Chapter 18
As they entered the building through the back alleyway they were met by Chris and Ben.
Alex gripped her hand tightly as he introduced her formerly to his manager and then his best friend.
Grace smiled sweetly, holding her hand out to shake his manager’s hand before turning to address Ben.
Foregoing the handshake the guitarist dragged her into a huge bear hug.
“Nice to finally meet you. He hasn’t shut up about you since that damned interview he did for your show.
Come and meet the rest of the guys.” Guiding her out of Alex’s grip, he led her down a brightly lit corridor.
“Look, if you don’t mind, I’d rather wait with Alex. I’d like him to introduce me if that’s okay with you.” Grace smiled at Ben who abruptly stopped, spinning them around, and shouted over to the two men standing in the doorway.
“Yo! Al, your girl needs you, buddy.” Ben grinned as he watched Alex spin around and jog towards them, leaving Chris mid-sentence, struggling to contain his anger.
Never in the fifteen years that they had been friends had he ever seen him react like that.
Alex was never less than polite with everyone.
To leave their manager in the midst of a discussion was something he would never do.
“Whoa, someone has it bad!” He patted his friend on the shoulder pulling him into a man hug as he did.
Releasing himself from Ben’s grip he turned to Grace.
“What is it, babe? What do you need?” he asked, rubbing his hands up and down her arms as he spoke, his eyes searching her face for signs of what was wrong.
“Just you,” she whispered as she rewarded him with a soft kiss. “I thought we were going to check out the venue, sort through the issues? I can’t do that alone.”
Wrapping his arms around her, he lifted her from the floor, kissing her harder now. Without removing his gaze from hers he spoke to his friend. “Lead the way, buddy.”
The concert venue was a lot bigger than either of them had expected it to be.
Her eyes scanned around the room looking for possible problem areas that may freak him out.
Chris had joined them now, carrying out the checks with the band.
Jez sat at the back of the stage helping the roadies put together his kit.
He didn’t need to help, they were more than capable of doing the job but his kit was an extension of him.
He got antsy if everything wasn’t just as he liked it.
Alex hadn’t even bothered dragging him away to introduce Grace.
There was no point until he was done tinkering.
Max, the band’s other guitarist had freaked her out a bit.
He had stared at her as though he could see right through her, not really acknowledging her as she spoke to him, merely going through the motions.
If she didn’t know better she would have said he was as high as kite.
With Max and Ben now off doing sound checks or whatever it was they were doing, she was left with Alex, Chris and two security staff.
Alex had gone over all of his worries, making sure he knew exactly how many staff would be in front of the stage.
He kept reiterating that no-one was to be allowed to get past the guards onto the stage.
Chris tried to calm him; again reinforcing the fact the first ten to fifteen feet would be VIP only.
The general public would be behind the cordoned off front area.
“I’m not fucking around, Chris. If one of them gets on that stage I am outta here. They’re all too close for my liking as it is.”
Grace slid an arm firmly around his waist squeezing gently to let him know she was with him.
“Is your girlfriend staying for the show? I mean, I can run her off a pass for the VIP area.” Chris didn’t look at Grace as he spoke, instead keeping his eyes locked on his artist.
“I don’t want her in the pit. I want her backstage; in fact I want a chair in the wings for her. I wanna be able to keep an eye on her. It gets fucking crazy down there and I do not want her in the middle of it,” Alex insisted.
Chris rubbed his neck, pulling in his eyebrows as he spoke. “I don’t know, Al, I don’t think th...”
“I said she stays with me backstage, got it?” Alex fumed as he spoke. The two security guys that had been standing with them were now backing off, pretending to read whatever was on their clipboard.
“Alex, I don’t mind. I haven’t been to one of your concerts. It would be good to get the full Uni-Fi experience. I’ll be fine out in the front, don’t worry about me.” The last thing she needed was for him to be freaking out about her safety when he really needed to concentrate on performing.
He looked down at her now effectively dismissing his manager instantly again. “No. It’s fucking mental. It’s not safe for you. Please. I need you where I can see you.” Leaning down now he whispered in her ear. “I thought I was giving you the full experience when we get home anyway.”
She couldn’t answer; she was unable to speak around the huge lump he had just caused to gather in her throat. Decision made. She was sitting in the wings to watch her boyfriend do his thing.
Sound checks over and one quick rehearsal down they now sat backstage with Izzie, who had arrived half way through yet another discussion as to where Grace would be safest. She had quickly sensed the tension between Alex and his manager, taking charge instantly, insisting that Chris wind his neck in, pointing out that she herself always stood in the wings when they were on stage.
Grace had been grateful for her arrival.
The girl was formidable, giving her an ally amongst all these executives.
Grace took in the chaos that ensued as the time grew nearer for the band to get on stage.
People swarmed everywhere, pulling her boyfriend one way after another.
Hair, make-up and wardrobe people all dragging the band in different directions.
‘This way, Alex. Over here now, Alex. Alex, can you just put this on please.’ It was bedlam.
Reporters, record company execs and then the management bigwigs all floating around kissing ass.
Alex had been right with the mental bit, but Grace was sure this was somehow worse than being out in the front amongst the raging crowd.
Izzie tried her best to keep Alex calm as the pandemonium swarmed around her brother.
She knew the tell tale signs now. He was pacing behind Grace, not speaking to anyone.
The beads of sweat forming at his temples gave him away.
Izzie stood to address him but he just ignored her, continuing his ritual movement.
The room began to swim before his eyes, the sweat oozing from his every pore.
His chest became tight as he tried to fill his lungs with air.
Shit, he felt dizzy and nauseous now. Downing a full bottle of water he tried to suppress the need to vomit.
As the walls began to close in on him the door flew open, a runner entering the room announcing their five minute call to stage.
Grabbing Grace by the hand he pulled her from the room, dragging her behind him as he headed in the opposite direction to the rest of the band.
They almost ran down the long corridor that led to the back alleyway.
Alex began frantically pushing doors open as he went, looking for somewhere he could breathe freely.
He found sanctuary in an open doorway just prior to the exit.
The room was dark and cool, nothing like the one they had just left.
Slamming the door shut behind him he headed straight for the window on the opposite side.
Alex flung it wide open, gulping in the cool night air as he did.
Grace stood behind him, running her hand up and down his back trying to soothe him.
When he turned around he was ashen, breathing erratically as he engulfed her with his arms. Neither of them spoke.
They didn’t need to. She didn’t think she could form the right words anyway.
The door cracked open allowing light to flood in.
Ben and Izzie stood in the doorway. His sister just smiled sympathetically at him as Ben spoke.
“Oh, man, not again, Alex. We have to do this, bud. Can’t we do the show first then have the breakdown?
” His best friend knew him so well. “Look, I’ve moved Max and my mic stands forward so we are almost in front of you.
Max knows the score; nobody can reach you without getting past us first. What happened in Belfast is not happening again. Okay?”
Ben easily recalled the night that the freak got on stage.
It had been a couple of years ago now but it obviously still bothered him.
Adamant that Alex was an imposter, the lunatic had run up, screaming that he was going to kill him and tried to push Alex off the stage.
It had taken Ben’s quick thinking and the lightning reflexes of Max to wrestle the idiot to the ground, preventing the idiot from carrying out his planned attack.
Alex had been so shaken up that they’d had to reschedule the show.
He had refused to get back on stage that night or the night after for that matter.
Alex hadn’t been the same since the incident.
Alex let out a significant breath, steadying his vision once more, nodding imperceptibly at the pair stood waiting for him.
Grace tightened her grip on her man, desperate to keep him safe.
If it was up to her they would be on their way home now, not contemplating getting him on stage.
Izzie noticed Grace’s stance along with the determination on her face.