Page 69 of Broken Melody
It’s the night of our first concert and I’m so nervous I’m pacing in my dressing room. I must have walked a few miles by now. Our time on the bus, arriving here ahead of schedule, preparing – it’s all passed in a whirlwind. Our album released to raving reviews. There was a bit of criticism too of course, but not unexpected or significant. There’s a critic in every crowd they say. Our single has already shot to the top of the charts at number five. Rick called to convey how thrilled he was; the guys all beamed and I almost cried when Rocco thanked me. Funny that he thinks I did them a favor when I look at it in the complete reverse.
When the feature inRolling Stonecame out, I stared at the photos so long Maddox and the guys laughed at me. I didn’t even look like me. Maddox secretly came to my room that night and had me act out some of our poses once more…. which led to other things. That man is sex personified. He may be sweet on the inside but on the outside, he…well he can be downright sinful. And I like it. A lot.
Now, looking in the mirror my hair and makeup flawless, I stare at the person looking back at me. Since it’s the first time I’m being presented to a crowd, they wanted me to wow them, and my dress does much more than that. Black and beaded, it has a flesh colored lining. The beads are placed over my intimate areas, but where the flesh color shows through I look almost naked. It’s quite the showstopper if I do say so myself.
Suddenly, Maddox’s reflection appears in the mirror. His eyes explore me head to toe and when I turn around and face him, they’re burning with lust. “So you like it?” I ask. He makes a twirling motion with his finger and I smile first then obey.
“That’s an understatement. You look so amazing. I think I would thoroughly enjoy peeling it off of your body.” He moves to me and trails the tip of his finger from my collarbone over my breast and down. “And songbird, your ass in the dress,” and then he makes a groaning noise, “delicious. How much time do we have right now?”
I laugh, “Don’t even think about it.” He pouts and I smile, “You don’t look so bad yourself,” I tell him checking out his body in black leather pants that are molded to his skin topped by a simple white t-shirt. It may be simple, but he looks hot as hell. “You’re going to make all the ladies crazy tonight.”
“There’s only one lady I care about impressing.”
Before I can respond there’s a knock on the door and someone says, “Time to take your place, Miss. Blue.”
My heart begins to race and my palms sweat. My anxiety has been on the edge all evening, but now it flares knowing my performance is imminent. “I’m nervous,” I tell Maddox honestly.
He takes my hand, “I understand, I was too. But you fight it. You push through and when you get on that stage, you let the real you shine. You know how you feel when you get on the stage at the bar?” he asks and I nod. “Tonight will feel like that but more – so much more. When you’re out there, close your eyes and let the music speak for you - your heart, body and soul will do the rest. And if that doesn’t work then, hell, picture everyone naked I guess.” Then he frowns, “Wait, I don’t like that idea. Picture everyone in their underwear instead.”
Nervous as I am, that makes me laugh a little and so I nod, “Thank you.” He kisses me on the nose then takes my hand leading us out of the dressing room and toward the area that leads us under the stage. Our hands fall away as we approach the guys. When they see me, they make me laugh when their mouths fall open and they whistle or cat call.
“Whoa,” Rocco says.
“Wow,” Nixon adds.
“Hot,” Henley weighs in.
“You’ve reduced them to one word sentences,” Maddox teases as the crew shuffles around us putting microphones in all of our ears.
“Guys, it’s just a dress.”
“Yeah, but you’re the one filling it out,” Henley says making me look at Maddox.
He shrugs, “He’s not wrong.”
“Get on your lifts!” a stagehand instructs.
And then, it happens. We’re in a small arena but it’s full. Unsold tickets that existed prior to our album dropping sold out in minutes after its release. The crew gives us the play by play as they speak to each other with their ear microphones or headsets. The lights go out, and the crowd explodes. Their screams make my mouth drop open and my hands begin to shake with excitement as my adrenaline picks up. All the guys are sporting smiles.
“Fuck yes!” Henley says rubbing his hands together.
“It’s good to be back boys,” Nixon says.
Rocco smiles and jumps in place like he’s a fighter in a ring clearly anxious for the concert to begin. And then it does. One by one, the guys rise to the stage floor.
As rehearsed, the music begins and expands as each of them starts playing their instruments. It doesn’t seem possible, but the crowd manages to get louder each time another member hits the stage. When it’s just Maddox and I left, he looks at me, winks, “Hey, Sailor?”
“Yeah?” I ask him, feeling all the sudden like I need to pee. Why now? I just went. I hate nervous feelings of needing to urinate.
Maddox must realize I’m distracted, “Sailor?” he says again.
“Maddox,” I say his name with a question in my voice.
“I love you,” Maddox says to me making me stop cold. “I’m in love with you,” he says again right before his lift goes up and he laughs happily leaving me staring after him in shock.
My breath comes out in a whoosh, my stomach flips, and I giggle. And then I laugh outright. I laugh because here I am, about to take the stage for my first concert. All of my wildest dreams have managed to come true, yet this man, he trumps them all. His declaration means more to me than any of this. Suddenly, I want up on the stage because I want to look into his eyes. I want him to see through mine, that I love him too.
When my lift moves, I quickly transition from complete darkness to bright light as the spotlight suddenly moves toward and then envelopes me as I sing my verse, and the crowd - well the crowd starts cheering for me. The sound is deafening, so I listen intently to the music in my ear through the well-placed microphone – thanking the crew silently - and thankfully start singing when it’s my cue. Initially I’m nervous, although thankfully it doesn’t show in my singing.
