Chapter 24 #2
Ash doesn’t answer, but when the guy looks at me, I nod. Thankfully, they don’t challenge Ash.
“Nice meeting you girls. See you around.” The dark-haired guy tips his bottle towards us, but Scott answers, “No, you won’t.”
Is he going all big brother on me? It’s actually quite cute. “Whoa, you guys,” I say towards our newly appointed bodyguards. “You could cut the testosterone with a knife.”
Ash keeps his focus on them as they walk away. “Christ Cal, I can’t leave you for a second.”
“I’ve been telling you that man,” Tommy says as I catch his glance in Angie’s direction. I want to know what happened between those two, but she’s keeping quiet about it. Her cheeks flush at his words, and she can’t look him in the eye right now, so something went on.
“Where did you disappear to?” I ask Ash while his hand slides around me and rests on my hip.
“Press opportunity—Bernie sorted it last minute.”
“You’re in demand. I better get my fill now.”
He breaths his words out in a low tone by my ear. “Oh no. That’s for later.”
My girlie parts tingle, until I realise, we have an audience.
“Jesus, you two,” Angie says.
“It’s never-ending,” Tommy chimes in.
“Not sure I like you pawing my sister,” Scott says to which the remaining four of us stare at him like he just dropped a bomb. Well, he kind of did. “Too soon?” He asks me.
“Yes,” I reply, but I smirk, so he knows I’m joking.
“She’s your sister?” Tommy adds.
“Oh, so there is one person left on this planet who doesn’t know yet.
Wow. Shame it doesn’t make me feel any better,” Angie rants.
Shit, am I in for a nightmare with her, or what?
I hope she can forgive me soon, although I know in my heart of hearts, she won’t until she knows the truth about Scott’s background.
A few hours later and I’m kissing Ash at the side of the Freedom stage.
“Okay baby?” he asks.
“Me? I’m fine. You’re the one who has to go out and perform. Aren’t you just a little nervous?” I ask, looking out to the sea of faces ahead. There must be a few thousand out there, maybe more.
“I was this morning; now I can’t wait to get out there.”
Brett, Max and Tommy all stand behind us. It’s at this moment, I feel self-conscious like I shouldn’t be here. This is the band’s first major gig and I’m getting in the way. They need to share this together.
“I’m going out front now. Go nuts. Have fun and enjoy it.”
“Always.” He leans forward, giving me a long lingering kiss. Of course, we receive the usual catcalls from the rest of the band. It’s becoming the norm.
Just as I’m about to head out, he says, “You sure you don’t want to watch from here?”
“No way. I want the full experience. I want to see you in all your glory and feel the beat vibrating under my feet. You don’t get that stage-side.”
He smiles. “You got it, but be here before the end, okay? The second from last number is Deep Down. Start making your way back when you hear it.”
“I’ll be here, don’t worry.” I wink, then make my way to the back where I find Angie and Scott talking to Dani.
“Okay, everyone?” I ask, looking mainly to my best friend and newly gained brother, but Dani answers. “No, I’m not okay. Why am I so nervous for them?”
“I suppose it’s only natural. The boys are just starting out,” Angie replies.
“It’s strange; like seeing your kids go into school for the first time, at least, I imagine it’s the same feeling.” Wow, Dani seems almost human. Then she says, “Oh, don’t mind me, I’m just being ridiculous. Go ahead and enjoy yourselves.”
It’s then, I find myself saying, “Come with us.”
“What? I can’t—can I?”
“It’s up to you, but you’re welcome to join us,” I tell her and I’m actually serious. Strangely, I feel sorry for Dani.
She looks around, I’m not sure for who or what, but she beams as she replies, “Why not? There’s nothing more I can do for the boys out here.”
The four of us head out, and although I wanted the full experience, we are in a gated area in front of the mosh pit, but it’s still full of bodies.
The crowd goes wild as some guy comes on stage and waves.
“Hey Braebeach, how are we doing today?”
The crowd cheer and whistle, which is when I notice this isn’t just some guy. This is World Radio’s number one DJ, Ben Hicks.
“This next band come from right here in Braebeach,” more cheers and whistle ensue, “and this is their first time playing the festival, so I want you to give them your loudest welcome, okay?” The crowd goes wild, making it hard to hear his next words over the noise.
“Let’s hear it for Koolum Law!”
The atmosphere ignites, the crowd roars around us, and the boys run onto the stage. Ash salutes to the sea of faces out front, Tommy settles on drums, Brett and Max pick up their guitars.
Tommy pumps out a beat, while Ash and Brett rift out the first few chords.
Max runs his fingers down the arm of his bass, and all hell lets loose.
Something I can’t explain takes over my body; turning me into a woman possessed.
The rest of the crowd jump in time, our little band of four are jumping too, while adrenaline rushes through me.
Angie is laughing, I’m laughing, Scott’s hands are in the air and the next thing I know, Dani is right with us, jumping, singing, her long, bouncy hair all over her face.
This is definitely a side of her I never expected to see.
Ash’s vocals boom through the giant speakers as if his life depended on it, and when I look up, all I see is him giving it everything he has.
The boys move around the stage as if they’re playing for every single person who turned out tonight.
They are unique, phenomenal, and I may be biased when I say this, but they are better than any band I’ve ever seen play on this stage.
Ash breaks away from the mic; it’s a guitar fest between the three of them until Brett swaggers over to the drums, takes one step onto an amp and rocks out in front of Tommy.
Ash’s deep tone echoes around us. I get so lost in his voice while he works the small stage as if it were the main Rainbow event. He is king up there, using this upbeat, crazy mad song to get everyone involved.
Their next two tracks follow in the same vein; upbeat and electrically charged until Ash speaks to the crowd. While he does, Brett plays the first few chords to the next song repeatedly.
“This is one of the first songs we wrote, but we don’t play it so often.
It’s about finding your person in life, the one you loved, but you never quite got the chance to show them.
” Brett fills a gap with the soft tones of his guitar until Ash carries on.
“Our first time at Brae Fest seems the perfect venue to re-introduce this song into the world, but we added it last minute, so give us a sec.”
I gaze up at him, my hand on my chest. As soon as he says, “It’s called The Missing.” Immediately, his eyes hit mine. I didn’t realise he knew where I was standing, but the wink he gives causes my pulse to increase and a flutter to my stomach.
“Holy fuck,” Angie screams in my ear. “You lucky cow!”
I’m too mesmerised to respond. His deep, soulful voice hums down the microphone and surrounds us from the sound system.
He’s singing about a boy who finds his forever girl but misses out on being with her.
Emotion takes over as I listen to the lyrics and try to push down an enormous lump now wedged in my throat, but the tears win out.
They fall from my eyes at an uncontrollable speed.
The love bursting from my chest right now is unmeasurable while I watch Ash do the thing he was born to do.
Then I glance to the side of the stage where Liz, his mum, stands.
Tears stream down her face while she beams the brightest smile.
When the track finishes, the band throw us into another high energy song, and I quickly wipe away the emotions I previously felt.
A tissue is thrust in front of me. “Here you go sweets,” Dani says, surprising me with her gesture.
“You okay Calla?” Scott’s arm falls around my shoulder. I don’t flinch like I might have once upon a time. Instead, I smile up at him. “Just a bit emotional. Know what I mean?”
He lips curl into a smile. “Kind of.”
Their next song is Honesty; Ash’s lucky charm and a dead cert to get the crowd going again.
It’s possibly my favourite. It starts with a solo drum beat, smacking right into the heart of your soul.
I had no idea a drum solo could have such an effect, but Tommy knocks this one right out of the park from the off before Brett joins on lead guitar.
It’s incredible how they cleverly bring your emotions way down with one song, then rise them up with another.
I love this song so much. It has an intense rock beat, bringing out Ash’s raspy tones on another level. His sound is as sexy as hell.
I want to slow this moment down, savour every moment, even press pause a second so I can take it all in.
Before I can do any of those things, we’re at the infamous second to last song.
Ash breaths out the words, “This song is called, Deep Down.” He looks towards me again and flicks his head back slightly, indicating I should get backstage. His gesture kind of makes me laugh.
Dani is already on the case, herding the three of us down the side and into the backstage area.
Once we’re standing just behind Ash’s mum, I note how busy this part of the stage is.
There are endless electrical cables, sockets, amps, and bodies running around in every corner.
I’m glad we watched from the front. It just wouldn’t have been the same from this spot, and I don’t see why I shouldn’t be able to swoon over Ash, like every other female in the audience.
The crowd go wild when the boys finish on a crescendo. Tommy is bashing the hell out of his drums while Ash holds his note far longer than the song demands.
The front stage lights flash upwards and the band are off stage; sweating, smiling and laughing.
Pats on the back come from Bernie, a couple of the road crew ruffle Tommy’s dark messy locks and Liz is waiting, patiently on the side of the stage to see her son.
I move out the way and enjoy the moment Ash spots her and goes in for a hug.
Liz is near bursting with pride as she smiles up at him.
What I don’t expect is for her to turn around and call, “Where’s Calla?
” She spots me straight away. “What are you doing over there?” she mouths.
Ash signals, “Get over here!”
A group hug ensues as soon as I reach them, then Bernie joins us. His massive arms nearly getting around the three of us together. “Amazing Ash. Just amazing.”
I’m beaming from ear to ear and don’t say much. I’m speechless with excitement. This is really happening for Ash, and I’m brimming over with happiness for him while pushing away thoughts of the inevitable break we’re about to have from one another.
“Okay people move it please.” Some guy dressed all in black—as most of the crew are—waves his arms out to the side. “We’ve got twenty minutes to get the stage cleared for the next lot.”
“Sure. I’ll get the boys and we’ll clear out.”
Ash is about to call over to the rest of the band when the guy sneers, “No need,” then he looks to Bernie.
“Best to leave this to the professionals, Ash,” Bernie says. “The organisers have to clear and get the next band set up as quick as possible, and they know what they’re doing better than you do.”
“We’ve been clearing our own equipment for so long, I just took it for granted we’d be clearing the set today,” Ash adds.
Dani, Angie and Scott then join us at the tail end of the conversation.
“I’m pretty sure after that performance, you’ll never have to clear the stage again,” Dani says.
“That’s the dream,” Ash smiles.
“You were amazing Ash,” Angie beams, throwing her arms around him.
“Fucking outstanding,” Scott follows, shaking Ash by the hand.
“People, please. Move on out,” the guy in black shouts again.
We shuffle slowly to the side of the stage in a huddle. “Everyone make your way back to the VIP tent. We’ve some celebrating to do,” Bernie shouts over his shoulder.
Ash pulls me back slightly. “I don’t want to stay long. I’ve got you for one more night and I want to make the most of it.”
“It’s not forever Ash. You should celebrate with your friends and family.”
“I can do that anytime. I want to make tonight last as long as possible. Just you and me.”
Again, I push out thoughts of not seeing him for a while and concentrate on what tonight will hold. I get what he means. I want to saviour every moment alone I can get with him. Who knows when the next time will be?