Post by onyxfyrefly on Mar 4, 2012 14:51:52 GMT -5
I've been feeling inspired lately and this little story has been keeping me up at night. Don't worry, I'm not giving up on 'Shall We Dance?' I just had to get this one started so I can sleep. I hope you enjoy and don't forget that reviews make the world go 'round!
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The lads were rolling through Texas on their way to Houston for the last show of the tour before the break. Neil was curled up on one of the couches attempting to read while Paul chattered in the background. Dominique was going to meet them after the show then they were flying to Ireland together for the break and the tenor hadn’t stopped talking for the past hour.
“Neil, you have to meet her!” exclaimed Paul.
“Who is this girl again?” the guitarist asked while looking up from his book. He hadn’t been paying much attention to Paul’s words but had caught something about a girl.
“She’s a friend of Dom’s. I think she’s a nurse or something. She used to work at the hospital in New York where Dom volunteers.”
“And why do I have too meet her?”
“Because Dom said she’d be perfect for you! She’s going to be at the next show, it won’t kill you to meet her.”
Neil let out a sigh of defeat and shook his head. “Fine, I’ll meet her if you’ll please stop talking, I’ve got a headache.” A headache was an understatement, Neil was pretty sure that his head was about to crack open and his vision was beginning to blur with the pain.
Paul studied the young man for a moment and realized how ill he looked. Neil had been fighting off a cold for days but it seemed to have progressed into something worse. His face was flushed and his movements spoke of aches that he couldn’t soothe.
The Texas heat was brutal and the guys had the air conditioner on full blast but Neil looked like he was freezing. He was bundled up in a sweatshirt and had a blanket spread across his legs.
“Are you alright, mate? You don’t look well.”
Neil started to speak but was caught up in a fit of coughing that made his eyes water. After catching his breath he glanced up at his band mate. “I’m fine, just a cold. I’ll be better after I get some sleep.”
Paul nodded and watched as Neil made his way towards the bunks. He hoped that he would be well enough to perform the next day. Neil was always there to back them up but they didn’t have anyone who could back Neil up. With a sigh he decided to call Dom and ask her more about this mystery girl.
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Neil’s cold wasn’t gone the next day, in fact it was worse. He spent as much time as he could holed up in the dressing room, drinking tea and praying for a miracle. He had to go on tonight, he couldn’t let the fans down.
After sound check Sharon cornered him and studied him for a long time. “Are you sure you can go on?” she asked. Neil looked terrible. His already light skin was extremely pale and his cheeks were flushed. His eyes were bright with fever and he wheezed with every breath he took.
“I’ll be fine, Sharon,” Neil insisted.
“I’ll get one of the guys to get you a stool so you can rest between performances.” Neil nodded and prayed that he would make it through the show.
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Dominique pulled a dark haired young woman behind her as they made their way to the seats. “You’re going to love the show, Mercy! Paul said it’s full of the music they sang growing up and you’ll get to hear Neil sing a few numbers too.”
Mercy rolled her green eyes as she settled into her seat. “What’s so special about Neil anyway? You keep telling me that I have to meet him but all that I know about him is that he’s a musician.”
“You’ll just have to meet him to understand. He’s a great guy.”
“Whatever you say,” replied the young woman as the lights dimmed.
Mercy was surprised that she enjoyed the show so much. Dom had pointed out Neil when the lights came up and she was impressed when he switched from drums to the guitar and she was even more impressed when he sang.
As she watched the show her eyes kept drifting over to the young man and her trained eye began to pick up on things that the other fans probably didn’t notice. The young man was very ill and was trying his best to hide it. Mercy could see the flush of fever on his cheeks and noticed the way that he shifted in order to chase away the aches and pains. Even when he sang she could hear how he struggled for a breath and she hoped he was alright.
Pulling her attention away she watched as Dominique’s face lit up when Paul stepped onto the stage and let herself get lost in the music once more.
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The lads were rolling through Texas on their way to Houston for the last show of the tour before the break. Neil was curled up on one of the couches attempting to read while Paul chattered in the background. Dominique was going to meet them after the show then they were flying to Ireland together for the break and the tenor hadn’t stopped talking for the past hour.
“Neil, you have to meet her!” exclaimed Paul.
“Who is this girl again?” the guitarist asked while looking up from his book. He hadn’t been paying much attention to Paul’s words but had caught something about a girl.
“She’s a friend of Dom’s. I think she’s a nurse or something. She used to work at the hospital in New York where Dom volunteers.”
“And why do I have too meet her?”
“Because Dom said she’d be perfect for you! She’s going to be at the next show, it won’t kill you to meet her.”
Neil let out a sigh of defeat and shook his head. “Fine, I’ll meet her if you’ll please stop talking, I’ve got a headache.” A headache was an understatement, Neil was pretty sure that his head was about to crack open and his vision was beginning to blur with the pain.
Paul studied the young man for a moment and realized how ill he looked. Neil had been fighting off a cold for days but it seemed to have progressed into something worse. His face was flushed and his movements spoke of aches that he couldn’t soothe.
The Texas heat was brutal and the guys had the air conditioner on full blast but Neil looked like he was freezing. He was bundled up in a sweatshirt and had a blanket spread across his legs.
“Are you alright, mate? You don’t look well.”
Neil started to speak but was caught up in a fit of coughing that made his eyes water. After catching his breath he glanced up at his band mate. “I’m fine, just a cold. I’ll be better after I get some sleep.”
Paul nodded and watched as Neil made his way towards the bunks. He hoped that he would be well enough to perform the next day. Neil was always there to back them up but they didn’t have anyone who could back Neil up. With a sigh he decided to call Dom and ask her more about this mystery girl.
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Neil’s cold wasn’t gone the next day, in fact it was worse. He spent as much time as he could holed up in the dressing room, drinking tea and praying for a miracle. He had to go on tonight, he couldn’t let the fans down.
After sound check Sharon cornered him and studied him for a long time. “Are you sure you can go on?” she asked. Neil looked terrible. His already light skin was extremely pale and his cheeks were flushed. His eyes were bright with fever and he wheezed with every breath he took.
“I’ll be fine, Sharon,” Neil insisted.
“I’ll get one of the guys to get you a stool so you can rest between performances.” Neil nodded and prayed that he would make it through the show.
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Dominique pulled a dark haired young woman behind her as they made their way to the seats. “You’re going to love the show, Mercy! Paul said it’s full of the music they sang growing up and you’ll get to hear Neil sing a few numbers too.”
Mercy rolled her green eyes as she settled into her seat. “What’s so special about Neil anyway? You keep telling me that I have to meet him but all that I know about him is that he’s a musician.”
“You’ll just have to meet him to understand. He’s a great guy.”
“Whatever you say,” replied the young woman as the lights dimmed.
Mercy was surprised that she enjoyed the show so much. Dom had pointed out Neil when the lights came up and she was impressed when he switched from drums to the guitar and she was even more impressed when he sang.
As she watched the show her eyes kept drifting over to the young man and her trained eye began to pick up on things that the other fans probably didn’t notice. The young man was very ill and was trying his best to hide it. Mercy could see the flush of fever on his cheeks and noticed the way that he shifted in order to chase away the aches and pains. Even when he sang she could hear how he struggled for a breath and she hoped he was alright.
Pulling her attention away she watched as Dominique’s face lit up when Paul stepped onto the stage and let herself get lost in the music once more.