E R I C
"Is the jet ready Stephan?", I asked impatiently.
He smiled, "Yes sir...almost..just five more minutes.."
"Make it faster."
I paced back and forth in the airport lobby. They were going to the concert tonight and I called Erica in the morning telling her that I won't come today because I want to look into the South America project today and then directly fly to Italy the next day.
She hung up on me hearing that, and minutes later David called cursing me with all the profanities that ever existed in this world. He was furious.
I don't know why does this concert is such a big topic. It was just an outing and we could go another time. I called again on her cell the hundredth time since then only for her to reject it.
Okay! I promised I will be back but this work is important too. I only wanted not to be called again for this project within a week. Because Embrey still needed care and I can't ask Erica to come with me to States.
I called David, and he too rejected the call. These two can be infuriating together.
I called dad this time..
"Eric?"
"Uh_yeah dad... where's Erica?"
He sighed, "The kid is out with David and Venus. We are at David's right now, we are getting ready for the concert....!"
"Dad! Tell them I am coming."
"But you said you won't..."
"I know I said that...but Erica looks very upset... what's up this her...she was fine last night.."
"Eric she was waiting for you. She is disappointed."
I rubbed my face with my hand, "Dad send me the address, I'll directly come there... otherwise I won't get there on time."
"Okay...I am sending the address.."
By then Stephen came, "Sir...let's go!"
I nodded, "C'mon..!"
*
As I got down the car, I could hear the crowd inside the stadium. Yeah it was a freaking stadium.
As soon as I got out of jet, I tried calling Erica but her phone was not reachable. My previous texts were seen but not replied.
Dad's bodyguard Jack was waiting for me with my VIP pass. I removed my overcoat and handed it to Henry, and then following Jack swiftly went inside.
Everywhere there were roars and claps sounded as if they are having a time if their life. Why would Erica want to attend this kind of event? We both don't like crowds.
There was a mighty stage at the centre of the stadium and while the general audience was seated in the seats at the back, the VIP's were given the left portion near the stage.
Thank god! It has not started yet.
I spotted David who was standing near one of the front seats and my family seated their excited. Embrey too looked good from the last time I saw her, though she was sitting in comfort near my mother.
"David!?", I called him as soon as I came nearer.
His eyes lifted up from his phone to me. Although all other times, I see him grin as I come this time he remained expressionless.
Pissed probably.
"You all have been so worked up for this!?", I pointed at the berserk crowd.
He raised his brow at me, "I swear Ashton...if you would have bailed out on her today, I would have never let you see her again."
I rolled my eyes, "I don't know what's wrong with you all. This is just a fucking concert and you all.....okay leave it...where is she?"
I walked past him and went to where everyone was seated. There was no vacant seat except one near Nonna that had my name on it. And to top it all, she wasn't here.
"Where's she?", I asked Nonna.
"Nice to meet you too my grandson. You are such a gentleman!"
I sighed, "Nonna! I am sorry...I love you...now tell me where is she?"
She gasped dramatically, "Oh my god! I am so flattered by your pleasantries Mr. Ashton."
"Nonna!!!", I whined knowing this will melt her.
My family was eyeing me as if I committed a crime. And David had suddenly disappeared.
"Calm your ass down you fucker. She will come.", That was Nonna.
I tightly smiled at Embrey who was the only one not looking at me with disdain, "Are you alright Ms. Embrey?"
She smiled reminding me of her daughter, whose anger I need to kiss the fuck away, "I am alright Eric. Wouldn't want to miss this for the world."
I sighed again, "I don't know what is so special about sitting between a mad crowd and hearing the hosts making silly comments."
"You'll see.", She chuckled and I only rolled my eyes mentally. My insane family is rubbing off her.
*
"Will anyone tell me where is Erica?"
I asked impatiently.
David looked at me, "Why? Weren't you going to Brazil this morning? Probably finalizing some shit deal? She too had work."
"It's been fifteen minutes damn it! And why is she not picking her phone?"
I hear him chuckle and then stretch his leg a little to fetch out something from his pocket, and that was Erica's phone.
I cursed under my breath, "She may not be safe!!"
Dad rolled his eyes, "She was safe since last seven days. Wasn't she? She will stay safe now. Focus on what the host is saying."
The host was blabbering shit but my family looked very interested in that.
"....welcome you all to Grand Premier of the first song of Austin Hills music and Co.", The crowd burst into cheers and they were going so insane I felt like I was in some F1 race where I'll need earplugs.
"Give a huge round of applause and welcome the man behind this oh-so-very-beautiful night, Austin Hills!!!!!", He stretched Austin's name pretty much and crowd became louder if it was possible. The background of the stage split into two and dancers burst in, in the end followed by Austin himself.
I have known Austin since David started doing architecture. They met in one of the projects when Austin released his first song, and wanted some financial support, which David did using his shares that dad just handed him. They knew each other as acquaintances before but that help from David made them friends. I met him often unless his career kicked off and he had to travel worldwide for his musical tours.
He is a decent guy and married the very woman who was his highschool darling and now they have kids together.
And today as the crowd roars, I realize he literally made it huge.
I am pulled back to reality as he starts singing one of his songs I heard on radio. He danced well to it and I saw his family who were sitting beside our cheer happily. His two years old daughter jumped yelling 'my Dad!'.
That beautiful family simply warmed my heart and I realized we eventually work for this. To see the smiles on our loved ones faces.
The kid suddenly turned and her eyes met mine. I was looking at her, so she looked back at me. I was amused at her silly attempt to glare at me. She did not look away, and neither did i, our concentration far away from her Dad's performance.
Out of the blue, she sticks out her tongue at me and looks away.
Wow! What a kid!
I looked away amused only to see the song over as Austin came and stood at the front waving at his audience, and blowing a kiss at his daughter and wife.
"Calm down everyone...We have yet not seen the real beauty of the night."
The crowd quietened for a while and I couldn't help but roll my eyes.
"It's been seven years since I started singing for all of you and I hope I make it seventy.", Loud claps and cheers sounded again.
"I rose from the ashes. From having nothing to having everything, my life has been hard at some points and easier at others. Austin Hills and Co. for music production is another of my life's milestone where I want to make sure that no one loses the opportunity to show their talents because of the lack of resources, like I almost did. But I was saved after I received the shoulders of my very good friend, David Wellington."
Well, cheers were heard for David too. This jerk is one sensation because of his flirty and out of the box attitude. Not to forget several million followers on social media and exceptional at his work.
He is showed on the display screen behind the stage and the girls cheer louder. Someone tell them he is married.
He being the jerk he is blows a flying kiss to where that specific fanclub of his was and grins.
I would love to see his ass kicked back at home tonight.
"And that is how, I will begin not just mine but someone else's journey too."
My phone in my hand vibrated with incoming notification from some share fall, and my mind again drifted to Erica.
Where in the world is she!?
I turned to nonna, "Nonna! I am going...let me go and see what she is upto. Now when I am here she even didn't attend the concert."
I was about to stand up when she pulled me back, "You are actually dense. Now stick your ass to your seat quietly. She is coming."
"She is coming?"
"Yeah!"
"But whe.....", Nonna held my face and turned it towards the stage.
Before I could figure out something, light music started playing in the background.
The lights slowly started turning off, and one could hear only Austin's voice as he stood in the limelight.
"Name wouldn't do the magic her voice would. So instead of saying the name out aloud, I would rather welcome her on the stage. The person who's starting her singing career on this very ground, and as her singing starts here, people all around the world connected to us through livestream shall witness one of the most amazing talents of our times. And the music she sings here will be released in sixty different countries, all at once....!", And with that he snaps his fingers, and the light on him is switched off.
The darkness of the night is filled with the lights people are throwing through their phones making it look like the sky has come down with all it's stars.
I had this giddy feeling inside me, and as the music became louder my heart started thumping louder trying to catch the music.
"Never was a leader
Never had a thing for fairytales
Not really a believer, oh-oh"
No second guesses were needed as the voice reached my ears to guess who's the owner of the voice.
But my heart definitely stopped and well, all stopped at how exotic her voice was.
I loved hearing it, but hearing it here was something I never planned or thought of.
"Small voice in the quiet
Guess I never dared to know myself
Can my heart beat quiet? No
But then there was you (but then there was you)
Yeah, then there was you
Pull me out of the crowd
You were telling the truth (you were telling the truth)
Yeah (yeah, yeah)"
The stadium lights up suddenly and loud cheers erupt as she appears on the stage walking confidently in a blue gown that trailed behind on the floor she walked on.
She smiled between her words her earth shattering smile, and I felt as if I am looking at her for the first time in my life. And suddenly the concept of love at first sight became true.
"I got something to say now
'Cause you tell me that there's no way I couldn't go
Nothing I couldn't do
Yeah
I want to get louder
I got to get louder
We 'bout to go up baby, up we go
We 'bout to go up baby, up we go
We're blowing out speakers
Our heart a little clearer
We 'bout to go up baby, up we go
We 'bout to go up baby, up we go!"
Her wandering gaze fell on me as if she knew I'll be sitting there, and I am sure she most certainly did.
I didn't gaze away nor did she, as she sung further.
"For worse or for better
Gonna give it to you
In capital letters
We put a crack in the shadows
And you tell me it's okay to be the light
And not to swim in the shallows
No, no
And I wanna get drunk with you
When we lie so still, but you're taking me places
Holding me onto you
And we don't care who's watching us, baby
But then there was you
(But then there was you)
Yeah, then there was you
Pull me out of the crowd
You were telling the truth
(You were telling the truth)
Yeah (yeah, yeah)
I got something to say now
'Cause you tell me that there's no way I couldn't go
Nothing I couldn't do (no, no, no, no)
Yeah
I want to get louder
I got to get louder
We 'bout to go up baby, up we go
We 'bout to go up baby, up we go
We're blowing out speakers
Our heart a little clearer
We 'bout to go up baby, up we go
We 'bout to go up baby, up we go
For worse or for better
Gonna give it to you
In capital letters
In capital letters
In capital–
Gonna give it to you
Gonna give it to you
Gonna give it to you."
She retreated back with a confident gaze to the crowd, and I swear I have never loved the crowd yelling and bellowing as much as I did now, when I saw that smile on her face that made me believe she knows she has won several hearts today, including mine which already wasn't in its right place.
"I want to get louder
I got to get louder
We 'bout to go up baby, up we go
We 'bout to go up baby, up we go
We're blowing out speakers
Our heart a little clearer
We 'bout to go up baby, up we go
We 'bout to go up baby, up we go
I want to get louder
I got to get louder
We 'bout to go up baby, up we go
We 'bout to go up baby, up we go
We're blowing out speakers
Our heart a little clearer
We 'bout to go up baby, up we go
We 'bout to go up baby, up we go
For worse or for better
Gonna give it to you
In capital letters!", With slow end she looked up again and grinned wide. Those eyes shining passionately as she did something that she really loved to.
I couldn't be happier than what I was today. She achieved what she wanted to. She did what she was so scared to. And that song, though no one would know, but she conveyed through her eyes, that this particular one is for me..
Her eyes again searched for me, and as she did that, she smiled wide at me, and before I realize she's coming down the stage. To me. For the dress, that she was wearing, my favourite blue for that, I stood up and covered the distance between us, pulling her in my arms, and kissing her with all the might and love I could muster at that moment.
*
Do hear the song in the media.
Thanks for reading. Loads of love and I expect some back too xx.