a bow themselves. Then I sat and we were into the Number One, the main piece of my appearance.
After this we all took a couple of bows, and I was given a big sheaf of flowers on stage. The conductor led me off and the orchestra followed but the applause carried on. I went back out on the stage and sat at the piano and the hall quietened down as I started with a Chopin etude. They wouldn’t let me just leave it at that, so I did one of the Satie piano Gymnopédies and then stood, bowed, waved to the audience, and walked off to take the conductors arm and pull him back on stage to take another bow.
There was no party afterward; that would be Saturday night, so I was changed back into my normal dress and taken out a back door to the limo to go back to the hotel. On the way Louise stopped me. She told me that she had been ordered to come to the hotel in the morning. She was to look after me until the evening performance because the management was now very protective of their soloist, a stranger in a strange land. I had to smile at that because they had not cared one way or the other until we had wowed a Parisian audience. I asked her to join me for breakfast and to bring anyone else who wanted to spend a day with a strange American.
Next morning, I went down for breakfast and joined a table of five girls from the orchestra, all from the string sections, and all with French issue Sisters CDs that I was asked to sign. Three had good English and two were so-so and we could converse quite easily with Louise giving the odd French word for the two. I was asked what I wanted to do during the day, and several tourist places were suggested.
Louise told me that she had a budget from the orchestra as a thank you from the management, so I asked. “Will the budget cover six good lunches?” She nodded and I then smiled. “I’m here in Paris, the home of fine dressing and I want to shop. Can you girls help?” Well, you don’t ask a girl anywhere if they liked to shop without knowing the answer so, after breakfast, we hit the dress shopping district.
I gave my credit card an outing, first at a good lingerie shop and then at one of the high-end dress shops. I found a glorious sheath with a cowl neck and split each side to mid-thigh which would be good on stage. I asked Louise and the girls if I was to be in the same dress that I’d worn last night. I was told that this was what was planned.
“Right, I’ll take this one and wear it instead. Now, is there anything that you girls like?”
They were not keen on high end because there were not many times that they would wear it. We went to another shop which was more suited to their lifestyle, and I outfitted all five of them, and got another couple of outfits for myself. They may have been a bit cheaper but were all still Paris labels. We took our goodies back to the hotel where we all dressed in new outfits, and then went for a long lunch, fully intending to blow the budget.
They took me to a place that wasn’t Michelin starred but served good wholesome food with a good wine list. We spent three hours working through five courses. All the time we talked, me learning a lot about life of a girl in a French orchestra and the different roads they had taken to get there.
I told them about a bit of my life, and they were amazed at my early life, growing up on a chicken farm. I showed them pictures of Jordan and Alicia on my phone and then asked them if any would be available on Tuesday when the rest of the Sisters arrived, as it would be good to give them guidance. I had five eager volunteers to accompany me next week and I thought that it would be nice to have assistance to settle into the start of this tour.
After lunch we went back to the hotel and the girls all grabbed their shopping bags, hugged, and told me that they were looking forward to tonight as they had been told that a billionaire was coming along to see us. I laughed. “I’ll introduce you at the after-show party; he’s a lovely man and a patron of the Boston orchestra.” I had a lay down after they left, setting the alarm for five, just in case I slept. It was needed as the lifestyle and jetlag was catching up with me.
I had the new dress in the bag when I was picked up by my driver. She told me that the newspaper review of last night was very good, and that the management was very happy. When the dresser came in, I showed her my own dress and she agreed that it looked good, so I did that performance in the same colors but a different style.
It made no difference to the concert. It was packed and very appreciative. The orchestra was applauded when they went on stage and got a standing ovation when they had finished the first half. Everyone was pumped up and there was good applause when I was led on by the conductor, followed by an ovation after each piece and the encore. We did the same as Friday, all of us taking a few bows before the conductor leading me off and the orchestra following. This time, however, he led me and the orchestra back on stage and they sat as I did the Satie piece. We all took bows again before we left for the final time.
The party after was a very genteel affair but with a lot of jabbering in French that I couldn’t understand. I was, however, ably assisted by my five new friends who were able to interpret for me. I introduced them all to Algernon, Fiona, and their daughters.
Algernon confided to me that he was here in Paris to discuss business with a European company that he was thinking of buying. It was early days yet, and that he was having trouble getting his points across. Two of my new friends had told me this morning that they had done nursing, so I called them over. I asked them if they could interpret medical jargon and Algernon tried them out on a few words which they knew. By the end of the evening, they had a part-time job being his interpreters while he was in town.
I told Louise that Monday I was going to relocate to the hotel that had been booked for us with the jazz club tour and she turned her nose up, telling me that it was not a patch on where I was now. I had to tell her that we would be touring for over four months and that it was all a matter of cost effectiveness.
She had someone with a car who would help me move. There were several photographers at the party, and I was asked to pose with various local celebrities and the leaders of the orchestra during the evening. I finally called it quits and the driver was found to take me back to the hotel where I slept like a baby.
Next morning, at breakfast, I was given a few of the local papers and, although I could not fully read the articles, the photos were very nice. There was one of me on stage with the entire orchestra and bowing; and some with me and the local celebrities. I think that I was described as a world-class pianist as I knew that monde was world in French.
The waitress was smiling a lot as she served me. I rested all of Sunday, ringing home and talking to Jordan and catching up with my body clock. Next day, after breakfast, I packed my bags and went down to the lobby to wait for Louise.
When she arrived, she said that Etienne was outside with the car, and we took my bags out and Etienne helped load them. He was, I discovered, her partner and had taken a morning off his usual job to help me. The fact that he worked in a musical instrument shop and had rung to tell them that he was helping a visitor who had been with the orchestra, had helped.
He smiled. “Monday morning is usually very slow, but the boss said he would like it if you came by on the way. I think he might like to sell you a piano.”
We went to the shop, and when we walked in, I stopped. “This is slow?”
Etienne looked around. “This isn’t usual, I’ll find out what’s going on.” His boss saw him and called out something in very fast French and Louise chuckled.
I asked her what was funny. She said that the boss had told Etienne that all the people in the store wanted to buy a piano, having seen someone play one Saturday night.
I laughed. “Why don’t we help him out. See his boss and ask him if there’s a piano I can use and then you can translate for me while I ask questions.” I was pointed to a baby grand and sat at it to start doodling various etudes and a bit of Satie. The atmosphere in the shop changed and they gathered around to listen.
I asked Louise to find out who wanted a baby grand, who may want a concert grand and who would be happy with an upright, and we were able to split them into the three groups. The boss took over with the upright buyers because they were the ones who were after a bargain, and price was a bigger factor than quality.
Etienne and I worked through the rest, a smaller group, and he spoke for some while. There were some answers and some shuffling between the two groups, and he called over another salesman to talk to the baby grand buyers. Then he and I spoke to the concert grand buyers, mainly, I gathered, very rich people with big houses who had suddenly decided that a good piano would be the thing to have.
It became evident that having Madame Grosse advise them of what they should be looking at was enough to get their signatures on orders. They, at least, knew who they were talking to. I kept playing odd doodling’s while Etienne did the business, and Louise kept up a constant translation between me and the customers. We did push a couple into the baby grand group but, on the other hand, a couple from that group came over to us as they listened to my discussions. I think we sold about four pianos that morning with others going off to talk to their banks, once they had found out what the good instruments cost.
I had a bit of fun and, when we had satisfied the last of the bigger buyers, I went over to the upright buyers and discovered that those still unsure were that way because of the sound of the piano. I told them that you could alter the sound slightly with the pedals but the upright always sounded brighter because of the shorter strings.
To demonstrate I played a bit of Satie on the upright and then did some of my Sister’s music in ragtime. I, and the manager, explained that the upright was always better for family use because they were sturdier and easier to keep in tune as well as being more suited to modern or jazz music.
Etienne sat at an upright and played a piece which he said was Brubeck, and it was nice. The crowd thinned with the manager taking orders until there was one parent with a teenage girl who was being very stubborn. She didn’t want a piano; she wanted a guitar, and her mother was saying that no daughter of hers would be playing that “modern stuff”.
When Louise translated that for me, I asked Etienne if he had any classical guitars and if he did, could he bring two over to us. When the girl saw them, her face lit up, so I pulled a couple of piano stools up, sat her on one and put the guitar in her hands. She stroked it lovingly and played a few chords, and said something which Louise translated as, “This is what I was talking about, not headbanging music “
I picked up on the chords she knew and started playing tunes around them in Django style with her watching me intently. She had been taking lessons somewhere because she was quick to pick up some of the notes and we played around for five minutes until her mother said. “I give in, if this is what you want to play then you can have one of those. It does sound lovely, but I would prefer that you played classics.”
When Louise translated that I winked at the girl and started playing some Segovia which sealed the deal. Etienne’s boss went to the till, gave Etienne some money and obviously told him to buy me lunch because that was what we did before carrying on to the new hotel.
Over lunch I found that Etienne was a jazz fan and had booked for him and Louise to be at the club on Saturday night. Louise had not told him yet that I would be playing in the band there, just that she was entertaining a visiting soloist. He said that he was looking forward to seeing Instability because a friend had emailed that he had seen them in Cleveland, and it had been good.
I chuckled. “Etienne, someone once said that jazz was merely a musical joke. That Cleveland show, and by extension this tour, all started out as a joke played by the Stable Sisters on their agent. He took it seriously enough to send it off to friends and here I am in Paris waiting to kick off a tour. It really is a crazy world.”
He looked at Louise. “You told me that you were entertaining a visiting soloist the other day. So, who is this lovely lady who just helped me meet my whole year budget in one morning?”
“Etienne, Louise told the truth, I am the soloist from the orchestra, and I played the Concert grand. I am also, however, one of the Stable Sisters and therefore one of Instability that you will be coming to see.”
He sat back. “You’re an American pop star, in a Grammy nominated band once called the Pixies, just about to tour four countries and you are sitting her having lunch with us after helping me sell pianos for a couple of hours?”
Louise laughed. “I told you that we had a world-class soloist this weekend and that she was a bit different.”
He looked at me and asked. “Where’s the entourage, the hangers-on, the stylists and publicity guys?”
I assured him that we had an agent in the US, and I usually had a dresser when we performed but pretty much everything else, we did ourselves. We had started out that way and saw no reason to change.
Louise chuckled. “Etienne, sweetheart, Edie Grosse is a person who can talk to a street urchin or a billionaire and not change a thing. We met a billionaire at the party Saturday night, and he was just the same with a lovely family. I didn’t feel as if he was talking down to me and my time with Edie has been something I’ll never forget. Now, we must get her to the flea-bag hotel the jazz club has put her in so you can go back to work and finalize all those sales.”
He took us to the hotel which, while not as grand as the one I had just left, seemed adequate. Etienne helped carry my things up to my room, and then left to go back to work.
He asked me if we could take all the Sisters to the store one day between shows and that he would organize something. He said that he knew his boss would like the advertising and would supply everything. Louise stayed with me for a while as I got to know the hotel and the surroundings. It was only a walk to the jazz club, so we went over and saw the management.
They were surprised to see me. They said that they thought I would be coming with the rest of the band tomorrow. I told them that I had had a booking last weekend to play piano, and Louise pointed to a newspaper on their desk with my picture prominent. She told them that they should expect a bit of a crowd on Thursday evening. I found that the longer I listened the more I was picking up the words, especially when someone pointed to a thing they were talking about. I found out that our instruments had arrived and were waiting to be unpacked.
With the help of Louise, we asked them to book a bus to pick up the rest of the band, and to pick me up at the hotel first. I had a group of assistants who were going to help us get the band settled.
That done Louise and I went down to the stage and checked it out, not being able to get too close the other night. She was dismissive but I said it was all right for an intimate show but agreed that you would never even get the strings section into the space. She giggled when I told her that the conductor would need to stand on a table among the audience.
She and I went and had an evening meal in a little café, something the French do so well. The food was good and the management friendly. I asked about Etienne, and she told me that he would eat around the corner from the shop before he went home. We arranged for her and the others to be at the hotel with me when we were picked up and we had a little hug. She left me, still sitting at the café table with a fresh cup of the best coffee I had ever tasted.
Next morning, she arrived with just two of the others, the other two were busy with Algernon today. The bus arrived and we were taken off to the airport to greet the band. I hoped that their trip had been reasonable and was happy to see them come through the customs door looking reasonably refreshed.
I hugged them all and introduced the others who immediately organized porters for the luggage. Once we were all in the bus Pet asked me how the concert went, and I told her it was a good one. I told her that our helpers were all violin players from the string section, and we got into a discussion about playing in a French orchestra.
Emily remarked that they had been bumped into business class, which helped with the trip, but they were, she said, hungry because even business class food was hardly enough for a growing woman.
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 27
Louise got on her phone to Etienne to get him to call the place we had been to lunch yesterday because he knew the owner. Then she told him that we needed lunch for the Stable Sisters plus four and she smiled as she put her phone away.
“He’s shocked,” she said. “He said that the music shop will pay for lunch as long as we stroll around the corner for some pictures there.”
Janet laughed. “Edie, we let you come early and when we arrive you have helpers, transport, and now free lunches. What else did you organize?”
Louise smiled. “Crowds, Madam, she has organized crowds. That jazz club usually works on a small audience for the first couple of nights with hope that word of mouth will fill the place on the weekend. I think that there may be a full house on Thursday evening and queues to get in every night.”
Joyce asked about the venue. I told her it was like Cleveland in size but with a lot more atmosphere. The bus took us to the hotel, and it was a breeze to get the others settled in with the help of our French speakers.
Then, after they had freshened up, we were back in the bus and off for lunch, the driver telling Louise that he will be at the music store to pick us up at four.
I think one of our friends had been on her phone to the other two because, when we walked into the café, there was a big table with Algernon, his family and his two interpreters, already sitting there in conversation with Etienne and his boss.
It was a funny situation, the girls having just flown in from the US to find someone they knew waiting for them to have lunch. They were introduced to the other two violin players, Etienne, and his boss and then we had a lovely lunch which was an ideal way for them to settle after the flight.
Fiona told them about my concert and Louise told them that it had been a great success. They had a chuckle about the newspaper article that said I was a jazz pianist that played concerts for a laugh. The café still had some copies of the previous papers, and we showed them the pictures while our friends interpreted the articles.
There was one I hadn’t seen as it was in today’s paper, in the music review. Louise read it out in English. The other girls squealed when she read that the violin section of the orchestra had been playing finer than the reviewer had heard before. The writer had picked up on my technique, or lack of it, and stated that I was a breath of fresh air through the orchestral world.
Pet commented that I must have broken wind as I played.
Algernon announced that he had completed his task in Paris, thanks to his two helpers who had been able to convey his requests and get him the answers he wanted, even picking up on a couple of items that the target company had been trying to slip through in the small print.
Etienne’s boss, with Etienne interpreting, told us that the Monday sales had been wonderful, and that there may be a few people in the shop wanting to meet us all today. Louise whispered to me that he was a typical businessman and wouldn’t let a chance slip through his fingers.
Sure enough, there was quite a crowd in the shop when we strolled around the corner after lunch. We had some pictures taken with us handling instruments and then there were a lot of people wanting us to sign Sisters French CDs, including my friends who wanted the rest of the band on theirs.
I had a query for Etienne about small pianos for children and showed him the video of Ali and I doing the Satie. He led me to a back area where there was a lovely tiny baby grand, ideal for when she got older. He gave me a good price and I told him that I would organize the payment and gave him the address it should be shipped to. He wrote me an invoice which I photographed and sent to Allan with the bank details to make the payment.
While we were there Joyce wandered in and was idly opening guitar cases to have a look. She gasped and asked Etienne about the guitar in the case. It was certainly beautiful, and he said that it had been made for one of their customers who was a little small but had, unfortunately, passed away before it could be delivered.
She took it out of the case, and it fitted her perfectly and she tuned it and played a few chords and a bit of the Rodrigo. “It’s wonderful, it’s a Roberto Bouquette and I’ve only heard about them. Can I buy it?”
He told her he would talk to the boss and would give her a good deal because it was doing nobody any good sitting out back. She had something to carry onto the bus when it arrived to take us back to the hotel. I think that on the way we had helped sell a few more instruments, mainly guitars that we all had to sign.
The girls were all ready to drop after an evening meal at the little café, so we all had an early night. Louise said that she and the other players needed to be on duty Thursday and Friday for rehearsals but would be happy to help us again tomorrow. So, Wednesday we went out sightseeing with our guides and they made things so much easier.
In the afternoon we ended up in the dress shop where we had all got outfits last week. The band all got themselves a couple of new outfits while I and our helpers just tried things on. That evening we all had dinner in the little café where we were starting to get on first name basis with the owners, Louise telling them that we would be playing at the jazz club over the weekend.
That evening I took the band around to the jazz club, and they had a look at the stage as a Dixieland band played for a small crowd. We went out back and emptied the container so that it could be sent back. When we left here, we would be in a coach with a trailer, so we kept all of the packing to use in that. We checked all the contents had survived, took our guitar and violins in their cases with us when we left. The rest was neatly arranged for tomorrow morning when we would be back in to set up and rehearse before our first show.
We all slept in on Thursday and had to go to the café for breakfast, having missed the hotel one. Everyone was now feeling settled and ready to play so we went to the jazz club and saw the owners, who were tidying up after the previous night.
We took our time setting up and making sure everything worked as it should and then played a few songs to test for sound. We discovered that the club was a genuine one where they opened during the day for members to come in for drinks, so we did our full show over the lunch period with a growing audience.
By the time we stopped after the first half there were sandwiches and drinks for us and the club members there wanted to know if we would be playing any more. When we said we had a second half which was mainly our usual songs in a jazz style. Several got on their phones to call friends. By the time we played the second half the place was about half full of members.
The owners were amazed, asking us if we could do a lunchtime show on Friday and matinees on the weekend. Pet referred them to Allan, and they said that they would get in touch with him to negotiate a deal. Before we were on stage that night, we had got a text from Allan saying that if we wanted to do the extra shows, he had an arrangement for extra payment. That night we played to a full house, and I suspected that Louise was right and there may be a queue outside.
Friday, we did the two shows and when we went in on Saturday lunchtime the management showed us reviews in the paper which, they said, were very positive. They were happy and were, more importantly, making some money.
We did the matinee, and the Saturday evening show had many faces in the crowd that we knew, from Algernon and family to half the orchestra and their partners. We grooved and it was great. There was a lot of joy in the room, as it had been the previous two nights and it was all worth the flights, the cheap hotels, and the strange lands to bring joy to our listeners.
A lot of the same faces were back on Sunday night and gave us a standing ovation when we finished. One guy wanted to have a serious talk to us and, luckily, Louise and Etienne were still there.
With her translating we discovered that this guy had a big dance hall in Marseille and knew we would be playing there in a couple of weeks. He wanted to know if we had a free night which he could book us to play as the Sisters, seeing that we were here. He told us our French issue back catalogue was selling well.
We gave him Allan’s card and told him that Allan will let us know the where and when, if they could organize it with him supplying bigger amplification.
Monday, we left the hotel and the club in the bus. Our luggage was in the storage and our equipment in the closed trailer. The driver, Pierre, spoke good English and would be with us as far as Toulouse where we would get a Spanish speaker.
It was now the last week of April, and we were driven south to Orleans. We first unloaded the kit at the small dance hall where we would play tonight and tomorrow, and then went a short distance to the hotel where we took our luggage up to our rooms. The show that night was good, there was a big crowd and a lot of them were carrying CDs to be signed. The beds were comfortable, the food was good, and the second night was a sell-out.
The following day we were heading to Dijon and another two nights followed by a drive to Lyon for another two in the first week of May. After that we went south to Marseille where we had a Saturday, Sunday, and Monday at a big jazz club. Now, after getting confirmation from Allan, the next Friday and Saturday was in the big dance hall as the Stable Sisters.
They had arranged for us to go to the hall on the Thursday to run through our usual show just in case we all started playing jazz. Our names were now getting quite well known through the jazz world and our performances were generally sold-out. It was a lot of fun, and we signed a lot of CDs.
While we were in Marseille, Allan called to say that the distributor had put together a French cover for the Cleveland show DVD. It would be on the market next week, with a Spanish, Italian and German version the week after.
After the jazz shows in Marseille, we took our kit over to the dance hall on the Thursday and set up as our usual Sisters show. The promotors had organized the bigger amps than the ones we used for jazz, and it took a little fiddling about to get a balance. When we did, we did our usual show right through, much to the enjoyment of those workers and cleaners already in the building.
Other than the music style, the other difference was we would play this show in new outfits we had bought in Paris, and I must say we looked very chic. We had been spending our days sightseeing, shopping, or sunbathing, especially the last once we were in the South of France, so I reckoned that we looked better than we had before.
The Friday and Saturday evening shows were great. Big crowds always bring out the best in us and it was good to have a full set of gear to work with. Those shows were the first we’d done here as the Stable Sisters but not the last. There’d been several promoters and agents present at that show who contacted Allan as we went west again. We had Sunday off except for loading the trailer with our gear. Monday we were heading west to Toulouse.
The original timetable had us playing the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at a jazz club in Toulouse and then going south into Spain for a dance hall in Barcelona on the weekend of the following week, the second week of June.
That is, the other girls would be in the bus. Joyce and I were flying to Seville from Toulouse on Friday morning to rehearse with the orchestra there and play the Rodrigo on Saturday and Sunday night.
Before we hit the stage in Toulouse things had been changed. Allan emailed us the revised timetable which had us doing a Sisters show in a bigger dance hall in Barcelona on the Wednesday and Thursday, and then the jazz in the original dance hall on the Friday and Saturday. The promoters wanted us to do it the other way round, but the posters had been posted, and the tickets to the jazz show already close to a sell-out. There had already been a window allowed for when we got to Madrid. Now we would now be doing a Sisters show there on the weekend of the third week of June, after jazz shows on the Thursday and Friday.
The Toulouse jazz shows were again packed, and a good time was had by all. When we left the hotel on the Thursday morning, Joyce and I had our overnight bags and left our main luggage in the bus. We would also be carrying our guitars, hers being her new one which she was growing to love.
We detoured on the way to the airport, now having our Spanish speaking driver who stopped outside the railway station where Pierre would get a high-speed train back to Paris. He had been good during his time with us and had given us a lot of information and tips wherever we went. We all got off and gave him a hug and a kiss and he went off into the station with an extra bag of signed CDs in his luggage.
At the airport Joyce and I got out with our smaller bags and our guitars. The girls all gave us a hug and wished us good luck. We then entered the world of a concert soloist again, and it was almost a shock to be back in first class. We had now been living in a normal sort of world for nearly two months. Next time we saw the girls it would be in Barcelona but now we had to get to Seville and rehearse with a new orchestra.
The flight down to Seville was good; being looked after in air-conditioned comfort in first class can make you feel a whole lot better. In Seville we were greeted by a driver with a nice car, and he took us to the hotel where we checked in and freshened up. He then took us and our guitars to the concert hall where an orchestra was waiting for us.
We were given some time to warm up our fingers, and then we did the Rodrigo with the orchestra. The first didn’t feel right but the second time we had relaxed and were thinking hard about what we were doing. The conductor was happy enough and allowed us to return to the hotel for dinner.
One thing that had stood out was how much better Joyce’s guitar sounded and I was determined to get a hand-made one for me to play. Before we left, I asked who would be able to sell me a good classical guitar, and was told that Senor Saintz, in Valencia, was one of the best around.
The hotel kindly found the right number and called him for me. He had very little English, and the receptionist kindly interpreted my request to him to have one of his guitars made for me. The answer was that he had heard about the concert and would be in the audience on Saturday. If he liked what he heard, I was told, he would deign to make me one, but it wasn’t cheap.
I told the receptionist to tell him that was good enough for me and gave him my own phone number should he want to speak to me. We had our dinner and went off to our rooms to luxuriate in a deep bubble bath.
On Saturday morning the reception gave us a guide to the sights, and we walked around the old city, which is glorious, stopping at the Cathedral where Christopher Columbus is laid to rest. We had lunch, and then were picked up to go to the concert hall.
Today we would be giving a matinee performance which, I was told, was usually filled with tourists and schoolchildren. The program was all Spanish, the first half was a short Albeniz piece followed by a longer Manuel de Falla one. There was a decent break and then we were led on after the orchestra had tuned, to play the Rodrigo. Our rendition was well received with some of the audience standing as we bowed and left the stage.
We changed out of the Spanish costume we had been given and prepared to go off somewhere for our usual light meal before an evening performance. As we left the dressing room we found the conductor with another gentleman, who had a guitar case in his hand. The conductor introduced us to Senor Saintz who had been in the audience this afternoon. The conductor had a grin on his face and Senor Saintz had a big smile as he greeted us. He told us that the performance had been wonderful and full of the proper fire.
“Senorita Grosse, I have here a guitar which I built some time ago for a gifted player who, unfortunately, did not come back for it, being the victim of a car crash. He was about your size, and I thought about it after your phone call yesterday.”
“But the receptionist said you didn’t speak English,” I said. “Yet here you are, possibly more fluent than me.”
He laughed. “That’s something that we use to gauge the person on the other end. You didn’t insist that I make you a guitar; you allowed the young girl to do her job, and you were kind enough to leave the final decision to me. I’ve dealt with many world class guitarists, and most would have insisted that I drop everything for them; often saying “Don’t you know who I am!””
“I don’t operate that way, Senor,” I said. “Bad manners lead to bad results. You look familiar and I think I may have seen your face recently.”
He nodded. “You are very observant Senorita. I was at your jazz show in Marseille with some friends, and we also went to the Stable Sisters show. It was an interesting experience to see the same group in two totally different styles but managing to present some of one in a performance of the other. You girls are wonderful to see and hear. This afternoon was no different. I can see why you want a custom-built instrument. You’re at that point in your guitar playing where you may move onto another plane. What you have now is one of the best but made on a production line. Please, let us go somewhere where you can test drive the one that I have with me.”
The conductor led us to a small rehearsal room, and I asked Joyce if she could go and get her new one. In the meantime, he opened the case, and I saw one of the most beautiful instruments I had seen. It was the standard classic shape with the classical fretboard but that’s where the similarities ended. The body was covered in fine inlay work and the frets looked as if they were different precious stone strips, rather than the usual plastic or bone. He handed it to me as I sat down, and I cradled it on my lap, immediately starting to play some Segovia.
It sounded, and felt, wonderful, and I was in love with it after the first chord. Joyce came back with hers, sat next to me. “Encore double?”
We started playing our encore piece that we hadn’t needed this afternoon. I closed my eyes and got lost in the sound of two custom guitars discussing music.
When we finished Senor Saintz had tears in his eyes. “Bravo, Senoritas, I thought I’d heard something good during the performance but that was something that makes my heart sing.”
“It makes my heartbeat faster, Senor,” I said. “Can I buy this one from you?”
He looked me in the eyes. “No, Senorita, it is not for sale.”
I went to hand it back to him. “Would you make me something similar, please?”
He chuckled. “I didn’t say it wasn’t yours, Senorita, I said it was not for sale. I will give you that guitar and only ask one thing.”
“And what is that?” I asked.
“At the end of the month you, and your other girls, will be playing at a jazz club in my hometown of Valencia. All I ask is that when you are there you bring your guitars along to that club on the Saturday afternoon. The manager is a friend of mine and will open for us. I’ll invite some friends of mine to join us, and we may have what you Americans call a “jam session” but playing classics and jazz.”
I put my hand out to shake on the deal and he took it and kissed it instead. He stood up. “I will leave you to get your meal. I will be in the audience tonight and am looking forward to hearing a performance of the Rodrigo that will go into the history books.” He kissed my hand again, took hold of Joyce’s and kissed it before leaving two stunned girls with guitars on their laps.
I put the guitar into the case after giving it a wipe over with a cloth that was already there. This was a guitar to be cherished. We went up to the stage area where Joyce put hers away carefully as well, and we left them for the evening show. As we were leaving there was several guys coming into the hall with cables and other stuff and Joyce said, “Looks like tonight will be recorded.” Both thinking the same thing we turned around and picked up our guitar cases and took them to the dressing room where we put them in a cupboard.
We went to the restaurant where we had been told we would eat and found the whole orchestra there. The conductor welcomed us and said that he hoped our visitor had been a welcome one.
I told him that he would hear the difference tonight when we played. Many of the orchestra had good English so we spoke to them, finding out that many would be in the audience when we played the jazz show here in town in a few weeks.
That evening the hall was packed. The performance was, I was told, not only being recorded but also going live on the local radio station. When we came on to the stage, we were both carrying our custom guitars, and I noticed a beaming Senor Saintz a couple of rows back.
As we moved into the Rodrigo, I could sense Joyce shifting up a notch and matching my new level of playing and it was so beautiful I was almost in tears when we finished. We stood and bowed as the audience came to their feet and then turned to acknowledge the conductor and the orchestra.
There was a need of an encore this time, so we sat, the audience quietened, and we played our double Segovia piece. It kept with the Spanish evening as it was Leyenda, also written by Albeniz. You could have heard a pin drop as we played the quieter central part, and I swear that several in the audience were turning blue from not breathing for the whole seven-minute piece. Then, as the last chord hung in the air, the audience were on their feet again.
There was no way we could top that, so we bowed, called the conductor forward who then got the orchestra to stand, and we all bowed a couple of times. He took us by our free hands and led us off the stage.
We stood in the wings as the orchestra walked past us, and then we put our guitars down. He led us back onto the stage for a final bow as a couple of sheaves of flowers were brought out to us. When we left the stage, we waved to the crowd to let them know we were not coming back, and then picked up our guitars to go to the dressing room.
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 28
We wiped them, put them to rest in their cases and then we hugged like a couple of lovers. Joyce was crying with joy, saying that she had never thought that she could have played like this when she was a teenager in Detroit. We changed and took our instruments with us when we left, me with two to carry now.
Senor Saintz was waiting for us and hugged us both, kissing us on both cheeks and telling us that he would be back on Sunday night to see if we get any better. Joyce laughed. “Hardly, Senor, I think I may have reached my pinnacle already.”
He smiled. “Don’t be so certain, Senorita; there’s no ceiling when you play unless you set one in your mind. Just follow Senorita Grosse and you’ll move up again, and then you’ll ask me one day to make you a guitar.”
There was a car waiting to take us back to the hotel where we said goodnight and went to our rooms for a good sleep. Sunday, we had breakfast with several visitors to our table who all wanted to tell us how wonderful we were. One was from the radio station that had broadcast our concert.
He told us that it had attracted hundreds of callers to the station who wanted to know when they could buy a recording of the concert, so I gave him one of the cards I carried with Allan Maxwell on. I told him that this person could organize proper manufacture and distribution in the US and, as far as I knew, four countries in Europe with the proper language on the covers.
After he left, we had a visit from the concert hall management who wanted to know if we could do a full matinee because the ticket box was being inundated with requests for seats, and the Sunday evening show was booked out.
I gave him a card as well and told him that if he rang the mobile number, he would get an immediate yes or no. He went off with his phone to his ear and he came back and offered it to me.
When I put it to my ear, I heard Allan who asked what on earth were we doing over here, but that, with what the guy had offered for a matinee, we were obviously doing something right, and that we had the go ahead.
I thanked him, told him I loved him too and then told him to go back to sleep.
I gave the phone back to its owner and asked. “When do you want us at the hall and can you send a car for us, please.”
The Sunday Matinee was certainly not full of tourists and schoolchildren. No, the hall was filled with serious music lovers by the sound of their clamor that we could hear. Not that we could understand the quick Spanish, but names of known composers were easy to pick out.
The hubbub quietened down as the orchestra went on stage and did the tuning ceremony. There was good applause when the conductor walked on and then they were off into the first half. Joyce and I had told our dresser that we wanted something more elegant than Spanish bordello outfits and they had come up with a couple of good long dresses that were comfortable, as well as being easy to play in.
When the orchestra went out for the second half there seemed to be an atmosphere of expectation, and when we were led onto the stage several stood to applaud before we had even played a note! Maybe they listened to the radio last night.
The time-of-day didn’t alter the feeling in the hall as the house lights dimmed and the conductor raised his baton, nodded our way, and then started the beat to set us off again. Once again, we were both lost in the wonder of the piece and our two guitars seemed to sing the tune rather than just playing notes.
There are some parts of that piece that make you feel as if you are gazing on a rising sun, and that all would be well in the world. When we finished the conductor stood with his baton raised for a good ten seconds before he lowered his arms, turned around and the hall erupted, yet another tour-de-force from the Stable Sisterhood.
We did Leyenda as the encore again. I doubted that we would have been allowed off the stage if we hadn’t, and this time I opened my eyes and gazed over the crowd as we played the quiet central part. I saw a lot of people with their eyes shut and a rapturous expression on their faces, and, once again, a pin would have made a resounding crash if one had dropped. As the final chord hung in the air there was a sound of air being drawn in. It was a good job it didn’t go for another ten minutes, or they would need ambulances outside.
The applause was deafening and sustained but we still resisted a second encore and were finally led off the stage with the orchestra following. We took our guitars down to the dressing room and wiped them over before getting changed into our day dresses and going out to the foyer where we had been told there would be food.
The audience, we found out, was mainly from other orchestras in the region and as far away as Valencia. We were told that many had heard us on the radio and had driven down to Seville in the early morning to try and get a seat if we put on an extra show. No wonder the management wanted us to play this afternoon. It was almost a musician’s convention.
We hardly had time to eat as so many wanted to talk with us. A couple had come down from Madrid and said that they would be coming to see the jazz shows. The conductor stayed beside us to interpret anything we couldn’t grasp, and we got quite friendly with him.
He told us that tonight would be mainly subscribers and town dignitaries so it would be a full house again with a party afterward. We ended up having enough to eat to get through the evening, and then went back to the dressing room to freshen up, relax for a little while, and then get changed for tonight.
Of course, relaxing with two wonderful guitars meant playing some tunes and the time just seemed to fly by until our dresser came in to get us ready. That evening was as magic as the afternoon, and we finally left the stage with everyone on their feet.
The orchestra members were happy at how good it all had been, and the conductor had hugged the two of us on stage when we went back for our third bow. The party after was very nice. We met a lot of lovely families who were the backbone of the town and, once again, many said that they had booked for one of our jazz shows. I asked our conductor how big the dance hall was, and he said it was a bit bigger than the concert hall in footprint.
With something that size we would have to be on the top of our game. We went back to the hotel and went off to bed. After cleaning off my face I sat on the bed with the guitar case opened, and just gazed at the glorious patterns and inlay work. I wasn’t sure that I could have afforded it if it hadn’t been gifted. I knew that it would serve as a travelling advertisement for Senor Saintz for as long as I took it onto future stages.
We had an early breakfast, and a cab took us to the airport where we were checked through pretty quickly and a little later, we were relaxing in our first-class seats on the way back to Barcelona where the others would be waiting for us.
The others were at the terminal and stood with us as we waited for the luggage. When three guitar cases came out of the tunnel, Janet exclaimed that we can’t go anywhere without shopping. We loaded the bags and cases under the bus, and it took us to the hotel which the others said was pretty good with a pool.
We had time for lunch and a dip before a light meal and then went to the jazz venue. We were to be here for three nights, go to Madrid on Thursday and then playing there on that night, followed by Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The venue was pretty good, and the girls had set up already. Joyce unpacked her guitar, and we did a few numbers from the jazz show before the doors were opened. We went to the dressing room where our outfits were hanging and, by the time we had dressed and made up, it was almost time to start the show.
For the first half I mainly played electric piano and then a little guitar while the second half I was mainly on piano. I was back with my old guitar and promised myself that the new one would be kept for special occasions. The show went well but I couldn’t help thinking that this time last night we were on a concert stage.
After the first half we were resting in the dressing room, and Emily commented on how much better Joyce was playing. She was told that the weekend had made her lift her game a bit.
We had the next two nights here which were well attended, and then we were off to Madrid on Thursday morning with a show that night. It was a tight fit, but we made it to the venue to unload our gear with the bus driver taking our luggage to the hotel to check us in.
Madrid is a beautiful city with a very diverse population. We had a lot in our audiences there who looked as if they may have lived in the same caravans as Django, and we were very well received.
We spent the other three days sightseeing and playing, and, on the Monday, our driver took us to a seaside hotel in Moons Beach, close to a town called Moncofa. We had a few days rest on the shores of the Mediterranean. Friday it was a short hop down to Valencia, a far bigger place than I had imagined.
We stopped at the venue and unloaded our gear, the manager telling us that he was looking forward to Saturday afternoon. I had told the other girls that we would be having a jam session but had no idea who would be coming along. With our short break we were ready to take on the second part of the tour.
Saturday, after lunch, we were taken back to the jazz club where there were a lot of cars outside. When we went in Senor Saintz came over and gave Joyce and me hugs, and then every other girl before he introduced us around.
He certainly had some influential friends if this lot was a cross section. Of the twenty or so that had gathered was the maker of Joyce’s guitar, two well-known classical guitarists, and enough members of European bands to do a complete extravaganza.
We powered up our stage set-up which had been added to with a few amps and drums and were invited to lead off with something instrumental. As we played, we were joined by others with a few guitarists standing in front of the stage with long leads.
There were a couple of violinists, a few keyboard players, and another drummer so we all had someone to take over if we needed a toilet break. A couple of times Pet handed me her violin as she needed to stop. As we ran out of steam with one tune someone would start another and so it went on, unbroken, for three hours. Even the guitar makers were playing along and enjoying themselves.
As we wound down with the last few minutes I looked around and saw smiles on every face in the room. It had been good for us to let off steam as well as for the others as well. I suppose that when you’re a member of a top-flight Euro band you don’t get a lot of chances to let your hair down like this.
The two classical guitar players had been letting loose on electrics at times and Abigail was not left out, filling in at times with scat and getting on the drums. When all was quiet Roberto Bouquette asked if we could play Leyenda for him as he wanted to hear his creation, to check that it was as good as Senor Saintz had said it was. We hadn’t used them during the jam as that would have been sacrilege.
We got a couple of seats, and all the others went and sat at the tables. We wiped our hands after the jam, pulled out our classical guitars and waited until it was quiet. I nodded to Joyce, and we were into the seven minutes of heaven.
We had mics so were amplified and it sounded even better than in the concert hall with us going through the PA as a boost. Our fingers were warmed from the jam, and I heard Joyce move up another notch as we played. I had the weirdest feeling that Segovia himself was sitting alongside me and urging me on as we played through to the end. There was no loud applause, as such, when we finished. This was an audience of our peers and their hugs and kisses once we had put the guitars away was better than any standing ovation.
The management put on finger food for us, and it wasn’t long before paying customers started coming in, so we Sisters went off to change while others pulled the extra kit off stage. The show that night was out of the box.
We were well warmed from the jam; we knew that there were a lot of very influential new friends in the audience and the two halves went like clockwork. When we finished our second set someone called for one of our Sisters hits and, when Abigail called out, “Are you sure?” there was a cheer. So, we did about half the second set again but as genuine Stable Sisters, seeing that we already had the amps onstage, and threw in a few hits at the end.
It was well after midnight when we finished and walked off stage. It was nearly two when we were able to wake up our bus driver to take us back to the hotel. It had been a long but very productive day with us meeting a lot of other musicians that we would never have known otherwise.
Senor Saintz came up to me as I was leaving with my new guitar in the case. He gave me a hug and told me that it had been a true pleasure, and to consider the instrument mine for good. Then he said that he would make me another but winked as he said he hadn’t decided on a price yet.
I thanked him for his generosity and gave him a hug, and a kiss on each cheek.
I slept late on the Sunday, as did the rest of the Sisters. We asked the hotel reception where we could get brunch and they directed us to a nearby café. Everyone was slightly worn out from the excitement, and sheer concentration from the day before. We ran brunch into a proper lunch.
We were sitting around the pool when Joyce remarked. “You know, one of those guitarists yesterday wrote a book on technique which I have at home.”
Abigail added. “Not only that, but there were also a few there that I’ve seen in bands from the Eurovision show.”
Emily chuckled. “One of the keyboard players wrote a book on how to play piano.”
Pet said. “Well, other than us, was there anyone there who wasn’t famous?”
I said that we were becoming famous in our own right. “More than a few of those guys had been at our concerts from Marseille onwards.”
Janet remarked. “How would you know, Edie? You play with your eyes shut!”
We had lunch, and then went to the venue for a packed matinee performance without the Sisters part at the end. The evening show was also packed, and we had just the Monday night to go. Two days later we went down to Seville for three shows, and then Saturday evening we played our last show in Spain. It was now the end of June, and our next show would be in Naples, Italy. Before that, Pet and I had a double violin concert to perform in Vienna.
The plan was that Pet, and I, would fly to Vienna from Barcelona on Tuesday afternoon while the others would stay with the bus and trailer. They would take the ferry from Barcelona to Civitavecchia, a port just north of Rome, and then head down to Naples. The ferry takes about twenty hours in good weather so they would be on it Wednesday morning, and then be in the hotel in Naples by Thursday night.
Our Spanish driver would put the bus on board and then leave to go home. An Italian one would go aboard at the other end to be our driver there. This gave everyone a break before the first show in Naples on the following weekend.
In the meantime, Pet and I had to get ourselves, and our violins to Vienna. We all left Seville early on the Sunday and went via Madrid to stay overnight in Guadalajara. Monday evening, we were back at the hotel we had stayed before in Barcelona. Tuesday, we hugged the others, and wished them a good trip. We said farewell to our Spanish driver, and then a taxi took us to the airport.
At the airport we were back into VIP travelling and were whisked through customs and into the lounge to await our flight. It was the first chance to be truly alone, and we discussed the tour so far. Pet was still in awe of who turned up in Valencia to jam with us, and how much they appreciated what we did.
When we arrived in Vienna we were met by a representative of the orchestra, and taken to our hotel to be settled in. She told us that we would be picked up after breakfast as there was to be a rehearsal on Wednesday morning.
We both took the quiet time to ring home, it being just early afternoon back in Detroit. I spoke to Jordan for about half an hour, finding out how Ali was doing and how Josie was getting along with the twins.
He told me he missed me, and that he had passed his veterinarian course with honors. It would be his graduation ceremony in a week or so. I congratulated him and told him I was sorry that I couldn’t be there with him, but it was likely that I would be on stage in Naples or Rome at the time.
He laughed and asked if I was getting so that I didn’t know where I was any more. I answered that this may well be a sign that the tour is in its final stages. Before we finished, he said that a crate had arrived for me from Paris. I told him it was a new piano for Ali as she got older.
The rehearsal the next day was pretty much as we had expected; a conductor who wanted to assure himself that his shiny and new soloists were up to the level he wanted. It took three goes through our part of the concert that day before he was smiling.
We had Thursday morning clear so did some sightseeing and, in the afternoon, we did the whole concert as a dress rehearsal, the two of us given stunning flowing gowns to wear. I was reminded of what the girls wore in videos of a famous and popular violinist / conductor.
At the end of our piece the conductor, Wilhelm, asked us if we had an encore so we did the Paganini mix that we usually did. He then asked us if we would do the Swan trio for him, with his lead cello. Pet was given a viola, and we went and stood next to the cello, and he led us into the piece.
I thought that it was good, the orchestra thought so as well; but, to my ear it sounded a little off compared to the Boston performance. There was certainly nobody crying when we finished.
I had a flash of inspiration. “When we played this as a trio for the first time, we both had instruments supplied to us because I didn’t have my own violin with me. I noted that all three instruments were from the same Italian maker, and we have two today. Is there a violin someone could loan me now, that’s from the same maker?”
One was found and I made sure it was tuned and we did the Swan again and this time, when we finished, about a third of the orchestra, Wilhelm, and several administrators in the stalls were howling their eyes out.
It took some time to settle everyone down and explain that what they had just experienced was not unusual. I wrote down the name of the instrument maker and one of the orchestra administrators gave me his location and phone, as well as a shop in Rome that carried his instruments.
I then called Kelly in Boston to tell her our new bit of information, and to let her know we were still moving along with the tour.
She told me to give her regards to Wilhelm, and, when I did, he had a wistful look in his eye. “Up to a few minutes ago I would never have done this, but I now have the courage to call Kelly and speak to her. I think that if she knows about what just happened, she may be waiting by the phone for me to call.”
He went off to find a phone, no doubt in a quiet place where he could say things that he had held inside. Pet and I were taken back to the hotel where we relaxed and discussed the Swan Effect happening again.
On Friday we rested in the morning, had lunch and a session in the hotel spa before being picked up to go to the concert hall. When we got there, we were hugged by several of the orchestra who thanked us for releasing their fears.
Wilhelm also gave us a hug with a kiss to both cheeks. He told me that he had a few weeks off after this concert and would be flying to Boston.
I told him he was a very lucky man, and that Kelly is a beautiful person.
He replied. “I always knew it but could never relax enough to tell her I loved her.”
That night we did the concert, Pet and I did our two pieces and followed it with the Paganini but didn’t do the Swan. We got a good response with a few of the audience standing. That, I had been told, is pretty good for a fickle Viennese crowd.
Saturday, Wilhelm took us to a very good restaurant for lunch and, that night, we did our thing again. I was using the Italian violin throughout, and Pet had also been given one to use. The Saturday audience was more in tune with what was being played and we had a standing ovation that night and needed both the Paganini and the Swan, which had its usual effect with many weepers when we finished and were led off.
Sunday, we had a visit from our administration assistant who wanted us to go with her to the hall where several journalists were demanding answers that they thought only us two had.
The tone of the questions was how we got so many people crying in public and were we emotional terrorists. None had bothered to ask the sobbers what had happened; it was not considered the thing to question the upper levels of Viennese society, so these journalists were still in the dark.
Pet and I told them that what happened is now called the Swan Effect and is caused by certain harmonics when the three different instruments playing that piece. We couldn’t tell them the mechanics of how it happens and none of them were interested in the actual result for the listener. They all thought that something we did caused tear ducts to go out of control; something like a musical hay-fever. I conferred with the management, and we gave them all tickets for tonight to see what happens for themselves.
The management took us for lunch that day, the two of us, Wilhelm, and our cello player, who wondered what all the fuss was about. He declared that he was totally happy with his lot and hadn’t felt any of the effect when we played.
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 29
The lunch was very nice. Discussion was launched on whether we would be able to do solo violin concerts in future seasons, and a question was put to me about a piano concert some time. We told them to get in touch with Allan as he could work out likely dates but that we may be busy with the “For those who Served” shows next year and were unlikely to be touring as we were this summer.
That night was a little different. The conductor and the orchestra had now been subjected to a booster shot of the Swan, and the first half sparkled. When we came on after the break, we got a good round of applause and the many stood when we finished the first piece and more stood when we finished the second.
The orchestra was really on song tonight, and we acknowledged them and the conductor before we did the Paganini. They wanted more so the lead cello was brought forward, and I could see the journalists in the extra front row of seats all lean forward with notepads poised.
Pet gave me a wink before we were led into it by the cello, and we put a lot of emotion into it. When I opened my eyes when we finished there was a whole row of journalists sobbing. You don’t get to be on top of your game in that business without picking up a lot of baggage along the way.
The after party was very nice, a lot of smiling players and several wives of civic dignitaries with streaky mascara. Our leaving was delayed due to so many people wanting to hug, and then we got back to the hotel to crash. Next morning the newspapers had nothing about the Swan or its effect on people. I guess the journalists may have got their answers but were keeping it quiet.
Late morning, we were back in the air and heading south to Naples and three shows later in the week. It was almost surreal the way we moved from one genre to another and back again.
We now had about seven weeks before I had another piano concert and could go home. I was wondering just what the second half of the tour would throw up. It may be something even stranger than the first half, but I doubted it.
We took a taxi from the airport to the hotel where we found the others at the poolside after we had checked in. I wondered if our hotels had been upgraded for our second part of the tour because they did seem to be slightly better than the first few.
Joyce told us that the ferry had been good. They had been given a six-berth cabin to stretch out in and the boat hadn’t rocked too badly. They had already checked out the venue and declared it all right.
Emily said that they had seen some of the sights but had spent a lot of time thinking about what we should do when we get home again. Everyone thought that it may be a good idea to miss putting a new album down and to concentrate on other projects for a while, in case the band became stale and boring.
I told them that the rehearsal room was available for whatever they wanted to do but that Jordan had told me that the studio was getting regular work now. We were pencilled in for September to December and January to March if we wanted to use it but there were several bands and solo singers in a waiting list. Obviously, Martyn and Tony were producing the goods and the word was spreading that a Stable Studio album was the way to go.
Over the next couple of days Pet and I relaxed after our concert, and I talked to Abigail about her solo album. She had written some songs with that in mind, and I had a few that we hadn’t worked on as Sisters. Pet said that she had a few that wouldn’t work as a group either, so we arranged to get together and put together an album.
Joyce and I also spoke about classical guitar pieces and that led on to her wanting to do a joint album with me that had Leyenda as a double piece with us alternating with solo items, and then finishing with another double. She said that she would research the known world for something we could do together, concentrating on more modern music.
Janet told me that by seeing the ancient sacred places on our travels, some vestige of her church youth had been reawakened, and that she was looking at the idea of a choir in her future. She said that Flora was all for it as there was a lot of music written across all faiths that was interesting and sounded beautiful, no matter if you believed or not.
She had been hitting the record shops in Naples and would see what she could find in Rome as well. She told me that the previous Sunday she had been to a local church recommended by a girl in reception where the choir had been magnificent. The sound almost made her cry. Helped, she said, by the smoke from the incense burner that made her eyes water anyway.
We played our jazz in the venue in Naples on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday and it went well, there being quite a lot of jazz fans in the city. Sunday, we went to Rome where we had a show that night as well as Monday and Tuesday.
In Rome on Monday morning Pet and I found the music shop where the Italian maker sold his instruments. It was a wonderland of violins, violas, cellos, and double basses. We were able to try out different instruments and brought the shop to a standstill with short bits of the Paganini with me playing a viola for the first time. We came away with a new violin each, as well as a new viola each, all from that same maker. The way we were going we would need a bigger container to ship our gear home when we ended the tour.
While in Rome we visited the Vatican. Well, you can’t go there without seeing the sights. Other than that, it was a reasonable set of gigs playing the jazz. The crowds were down a bit but were enthusiastic and you can’t have everything.
Milan was different. Here they had heard of the Stable Sisters and our four jazz nights were cut to two. The other two were in the same dance hall, as Sisters concerts. They were very well attended.
Then it was on to Turin for the last shows in Italy. While there we all visited the Chapel of the Holy Shroud just to say we had seen it, despite all those who say it’s a later fake.
Turin is a modern and vibrant city and our jazz shows had met with little interest. However, the promoters had spoken to Allan, and we found ourselves playing one night to a full crowd in a jazz club, and another two to big crowds in a dance hall as Stable Sisters again.
Allan had texted all of us to expect to be playing more like this through Germany because our albums had been selling well. He had been offered more money and better accommodation if we switched to pop for most of the shows. We didn’t mind, the jazz had been fun, but playing it repeatedly was losing the sparkle.
Our Italian driver left us in Turin, and we left that city with a German speaking driver who would take us up past Milan, and then through Switzerland. Then it was on to Munich and our first shows in Germany. The trip was wonderful and scenic, but the traffic was woeful on the alpine roads. We stopped overnight in a little Swiss town called Hard on the banks of the Bodensee. This had been factored in and was a lovely stop in a nice hotel with a good dinner followed by soft beds.
Our shows in Munich were for the last weekend of July which meant that we had just a month before we finished. It had been all right, so far, with enough down time to rest and recharge for everyone. Some of the time it had felt like a holiday, while other times had been hard work. At least we were all still talking to each other and laughing along with jokes.
When we arrived in Munich it was brought home to us that while Milan and Turin are the powerhouses of Italy, Germany is the powerhouse of Europe. Pet, with her deeper studies of music, suggested that our jazz concept was bound to be far less popular here than in the other three countries for one reason. That was that while France, Spain and southern Italy still had Romani roots, northern Italy had more modern leanings and Germany had all but wiped out the Romani influence in the World War.
Munich was to be four nights playing as Stable Sisters, and all four were with good crowds. We found out that we were known as Stallschwestern here and we got to sign lots of the CDs. One day I found a record shop and bought a dozen of these to take home. Pet was in heaven as Munich was the birthplace of Carl Orff, Richard Strauss, and Wagner. She dragged me and Emily around to the famous sights.
We were being treated like visiting pop stars and were taken out to visit the Nymphenburg Palace where we had a photo shoot for one of the German magazines. We also had another shoot with a fleet of cars as BMW had signed on for us to adorn their car advertising in Europe.
After Munich we went to Stuttgart, the birthplace of Pachelbel. It’s funny that most albums with his most famous composition have the cannon of the cover. A canon, which he wrote several, is a piece of music written for when priests enter a church and walk ceremonially along the aisle to the altar. It has nothing to do with guns.
Here we did two nights playing jazz at the Sommerfest and then went on to Frankfurt to play the Friday to Sunday as the Sisters. We were told about the shopping there and spent a few hours, along with a lot of Euros, wandering the Zeil and adjoining streets.
The following week we had two nights as Sisters in Hanover and then it was our penultimate city, four nights in Hamburg. The first two, Thursday and Friday, were in a jazz club where we did our jazz set for the last time. It was an interesting show both nights because Hamburg is a huge port, and the mix of nationalities is very wide. We were well supported by the audience dancing and clapping along with the beat. I think that, after Paris, they were the best jazz shows we had played.
The Saturday and Sunday were a different thing altogether. We were now getting well enough known in Germany to attract big crowds and the dance hall we played in was big and packed out both nights. Hamburg was the birthplace of Brahms, Mendelssohn, and Telemann. Pet, Emily, and I had been taken around to see the famous places but the one person who lived there, who most people would have heard of, was Nena.
She was the singer who brought us the earworm called “99 Luftballons”. When we were playing our Sisters gigs on those two nights, either Pet or I would bring in a snippet of that tune during a solo, and we got a big roar every time.
After Hamburg we had the third week of August in Berlin, our final stop. The shows were Wednesday to Sunday Allan and Helen flew in on Thursday and were going to stay for a short holiday to see me play the Rach 2 the weekend after the tour finished.
Etienne and Louise arrived Friday because they hadn’t seen us play in pop mode. The four shows were in a very large hall and every night was good. We played our standard set and then some. The Stallschwestern were swinging, the audience was jumping, and we all had a good time.
During the days we had interviews and photo opportunities for the local media, being taken around the tourist sites for pictures to be taken. We saw the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, some lovely parks, and the Schloss Charlottenburg which was difficult to believe that it had been rebuilt from a ruin after the war.
We signed lots of albums and posters, and it was like being at home except that the name on the albums was different here. It finished on the Sunday, when the European promoters put on an afternoon party for us, followed by a lavish dinner. It was then that we found out that we had done a whole lot better than we had expected.
The European album sales had been good with a lot of our back catalogue being snapped up. The ticket sales had been better than expected with the jazz shows. The crowds that had come to Sisters shows in the last few weeks had been a bonus.
There was talk of us coming back sometime and maybe doing other countries, but we let all that sort of talk slide through to Allan to deal with. We were over it.
On Monday we loaded up a container with our equipment and I made doubly sure my new instruments were well padded for shipment.
That went off on a truck that afternoon and Tuesday morning I said farewell to the girls as the bus took them off to the airport for the flight home. For me it was a taxi to another hotel which the orchestra was paying for. I was back into the VIP treatment.
I had Wednesday and Thursday in rehearsal with the orchestra and we played Friday and Saturday night which was a fitting end to my time in Europe. The Rach 2 is a wonderful piece of music and is something that you can really get your teeth into. Both nights we had a good applause and I played one encore on the Friday and two on the Saturday. I had Sunday to rest and was in a taxi to the airport on Monday morning for my first-class trip home to get back to the farm, my family, and some peace and quiet.
Well, I say home but with Allan and Helen on board with me there was a stop-over in London where I was taken to a meeting with a noted conductor. He wanted to talk to us about a single concert as well as a part in the Proms Season next year.
Then it was another stop in Boston to see Kelly and Wilhelm about something next year with them as well. Richard was now a guest conductor in Vienna, something he had always yearned for. Everyone wanted me on the piano, and I started to think that this was starting to sketch out my future.
When we landed in Detroit I saw Jordan with Ali, and just dropped my bags as they rushed to hug me. Ali with her arms around my neck as I rose to be held by my true love. We had a session of hugs and kisses, and a few tears. Jordan retrieved my bags and led us out to the car waiting for us outside. He’d rented a limo and driver, the lovely man, and it was a smooth trip back to the farm.
We were all in the back with his arm around me as I cradled Alicia, who was jabbering away thirteen to the dozen about what had happened while I had been away. Much of it being what her piano teacher had been getting her to do with the thin-key piano.
She had also seen the small baby grand that had been delivered and was itching to play it when her hands got bigger. I looked and noticed just how big they were now, such long fingers for a nearly three-year-old.
We arrived at the farm, and it looked different but the same. There was a new board out the front that proclaimed that this was the home of The Stable Studio and the birthplace of the Stable Sisters. Another told the world that you could have your pet treated at the Elmstead Veterinary Clinic (the best in town), while yet another declared it as the Grosse Hydroponic Farm. The limo deposited us at the house where everyone else was waiting for us. There was Josie, Tony with the twins Martyn and Georgina, Martyn, Maureen and even the old vet and his wife. It was lucky that I had only come in from Boston because it was quite a party for a while.
I had a small case that I had been filling as we went from place to place, mainly things for Ali. There were dolls from each country, a wooden toy from Bavaria, snow domes, and fridge magnets from just about everywhere we’d stopped.
I’d bought Jordan a set of Lederhosen to go with the dirndl I had gotten for myself. There were things for just about everyone with the vet picking a snow dome from Switzerland which was a place he wanted to visit once he finally retired. I had posters that I had snaffled showing both Instability playing jazz and Stallschwestern the German pop group. I also had the copies of the Stallschwestern CD that I had bought which would be collectors’ items in the US.
Josie and Maureen had organized a meal, and when we had finished Ali had dozed off. Josie gave me a wink and said that I must be tired after all the travelling so Jordan and I had an early night which didn’t include a lot of sleep. I think we both may have missed each other over the last few months.
I was walking funny when I woke up to go for a pee. It was lucky that I had finished that and put a gown on because Ali banged on the door demanding that I come and listen to her play.
We had a little session as she showed me how far she had come, and I was amazed. With the thin-key piano she was now playing simple chords and was able to run up and down the keyboard like a concert pianist. I kneeled at the tiny grand and we played a few tunes together.
She had mastered a few of the Satie tunes and had even added some of the Stable Sisters piano parts to her repertoire. I heard Jordan finally get out of bed and we all went in for breakfast where Josie had a twin on each breast, and Tony was starting to get the cooking going.
I sat at the kitchen table with breakfast and a cup of coffee and just luxuriated in the fact that I was home again. It’s funny; when you’re younger you just think of it as a place to get away from. It takes an extended separation for you to realize that it’s a place where you have roots.
This was where I had played an awful lot of music in my time, where my parents had nurtured me, and where I was now surrounded by family. A strange sort of family, I must say. I had my husband, a child I had fathered, a sister-in-law who was the mother of my child and a growing number of people that I would not part with for any amount of money.
At last, I got to properly meet my daughters’ half-siblings, now nearly five months old. Georgina had the Sanders look but Martyn looked more like Tony. Maureen and Martyn had come in and I was brought up to date with the studio business. I told Martyn and Tony that we were looking at a few different projects to see out the year, with the first being a solo album for Abigail.
I got to look at the photos of Jordan at his graduation and he took me out to the clinic to see his certificates in his office. While there he told me that his mentor wanted to retire at the end of the year so he needed to see if he could get an assistant and a receptionist. There was plenty of time to advertise and interview, and he wasn’t going to rush it.
Over September Pet, Emily and Abigail came into the rehearsal room and we put together the bones of the solo album.
I also spent a lot of time with Ali and her piano teacher, who was helping me understand there were things I shouldn’t be doing on the piano, but she made no attempt to make me stop because it was what made me unique.
Ali and I spent a couple of days with Martyn in the studio, with me on the concert grand, and Ali on both her thin-key piano and on the tiny grand. We put together an album of twelve tracks as a birthday present (one of many) for her to give to friends.
It was jokingly called “Alicia Sanders and her Mom” and was some Satie pieces, simple etudes, and we rounded it off with the “Moonlight Sonata”. Martyn was able to improve the tone of the smaller pianos to match the tone of the concert grand. The result filled me with pride.
All I contributed to it was the more complicated chords, and those bits that were at each end of the longer keyboard. It was amazing how well we played together, almost as if we were one brain with four hands. Ali almost hugged me to death when she heard the finished CD.
Her third birthday was quite a bash, my parents coming back for the event and Brad and Alicia coming over. Allan, Helen, and the rest of the “Aunts” brought along their partners. Ali looked like a princess and loved every moment; all the guests being given a copy of “her” CD with a proper cover picture of her sitting at the tiny grand in a long gown and looking very regal.
I think that it was this achievement that was her best present and her piano teacher even asked for her to sign it, which she did with a scrawled ‘Ali’, adding to her day, and instilling the joy of getting recognition that makes a simple person become a performer.
In the studio during October, we finally got to record the Abigail album and use the full suite of enhancements that Martyn had assembled with the multiple track recording. We did each song as a four-piece with Pet on piano, me on rhythm guitar and Emily on her keyboard. We then added tracks with both me and Pet on violin and then on viola. Then we had Janet in to add several tracks of percussion and, finally, Joyce with both a bass and a lead guitar.
By the time that Martyn and Tony had done their magic we were astounded at what we had produced. He had multiplied our strings tracks to sound like a full strings section and the resulting album was a lush and enticing sound that backed Abigail singing at her best.
When Allan finally heard the master, he was almost beside himself with excitement. Because the album was all about love, in all its facets, it needed Abigail to have a photo shoot for the cover notes that was set in properly romantic places. Allan flew her to Paris, Rome, and Madrid where she was photographed in front of various famous romantic places, some-times with handsome men.
The album was called “Abigail – Love Songs” and was released in December in the US, in time for Christmas, and didn’t take long to get into the charts. European versions were released the following year with suitable changes to the language and photos on the cover. It was all hers, none of us Sisters were separately named except as the Stable Sisters as the backing. If Martyn had been regaining his reputation before, this cemented his position near the top of the tree as far as producers went.
Jordan had put his jobs notice in the local papers, and on the internet, with not a lot of success. Of the locals that had replied most were known to either him or the old vet and none were people they could work with.
There had been four from the internet and three of them wanted the money to come in for an interview. The last was doubly interesting. It was from a couple who wrote from near Los Angeles.
One was an experienced receptionist while the other said that they had vet qualifications but from another country. The odd thing was that there was a recommendation letter from Dianne who said that both were known to her. She thought that they may be what we were looking for.
Jordan called the number they had given and organized a time and date for them to come and speak to us. I made sure that I was around and when I saw the taxi pull into the parking area, I went to greet them.
One was a tall and slim girl with a lovely smile and blonde hair which was beginning to be replicated on the baby in the arms of the other; a dark-haired girl who had a slightly European look about her. I shook their hands and welcomed them, introducing myself as Edweena.
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 30
The blonde was Sharron and the dark one was Carol. The baby was Tabitha. Once they had stood and gathered their bags of baby necessities, I led them into the clinic where we left the baby with the vet’s wife to look after while I took them though to Jordan’s office.
They sat in chairs in front of Jordan’s desk, and I asked if anyone wanted a drink. They both opted for iced water which I duplicated, putting one in front of Jordan as well and keeping one for myself as I sat next to his desk. Jordan asked them if they had any problems getting from Los Angeles. Sharron told him that a friend they knew had organized the flight, being an executive in the airline.
He then asked Carol to tell him about herself. She was, as expected, from San Francisco, the North Beach area known as Little Italy. She said that she had backpacked in Europe and was working as a receptionist to a vet in London when she met Sharron.
Together they had come to the US where she got a job in Los Angeles. Sharron said that she had grown up in Australia and passed the exams to be a vet at the Werribee Vet College in Victoria. She was in London working in a bar when she met Carol.
She said that it was difficult to work as a vet because she didn’t have the proper paperwork yet but could be useful as an assistant while she organized the certification.
It was getting warm in the office and Sharron got up and took off her coat. That’s when I saw the small feather brooch and had the feeling that there was an awful lot more to the story that had yet to come out. They both looked a little wary so I thought that instead of just breaking the ice I would use a sledgehammer and shatter it to see what came out.
I spoke for the first time since we had come into the office.
“How about we start from the beginning again, and you tell us about your stories with the truth this time, please.”
Carol stood and Sharron looked sad and was about to stand.
“Sit down, both of you. I think I can already tell you your own story, and I can assure you that it doesn’t matter here.”
I looked hard at Sharron. “What was the name on your certification and your passport that makes things difficult?”
She looked sad and admitted. “It reads Shannon Patrick Rafferty. I was a boy who was brought up near Mudgee, in country New South Wales.”
I smiled. “My mother loves old movies. One she really liked was The Sundowners. I reckon I can guess what they called you in school.”
She grinned. “Of course, they called me Chips; every male Rafferty in my family was called Chips at school.”
I then asked. “So, which one of you is the classical music fan or was it as a group when you saw the Swan?”
“I’m to blame for that,” Carol said. “We both cried for hours after watching it. That’s when Shannon disappeared and Sharron came to the fore, finally. I had met her in London when she was working in a bar, but she was in a short skirt at the time and the bar was a “pink” one. The baby is ours, made before Sharron transitioned. My change with the Swan was that I realized that I truly was a lesbian, and Sharron coming into my life was a double bonus.”
“I suppose we had better go back home now,” Sharron said. “I can’t see you employing us knowing all this, now. How on earth did you see through us so quickly?”
“I saw your feather brooch. I have one, myself, given to me by Dianne.”
“Now is the time for you to show me those qualifications,” Jordan asked. “No matter what the name on them is.”
While he was checking the paperwork, I told them that it was me and my friend, Petunia, who had played on that DVD, and that we were patrons of the club that Sharron belonged to.
“Dianne is very proud to know Edie and Pet, as she calls you. I apologise, I didn’t take much notice of the names on the DVD. I’m more of a pop follower.”
“Did you notice the signs when you came into the farm?”
They both admitted that they hadn’t.
I stood up. “Jordan, if you’ll excuse us for the moment while you think about these two, I’m just going to give them a quick tour.” He grinned and nodded.
With the two of them in tow I led them out to show them the treatment rooms. Then we went through the door to the back into the shed, where I showed them the holding cages and Carol asked. “Is that a big cool room there?”
I took them over and opened the door so they could see the inside with all the instruments. “This is a rehearsal room, I use it sometimes, and we also hire it out to bands to perfect their songs before they go into the studio.” I then took them out of the side-door and over to the stable where we went into the studio.
“This is the Stable Studio and those gents behind the mixing desk are Martyn and Tony Prentice, producers of fine albums.” The two of them gave us a wave while they concentrated on the band in the studio proper.
Sharron went closer to the glass. “I saw this band on stage in Los Angeles and they’re bloody good!”
I stood beside her. “They’re here putting down their next album. They should have come in a month ago, but we were taking up the studio time recording the Abigail album.”
Carol called quietly. “Sharron, come over here and look at these.” She was standing in front of our wall of awards for the Pixies, the Stable Sisters and one that had come in the post only recently for the Stallschwestern.
There were also pictures of us on stage or at photo shoots and Sharron gave a little squeal when she finally twigged that I was there, on the wall, with the rest of the band.
I smiled. “Come along, I think that my husband may have made up his mind by now. As far as I’m concerned, anyone who Dianne says is good for us has an inside track. She’s one very cluey girl.”
I gave the guys a wave and we left the studio to go back to the surgery with me pointing out the hydroponic sheds and the main house as we went. I could have been pointing out craters on the moon for all the good it did. Carol was deep in thought and Sharron was just trying to take it all in.
We collected Tabitha on the way back and they sat back on their chairs in front of Jordan, who was smiling.
“Look, as far as I am concerned you both have a job under trial conditions for three months. If you can stay for a week, we can have you both learning what you make of our set-up. Carol, you can sit in reception and get to know the clients. Sharron, you can start working with me and come out on calls as well as helping here. My mentor will grade your knowledge and, if you come up to expectation, we have the contacts that can organize the correct certification as well as the authority to work in this state. There’s a shortage of vets here and I think we could see it come through before the New Year.”
I asked. “Do you have somewhere to stay?”
Carol told me that they were in a nearby motel now.
I looked at Jordan and asked, “Parents room?” He nodded.
“Right,” I said. “If you follow me again, I can show you where you can sleep for the week. It will help us get to know you and for you to decide for yourselves if you want to stay.”
I took them to the house where I showed them my parent’s old bedroom, now refreshed, decluttered, and vacant with Doris off with the family, again.
“We have a cot for Tabitha to sleep in. Josie has twins not that much different in age so we can look after her in-house.”
I showed Carol where the linen was and took Sharron to the motel in my Mustang so that she could pack their bags and check out. We took Ali in her booster seat in the back, and she kept up a barrage of questions that made Sharron come out of the stupor that she had been in since seeing that I was one of the Stable Sisters.
At the motel I waited while she did her packing and then we loaded up the cases and she went and settled.
On the way back to the farm she laughed.
“You know, if my old mates back in Oz could see me now, they would never believe it. Here I am, sitting in a Mustang, next to a pop star who is going to put me up for a week. They all used to tell me that I was a loser, mainly because I never liked the rough things they did. I wasn’t cut out to be a dairyman, but I care for animals because they, like me, have no way of explaining how they feel. That is, until now.”
“You must have been a good-looking boy, with the height and hair, like a lithe surfer dude.”
She laughed. “Every time I went to the beach, I saw all those bikinis and wanted one. That’s why I went to London, to escape the past and embrace the world as Sharron, even if it meant working behind a bar in a short skirt and a crop top. Your DVD was, though, the thing that broke the final barrier and allowed me to be a proper girl. It was the Swans that helped me through that time and it’s like being a part of a family of well-connected girls.”
“That’s how I feel with the band. We’ve had some changes, but we remain a family as well. You’ll meet Josie at the farm; she’s the property manager and used to be in the Pixies as well. She’s married to Tony, the hunk you saw in the control room with his father.”
Sharron giggled. “I thought the same but would never have the nerve to say it out aloud.”
A little voice came from the back of the car. “Ooohh, that Tony, he’s a real man!” and we both cracked up.
“Do you play an instrument?”
“No, not me, sorry! I’m bloody tone deaf but I write poetry. I used to stand up in poetry slams and make things up on the fly.”
“What about song lyrics, then? They’re pretty much poetry?”
She thought a bit. “Never thought of it that way. I was in the audience that night you girls did that Ability song. They said that you wrote it that afternoon.”
“Well, it was different words to the song Stability that I’d already written. Do you have much of your stuff written down?”
“Yes, heaps of it in a case back in Los Angeles. There’s one that’s pages long, a story much like that Ability song. It’s about a boy who wants to wear a dress. The problem is that it’s taking a while to finish because now I can wear a dress whenever I want, it doesn’t seem so important, now.”
As we reached the farm I said. “We all pitch in to help with preparing food. With the hydro sheds we have a lot of fresh choice, but I think we may have to think about building a new kitchen if we get any more living here. Entertainment tonight may just be listening to music; there are some things we’ve done that you won’t have heard.”
The voice came from the back. “My oath, cobber; me and Mum tickling those ivories.” Sharron almost fell out of the car laughing. I still haven’t figured out where the poppet learns these things.
Carol noticed the change in Sharron as soon as we walked in and rushed over to give her a hug. She told us that she had made up the bed and that she had met Josie who had shown her where to find towels and other things.
“I’ve met her twins and they’re almost the same age as Tabby, they’re so gorgeous!”
After a light lunch the two of them went over to the surgery with Jordan to start learning the ropes and Ali had her piano lesson. I settled down in my quiet space in the rehearsal room to work out plans for the year to come. I knew that Allan would be getting concert work for us during the year, but we had already told him that we wanted some time at home to work on different projects.
My own project was a solo album, and it had become a barrier in my mind. There really wasn’t a theme that I could think of that was different enough to get people to pay good money for. It shouldn’t be a Pixie or Sister solo work, and I didn’t want to do something lush like the Abigail album.
The more I thought about it the more it was becoming clear that my best bet was to pare it back to just me, and a couple of instruments. I could do something with me on the piano or me and a guitar and add an extra track or two. I was thinking something like Joan Baez meets a crooner.
That’s when two things came together in my mind like a flash of lightning. The first was Sharron’s comment about her poetry opus and the second was the Swans. I could do a concept album about learning to be a girl that could be taken straight or from the transitional aspect, then dedicate it to the Swans with profits going to a worthy cause.
That’s when I thought of all the children, we had around us, and the concept of a Cygnet Support Group came into my head. A sub-group of the Swans dedicated to helping confused children and their families. I would need to talk to Dianne about the idea before I did anything else. It seemed so clear and simple the more I thought of it.
I sat for a while at the upright and played some tunes that had been drifting around in my head until I realized that it was getting toward dinner time, and that I should lead by example. Maybe it was time to get a cook?
When I got back to the house there was a package waiting for me. I opened it and found twenty copies of the new Abigail album with a note from Allan apologising for the late delivery. His people had been very busy getting it out into the wider world. I put them to one side to listen to later then got busy in the kitchen.
I suppose you would be forgiven for thinking that we could have employed a whole houseful of staff, but we just didn’t have the inclination to be pampered or the space to house them. That set me off to thinking about the kitchen idea that I had earlier. The concept of a new building behind the sheds was forming. An accommodation and recreation block with several bedrooms and a big open kitchen / entertainment room in the middle.
Maureen came in to help and then Josie joined us. My relationship with Josie was now secure as sisters, and we would discuss the farm and band business quite freely. She suggested that if Carol was a good receptionist, we may be able to put a separate phone line into the vet reception which could be the studio number. She could take messages when Tony was busy. Maureen gave her a look and I realized something was brewing.
I put my peeler down and asked, “OK, what!”
Maureen sighed. “Since the Abigail album hit the market, he’s been getting calls of congratulations from all of those who shunned him years ago. One was from a friend who stayed in touch. He’s been asked to go back to Los Angeles to take over one of the big studios. He thinks that Tony will be able to continue here in his own right. Tony has learned a lot with them working together at last. He only started producing after Martyn withdrew into himself. I think that we may be down south again in January.”
I gave her a hug and told her that I was so happy for the two of them and she was a little surprised that I took it so easily.
I grinned. “I need to go down to Los Angeles to speak to Dianne and the Swans soon. I think that our new guests may have to pop back to sort out their things. Why don’t you come with us and start working on your move home.”
She smiled. “Yes, I knew you would understand that part. It’s my, well, our home and it’ll be nice to be there again. Our time here, though, has been wonderful. It allowed us to reconnect, for Martyn to regain his poise and for us to truly know our daughter-in-law and all our grandchildren.”
I looked around. “If you’re both here, where’s the children?”
Josie said that the twins were in the control room with Tony, and that Ali had finished her piano lesson so was probably out in the packing shed with the farmhands. I left them to finish sorting out the vegetables, get some meat into the oven, and went out to the packing shed.
I never did spend a lot of time here when I was young, mainly playing my music. It didn’t have a very nice aroma in the old days, mainly chicken poop, and broken eggs. Today, however, it was a different place with a hum of constant talking as the guys and girls packed the different vegetables ready for tomorrow.
I stood in the doorway taking it in and I could see Ali, sitting on a bench, speaking to anyone who came within talking distance. When they noticed me, the talk quieted, so I smiled brightly, going to my baby. “So, there you are! No wonder you’re so much the chatterbox these days.”
She grinned. “Mommy, we’ve been talking about the new girls, and I told Artie that one is an Aussie, like him.” I saw Artie look a bit worried. I laughed. “So, we have you to blame for the Aussie expressions, then. At least she didn’t pick up the other version of the one she came out with earlier today.”
He grinned. “Well, ma-am, we can’t have our little angel saying nasty things, now, can we?”
Ali pleaded. “Mom, do we have enough of our CD to give to everyone this Christmas?”
I told her that we will have to count them and, if there wasn’t enough, we could get more made.
Artie smiled. “I hear the one that Abigail made is out. She’s so lovely and sings like the lark.”
I told him that a bunch was delivered today and to pop over to the house before he went home so I could give him a copy. That caused a little flurry of discussion and it ended with me promising a dozen give-aways. I picked Ali off the bench, and we went back to the house so she could wash before dinner. By the time we got back everyone else was gathering, and the big table was laid.
It was getting a little cramped now with Martyn and Maureen, Tony, and Josie, me, Jordan, and now Sharron and Carol. Add Ali on her highchair and now three under-ones to be fed as well.
I mentioned my idea of a new building and Jordan took to it like a flash. He said that we needed more help in the house, especially with the young children and even more with the cooking and cleaning.
“I know that Maureen has told you about my news. I thank you all for letting me into your lives,” Martyn said. “It’s been like a holiday here, and I feel a need to get back into the rest of the world. The offer I’ve been made is one that I would be silly to pass up. Tony has sucked me dry, and I think that in the years to come he’ll be better than me at the desk.”
Josie said that she would talk to her father about planning another building. We discussed what size it should be, and where we would put it.
There was knock on the door as we were about to dish out. Ali and I gave out the albums. Sharron met Artie and they found that they had places in common. After the meal we loaded the two dishwashers and settled for the evening with some drinks.
Tony put the Abigail album in the player, and we listened to it. Ali was enraptured by the sound and our new guests were in awe, hearing the album at the place it was made was something not many can experience. I thought that it will be interesting tomorrow when the rest of the band turn up for a discussion about the next year with Allan.
That night, in bed, Jordan and I talked about the day. I suggested that if Martyn and Maureen move out of the stable, Tony and Josie could move there if we did a small extension for extra bedrooms and another bathroom. “That would allow Sharron and Carol to go over the clinic which would ensure that we could offer twenty-four-hour service.”
Then I added. “If we do get another accommodation block built, we can move there while this house is modernised with a bigger kitchen and a couple more bathrooms.”
Next morning Jordan got a very early call on his mobile, so he knocked on the door of the other bedroom. He told Sharron that there was a call-out to be made and that they would leave as soon as she was dressed and had something to eat. I went through to the kitchen in my gown and slippers and started to fire up some bacon and eggs and brew the coffee so that, when the two of them came in, it didn’t take long before they were out on the call.
Carol was up now, feeding Tabitha. Ali was there ready to eat as well so I carried on cooking. With my own breakfast in front of me I sat at the table and helped Ali with her boiled egg and bread “soldiers”. She wasn’t a messy eater. In fact, almost everything about Ali was more a girl of five or six, rather than the three she was.
Carol remarked that she hoped that Tabitha was as good. Ali told her that it was all about genes but that she didn’t know why different pants made a difference.
Carol chuckled at that. “Edie, I really must thank you on so many levels. It was you and that tune that gave Sharron and me peace and each other. You’ve welcomed us into your home with such kindness. We both agreed, last night, that we’ll do whatever it takes to repay you with our efforts in the clinic. When Sharron came back from getting our things I saw, once again, the happy person I knew, but hadn’t seen much of lately. We had no idea of who Dianne had told us to come and talk to, and, if we had known, I doubt if either of us would have been brave enough to make the trip.”
I asked her about Sharron’s poetry, and she said that it was really good, and that Sharron had been popular at the readings. “She can make you laugh or cry with a sentence but hasn’t been writing much since Tabitha came along. It may have been her feeling that she should be contributing more. She wasn’t getting a lot of work back home, just some assistant time, and a bit of volunteer time at the animal shelter. She’s really very good but it frustrated her that she wasn’t given the responsibility she craved.”
I asked about her own job and was told that she had called in her accrued vacation time and would give her notice if she stayed here. I suggested that, by the end of the week, they would be certain of where they stood. I said I would fly to Los Angeles with them because I wanted to talk to Dianne, and that Maureen will join us because she wanted to sort out her old home before they moved back.
“Then,” I said. “We need to think about Christmas.” I told her that if they were still here then, all that was needed was a card.
Once we had tidied up, I prepared the kitchen for the band visit. I told Carol that the stable and the apartment over the clinic both had enough of a kitchen that breakfast was easy so that was why the others weren’t here. She went off to get ready for her day while I went off to get ready for mine.
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 31
Once I had Ali bathed and dressed, I sat her in front of the TV watching cartoons. I went and showered, then dressed warmly because it was chilly this morning outside. I put my diary for next year, a notebook, and several pens on the kitchen table. I then joined Ali until her piano teacher turned up. She took her into her playroom for some morning exercises.
Eventually, the rest of the band arrived, and we were joined by Allan. Once we were around the table, he congratulated us on our year and told us that Abigail was in the top one hundred on debut.
A friend had rung him to say that she was in line for a Grammy next year and the thought was that she had a very good chance. Of course, that took a while before we had finished the round of hugs and kisses. He then told us that he has had many calls about us touring next year.
Several promoters wanted us back in Europe, but he had chosen one who offered just four shows in England and then shows in Paris, Berlin, and Berne in Switzerland. “It will be just about two months, so won’t be as strenuous as this year. It will be all Sisters shows and I think we may have to extend the set with some of the Abigail songs, if you don’t mind. That will fill the seats if she does get a Grammy.”
“Now, I’ve also accepted offers from just ten promoters here. Dates and places are yet to be finalized but they will all be shows in larger venues. I have also been fielding requests from orchestras who want one or more of you to be on the stage with them.”
“I’ve finalized some that we can fit in. Pet, you have a solo violin concert. Edie, you have two piano concerts; several want you and Joyce on guitar, but I haven’t accepted any, yet. “
“The last will be at the end of the UK part of the tour with you recreating the New York concert with all of you in front of one of the top London orchestras.”
“I’ll give you all the firm dates so that you can sort yourselves out. It looks as if it will be a solid year for everyone but will still allow time for other projects.”
“Nothing,” Allan said. “Will begin until April so you have some spare time. The first will be a classic concert with Edie playing with an orchestra in San Francisco in the middle of April and then the Sisters will be on stage the week after. You leave for the UK in the last week of June. You’ll play Edinburgh, Manchester, and Southampton before London. “
“You’ll be part of the Proms programme with an orchestra before Pet plays a violin solo in Vienna the first week of August, the same weekend Edie will be on piano with an orchestra in Berne, Switzerland. The second week of August will have you all on stage in Berne and then back to Berlin and then Paris before coming home again.”
He looked at his notes. “I know we will be in Toronto on the third week in November, because Edie and Joyce are up for a guitar concert there. We have a confirmed venue, a week before or after, there for the Sisters. I’ve also confirmed that the first week of November you’ll be here, in your hometown.”
“The last week of the month you follow Toronto with a show in Montreal. The only other certainty I have is that Kelly wants Edie and Emily in Boston in September, and she wants to talk to you about something she has in mind, so I’ll leave that for you to discuss.”
Everyone wanted to know the places he wasn’t sure of yet, so he told us that those yet to be confirmed were Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, Orlando, and Baltimore before we go to Europe, followed by Chicago and Milwaukee when we get back. We were talking about the year to come when Jordan and Sharron came in to get a drink.
I asked how it went and Sharron told me that it was messy but something she had trained for, at last. Jordan said he was off to get a shower before going to the clinic and I introduced Sharron to the rest of the band. She was amazed at meeting them and when Abigail was introduced, she smiled. “We listened to your album last night and it was wonderful. I feel that I want to hug you, but I stink of cow now and need a shower.”
Abigail laughed. “That don’t worry me, sister, I grew up on a farm,” and pulled her into a hug. Sharron looked as if she was going to burst into tears as she left us for her shower.
After that we all went out to the rehearsal room and played odd things for an hour. The girls now knew that Martyn was heading south again, and everyone was happy for him. Only Pet and Anton were staying around for Christmas so they said they would come over.
All the others were going somewhere warm for a few weeks, so we arranged to meet up again in the third week of January. When the girls left Allan stayed behind for a quiet talk and started by asking. “When are you going to get a bigger kitchen?” I giggled and told him we were only discussing that yesterday, along with an accommodation block by the sheds.
He nodded. “You can certainly afford it now, you know. I didn’t realize just how big you girls would become and the classic concerts are icing on the cake. I didn’t want to get Abigail’s hopes up too much, but my contacts have told me that she is a certainty for Best New Performer. Those who have heard it are saying that her album may make the Album of the Year. If that’s the case, you may all find yourselves on the red carpet. Your sponsors will love that if it happens.”
“The other thing that you may have picked up on is that you will be dividing the year between here and Europe and it’s because of the last shows you did over there as the Sisters. The album sales are going well, and the jazz stuff peaked while you were still there.”
I agreed. “That’s all right. We got bored with being smooth all the time, but it was fun while it lasted. I’m thinking about an album which would be to support a project with the Swans for confused kids. Will that upset anything you have in mind?”
He shook his head. “No, it would be a nice facet to your CV as you get older; that sort of thing always helps. Have you anything in mind for the content?”
I told him of the thought that it would be something along the lines of Stability / Ability but expanded and he agreed that it would be good as an addition to the Swan package that they’re now listing on the website.
The next day Maureen and I went shopping for Christmas presents. They were now planning to be away before the actual day, so she had hers wrapped and tagged for me to put under the tree for the children.
I asked her about gifts for them and she told me that they already have had the best gift anyone could give them, the return of Martyn’s place in the pantheon of producers.
At the end of that week Sharron and Carol had proved themselves to be completely capable with what they did, so I arranged for Sharron, Maureen, and me to go to Los Angeles, and I organized a meeting with Dianne. We flew down the following Monday and hugged Maureen when she left us to sort her own things out. I stayed with Sharron and helped her pack up her things. We organized a transport company to come out with boxes which we filled and sent back to the farm.
While packing her things I had a quick look at the poetry opus and was amazed that, as I read it, I could feel a tune that may fit. We had our meeting with Dianne, and Sharron was brought into my idea of a solo album at the same time. Dianne agreed that the concept was good, and I gave her a check to start the foundation. When Sharron and I flew back to Detroit we discussed tunes and lyrics.
I spoke about my first draft of the “Lower the Tone” song, and she nodded sagely. “Your problem with that is the words you have don’t have a lot of rhyming matches. If you started with “Not our Class” there are a lot more words that match, even if they aren’t spelt with an “ass” at the end. With your choice, other than phone or bone or cone there isn’t a lot to go on. You could go the other way though and write it as prose with just the tune to give it a rhyming feel. Just think of the “Big Yellow Taxi” song, there are word rhymes there, but also a part in the chorus where nothing rhymes.”
So, on the way home, I hummed the tune I had, and we rewrote the words to “Lower the Tone” to include those three words in the chorus and going down other paths in the verses. I wrote it down as we laughed and created something out of very little.
As it grew, it threw up characters that needed to be explored, servants, hangers-on, gentry, and crooks. We let our imagination run riot. Sharron would give me a line or two and I found a tune, jotting down the basic notes, and then we expanded on it. By the time we landed we had the bones of an album which I would call “Postcode Personalities”.
That had to wait until the following year, though, as we had Christmas and New Year to get through again. It was a quieter affair than previous ones; my folks stayed in Florida and sent cards and presents by mail.
Martyn had packed all their things and headed south to re-join Maureen and it was just Pet and Anton that came around for Christmas lunch. Of course, with Alicia and Brad joining us as well, and now four children in the house, there were plenty of gifts and a full dining table. Josie, Sharron, Carol, and I had organized the food and Jordan and Tony had worked on the drinks and decorations, so it made things very easy on everyone.
As we sat around after lunch, watching over the little ones as they played with their gifts, Josie and I spoke to Brad about the changes we were planning. The first would be another extension on the stable, this time to the apartment. Josie had agreed that she and Tony could move into it now, but it needed two extra rooms for the twins and a bigger bathroom. I said that if we were doing that, a dedicated farm office with outside access may be an advantage, and Brad jotted down some plans which we told him to run with.
The other thing was another extension to the house to improve the size and modernize the kitchen and dining area which he said was easy, given how well built the house was. The third was the accommodation block and I gave him a list of things I wanted it to do and left him to design and work out the best place for it.
Between Christmas and New Year, I spent a bit of time with Sharron, going through her opus and pulling out twelve sections that encompassed the world view of a teenager learning to be a girl. I almost had the tunes flow as I read them through.
After the New Year everyone went back to their jobs. The old vet had left us an extra gift before he retired. He was an accredited examiner and had put in the paperwork for Sharron Rafferty to be listed as a qualified vet in the state.
Carol also got the paperwork for a qualified veterinarian assistant which they both framed to put on the wall. Jordan and Sharron were now both fully accredited and business started to pick up.
Tony had a master to work on for a couple of weeks, and that suited me just fine. I spent that time in the rehearsal room working on a whole bunch of songs which seemed to pour out of me.
From the middle of January to the end of February I was in the studio and recording one song after another. I did the twelve songs of “Sharron– A Girl on a Journey”, first with me multi-tracking with the three instruments. We then got the others in to add more backing on the days they came by to work on our new set.
The other set of songs were pared back with just me on piano or guitar, and sometimes both. It became “Postcode Personalities” as a purely Edweena Sanders album. Both albums listed the songwriters as “Egg and Chips” and Sharron signed on with Allan as a songwriter in her own right. We then started looking through the rest of her writing, especially the early poems when she was totally conflicted.
Abigail went to the Grammys and won her personal award, but the album was pipped on the line.
Pet was now deep into the words as well and, together, we came up with enough songs for a new Sisters album which we hoped to have time to record after the summer of playing.
Before that, however, we had the new look set to finalize and the other girls were at the farm almost every day during the first few weeks of March, leaving me a couple of weeks to get up to speed with my first piano concert. The orchestra in San Francisco wanted me to do the Chopin Piano Concerto Number One, something I had played around with many years ago.
We had the orchestra tape which I could use so I had a week playing it on the concert grand in the studio with Tony manning the controls. It took several days before I was happy enough to allow him to record the result and we then sent a CD down to the orchestra to listen to. I did it several more times before I was totally happy with it.
Quite a lot of the time I had Ali and her teacher watching as I played. One day, when I’d finished, Ali whispered. “Mommy; that’s what I want to do, if you’ll let me,” and I told her that I would move heaven and earth to grant her that wish.
Alicia was getting better with every passing day. Not only with her piano playing. Her general knowledge was getting better as well. When she wasn’t playing, she was reading and had just about gone through every story book in the house, even the adult ones.
She could talk to you, and you would think that you were speaking to an early teen if you closed your eyes. It was very spooky at times. Not only that, but she also had another growth spurt and was now in clothes for a girl a year or so older than she was.
I was going into the city with her and buying her new things on a regular basis and one salesgirl asked her how she was enjoying school. Her teacher and I decided that it was time for her to move onto the tiny grand. The toy piano and the thin key one were transported to the rehearsal room and put into a corner.
On the first week of April, I was flying with Ali and Veronica, her piano teacher, heading for San Francisco. Veronica had now dedicated all her time to Alicia because, as she said, she knew that this child would grow up to be one of the best and that she could no longer split her time with other pupils. I put her on my payroll full-time so that she could devote herself to her chosen task. Ali was very happy to have her around all the time and confided to me one day that Auntie Vonnie was very nice.
The piano concert was good; the orchestra had a nice first half and I did the Chopin for the second half plus a couple of the nocturnes as encores. We flew home Monday and I needed to start work on my next concert piece.
The Swiss orchestra wanted me to do the Beethoven First in Berne. I had played around with “The Emperor” quite a bit when I was younger so was happy with it before we flew back to San Francisco with the rest of the band Thursday afternoon.
Our stage gear had gone earlier by container and there were already several our people who had gone down earlier in the week. We were now starting to collect a paid retinue, mainly dressers, make-up and stagehands who would make sure we didn’t have to heave our now larger amps around as the venues began to increase in size. The European tour would be, Allan told us, in bigger venues than the previous year. Most of the ones in the US would be bigger as well.
The new set went very well. We started off with quieter songs, duets with me and Abigail, others for her alone from the album, and then into our Sisters hits and some of the newer ones we were developing. I spent most of my time on the piano with Emily beside me on a much more elaborate keyboard with a huge range of sounds.
Pet was now full-time on an electric violin and had her own set of foot controls she could use to alter her sound. I particularly liked the pedals that multiplied the feed to make her sound like a whole string section, something that really helped with the Abigail numbers.
Janet was back on a full standard drum kit which was fitted with microphones and Joyce was revelling in having a big amp behind her. She had started using a range of guitars during the show to alter the sound as we moved from song to song.
On a few of the more rocking numbers I picked up a guitar and we swapped riffs. All in all, we now sounded like a proper pop group at times and the audience loved it.
For this first outing of the year, we shut down the clinic for the weekend and any calls were transferred. We had a big group join us on the Saturday morning. Josie and Tony had organized a weekend babysitter for the twins and Tabitha, so it was them, Jordan, Sharron and Carol, Veronica and Ali, Allan and Helen that joined us from the farm as well as Anton, Matty, Ian, Colin, and Matt to give us all the support we wanted.
We had already done a Friday show, but Saturday and Sunday were extra special with our “family” in the audience. We could see, on almost every night, patches of Swans out there. Sharron wore her own pastel dress with pride while Pet and I had our brooches on.
On Sunday morning we had a visit from Dianne and her committee. The album had been finalized with just a picture of a swan and cygnets on the front and one of me and Sharron on the back. It was in the shops and a crate of them had been sent to Dianne for distribution through the website.
They all gave all of us hugs and then, as a real surprise, they gave Sharron her own jewelled brooch to wear as a token of their appreciation of the heartfelt words in the songs. Sharron just collapsed into tears, and it took hugs from everyone to get her back to the point where she could speak. She then thanked us all for making her life mean something truly positive.
The Sunday night we finished the evening with “Ability” and dedicated it to all the Swans in the audience. Pet said, in the announcement, that if there were any younger ones in the audience who felt conflicted, there was a website which had links to help them.
We all went back home on the Monday morning, leaving everything for our support crew to relocate to Las Vegas where our one-week stint had now been extended to ten days. That was in a couple of weeks.
In the meantime, we were back rehearsing with Pet and I working on our solo concerts for Europe. We also had to make sure we were happy with the full band show in London. This would be a recreation of the one in New York so would be a little out of date in terms of content, but we would also be playing our new set in another venue as well.
I spent some time with the “Emperor” while Pet mastered the Beethoven Fourth in D Major, Opus 61 which she would play in Vienna.
Joyce and I did get a little time to run through the Rodrigo which we would be playing in Toronto in the middle of November.
The middle of May saw the Sisters in Las Vegas, playing in one of the bigger halls to lots of people, over a period of ten days, and ten concerts, one after another. By the time we had finished the stint we could do the set in our sleep, but it paid well.
We sold lots of our merchandise as well as a range of Swan merchandise we now had on hand. There was the CD, the feather brooch and even a range of pastel tops with the feather embroidered on them, all supplied by Dianne and her very dedicated group. Everything was bar coded so we passed on all those sales to the Cygnet Foundation. We also gave away lots of leaflets that explained the Swans and the reason behind the Cygnet Foundation.
We had a bit over a week back home before we were off again to Oklahoma City, Orlando, and then Baltimore, which took us toward the end of June. It was very easy for us as we just had ourselves to look after. All the kit, the stage outfits and our instruments for the shows were now part of a dedicated package handled by our road crew.
Our own guitars, violins and drums stayed at home. The local music store had come good on their promise and was happy to supply our stage stuff which had their decals on. After Baltimore it all went into a container bound for Edinburgh.
Over the year so far, Veronica had been working with Alicia on the tiny grand which really wasn’t that tiny. It was now all right for her bigger hands and longer fingers, but she did have to learn to stretch her fingers wider after playing the thin key piano.
I had the two of them come to most shows for one night, at least, so that Ali could appreciate just how much work went into being a performer. With Sharron at home now I also had the company of Jordan a lot more while I was away.
By the time we headed for the UK, the stable extension was very close to being ready and the foundation for the new accommodation block had been poured with the framework up. Brad told me that the kitchen would wait until we could use the one in the new block for a few weeks.
I had gone to Boston to see Kelly and talk about what she wanted for the concert in September. She had picked up on the double piano idea and wanted Emily and I to play the Mendelssohn in A Flat Major which is a hefty piece. While I was there, I rang Emily, and we discussed it.
Kelly asked me what we would do for an encore, and I let her into something that was in my mind as a present for Alicia, as the concert would be within days of her birthday. Kelly was shocked at what I suggested and then told me that Algernon would fund the whole concert so what I asked may well be possible. Back home I had a long talk with Ali and Veronica. Ali was, at first, worried but then said she would work hard to deserve the gift I was offering.
Then we were off to the UK. The first three shows would be just us and our support group, with Jordan and the other guys coming over for our London show, and the big night at the Proms. Then we went off for our solo concerts, and the Sisters in Berne, Berlin, and Paris.
The UK shows were a real blast. The audience had got on board the Sisters Express once the albums had charted in Europe, and the shows were well attended. The promoters had put on luxury coaches for us and the rest of our crowd. The kit went by truck as we went from Scotland down to Manchester, and then to the south coast to Southampton.
It was lovely travelling through the British countryside with the ability to call for a stop whenever we got somewhere interesting. Our driver turned out to be usually a tour driver so knew all the best spots and detours, so it was almost like a holiday broken up with days of playing.
Our Sisters concerts were at big football grounds often used for musical shows so everyone there had “been there and done that” many times. The setting up was slick; the atmosphere was great and the crowds huge. I really believe that they were some of the noisiest audiences we ever had.
They loved Abigail every night and we extended her part at the beginning of the show and went later than expected. The reviews picked up on that and said that we certainly gave value for the money. They said much the same after we had recreated our New York show as a “Night at the Proms”. Those British sure liked a good night out and we had a few of them ourselves at the after-show parties, meeting many U.K. based actors and singers.
After the London show our equipment was on its way to Berne while I followed it to play piano, and Pet flew to Vienna to do her violin solo. The others played tourist while we worked.
She was playing the Beethoven Opus 61 while I was playing the Beethoven “Emperor” and, from the reviews that I saw later, we both nailed them and further cemented our places as concert soloists.
The shows in Berne were good and we were then back in Berlin. It didn’t seem like a whole year since we were there last, and the fans flocked to the shows as if we had been away for a decade.
Allan flew over to see us in Berlin and Paris and was going to fly back with us. While were sitting in the hotel lounge in Berlin, he, and I, got a couple of shocks.
Pet asked him if he could hold off on any Sisters shows the following year because she now knew she was pregnant and would be marrying Anton after the Milwaukee show in October.
That time before this tour must have had something in the water because Janet then told us that she and Colin would be going down the aisle as well, and that she was also pregnant. That meant that May would now see two new mini sisters in the world.
Make that three because Abigail spoke up then and told us that she and Matthew had spoken about an early November wedding, and that she had missed two periods as well.
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 32
We had a serious discussion with the result being that we, as individuals, would show up at any “For Those Who Serve” concerts as we could when we got off the tour in November. I was still up for piano concerts during the year if anyone wanted to hear me. Abigail said that once she had her baby, she would be able to do solo shows if I was her pianist. Joyce was going to be available if Allan could get her, or the pair of us, guitar concerts.
In the meantime, we would see if we could work on at least one Sisters album in the studio to keep our name out there. Allan said that he would work on a press release saying that we were taking a break from touring but would be back in the halls again the year after.
I suppose that it did have to come to a head, sometime. We were now names in the USA, Europe and now in the UK so the money from album sales should still be flowing. The merchandise crew were mainly casuals with the core now getting more involved with on-line sales so didn’t really need to be at shows to sell the goods.
It was with a new sense of purpose that we played in Berlin and the last show there was as if it really was the last show, ever. Paris was next and it was great. We met up with Louise and Etienne and a bunch of the orchestra girls, went to a couple of parties and played some of the best shows we had ever done.
When we flew back to Detroit our equipment was air-freighted directly to the big hall in Milwaukee to be in storage until our show in late September. Allan then put out the press release, so Detroit became our last big show there for a while. As a matter of fact, it was also the first big show we had done at home since those Halloween shows at Harry’s dance hall. We hadn’t really thought about that side of it. When it had been listed, it was just another show on the tour. The fact that it was a home show now became a very big deal as far as we were concerned.
Before Milwaukee I spent some time at home with Alicia. She had grown another few inches over summer and, whenever I got home, I was taking her out to buy new clothes. Her old ones were carefully put aside for Josie or Sharron to pick through.
In the time I had been away there had been changes made to the farm along the lines that had been discussed. I had to find my way around my new kitchen and dining area. It was huge and the new appliances were state-of-the-art, almost to the point where I needed someone to instruct me how to use them.
I’d never used hotplates that were just surfaces where you slid your finger over an icon to change the heat. I was told that my refrigerator could order things on-line when it detected that we were running out, but that hadn’t been connected yet. I ordered it to remain that way. I didn’t want a fridge to tell me what I was eating!
The new hotplate needed special cooking pans, of course, so these were now stored in their own special cupboard. There was so much bench space now that a bread maker, air fryer and waffle maker had their own little corner where I tried to forget they were there.
None of that mattered because we now had a cook, recruited by Josie. She was in her twenties, straight out of a top cooking academy and very good at her job. She, Rebecca (call me Becky,) was living in one of the apartments in our new accommodation block, along with Veronica and Doris, who was back from her reuniting with her family and ready to look after our clutch of children. She was still driving my old car, so I took her off to my favorite car showroom and we traded it for something new and registered it to the business.
Brad had built the new block with accommodation for eight doubles and a large communal kitchen that they had used in the few weeks it took to redo the kitchen in the house. It also had its own car parking with an open fronted long shed. I was happy that this had occurred so quickly while I was in Europe.
There was also a good size playroom which was being used by Doris as the crèche and she was welcome to deal with little Georgina and Martyn, two bundles of boundless energy, that were now heading toward their second birthday, as was Tabitha. She was a much quieter and gentle darling who seemed entranced by everything around her. Our nearly four-year-old Ali was spending a lot of her own time reading to her when she was not playing the piano that was now located in the corner of our big kitchen.
There had also been some shifting of living quarters. Brad had finished the extension to my old rooms in the stable and Tony, Josie and the twins were now living there. Sharron, Carol, and Tabitha now lived over the clinic. About the only times we all met up was for dinner. This left me, Jordan, and Alicia in the main house with my parent’s old bedroom back as a guest room which they could stay in when they come up.
One change that I hadn’t asked for was a covered walkway which ran from the veranda of the stables; across to the new bunkhouse and the back along the front of the three sheds, the rest-room block, and to the packing shed where it came back to the kitchen door of the main house. Josie explained that there had been a bit of wet weather while I was overseas, and she thought it would make things easier. It was wide enough for the trollies of harvested crops to be taken to the packing shed under cover.
All too soon I would be flying to Boston. We had put aside most of a week to rehearse with the orchestra because there were a lot of things that had to appear seamless. One thing we had never done before was working with a music page-turner; the piece being so frantic in the piano part that you just don’t have enough hands.
I worked with Emily in the studio, taking turns on the concert grand to master our parts using the orchestral backing tape. We made a master with Emily recording first and me page turning and then over dubbed that with me playing and her page turning. We took a break first and then sat in the control room while Tony played the result back to us. The next trick was to do it as a duo and that was why we had allowed so much time. She also worked on her own solo piece with the backing tape.
The other thing I needed to make sure of was Alicia being able to play a shortish piece, because I had promised her that I was going to organize her debut on stage as a special birthday present.
Being the next to last classic performance of the year we would have all the band and their spouses coming along, as well as Jordan, Carol, and Sharron. Tony and Josie would be there as well as Veronica, leaving the farm and the babies in the hands of Doris and Becky. Brad, Alicia, and my parents were coming, as was Allan and Helen.
Before that was Alicia and a fourth birthday party which was a very joyous occasion with my parents coming up and Josies’ parents coming along as well. Ali had not been out and about much, so the main guests were the other three children as well as a couple of children of our farm workers. She got lots of nice things, but nothing was said about my gift to come.
In the week after the birthday party, I took Alicia with me, and we met up with Emily at the airport to fly to Boston as VIPs. Geoffrey picked us up and took us to the hotel where we had a suite with two bedrooms. Ali and I shared a big bed that night.
On Tuesday, we were taken to the concert hall where Kelly met us and got a girl to look after Ali while we rehearsed our parts. This concert was for the Friday night and a matinee Saturday followed by a third performance Saturday night. The matinee was set aside for students and teachers from the various music schools as a free concert thanks to the generosity of Algernon and Fiona.
Emily and I were featured stars for both halves. The work that needs to put two concert grands on the same stage meant that it was easier if they stayed in place. The first half of the concert was me playing the Warsaw as an opening piece on one piano, Wilhelm told me that my playing it brought tears to his eyes – said with a grin. I then left the stage with him, and he brought Emily on.
She was playing the Mozart Twenty-One in C Major which is a big piece. The piano doesn’t come in for close to three minutes and then it is about twenty-five minutes that would wear your fingers out if you were new to playing. After the break we were both brought onto the stage for the Mendelssohn which runs for a little over forty minutes, depending on how fast the conductor takes it.
We spent a while on the Warsaw, but it was deemed ready to go quickly. Emily and the Mozart took one run through in the morning and another two after lunch before Wilhelm was happy. I was sitting with Ali, and she was holding my hand. I could feel the excitement and yearning as her fingers moved with Emily. After that it was time for Alicia and her present.
A couple of stagehands wheeled a child’s grand out in front of the two big ones and I held her hand as I took her to the seat. She sat and got comfortable while playing some odd snippets to warm up her fingers. Behind her we had four chairs with one for Antonio, one for the first violin, one for the first viola and one for me with a violin. Her chosen piece as her gift was to play the first movement of the Moonlight Sonata on stage. She had seen a video of her namesake, Alicia Keys, do it as a memorial to Kobe Bryant.
Wilhelm had agreed to conduct the four of us to follow Ali on the piano. The strings didn’t add much to the actual piece except a lot of atmosphere. It would be the first time that Ali had played with a live string section. While we were setting up the rest of the orchestra joined Emily and Kelly in the stalls. I think that they all thought that this was over the top to pamper a child.
When we were all ready, the four of us with our instruments and our one page of music on stands in front of us, Wilhelm smiled at Alicia.
“Whenever you’re ready, sweetie.”
She looked at me and smiled and then started playing. That piece of music only lasts four and a half minutes, but by the end of it I had tears in my eyes. When I looked at my companions, we were all wet-eyed.
As the last notes died the entire orchestra stood and applauded and Ali stood and bowed to them with a huge grin on her face. I went to her as she looked at all the professionals standing and clapping her.
“Thank you, Mommy, this is what I’m here for.”
When we all were having a drink Kelly came up to us. “Edie, I know that what we did just now was a gift to Alicia for her birthday, but I wonder if she would like to do it on Friday night, in front of our subscribers.”
Ali just rushed to her and gave her a leg-hug and then looked at me with that bewitching look of yearning that some daughters seem to perfect. I had to say that if Alicia wanted to do it again, I was happy to go along with that, and she jumped up and down on the spot, squealing.
That brought Wilhelm and a few of the other players over. Kelly smiled at him.
“Willy, darling, how would you like to conduct young Alicia for her first debut in front of our subscribers?”
He just smiled and Ali gave him a leg-hug as well. All we had to do now was sort out how we could set it up after the main show. Emily suggested that we could both go on the microphone to thank everyone while the smaller piano was brought out and the chairs set up.
“That way, It could take the place of any encore and give the audience something to talk about on the way home.”
One of the percussion guys added an idea. “I think it would be best if a small microphone was set over the piano to give it some volume. With a full house that small piano just won’t be heard at the back.”
Wednesday, we didn’t start until after lunch and it was to be just playing the whole thing from go to whoa. Ali was a bundle of energy and I had to tell her to slow down or else she would wear herself out before the big event, something that would never do.
We rested and had a light lunch before Geoffrey picked us up. When we got to the hall, we found that Wilhelm had got some slight seating changes made with the first violin and the first viola sitting side by side and there was an empty chair with Antonio next to that. It didn’t look that much out of place and would mean that the four of us would be together for the final part without the need of extra setting up.
Kelly told me that the stagehands had practiced bringing the small piano out and they had sound tested a microphone on a stand. Before we did anything else Emily and Ali were measured for their gowns, my size already on record. After that the orchestra went on stage and tuned, followed by Wilhelm leading me to my piano seat. I didn’t have to be introduced as we were listed in the program, and I had already been on this stage.
We did the Warsaw as planned. I stood and bowed to an empty auditorium before Wilhelm led me off. He then went back on stage with Emily; this time picking up a microphone and announcing that Miss Emily Bartholomew would be playing her debut piece as a solo concert pianist.
They then did the Mozart while I stood with Ali in the wings. By now she had settled down and was taking it all in from a totally different viewpoint. In the wings you aren’t contributing to the output but are close enough to feel the music flow through your body. For a first timer it can be either frightening or intoxicating. Ali was getting more hooked on her chosen profession with every experience.
When Emily finished and took her bow, Wilhelm asked her for a short encore, so she sat down again and did a short piece of Chopin. That done we had a short drink and pee break before the orchestra went back on stage; tuned and then waited for Wilhelm to follow Emily and me out.
We took our seats and then did the Mendelssohn, and I was thankful for the page-turner. They were very good and stayed very still unless they were doing their job. This is something usually given to the younger new members of the orchestra as a bit of training in self-discipline.
While we did the second half Ali sat in the orchestra on the spare seat between the viola and cello. I knew that the audience would be wondering at this odd arrangement. At the end of the piece both of us stood and bowed and then I took a microphone that my page-turner handed to me and moved to the front of the stage with Emily.
I thanked the imaginary audience for their applause. “You may have noticed my daughter sitting with the orchestra. This is part of an experience I promised her for her fourth birthday last week.” I turned and beckoned her to join me as the small piano was brought out and the microphone set up.
I gave my microphone to Emily.
“Tonight, you heard my debut performance and I’m honored to be introducing another debut performance.”
By this time, I had sat Ali on her seat and made my way to the spare seat where the first violin was also now holding my instrument for me. Emily went on.
“Alicia Sanders is no stranger to playing in public. Some of you may remember a YouTube segment with Edweena and her playing a Satie piece a year or more ago. Many thought it a faked video but tonight you will hear for yourself that she’s a genuine pianist. Being here in the orchestra tonight was her belated birthday present, and now she wants to give you all a present, from her to her loved ones in the audience.”
Emily then turned the microphone off as she walked past Ali, giving her a smile and then sat at her piano. Ali looked at Wilhelm, who smiled and nodded and then we were bathed in Moonlight once again. From my vantage point I could hear that the sound was better with some amplification and then we needed to get busy with our own string accompaniment. At the end of it the orchestra broke with the expected silence and applauded. Ali stood and faced us with a cheeky grin and bowed.
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 33
Wilhelm led the three of us off and the orchestra followed. Over some refreshments Kelly announced that tomorrow afternoon was a full-dress rehearsal with the press attending, starting at three so that we could stay dressed for the Friday night performance, if we didn’t spill any drinks on our outfits.
I had to explain to Ali that this was a special way that Kelly worked with the media. “Tomorrow,” I said, “They’re allowed to take pictures and there’ll also be some other people associated with this orchestra as well.” Emily was also a newbie at this way of working so I told her that they’re just another audience.
Friday morning the rest of our crowd turned up. I had to explain that while Ali would be with them during the first half, she would be collected to be taken to a very special seat for the second half. We had a good lunch and then the three of us were picked up to go to the hall. Josie asked why Ali was going so early. I told her that we had organized a special dress for her to wear for when she is in her special seat. I know she was bemused by it, but I told her not to worry as all will be made clear tonight.
At the hall the three of us were stripped of our normal outfits and be-gowned. That, I think, is the right word for what we were put into. The three of us looked like true princesses once we had been made up. Yes, all three of us, Ali getting the treatment as well and looking wonderful. We had to take some pictures of her, and Kelly organized her own professional to take a shot of the three of us for future advertising.
We could hear the orchestra readying to go on stage and then the internal PA announced five minutes. I left Ali with Emily and went up to the wings as the rest of the orchestra went past me.
Wilhelm stood next to me.
“You know, Alicia is going to suck all the attention away from you and Emily?”
“I know that, but it will be nothing in comparison to the attention she’ll get as she gets older. Emily and I have already had the attention for a good four years already. We don’t begrudge Ali her first time in the limelight. Next year she’s going to have to start school and I think we may have to pull her kicking and screaming from a piano stool to get some ordinary learning.”
He chuckled, “Best of luck with that,” and then took my hand to lead me out to my piano.
The audience was pretty much the mix that I had seen before. The scribes, the photographers, the orchestra executives, and the various workers were joined by Algernon and his family. We breezed through the Warsaw, and I bowed to some applause before leaving the stage.
Wilhelm went back on with Emily and announced that it was her debut as a classical pianist and then they did the Mozart while I stood with Ali in the wing. She got a good bit of applause and then was led off to join us. Because of the time available there was no break and Wilhelm then led the three of us out to the stage, Emily and I to our pianos and Ali going to sit next to Antonio, who gave her a big smile when she joined him.
With our attendant turners beside us we both nodded to Wilhelm, and he raised his baton to get us going. The Mendelssohn was, I’ve said, hectic and the gowns, while sumptuous, were a little hot by the time we finished. We didn’t do an encore or add the small piano. That surprise was to be for tonight. The scribes and other attendees gave us a good round of applause as we were led off, Ali joining the orchestra as they left.
Both Emily and I spoke to Kelly about the hot gowns, and she organized them to be quickly reworked with much of the linings taken out while we changed into our day clothes. We mingled with the orchestra for a light meal, and some hydration.
Algernon and his family were introduced to Alicia, and he asked her how she enjoyed her birthday. She told him that it was even better than a Barbie Doll because it got better with every playing. I think he was a bit bewildered by that, but he would get the point tonight.
I took her out to the foyer where Jordan was waiting, and he looked stunned when he saw her. I told him that she was getting special birthday treatment and wouldn’t be wearing make-up when we got home. She looked up at me with a stern look, so I gave her a sly wink so that Jordan couldn’t see it. The stern look disappeared, and the smile came back.
“Don’t forget, someone will come to you and take Ali off to her special seat as soon as the break starts.” I gave him a kiss and then went back to see if our gowns had been air-conditioned.
Thankfully they were much lighter and much better to play in. Redressed and with make-up checked over we went and waited in the wings while the orchestra went on stage. You could hear the murmur of the audience. They applauded as the other players took their seats and then quietened as the Antonio played the middle C as they tuned.
When everybody was quiet Wilhelm led me out, sat me down and raised his baton after the unexpected long applause abated. We played the Warsaw to perfection and the crowd loved it. The applause called for an encore usually, but Richard led me off, only to take Emily’s hand to lead her on while the applause continued.
He got her sat and picked up his microphone and there was quiet while he announced her, and that it was her debut. They did the Mozart and then the crowd applauded. Some stood and that was the key for more to stand. Emily stood by her piano, bowed to the crowd, and then swept her hand to the orchestra who, with a nod from Wilhelm, stood and took a bow. She then sat down, the hall quietened, and she did her Chopin encore and was led off as the audience once more stood for her.
I gave her a hug in the wings.
She whispered. “Now I see why you do this. Bugger the pop world, this is being truly alive.”
In the break a girl from the admin brought Ali to us and we freshened up in the stars dressing room. All too soon we heard the five-minute announcement and went to the wings to wait with Wilhelm. When the orchestra had tuned up, he led the three of us out to our respective seats and then took to his podium. With our turners ready we nodded, and he got us going again. Three quarters of an hour later we finished, and the audience was on its feet as one.
Our turners had a pack of tissues each which were offered to us to mop our brows before we stood to acknowledge the applause. We both bowed and swept our arms to take in the orchestra and they all stood and bowed, even Ali, the minx. I then took the microphone, made sure it was on and joined Emily at the front of the stage, going through the procedure to get Ali down with us while the small piano and microphone was set up.
When I mentioned it was a gift for her fourth birthday some wag called “hip-hip” and she got three cheers. I could see my family in the first row looking as if we had all gone mad. I then passed the microphone to Emily who finished off the spiel and went to her piano seat while I got Ali comfortable, gave her a hug and went to sit in the extra seat, taking my violin as I sat down.
Antonio whispered. “Now we will see something to talk about.”
Ali looked out at the expectant faces. I expect that she winked at where Jordan and Josie were sitting and then started playing the Moonlight. You could have heard a pin drop as she played better than I had heard her before.
I thought that she had now taken in that one thing that turns a player into a performer. She had sensed the fact that there were a whole lot of people out there who were just listening to her and her alone, until the rest of us added our string accompaniment.
When the last notes died the place went mad. I could see most of the women in our party crying with joy and love. Ali stood and bowed to them and then turned to get us to stand and, when she turned back to the audience, Emily and I went and stood either side of her and bowed again before bringing the whole orchestra to its feet to bow as well.
Wilhelm led us off with the audience still on its feet.
“Well done, you three. This one will go down in the record books.”
He then turned us around to go back and acknowledge the audience once more, all three of us getting a posy of flowers.
We got the orchestra standing for a bow and then we left the stage again with the leader then taking the orchestra off as well.
Backstage was pure bedlam. The orchestra was totally wired after that and were jabbering away among themselves. Ali was suddenly very tired, and I didn’t blame her. Emily looked washed out as well. I remembered my first experiences and got someone to give her a big glass of water and a smaller one for Ali which they both drank down and then broke into grins.
“Good debut, Alicia,” said Emily. “I think there may be a few in the audience who would get you signed up tonight if they could.”
Ali giggled. “You too, Auntie Emily. I can’t wait until I can get to play longer pieces, but I don’t think I will go anywhere near that double. That looked so hard.”
Kelly came by. “Get changed and Geoffrey will collect Jordan and Ian and take you back to the hotel. The matinee is in normal outfits, so we don’t frighten the teachers.”
We went and changed, had our make-up removed properly and went to the artist entrance where the Rolls waited with Jordan and Ian in a conversation with Geoffrey. We all got in and he took us to the hotel where our room now had an added single made up for Ali. No nookie tonight, even if I could stay awake for it.
Ali and I had a shower and got into our nighties. Back in the bedroom Jordan was already in bed so I tucked Ali in. “Goodnight, my clever girl.”
She put her arms around my neck. “Thank you, Mommy. That’s the best I’ve ever felt. Nothing comes close. Goodnight.” She rested her head, closed her eyes and was out like a light. We could hold an orgy in the room without waking her up but, for once, I wasn’t telling Jordan that.
I snuggled in next to him. He held me.
“That was a wonderful experience for everyone. And you weren’t so bad yourself.”
“Shut up and let me sleep; I’ve two shows tomorrow and that double is very wearing.”
He chuckled and held me tighter while I faded into dreamland where I found myself sitting in an audience watching Alicia playing something very complicated and making it look easy. I made a mental note to try and remember the tune.
In the morning, I woke in an otherwise empty bed and then heard the shower going. Ali was still asleep, so I stretched out and flexed my muscles then stood, threw on a wrap, and went over to her bed. As I approached, she opened her eyes and looked at me, and we gazed at each other in wonder.
“Mommy; did yesterday really happen? I woke up in the night and it seemed like a dream I had.”
I put my hand on her cheek.
“Darling Alicia, it wasn’t a dream. It was a dream come true. You were magnificent, and you held the audience in the palm of your hand. You’re a natural performer. I think you made a few of our friends and relatives cry tears of joy last night.”
Jordan had come out of the bathroom. “I think there was no-one prouder, other than us, than Veronica. That was a real trick you two pulled there; I thought that Ali was only going to play in the rehearsal.”
I chuckled. “You don’t know how Kelly can be when she and Wilhelm see something too wonderful to keep bottled up. Last night was put together as a total surprise, even to us.”
Ali and I had another shower as we had both had a sweaty night and then got dressed in fancy dresses, considering that Jordan was in jeans.
“Mommy; why the good outfits?”
I kneeled so I could look her straight in the eyes.
“Alicia, my girl. Last night you had your debut as a fully-fledged concert pianist. When we walk out of this room you will find that there will be a lot of people who want to talk to you, and I don’t mean the family downstairs. Darling, I’m sure that the girls on reception already have a bunch of newspapers they want to give you. We are both concert pianists, so we dress to impress.”
She gave me a cheeky grin. “Does that mean I can go shopping when we get home?”
I smiled. “Of course, we can, if you don’t go wandering around the farm wearing the good things. Now, when we go downstairs there are a couple of special people who will want to smother you with kisses. One will be your Auntie Josie and the other will be your Auntie Vonnie who needs you to thank her for her teaching. I think that last night may have been the proudest moment of her life.”
When the three of us walked into the dining room our whole table stood and applauded as we approached. Jordan gave a bow and cried. “Thank you, kind friends, it was nothing.”
Josie laughed. “Out of the way, brother dear, I want to hug Ali,” and she knelt in front of Ali and wrapped her arms around her. I knew that she was now being the mother she should have been. I was sure she wanted to say “my child” but caught it in time.
As predicted Veronica was next in line. Ali thanked her for her teaching as she was being hugged. I was, by that time, being hugged by Josie who whispered. “Thank you for everything,” in my ear. One by one everyone, including Sharron and Carol, hugged Ali and told her how wonderful she was. Some even took the time to give me the same treatment.
Emily joined us and the round of hugs started again. As I had predicted, one of the ladies from reception came over with a small pile of pristine newspapers for Ali, our table already littered with well-thumbed pages.
I gave the papers to Jordan and asked him if he could take them up to the room, so they didn’t get messed up. One of my biggest regrets was not saving a clean copy of our first write-up although Mom still adds to her scrapbook.
At long last we were able to get something to eat. Ali certainly had the Grosse genes as she tucked into a full cooked breakfast, and I wasn’t far behind her. Her small frame would have expended a lot of energy last night and I had played for over an hour.
Allan had left the table to take a call and was away for a while. When he came back, he said, “Edie, Algernon wants to see you, Jordan, and Ali for lunch today. Jordan, you had better go and get something decent to put on. Geoffrey will pick you up at eleven and I’ll see you at the matinee.”
That put a stop to the two of us ordering seconds. As we sat, we started to get visits from other diners who wanted to let Ali know how much they appreciated her performance last night. A few even congratulated Emily and me!
I always carry a sharpie Texta in my bag and passed it to Ali so she could sign her autograph on some newspapers that were put in front of her. I did make sure that she lifted the page to make sure there was nothing underneath.
With the first request for an autograph, she looked at me and asked. “What do I put, Mommy?”
I smiled. “If you want to be a pop star, just scrawl Ali like you did on your CD. If you’re going all classical then you should start now by being Alicia Sanders or just Alicia.”
When we left the others and went up to our room she asked. “Mommy; does the excitement ever go?”
I smiled. “Sometimes, darling, it seems like a lot of hard work and then you’re back in a spotlight and you know why you do what you do. The excitement is the fuel that drives your creativity.”
She laughed. “I’ve decided that, for now, it’s better than chocolate. I’ll let you know when chocolate is king again.”
With Jordan now suitably dressed for lunch we went down to the lobby to wait for Geoffrey. We didn’t have to wait very long but everyone passing by gave us big smiles, especially those with a paper in their hand. I took the opportunity to get to see what the article said. It had the picture of the three of us that Kelly had taken and an obviously illicit phone shot of Ali on stage at the piano.
The article had a good review of the rest of the evening, but a good two thirds was devoted to the tiny girl with the huge talent and how the writer had never heard the Moonlight played with such feeling. His question at the end was how long before she graced another stage and whether she would be entering competitions.
That was something I had never considered for her. Competitions may have you out on stage and playing but it is behind the scenes that the damage happens. The kids are all right, it’s the other parents who have the snide remarks and put-downs. Ali had no need to enter a competition, she had the talent, and I had the connections to have her headlining when she felt she was ready.
Geoffrey came in and we got up and followed him back out to the car. He took us out to Algernon’s house, and I suddenly felt that it may be nice to have a mansion somewhere with a Rolls and driver to take me around. I wondered if Algernon had a fleet of cars, he certainly had the money, but I’d hardly ever seen him in one.
We were welcomed into the house by Jackson and taken to the main dining room. You would have thought that a house like this would scream for the Louise Fifteenth style, but it was more September the fifteenth; sleek, modern but very stylish. Fiona either had a very young designer, or else she had shouted down someone who wanted drapes and damask.
Algernon, Fiona, the two girls plus Wilhelm and Kelly, were waiting for us along with a youngish lady that I felt sure I had seen out in the audience on the Friday dress rehearsal. That made her either the media or connected to the orchestra. When we were introduced, I found out that she, Laura, was part of the administration, and was the organizer of the youth and student shows. This had come in as part of Algernon’s largess last year.
When we sat for lunch, Ali had a chair with extra cushions, so she was at the right height, and we then had something she had never eaten before, oysters. There was a choice of raw or Kilpatrick and I advised her to try the Kilpatrick first and showed her how they are eaten. She is a game girl but closed her eyes as she put it in her mouth.
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 34
I waited for the rejection, but she swallowed and smiled and asked if the plain was much different. I told her that they were just “fishier” and picked out a small one for her to try, taking one for myself and showing her that these are eaten straight from the shell. She made a face when it was in her mouth and didn’t chew much before swallowing. She thought for a few moments and then reached for another.
The lunch was mainly to thank us for the experience on Friday night and Kelly asked if Ali could repeat it on Saturday, now the papers were already full of her performance.
“Because of your age we can’t pay you.”
Ali grinned. “I work for chocolate cake.”
Then Laura brought up the matinee. “It’s a training session, rather than a show,” she said. “I, or one of the teachers, will explain the history behind the music, who commissioned it and why. I think that you may get to play the complete Warsaw, but the other pieces will be just that, pieces. I’ll give you the marked-up scores when you get in. We’ll only pick out passages that reflect their time or relate to other works. What I would like is to have Alicia play the Moonlight as a piano solo to show the students what they can do if they apply themselves.”
Ali smiled. “More chocolate cakes?”
Before we left to get ready for the matinee, Algernon took me aside. He looked serious.
“Last night was a revelation. I’ve never been in on the beginning of someone’s career before, other than my own. I want to do something to help Alicia continue. I’m prepared to fund a sponsorship to let her go through the best schools if she wants. I know that you can afford all of that yourself, but I’m talking about something that will continue beyond Alicia going into the wide world as a star.”
I nodded. “The main thing I’m already worrying about is her proper schooling. She’s very bright and well ahead of her age in many things. She should be able to mix with children of her own age, but I wonder if she would find them too young for her.”
Fiona asked. “Have you considered home schooling?”
I nodded. “Yes, but it still has Ali mainly on her own or with three others who are more than two years younger.”
Ali chirped up. “I’m happy with the little ones, Mummy. Tabitha is very bright, and we talk a lot when we’re alone. She’s still very shy around strange adults. Why can’t we have a room in the new block as a school room and have all four of us learning. Gina and Marty are almost ready to start reading properly but they’re not big talkers yet.”
Fiona laughed. “I see what you mean, that sounded like a teenager. What say we underwrite the home schooling for you and expand it to take in other children with special requirements? If we take it to the disabled, it can come under our business umbrella. Alicia can be our research project into the feasibility of a full program.”
I looked at Jordan and he smiled. “It works for me. Ali is happy being a bit of a loner but, there again, she does take after her parents.”
That afternoon we educated and amazed the schoolchildren. Laura and her other helpers were very good at describing the times that the music had been written, and the state of the composer when they put quill to parchment. Emily and I played pieces from our performance items, and we even picked up on questions about the times before and after the piece. We were able to play bits of earlier and later pieces by the composer to show how they had progressed.
Ali did her Moonlight and then, when the children clamored for more, played a bit of Satie as well. As the classes were taken out to their busses, Laura produced a chocolate cake, and we tucked in.
We went back to the hotel where we freshened up and had a light meal. Both Emily and I made sure that Ali understood that playing on a full stomach was not the best. We were applauded as we each came on stage, with a standing ovation when we had finished.
The atmosphere when we got to the end of the double could be cut with a knife. If Ali wasn’t brought on to play, I think we may have seen a riot. When I brought her forward there was applause. As the notes of the Moonlight hung in the air, Wilhelm stood for a bit longer before allowing the audience to vent their pent-up need to cheer and clap.
We did three curtain calls and Wilhelm whispered that they wanted an encore. Ali and I went back out on stage and sat at our respective pianos. We then recreated the Satie piece that had made Facebook all that time before. She used the full scope of the tiny grand with me just adding the notes beyond the range of the shorter keyboard.
Another encore was demanded so I waved Emily on stage, and we sat at our instruments. I whispered to the two of them to do the ragtime. I led off and Emily joined in, following on. I nodded to Ali who came in with her own versions of our pop songs and then I finished off with the ragtime again. This time we left the stage with our posies and the lights faded.
All three of us were wiped out by the experience and went straight back to the hotel for some glasses of water and then a lot of sleep. We left Boston the next morning, and all three of us dozed on the flight. When we landed there were reporters waiting for us and it took a while before we could get into our waiting Town Car. We were home just after the less famous members of our household.
Sharron was almost in shock at the experience. She had thought that the attention we had received as a pop group was amazing, but the same spotlight shining on a four-year-old had her wondering at the sanity of it all. I tried to explain that this is a result of doing something we loved. Ali floored her by telling her that a chocolate cake would be delivered soon. That is, if the photographer she had requested it from came up with the goods.
Twenty minutes later, a delivery driver came into the farm with three boxes of cake, one chocolate, one strawberry and one cherry, as thanks for our patience with the media. I wondered if we should replace Allan with Ali, seeing that she had our payment delivered so quickly.
Emily and Ian were going to marry on the weekend after our concert, so we had that one to prepare for. That had been planned for a while. Then it was a mid-week double wedding with Joyce and Matty teaming up with Abigail and Matthew for a joint civic ceremony.
Then it was a church wedding for Colin and Janet. The first had Josie as Maid of Honor with me and Pet as bridesmaids. We duplicated that for Joyce and then Josie and I swapped places for Abigail.
For Janet it was a big wedding. Emily was Maid of Honor and the other three of us were bridesmaids. Colin had a big circle of friends in a choir. There were a lot of photographers at all the weddings, with plenty of coverage in the magazines afterward.
We had another week off before going back on stage in Chicago and Milwaukee. Pet married Anton in a quick ceremony in Las Vegas. I think they may have organized it while we were there in May. Josie, Emily, and Janet were bridesmaids, and a school friend of Anton was best man. Jordan and I took Alicia with us to the wedding and came home the next morning.
After Milwaukee, no-one had time to relax as the Detroit show took on a life of its own. As mainly locals we were wanted in TV studios and besieged by reporters who all wanted to know how we got to the place we now occupied, and how we coped with it. Many column inches appeared with comments about how none of us had bought a mansion. Some comments were made about the farm, but no-one could say that it didn’t earn its own money.
Some of our workers were asked how we were as employers, and they all gave glowing references. They even spoke to other bands who had used the studio and pet owners who had been to the clinic. The papers started calling the shows “The Sister’s Homecoming”, and I suppose they weren’t far wrong.
One Monday evening Pet, Emily and I got together with Sharron in the rehearsal room and worked on a special opening number, just for this show. When we had it worked out, we rang the others to come over to the studio in the morning. I had checked the schedule and there was no-one else booked until the day after.
The next day we brought the others up to speed with the basic song, and then worked on their own input. By lunch we had finalized the song and Tony had overseen a quick recording session. It was called “Hello, Old Friend” and started with me on the piano and singing the first verse to the people I had known and the Detroit I loved.
Then Joyce came in with the guitar for her own verse about her own friends. Donna and Josie were mentioned several times as we worked through Emily and Pet, with Abigail coming in at the end. The penultimate verse was a thank you to everyone we knew and loved and a special thank you to the teachers and role models in our lives, who may never have known how much we admired them. Sharron was a real help in making it sound heartfelt.
The final verse was a thank you to our support crew and, finally, the fans that turned up to see us play and bought the albums. The last line was, “Hello, old friends, this song is for you,” and ended back in solo piano, as it had started. Tony tweaked the master slightly, to give it a “live” feel and we sent it to Allan with a note. The note said that this would open the shows in Detroit but that will be the first, and the last time we would do it on stage.
We asked him to release it as a digital upload on the website only after we had left for Toronto. That done, on Wednesday we expanded the show as much as we could with early Pixies numbers and even a few of the old covers the original Pixies had started with. Allan had done a deal with the TV station that showed us first, to film it for posterity with the thoughts of a “Homecoming” DVD.
We had an opening band that would get the fans revved up and then we were on after a short break, long enough for a pee if you were first in line. We figured that we would be on stage for close to three hours for all four nights we would be playing. The original Friday and Saturday now being from Thursday to Sunday night; so popular were the tickets. We had set the first two rows aside for our own friends and relatives.
As I arrived at the venue on Thursday evening it struck me that the band that they were coming to see was nothing like the band they had known. We had moved on from semi-acoustic sets in bars and clubs, to a different line-up and a bigger sound that toured Europe. We were now very much the “big arena” band with riggers, roadies, and sound guys to handle the bigger kit that we carried with us these days. We now even had a sound and mixing desk out in the audience which we asked Tony to man for this venue.
On the way in, someone asked me if I was nervous. I said that you don’t get nervous when you’ve put in the hard work. It’s only random acts that could mess things up now and if you can’t control the power or the weather there’s nothing else left to worry about. What I didn’t notice was the camera pointing my way and that comment made it to the news next day.
We assembled in the dressing room while the first band played and got changed into our stage outfits. Just for these shows we had four different outfits each. Two had been bought in Paris, one came from Berlin and the last was a new one from London. We had certainly shopped our way around Europe.
When the house lights went down to start our part of the show there was a spotlight trained on the electric piano and the crowd roared as I walked into the pool of light and started playing. I doodled until it had quietened down and started with our opening song. As I mentioned people and places there were whoops and hoots from the audience. Then the others joined, one by one and the atmosphere was electric as many out there were being named and thanked in song.
As it came to an end, and I played the last few bars on the now-solo piano there was a huge roar that almost lifted the roof. We stood and waved as if it was the end of the show and it was a couple of minutes before we could move into the proper show, starting with some older Pixies songs and then progressing into Sister’s material. There was a section where we did a bunch of Abigail numbers and even a couple from my own album. The last part was a string of hits from our albums which went down a treat.
We ended with a best seller from the latest album and bowed. Of course, someone, who sounded a lot like Donna, called for the Devil. It was picked up and a chant grew. We had half expected this, so the last song had me already playing the electric violin. It was a fitting finale to a very packed show. When the Devil had been driven out, we all lined up across the stage and bowed, waved, and blew kisses before giving a final wave and going off behind the amps, the way we had arrived some time before.
That was one night down, and just three more to go before we escaped to the comparative calm of Toronto. We had agreed to keep a low profile in our homes during the days as we may have been mobbed if we were seen out and about. We wanted nothing to mar this set of shows.
The Friday, Saturday, and Sunday shows got progressively noisier, and the papers were full of interviews with people we had mentioned in the song, many not realising the effect that they had on our lives. The emotion generated by just that one song was draining; not factoring the rest of the show which brought home to us the enormity of where we had got to. I went home Sunday night and slept until early afternoon Monday. It was emotional fatigue and Jordan was very attentive and supportive. Ali had been to all four shows and had miraculously stayed awake until the end every night.
Wednesday, we were heading for Toronto and our first show in Canada. That, and the Montreal shows that followed, were almost an anti-climax after Detroit. In Toronto we did what we needed to do to please the fans. The other girls went home for a rest while Joyce and I joined the local orchestra to prepare for our Rodrigo concert the following Friday and Saturday night.
While we were relaxing in our hotel lounge, I asked Joyce why she wasn’t on the baby bandwagon. She told me that she hadn’t considered it until the others had confessed to being pregnant.
“With the window of opportunity that the others have created,” she said. “Matty and I have spoken about it, and I’ve already stopped taking the pills so that we can have our baby next year.”
Our guitar concert was well received, and we spent a couple of extra days in Toronto talking about possible shows into the future. There are many classical guitar pieces that can be played with an orchestra and Joyce agreed to a likely date in May next year with me getting one for later in the year, all dependant on the orchestra sorting it out with Allan.
The others flew into Montreal, and we did our last two shows for some time. It gave us a lift, and we left our new Canadian fans hungry for more. That was it for quite a while.
Whether the Sisters went back on stage again was an unknown. We all said we wanted to. Who knew what a lengthy break would bring, especially with babies taking up your time.
It was now just into December, and I had a Christmas at home to plan. Jordan warned me that the January and February period was one of the busiest for a vet, with all the unwanted or unexpected gifts to look at. That was when he would make his salary de-sexing cats and dogs or fitting ID chips.
Tony had a full diary until the beginning of the festive season but had, wisely, refused any bookings for the first three months of next year. That had become our most productive period to get albums made. It would mean that I should have something to work with to make it worthwhile. I did have several songs that had come out of Sharron’s poetry and few that had drifted out of my own brain, possibly enough for a middling album but nothing really special.
After a week at home, I called all the other girls and invited them to lunch at the farm. I warned Becky that there was likely to be up to a couple of dozen for that lunch and to prepare something that could be saved for later. She suggested home-made pizza from our new pizza oven.
On the day all the girls arrived with their husbands, so with me and Jordan we had a dozen already. Add to that Tony and Joyce and Alan and Helen we had a big table set up. My one big question to them all was what the plans were for the next year.
I explained that we had to have likely dates when each of us would be available so that Alan could talk to likely venues with some certainty. He nodded as I said that.
I kicked off the discussion saying that I wanted to put down at least two albums before the end of March. One was to be my own and one should be, if we came up with some good songs, a Sisters album. Abigail said she would like to do another one herself in that time.
We discovered that Abigail, Pet, and Janet would be off having babies around the end of March and Joyce announced that she was due in August. That led to a round of hugs and a toast to the parents-to-be. That allowed Alan to look at a few shows we could do around October as a band. That gave us a reason to keep together.
We would all be available for promotional or vet show dates between May and July. Abigail wanted to do a few shows with just her out front, and whichever ones of us were around as a backing band, to promote her album should one get released. Alan told her that he could provide a backing band from his stable of artists if needed.
Dianne had spoken to me about doing a Swans concert to play the “Sharron” album live, and I had that pencilled in for April while none of the others were available. Joyce said that she could do a guitar concert up to June and after September. Emily was not planning any babies in the foreseeable future.
During the discussion it came up that all the others were going to move house in the first six months. With babies on the way they all thought that a new place was on their wish list. Janet and Colin were going to get somewhere big enough for a granny flat so that Flora could stay with them. They also wanted enough space to put in a rehearsal room and studio.
Emily and Ian were looking for somewhere that would take a concert grand. Pet and Anton also needed space for a piano and a small recording studio. Only Joyce and Matty were not going large but were still looking for a music room with a nice house attached. Abigail just wanted somewhere comfortable and was looking for a nice penthouse.
This brought a serious look to Alan’s face. He, and I, knew that laying down roots could mean an unwillingness to travel for long periods. Any shows we did in future would have to be weekends so we could get home during the week. Overseas tours would have to be carefully planned for a few years.
We finished lunch with a firm decision to lay down an album in the first three months. All the girls were taking a month off to bask in some sunshine, so we arranged to meet again in the second week of January.
After the others had gone, Alan sat down and filled in his notebook with what we had discussed and the looked up. “It’s going to be an odd year, you know.”
I nodded.
“It’s not unexpected. We’re all an age where babies are likely. It’s not as if any of the girls can’t afford a nanny once the first blush of motherhood is over, but that could take up to six months. It makes an album even more important.”
“Have you had any flashes of brilliance with new songs?” Tony asked. I had to admit that the year had been so filled I hadn’t been able to invent a top ten hit for a while.
“I seem to be concentrating on more wistful songs like the Swan album or my “Postcode” one. We really need something big for when we hit the stage as a group again. I’ll let you know when inspiration hits, but, until then, I have a Christmas to plan.”
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 35
Tony went back to the studio to prepare for a band that was booked for this afternoon and evening. Alan, Helen, and I hugged before they left. I invited them for Christmas lunch and Helen told me that if it was as good as lunch today, she would be happy to come.
That left Josie and me, so I sent Becky off, and made us a cup of coffee each. We discussed the farm business, and the Josie told me that she had picked up her guitar again and was re-learning how to play.
“The concert here was a real awakening for me,” she admitted. “I was going nowhere, musically, and now we have the farm running smoothly, I thought I might start playing again. The last couple of years had worked to improve my voice.”
I went to my room and came back with my two acoustics, gave her the one she had played all that time ago and then sat with mine in my lap. I started playing the intro of one of our first duets, and then she smiled and joined in. When we began to sing quietly, I could tell that her voice was much better, if not back to her concert strength. We sang and played for about an hour, and she had tears in her eyes when we put the two guitars back in their cases.
When I came back, she was standing, and we hugged. She whispered. “Thank you for everything, darling Edie.”
I made us another coffee and we spoke about the past and the likely future. I told her that my house was her house if she was here but that I expected Tony would have offers made to produce that would be difficult to pass up. She told me that he had already received offers but nowhere near enough money to leave the Stable Studio. I suggested that he start looking for an assistant to eventually replace him, and that I would fund it.
When she left to go back to the farm office, I felt that we had crossed another line in our relationship. It seemed to swing up and down, firstly because of her personality but now due to simple realities of living.
There’s a saying about the best laid plans of mice and men. In the second week of December, we were struck with a weather event that almost stopped everything. The temperature plummeted, the snow fell, and the experts told us that it could be the coldest winter on record. After about five years of reasonable weather around the festive season it was a bit of a shock.
We had enough warning to get all the cars into the shed behind the clinic. We also got our guys to help us change the lights in there to the hydroponic ones. That would keep it warmer so the cars wouldn’t freeze, and the animals wouldn’t need to be taken into the warmth of the clinic. I had seen a similar weather pattern before meeting the Pixies so knew what to do to prepare.
One of the guys had a Cruiser Troop Carrier model and I gave him a fuel card so he could pick up the others as the weather closed in. The vet vehicle was similar, and we had inherited chains and a small snowplough with it. The plough just bolted on to the front bars. If nothing else, it would allow us to create a reasonable driveway for any trucks that came to pick up.
On that front, we had an arrangement with the supermarkets that took our produce to deliver other things we would need. The snow was deep enough to easily decide that a Christmas dinner was out of the question. We then planned for survival of the group of us that were now stuck. We had Veronica and Doris, both now unable to get away as they had planned. We had Rebecca, Tony and Josie, Sharron, and Carol and the four children. Every morning Jordan would get the truck out and plough the roadway out to meet the highway and the short bit to the packing shed.
We developed a method to keep us fed and entertained. The bigger trucks would come in and collect our produce and drop off anything we had ordered. Christmas day would be just another day with extra food. The only gifts would be those that had been obtained earlier, there was no way we would get into the big stores. Jordan and Sharron took turns to go on callouts.
Three days before Christmas a Post Office truck came by and dropped off some boxes. They were copies of the Detroit concert DVD and the European DVD of our London show. A note with them said that the Detroit one was going to be on TV on New Year’s Eve and the London one was to be shown in the UK on that night as well.
When our guys knocked off two days before Christmas they got a bonus in their wages, plus a copy of the Alicia piano album and a copy of the Detroit show. We were in a little island of warmth in the various buildings and, thanks to the covered walkway, could move between them quite easily.
After Christmas day we started spending the evenings together doing our own thing or watching the big TV my dad had installed. One evening when there was nothing worth watching, Josie suggested a sing-along. I pulled out the two acoustics and we started off playing the old Pixie duets with nearly everyone joining in. As we went along and ran short of songs, Sharron suggested a few old folk songs. Being a poet, she had a lot of these in her head, the lyrics being so poetic.
Between us we sang a few and it was fun inventing the notes to things we had never heard, just from Sharron and Carol singing. They were quite good. We were in the middle of an old Irish folk song about the “little people” when I could hear Ali playing along on the piano. Jamming was something she had never been involved in and this brought smiles our faces.
A little while later we were into an Aussie standard, so Sharron told us, called “Botany Bay”. There’s a rousing chorus which goes along the lines of – “Singing toorali, toorali, Annie, singing toorali, toorali, ay. Singing toorali, toorali, Annie, I’ll see you in Botany Bay.” The second time around we were joined by Ali and Tabitha singing along. Sharron and Carol exchanged looks.
By the end of the evening, we all had a lot of fun. I was happy to be jamming along with Josie and Ali, and it had brought Tabitha out of whatever shell she had been hiding under. Ali told me, as I put her to bed, that Tabitha had been like this for some weeks, but tonight she realized that she could be brave in front of adults.
Over the first weeks of January, we moved forward with our folk singing. When she wasn’t out on call, Sharron would look at her poems with me and we’d pick some words, invent some tune and I would jot down the notes. Toward the end of January, we got Tony to warm up the studio and we all went there to record what we had been doing. We got our guys to help us carry the baby grand over.
Of course, with the concert grand in there, it was an invitation for someone to play it. I deferred to Veronica. By the time the cold snap broke, we had recorded fourteen tracks of original songs and Tony worked on the master. It was a lot of fun. When we had a sample CD, we gathered in the kitchen one day and played it.
It was a curious mix. There were a couple of songs that I was proud of being involved in and most of them were good. The children brought a special aspect with their kiddie voices. Tony said we should really give the CD a name and, after some hilarious suggestions, Carol said that it would never have been made if we hadn’t been snowed in. Josie laughed and suggested that it was perfect, and it ended up being called “Snowden”.
I don’t know who had sent it to Allan, probably Tony showing what we had filled our days with. Allan rang me and asked if he could release it as a novelty album for spring, a lot of the tunes being about green grass, flowers, and butterflies.
We had a meeting, and everyone thought it was something that shouldn’t be kept private. Tony and Jordan had taken pictures on their phones as we sang in the studio, so we had pictures for the cover. “Snowden” was released in March, in time for spring. It had Josie and me on guitar; Veronica, and Ali on piano and all of us, including Sharron, Carol, and Tabitha on vocals.
I had made my album for the beginning of the year, but it was nothing like I had expected. There was a photo that Tony had taken in the studio. It had Veronica sitting at the piano with Josie, Alicia, and me on one side with Sharron, Carol, and Tabitha on the other. The fact that it was two genuine families brought a smile to my face whenever I passed the blown-up picture hanging on the studio wall.
What none of us expected was how it was picked up by the radio and by a wide range of buyers, many older folks. Josie, Veronica, Sharron, and Carol were contracted so that they could receive their shares. Alicia and Tabitha had their shares put into trust for them. Everyone thought that “Snowden” was the name of the group and Allan started to get queries about putting us on stage.
Most of the Sisters had stayed in warmer places but Abigail was keen to record her next album. Sharron and I had saved a dozen songs that we had toyed with and sat down with her to work through them. Josie joined us in the rehearsal room, and we worked on them with her playing acoustic guitar and me on piano, fully expecting to add the rest of the band when they got home.
At the end of February, we went into the studio and recorded the entire album. Tony put out a sample CD for us to listen to and plan the additional backing tracks. As we all listened, everyone remarked that it was good as it was. The album was tinkered with to give it a “live” feel and the master sent to Allan to comment on. He was happy with it and that was eventually released as “Abigail - Coming of AJE.” Now we had yet another facet of the sisters. Abigail, Josie, and Edie could do spots on the “For Those Who Served” concerts if they had a piano that we could use.
That year I did a lot of those concerts. I was on stage with Abigail and Josie, as well as with “Snowden”. Sharron was reticent, at first, but Ali and Tabitha ganged up on her, and told her that it was just a poetry slam set to music. The kids had a lot of fun, and it didn’t matter if they didn’t have a small piano, both were now happy to sing. The concerts now included first responders alongside the veterans so were usually full.
We did one show, in Reno, where we eight carried the whole show. We did songs from “Snowden” and songs with Abigail, Josie and me playing tracks from “AJE” and her earlier album.
The oddest show we did, that year, was when Abigail was held up in an airport some distance away and Josie and I sat on stools, with our guitars, and filled our set spot with our earlier Sisters songs. We did all these shows for transport and lodgings, but they returned tenfold in a boost of our album sales.
Over the summer we had Brad’s crew working on the accommodation block again. It was no surprise that he was ahead of us and permits for extensions were already in place. We added a large classroom with moveable partition walls plus a soundproof music room and a bathroom with kiddie-height facilities.
The upright was moved into the music room, along with the small grand. Veronica started teaching Tabitha basic piano. Since she had been on stage, Veronica had become a performer, on top of being a good pianist with knack for teaching. We got Ali a slightly bigger piano for the kitchen as she was still growing. We also got two more employees, specialist teachers for advanced children, funded by Algernon.
That year, only Emily had been booked for piano concerts, one in Los Angeles and the other in Washington, DC. When we had time, I got together with Pet and Anton and worked on a new set that we could record and then use as the basis of a new Stable Sisters show. Anton had quite a flair for writing pure pop, much to Pet’s amusement. By September we had enough to get everyone together in the rehearsal room.
Ali had a slightly less wonderful birthday that year but being out there on an album and playing live just carried her along. She was only slightly spoiled.
Pet, Emily, and Janet were adamant that they wanted Josie back in the band and it gave us an instant advantage. We could come back on stage with such a varied line-up we could adapt to any situation. Me and Josie with duets; me and Abigail with duets, AJE songs, earlier Pixies songs, Sister’s material, and our new album behind us would allow us to play for hours, if need be.
The new album was called “On the Rebound” and we went back on the road in October for three shows in the US that month. Another five shows in November had us firmly back in the marketplace. In December, we left for a tour of South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. We were away over the Christmas period and were a very large party that travelled. All of us took our children and nannies. Most of the girls had their partners with them but Jordan stayed at home. I had Ali with me, on a proper tour for the first time.
The tour was different, to say the least. Spending most of winter in the southern summer was wonderful. We were in Sydney over Christmas, and we flew Sharron, Carol, and Tabitha over to meet Sharron’s family. It might have been a shock to them to see their son as a girl for the first time, but they took it in their stride and just loved their granddaughter. Sharron invited Ali and me to an old friend’s home for Christmas lunch.
I couldn’t believe we were sitting outside, under the shade of a big tree, while the menfolk burnt steak and sausages on a barbeque. The shows went well, and our album sales soared as we crossed the Southern Hemisphere. After flying home from Auckland, Alan gave us a month off before we went on a US tour of thirty cities that took us all of spring and summer, and into fall before we stopped. Ali stayed at home this time and worked hard on her lessons.
When Ali turned six, we had a bigger party. There were now another six children who were coming in for lessons. These were children who had special needs or special abilities. We had now added a third teacher, and all the children were given one-on-one teaching, as well as multi-age classes where they learned a lot of more advanced lessons.
Once Josie’s twins had turned four, they quickly caught up with the others. Ali was still out in front, but Tabitha wasn’t far behind. There were a couple of the day kids who were close as well. All ten of them were in an age range within two years and they all got along well. Veronica now had four that were learning piano, and the general history of music. Becky was teaching the girls cooking in the block kitchen. They all got hands-on training in growing vegetables and looking after animals. To my mind it was a wonderful school to be in.
Ali’s sixth party had all ten children playing games and having fun as we all ate too much sugar. My parents came up and stayed with us and the Sanders came over as well.
I was standing in the kitchen, refilling a cordial jug, when Sharron came in and stood beside me. She asked if we could have a quiet talk in the control room, so we slipped out of the house and went over to the studio.
When we went in, she went over to the “Snowden” picture and looked me in the eyes.
“Edie,” she stated. “I’ve been here and on the stage with you and Josie for over a year now. There’s something between you and Josie that’s magic when you sing together. I’ve had a lot of discussions with our clients on vet calls and everyone has a good word for you and your family. A lot of them have commented on the relationship you had with Josie before she left, and many have said that there had been no man around you until Jordan. Several of them have spoken about a certain Eddy, a bit of a loner.”
I nodded and she pointed at the picture.
“What I see when I look at this picture looks like two families. I’m holding hands with Carol and we both have the other hand on Tabitha’s shoulders. You and Josie have an arm on each other’s waist with your free hand on Ali’s shoulders. The similarity is too much to ignore.”
I smiled. “Sharron, you’ve cracked the secret. Like you, I was once a boy and Ali is our child, together. Unlike you and Carol, Josie needed more than a lesbian relationship, so went off with another band member. That much is out there for everyone to know.”
I took her over to another picture. This one had been taken at The Dude prior to the Halloween show. I pointed to me playing violin and asked. “Do you see any resemblance to me as I am now?”
She looked at it and laughed. “You look just like a guy wearing girly clothes. I’ve pictures of me in London that are similar. I must say that you’ve done well for yourself.”
“Just as you have. Think back to those pictures of you. Would you have ever thought that you would be a successful vet, an acclaimed songwriter, and even a singer in an all-female folk group? We don’t see the changes as they happen, but they’re always changes that build toward us becoming new people. I mean new in the ‘kainos’ form, look it up.”
I took her to the Halloween photo.
“That is the day my life totally changed. The girls had me dressing for a week or more, so I didn’t embarrass them on stage. I’ve never looked back after that night.”
We hugged and then Sharron asked. “I suppose you’ve had the full operation, then.”
“Why, haven’t you?”
“Never could afford it. Carol helped me fund a breast job, but I still dangle.”
“We can’t have that!” I said, sternly. “We can’t have an all-girl folk group with one of them still a bloke! Is that why you only have the Aussie passport? I bet you were worried at Christmas when we flew you to Sydney.”
She chuckled. “If it wasn’t for the fact that we flew first-class and had Sister’s stickers on our luggage, I expect that I may have been strip searched. They hardly looked at the passport when we got back here. Being in a group has a lot of things going for it.”
“Well, we must make some changes if you want to go all the way. We can get you into the hospital that worked on me, and I’ll fund it if you can’t. Afterward we can get you a replacement passport with that important “F” in the box. I believe that your certification already has that.”
“I can’t let you pay for my operation, it’s not right. You’ve already done so much for me I would never be able to repay my debt.”
“Debt, what debt? You’ve already repaid any debt with your lyrics. We have two albums out there with “Egg and Chips” as the songwriters, as well as the Snowden album. No, girl, it’s me that’s in debt to you, and I’m sure we’ll have a lot of songs out there in the future. If you feel that strongly about it, I’ll let you repay the bill in instalments, but there’s no need for that.”
We hugged again and then, with that settled, went back into the house to enjoy the birthday party.
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 36
Sharron had a years-worth of vacation owing and she didn’t need much talking to Carol before she was back to me to get the different contact details. Being known sometimes has its advantages and, within a week, she had been to our doctor, seen a specialist, and was given a date for the operation. Jordan was happy to let her take the time off and then stay in the clinic for a few weeks to recuperate.
That Christmas wasn’t as bad as the last one, but it still gave us the impetus to look at more albums. While she was sitting at the desk, Sharron wrote the lyrics to another dozen folkish songs and I took them over to write the music.
In January we got everyone in the rehearsal room to get them perfected, and, at the end of January, we recorded “Snowden – Base Camp” over a period of just three days.
During this we had the others from the school with us a lot of the time. They also looked on from the control room as we laid down most of our tracks. Having two of their number involved in the group, as well as their piano teacher on the concert grand, made it a good learning tool that they were sure to remember. What they would remember was singing as a ten-voice choir on two tracks. One. “A Child on a long Climb,” was picked up by radio stations across the country. Every one of our kids now had trust funds with a guaranteed income.
In February, the spotlight turned to Abigail. She had worked with Pet and Anton over the break and walked in with twelve songs already scored. They were similar, in sound, to the first album, but the content followed the theme of the joys of motherhood. That one didn’t take long to record as a basis but took a couple of weeks to add all the extra tracks.
When it was released. ”Abigail –Love and Birth" was an album hit. The standout song, though, was full of tension and despair. “Fatherless Child” was an instant hit, dealing with the problems of a girl in trouble. I can’t say that it was to my liking, but Anton had a knack of finding a niche in the market, and it was a totally immersive song to listen to.
My chance came around after all that activity.
In between the new season of the veteran shows, I had worked with Sharron to come up with another “Egg and Chips” album.
My own album was totally minimalist, just me and the piano. The songs were taken from Sharron’s poetry, the tunes were mine and the feeling was atmospheric once we had it recorded. It didn’t need any additional tracks and was released just three weeks after being recorded. With these songs I could hold my own as a solo singer on the vet-show circuit.
In May, we hit the road again as the Sisters, playing twenty concerts to huge crowds. We could now do solos from me or Abigail, trios, quartets, or the whole band. There were shows, out in the mountain areas, when Josie and I would belt out one of the “Snowden” numbers to an appreciative crowd. That tour was, sad to say, the last big one we would all do together.
Abigail was pressured to go into a studio with a big orchestra and songs from well-known lyricists. The money was enough for her to take the gamble and leave Allan’s management. We were all sad to see her go and gave her a big party after her last show with us. Now she was part of the establishment, her next album won her a Grammy. It pays to be with the in-crowd.
We left the touring to go back to square one and work out our priorities. We discovered that we were all over the hype and bustle. All of us were happy to do other things.
Allan had organized three piano concerts for me the next year, as well as short tour with Joyce to play the Rodrigo with South American orchestras. Emily also had three piano concerts, with Pet being given four violin concerts, all in Europe. We all spent time with the vet-tour but would be staying pretty much out of the limelight.
When Ali turned seven, she gave us a mini concert on her latest piano, almost the size of a true baby grand. I sat there with Veronica trying to squeeze my arm off on one side, and Josie doing the same on the other. We were certainly three proud women that day. The highlight was when she moved to one side and Tabitha joined her to play a couple of four-handers. Make it five proud women. It became about twenty proud parents when all the other children gathered around the piano and they sang a couple of our “Snowden” songs, including “A Child on a long Climb”. That one left many of the other mothers in tears.
We had a quiet end to the year. It was a welcome break from playing. Jordan and I left Josie and Sharron in charge, and we went south, to warmer Florida, where we joined my parents for Christmas, and then some! I couldn’t truly rest, though. Two months lazing on the beaches, walking the boardwalks, and eating ice-cream had my mind filling with musical images. Ali and I would sit on the beach humming tunes to each other while we both added words.
When we arrived back at the farm, we had the basis of a “Sanders Family” album, much to Josie’s surprise. This needed Josie to be pulled into, and she took to it like a duck to water. It only took a couple of weeks, and we were in the studio with Tony and his new assistant, Brandon. Sharron told me that Brandon was a former surfer so we asked Tony to put him in charge and mix us the way he would like to hear us.
We pulled Janet in to play drums, Emily on a sixties Farfisa organ and Joyce on bass. “Down on the Sand” was pure sixties surfer pop, from go to whoa. It should never have done well but, once again, we had tapped a new audience. I took on a twangy Fender with reverb, Josie had a nice Rickenbacker and Ali was a star on piano. This album hit the shops in California, and we immediately had offers to go and play there.
We gave Allan some guidelines and he organized some shows where we opened for other established bands. We played up and down the West Coast for much of the summer, Ali using an electric piano. During that time, Pet told us that she and Anton had been offered a lot of money to song-write for Abigail and other singers. That left those of us on stage as the last of the Pixies.
Donna was now a fully accredited specialist, dealing with older children and teens. Jack had become a sought-after surgeon. Pet and Anton now worked in the Big Apple with Abigail. Then, at the end of that surfing summer, Tony and Josie announced that Tony had been made an offer to produce in Los Angeles that was far too big to knock back.
Ali’s eighth birthday was bitter-sweet. The Prentices would be leaving a couple of days later. We were told that Brandon was up to speed so would be moving into the stable with his partner a week later. He had already produced albums for several other bands, so the future of the Stable Studio was secure. Ali and Tabitha put together a musical tribute to their friends, Georgina, and Martyn. As she was playing the piano, Alicia looked straight at me when she sang the line. “You’ll always be my brother and sister.”
When everyone else had gone, I took Ali aside and then called Josie on her mobile, asking her to meet us in the rehearsal room. Ali was looking as if she had done something wrong, so, after Josie had joined us, I closed the door. The first thing I said was, “Alicia, darling. You’re not in any trouble. Now, please tell me why you sang about Marty and Georgie as your brother and sister. It was more than just as friends, wasn’t it?”
She looked as if she wanted to cry, and then plucked up her courage. “Mom, some of the other kids in school tell me that their parents remember me being born. They told me that Auntie Jo was my mother. That would make me a half-sister to the twins, wouldn’t it? I’ve loved you as my Mom. Tell me that you’re more than my adoptive parent, please.”
I nodded to Josie, now weeping openly. “Darling Alicia,” she nodded. “Those kids were right. I’m your birth mother. You were to be my lifebelt in the turbulence that my world had become. I was stupid enough to walk away from you and it’s something I’ve regretted ever since. Edie wasn’t your mother. She was your father before she transitioned. The two of us are truly your parents. Your adoption was a formality to tidy up the loose ends of the destruction that I left behind. I’m eternally grateful to Edie and my brother that they have brought you up as a fine young lady; and a clever one as well.”
Ali was wide-eyed when she looked at me. “Do I call you Daddy, now?”
I smiled. “Of course not, I’m your mother as far as the world is concerned, and your Daddy is your Daddy. When your Auntie Josie left, I promised you that I would be the best Mom you could have.”
She came over to me and held me close. “Mom, you’re really the best.”
She then went to Josie, and they hugged. Ali told her that she didn’t understand how someone could leave their baby like that, but that she could forgive.
Josie continued crying as she held Ali close. “You’ll always be my baby, sweetheart, even though what I did was so wrong.”
We sat together on a couch, sobbing and hugging, until Josie had recovered. We then tidied up our faces and put on smiles when we went back to the real world.
That day changed some of the family dynamics. Ali must have been harboring some feeling that she was not of the family. She became more loving to me, knowing that I was truly her parent, if not her Mom. She and Jordan continued in a friendly dad and daughter arrangement, although, when she was upset, she’d call him ‘Uncle’.
When the Prentices left the farm there was a lot of hugging and crying. Then they were gone, and we had to settle into our new future. Without Josie around, I became the farm manager, seeing that I was now home a lot more. The farm and the veterinary business gave us a steady income, even if you took away the money from the music catalogue. Jordan and I started to look around for investment possibilities to use some of my banked earnings.
The year rolled on. I had the few concerts with orchestras, but cut back on the vet circuit, which was now well established. Ali continued doing brilliantly with her piano playing and schoolwork. Life was settled and then we had a call from Wayne County.
They wanted to put up a special plaque to commemorate the members of the Pixies who had attended the college. There would be Donna, Pet, Josie, and myself. They wanted to have a proper ceremony where we would unveil it. The selected date was at the end of the term, just as the summer break started.
When the day came around, Josie came up from L.A. We were joined by Janet and Emily, and it was odd to be on a stage with the original Pixies again. The ceremony was quite effusive in the praise of our achievements and the four of us stood together to pull the cord to reveal the plaque. Everyone applauded and then the Mayor came forward to give a speech that further praised our place in putting Detroit on the map. All six of us were then given ceremonial keys to the city. The party afterward was memorable, having many of our old schoolmates there. Charlie and Bruce looked dapper in matching suits and held hands.
The year rolled on and Ali turned nine. She was now considered far enough ahead in her schooling to attend a high school next year and she was getting excited about being out in the big world. Until then, though, she played piano, learned music history, and started writing her own tunes.
One day, she and I were in the rehearsal room and something she played triggered my memory of a dream, so many years before. I sat at the piano and tried to remember the tune I had heard her play. It took a while, but I did, finally, get close. I recorded it on my phone as Ali looked at me in wonder.
“Mom, that’s weird. I’ve been thinking about odd tunes and that’s something I was close to a week or so ago. Did you read my mind?”
“No dear,” I smiled. “That’s a tune I heard in a dream I had, just after you played the concert in Boston on your fourth birthday. It’s been dormant until now.”
“That’s too weird,” she mused. “I’d discounted the fragment I’d thought of as being too odd to go anywhere. Now I’ve heard you play that I think I’ll play around with it. Can we write it out?”
We sat and wrote out what we had. I put it to the back of my mind for a while.
I had been sent a brochure for a commercial shop in one of the big malls. The brochure said that the shop had been a toy store, and the holding company was being liquefied. I was trying to sort out, in my head, what I could do with the site, or even the four sites that were available.
We had been considering a commercial venture for some time and my mind had become fixated by the notion of a store. “Pixie Glade” would carry clothing, furniture, toys, dolls, plush animals, and bedding with a Pixie style. I had spoken to all the original Pixies after the Wayne County event and had been given their permission to use the name. A couple had been interested in being partners.
I called the agent, and we made an appointment to see the Detroit store first. He emailed me the details of the other properties. All four were in good shopping malls, all were quite large, and all four were available, as is, with display furniture, sale desks and some computer hardware. The best thing was that the four malls were keen to gain a new business and had offered a rent reduction in the first six months.
It was Pet, Emily, and I who showed up to inspect the Detroit property. It was certainly big enough for what was in my mind. The other girls agreed to go thirds and we agreed to take up the four stores. We were given a month before we needed to move in and that gave us time to register “Pixie Glade Holdings” with the three of us as directors.
I had been talking to some of our old suppliers and they had been working on product design and prototyping. In the week we moved in, we had beds, sideboards, vanities, chairs, and tables that would look good in a fairy-tale. There was linen, blankets, quilts, and pillowcases. Half of the first store was clothing, shoes, and underwear to suit any budding pixie princess. Toys and stuffed animals were scattered throughout.
We had advertised for sales staff with one proviso that they be young and willing to spend their day wearing outfits that fitted the store. The manager we took on was happy to wear a queenly outfit and it all came together well, our first two weeks saw crowds of smiling mothers with hordes of squealing girls running around, clutching wanted toys, and bouncing on the pink beds. The fact that the three of us took turns to be in-store helped.
Over the next three weeks we opened the stores in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Cincinnati. We had tapped into a niche market and the four stores held their own through the summer. A lot of the clothing was cheap enough to be upgraded often and light enough to be worn in the warmer weather. We had heavier outfits ready to roll for winter. I now had an accountancy company looking after the books, and their guy assured us that the stores would stay in the black, year-round, as long as we kept bringing in new designs, colors, and product.
At the end of summer, Alicia started attending high school. I took her in and picked her up for a while until she made friends who would look out for her. She was popular, being a concert pianist and member of a band helped. It was a whirlwind of teas out, slumber parties, and time with friends in the mall. She may have only been coming up to ten, but she looked like a teenager, a teenager with an owners account at “Pixie Glade”. Not all her friends were into princess styles, but those that were looked wonderful when they all got dressed up.
Her tenth birthday was held in the Dude Ranch, garlanded with streamers and balloons. Her friends and their parents were invited, us oldies all over one side. We had the stage set for a performance of Snowden, minus Josie.
Joyce filled in on guitar and I played mine. Ali and Tabitha were on piano and did most of the singing. Sharron and Carol played washboard and maracas. It was a lot of fun, and many of the other parents congratulated us on a very different party.
While all this was happening, the farm ticked over as it usually did. The special school was still filled with very brainy children. Tabitha was queen-bee once Ali had moved on. It was amazing how quickly they all grew in stature in the nurturing environment.
The new children had been chosen with care. Two out of the three were musical, the third being an accomplished artist at nine years old.
We kept everything at the size it had got to, without any need to make any more changes. Brad had sold the building business, and he and Alicia had followed my parents down to Fort Lauderdale, rather than California, their first idea.
Christmas, that year, was a small family affair plus our permanent staff with all of us helping with the food.
New Year we had a big bonfire behind the sheds and invited all our workers to a barbeque. That included our Detroit shop staff and their families for the first time. We funded a party in each of the other cities for the other shops.
The following year was busy. I had my stores to look after. Allan had booked me for four piano concerts and two guitar concerts. All were with orchestras within the country.
In February, I was contacted by Senor Saintz. He wanted Joyce and me to go to Paris to discuss a tour that might be held in the following year. We were intrigued so went over in March.
The concept was something that he and his friend Roberto had hatched. Roberto would make me a guitar like the one Joyce played. We would then play several concerts, yet to be finalized, in France, playing only French guitar music on French guitars. Senor Saintz would make a guitar for Joyce and then we would play a similar number of concerts in Spain, playing only Spanish music on Spanish guitars.
I thought the Spanish part would be easier but was told that there were a lot of French writers of guitar music. The tour, we were assured, would only last eight weeks. At least one, in each country, would be filmed for showing over Europe. We were both properly measured and given a list of music that we could pick from.
When we got home and told Allan about the concept, he was quietly excited by it, enough to talk to our favorite TV guy in Boston about the plan. Allan came back to us a week later with another idea. He had been asked if Joyce and I would put together a show on American guitar music. The core of this idea was a tribute to the older players, with Chet Atkins, Vince Gill, and a few others as the mainstays. This would mean that we would have to perfect fingerpicking, not insurmountable, as we were close to the style playing the classics.
The TV station in Boston would bid for the two European shows and then put the three on, syndicated across the country. We were offered a cut of the advertising revenue if we agreed.
It was tempting.
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 37
As we moved through the year, we played our concerts, did a couple of spots at the vet shows and looked closely at the music list we had been given. It was the first year that I had not been involved directly in a single album.
Sharron and I churned out songs for other singers, and we recorded an album for Janet in the studio. This was a choral album of hymns and other religious pieces. It wasn’t a best-seller but did well enough to make Janet, Colin, and Flora happy. The musical and vocal accompaniment was Veronica, Tabitha, and some of the better players in the school. They were listed as Stable Scholars.
Ali had her eleventh birthday at the Dude Ranch again. This time it was packed out with her friends and all of those who she now had been involved with. It was a big show and the jam-session on stage was something else again. We now had a big range of players, mainly youngsters, who let loose with a great feeling of joy. I sat, with Jordan, at our table and we held hands, glowing with pride.
By the end of the year, Joyce and I had chosen the music we wanted to play, got comfortable with much of it, and had sent our list over to Europe. In the meantime, we were mining the finger-picking catalogue and started getting up to speed with some of that music. Allan had been in touch with a few of the local manufacturers and he told us that Gretsch would build us custom guitars for our show.
For Christmas, that year, we left Carol and Sharron in charge and went down to Los Angeles to visit the Prentices. We spent Christmas Day with them, and it was wonderful to catch up. Ali and her siblings looked like they had never been apart. We shopped, we ate, and we laughed a lot. Maureen and Martyn seemed well enough, but Josie took me aside and whispered that Maureen had been diagnosed with breast cancer and was waiting for her operation, in the following year.
We then flew to Florida and spent New Year with our two sets of parents, treating them to a slap-up dinner on New Year’s Eve at the hotel we stayed at. My folks looked years younger, and quite tanned, seeing that they spent a lot of time in the sun. Alicia and Brad were catching up. Retirement was doing them all some good.
Of course, none of us were getting any younger and it prompted Jordan and I to see a lawyer to write comprehensive wills. The estate would be quite big if nothing went wrong, with my share of the stores, the income from music and souvenir sales. The farm was now worth twice what we had paid for it, with the additional buildings. When we looked seriously at it, we realized that we were rich. It wasn’t going to change us, though.
The main event for the next year would be the guitar concerts. These had grown, like Topsy, as the time got closer. The French shows would now have a few of the guys who had jammed with us in Valencia. It was still an all-French line up, that’s if you allowed the one Belgian a little leeway. There was now a dedicated producer who mapped out the show to make it look, and sound, good on the night as well as seamless for TV.
The Spanish shows had gone the same way, with other Spanish guitarists added to the mix and the same producer polishing the extravaganza.
Once the Boston TV station got wind of this, the US version started to look like the Grand Ol’ Opry shows of old. I supposed that it may work but was a little unsure. Joyce was enthusiastic, having parents that had loved this style of show.
When we got to Paris, it was plain sailing all the way. We had a week of rehearsal before the first show and got to really know the other musicians. Like the original European tour, we did Paris first and then started in the north to zigzag south with two nights in fourteen towns, ending up in Marseille.
As it was an acoustic show, we only needed the PA amplified with some microphones to boost the sound in bigger halls. We did classical, folk, and jazz. One of our players, Bireli, was famous for playing in Django style so we did a set of three numbers with the three of us sounding like a Romani sing-along.
We learned about the music of Marcel Dadi and Rolande Dyens. Marcel, we discovered, had been a close friend of Chet Atkins and was an accomplished fingerpicker who had toured often. He died in an air crash going home after a visit to the US.
That month I only played my new Bouquette guitar and decided that it was as good as my Saintz.
The Spanish part of the tour was just a continuation of the fun. We swapped to our Saintz instruments and discovered how much our audiences appreciated hearing Segovia, Romero, and Tarrega. Of course, we played Leyenda at every show.
There were so many guitarists who wanted to be on stage with us, it was a revolving door of other players, none playing more than four shows. We did classics, folk, and flamenco, with even dancers with castanets. That was certainly different. Throughout the two months, Joyce and I anchored the show. Almost every show went overtime, invariably as a jam session with everyone on stage.
At least four shows from each country were recorded and filmed. The main ones were Paris and Madrid.
What was wonderful was having our two guitar makers on stage with us in both countries, playing along and having a ball. I rather think that this was the main reason for the shows. Their enjoyment of being on stage was beautiful to see.
When we got home, we had been feted by many of the great and good of both countries and had established ourselves as European entertainers, adding to our Sisters persona. All we needed to do was to get the Boston show out of the way.
That proved to be a lot harder than we first thought.
The TV station had sent one of their guys over to see our Paris show and had reported back just how much crazy fun we all were having. This threw their plans of a simple series of acts into the bin. Once we were home again, we had a short break, and then Allan, Joyce, and I flew to Boston, for a long discussion.
The outcome of the talks saw the show now boosted to a three-hour hoedown. There would be some country music and dancing, on top of the fingerpicking guitars. I found out that Joyce could play the banjo and, with me on fiddle, we were roped in to be part of a western-swing band. For the solo guitar pieces, the set would have the dancers gathered around, listening. It sounded very much out of the forties and fifties, and I started to wonder just who the crazy ones were here.
I needn’t have been worried, though. We recorded the show over a period of five days. We did the hoedown part as a “single” take in two days, as a live party, with just breaks for changes in camera positions or convenience visits. Joyce and I were in jeans and cowgirl shirts, and I must admit that it was a lot of fun.
The other days we recorded solo guitarists, duets, and quartets, all playing in the fingerpicking style with our dancer extras draped around us. The last day was the final section, where someone calls out “Party time” and everyone gets on stage, and we have a jamming “guitar-off” when everyone tries to outdo the other. Most of it was off-the-cuff and some of it sounded like “duelling banjos.” The idea was that the credits would roll over the scene of a lot of talented people having fun, the dancers all doing their thing or clapping along with the music.
I wasn’t sure if it would work, but a month later I saw the first edit and loved it. It transported us back to those simpler days. There was a short part where Joyce was on guitar, with me on fiddle, and we channelled Django and Grappelli. This, I discovered, was one of the base foundations of western-swing and didn’t sound out of place. I learned a lot about American music history that week, the oddest time was when one of the old-timers sat me down to listen to a recording of Bill Haley with a band called the Saddlemen, recorded in 1951, long before the Rock’n’roll era. They would have fitted right in with what we were doing today.
Back at the farm, things carried on in the usual fashion. In the evenings I would be spending time with Ali or Sharron. With Ali it was a lot of exploring of piano music, styles, and techniques. She was now playing keyboard with the school band. They were good and were in demand for official events and dances. Most of the band was older than her but she didn’t look odd beside them, now almost as big as a middle-teen.
With Sharron, we were churning out songs for other singers. Most of them were from Allan’s stable of talent and we did well out of it. It also gave us “brownie-points” should we ever want to put an extravaganza together.
Toward the end of the year, Jordan added another two vets to the business. Both were in their last year of training, and Jordan was now considered to be able to help them finish off. He left Sharron in charge over a three-week period and had some extra training which gave him the right credentials as a proper supervisor. That led him to going back to his old vet school to help tutor the new hopefuls.
Alicia had her twelfth birthday bash in Harry’s hall, set up with round tables, cabaret-style. This was because of the huge number kids that she wanted to invite. I swear we had half the high school there that evening. Along with Tabitha and the families of the kids from our special school, we had a big crowd. Ali, and the school band, played some. I managed to get enough of the Sisters together to put on a show, and then she, and I, sat at two keyboards to play dancing music for the guests. Whenever I looked over at her, I could see her love of entertaining shining through. Lord knows what here entry into teen-dom will be like, next year.
Before Christmas, I received some copies of both French, and Spanish, DVDs. Boston also sent me a finished copy of their show, on two discs. The European shows went out in the week before Christmas, on consecutive nights. A note with the Boston set told me that they had secured the US rights to the European shows and would be broadcasting the three shows over the Easter weekend of next year, Friday through to Sunday. I was advised that there were a lot of stations taking up the syndication.
Christmas, that year, became a special memory. The Prentices, all six of them, came to stay for a week. Maureen looked twenty years older. The operation had been less than successful, and she was on chemotherapy. Josie told me, quietly, that the cancer was now in other parts of the body. Martyn just looked older with worry. The two children were much the same as usual, going off with Ali and Tabby to talk in private and play around with the instruments in the rehearsal room. They had both been taking lessons, Martyn on piano and Georgie on guitar. Josie confided that it was wonderful to be able to play along with them.
It was a wrench to wave them off after New Year, but Tony had a very popular band to record over the next month. Martyn was still holding strong in his studio, and, between them, they had produced about a quarter of the songs feted in the next Grammys.
I had to smile, because another quarter of the nominees had come out of the Stable Studio.
Our table at the awards night was full. There was me and Jordan, Sharron and Carol, Brandon and Jean, his partner. Then we had both Alicia and Tabitha, and the final seats were filled by Joyce and Matty, Emily and Ian, and Janet and Colin.
A few tables away were Martyn and a pale Maureen, Tony and Josie, the twins, and three couples who we had been introduced to, the owners of the two studios that the Prentices worked in. A little further over was a table with Abigail, Matthew, Pet, Anton, and a bunch of studio executives.
Of course, all the Sisters had been gowned by our usual dressmaker, following our orders to be elegant, rather than outlandish. That was a directive not followed by the rap and hip-hop performers. I had the thought that I may have wandered into a freak show with the weird costumes and tattoos. At times I also wondered if any of them had been taught English at school, with the mangled speech and constant swear-words.
The ceremony was interesting. Martyn beat Tony for Producer of the Year, while Brandon picked up Best Engineered for an album he had done with a blues group. The blues group also won the Best Blues Album and were very nice in thanking the Stable Studio for making it possible.
Abigail took home another award, the Pop Vocal Album, and she thanked Pet and Anton for writing all the songs. She also thanked the Stable Sisters for giving her the opportunity to spread her wings. Egg and Chips were thanked, more than once, as a song-writing duo. We had written the songs for the Best New Artist, the Best Music Video, the Best Pop Duo, and even the Best Country Solo and Best Country Album. It was a bit surprising to see the product of a couple of years together. As we wrote, made demos, and sent off the songs we worked on, we lost track of the amount of output we had produced.
Although we didn’t take home any actual awards, it was worth being there to be accepted by our peers. We even had several artists talk to us about writing for them. Ali was indignant that they only have a couple of awards for classical music, so I told her that it made it easier for her to aim at a small target.
Back at the farm, we settled in for a quieter year. I had a few vets shows that I could do if I wanted. We didn’t have a single Sisters show organized. Between the Grammys and Easter, I did another sort of tour with Pet and Emily. We visited our Pixie Glade stores and discussed expansion. There were still a lot of empty stores, waiting to be filled with squealing girls. There was also a boy-void waiting to be attended to.
The first “Knight’s Castle” stores opened near the original four stores before summer. They were aimed at boys who wanted to be medieval knights, chivalrous and handsome. We had plastic armor, sponge swords and the like, along with period-looking furniture. Adding Regency and Tudor style outfits, modern suits made especially for small boys that was, again, cheap enough to be replaced, worked as well as the Pixie stores. We even did light, plastic chainmail.
After that, we only opened new stores in pairs, adding five more cities to our chain before the year was out. One of the odd side-effects was that we were asked to produce adult versions of some of our lines, for use by re-creation participants and film work. It made me chuckle when the winning video at the Grammys, the following year, was with a heavy-metal band who were entirely kitted out in our product.
Not all that year was plain sailing. Just before summer, Maureen passed away. We all went down to L.A. for the funeral. Martyn looked devastated and told me that he would be retiring soon, selling up and moving in with Tony and Josie. He thanked me for my invitation to the Stable Studio, an action that gave him his life back and made Maureen’s last years some of the best of their married life. Tony was sad but had Josie and the twins to keep him grounded. Josie cried but did admit that Maureen was in a better place, having been with her a lot through the last few months.
The second half of that year was something out of the box. When the three TV shows went to air over Easter, it created a storm of interest. It led to Joyce, and I, being invited to be part of western-swing bands and also play guitar along with country music stars, plus some of those who had been on the show with us.
The mini tour kicked off in Topeka, in July, for the Country Stampede. I wasn’t sure what we were letting ourselves in for, but it turned out to be a whole lot of fun. Joyce played guitar and banjo, I played piano, guitar and fiddle and it didn’t take long to get swinging with the best of them. We were accepted as the genuine item and a lot of the fans had seen the show on TV.
After that we did more shows. Watershed, at the Gorge amphitheatre, Washington, was a beautiful place to play later that month. WE Fest, in August, was right here in Detroit. The Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam, in early September, was down in Florida, at Panama Beach so our parents could come along to see us. Dad wore his cowboy outfit, but, thankfully, leaving the pistol at home. Also, in September, we were at the Carolina Country Music Festival, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Joyce and I could dress sassy, have fun, and spend more time on stage than I had expected, several bands roping us in as extras. Jordan and Matty got into character as a couple of drifters and had a ball. When we weren’t on stage, we did a lot of dancing.
The final event was the Golden Sky, in Sacramento, in October.
But, before that, it was another birthday to get through. This one, the thirteenth, was, once again, in Harry’s Hall. Again, it was set up with big tables, cabaret-style. Again, it was a full house of schoolkids and parents. This time, however, Ali wanted to have the school band playing on stage, providing the main entertainment. Now that Tabitha was going to the same school, she was now part of the band. There was also a small offshoot of the band, a five-piece, called Tabali.
I had no idea of what they had planned. The kids had organized it all, just leaving it with me to pay the bill. It turned out to be humbling, as well as entertaining. The whole band had a session, then Ali and Tabby played keyboards for dancing, joined by the other three of their group for a set of covers, many being Sister’s songs. Then the rest of the band went up to carry on while our two came down to catch up with the food. There was lots of chocolate cake as well as more serious food for the adults. It took a true performer to play so long at their party.
Marianne Gregory © 2023
Chapter 38
By the time we got near Christmas, again, there had been another shift in focus. Ali had been invited to apply for the Juilliard School in New York, a singular honor for one so young. She, however, wanted none of it. In the middle of the year, she would have finished high school and was certain that if Wayne County was good enough for her Aunty Pet, it was good enough for her.
The French and Spanish shows had also created more interest. The idea was to take them back on the road, touring Europe, with two-night stands, one of each, in just about every capital city around. That idea grew when someone suggested that it should be three-night stands, with the third night being the American music.
I suppose the idea had merit; there would be those who would attend all three shows, and others who would pick a single show. There were enough ex-pat Americans who would come to the third night. The only problem I could see was the huge size of the touring group. We would need three coaches for the players and another couple of trucks for the instruments, even if we used supplied amps.
It was Easter before the logistics had been worked out. We had a pool of French and Spanish artists that we could draw from. The Americans would all be in it for the long haul. We would kick off in Brussels in early June, play each weekend on the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and then move on. From Brussels, we went to Paris, then down the south of France, into and then out of Spain, around to Italy, Greece, the Balkan states and then back into Germany. Our last show would be in Berlin, in the middle of September.
Once again, I would be away from home for a full summer. It made me think hard about my future. I told Jordan that it would be the last time and then told Allan the same thing. I had decided that it was time to stop touring. I had spent years as a Pixie, then a Stable Sister, as well as a member of Snowden and a solo artist. I had played country-rock, country and western, classics, pop, jazz, folk, swing, and everything in between. I was now in my mid-thirties, and it was time to rest, relax, and refill the batteries.
This tour, however, we had more who wanted to come. When I told my parents that I would stop touring, they decided that they wanted to come as well. Then Allan and Helen said that the office could run without them, and they would come along for the ride. Alicia would be finishing high school and starting at Wayne the next term. So, she negotiated with the high school to finalize all the things that she needed to do before the term ended. We then spoke to the Music School at Wayne who were happy to allow her to start a little after the normal first day. The proviso here, though, was that she was given a project to write, regarding the musical styles of the places we visited.
On top of that, Tabitha hounded Carol to allow her to come along to “keep Ali under control.” In the end, Jordan put Sharron and Carol in charge of the farm and the vet business, Sharron to oversee the two interns. Carol was to keep an eye on the farm business. So, it was me, Jordan, Ali, Tabby, Allan and Helen and my folks. I thought it would be a lot of fun with all of them in tow.
Before we left Brandon told us that he had been made a generous offer to produce in New York, based on his award. He told us that he would work through the bookings we already had so Allan told his agency not to take any more until we were back. He would vacate the stable before he left. We wished him well and wished him luck.
Another one leaving was Rebecca, head-hunted by one of the big hotels down south. Doris was now living with her daughter and Veronica had moved in with her boyfriend. She would come to the farm, twice a week, to tutor Tabitha as Ali would have her lessons at Wayne, spending the other days at the new school.
So, when we got back, it would just be the two families. Over summer, the special school would have been relocated completely to a dedicated building and expanded to take up to fifty students. The trial period had shown that, given the right environment, even the most disadvantaged, but bright, children could thrive.
The farm was going to be quiet toward the end of the year, very much like how it was when I was younger. It would be odd for a while, but I expected that we would either get used to it or fill the place with new people.
It was a big crowd that flew to France. The hotel was good with the influx and the rehearsal hall was just a stroll away. We spent ten days working through the three shows. The American players we had taken quickly picked up on the European vibe. The funniest bit was that players from one night would appear on another night to fill in if someone felt ill.
We did the tour through France, Spain, Italy, through the Balkans, and back to Germany. Allan, Helen, and my folks often took side trips and picked us up further along. Ali and Tabby went to a lot of the shows, as well as visiting musically historic sites and taking lots of notes. I asked Ali why Tabby was getting so involved and was told that Wayne County expected to see Tabby in class in a few years, so her project would be considered advanced study.
Whenever the venue had a piano, we allowed the two girls time, before the shows, to keep up their playing. Sometimes, they would be playing as the paying customers started to come in, so we left it that way. They got pocket money on the nights they played, not that they needed it, seeing that I had given them a generous allowance. I had to hand it to them, they did put in a lot of hard work with the project, being able to take pictures to fill out the story was a bonus. On our rest days, we would take in local music, even if it was just a sing-along in a local watering-hole.
The shows were much the same as we had filmed them last year, with some additions to connect them to the places we were playing. All three segments added local influence as we moved along, and it was a hybrid version of the original idea that finished in Berlin. We did, however, fill most of the shows, sell a lot of DVDs and merchandise, and had a great time. The reviews, as we went around, usually called us a “Masterclass of Ethnic Music” and we exposed a lot of people to new sounds. At the end of it all, my folks flew back to Florida, the American players went home, and Jordan, me and the girls spent a week in Basle, just winding down.
We were visited, near the end of our stay, by Senor Saintz and Roberto Bouquette, who took us out for a meal in one of the swanky restaurants as a thank you for making their summer so much fun. They had been on stage at about half of the shows, even a few of the finger-picking ones. They told us that they both now had enough forward orders for guitars to last them their lifetime, even after they had lifted their prices.
When we arrived back in Detroit, Sharron met us with a minibus. It was good to be back in our own beds and to relax. I’m sure that Tabitha kept her parents awake talking about her tour. This was one tour where Jordan and I didn’t need a “first night” but we made it one, anyway.
Over the next week, we took stock. Jordan was back in charge of the vet business, although he was spending a lot more time at the vet school, tutoring. Sharron was well up to handling the business with the two interns and Carol reported that the farm business was ticking over without much input needed.
The studio was quiet, and Ali asked me if we could put another Concert grand in there so she could play, either with me or Tabitha, as she had decided to write a piano-double piece. I had absorbed enough of the process to do the production if you wanted it simple. We had no more bookings and Brandon had left the stable clean and tidy. Ali asked if she could move in, so she could make as much noise as she liked without disturbing us.
That’s how we came to be three separate units. Jordan and I were in the house, with me taking care of the cooking. Ali was in the stable, now with the keys to the studio so she could play, often with Tabitha. Sharron and Carol were over the vet offices. The accommodation block was now cleaned, sealed, and locked up, ready for future use. If I wanted to go somewhere to play, write, or just think, I had the rehearsal room all to myself. Alicia agreed that, instead of a big party, this year, the second concert grand would do just as well.
She turned fourteen, looked like a sixteen-year-old, and acted like someone in her twenties. I often wondered if it was the combination of genes, both Josie and I competent players, or the effect of that Christmas night when she heard the Swan. I guess we’ll never know, for sure. That Christmas was one of the quietest I can remember, even quieter than our snowed-in one. We five girls organized the food and Jordan organized the drinks. Ali and Tabby had their first taste of alcohol, or so they told us, on Christmas Eve.
I missed the hectic times when everyone else was with us. I really missed having the Sisters around but knew that we had all moved on.
Early, the following year, we had the studio wall down again to install a second Concert grand. The two took up a lot of space when put together but it didn’t matter. Ali spent a lot of time on her opus, and I spent a lot of my time with her, playing sections of her double. The original tune that I had dreamt was a feature of the first and third section. Together, we wrote an adagio to fill the middle. I love adagios, originally pieces to be played between set-changes in early theatre productions, and they were invariably smooth, lush, and beautiful.
It was the third part that was holding her up. She wanted it to be big, bold, brash, and a total statement, but didn’t have the life experience to get it as dramatic as she wanted.
Events, just before Easter, changed that situation, overnight.
I was in the kitchen, preparing our evening meal, when my mobile phone rang. I answered it and a man told me he was the police chief for the area where Josie and her family lived in Los Angeles. He told me that there had been a shooting incident at the local mall and that my mobile number was prominent in the diary of one of the victims.
I just asked him to hold for a moment while I turned off the stove, did that and called Jordan on the house phone to come in as soon as he could. That done, I sat down and asked the police chief to carry on, fearing the worst. It was worse than I thought.
Thankfully, Jordan was now beside me, so I put my phone onto speaker and laid it on the kitchen table, unable to hold it as my hands were shaking so badly. I had to tell the police chief my relationship to Josie before he would tell me what happened.
He was straight forward as he told me that Josephine Prentice was dead, shot by gunmen in a shopping mall as she was waiting for her husband and father-in-law, who had also been shot. By that time, I was almost ready to start screaming, but Jordan held me close as he told the chief that he was Josie’s brother. The chief asked us if there was anyone else in the family and we said that Josie had twins, aged around twelve, who were probably still at school, seeing the time difference. We didn’t know of anyone else close, Tony being an only child.
He told us that he would arrange for someone to pick them up from school and care for them. Jordan was adamant that the Social Services were not to be involved and that we would pay for a professional to take care of them until we got there. When the police chief realized who we were, and who the Prentices were, he got serious and told us that he would stay in touch. Our wishes were paramount, especially with the number of influential artists who had worked with Martyn and Tony. He promised full police attendance at the funeral, to keep control of the expected crowds.
We arranged to see him the following afternoon and made bookings to fly to L.A. the next day, along with a car and driver while we were there. We rang Brad and Alicia first, and then Fort Lauderdale to pass on the sad news and to tell them that we had it under control. The hardest thing that evening was to tell Alicia that her birth mother was dead. We sat and watched the TV news that gave a short account of the incident. They didn’t name anyone but did say that more than a dozen had died. Sharron, Carol, and Tabitha were with us, and we all cried and held each other.
When we told the others that we were flying south, in the morning, both Ali and Tabby were insistent that they wanted to come too. Their argument was that they were better suited to comfort the twins. We called the airline and doubled our seats. That night Ali slept with us, cuddled in the middle, and was much better in the morning.
As soon as the schools opened, we called in to tell them that Ali and Tabby would be away for a few days because of a personal tragedy and wouldn’t be back until the beginning of the new semester. We were packed and at the airport for our flight, Sharron taking us in. The trip was taken, mainly, in silence, all four of us having our own thoughts. Jordan held my hand most of the way and was pretending to be our pillar of strength, even though he was churning inside.
When we arrived in L.A. there was a couple of uniformed police waiting for us. They waited until we were in our hired car and gave us an escort to the police headquarters, where we were taken directly into the office of the police chief. He told us that the twins were being cared for at one of the city hotels, with two nurses and a private social worker. He assured us that they had weathered the news badly, but he had been told that they wanted to see us today.
We were given hot drinks and he settled in his chair to give us the facts that he couldn’t, the day before. The story, as he told it, was an urban terrorist event. Martyn, Tony, and Josie were shopping for Easter in the mall. Martyn and Tony needed to go to the toilet. Seconds after they had gone in, a couple of guys carrying big bags went in behind them.
When her husband hadn’t come out, Josie rang his phone but there was no answer. She then rang the mall security to tell them that something was strange. In the time she had been waiting, another couple of guys had gone in but no-one had come out. The mall security was on the balcony above her when two men came out of the toilets, dressed in body armor and firing automatic weapons. There was a firefight between them and the security but, before both had been taken down, eight shoppers had been killed, including Josie.
He assured us that the death-toll would have been much higher if it hadn’t been for Josie and her phone alert. Martyn, Tony, the two other men, and another guy sitting in a cubicle, had all been shot with a silenced handgun. The toll was thirteen, plus the two attackers, with another ten injured.
He told us that his office was gearing up for the flood of enquiries, seeing that the three of them were stars in their own fields. He was stoic when he mentioned that he expected there would be a huge call for more gun control from the music industry. He was sad when he admitted that, unless the state and federal governments passed uniform, and binding, laws, his hands were tied. He said that California had strict laws about automatic weapons, but these guys had come into the state with legally bought guns.
He then showed us a video that the two guys had uploaded while getting ready. It clearly showed bodies on the floor while the guys were ranting about getting back at the rich and powerful, the “society slugs” as they called them, who were sucking the life out of good, patriotic, Americans. We were told that six of the dead were on Social Security, so much for equalising the balance!
When we left, we were escorted to the hotel, where we were met by a couple of crying children. After a hugging and sobbing session, I found out that Georgina was wearing Josies “Sisters Forever” pendant, while Alicia had purloined mine. Tabitha and Martyn were holding each other in a way that I thought was more than for comfort. The hotel set a room aside for us and we went for lunch.
As we ate, things came back to a more normal level. I found out that Ali and Georgie had been in constant contact while they were apart and truly considered themselves sisters. Martyn and Tabby had been exchanging letters and phone calls. Their time, together, on the farm, had created a bond between the four of them that made the next step easier.
I asked them. “Kids, if we all go back to the farm, will it be all right if Jordan and I adopt the two of you, so you can grow into adults as our family?”
Chairs went flying as we were enveloped in hugs.
It took some days before we were able to take the children home. There was a lot of paperwork to do in their regard, as well as a lot of arranging regarding the funeral. Alicia and Brad were flown in, along with my parents and the Maxwell’s. Dianne and the Swans were a real help. Dianne was a partner in a law firm and her transition hadn’t changed her status. There were also transport and real estate companies, run by Swans, who were happy to work for us at a minimum profit, while looking for better ways to help us.
Together, we cleared the house that Tony had bought when he returned. All the awards and pictures were carefully packed to be put on a special part of the wall in the studio. All the clothing, which still included suitcases with Maureen’s things, went to a charity that the Swans ran, supplying outfits for newly minted ladies. The twins packed all their things, as well as the special reminders of their parents and grandparents, and it was sent off to Detroit. We found the boxes that contained Maureen’s and Josie’s jewelery. The house was cleaned and put on the market.
We flew back to the farm before the Easter weekend, to spend some quiet time before the funeral. Allan, Brad, and my father told us to stay away so that they could help organize the funeral. I was told, in no uncertain terms, that the twins would be taking back their old bedrooms in the stable, and that Ali would help them recover. She did that by sitting us all in front of the TV and playing the Swan DVD. We all cried, and it did the twins a power of good. The week after Easter, we flew south again for the final goodbye, all better able to cope with it.
As I had expected, the funeral was huge. Allan had organized the biggest place he could find, and it was packed. Outside, the police had barriers to hold back the fans. There were pockets of fans of bands that Martyn and Tony had produced. There was a strong turn-out of Swans, but the largest crowd were Pixie’s, Sister’s, and Snowden fans, all sad to see the passing of one of their idols.
On top of that, the media was out in force. Getting more than twenty Grammy Award winners in the one place, without a red carpet, was a huge drawcard. When we went in, we sat with Alicia and Brad, them on the outside of the row with my parents on the other end. Behind us were Allan and Helen, joined by Donna and her family, Abigail and Matthew, and the rest of the Sisters, along with their families. Behind them was a row of the Swans executive and our other helpers. In front of us we looked at three caskets, on trestles, adorned with flowers.
The service was beautiful, one of the choirs giving their time. The preacher was full of praise for the three departed, giving us a rollcall of their achievements. He repeated something that the media had seized on, that Josie was an angel for having the sense to raise the alarm. Many were saying that the death toll may have got close to a hundred if the security hadn’t already been nearby to stop the carnage.
When it was time to leave, a group of six recording studio owners lifted Martyn for his final trip. Tony was carried by members of six different bands that he had produced hits for. Josie was the last to be lifted. Alicia and Brad at the front; Ali and me in the middle; Donna and Emily at the back.
It was hard for all of us. Alicia and Brad were taking their daughter on her final trip. I was holding up my friend, my sister, my lover, and the mother of the child beside me. Ali was crying for her true mother and a stalwart mentor. The other two went back to high school days with Josie.
Outside, we slid the caskets into the three waiting hearses, which then left slowly to take them to the crematorium. We had an appointment, the following Sunday, to attend a private ceremony where the urns would be placed in a graveyard. Martyn and Tony flanking Maureen, with Josie alongside her husband.
We stayed in L.A. until then, spending quiet times with the children and arranging the adoption paperwork. There were a lot of journalists who wanted to speak to us, so we finally relented and organized a room at the hotel for a press conference. We were asked about how we felt about gun control. I told them that I, and many of the music industry stars, was in favour of total elimination of automatic, semi-automatic guns of all sizes, and any magazines over ten rounds.
One reporter wanted to argue about the constitutional right to bear arms, so I pointed out that this was drawn up at a time when landowners and some towns had small private militia, because there was no standing army, and that it was never intended apply to everyone. I was asked about my relationship with Josie, and I admitted that we were close friends, and that we considered ourselves as sisters, even to being the original two Stable Sisters.
When asked, “What now?” we told them that Jordan, as Josie’s brother, and I, would be adopting Martyn and Georgina. They would live with us at the farm, and grow, we hoped, to be normal, responsible, adults and may be able to put the events of the last few weeks behind them, even though they would never forget their parents and grandparents.
Marianne Gregory © 2023
As I said at the beginning of Chapter One, I have to thank Jill and Eric for their input into this story. I hope that I achieved something we can all be proud of.
Marianne
Chapter 39
The upshot of the whole thing was, as usual, a lift in sales of all the albums that Josie had been on, even the forgotten one she did with the girl group in L.A. I got Allan to put all my part of those sales into a trust fund for the twins, which also took the proceeds of the sale of their family home, as well as their shares of the estate.
Martyn had changed his will to leave everything to Tony and Josie. They, in turn, left everything equally to the twins. As it was deemed that Tony had died first, his estate went to Josie, and it was her will that was used. Dianne did wonders to get it all through the courts without any problems. After putting the urns in the ground, we went into a church to pray for their souls.
Back in Detroit, Tabby and the twins went into the same year at high school for the last semester before summer, and Ali went back to Wayne. She confided to me that her opus was now being revised and would be a musical memorial to Josie and me, as her thanks for giving her life. As I said earlier, the events altered her mind-set. Where the piece may have been complicated in parts, it had been light-hearted.
The adagio remained a beautiful serenade, but the first movement was going to be a lot more hard-hitting. Where the two pianos had been playing in a similar tone, she was revising one to be more masculine, with stronger bass notes. The other was going the other way, using the treble end of the keyboard to sound more feminine. It had a similarity, at the beginning, to the Joseph Hayden opus, “The Creation.” She had the orchestra open the piece and a vocalist paraphrase the original first line. Instead of singing. “In the beginning—there was Light!” It would be, “In the beginning -- there is Life!”
The third movement was to be partly vocal, and she asked Sharron and me if we could help with the lyrics. On top of that, she wanted to have a full orchestra involved, me and any of the Sisters who came by being roped in to help with the score. Ali had the tunes in her head, but it took all of us to write it out as she hummed or played the notes on the piano.
Her fifteenth birthday was another quiet one. We went to the Italian place where the Pixies would gather, and the management put on a special meal for us. We were joined by those Sisters that still lived close. Ali and Georgie wore their “Sisters Forever” pendants and I, along with the rest of the band, wore our own “Stable Sisters Rule” pendants. These were a lasting link to our times with Josie.
The following Grammy event saw them have a short segment to commemorate the work of the three Prentices, with a couple of songs from albums Martyn and Tony had produced, followed by a video clip of Josie, with Snowden, on stage at one of the vet shows. I was staggered at how much younger we all looked. Her death had put a couple of years, or more, on my face.
I had picked up some of the tricks that Martyn and Tony had showed me, but I went back to the makers of our studio equipment to brush up on operating it. I intended to be as big a part of Ali’s future as I could, and if I wasn’t to be on stage with her, playing, I would help her create her dream.
Over the next year, we worked in the studio, together, and sometimes with Tabitha. The two of them worked on the double, while Ali worked on other things when she was on her own. She needed to create a ten-minute piece to be marked before summer.
This became something that started out like the Moonlight but developed into a much stronger second half. Her creative skills were amazing me every day. We recorded it and I produced some CDs that she took into school. She was asked to play it for her year, in the small auditorium, as her final examination for the year. Our whole family was in the auditorium when she came on to play at the end of a recital put on by her whole year. It was magic and brought the audience to their feet.
During this time, I was also teaching Georgina different guitar skills. She had played along with Josie, while Martyn had been taking piano lessons. He had decided that he didn’t have the ability or temperament to be any good and spent a lot of time with me at the control desk. He may not have the musical skill, but he had a good ear and adjusted the mixing if I missed something.
So, we moved forward, toward a sixteenth birthday.
The request for her birthday present was a couple of sessions with the orchestra, in Boston. I called Kelly and we had a long conversation. She told me that they had a week clear in the middle of October. I advised her that the piece wasn’t finished yet. She said that it would be an honor to work with Alicia, and that there would be a spot for her in the following year when it was finished, if Wilhelm was happy to conduct. Before we finished the call, I was invited to the wedding, in the middle of January.
Ali sent the score so far, and she got an email to say that it looked interesting and that they would have a small group sorting it out for our visit. By the time we went to Boston, the orchestra had worked through their parts and just needed the stars to join them. A lot had happened in the twelve years since Ali had set their stage alight, and the older members still there were wondering just what she would do this time. About half of the orchestra had not been there all that time ago.
Jordan and Carol stayed at the farm, while Sharron and Tabitha flew with us, Tabitha had become a competent pianist in her own right, and would be playing the second piano, while I had been roped in as the vocalist. On the first day in the hall, they worked on the adagio first, because that was, so we thought, complete and ready to go. It took three run-throughs before it truly came together. After a light lunch, Kelly brought in a film crew that she had waiting for her call. The piece was played twice in the afternoon and was filmed for posterity.
After that, I was brought up on stage for the minimal vocals and we did the first part, for the first time with the orchestra. It was a mess! The orchestra was sent home and we sat down with Wilhelm to work out what went wrong.
By dinnertime, the problems had been overcome. It came down to the timing between the orchestra and the pianos being out. Wilhelm was invaluable at seeing the error at a point about six minutes in that put everything after that as a jangled mess when both the pianos and the orchestra played. He assured us that tomorrow would be good.
The six of us were invited to have dinner with Algernon, come as you are, so Geoffrey took us over there. It was good to catch up with him and his family, now scions of the Boston community. Their two daughters had now completed their education and were working in the family business, putting a lot of time into the vet concerts as they saw themselves as budding music industry participants. They were certainly getting a lot of experience with booking stars and arranging logistics for shows. I knew that they would have to step up another notch when they got to proper concerts where a profit was the desired outcome.
The vet shows had scaled back to only six or seven a year and all were filled. The girls were spending a lot of time organizing small shows in the various aged care homes and had spent some time working in Paris at the places Algernon had bought there. They had a conversation with Ali and Tabby about the places they had been to, while Algernon, Sharron, Kelly, Wilhelm, and I had a discussion, over one of his fine brandies. I found out that Algernon was financing this week as part of his wanting to see Alicia fulfil her potential.
The next day we brought the orchestra up to date with the changes to the score and worked through the first part again. This time it sounded a lot better. The orchestra opened the piece, I did my vocal part and Ali came in on the piano in the bass register, followed by Tabby in the alto register. It sounded as if the pianos were talking to each other, slowly becoming synchronized, with intervals where the orchestra took over the conversation, also moving from the deeper toned instruments to the lighter toned ones.
The piece lasted about twenty minutes and, toward the end, had little snippets of Pixies and Sisters tunes interwoven into the orchestration. The last part of it worked up to a crescendo, and then Ali played a complicated section which sounded as if someone was bawling their eyes out, slowly moving from the tenor to the alto voice. Having been there, at the time, I could see me coming to the decision to be the best mother I could be. It made me cry, along with some of the older members of the orchestra.
In the afternoon, Kelly had the orchestra change into performance outfits, while the three of us were put into long dresses. The film crew were back, with extra cameras, and we did the first part and the adagio, in real time, while it was preserved for our dissection later. There was a big dinner in a good restaurant later where Algernon was brought up to date on the progression. All we had to do, over the next three days, was work on the unfinished third part.
It became a writing workshop on the Wednesday. Everyone on stage playing the parts that had been finished. Ali already had the ending in her mind, as well as the message she wanted to say. The first ten minutes of it was good, and, with some help, got better. I had more input with the vocals. At times it sounded like I was being accompanied by the orchestra. That day, and the next, became a blur as we played some bits, reworked them, played them again, and then moved on. Alicia was a powerhouse, writing new score on the run, discussing what she wanted the orchestra to play with Wilhelm and the firsts.
The vocal parts took the line of creating the world as you want to see it, not being ground down by pessimists and nay-sayers. The tune that I had heard in my dream was a thread through the third part. The last couple of minutes had me singing these words. “Don’t fret about the could have been. Don’t cry over the should have been. There’s no need to take those pills or consider that rope from a bough. Life is good and there’ll be no more ills, if you just embrace the Here and Now.”
After that the recurring tune was taken up by both pianos and the orchestra, rising in volume to a thunderous final chord. The first time we nailed it, complete, I was an emotional mess, as was Ali. She held me close and just thanked me several times, before embracing Tabby, who was streaming with sweat and tears. This was the hardest she had ever worked, and it had taken a lot out of her.
Sharron came up on stage and tried to embrace everyone she could. When she hugged me, she told me that she had just had the most emotional moment of her life. She then said. “You know, Edie, this has given me the idea of some lyrics. We could do a song about two small boys who grew to father daughters and then became their mothers.”
I laughed. “We could call it, “How did that happen?” We could do it as a single song, to be sold by the download on the Swan website.”
We called it a day and Kelly arranged for a full-dress performance on Saturday afternoon, filmed and recorded, with a selected audience. I got on the phone to Jordan to tell him to close the farm and fly to Boston, with the other children and Carol, in the morning. I was told that Algernon was putting on a party Saturday night so told him to bring a smart outfit.
After that I called Veronica to tell her to book her seats tomorrow morning and put them on my account and let me know when she will arrive. After that it was a broadcast text to all the Sisters to let them know what was happening. It was all so sudden, none of us expecting to have the first performance tomorrow.
Saturday morning, I had replies from everyone. All the Sisters were coming, including Abigail, fresh off a tour of most of the major cities. Veronica and her man would be in at eleven, Jordan and our family would be in at twelve. The Sisters all said that they would arrange their own transport. I arranged town cars for all the ones I knew of and tried to calm my own churning mind, let alone two hyperactive teenagers.
It all worked out well. All our guests arrived at the hotel before one and we sat down to lunch at half past. Kelly had texted me to say that the performance should start at three with us to be there by half past two to be dressed. The table for lunch was animated, none of the others knowing what to expect.
When we arrived at the hall, we were amazed to see it fully set up for recording a video, with mics, and cameras all over the place. I had to calm the girls, telling them that it was just a bigger set-up than the ones we had during the week. I told them that it was all due to Algernon and his desire to help launch their careers. Kelly told me that everything had already been sound checked for balance.
The audience were all seated by three and the doors secured. This was purely a private event. In the stalls were Kelly and the board of the orchestra, Algernon with his family and the boards of both the Grove Institute and the vet show office. All the Sisters had arrived with their families, and Veronica sat with her husband, unable to take a smile off her face. Jordan had the twins either side of him and Carol was trying hard to squash Sharron.
For those of us waiting in the wings, it was totally unnerving. Before the cameras started, Algernon got on his feet and declared that today we would see the culmination of a young girl’s climb to a new level of performance. He told them that he had sat in the stalls, many years ago, and seen a four-year-old Alicia Sanders play the Moonlight Sonata with such finesse that he had to help her realize her potential. He finished with. “From what I have been told about the performance you are about to see, today will be just a step along that upward trajectory.”
The orchestra walked past us with smiles, sat, got comfortable, and tuned. Then Wilhelm led the three of us out onto the stage, left me by my seat and made sure the two girls were comfortable. He then went to the rostrum and picked up a microphone.
“Ladies and Gentlemen,” he said. “Today is just a private performance of an opus that Lady Grove and I have already booked for its world premiere in the future. Never, in my long career, have I been so involved with a piece of music that I consider to be equal to some of the classics, but with its own modern take. I ask you to sit back and enjoy the first performance of “Here and Now” by Alicia Sanders. Our pianists are the composer, and Tabitha Rafferty, a name that will also be gracing our billboards in a few more years. Our vocalist is someone you all know well, Edweena Sanders. Please refrain from applauding until the piece is finished, thank you.”
With that, he turned to the orchestra, made sure we were ready to go, and raised his baton. I stood, with my songbook in my hand, as the first notes built up to my small part in this. When I sang “In the beginning, there was Life!” we were enveloped in the wonderful notes of the two pianos as both girls played better than I had heard them before.
I sat down as the music washed over me and looked out at the audience. I wished that I had a camera beside me, and then looked and saw a go-pro on a tripod, seeing what I was seeing. Jordan was beaming, the twins had a look of total rapture, Carol was nearly twisting Sharron’s arm off. The orchestra board were in a long row, looking like clowns at a fairground, waiting for you to roll a ball into their mouths.
When the first twenty minutes came to an end, I could see several who wanted to stand and cheer. Luckily, they held back, and we were soon into the lush and wonderful adagio. I could have listened to that piece of music all afternoon, the pianos in front and the orchestra behind me, I was in a world of my own. All too soon, however, the final notes faded, and we readied ourselves for the final stretch. I stood and Wilhelm set us going, again.
I wasn’t looking at the audience now. I knew that they were hooked and ready to be landed. We played and I sung, both Ali and Tabby giving it their all. When we arrived at the last page of the score, I sang “If you just embrace the Here and Now”, with as much emotion as I could, and then just stood there as the final crescendo and chords built around me and crashed in a sonic boom of an ending.
Wilhelm stood with his baton up, for more than a few seconds, and the put his arm down to turn to the stalls. It wasn’t a big audience, but they were all on their feet and clapping and cheering. Ali and Tabby stood and beckoned me to stand with them as we took our bows. I called to Wilhelm to stand with us, and he got the orchestra on its feet as he joined us. We finished in proper orchestral fashion; Wilhelm led us three off, and then the orchestra left the stage.
Our audience was crowding the dressing rooms as we splashed faces and hugged each other. Then we were enveloped in hugs and kisses from the invading horde. I could see Sharron and Carol with their arms around Tabitha, as Jordan and the twins wrapped their arms around Alicia and me. Well, Jordan wrapped his arms around me, while the twins enveloped Ali.
Jordan whispered in my ear. “How are we going to top that?”
“No, it’s not we. It’s Alicia all the way now. That was my last bit; someone else can take the singing at the premiere.”
“How much of what we just heard was others?”
“Not much, Wilhelm was a great help in sorting out the glitches, but Ali was a whirlwind as she corrected and rewrote the music. I’ve never been so proud in my life.”
Algernon had organized town cars to take us back to the hotel to freshen up and then take us to his house for a dinner party. The orchestra were all invited so would be going home to change. Before we left, Kelly came up and asked me if I would like to take the stage to play the first half of the premiere performance. I told her that I would if Ali would write something for me.
On the way back to the hotel, Ali between me and Jordan, I turned to her and told her that she should ring Allan and tell him that she was booked to play a concert in the future.
She grinned. “I rang him last night and told him to make sure that there’s chocolate cake on top of the money. He wants a copy of the video, so that he can calculate how much he’s going to charge Kelly for the gig.”
The dinner party was lovely. We all ate well. Algernon was on a high and the rest of the crowd were also happy. One by one, the Sisters told us how much they had enjoyed the performance. Pet was the most astute when she asked me if it was my life-story, through Ali’s eyes.
Abigail asked me if I would be singing in the world premiere, and I told her that Kelly wanted me playing the first half.
“Good, now I won’t have to kill you to get the gig!”
With that she went to Ali and Kelly to offer her services as the vocalist.
We went back to the farm and a normal life. Sharron and I carried on writing for others, with one notable exception. “How did that come about?” was a smash hit on the Swan website. Sung by a couple of Swan members but written by Egg and Chips, it made a lot of money for the cause, as well as making three mothers and a father feel good.
The “World Premier” performance was a sell-out, but the DVD that hit the market, due to Abigail's contractual barriers, came from the private performance, much to Abigail’s amusement. It was a runaway best-seller in the classical genre and didn’t do too badly on the Billboard charts, either. Ali had written a forty-minute piece for me in the first half, so the event ended up as a double premier. I passed all my royalties to the two girls.
Ali graduated after another two years and immediately started composing something else for me to play alongside her, later. Allan signed her on as a full artiste, along with Tabitha, and was planning concerts for the two of them when Tabitha graduated. He was, he told us, only doing this for the two of them as a favour, ready now to join my parents down in Florida. He did, eventually, move down there and I heard a rumor that, with Alicia and Brad, they became known as “The Silly Six” in their local community. Or “The Happy Half-Dozen” by those not so jealous of the fun that had together.
Georgina became proficient on the guitar and formed an all-girl band to play country-rock. And so, the wheel turns. Martyn graduated with a degree in electronics and sat with me at the mixing desk, recording top-flight bands in our studio. It now had a bit more room; we had added to the rehearsal room and one concert grand now sat in there. I was now getting to be known as a producer, in my own right. He and Tabitha were now a genuine couple.
Jordan put Sharron in charge of the vet business, now with the two interns full-time. Sharron sat in the office as manager/surgeon/receptionist, while Carol kept the farm and studio books up to scratch. We did open the accommodation block at times when we were again inundated with guests.
Sometimes, as I sit between takes, I looked around the control room and the pictures on the walls. There was the section devoted to Josie and the Prentices that Martyn would nod to every time he came in. The pictures of the early Pixies and then the Sisters, along with all the awards, took up a lot of space.
I had two favorite places to look at. One was where there were pictures of Snowden and AJE, with me and Josie in truly happy times. Then my eyes would pass along the pictures of Joyce, and I out front of international stars, to end on a picture, taken from the DVD, of me standing with my songbook and the teenagers hammering away on two pianos. Alongside that was a picture I had cajoled out of the video makers. It showed the small audience with such a mixture of facial expressions it was impossible to give a name to. I called it “Clowns at a Fair.”
The vet shows continued, now considered a solid part of show-business. The Grove Institute stopped trying to find out what had cured everyone. The Swan Effect could not be bottled but still cast its magic over all those who sat and concentrated on the DVD to the end. There had been many attempts to replicate the effect, but it had only ever happened with the three of us, on the Italian instruments, and no amount of experimentation could discover the reason behind that fact.
I got older, Ali got more famous, and Georgina became as big a star as her mother. They remained living in the stable until they, eventually, married and had families of their own. Martyn and Tabitha were wed in the church where Alicia was christened and took over the stable apartment as their own.
Ali, and her new husband, a violinist that she had met at Wayne, bought a penthouse in Boston, to be close to the main areas of influence. Allans’ old agency looked after her bookings as she flew around the world to play, often with Tabitha on the same programme.
We had a long discussion with Sharron and Carol, agreeing to build a large veterinarian centre for them on the five acres out the back of the sheds, with a separate entrance and living accommodation. When the building was finished, we divided the property, and erected a fence between the two. They now had their own business.
After talking to Martyn, we split the studio off from the remaining farm, and sold it to him and Tabitha, at a “family rate,” after getting its own entry to the road. That just left us with an “L” shaped farm which could just move along at its own pace. I took over the old clinic as an office, where I concentrated on the retail business, along with a secretary and a couple of office girls. The upstairs accommodation was maintained for any visitors. The rehearsal room remained my own little bastion, filled with my instruments.
After all that, I produced an album, every couple of years, of my own songs. I wrote and played in the rehearsal room, and then would book time with Martyn to record. Sharron and I would get together and write songs, purely by request, and that kept ‘Egg and Chips’ in the marketplace.
Jordon is now a well-respected tutor at the vet school, and we have a happy life. Of course, there were times that weren’t so happy, when, one by one, our parents died. We had some big wakes, as well as big celebrations, over the years.
It was at one of those celebrations, with Sharron and I sitting side by side, when Carol took a picture of us. We both had our daughters behind us and a grandchild on our laps. It now sits on my office desk, adorned with a small plaque that reads - “The impossible can happen, with enough love.”
Marianne Gregory © 2023