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Post by onyxfyrefly on Apr 29, 2013 7:58:27 GMT -5
Andy reached over and turned off her alarm clock before laying back against the pillows. Today Keith’s album dropped in Canada and she would have a ton of work to do but she couldn’t make herself get out of bed. Each day was harder and harder for her and in the stillness of the early morning she allowed her thoughts to wander.
She was regretting her decision of ever becoming Keith’s personal assistant more and more each day. There were times he was so demanding, giving her requests that he knew were impossible then chastising her when she couldn’t manage the task. If he wasn’t making audacious requests he was ignoring her and asking others to do things for him which made her feel useless.
She knew that he was under a lot of pressure because of the new album dropping but that’s what she was there for. She would move the world for him if he would just let her.
All of the stress had taken a serious toll on their personal relationship as well. They had their good days and their bad days but as of late the bad days outnumbered the good. There had been too many fights, too many doors slamming, and too many harsh words to count. Andy refused to acknowledge the voice in her head that was telling her that her relationship with Keith was coming to its end.
The only thing that kept her sane through the past few months was Colm. They had quickly formed a connection in Atlantic City that had grown over time into a strong friendship. He had become her confidant, the one she could turn to when life became too rough.
More than once she had called him in the wee hours of the morning when she and Keith had fought. Even though an ocean separated them he gave her the comfort that she craved.
Sadly he had also been the subject of some of her most vicious arguments with Keith. She knew the blonde was jealous of her relationship with Colm but refused to admit it. Instead he turned his anger towards her work which hurt more than if he would have accused her of infidelity.
Knowing that she couldn’t waste any more time, Andy started to get ready for her day and prayed that the album release went well.
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“Congratulations, Andrea!” Sharon exclaimed as Andy entered her office. The young woman gave her a puzzled look as she sat down. As far as she knew she hadn’t done anything worth celebrating about lately.
“Can you do me a favor, my dear?”
“Of course.” Andy pulled up a new document on her tablet while waiting for Sharon to continue.
“Can you call around the local bakeries and see if we can get a cake made that looks like one of Keith’s McPhearson’s?”
Typing up the request Andy’s frown deepened. “Of course, when do you need it by?”
“Tonight. The sooner the better.”
Andy wondered why Sharon hadn’t asked her to do this earlier. If they were going to have a release party for Keith then this should have been planned weeks ago. She said as much and Sharon nodded.
“Normally I would agree and I wasn’t planning on having a release party but I wasn’t planning on Keith’s album going straight to number one on the Canadian charts either.”
The tablet nearly slipped out of Andy’s hands. “It’s number one?”
“Yes, that’s why I was congratulating you.” Sharon studied the young woman for a long moment before leaning forward in her chair. “You didn’t know?” Andy shook her head. “Keith didn’t tell you?”
Finally the young woman recovered and forced a smile. “I’ve been buried under paperwork all day. I’m sure he was going to tell me as soon as he tracked me down.” She quickly stood and gathered her things. “Anything else you need me to pick up?”
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Post by celticbear on Apr 29, 2013 8:26:07 GMT -5
Poor Andy! As much as I Love Keith, he really has blown it with Andy! He's left the door Wide Open For Colm!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2013 10:27:22 GMT -5
yay for Keith but ya Celticbear is right he is blowing her away and colm is going to be the twister and sweep her away
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Apr 29, 2013 13:04:37 GMT -5
Andy tried to make herself as scarce as possible that day. In reality she did have a lot of work to do and used that as her excuse. She only ventured from her office when absolutely necessary and unfortunately Sharon wanted to her to be there when the album was showcased.
She slipped into the back and watched as Keith and Sharon bustled around near the stage. The rest of the cast and crew were scattered throughout the seats but Andy couldn’t make herself join them. Across the room Colm caught her eye and patted the seat next to him but she shook her head.
Against her will she winced when the music poured through the main sound system. She should be proud; it wasn’t often that her clients had such success with their first album and she knew how much hard work Keith had put into this venture but no matter how hard she tried she just couldn’t find the energy.
Andy stayed for a couple of songs but each note was more painful than the last. Finally she couldn’t take it anymore and slipped away. As she walked out of the venue she didn’t notice the pair of ice blue eyes that followed her.
Keith didn’t even seem to notice that Andy wasn’t there and it took everything that Colm had not to grab him by the shoulders and shake him. Instead the singer kept his mouth shut and sent Andy a battery of texts to make sure that she was alright.
“Where’s Andy?” Colm asked Keith after they finished playing his album.
The blonde glanced around then shrugged. “I guess she’s working.” He went back to checking something on his phone and Colm shook his head, walking away before he did something stupid.
Andy was forced to come out of her seclusion once more when they surprised Keith with his cake. Standing in the back with the crew she listened to all of the speeches made in Keith’s honor.
With a smile Keith raised his glass. “I would like to propose a toast to the person that made this all possible. From day one she’s believed in me and without her I would never have made it this far. To my brilliant producer, Sharon Browne!” Andy raised her glass with a shaking hand and choked down the champagne after the toast was made.
With cheers still ringing the air she turned on her heel and ran, she had to get away. She didn’t care where she was going but she knew she had to get out of there before she made a scene. Her head was spinning and she couldn’t breathe. Vaguely she realized that she was probably having a panic attack but she couldn’t make herself care.
Colm waited until he knew he wouldn’t be missed then went searching for Andy. He sent her a text but wasn’t too surprised when he didn’t get a reply. Finally he called her and his stomach dropped when the phone rang and rang before going to voicemail. She always answered her phone no matter what.
“Andy?” he called as he rushed through the maze of hallways backstage. “Andy, come on, it’s me. Where are you?”
Finally he turned a corner and stopped short. At the end of the hallway was a huddled mass that he easily identified as Andy. Slowly he approached and his chest tightened when he heard the ragged sobs that echoed down the corridor.
Kneeling down next to her Colm placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. Andy covered her face with her hands as another sob escaped her throat. Slowly Colm pulled her into his arms and she willingly leaned into the embrace.
He rubbed slow circles on her back and felt her tears soak through the material of his shirt. He didn’t speak, he waited until Andy was ready.
“It’s over, Colm.”
The words shocked him but he stayed quiet.
“He doesn’t love me anymore.”
“Are you sure?”
Andy nodded and wiped her tears with her sleeve. “I’m sure. It’s been coming for a long time but I just didn’t want to admit it.”
“Tell me about it.”
Slowly and haltingly Andy told Colm the story of their relationship starting the night that Keith took care of her when she was sick to the events of today. “He didn’t even mention me in that stupid speech, it’s like Sharon did all of the work and all I did was sit around and look pretty.”
“That’s not true. I’ve never met anyone who worked so hard.”
Andy’s voice caught as she struggled to keep her emotions in check. “It’s all my fault. I worked too much, I pushed him away…”
“No,” Colm interrupted. He took her face in his hands and brushed the lingering tears away. “He’s the one that made the mistakes. He should have been supporting you the way you’ve always supported him.”
“But it was my job…”
Again Colm cut her off. “Yes, as his assistant you were paid to support him. But in the relationship you were supposed to support each other and as far as I can tell it’s always been always pretty one-sided.”
“What do you mean?”
“You were willing to move the world for him no matter what and he rarely did anything just for you. He wouldn’t even give you a tour around Dublin even though he had plenty of free time.” Andy closed her eyes at the memory. During the rehearsals and filming of ‘Mythology’ Keith had promised to give her a tour of the city but kept finding excuses to cancel. Eventually Colm had stepped in and given her a fantastic tour. She and Keith had screamed at each other for hours after that.
“It wasn’t always like this. He used to give me flowers and bring me lunch at the office when I was busy and…”
She couldn’t continue, every memory made her heart ache. She leaned against Colm’s chest and sighed. “What am I going to do?”
“Are you happy?”
Andy fell silent for a long time and when she spoke her voice was almost a whisper. “No.”
“You deserve to be happy. If being with Keith makes you happy then be with him but if you’re not happy then it’s time to walk away.”
Against her will Andy started to cry again. “Keith made me so happy…I don’t know if I’ll ever be happy without him.”
Colm pulled her closer. “Yes you will. It’ll hurt and you will mourn but you’ll be happy again. You’re a strong woman, Andy, and I know you’ll get through this. Just remember that you don’t have to go through this alone. You’re surrounded by people who care about you. Never forget that.”
The young woman didn’t reply she just closed her eyes and poured out her sorrow.
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Post by celticbear on Apr 29, 2013 16:20:59 GMT -5
I'm so mad at my Favorite right now! The end of Keith and Andy! Hello to Colm and Andy! Keith has only himself to blame for blowing it with Andy! I just hope in time Andy and Keith can be friends!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2013 17:16:38 GMT -5
aww andy *hugs* Keith u nut... *smacks his head* sry... he is such a meanie to her in this >_< Colm is the Superhero and now Keith is the villain
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Apr 30, 2013 8:49:03 GMT -5
The next morning Andy broke up with Keith. The blonde was floored, he had no idea where this was suddenly coming from. Yes, he knew that there had been some rough patches but he had no idea that she was so unhappy.
Without shedding a single tear Andy laid out her points in the same calm, measured tone that she used during a board meeting. She agreed to continue to act as his assistant until the end of the tour and by the time she left Keith couldn’t even speak. He sat in shock for a long time before hurling the lamp at his bedside against the wall.
After speaking with Keith Andy disappeared. No one had seen her for hours and her phone was turned off. Colm wandered around St. John’s wondering where she could have gone. On a whim he turned and began the steep climb up Signal Hill which had become one of her favorite running paths.
Colm let out a sigh of relief when he saw Andy sitting at the top. She was bundled up in a huge sweatshirt and jeans, the wind had blown her hair loose and it whipped around her face but it didn’t seem like she noticed.
Colm sat down next to her but she didn’t even seem to acknowledge him. She looked absolutely exhausted, he doubted that she had slept much the night before, but he was also worried because she seemed completely unaware of anything surrounding her.
Nearly an hour passed before she finally spoke. “What are you doing today?”
The question caught him off guard. “We have the final dress rehearsal this afternoon but nothing after that. Why?”
“Because I need to be drunk and drinking alone is too pathetic even for me.”
Colm chuckled. “It’s ten in the morning.”
“So?”
“Why do you need to be drunk?”
“Because I don’t want to feel anything.”
“Andy, don’t talk like that.”
Ignoring Colm she continued. “Last night I was in denial, this morning I was numb but now the pain is coming back. I don’t want to deal with it. I can’t deal with it.”
Colm wrapped his arm around her shoulders and Andy leaned against him. He knew she was hurting and his heart went out to her. He hated that this strong, confident woman had been reduced to this and wondered what he could do. An idea hit him and he stood, holding out a hand to help Andy to her feet.
“Come on.”
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
He kept a steady arm around her shoulders as they made their way back to the hotel. Pausing in front of her door Colm brushed her windblown hair away from her face. “I’ll be right back.” Andy watched as he rushed down the hallway and shook her head before letting herself into her room.
The door had barely closed behind her when a knock made her jump. She looked through the peephole and felt her stomach drop when she saw Keith standing there. Part of her wanted to throw open the door and fall into his arms while apologizing for everything but the other part made her turn away and ignore the incessant knocking.
“Andy come on. I know you’re in there. Open the door.”
“Go away, Keith.”
“We need to talk and you know it.”
“I have nothing to say to you.”
“Really? You had plenty to say this morning.”
“I said go away!”
“Is that the way it’s going to be then? You just decide out of the blue that this relationship is over and I have no say in it?”
Andy stomped over to the door and practically hissed when she spoke. “Keith Harkin I do not want to see you, I do not want to talk to you and if you don’t leave I’m going to call security.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Try me,” she growled.
“Andy please just talk to me. I know we can work this out. Please…” Keith’s voice was soft and sounded broken almost as if he was on the verge of tears.
The young woman didn’t trust herself to speak and she prayed that he would just go away. With every word her heart broke into another tiny piece and she feared at this rate that she wouldn’t have anything left.
Eventually she heard Keith shuffle off and she stood at the door for several long minutes practically shaking in with emotion.
Another knock at her door made her yelp in surprise. “Andy? It’s me.”
Colm’s voice made her let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding as she unlocked the door. Seeing the look on her face Colm frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“Keith was here and he said…” Her voice started to tremble as she fought to keep her emotions in check.
The singer stopped her. “Forget about what he said. I have something that will cheer you up.” He slipped into the room and against her will Andy smiled. In one hand Colm held a bottle of vodka and in the other was the biggest ice cream sundae that she had ever seen.
“Where on earth did you get that?”
Colm placed the melting treat on the table and grinned. “Apparently having an accent and bright blue eyes works wonders on the kitchen staff.”
Several hours, one massive sundae, and half a bottle of vodka later Colm was carefully lifting Andy from her slumped position at the table and helping her into bed.
The young woman had poured out all of her feelings in between bites of ice cream and sticky toppings. When the bowl was empty she eyed the vodka until Colm ducked into the bathroom and returned with two plastic cups. Each shot brought another outpouring of emotion and eventually the young woman had nothing else left. She was completely drained and couldn’t fight off the effects of her sleepless night and the alcohol.
“I’m sorry to dump all of this on you,” she mumbled as Colm tucked the blankets around her.
“Not a problem. You shouldn’t have to go through this alone.”
“Thank you.”
Colm smoothed her hair back and smiled. “You’re welcome. Now are you sure you’re okay?”
Andy nodded. “I’m going to hate the world in a few hours but right now I don’t care. How are you?”
Colm chuckled and slowly stood. “I have a feeling that rehearsal is going to be a little rough but I’ll survive.” Andy gave him a sleepy smile but it was obvious that she was quickly losing the battle with her exhaustion. “I’ll come by and check on you later. Call me if you need anything.”
“Don’t go.”
The words were whispered so quietly that Colm almost missed them. “What?”
“Can you stay for a little while?” Checking his watch Colm tried to calculate through the haze of alcohol how much time he had before rehearsals and realized at this rate he was going to be late.
“Andy, I have to get to rehearsal.”
“Please,” the young woman begged as tears gathered in her eyes. “Just a few more minutes?” Colm brought her a measure of peace and she panicked when she thought about having to do without that feeling.
“Hey now…no more tears. I’ll stay.”
Sitting down next to her Colm brushed her tears away then slowly carded his fingers through her hair. Andy reached out and gently grasped his free hand, using him as a lifeline as she fought her internal war.
“I’m sorry…” she whispered.
“Shhh…there’s nothing to be sorry about.”
“It hurts.” A whimper left her mouth as her eyes closed in pain.
“I know. But it’ll fade, I promise. Just clear your head and try to relax. I’m here and you’re safe.”
Eventually the grip on his hand loosened as she succumbed to sleep. Colm watched her for another few moments before pressing a kiss to her cheek then heading towards his room to get cleaned up. He knew Sharon was going to murder him for coming to rehearsals in his current state but at the moment he couldn’t make himself care.
He was worried about Andy. This break up was hitting her hard and it was obvious that she didn’t know how to cope with the pain. Colm had indulged her today but eventually she would have to face her demons. Tomorrow night was the first show of the tour and somehow Andy would have to find a way to make it through the next four months. Not only would she have to still see Keith everyday but she was still his assistant and would be working closely with him throughout the entire tour.
Unlocking the door to his room Colm paused. Andy was going to need a lot of help over the next few weeks and he was determined to bring back the smiling young woman that he had first met in Atlantic City.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2013 9:51:37 GMT -5
oh wow what an update loving it! idk but i just saw that in my head of Keith throwing the lamp whoa... and i'd be the same to him if he tried to come back i'd be like nope... three strikes your out! and Colm is being such a sweetheart i luv him more please kind sir like from the movie ya know...
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Post by celticbear on Apr 30, 2013 18:11:53 GMT -5
Well! My Fav! Really Blew It! But I'm Glad Andy Has Colm in her Corner! It's going to be a rough Tour!
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Post by HburgEagle44 on Apr 30, 2013 19:12:18 GMT -5
Wow, intense... thank goodness for Colm but yeah, Sharon's going to kill him. Update soon, please.
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Post by onyxfyrefly on May 1, 2013 8:10:21 GMT -5
Over the course of the tour Keith was forced to watch the relationship between Andy and Colm shift and grow. At first the changes were subtle; Andy would spend all night in the back of the bus watching movies with Colm or the two would disappear for hours exploring the new cities they visited. The two were best friends so it was natural that they would spend a lot of their time together.
What had started off as a friendship slowly blossomed into something more. The whispered endearments, their linked hands under the table during meals, the stolen kisses were seen as sweet to everyone except Keith. Seeing the couple every day was a constant reminder of the mistakes that he had made.
Part of him wanted to grovel, to hit his knees and beg Andy for forgiveness but she had made it perfectly clear where they stood. Their relationship was purely professional and even though Keith wished things could change it was obvious that Andy was moving on with her life.
By the time that the tour ended Andy had agreed to spend Christmas in Dublin with Colm and it was obvious that they were madly in love. Everyone’s speculations were confirmed when Colm sank to one knee during the after party of their Australian tour and asked Andy to be his wife.
What was strange was that Keith wasn’t jealous. Well that wasn’t exactly true. At first Keith had been so jealous of the relationship that he could barely see straight. Each day it was a battle to just get out of bed and walking onto stage each night with Colm was almost too much to bear. But when he saw how happy Andy was with Colm some the jealousy began to fade. She deserved to be happy and it was obvious that he couldn’t bring her that kind of happiness.
That’s why Keith had reluctantly replied to the invitation to the wedding and pretended that his heart wasn’t breaking all over again when he watched the only woman he ever loved marry his band mate.
Tossing back the rest of his beer Keith watched as the world tilted sideways for a moment before righting itself. Slowly he stood, holding onto the back of his chair for support until his legs decided to start working.
Andy was getting ready to throw the bouquet and with everyone’s attention on her Keith knew he could slip away unnoticed. He patted his pockets to make sure that he had his car keys before staggering towards the door, weaving slowly through the maze of chairs that stood in his way.
Pausing at the door Keith blinked back tears as Colm pulled Andy into his arms once more as the final song of the night began to play. “Goodbye, Andy,” he whispered before heading into the parking lot.
THE END
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mkk59
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Post by mkk59 on May 1, 2013 8:47:19 GMT -5
Beautiful story Onyx! Absolutely stunning words! Great job! Love it!!
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Post by meg_cahill21 on May 1, 2013 12:42:06 GMT -5
so sad....poor keith...loved this!!! great job as usual!!!
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Post by celticbear on May 1, 2013 12:57:49 GMT -5
Well done Onyx! Glad in the end Keith was no longer Jealous of Colm and Andy! I always knew you could write a great Keith story!
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Post by onyxfyrefly on May 1, 2013 13:08:18 GMT -5
Epilogue
Two Years Later…
“There you are,” said Colm.
Andy looked up and smiled then patted the bench next to her. “I had to get away for a bit and clear my head, you know?”
Colm nodded and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He glanced around and smiled slightly as the sun’s last rays cast their glow over their backyard garden.
After their wedding Andy had moved to Ireland and they’d purchased a small house in county Wicklow. On top of her multitude of other skills Andy also had a green thumb and despite Ireland’s temperamental weather she managed to keep their gardens full of brilliant blossoms.
Reaching down Colm gently touched the petals of a miniature rose. “I see these finally decided to bloom.”
Andy nodded. “They took their time.” She paused and swallowed hard. “I planted them for him.”
Holding his wife tighter Colm let out a slow breath. “I know.”
Closing her eyes, Andy let her head rest on his shoulder. “I miss him.”
“I miss him too.”
The morning after their wedding the two had been awakened by an incessant knocking at their door. They were shocked to see Neil standing on their doorstep with red-rimmed eyes and practically shaking. When he told them about the accident Andy nearly fainted, her legs gave out and Colm’s strong grip was the only thing keeping her from hitting the ground.
For months Andy had been inconsolable. She blamed herself and nothing that Colm said or did could free her of her grief. For a time Colm wondered if he was going to lose his wife to the darkness. He stayed at her side no matter what, even when she cried and screamed for him to leave her alone. Each night he prayed that his love was strong enough to help her through this tragedy.
Eventually the pain lessened and in the end Andy realized that she couldn’t punish herself forever. She knew she would never completely get over Keith’s death but she had to move on with her life. Keith would want her to be happy, that’s all he ever wanted for her. That knowledge was what gave her the strength to finally put her demons to rest.
“Did he finally get to sleep?”
Colm’s voice snapped her out of her musings. Andy glanced down at the infant in her arms and smiled. “Finally.”
When Andy had discovered that she was expecting she asked for another huge favor from Colm and to her surprise he agreed without argument. Keith Nathan Keegan had been born a mere four months ago on a bitter winter’s day and the new arrival chased away any lingering darkness surrounding Andy’s heart.
Turning her eyes to the sky Andy felt a peace surround her and knew that her heart was finally whole again. She had a wonderful man at her side, a beautiful child in her arms, and a very stubborn angel watching over her.
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