The day Charlie broke down in tears? Yes, it surprised the life out of me. She is one of the strongest women I know, always has been, since she came to work for me. I remember that day only too well. And everything that had led up to it.
I watched as Charlotta Appleby stretched up from her place at the desk and looked around the cupboard laughingly referred to as her office. It had originally been the silver room of the Georgian Mansion she worked in, but I had it converted years ago at her insistence. It was somewhere safe to store all the files with the very personal information she had secreted in them. Information on all the top rock stars in the world. And before you go thinking she is some sort of investigative reporter out looking for dirt.
She isn't.
Charlotta Appleby is the best damn housekeeper, organiser and all round fixer any recording studio ever had. Officially, she ran the house, you know the place where all the big names lived when they were working at the Grange, but in fact she did more than that. She fetched kids from school and organised entertainment for them, fed everyone. And generally mothering the lot of us. Truth be told, most people couldn't remember a time when she hadn't been here, sitting like a spider in the middle of a web, pulling the strings and making everyone else's life a whole lot easier.
She certainly did that for me. Now, me you may have heard of. The name's Steve Waddington, that's right; the record producer. I'm one that runs some of the hottest labels in the world.
Charlotta, Charlie to us, came to work for me when she was seventeen years old. She was, officially, just my home help. My wife having vanished with one of the wanna-be stars that frequent a place like this; I needed someone to care for my three very small kids.
What did I know about babies? That was what nannies and child minders were for. At least, that's what I thought until Eve walked out on me, leaving me helpless; or is that hopeless? I struggled on for a few days, ringing everyone and anyone I could think of, all the time trying to keep from falling to pieces the way my marriage had.
Then an old college buddy of mine came through. His eldest had just finished her exams and wanted a summer job. I sent a limo for her that afternoon. There was no way I was letting the chance of help escape.
Charlie arrived with a couple of bags of clothes and another of books and embroideries. My first impression was one of a slightly overweight teenager with long hair. She seemed nice and very eager to please. The boys took to her immediately.
Now, from the way I've been talking, you might think I'm in love with Charlie. Well, I do love her, but not like that. She's like my kid sister and my daughter all rolled into one cuddly package.
With her nagging me I never missed a Sports Day or a parents' evening at the school. I didn't dare. She'd have my clothes all laid out on the bed, car ordered and instructions written in my diary every time I was needed at the school. There were times you'd have thought that I was another of her charges.
These days, with my kids all away at college or uni... Gods, the years have flown! Charlie runs the house, still runs me as well. It was like having a wife with none of the hard bits. I didn't even have to remember her birthday. The kids did that for me.
Jessie, my eldest has nearly finished four years at Edinburgh Uni, reading Business Management. He's dating a really nice girl and talking marriage when he starts work. That's Charlie's influence, same as the other two boys. Yep, I have three boys. Aiden and Matt are busy working on a fine arts degree, with work experience at one of the London Auction Houses, and no, I don't know which one. I can't remember without looking it up. That's Charlie's job, just like everything else round here.
I do know that I put the deposit down on a flat for the pair of them to share. Twins, twice the trouble, and four times the fun I was told. I always swore it was the other way round. They were definitely four times the trouble; but they love Charlie, she's really the only mother they have ever known. Did I say they weren't even a year old when Eve left? Luckily, we didn't have too much to do with her. The boyfriend introduced her to the joys of drugs and she died not long after she walked out.
Damn, that sounded heartless. I didn't mean it quite that way. You won't use that bit in the interview, will you? Thanks.
Now where was I? Oh yes, blowing Charlie's trumpet. She'd smile at that phrase and say something smutty. She makes me blush sometimes. I don't pay her enough, I know that. It would take three or four good secretaries to cope with her work load, but when I suggest a pay rise she laughs and reminds me she still owes me for taking her baby brother in when her folks were killed. She raised him as well; did a brilliant job of it, too. Mum to four, or five when she counts me, and never been kissed she always says.
She now runs everything on the housekeeping side for me. And I mean everything. You want to know why The Grange has such an amazing reputation for recording an album? Well, its not the equipment or the acoustics; its her. She makes everyone so comfortable that they never want to leave. Those files of hers are full of all of our personal quirks from which water we like to drink and how we take our coffee to how we like breakfast cooked and what music we like on the CD. You only have to work here once and she has it in her books. Not just the band, either. Everyone in the crew is looked after just the same way. She even sends birthday cards and presents to the kids. There are a lot of second generation musicians who ring her up first when they get their record deal or the new release hits number one. Aunty Angel.
Angel? That's her nick name..Come on, Charlie, be an angel and...Whatever we wanted. See her back stage at something like the MTV awards and she is mobbed more than any of the so-called stars. Even the really big names in the business love her. When she was ill a couple of years ago, she had so many invites to various islands, houses and villas to recuperate she would have had to take a year to get round them all. In the end, Richard and Joan Branson kidnapped her and sent her to Necker Island to be waited on hand and foot for a month. Anywhere else, they said, and I would have been able to make her work. As if I would. Trying to slow her down is hard enough.
Pretty? She's not stick-figure skinny if that's what you mean. And we don't really think about it, she's Charlie, you know? Mind you, she scrubs up well. You should see her dolled up for a night out at a gig or an awards ceremony. Most of the guys treat her as sacrosanct, you know out of bounds? The girls don't usually see her as a threat, which is a mistake when you annoy her, she's no hunter, but she defends herself. Damn, I don't think she's even had a boyfriend amongst any of them, until, well, you know. But she's known some of the bands far longer than the groupies have been out of nappies. The guys are not going to upset the woman who stays up til 4am to cook them omelets when they come in from a heavy recording session, and then is back at work by eleven am to make sure everything is ready for them to go back into the studio.
You want to know about the chalk wall? That started as a payback to an idiot. I remember we had some third rate bimbo staying here for the weekend; and no I won't mention the band she was with. It would embarrass them far too much; I'll keep that blackmail material for when I need it.
She kept screeching she was with “the band”. I swear bats would have been deafened by her. I think she had annoyed every one of us including her supposed boyfriend when she really blew it.
You have to realise that Charlie really does mother everyone who comes close to her, and she makes sure that we all keep our calorie intake at a healthy level. Not easy when you are feeding vegans and vegetarians as well as carnivores.
So at four am Charlie's made us all omelettes or broth, depending on on what we wanted to eat, and is busy feeding us, joking with us, when the bimbo, Harmony or Melody, or something, starts giggling that anyone who went out with Charlie would need to leave chalk marks on her body to know where to start exploring again, there was so much of it.
Charlie had just walked into the room and heard everything. My angel had been up since six in the morning, getting everything ready for these guys and she'd just been really insulted by someone who wasn't worth the dirt on her shoes. She put the tureen of soup on the table and turned to leave, but not before Bimbo tells her not to bother bringing a plate for herself, as staff should eat in the kitchen where they belonged.
You know the expression that the silence was deafening? Well, that fitted perfectly.
Charlie comes back into the room about five minutes later with a magnifying glass and five boxes of chalk. She hands the chalk out between some of the guys, and gives the magnifier to Bimbo's boyfriend.
“What's this for?” he asked, looking up at Charlie with a puzzled expression on his face.
“To find Madam's brain, it seems to have gone missing,” Charlie answered. “And the chalks for all the guys who have asked me out and I've said no to them. Now if you will excuse me I have work in the morning. Breakfast will be ready at nine am as per our contracts.”
She walked out leaving everyone speechless, except Bimbo who was yelling and shouting about how she's going to get Charlie fired for her rudeness.
I burst out laughing as she's told, “No darling, you're the one who's out of here. You may be an OK lay, but you are not worth pissing Charlie off over.” The guys walked off to find Charlie and beg that breakfast be put on at the usual eleven am and apologise for what was said. It took a bit of grovelling, and a lot of laughter, but breakfast was on the table at eleven am complete with a dish of chalk. And that's why there is always a box of chalk laying around the place.
It became a habit to graffiti the wall between the kitchen and the breakfast room. First, it was messages for Charlie: 'Thanks for breakfast' that sort of thing then it sort of broadened out. Now if we could get the doodles and autographs off without damaging them, we could sell them for a fortune on ebay. I think that the original words to Hell's Light's latest hit are written up there.
That's right, Tears of an Angel. Marcus Blackthorn started writing it here, years ago, when they were recording their second album. They always say that the second one is harder than the first; you have years to work on the first one in your head and only months to do the second for real.
That was when they met. Charlie treated Marcus just like she treated everyone else; respectfully and in a friendly manner. It was hard for her, he was one of the few musicians she actually had a crush on. I'm told by various female members of staff, and some of the male ones, it's mandatory. You know Marcus Blackthorn surely? Lead singer of Hell's Light? About 6 foot 4, long dark hair and a goatee. Mind you, the long hair and goatee describes nearly half the men here at times, and some of the women.
That was harsh, true, but harsh.
Anyway, she was just Charlie, until the night of the finishing party. The tracks had been mixed and the masters were on their way to London with security and we were all kicking back. It had been a long four months. We'd actually hired a karaoke machine, I say we, but it was all Charlie. She'd do mad things at the parties. One time it had been bouncy castles for adults, another she filled the pool with balls like you see little kids playing with. You never knew what she was going to pull on us. It was her way of relaxing after working eighteen hour days looking after us all. There was a face painter one time. Did you know Charlie's got a tattoo? Now that is a secret not many know...the triple crown of the Goddess across her lower back.
Back to that night. She'd come up to me in the office and asked if she was on or off duty that night. I didn't understand for a moment, but I remember grinning and telling her 'off'.
Do you really want me to admit that the girl, who is the nearest thing I have to a sister, came into the party room, looking like a Biker's wet dream? She had on this leather halter neck corset, and dark red velvet skirt that buttoned up the front, or in her case, didn't- so that it showed a lot of thigh every time she moved. She topped it off with make-up that looked like she'd been in a rock video. I wish I knew which shop she'd got those boots from, I'd ban her from it. There is no way my baby sister should look like that. It would cost me a fortune in bodyguards.
Anyway, it was heading for dawn and we were still partying. We'd all been drinking of course, and we'd finally poured enough champagne into Charlie to get her to sing. It takes some doing I can tell you. Firstly, she only drinks pink champagne, and I like to treat her to the good stuff. Perrier Jouet - Belle Epoque Rose 2002, its £125 a bottle, but she likes it. Don't tell her how much it's, its a game we play, she pretends she doesn't know and then she'll drink it.
Charlie has a lovely contralto voice, but rarely sings in public. So as I said, we get her oiled and she gets up on stage. Marcus is looking at her like he's seeing her for the first time as she starts singing. First, it's the Wicked Games. Charlie has this deep sultry voice and she is teasing us all with it. Then she swings into Fever and he's drooling like someone put a steak in front of a hungry wolf. Not a bad impression for a vegetarian.
Marcus jumped on the stage and hits the music changer. Rebel Yell filled the air. Charlie laughed and joined in the words, their voices blending like they had been rehearsing for months. It was amazing to watch. It was like they were falling in love in front of us.
That night, for the first time since she came to live in my house, Charlie didn't sleep in her own bed . I didn't want to know what happened.
I also remember it was the first time ever that she actually took holidays. Normally, I have to throw her out and make sure she goes somewhere for a break; unless Danny wanted to go away. Danny is her baby brother.
He's about to start Uni this year. He's a good musician, but wanted to be trained in something before he starts in this business. Anyway, she actually took a break and spent time with Marcus before he had to start on the merry-go-round that is promotion of an album. I think they spent the month in Rome.
At this point a voice shouted out, “they went to Venice, she brought us back a painting she did of the Bridge of Sighs.”
“That's Melinda,” Steve laughed. “My wife. She was ready to kill Marcus. In fact, at one point, I think she was looking up hitmen.
“Melinda? She gets on far too well with Charlie. The pair of them are a danger to the world. You know when they say your good friend is the one who you can ring at two am when you need bailing out of gaol and your very best friend is the one sitting on the bench beside you? I have actually had to go and fetch the pair of them from a police station; for dancing in a fountain, would you believe?
The two of them were wary of each other when they first met. Of course they were. Charlie had seen me with girlfriends before and they had come and gone. Melinda was trying to make a good impression on the boyfriend's family. As she said, if she got passed Charlie the kids would be a doddle.”
Melinda came into the room and brought a tray of coffee in for us all.
“I went down to the office to meet her quietly. I knew how important she was to Steve and there was no way I was going to make this woman an enemy. I will admit to being terrified. It didn't help that I thought Sarah, who works in the kitchen, was Charlie. I really didn't think that the woman running about the place in jogging bottoms and a tour tee-shirt could possibly be the paragon of virtue I'd heard about. But she was.
Charlie made us tea and sat and talked to me. Steve was out. He said he'd be back in an hour, and Charlie laughed. Said he'd be back in three. She called it the studio time warp, and said that it was always the same way when he got working. She was right.
I wanted to talk again the next day, but Charlie told me she was running away. She was going to a needlecraft show. It was her one real indulgence. So I went with her. I loved the way she did it. She went once or twice a year, hired lads from a local college to play 'mule' and carry all the shopping. Then she bought enough supplies to keep her busy for the next six months. We had a silly giggly girlie day.”
“And have been ganging up on me ever since,” Steve interrupted with a laugh. “It was what made me fall in love with this lady all the more, the fact that she accepted Charlie as part of my life.
Charlie came back after nearly a month off and set to work with a vengeance. In all honesty I don't think I had ever seen her so happy. This place was made ready for the next band and she filled every freezer she could with cakes. She always said there were two ways to bribe a man: sex and chocolate cake. She always used chocolate cake, until Marcus at least.
What happened? We were heading for the Kerrang' Download awards. It was going to be an amazing night out. We were all going. Cars had been booked, hotels reserved for later and Charlie had been into town most of the day to make sure everything was smooth at that end. When we arrived at the hotel there were crowds everywhere. We all got in with no problem, but when it came to Charlie's turn she couldn't get passed security. Someone at the venue company had pulled her pass. She phoned immediately, and didn't sound too happy when she did either. We got her in, but it sent a pall over the evening.
Now, Hell's Light were performing. The new album was going to be released later that year, and they were going to showcase a couple of tracks from the album to kick things off. We were all sitting at the table, Charlie as well, when they came on stage. You could have powered half of Europe from blush on her face as Marcus came on stage.”
“Yes, well he was wearing those low rider leather pants of his; you know the ones that are about half an inch off heaven. And that was all he was wearing. Charlie was smiling and mooning over him. It was obvious that she was really smitten,” Melinda interrupted again.
“Weird thing was he didn't acknowledge her at all. There was no smile, no little wave. It was as though she were no more and no less than anyone else there.
We were expecting them to join us at the table, there had been spaces left for the whole band, but no sign of them. In fact they ended up sitting with the guys from Warners' and we were joined by some girl group, who giggled and tittered all the way through the evening. Charlie looked confused, almost lost.
When the place turned into party central after the awards, we went over towards Hell's Light to say hi. Charlie was so happy. It didn't last long. As we approached, security intercepted Charlie and kept her away. Marcus turned and stared at her as though she had crawled out from underneath a stone. He'd got his arms wrapped around some second rate pop star, who looked like she hadn't eaten in a year. He leaned in to kiss her and Charlie just stood there, in total shock. I have never seen anyone go so pale so quickly.
Melinda hurried over and wrapped an arm around Charlie just as she fainted. There was a flicker of something in the bastard's eyes before he turned his back on us all.
Charlie was laying there on the floor, Melinda on her knees by her side and the bastard just turned his back on her. Now, as I said, Charlie's no stick figure, but you know Sven Lindstrom from Thor's Hammer? He just bends down and picks her up bridal style and carries her over to one of the sofas. His wife, Tanya, is calling for an ambulance as Charlie comes round. She owes Charlie, they both do. You know their boy was called Charles after our Angel? They were having problems and Charlie helped them through it, been married, what? Ten years now?? And still devoted to one another.
So Charlie's just about conscious, and apologising for making such a fuss over nothing when this woman comes over. She's a PA from Warners' and tells Charlotta, in front of us all mind, that Marcus Blackthorn is fed up of her stalking him and she's to leave him alone or they will get a Restraining Order out against her. Charlie lets out this wail like I have never heard. You would think she was dying, inside she was. The tears are falling down her face and there is no sound. How low can you get? To make some Assistant PA tell your girlfriend she was no longer wanted?
The ambulance arrived and took her off. I went with her and Melinda is busy calling everyone to get to the hospital there was no way that we were going to let Charlie be there on her own. She hates hospitals at the best of times.
The expression on the PA's face and security's as the mobile phones start going off all over the arena. There must have been thirty or forty of us heading out the door, following the techs and Charlie on the stretcher.
It was over a week before she would say anything more than yes or no. She seemed completely broken. The only thing she asked me was if I knew what she'd done wrong. Seems in the six months they'd been together it had been intense. She'd fallen totally in love with him and honestly thought he had with her.
I won't bore you with what the stay in the hospital was like.” Steve fell silent for a moment.
“Piccadilly Circus would have been quieter” Melinda commented before sitting back and pouring more coffee.
“Charlie said there were no promises, no oaths taken. But Marcus Blackthorn took her heart that first night, along with everything else she offered him. I heard her praying for death more than one time. That's when we took to watching her closely. We never left her alone. How could we? This was the woman who had seen over half of us through rehab, always been there for each and every one of us over the years. Green Satin even threatened to cancel the rest of their tour to fly over. Eventually, she was released. They put the faint down to severe shock and ordered rest. So we sent her up to Scotland to the castle we have there, and Heather, our housekeeper there, came down to help run The Grange.
Remember when I said it would take four people to replace Charlie. Well, those were the months I found out just how wrong I'd been. It wasn't four; it was six plus an extra part timer down at the studio. I raised Charlie's pay immediately.
We went up to Scotland for Christmas and got the shock of our lives when we arrived. Charlie was there alright; reasonably healthy and five months pregnant with twins. Marcus's of course. One night I asked if he knew and she shook her head. The letter she'd sent had been returned unopened. That was when I ordered Hell's Light was to be banned from anything I controlled or owned. If I could have rung that man's neck I would have. When Charlie found out she stopped me. Said he had every right to be happy. If she wasn't good enough for him, he was right to find someone who was.
Damn near broke my heart how loyal she was to the man who had nearly destroyed her. There were good men out there, who would have killed or died for such a loving heart to be devoted to them. She's standing there with his children inside of her, in tears, begging me not to do anything to hurt him, and he doesn't even know he's going to be a father, because he won't accept one measly letter from her.
I was homicidal. I wanted to rip the bastard to small pieces and scatter the pieces to the winds.
The babies were born in Aberdeen in March. They were a little early and a bit small, but nothing to worry about. She was, yet again, a brilliant mother. Raven and Sable Thorn Appleby. Two of the prettiest babies you had ever seen, according to the women who were in and out of her room. Raven has grown into a handsome lad; well I would say that about my godson wouldn't I?
Unfortunately, he has his father's piercing green eyes and I can see it hurts Charlie every time she looks into them. I know Melinda loves me, and God knows I love her, but Charlie adored Marcus with every fibre of her being, it was almost unnatural.
And Sable? She has every one wrapped around her little finger and she knows it, Minx. They stayed up at the castle for the best part of eighteen months. Charlie had been away from the Grange for nearly two years, and didn't we know it. There are five different studios here. Five! and she used to have hospitality running for all of them like it was a picnic in the park.
It was little things we missed. Charlie used to have both sparkling and still water in bottles in the studios. So we could grab and rehydrate. And toilet paper. Sounds really stupid, but we kept running out of bog roll. The new girls used to have to be reminded to check the stock levels and it always seemed to be a bother for them. I really missed Charlie, but she couldn't raise two babies and continue working eighteen hour days. I owed her too much to put her into an early grave.
You know she lost something after the babies were born. She was still Charlie, just slightly harder, tougher shell. Didn't let many in to the inside, didn't trust new people very much either.
Then there was the big festival. It had been in the planning for over a year. Incredible but true, we start planning about fourteen months beforehand. Charlie had always helped. Cleared decks and pulled out that red address book of hers and was on the phone and before you knew it, the back stage hospitality was sorted. Marquees, portacabin sleep bunk things, offices, TV studios, kitchens. She used to contact the catering colleges and have them do the cooking as part of their course work. We got it at a reasonable price, the kids had a professional experience, and tickets to the gigs. Charlie always said bribery worked miracles. She had these three storey modular things built; bedrooms, showers - the works. So, any of the crew could get their heads down for a few hours if they got the chance. We had music pumping out for twenty-four hours a day for the whole weekend and needed techs the whole time. She even used to have a kids nursery set up in case child care fell through so that the boys and girls could bring the kids with them and not worry. That came about the time the nanny, who was supposedly looking after Dan, decided she didn't want to work that weekend and walked.
Charlie coped.
She called the local high school and got hold of the girls doing a babysitting course. Offered them pay and free access all areas, got their tutors on board as well and the nursery was up and running in five hours. It helped that the tutor was a huge fan of Thor's Hammer and they were playing that weekend. We got Sven to go and say thank you personally. After that there was nothing that woman wouldn't do for Charlie.
So for the first time ever, Charlie wasn't in charge. She was up in Scotland, getting things sorted for a house party I was taking up after it was all over, when Melinda goes into the office to confirm the last few details only to find the people, who were supposedly in charge of the Bands comfort side, hadn't done a thing. No communication what so ever. Each of them had thought someone else was doing the job. Oh a few phone calls had been made, but nothing had been confirmed or booked and we were less than two months out.
I was desperate so I rang Charlie. Well? What would you have done? Actually, I rang her second. I had a temper tantrum first. I couldn't believe it. We were eight weeks out from opening the gates to the biggest rock festival in the country and the back stage area was going to look like some reject from a hippy party in the 1960's
So as I said, I rang Charlie and she, and the babies, were on their way within an hour. She ordered a private helicopter to pick her up at the castle and fly her to Aberdeen where a jet was waiting to get her to London. The flying time from Aberdeen to London is about an hour and a half. She came off the plane to hand the twins over to the nannies waiting for her. By the time she'd got here she had already organised the catering crew, as well as the day care. Twenty hour days, with a small amount of time off to hug the babies and we arrived at the festival site to find the only thing that wasn't up to the usual standard was the sleeping accommodation. There was only one shower block instead of two.
She'd pulled all her old schedules out, pulled in every favour from every friend she could think of, and she'd done it. My Angel had pulled our fat out of the fire.
I remember the sight of about fifteen vans, trundling across the grass, through the red entrance, from shall we say, a well known supermarket, with all the supplies for the offices, tea, coffee, milk, booze, soda, snacks and fruit. Lots and lots of fruit. Her team swung in behind her like a well oiled machine.
We have these bomber jackets made up with the festival details on. Well they hadn't been ordered either. She had them delivered the night before we opened. Scarlet for security, black for stage crew, green for hospitality and those silver ones for her girls. She had everyone wear them like some sort of uniform. Arm bands and the right jacket got you in where you were supposed to be. Her girls wore silver jackets and black jeans. The welcome crews wore blue ones. Welcome crews? Kids who greeted each band and stayed with them making sure they had everything they needed.
That was where the trouble started that year. Jesse and Dan had volunteered, or is that been volunteered, to head those crews up. It's supposed to be simple. Greet the band take them to the green room marquee, stay with them, make sure they get everything on their Riders list taken care of and get them to the correct stage at the correct time. Charlie had organised these huge trolleys, each labelled with the bands name to make sure everything is ready before hand.
The trouble? One of the trolleys had a Marcus Blackthorn label on it. Believe me that was trouble. He was guesting with Braggi, the Finnish rock group. Charlie had known and not told anyone. That's how strong she is.
So Jesse and Dan are taking the trolley into the room and setting everything up for Marcus Blackthorn when he arrives early. I was told later that you could see the steam coming out of both men's ears as they watched him throw his jacket onto the sofa and make himself comfortable. Dan had to be held back by Jesse as he went for him. Now Dan stands about 5' 10'' and Marcus is 6' 4''. Towers over Dan, but Dan takes a swing at him anyway.
Marcus stands back up to defend himself, asks what the hell this is all about. And Jesse lets him have it. All four lads have practised judo and karate since they were really little. Charlie insisted. She said that they should always be able to defend themselves.
So Jesse has his foot pushed up against Marcus's windpipe as the guy is standing up. Work it out for yourself; he'd reached that high with his leg. Marcus can't move. Security has been called, and Charlie's on her way down. She'd tried to arrange it so she wouldn't have to see Blackthorn at all. But fate was against her. She walks in and Jesse still has the guy by the throat, security is being held off by Dan and they are threatening to take the whole lot out.
Charlie walks in and this cold voice says “That will be quite enough of that.” Now those boys have been trained since they were babies to respond to that tone.
Then it's “Jesse, Daniel, my office. NOW!” Jesse steps back and lets his foot down. Marcus is rubbing his neck, there's a ruddy great shoe print on it. I turn up and try and help. Charlie's apologising to Mr. Blackthorn as though she's never called him anything else. She offers to call the police, although you can see its cutting her up inside to do so.
Blackthorn says no, then he asks “What was his problem?”
I was the one who answered... “Maybe he just doesn't like the guy who knocked his sister up and then abandoned her with two kids to raise.” You should have seen his face. Charlie just looked heartbroken and turned to leave.
“Sister? Knocked up? What kids? What the hell are you talking about?” we get. Well, by this time there is quite an audience in the corridor, so Charlie shuts the door on everyone and turns round to Marcus. I could see the tears in her eyes. She spent far too long crying over that man.
“My brother and Jesse were stupid enough to try and defend my honour. And if you'd ever bothered to read the letter I sent you, you would know what kids. Now if you will excuse me, I have two young men to tell off and a festival to run.” and with the dignity of a queen, she turns and goes to walk out of the room. But Marcus isn't having it. He grabs her arm, far too tightly, to stop her. You could see it bruising under his fingers. I went to help, but she just shook her head.
“Charlie, talk to me, please?” he begs and Charlie looks up at him.
“The way you talked to me when there was a problem? Tell me, Mr. Blackthorn, How is the girlfriend?”
“We split up. She had an abortion, just because she didn't want to look fat on holiday.”
“Oh I am sorry, Marcus,” she tells him, her voice, betraying her compassion. “I know how much you wanted to be a father.”
“I did, I still do. Charlie talk to me, please.”
“What about, Marcus? You made your feelings perfectly clear nearly two years ago. You wouldn't even acknowledge we were friends let alone anything else. If you wanted to finish it, you could have just said. You didn't need to send a PA over to warn me off.” her voice starting to crack under the emotional turmoil.
“Were you pregnant that night?” he asked softly,
“Of course, I was bloody pregnant that night! I have only ever slept with one man in my life. You should know that. You were surprised enough on our first night together,” Charlie yelled at the top of her voice.
Now, that was far more information than I ever wanted to know about Charlie. I had to get out of there, leave them alone to sort things out, but with the look on his face, I didn't dare. I was worried he'd hurt her again. Not physically. Charlie could give as good as she got there. Who do you think helped the boys with their martial arts training? But her heart, her heart and her soul were so vulnerable where this man was concerned.
Marcus hung his head in shame. Then spoke, “I saw you, you know? You were coming out of that apartment block in London with that man. I thought you'd been playing me.”
“What the hell are you on about? The day of the awards, I spent setting everything up to London for the gang. I went to lunch with my friend Alison and then we went to get my hair and make-up done. Oh God, first thing, I dropped off some bed linen at Matt and Aiden's place. Is that what you're talking about? Matt was there. He walked me out and got me a taxi.” Charlie was shaking with disbelief.
“See, you were with someone else,” Marcus spat out at her.
That was when Charlie slapped him, hard. I thought she was going to break his neck. He grabbed her wrist and squeezed and she kicked him in the shins. So he's got her shoved up against the wall, holding both hands out the way and trying to keep away from the docs she's wearing, as she screams at him.
“He's my boy!” at the top of her voice. “I raised him, you bastard! And I was getting his flat set up for him. For them both.”
She stopped struggling and started crying for real. “He's my boy, my baby.”
“Aiden and Matt are my kids, Marcus,” I told him. “Jesse as well. Dan's her brother. Charlie raised all four of them.”
Marcus's face went white and he started to shake his head. “No, No. I asked. I was told you'd been with him for years, were just stringing me along...”
“Marcus, I know you don't think a lot of me. You have made that all too clear, but the guy was only just eighteen. Do you really think I'd do that to someone his age? You really must think I'm a monster. You know, I just wanted to know what I did wrong. I imagined everything bad I could; I wasn't pretty enough; I knew that only too well. The girl you were with that night seemed nice. I envied her so much, you actually kissed her in public, put your arm around her. You never did that to me. I was your dirty little secret, wasn't I? The one who it was OK to bang, but don't tell anyone about her. That trip to Venice was one of the happiest times of my life. Then I wasn't enough for you. You ripped my soul out that night.”
Charlie sank to her knees and started rocking backwards and forwards, sobbing uncontrollably. Can I honestly admit to being scared for her? I would have stepped in, but the look on Marcus's face stopped me.
He hunkered down and wrapped his arms around Charlotta, hugging her close to his chest. She struggled for a few minutes before clinging on to him like a lost child.
“Forgive me, forgive me,” he kept repeating as he rocked her back and forward. “I never knew. I asked about it and they said..oh my god. I believed her....”
That was when I slipped out to find the boys. Which I did. They were waiting patiently for the telling off of their lives. They looked angry and scared all at once. It reminded me of the time they'd played cricket in the greenhouse and smashed the glass.
“Well, whatever you did in there, they're talking, and you missed her slapping him a good one right across the face. She still has one hell of a right hook on her.” I told them as I went into the room.
Both boys grinned. They'd had their fair share of bruises in the past when they'd sparred with Charlie. We got back to work. Whatever was happening in that room we still had a festival to run. It was Dan that braved knocking on the door to tell Marcus there was just fifteen minutes before he was due on stage.
Marcus wouldn't let go of Charlie's hand as he made his way quickly to the wings. Braggi were just finishing off one number and called him on stage. He stripped off his shirt as he made his way to the front of the stage, causing a large part of the females in the audience to start screaming. His eyes, however, were trained on the spot where Charlotta stood watching. She grinned and waved, making shooing motions with her hands. This was work. She'd been in the business far too long to spoil a stage act. The roar of the crowd was wonderful as he took his place at the mike. It made Charlie remember all the good times.
There was something in the way he kept checking she was still there that called to her soul. He was worried she'd make a break for it. Charlie grinned and beckoned over one of the roadies. She whispered something and the guy was obviously grinning as he gaffer taped her wrist to one of the huge scaffolding poles that held up the lights above the stage. Marcus burst out laughing at her antics before turning back to the audience.
He sang his heart out, playing up to the huge, receptive crowd. Charlie would have danced, rocked out, but she couldn't move far from her self-imposed captivity.
Marcus came off stage, buzzing. He had wanted to race across the stage and into her arms; but they were still in view of the audience and he wasn't sure if Charlie wanted anyone else to know they were talking again.
He came up to her slowly, almost timidly. It could have been amusing in other circumstances to see such a big man frightened of Charlie, but not in these. As he got to her side she reached down and pulled out a knife from her boot. Security got a little nervous at that point, but she handed it to him hilt first, allowing Marcus to cut her free of her bindings. He handed the knife back to her with a shy smile. It was like watching lions courting. For all the activity around them, changing over the gear on stage, there seemed an oasis of calm around Marcus and Charlie.
She reached out her hand. “Come and meet your children,” she said as she led him through the maze that was backstage, towards the more private offices and accommodation. The little tykes nursery was a hive of activity. In amongst it, there were two raven haired tots, running around in circles, running three nannies ragged as they chased up and down the small slide.
“Mamamamamama,” the words ran into one another as the two whirlwinds headed across to Charlie. She scooped them up into her arms and hugged them tightly, swinging them round and round.
“Marcus, this is Raven, my son, and Sable, my daughter,” she said, her eyes shining.
Marcus looked completely stunned. “They're beautiful,” he said looking into the faces of his children for the first time.
Raven turned round to stare at Marcus and he was suddenly confronted with his own eyes, in a cherub's face.
“You know, when I was pregnant it was tough. Everywhere I looked there were pictures of you with your girlfriend. You seemed so happy with her. I'd never seen you so relaxed. I certainly never managed to make you that happy. And the pregnancy wasn't easy. There was one time when they weren't sure if we were all going to make it. I prayed every day that the babies would live. If someone had to die, let it be me. It would have made things so much easier if it had been me.” She tried to hide the tears from her children.
Marcus put a hand out to touch Charlie, but hesitated. He didn't have the right to touch her. Charlie sniffed then grinned up at him from where she had crouched down and was listening to Sable babbling.
“Is there anything you want from me? Anything I can get you?” he asked as tried to get his head around the fact that these were his children.
“The only thing I want is a photo of you and the children together. Every child deserves to know that they were held by their father at least once. I want a photograph, that's all,” she told him honestly.
“Charlie, go out with me?” Marcus asked her softly.
Charlie looked up into those famous green eyes; how she loved this man. Body and soul she would be his forever. Then she answered him.
“No,” she said as she picked up her daughter in her arms and held out a hand for Raven. “No, I won't, Marcus. I gave you everything I had and you threw it back in my face. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. I can't trust you, Marcus. I can't go through all of that again. You didn't even ask me that day and by the time I got to the Awards ceremony you already had another girl on your arm.
“I am sorry. You are an amazing man, and I'm sure that out there will be a lovely girl out there who would only be too delighted to go out with you, but it won't be me again. I've realised since that night that I wasn't your sort at all. Made me wonder, was it a bet? See who could get into Charlie's knickers? Well, you won and my heart lost. I'll raise your children. We can organise some sort of visitation if you want to see them again, I suppose.
“Do you know I couldn't even put your name on their birth certificates? Father unknown it says. Unknown, as though I slept around like some groupie.” And with that she walked off leaving Marcus shivering in the afternoon sunshine. He didn't know who handed him one of the spare tees the silver coats kept, but he was grateful for it. He tried to follow Charlie into the offices, but was barred by security.
“Sorry, All Access only,” he was told politely as the man pointed him towards the hospitality tents. “That way, sir.”
Marcus went through in a daze. A part of him honestly thought that if he apologised and made nice, Charlie would forgive him and take him back. He was Marcus Blackthorn, lead singer of Hell's Light, of course she would forgive him. But although there had been love and compassion in her eyes there had been no forgiveness.
He didn't know how he'd got into the tent, The rest of Braggi were there, partying and coming down slowly from the adrenalin high. The band called Marcus over to join them, but he couldn't. He needed time to think, to process what he'd been told.
Marcus grabbed a couple of bottles of beer and tried to find somewhere quiet to sit. He found a seemingly abandoned corner between two of the marquees and sat down on a discarded crate. With his head in his arms he tried to make sense of everything that had happened in the last few hours. Yesterday, he'd been getting over having his heart broken by a woman he honestly believed had played him false only to find out she never had and he'd been the heart-breaker. Not only that, but she'd had his children, loving them. That much was obvious. Honey had gone for an abortion just because she didn't want to get fat, but Charlie, who had every right to get rid of an unwanted pregnancy, had raised his children. His children. He was a father. His own father was amazing, still going strong, his mother as well. They would want to meet the kids. God, he didn't even know when their birthday was, or what their full names were. What sort of father did that make him?
Seeing Charlie made him realise just how much he loved her, how much he'd missed her. She'd been looking after his babies and he'd been screwing around the world.
Melinda found him half an hour later and still only a quarter the way through his first beer. That alone was unusual. Marcus, like most of the lads, was quite capable of draining a brewery.
“I believed her, you know.” were the first words he said. “Hazel, from the label. She said Charlie had been with that guy on and off for years. And I was stupid enough to believe her. I saw Charlie head into a pregnancy advice centre as well. I feared the worse. And I got stupid.”
“Very stupid,” agreed Melinda, but pulled up a spare crate anyway.
“Was it so very bad?” he asked, not really wanting the answer.
“We had to watch her for weeks, making sure she didn't do anything stupid, if she hadn't been pregnant I think she might well have tried. Something died in her that night she collapsed. I hated, we all hated, you; for the way you turned your back on her. Steve wanted to bring you down. He could you know? Contracts cancelled, make things really difficult for you and the band.”
“Well why didn't he do it?” Marcus needed to know. “He had the power to do it. Did it to the idiot who ran off with his ex.”
“Charlie asked him not to. She honestly believed you split with her, because she wasn't good enough for the Rock God. She'd seen her dream of a house and home of her own, raising her own kids, with a husband who loved her, vanish with every foul look and word you showered on her and yet she still protected you. She had to stay in hospital that night, then we had to look after her carefully.
The kids were born in Aberdeen, she went to live at the castle. She spent the last six weeks of the pregnancy on bed rest, and hated it. We nearly lost her, she'd fallen and it had caused problems. I flew up there to stay with her, so did Tanya Lindstrom.”
Marcus tried to hide the tears that fell from his eyes. He'd messed up so badly.
“I'm sorry the boys lost it with you. If you want to press charges they won't fight them,” Melinda said as she stood up and went to leave.
“Do you think I stand a chance of getting her back?” he asked, his famous voice breaking.
“I truly don't know. I want to say no, because in all honestly, I don't think you deserve her. But if you do, it will be because you have earned it,” she answered as frankly as she could before walking off and leaving him in alone with his thoughts.
Charlie was exhausted when she headed out to the main stage to check it over before bed. It was her normal routine. Water and various sweets were waiting in the racks, and all the emergency walkie talkies were back in their chargers. Security would keep this area under close observation all night, so it was safe to leave everything ready. She walked out onto the stage and looked out over the arena. In just a few hours there would be in excess of fifty thousand people, screaming and shouting, having a good time. Now all that could be heard was the bass and beat from the dance arena and the music floating over the whole site from the Jam Marquee. It was her quiet time. The time when she knew the work of one day was over and the next was still a night's sleep away.
“It's peaceful, isn't it?” Marcus's voice cut through her thoughts. “I knew I'd find you here, you always keep the same routine.”
“Please leave me alone, Marcus. I haven't got the strength left to fight you and keep going. You nearly killed me last time and I can't face going through all that again.” Charlie turned tear filled amber eyes on the one man she had truly loved. He was still as handsome as ever. Six foot four, long dark hair that always looked like someone had just run their fingers through it. And those famous green eyes. There were so bright that they looked almost unnatural. Now they were almost fear filled. Charlie couldn't imagine the reason he would be scared. She wasn't capable of hurting him.
“The children are beautiful,” Marcus said quietly, coming up behind her and looking out over her shoulder at the empty arena.
“I'm glad, ugly women have a harder time at life than beautiful ones do. Took me far too many years to learn that one. I'm going to teach Sable to use her looks, get a tough shell over her heart. Make sure that no one hurts her the way I was hurt. Teach her to keep her feelings to herself and take what she wants. It's the only way.” Charlie sounded so bitter and hollow as she spoke, the words cutting Marcus's soul to pieces.
“You don't mean that, surely? Charlie, you love people. Please, tell me you don't mean that.” he begged.
“Mean it? Of course I mean it. Tell me Mr. Blackthorn, what did being nice, and gentle and loving get me? Humiliated in front of my friends and my boss. Left alone with two children to raise. I was soft. I cared for you and got nothing. The ones that are mean and bitchy get everything they ever ask for. Treat 'em mean and keep 'em keen. Isn't that what they say? Honey, Bambi or whatever her name was, gets whatever she wants. As do all the other brainless bimbos the guys go out with. I care for you all, look after you and I get knocked up and dumped. So tell me, what I should teach my daughter, please? To be everyone's fool? To be a victim? It was less than eighteen hours from us being together to you finding another to take my place. You didn't even have the decency to tell me yourself. You sent a PA from the label to do it for you. Told me to stop stalking you. So I have. You got what you wanted, Marcus. Exactly what you asked for. I am not stalking you and you are free to sleep around as much as you want to. Now if you will excuse me, I have to get some sleep.”
“What about the twins?” He asked as she walked away.
“What about them?” She said as she stopped walking, but her back was still facing him. “I will keep the promises I made you, I will look after them and raise them. Do you remember that evening at the Rollright Stones? We said our promises to one another. I told Steve you'd made none. I couldn't face the fact that they'd meant so little to you; as far as I was concerned we were married. So, as I promised I will care for the children you gave me and I will raise them with honour, as a good wife should. But don't expect me to accept you back in my heart or my life. You killed off any of the softer feelings I have ever had. Killed them completely. But you needn't worry. No other will take your place. You see, unlike you, I keep my vows.”
And with that she walked away leaving Marcus staring into the darkened wings with a heavy heart. He had destroyed all the gentleness in the woman, who was his soul mate. And the worst thing was she had been right. He had given her no chance to explain herself, had just assumed that because she was with a man at ten am she had to be playing false.
Marcus found a hidden spot behind the drum stand and sank down onto his knees and sobbed as though he was still a child. He had destroyed one of the truly good things in his life.
If you looked from the outside he had been blessed with everything, money, fame, good looks. He had thousands of women screaming his name most nights, but they weren't Charlie.
Most of them didn't even know he played Backgammon, and Cribbage, liked a good horror movie over an action flic, or even that he didn't actually drink all that much, preferring a good glass of red wine to a bottle of whisky.
Charlie did. Charlie knew how he liked his lasagne cooked, no courgette please, and how he took his coffee. And that had been before she'd fallen in love with him. Before she had given him the most wonderful gift any woman can give a man, other than children of course and she'd given them to him as well.
He thought back to when Honey had told him she was pregnant. How excited he'd been and how disgusted she'd been. She'd called the child a thing, a parasite and got rid of it because they were due to go on holiday and she had no intention of looking fat on the beach. And there was Charlie, he'd broken her heart and she had borne his children without complaint. From what Melinda had told him, she'd been really ill as well. And still she fought to keep his children alive. What a fool he'd been. Well no more. He wasn't supposed to be performing again this weekend, he'd stay and try and win her back. At this point, he'd have done anything to even earn a smile from her.
Marcus wiped his nose on his sleeve, it was the only thing he had, and he knew he had to fix this. The first thing would be to get an arm band on that gave him access where he needed to be. Steve was the person to ask. He needed to catch him first thing in the morning. Full of determination Marcus set off like a man on a mission.
Steve Waddington found Marcus Blackthorn curled up outside his door when he arrived at eight in the morning. The man was laying across the threshold in such a way as to prevent any from entering or leaving without actually stepping on him.
“What do you want, Blackthorn? We're rather busy this week,” Steve said contemptuously. He had little respect for the man in front of him. In fact, Steve wished he would crawl away and die in some forgotten corner.
Marcus stood up and got out of his way, looking more like an errant child than a fully grown man.
“Steve,” Marcus began, then saw the look on the record mogul’s face. “Mr. Waddington, I need your help. Please, I'm begging you.”
Steve had never been described as a soft man. He certainly had a hard head for business, but there was something heartfelt about the plea he heard; something that got under his skin.
“I'll give you an all access wrist-band, but you have to earn it. No upsetting Charlie, in any shape or form. If you do, I will destroy you completely. Do you understand me?”
Marcus nodded, not able to look the other man in the eye.
“And you work. Charlie puts in stupidly long hours, she's been up since six and been working since half past. If you do anything...”
“I won't. Where do you want me to start?” Marcus spoke softly as the arm band was placed around his wrist.
“You can help out over at the offices. They need runners and assistants. Technically, you'll be one of the lowest of the low and you take orders from anyone who asks.”
Marcus nodded again, fiddling with his band. “Will she be there?” he asked.
“Her office is right next door to the runners. It's as close as I can get you. You'll have to earn the rest yourself.”
Marcus nodded again, he felt like one of those stupid nodding dogs you got sometimes.
“You are going to have to persuade a lot of people you're serious this time. You made a lot of enemies with how you treated our Angel. What made it worse for you was how she never said a word against you. She always said that she deserved what she got. She should have known that she wasn't good enough for the likes of you. For any of the guys. It was a tough time for us all. Break her again and you won't live to regret it. Capiche? Now do us all a favour and get to work. I know Charlie will be organising the stunt for the last night today. So she'll need extra help. Go.”
Steve watched as Marcus Blackthorn 'went' and hoped he'd done the right thing. If he hadn't Melinda would kill him, if he was lucky.
Charlie was actually taking a break when Marcus arrived. She'd scheduled a full forty five minutes to be with the twins as they had breakfast. Boiled egg and soldiers were being eaten with gusto. Sable had actually got egg in her hair somehow, courtesy of Raven most probably from the way the boy was wielding the spoon like some sort of weapon.
Charlie was laughing as she cleaned up first little angel then the other before lifting them out of their high chairs. Marcus was still enthralled at the sight of his son and daughter. He hoped the feeling never faded. Charlie's smile died slightly when she saw him standing there. She signalled to one of the women standing watching, who came and took the babies off before getting up and walking over to him.
“What do you want, Marcus? If you want to see the kids Ele will be back out with them in a minute, you can go round with her today if you want.” she deliberately turned her back on Marcus and went over to clear up the mess the two children had left. Marcus followed.
“I came to help out. Steve's got me working as a runner, says if I want to stay around I have to earn it.”
“That I will have to see, you always preferred sleeping to anything else.” Charlie laughed.
“Not everything else,” Marcus whispered seductively, reminding her of happier times.
Charlie blushed slightly. There had always been something about Marcus's voice that had spoken straight to her soul. Baritones should be outlawed. Especially baritones who were whispering in her ear.
“Well, we know where that got us, don't we? Please Marcus, stop this. I can't face falling in love again, believing it to be real; then finding out it wasn't. Not again. I don't think I'd survive it a second time.” Charlie tried to explain. How do you tell your soul mate, the love of your life that you aren't strong enough to be with them, that you would prefer to die than face life without them? Charlie angrily rubbed away the tears that were forming in her eyes.
“I will prove myself to you, Charlotta. I promise. But please, I beg you give me the chance.”
Before Charlie could respond her pager went off.
“Look I'm on the clock here. I need to work. Steve said that you were a runner?”
Marcus nodded.
“Then you can be mine. I can offer friendship, Marcus. That's all I’ve got the strength for at the moment. Let me finish the festival and then we'll see where we are OK?”
Marcus smiled, he'd got his chance.
The pager went off a second time and Charlie rolled her eyes. She picked up her bag and set off at a trot, back towards the offices. She must have been stopped about a dozen times by people who needed the answers to questions. Her note pad got fuller and fuller as she finally stepped into the relative calm of her own room.
Dan was waiting for her. “What's he doing here?” the young man demanded when he saw Marcus follow his sister in.
“Working,” she answered shortly. “Now what was so urgent that you had to page me twice?”
“We've got a problem with execs that have come with Dark Star. They're complaining that we haven't seen to all the riders. Something about a toilet of their own and food backstage. They wouldn't talk to me, insisted on talking to you or they're not even going to let the band come.”
Charlie shut her eyes and both men could see her counting to a hundred before she took a calming breath and headed for her files. Pulling out the huge black one she flicked through quickly. Dark Star. Here was their folder. Pulling out the rider sheet, Charlie headed backstage quickly, her docs sounding a death knell if the execs but knew it.
She rapped on the door of the dressing room and pushed it open. Just as she suspected, three pimply adolescents with too much power and not enough experience. She'd seen their sort only too often over the years. Holding on to the original forms, she sashayed her way into the room with her most vapid and vacant look on her face that she could manage.
Marcus heard a whisper behind him and turned to see the corridor filling up with spectators. The regulars knew what Charlie was like.
“Now, what seems to be the problem, Gentlemen?” she asked as she started to look around the prepared room. Opening the fridge, she checked the contents against her list before looking over the drinks already set out on the counter. The glasses were wrapped and ready for use. Ice bucket filled. The only job that needed doing was to bring in the fresh food.
“We need more champagne and whiskey. And these rooms aren't big enough and there is no private bathroom for Dark Star to use,” the most fresh faced of the youths said, his friends almost giggling. “And if we don't get it all sorted, I'm ringing the band and telling them not to come. We can still cancel, you know.”
“Is that so?” Charlie asked, and then put her mobile phone on the table onto loud speaker.
A couple of rings and whoever she was dialling picked up. “Hi Auntie Angel. We're about five minutes out from the gates.” the voice of Dave Burnside, lead singer of Dark Star, rang out.
“Hiya Davie, I wasn't checking to make sure you were up, you're a little old for that now anyway. Last time I got more than an eyeful. How is Marie by the way?”
“Fine,” the first voice answered before there was a chorus of Hi Charlies from the other end.
“If you're not nagging, why are you calling?” Dave asked in a puzzled voice. Auntie Angel was normally too busy to talk until the final evening of a festival.
“I was just ringing to tell you how disappointed I was that you won't be performing today. I was so looking forward to seeing you, but the execs here have explained that the accommodations weren't good enough and you won't be coming.”
You didn't need the loud speaker to hear the explosion. In fact a phone wasn’t really needed.
Charlie's eyes started sparkling as the various members of Dark Star told the idiots from the label exactly what they thought of them. Execs that were going white. It had been their first job and they thought they could push things.
Marcus laughed as the yelling continued to blurt through the tiny phone speakers until the doors were pushed open and the whole band tumbled in. The first thing any of them did was hug Charlie before turning to the now trembling youths in suits.
“Show them the list, Charlie,” Dave said, not taking his eyes off the men in front of him. Charlie smiled as she handed over the sheet. There were all the normal riders for the stage area, safety comments, cars needed, allergy advice and then the 'just make it nice Aunty Angel' added for hospitality.
The suits looked at the sheet then at the drinks in their hands and put them down very slowly. “We're sorry for making a fuss,” one of them said as they headed for the door as quickly as they could.
Charlie looked up towards heaven as they scampered off as though someone had set their tails on fire.
“Next,” she muttered under her breath before turning with a beaming smile to greet the whole band. There were hugs all round and the chat got louder and louder. Marcus stood back and just watched the interaction. There was a part of him that marvelled at how quickly Charlie got everyone settled and organised before kissing them good bye and heading off to sort out the next crisis. A part of him wanted to kill these men for touching what should have been his. Only it wasn't his. His jealousy and idiocy had ruined the best thing in his life.
Charlie slipped out of the room, promising to send hot food from the kitchens. Vegetarian of course. It wasn't that the lads were fussy normally, but when you're singing you need to have an empty gut. If you didn't, it wasn't always possible to hold the strongest notes; and meat took too long to digest
Marcus followed her out and about all day. He thought he worked hard but he had nothing on Charlotta Appleby. She ran around all day, sorting out problems before they became major issues. The way she was greeted annoyed him, but it was just Charlie. There was a time when he was one of the fortunate ones; one of those who were hugged and kissed and laughed with. Now all he could do was follow her around and try and make things easier for her. At least he got her to eat at lunch time. A prawn salad. Charlie had laughed when she saw him bringing in the plate. He'd been vegetarian for years and his disgust at the shell fish was obvious. It had been worth it though; she'd laughed with him.
It was nearly seven by the time they made their way back towards the stage. It had been a long and tiring day for them both. But now the babies were in bed and had had their bedtime stories, read to them by Marcus; their father. He'd never felt more important than when two pairs of eyes had looked at him so intensely and studiously listened to every word he said. Even if it was about a caterpillar that had to eat far too much. The late show was due to end at one am. There was another six hours to go before Charlie could follow her little ones to the Isle of Sleep.
Marcus was ahead of Charlie as they climbed up the stairs to the back stage area. Security must have checked their armbands at least half a dozen times before they made it to the wings. Charlie was laughing as she turned to talk to one of the stage hands. She was standing at the top of the stairs and she was turning towards him, still laughing, her hair flowing like a waterfall down her back, looking like some sort of nymph from legend. Marcus knew at that moment he was never letting her go. No matter what it took. He would win her back again!
He was just about to call her name when one of the Suits from Dark Star's label, that Charlie had dealt with earlier, came hurrying passed. Marcus could smell the alcohol on him from feet away. The moron was staggering all over the place. The man wove his way over to where Charlie was talking and knocked into her; sending Marcus's Angel crashing down the stairs. It was like a slow motion horror film. The look of panic, Charlie reaching out to try and catch hold of anything, arms flailing as she failed.
The exec looked horrified. He had only wanted to apologise to Charlie. He hadn't meant to cause so much trouble earlier. He turned his head at the sight of the woman's body at the bottom of the stairs. Turned his head and started vomiting in one corner. Someone shoved him out of the way and he was forgotten about as people started to move to help Charlotta.
Marcus's brain caught up to what he had seen and he shot down the stairs three at a time to reach the mother of his children.
Charlotta was laying at the bottom of the stairs, her leg at an unnatural angle, blood coming from her head. Marcus watched as it spread like an obscene flower, showing dark in the shadows around the stage. A first aider was already checking her over as Marcus nearly fell down the last steps.
“We need an ambulance,” were the only words he heard before he was pushed aside by more skilled hands. There was noise and confusion all around him as people spoke into walkie-talkies, others holding back spectators who really should have known better. Melinda appeared from somewhere, he could hear her crying into a phone, but all that he knew, all he could process, was that Charlie looked dead.
From the commotion going on behind him word was spreading fast that something serious had happened. Men were organising a corridor for the stretcher to come down, others were holding back the crowd. From somewhere a flash of a camera went off. Marcus could hear security yelling and there were women screaming, but it all seemed so far away, as though he was watching through some sort of tunnel.
The doc was doing something to Charlie, calling out to the first aiders for equipment. She wasn't dead. He wouldn't have to tell his kids their mother was dead. Someone pushed him out of the way again. Marcus turned to give whoever it was a mouthful only to see two paramedics running in with the trolley between them.
It was obvious that the band knew something had happened, there was just too much activity going on not to. But Dark Star kept rocking, kept the music good and loud, to cover the noise from the wings; the sickening noise of the on-site doctor securing Charlie's broken leg in a vacuum splint before she was lifted onto a trolley and wheeled away. The man had already shoved a tube down her throat and someone was pumping air through it from a bag. Charlie looked dead. A corpse, but there was hope. There had to be; Marcus couldn't picture a world without Charlie in it, and he never wanted to be able to either.
The ambulance pulled away with siren's screaming and lights flashing. The red route being held clear by security. A cavalcade of cars fell in behind the emergency vehicle as it left the site. If you'd asked Marcus later he couldn't have told you which car he was in. In fact it had been the off-roader that Steve used. Melinda had been driving, Dan had already been sitting in the back, worried sick. Charlie was the only mother Dan had ever known.
The hospital was no better. A kindly nurse led them through to the private family room. She pointed out the phone before telling them that someone would be through with news as soon as possible. Melinda slipped out and went to find the receptionist
“Hi, my friend has just been brought in, the docs are with her at the moment.” she started to say.
The woman smiled. “I'll be in with you in a few moments to get her details, have you informed her family she's here?” it was all so routine to the clerk.
“Her brother's already arrived, but I thought I'd better warn you...” Melinda tried again.
Melinda didn't get any further. Sven Lindstrom was storming up to the desk, hangers on and flunkies, fluttering around him
“Where's Charlie,” he demanded, not even seeing Melinda standing there.
“She's being looked after by the doctors, Sven,” Melinda answered for the awe struck receptionist before turning back to the woman. “This is what I was coming to talk to you about. I know that you have special provision for when one of the more well known faces ends up in here. Well you might want to put them into action; because this place is going to be full of famous faces by the end of the night,” Melinda added with a smile.
The receptionist was still staring at Sven. The tall Norwegian waved a hand slowly up and down in front of her. “Excuse me? Charlie Appleby?” he asked again.
“What, oh, sorry. Yes, right. We'll be with you in a few minutes.” she gathered her wits together and gave herself a shake. Turning to Melinda she smiled. “Thank you, I'll alert security immediately.”
Melinda nodded before leading Sven back to where everyone else was waiting. She was greeted by nearly two dozen pairs of eyes looking at her as she came in through the door.
“No news?” she asked, trying not to let her disappointment show in her voice.
Dan shook his head. “Nothing yet,” he said forlornly, pulling Charlie's leather coat around his shoulders.
The door opened and caught Melinda in the back, making her stagger forward a couple of steps. It was her own fault for being in the way, Charlie always said doors were for going through not standing in. Melinda started crying. It was all too much. She needed Charlie better and out of this place. Her friend hated hospitals. Someone handed her a tissue from the box on the table and the lads cleared a space for her to sit in. No-one said anything.
A nurse came in, carrying a tray filled with steaming cups of tea and coffee. A carton of milk and a bag of sugar were teetering precariously on the edge.
Dan and Marcus shifted jackets and other rubbish off the small table to give the woman somewhere to put down her load.
“I brought you something to drink and I have a little news. Not much, but at least its something. Now, who is next of kin?”
Dan held up his hand, his spare one grabbing whoever was closest. It happened to be one of Charlie's assistants, Connie. The woman tried not to grimace as Dan squeezed hard on her hand.
“Do you want to speak privately? We can go into my office.” the nurse stood up straight, to lead the way out of the room, but Dan stopped her.
“We all love Charlie here, we're all her family. Please, just tell me?” he explained.
The nurse looked around the room; all she could see were worried, anxious faces.
“Right. The doctors have stabilised Miss Appleby's condition. Her leg is badly broken. It will require an orthopaedic specialist to operate on it.” she held up her hand to stop the myriad of questions that fell from everyone's lips. “We've already called one in, he's on his way. More serious is the fact that as she fell, Miss Appleby caught her head and it tore one of the vessels in her brain. The bleeding has to be stopped before it causes any damage and she's headed for theatre right now. The neurosurgeon is very hopeful. But we will have to wait and see how it goes. Now I'm on duty until half eight in the morning so I'll be your liaison. I've cleared one of the staff coffee rooms for you to use. It's a bit bigger than this one and more private.” she added with a wry smile.
Melinda was the one who thanked the nurse before collecting her own coat and bag. Picking up one of the cups of tea, she swallowed it in one gulp. “Lead the way,” she said as everyone followed her example.
There was a couple of security guards sitting outside the door of the coffee room when Steve arrived at two am. He'd had to stay on site to oversee the last band on and off stage, before he could head out. The guards checked his armband before letting him through the door. They'd had instructions to only let people in who had either a stage or all areas pass for the festival. A posse of journalists and tabloid hacks had already been escorted off the premises.
The room was in semi darkness, but Marcus was still awake. Dan was asleep on one of the couches, covered by a leather coat that looked all too familiar. From the blood shot state of Marcus's eyes, Steve knew he hadn't slept. He actually felt sorry for the man.
“How is she?” he asked as he pulled up a chair to sit beside the taller man.
“They've taken her through to Intensive Care about twenty minutes ago. The leg has been pinned and reset. Looks like something out of a construction kit manual. There is a cage around it. Her head has been repaired. The vessel wasn't as bad as they feared, but it is not good. They had to shave part of her head. She's going to hate that. How do I tell her they cut her hair? She always said it was the only pretty thing about her. She was proud of her hair. We saw her as they pushed her through, she looked so small.” Marcus couldn't focus his mind on anything. It felt like he'd been stoned for a week.
It was obvious from the way Marcus was talking, he was in shock. Steve didn't know how to help. This was Charlie's job...Charlie's...He was in no better a state than Marcus. The two men sat in silence for what seemed like hours. The room filled with more and more people as word spread and dawn approached. It was beginning to look like back stage at the Kerrang rock awards. So many people were coming straight from their gigs, from airports or their hotels.
Finally, after what seemed far too long, a young doctor appeared and the sleepers were woken quickly. They might get some answers now.
The doctor cleared his throat and gulped before he started speaking. “Miss Appleby's settled in the ITU. We nearly lost her during transfer, but she's holding her own now. She's on a ventilator, which we will remove as soon as she starts fighting it. The head injury was a little more complex than we had hoped. There were fragments of bone in the brain. We'll have to see how she does when she wakes up. Until then, we can't give you any promises. Now if one of you would like to come in and see her?” he asked, almost frightened by the men surrounding him.
Dan stood up, shaking as he did so. He needed someone to go with him. Holding out a hand to Melinda for comfort, he followed the man out of the room.
Charlie lay in a bed, covered in a thin sheet pulled up to her chest. The construction set that held her leg together seemed to be growing out of her skin. Dan refused to let go of Melinda's hand as she watched the line on a monitor move up and down, tracking Charlie's heart beat. There was the whoosh whoosh whoosh of the ventilator pumping air into her broken body.
“You can talk to her, hold her hand. It helps if she knows that there is someone here she knows. I'm Anne, and I'll be looking after your sister, is it?” the nurse explained gently. She had seen far too many families in this much shock over the years.
Dan nodded and moved forward slowly looking round for reassurance. There was a plastic chair beside Charlie and he sat in it, picking up her hand and started stroking it.
“We're all here, Char, all of us. Marcus as well. He'll be here in a minute, but I blagged brother's rights. Me first. The twins are fine. Ele is looking after them. She's got hold of everyone on the list. Steve's here as well. You can tell us all off later for leaving the site before the festival is over but we had to come.”
Melinda handed him over a tissue, pretending she didn't see the tears that were running down the young man's face.
“She'll be fine, just you wait and see. Now come on, we'll let Steve and Marcus in, then we need to get back to the site. Dan, come on, you can stay at our place. We'll move the babies in there as well tomorrow. Today,” she corrected when she saw the time.
Anne nodded. “although we normally have strict visiting times, with head injuries its been shown that having familiar people around the patient helps. So if you want to draw up some sort of rota, we'll do all we can to help.”
Melinda nodded. “There are a few people waiting,” she said.
“Quite a few, I understand. I think every nurse and doctor under forty has tried to find an excuse to be down here. It will be even worse when she's well enough for visitors and we transfer her to the main wards.”
Melinda was impressed by the subtle reassurance the nurse had given Dan.
Sven and Steve came in together, kissed Charlie's hand and left. Marcus was the last one in. He sat in the chair, and didn't move for the rest of the day. The nursing staff went on around him as he sang and talked to Charlie, never letting go of her hand. Day staff replaced night staff. Then night staff replaced day. Still, there was no response from his Angel. The only good thing was that she had fought against the ventilator, allowing them to take her off it.
One of the nurses brought him a coffee, and they threw him out to go eat when they needed to wash the woman down, but other than that he stayed as close as he could not wanting Charlie to be amongst strangers. Marcus was well aware that he was there on sufferance, if Dan changed his mind he could be taken off the visitors list at any time.
For the first time, ever the festival ended with only encore from the closing band. No jokes or pranks pulled by the backstage crew. Charlie was normally the ringleader and it would have seemed wrong to play games when she was so ill.
It was day three when Marcus was singing Rebel Yell quietly that Charlie finally moved for herself, turning her head slightly in the direction of the music.
“Come on Baby, wake up for me,” Marcus begged, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.
“Don't want to,” she rasped, “I like this dream. Marcus is in this dream still loving me. Never wake up from this,” she whispered before fading again.
Marcus called softly, “Charlie, please come back to me. I'm here, really I am. Baby?”
He was pushed aside by a nurse, who had noticed the increase in Charlie's heart beat.
“Looks like she's coming back to us. You'll have to keep doing what ever it is you're doing. It seems to be working.”
“She talked to me. Said she didn't want to come back.” the nurse could hear the anguish in the man's voice.
“It happens sometimes, but her dreaming is a good thing, suggests that her mind is working well. We'll keep a close eye on her. Now why don't you go and phone her family with the good news while we give Charlie a wash down. You can get something to eat at the same time.” she added as she fixed the bag of fluid that was going into Charlie's arm.
Marcus spent the bare minimum time out of the room. He'd rang Dan and then Melinda, letting them know that Charlie had come round for a couple of seconds before waiting outside the locked doors, waiting to be allowed in. He hadn't eaten. In fact he hadn't eaten properly in days.
He'd only just been let back in when Melinda and Dan turned up. Melinda took one look at the state he was in before ordering him back to the hotel they were all officially staying in to rest, shower and eat, not necessarily in that order.
Marcus wanted to object, wanted to stay close to Charlie, but he knew Melinda was right.
“You are no use to her if you collapse and end up on a different ward. We won't leave her alone. Now shoo,” she said in her fiercest tone.
The nurse tried not to grin, but it was hard. They had all tried to get the giant of a man to leave. Mrs. Waddington was the first one to manage it.
“You sounded just like Charlie,” Dan commented.
“It shows I was trained by the best and I'll take that as a compliment. Thank you. Now shove up and let me sit,” Melinda ordered with a smile on her face. The whole atmosphere seemed lighter now that there was good news.
Dan was still with his sister when she came round for the second time, holding her hand, talking softly about what the children had been up to. Charlie pushed her way through the fog that clouded her mind, trying to find her the path back to her brother, a brother that sounded upset.
“Dan, you OK?” she asked, still attempting to make sense of what he was saying, her brother didn't usually babble like this. “Dan? Melinda, what's wrong with Dan?” she asked her dearest friend.
“We've been worried about you, Charlie. Do you know where you are? Can you remember what happened?” Melinda asked softly as the doctor came up to the.
“I hate hospitals,” Charlie grouched, looking around the room.
“I think that confirms brain function.” the young doctor laughed. “We'll have to run tests tomorrow, but it looks good so far. Can you remember what happened, Miss Appleby?”
“Charlie, please. Miss Appleby always makes me think of his teachers.” she nodded in the direction of Dan, who was crying with relief on Melinda's shoulder.
“I think you should go and wash up, then find Marcus. I think he deserves to be here,” Melinda told him gently.
Dan nodded, before kissing Charlie on the forehead and leaving her to the doctors and nurses. Charlie was arguing that she wanted to sit up. The doctors seemed to be winning Moments later there was a squeal from Charlie. She had tried to move her leg.
“What happened?” She asked as she gritted her teeth against the pain. The doctor was pushing some sort of drug into the tube attached to her arm.
“We were hoping you could tell us, Charlie. What do you remember?” The nurse asked quietly.
“I remember I was heading towards the stage with Marcus. No, that was a dream. Marcus isn't around any more. I'm so confused.” Charlie scrunched up her face, trying to bring to mind any detail about what had happened to her.
“He's been here every day. In fact we've only just thrown him out to get something to eat.” Melinda explained. “It was no dream, Charlie. He's been following you around for the last few days. And he knows about the twins.”
“He's not cross?” Charlie asked in a frail voice.
“Only with the woman who lied to him. Not with you,” Melinda reassured her.
Everyone stepped back as Marcus came into the room at the run. He barrelled though everyone to get to Charlie. Ignoring her objections, he covered her face in kisses. “You are marrying me as soon as you get out of here,” he ordered.
“Was that a proposal, Mr. Blackthorn? Because I don't take orders very well.” Charlie was more amused than anything else. Before she could say much more, her eyes began closing. The morphine was beginning to work.
“It was an order. Charlotta, I can't live without you and I'm not letting you go. Sleep, baby. We'll talk when you wake up again,” Marcus said as he sat down beside Charlie, refusing all requests to let go of her hand.
The change in Charlie's condition led to a lot of other changes as well; for one Charlie was moved out of the Intensive Care Unit and into a normal ward. The nurses got quite used to the sight of one or more famous faces waiting for the doors to open at visiting time. Although Steve had offered to pay for Charlie to be transferred to the local private hospital, she had refused. She was happy where she was. However, she was only to delighted to accept the meals that arrived three times a day from the private chef that normally oversaw the festival kitchens.
Every day someone came in to keep her company while Marcus took the little ones out to play. Other than that, he was by her side, almost frightened to leave her alone. Charlie's fall had made him realise what was truly important in his life. One way or another this lady would be his. He spent the afternoon reading to Charlie, playing back gammon and generally keeping her occupied while her leg slowly mended. The pins sticking through her skin made him feel sick. The thought that those wires led down to her bones was horrific. But like everything else in her life Charlie coped with it. Even when it was obvious that it was hurting her.
The twins were brought in to see their mother every day. Marcus not letting them or her out of his sight. The nurses smiled as the giant of a man was totally wrapped around two sets of sticky fingers.
A gentle knock on the door to her room alerted the occupants to yet more visitors. Poking a head round the corner was Tanya and Sven Lindstrom, Charlie Lindstrom running in to take a flying leap at his Auntie Angel. Charlie managed to just-about move her leg out of the way before it got jumped on. Little Charlie had brought her some drawings, which Charlotta pinned up on her notice board. Sven gave her a quick hug before taking Marcus and the kids off to go and get something to eat, leaving the girls together to gossip.
Tanya pulled up a chair and looked at her friend. This was the woman who had kept her marriage to Sven on track, kept them together when other, more jealous tongues, had tried to pull them apart.
Tanya and Charlotta looked as different as chalk and cheese. One was a tall, blonde, stunning fashion model, who still strode down the world's catwalks as though she owned them. The other was a cuddly brunette that ate too many biscuits to ever be called slim, and the nearest she got to a catwalk was flipping through a fashion magazine that someone had left at the studio. But they were the best of friends. Tanya felt that she would never have been able to repay the debt she owed this woman. Her son had been born ten months after she and Sven had sorted out their problems.
“How are you doing? Driving all the nurses crazy yet?” Tanya asked as she sat down.
“I just want out... being stuck in bed all day is my idea of hell. I've done six months worth of embroidery and tapestries in less than two weeks. Steve won't allow me access to the debrief notes from the festival and I'm not even allowed a laptop to start on next year's lists.”
Tanya burst out laughing. “You do remember that the menfolk have actually been threatened with bodily harm if they let you do anything like that until you get the all clear from the neurologist next week?” she asked and laughed even harder when Charlie stuck out her tongue. “Now never mind work. Tell me about Marcus going all Neanderthal on you. Rumour has it he's asked you to marry him.”
“Well he hasn't, asked I mean. He's demanded and instructed and ordered, but there hasn't been a question at all.” Charlie actually sounded upset about it. “First he dumps me with no reason, humiliates me in front of everyone I know. Refuses to even read my letter. Then he's all over me like a rash. I don't know if I can trust this change of heart.”
“Did you know that Kate had been fired?” Tanya asked. “As soon as he found out she'd lied to him, Marcus tracked her down and had her fired from her job. No one will hire her. She's out of the business. I've never seen him so angry. I was actually frightened for her safety. Sven had to hold him back from killing her. Charlie, I honestly believe he loves you as much as you love him, only after Rachael and all the games she pulled, I don't think he knew how to trust. It wasn't that he just didn't trust you, I don't think he could have trusted anyone. She had so many different affairs in the years they were together; and catching her in bed with some wanna-be was the final straw for him.”
Charlie nodded. She knew all about Rachael McKenna and her tricks. Over the years she'd seen the various boyfriends come and go with that woman.
“What do you think I should do, Tanya? Would you give him a chance?” Charlie asked, the confusion obvious in her voice.
“I'm going to say the same thing to you as you said to me all those years ago. Is that an offer? Cause you don't seem the sort to share to me,” Tanya grinned. It had been that honest piece of wisdom that made her stop and think when she had been fighting the problems in her own marriage.
Charlie laughed at the reply. It had been the thought of someone else getting their claws into Sven that had made Tanya rethink everything about her life.
“I want to give him a chance,” she said honestly.
“Then do it. Give him a chance. You don't have to say yes to him; just give him a chance to prove himself. He's been devoted to you while you've been in here. He's proved himself to Dan and the boys. Steve is even being polite and Sven hasn't threatened him in days.”
Charlie looked at Tanya in disbelief.
“Really,” Tanya reassured her.
Charlie looked at Tanya. “You're right. A chance, I should give him a chance.”
Tanya nodded. “You love him and it's been obvious to all of us, including Sven, that he loves you. If you want my honest opinion I think you'd regret it forever if you didn't. How would you feel if you saw him with another woman after everything you've gone through over the last few weeks?”
“That was a mean question, Tanya. Really really mean. But perfect. You're right; after everything that's happened it would kill me if he walked off, or even worse if I sent him away and he found someone else. I'll go for it.”
Tanya grinned as though she'd won the lottery. Her friend deserved to be happy.
The two women continued to chat about everything and nothing until the men came back, leading the children in a conga as they did so. Raven and Sable being carried high on shoulders, laughing their heads off.
Charlie smiled at the sight, then glanced up at Tanya and nodded. She would give the man his chance.
Epilogue
Green Satin accepted the roar of applause from the huge crowd at Rockfest. It had been a brilliant year. Charlie had been back in charge of everything again. It had been a year since her horrific accident, a year that had resulted in them getting a Gold disc in the States. Charlie had been the first one they’d called. Well Aunty Angel deserved to get the good news.
“Good evening, Rockfest. Have you had a good time?” Mike Goodwin asked.
The roar from the crowd was immense. It sounded like jet engines taking off.
“Last year you didn't have the super-group come on. And the bands didn't get pranked by the back room girls. For which I for one, was grateful. Well this year we have the super-group. On bases, we have from Dark Star Rick Melby; From Hell's Light Jon Wilson and our own Simon Le Crus. On drums, Gary Ashward, Susan Lightfoot and our own Mike Carson. And Singing, give me a cheer for Dave Burnside on Tenor, Marcus Blackthorn, on Baritone and me, Mike Goodwin.”
It was a super group as well. Three of the biggest groups in rock on one stage.
Marcus started the opening lyrics of Rebel Yell.
As he sang “last night a little dancer” The girls that normally worked behind the scenes came on dressed as saloon girls, complete with high heeled cowboy boots and corsets. Marcus nearly stopped singing as Charlie came out with the rest of them.
They danced and sang through the last few numbers before they all took the last bow..
“Hope you've enjoyed the show, folks. Now a huge round of applause for our dancing girls.
My girlfriend Sara,” cat calls and whistles for one of the world's top cover girls.
“Dave Burnside's lovely lady, Marie,”there was a roar as Marie took a bow and got a kiss from the lead singer of Dark Star.
“And our heroine Charlie Appleby, Queen of the festival. The wonderful woman who looks after us all so all we have to do is sing for you.”
Marcus picked up his mike, “You've got the name wrong, Dave. This wonderful lady,” he said pulling Charlie in for a hug. “Is Charlotta Blackthorn. My wife.” And he kissed her deeply. In front of the hundred thousand people in the crowd.
There were screams and shouts from the band as his words sank in. Marcus and Charlie had slipped off and got married during the festival without telling anyone. The girls crowded round Charlie to look at the ring that adorned her hand. Black diamonds in platinum. They were still celebrating when Aiden and Jesse came on stage with a huge bouquet of flowers for Charlie. Closely followed by Steve pushing one of the trolleys that Charlie used for the bands. This one had a huge banner on it: wishing them both good luck and was filled with champagne and glasses.
Officially Matt, Aiden, Jesse and Dan had been the only ones that had known what was going on. The six of them had escaped from the site earlier that day, an appointment with the local registry office having been made weeks before. With Dan giving her away and Jesse as Best man, the most important people in Charlie's life had watched her take her vows. Steve and Melinda had slipped into the back of the office as Charlie had made her way to her soul mate.
With the audience shouting for more, Charlie and Marcus led the gang backstage to continue the party. Marcus wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close. Ele brought their children in and he felt the tears pricking his eyes. He had everything he could ever have dreamed of.
Steve handed over his gift to the couple. A portrait of the four of them. It was then that Charlie burst into tears. All she had ever wanted was a picture of her children in their father's arms. She had it and all her dreams as well.
Story Notes:
A short story I wrote for a competition. It got nowhere, but I was proud of it...
It came second. I have just found out
It came second. I have just found out
Author's Chapter Notes:
Heartbreak and Redemption
Chapter End Notes:
Let me know what you think please