|
Post by celticbear on Feb 11, 2014 19:03:12 GMT -5
Bravo Onyx! Great story! Loved the slagging between Keith and Freddie! Her and Dave make a great couple! Now was this truly the end of the story? Because I would love to know if Neil and Nicole truly got back together!
|
|
|
Post by HburgEagle44 on Feb 12, 2014 13:06:29 GMT -5
Wow, that was so perfect. The song was a great way to tie the story together and the ending was just beautiful. You really outdid yourself this time. Again.
|
|
|
Post by onyxfyrefly on Feb 12, 2014 20:37:27 GMT -5
Epilogue
The next eighteen months absolutely flew by for Freddie. After spending the holidays with her family she had started to work on making her dream a reality. Her brother, Roberto, was instrumental in this process and she knew that without his help the studio would have never gotten off the ground.
Roberto worked in finance and knew some of the biggest names on Wall Street. After pitching Freddie’s idea to a few investors and having them attend one of her shows there was a line of people willing to fund her project.
At first Freddie had wanted her studio to be in Manhattan but both Roberto and his wife, Kelly, insisted that she look elsewhere. After several long weeks of searching they found the perfect location in Brooklyn. The neighborhood was a little quirky and full of artists and musicians which was exactly the environment she was searching for. To add to the ideal situation, the studio was located only a few blocks from Freddie’s new apartment.
On July first ‘Foundations’ opened its doors and was an instant success. Freddie’s sister-in-law was an award winning pianist and used her contacts to bring business to the studio. The mission of ‘Foundations’ was described in its very name. People could come and take piano, guitar, and singing lessons from some of the best teachers that Freddie had ever worked with. There was also an area where people could work on their song-writing skills and each week there were workshops so people could come and bounce ideas off of each other.
All ages were welcome as were all social classes. Roberto set up a scholarship program to help people who wanted to attend but couldn’t afford it and they created a sliding scale system so people who wanted to use the studio only paid what they could afford. Freddie wanted to make the studio accessible to everyone and within six months she had to double her staff and was constantly working to think up new ideas.
Her greatest supporters came from Celtic Thunder and their fiercely passionate fan base. Before ‘Foundations’ even opened its doors the cast members were promoting it and ever instrument case bore a sticker with the studio’s logo on it. Whenever one or more of the lads were in town they would stop by and record a live session with Freddie to post online.
Aside from the scholarship program, ‘Foundations’ also supported a local charity called ‘Stand Up!’ which was an anti-bullying campaign. Freddie was the charity’s most active local supporter and no one was surprised when Neil became a passionate advocate as well.
Once more they looked to the Celtic Thunder fans for assistance and the fans did not disappoint. When the group held a digital fundraiser for the charity the proceeds raised quickly hit the five digit mark.
‘Foundations’ had only been open for a year when Freddie made the decision to convert the top floor of the building into a recording studio and people jumped at the opportunity. For a fraction of the typical fee, people could come in and record anything from music demos to commercials and everything in between.
Despite her success, Freddie was absolutely floored when Keith called and asked if he could record a song for his upcoming album at her studio. The young woman readily agreed and was shocked once more when he asked to record ‘Sticks and Stones’. He wanted her to play the guitar with a few other local musicians to round out the sound and wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.
Keith was full of surprises and brought Freddie to tears when he bought the rights to the song for a ridiculous sum. The young woman steadily refused the money but Keith was persistent and wouldn’t accept her refusal. Finally she agreed but only under the condition that the bulk of the money would go towards the ‘Stand Up!’ charity.
On a very rainy afternoon Keith, Freddie, Kelly, and a local drummer stepped into the studio to record ‘Sticks and Stones’. Dave sat in the booth and gave them a thumbs up through the glass. Despite only running through the song a time or two prior to recording, the group managed to record the song in a mere three takes.
A few weeks later Keith called Freddie and was practically screaming in excitement. ‘Sticks and Stones’ had gone to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. It was Keith’s first number one record that wasn’t under the umbrella of an ‘International’ artist and it launched his career to the moon. He gave Freddie every ounce of the credit and her reputation grew so quickly that she had to open not one but two more locations just to keep up with the demand for her services.
To add to the excitement ‘Sticks and Stones’ had been used on the soundtrack for a big-budget Hollywood movie and Keith had only allowed the song to be used if the credit and half of the proceeds went to Freddie and ‘Foundations’. It was a surreal experience to walk down the red carpet of a major motion picture with Dave and Keith. Freddie felt like a princess and kept asking Dave to pinch her because she was positive that she was dreaming.
Freddie’s dreams were finally coming true and her constant companion for the journey was Dave. Whenever he was home from touring he was spending time with her at the studio or at her apartment. The musician offered an unique perspective and time and again Freddie told him that she didn’t know what she would do without him. More than once he taught the weekend workshops and was more than happy to help out with the classes when they were short on staff.
On the eve of the grand opening of her third studio Dave had asked Freddie to move in with him and she agreed by knocking him over and kissing him senseless. No matter how crazy their schedules were the two always made time for each other and it was easy to see that they were madly in love. They found a place of their own near Freddie’s second studio and her mother had cried in happiness when Freddie called with the news.
Finally, after an insane year and a half Freddie had decided to do a showcase to show off the talents of those who used her studios. There were singers, dancers, actors, and musicians whose talents ran the gambit. She couldn’t be more proud and couldn’t wait to show off the incredible skills of her patrons.
“Nervous?” Dave’s voice behind Freddie made her jump and she turned in his embrace.
“No, I’m more excited than nervous. I can’t wait for people to see what an awesome job I have.”
Dave chuckled and nuzzled her neck. “Are you all packed?”
Freddie nodded. “Yep. There will be a taxi here to pick us up at eleven so please don’t let me chit chat too long after the show.”
“What am I? Your assistant?”
“Pretty much.”
Freddie and Dave were both performing in the showcase then jumping on a plane as soon as the show was over to fly to Ireland for Neil and Nicole’s wedding.
The lights dimmed as the final audience members took their seats and Freddie’s heart raced. “Here we go.”
The show was a huge success and the audience members as well as the investors Roberto had lured to the show were entranced. Freddie had done her best to show off the skills of as many students and patrons as possible. The singers knocked people off of their feet and the audience cooed as the youngest ballerinas, led by Freddie’s niece Lilly, floated across the floor.
Towards the end of the show Freddie and Dave walked out from opposite sides of the stage and took their seats. In her hands Freddie held Charlotte while Dave held a custom McPherson which he had named ‘Isa’ which was short for Freddie’s middle name, Isabella.
Freddie began the piece by playing a traditional Spanish riff. Tonight was her time to show off and her fingers flew across the strings as she evoked images of gypsies and hot summer nights spent dancing around bonfires.
Before her last note could fade Dave began a riff that was the polar opposite. It represented his East coast alternative style blended with an essence that was uniquely his. The technique was so different yet it somehow seemed to meld with Freddie’s traditional style.
During his last chord Freddie began to play once more but the riff had changed, it was still Spanish in origin but it was easy to see that she had picked up some of Dave’s style along the way.
When Dave began to play he copied Freddie’s technique, staying true to his style but adding some traditional Spanish flairs in along the way.
Back and forth they went, each one giving and taking until it was impossible to tell who was playing each style. Meeting each other’s eyes Dave nodded and Freddie grinned as they gave it all they had. Their heels hit the floor as the fought to hold onto the rhythm as the two styles melted into one. Fingers flew as they took turns holding onto the melody then surrendering to the harmony then back again.
Finally they hit the final chord which echoed around the space before being chased away with wild applause. The audience was on their feet and Freddie and Dave were both breathless but smiling as they took a bow. Glancing into the audience Freddie saw her family sitting alongside Dave’s and waved slightly.
A young man named Michael, who was their MC for the night, walked out on to the stage and told the audience to keep the applause going for the couple. “Give it up for the creator of ‘Foundations’, Freddie Castillo and her partner in crime, Dave Bakey!”
Taking one final bow Freddie started to turn to leave but Dave stopped her. She glanced at the young man in confusion but he merely smiled. He handed his guitar to Michael and gestured for her to do the same. Stepping up towards the microphone, Dave looked into the audience and let out a slow breath.
“For those of you who didn’t read the program that song was called ‘Together’ and it might be hard to believe that Freddie and I wrote that song together.” The audience laughed then fell silent as Dave began to speak once more. “I’ve been lucky enough to participate in this wild adventure with Freddie since the very beginning. When we met I’d been in a nasty car accident and I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to play guitar again. To make it worse my boss brought in this beautiful, brilliant musician to replace me and I knew that my job was gone for good.”
Dave reached out and took Freddie’s hand, pulling her to the front of the stage to stand with him. “But I was wrong. From the very first day Freddie pushed me to get better, to stay with my physical therapy and assured me that she wasn’t going to replace me. She told me that she had her own plans of world domination and if she hasn’t dominated the world already I’d say she’s pretty darn close.” The audience cheered and Freddie blushed. She still had absolutely no idea what Dave was getting at but was willing to hear him out. “From the moment I met her she’s always been there for me. There have been some ups and more downs than I can count but no matter what she’s refused to stop fighting.”
Turning to fully face the bewildered musician, Dave gently tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “You are the strongest, bravest, most determined person that I have ever met. It has been an honor to share this journey with you but I do have something to ask you.”
“W...what?” stammered Freddie.
“Will you allow me to join you on your next adventure?” Slowly, Dave sank to one knee and Freddie gasped, her hands flying up to cover her mouth. “Freddie, will you marry me?”
Freddie had to tell herself not to faint as a million emotions at once rushed at her. Her mouth moved but no words would come out. Finally she forced out the word that she never thought she’d hear herself say. “Yes.”
With trembling hands Dave slid the ring onto her finger then jumped to his feet, spinning her around with joy before kissing her soundly. The audience was on their feet once more as cheers and whistles pierced the air but the two didn’t even notice, they were lost in each other.
Freddie’s tears mixed with Dave’s as she held the young man close. The events of the past two years flashed at high speed behind her closed eyes and she shook her head in wonder. Never did she believe that not only would she confront her childhood bully but that she would help him find himself along the way, never did she believe that she would open a studio and achieve such success in such a short amount of time, and never did she believe that her best friend would propose to her while her family and friends cheered on in the background.
Opening her eyes she beamed up at Dave and kissed him once more. She threaded her fingers with his, the stage lights catching the facets of the ring and casting rainbows across the room.
Deep down she felt something physically snap into place and knew that she was whole once more. She was surrounded by those who she loved, she had a career that challenged her while feeding her passion, and now she was going to spend the rest of her life with the man who had mended her heart.
Dave was right, her life was an adventure and Freddie couldn’t wait to see what the future held in store.
THE END
|
|
|
Post by onyxfyrefly on Feb 12, 2014 20:38:52 GMT -5
So ends the saga of Freddie.
This story has been quite the experience and it was probably the most difficult thing I've ever written. At the same time though it was pretty easy to write. I see a lot of myself in Freddie because I was bullied to the point of suicide when I was in the 6th grade. Luckily it was only one year because I know I wouldn't have survived four years of that torment. So before I wrote this story I wondered what I would say or what I would do if I came face to face with one of my old bullies. I don't look the way I did back then but I still carry those scars and even though I've moved forward I will never forget what happened to me. But those scars make me who I am and without those experiences I wouldn't have been able to write this story.
I want to thank all of you for your support and feedback during this story. I had absolutely no idea where it was going to go and I almost walked away from it several times. I have never stressed and obsessed over a story before and I'm thrilled that you all seemed to like it. That means the world to me. So again, thank you. I couldn't have done it without your support.
|
|
|
Post by barbt on Feb 12, 2014 20:45:43 GMT -5
Onyx, it's amazing, and you are amazing, too. Yours are some of my favorite stories on Nox; CB once called me Onyx by mistake when commenting on one of my stories, and I was quite flattered!
|
|
mkk59
Wicked Fan
Posts: 94
|
Post by mkk59 on Feb 12, 2014 20:57:40 GMT -5
Onyx, I can't tell you how amazing this story is. What's more amazing is that when you write something, its something that is completely plausible. Its real and its raw and its beautiful.
I'm sure many of us can see a bit of ourselves in Freddie. I know I can. To see her get the happy ending she deserves gives me hope.
You are amazing, as a writer and a person! I look forward to what your brilliant mind comes up with next!
*HUGS* ♥♥
|
|
|
Post by HburgEagle44 on Feb 12, 2014 22:07:03 GMT -5
I can't even. This was so incredible and so is your story. What fighters both you women are thank you for a beautiful ending to a really rough story. It was a hard ride for me but I'm glad i stuck it through. Please, continue writing!!
|
|
|
Post by TheDoctorDonna on Feb 24, 2014 13:06:37 GMT -5
I can relate to this story. I have had panic attacks and dealt with being the outsider no matter where I am. Great story Onyx.
|
|