It was the most elegant ballroom I had ever seen in my life. Glass to the heavens, a chandelier I was certain Freddie would attempt to try and purchase from the hotel, and so many tables covered in white linen cloths. I gasped at the sight of the enormous, seven-tiered cake made especially for the release party. It was all so very gorgeous. The night had begun with Mary and Freddie entering the ballroom first, followed by Roger and I, then John and Veronica and lastly, Chrissie and Brian. Mary’s dress was unlike anything I’d seen her wear to any even previously: emerald green and suiting her perfectly. She had done it to match the record cover and she had pulled it off exquisitely. She and Freddie standing beside each other at the table with the brilliant white and green cake made for an utmost glamorous photo. I don’t think even Fred had seen Mary so dressed up in the time he had known her. They looked so very chic.
Normally, it was Veronica who took a hundred Polaroids of moments like this but recently, Roger and I had bought a Konica-Minolta camera, supposedly the Cadillac of cameras and truthfully, he and I had trouble putting the thing down. Tonight was no exception. I left Roger in charge of the thing because he loved it so. When Freddie and Mary stood there alongside Jim Beech and the Elektra rep, Roger had our camera ready and so did the media press that were permitted inside. Instantly, Mary Austin stole the hearts of the American press, the Vogue editor whom had made an appearance and of course…Freddie. He doted and fawned over her for at least the first half hour of this thing.
It was always very apparent when Freddie was feeling exceptionally nervous and shy. He would ramble, flip his hands about and cling to Mary like a fly to a tacky strip. Tonight was not an exception. Mary had been at the main table when the Elektra Records rep spoke and had held on to Freddie’s hand while he gave words to the many, many faces in the ballroom this evening. No sooner than he had finished speaking to the American crowd, the first bottle of champagne was corked. Mary smiled like a bride on her wedding day as she and Freddie cut the spectacular cake. I feared slightly that they would each end up in sugar comas before the evening was over. The room gave a standing ovation as Freddie nervously joked about. We watched, on our feet as Mary and Freddie toasted their champagne to News of the World while the rest of us waited for the champagne to come round our tables. I turned around to face Veronica.
“You and John look so perfect tonight.” I told her sincerely. The two of them had been very quiet but seemed to perk up the moment the eight of us entered the ballroom. She smiled at me.
“Thanks but…let’s be honest…we aren’t you and Roger. My god, it’s as if you two have been planning what you were gonna’ wear to this thing for months. Can you tell John and I decided two days before we left?” she laughed and put a hand on my bare shoulder. “Is….is his suit…silk?” she asked. It was true. 100% pure off-white silk double lined and evenly combed to give the entire thing a ridiculously smooth feel.
“Sure is. Here trade me places, go rub on that thing.” I said, trading chairs with Veronica. She gasped as she put her hands on Roger.
“Oh my god!” she responded as a waiter came by our table with a bottle of champagne. “Your wife told me to come rub on you and now I know why. Jesus.”
“Nice, huh?” Roger raised his eyebrows at Veronica.
“Nice is an understatement. John feels like steel wool compared to this.” She remarked. I looked over to John as he and I were presented full glasses of champagne.
“To…” I looked at the book on the table before me. “To…Astounding Science Fiction, John.” I gave him my best ruby-red lipped smile as he tapped his glass into mine. I dearly loved seeing John’s smile for it was the sweetest and most sincere thing to grace a room.
“I guess you know this is where the album cover came from?” he asked, taking a drink of his champagne with me as he pointed to the book on the table. I shook my head. Freddie and Mary came over to our table, each with two plates of cake each.
“Oh god…no. Freddie. Remember our wedding? Take it easy on that stuff.” Brian cautioned as he and Mary sat beside Chrissie.
“It’s okay Brian, I asked one of the caterers…it’s whipped icing. It won’t go to my head so quickly. “Oh….well. You’re silky smooth. My god, this is like touching the arm of an angel or something.” Freddie said, rubbing Roger’s other arm.
“Don’t you dare get icing all over me, do you hear me Freddie?” Roger warned him. Mary was already halfway through a piece of cake and just as she had warned Brian the previous night, she would be no help in controlling Freddie around so much whipped buttercream.
“Hold this up. Let me take your picture with it so we remember why everyone got a copy of this book.” Veronica told Roger as he glanced over to Brian who had just been served cake. I felt a hand on my shoulder.
“The American Vogue Editor would like to speak with you…about your dress.” It was the Elektra Records rep. I looked at him as if the Vogue editor were asking to marry me.
“OH MY GOD! THE…” I stopped. I simply had to keep my voice down. “The Vogue editor wants to speak to me!?” I nearly choked on my champagne as I downed what was left in my glass in one large gulp. The rep shook his head. I looked over at Roger, my hand over my heart and nearly blinding Veronica in the reflection of the diamond on my hand, the string around my neck, the bracelet on my wrist and the two carats in my ears. Veronica sat the camera on the table and gave me a once over.
“You know...you’re gonna’ kill me with your diamonds on of these days. Roger better not buy you any more.” She smiled at me before standing up to take the chair that I would soon leave empty.
“Hey, he only bought me thi…Fred! You’re hand! Don’t you dare get green icing on him! Mary!” I called to her, tilting my head toward Freddie as a cue to curb her man.
“Huh? I was eating cake. Oh…OH! God, Freddie…here take this napkin. My god you act like you’re seven.” She mumbled to him. I smiled to Roger again before leaving to follow the Elektra rep to wherever the Vogue editor was.
“What are you laughing about?” Roger asked of Chrissie. She shook her head.
“Nothing. I just think it’s really…I mean…he can’t take his eyes off the slit in her dress.” Chrissie said, making certain her sleeves didn’t get into cake icing.
“Wait, what?” Roger turned around in his chair to keep an eye on this Elektra rep. John and Veronica laughed in near unison.
“Mary, did you see these chandeliers!? Do you think the hotel would sell us one?” Freddie asked quietly, squeezing her knee. She gave him one of those looks that seemed to say ‘shut up and eat your cake. We are not hauling any giant gaudy crap back from America’.
While I was occupied with Vogue, this party began taking shape around me and I hadn’t a clue. The crowd continued to swell as the evening wore on. By 9:30, only an hour into the night, Freddie was far more relaxed and more than happy to parade Mary around the room with her in one hand and champagne in the other. He and Mary had met at least half a dozen celebrities and important faces from Hollywood. She gushed and swooned at each and every introduction.
John and Veronica remained seated at the large, round table talking while Chrissie and Brian began working on half of the room. It didn’t take them long to eventually get up from the table and begin to rub shoulders with some very influential Americans. Steven Spielberg was present as was Billy Joel. Veronica met the owner of the Ritz-Carlton and none than actor Harrison Ford. Ryan O’Neal and Ally McGraw made an appearance. After reuniting with Roger and gushing over my questioning from the Vogue editor, we met the governor of California and his lovely wife. We had the pleasure of meeting Roger’s one true love in life: Jane Fonda. She was a delight to talk to and it tickled Roger to no end at the way she cooed over us. I thought he was going to hug her for a half hour and I couldn’t stop laughing.
Brian had run into some science fiction authors and had been engaged in conversation with them for a good half hour while Chrissie cruised the room and indulged herself in all the champagne she could handle. Eventually, Roger and I went our separate ways because each of us were stalking the shrimp cocktail that was being passed around on trays by these beautiful American waiters. My god, this night couldn’t have gotten any more glamorous and frankly, we all loved every damn minute of it. The swoop train of my gown caused a stir, but it was the slit cut up to the middle of my thigh that really caused the eyes in this room to move. Mary came rushing over to me with a wide-eyed, wild stare. “I. Just. Met the Editor. Of ROLLING STONE!” She jumped up and down in her heels like a child. “I did! I touched his hand! He touched mine! Freddie and I glared at each other over who was going to kiss him…so we both did! And John took our picture…with your camera!” I don’t think I ever remember a time when Mary was so giddy. “THIS IS THE BEST PARTY EVER!” she said, grabbing my bare shoulders. I asked a passing waiter for a cigarette and a light as I laughed at Mary’s endearing enthusiasm. I could also tell that she was pretty hammered…as was I. She was right. This was the best fucking party…ever. I did a double take as I looked over Mary’s shoulder.
“Oh my god.” I muttered to her, nearly dropping the cigarette from between my lips.
“What!? What is it? Oh god, did Fred get more cake?” she asked, knowing he was being hounded by an endless wave of attention.
“No….turn….around. Slowly….turn…around.” I said, quickly grabbing my cigarette with a shaking hand. She did so and immediately gasped.
“It’s…” she stopped.
“Steven. Tyler!” I squeaked out, nearly spilling champagne all over Mary. She squeezed my hand as we each let out our best and most discreet…and classy…groupie scream we could find within ourselves.
“Oh my god! You’ve gotta’ go over there!” Mary said.
“Don’t worry. I need more champagne first.” I said, picking up another glass from another passing waiter.
“Okay, okay! Check back in with me. I’m going to wade through this crowd and check on Veronica. I think she’s sittin’ alone over there at our table. And just like that, I took a deep breath and made my way toward none other than Steven Tyler.
“Umm…” I cleared my throat. “ ‘Scuse me…Steven….Tyler?” I asked, a goofy grin across my face and cigarette smoke around me. He looked me up and down.
“And just who the hell are you, beautiful?” he asked.
“OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOD! STEVEN TYLER CALLED ME BEATIFUL!” My inner pre-pubescent-hormonal-school girl was screaming at the top of her lungs.
“I’m Lydia.” I was still smiling stupidly at him. Oh shit, Steven Tyler’s eyes! He was smiling at me…OH GOD HE WAS SMILING AT ME! While I tried to keep from melting into a puddle on the floor, Mary had sat herself down beside Veronica….with more cake.
“Lydia just met Steven Tyler. She’s over there talking to him!” She said, slapping Veronica’s shoulder.
“You know…if she sleeps with him, Roger has no choice but to look the other way. It’s not like he can…you know…be all pissed at her, god.” Veronica said. Mary shook her head.
“Why are you so hung up on that? She is not going to sleep with him! I mean, hell! She should at least make out with him a little!” Mary said excitedly. She paused and looked at Veronica for a moment, taking a bite of cake. “I’m gonna’ just come out and ask you…what’s going on? You don’t act like yourself.” Veronica shook her head.
“I’m fine. I appreciate your concern. Mary but…I’m fine. I think I’m just a little homesick for the boys.” She explained. Mary gave her a soft smile.
“I understand, but you are missing one hell of a night. My god, Veronica! Stop with the…whatever is going on with you and get up and mingle! You are letting one of the most exciting nights pass you…” Mary stopped. “Ooooooh my god! She kissed Steven Tyler!” Mary squealed happily. Veronica rolled her eyes and smiled.
I blushed miserably because Steven Tyler had just put those gorgeous lips on mine. I stared back at him, my red lipstick haven’t hardly moved. Not only had such a gorgeous American celebrity just kissed me, he offered me a hit of cocaine in his hotel room...