This Could Have Been Our Song!: A coulda woulda shoulda ballad (11 page)

“
You’ll be doing vocals too. You should know them; the poor guy wrote that song for you,” he added.

Lucia stopped walking and turned around. For the first time since I met her, I saw incertitude.

“We have a contract; we don’t need all this,” I told her.

She smiled at me and caressed my cheek.

“You don’t have to do this,” I discreetly told to her. I pulled her closer to me.

“
Thanks, Marcus, but
Lucitas
have to do this,” she whispered.

We stared at each other for a moment. Out of an impulse, I kissed her nose but she turned away before I reached her mouth.
“Tito we will also be negotiating your fees.”

Now, here we all are: Matt, Beesly, John, Kathie, Callia and Lloyd. The G band is on the stage prepping for Lucia. I haven’t seen her yet. Matt keeps asking me if I knew.

“
Why mate?”

“
You would have treated her better?”

Beesly knew; I know her and there is no surprise on her face right now, just pure anticipation.

“Did he really write that song for her?” I asked Beesly

“
Yes and just before rehab.”

When Lucita arrives on stage she just takes my breath away. Her hair is pulled in a tight, sleek bun, completely exposing her face, completely exposing her eyes. She
’s wearing a dark jumpsuit and black stilettos.

“
No…way…” I hear John says. He knocks me with his elbow. “That’s Lucita and look at her Lucita guitar; it’s an agathis with quilted maple ESP EC-100 QM – a real classic.” I can hear the admiration in his voice.

Lucita, the woman and the guitar, are starting to play. I n
otice the charm bracelet. She starts the guitar intro and we stare with amazement.

             
Hey hey hey hey! Yeah yeah! Hey hey hey!

             
Hey hey hey hey! Yeah yeah! Hey hey hey!

             
This is the age of trouble!

             
This is the age of might!
             

The entire G Band starts to play too.

“This is fantastic,” John whispers to me.

Lucia opens her then-closed eyes and keeps singing. I feel like she
’s looking right through me. She’s just fantastic, for lack of a better word.

             
Hey hey hey hey! Yeah yeah! Hey hey hey!

             
Hey hey hey hey! Yeah yeah! Hey hey hey!

             
This is the age of trouble!

             
This is the age of might!

She turns to Tonio and they continue together.

             
Ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya!

She starts to execute Alex Sanders
’ signature guitar solo.

“
I just can’t believe…she’s so good,” Matt whispers.

“
I can,” Beesly whispers back.

She closes her eyes again and sings with a softer tone.

             
I’m a rebel, born to be free.

             
I’m a radical and it’s my time to shine.

             
Ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya…

This is the age of trouble.
              Oh, the age of might.

             
I’m a radical and it’s my time to shine.

She jumps and continues much louder to sing with Tito.

Hey hey hey hey! Yeah yeah! Hey hey hey!
              Hey hey hey hey! Yeah yeah! Hey hey hey!

This is the age of trouble (age of trouble).
              This is the age of might (age of might).

Lucia
’s passion for the song and the lyrics shows even more as she continues on her own.

             
No no no no no no, you won’t hold me back!

             
No no no no no no, you won’t send me back!

             
No no no no no no, I was born to free!

             
No no no no no no and you to be with me!

Hey hey hey hey! Yeah yeah! Hey hey hey!

This is the age of trouble (age of trouble)!

We all give a standing ovation during the second guitar solo. Lucita! Lucita! Lucita! She puts her guitar down for the end of the song. With her eyes closed, she slowly and softly sings.

Hey hey hey hey! Yeah yeah! Hey hey hey!
Hey hey hey hey! Yeah yeah! Hey hey hey!

Hey hey hey hey! Yeah yeah! Hey hey hey!

Hey hey hey hey! Yeah yeah! Hey hey hey!

Hey hey hey hey! Yeah yeah! Hey hey hey!

Hey hey hey hey! Yeah yeah! Hey hey hey!

Tonio joins her.

This is the age of trouble!
This is the age of might!

This is the age of trouble!
This is the age of might!

She finishes the song alone like Alex Sanders sings it.

             
No no no no no no! Ya ya! No no no!

             
No no no no no no! Ya ya! No no no!

             
Goodbye to innocence…

             
I say goodbye to innocence…

             
No no no no no no! Ya ya! No no no!             

             
No no no no no no! Ya ya! No no no!

             
I was born to be free and you to be with me.

             
To be with me.

At the end of the song, we all applaud, completely ove
rwhelmed. Lucia bows and hugs Tonio. She waves at us and winks at me.

“
Hi, Lucita. Now we can talk business,” Tonio says.

“I almost forgot how good he was,” Lucia tells me. She’s looking at Matt recording a chorus for the fifth time. No complaint. No back-talks. Matt has been on his best behavior all morning and for the past couple of days. So far, we’ve recorded three new songs. “When he’s not trying to screw with us,” she adds, genuinely smiling at me. She takes another sip of her coffee and a bite of her own, homemade, white chocolate biscotti. “Is there something on my face?” she asks.

Had I been staring at her all that time? I didn
’t even realize.

“
Yes, the best biscotti I have ever tasted.” I clean the corner of her mouth with my hand. “Sorry.” Her skin is still as soft as I remember.

She presses the button to speak Matt.

“Great take, Matt; I think we’ve got what we need,” she says, completely avoiding eye contact with me. She then turns to Lee and Beesly. “What do you think?” Then me. “It’s your song after all.”

Beesly and Lee both nod yes. She recorded her portion earlier today and is now resting her voice. It
’s the backup singers’ turn. The G Band will come next week to record any past or future musical tracks during the day and will be playing in a lounge downtown four times a week by night: an arrangement made with Paul Anderson, the famous tour-manager-turned-mogul-clubs-owner in Canada, the States and a few in Europe – and Lucia’s brother-in-law!

I press the button too.
“We’re good mate,” I tell Matt. I turn to Lucia. “But, really, do you have any biscotti left?” I smile to her. “Your cooking is…addictive.”

Lucia blushes. She actually blushes!
“Thanks Marcus.” She gives Lyrics sheets to the singers. “I like the piano piece you added to the song. Very refreshing,” she adds.

I
’ve been working on this bit for the past couple of nights and it brings it all together. That’s what I do; that’s why I’m Grant the Grand, who is now working with the famous Lucita and her G Band. What a turn of event! I look up and catch Lucia’s eyes on me. And, for the first time in a month, there is no hint of animosity in them. For a moment, we just look at each other. I haven’t had the occasion to look in those grey eyes in while. They’re still as beautiful as I remember and as I wrote them in the song. Then I notice strange noises coming from the hallway. Is that Beesly screaming? I check on Lee; he’s taking care of the back-up singers’ session. Lucia is already at the door. I’m right behind her.

“
You did what?” Beesly asks Matt. She’s breathing fast and hard and has tears in the corner of her eyes. She knows about Vancouver and Linda.

“
What’s going on here?” Lucia asks. She looks at Beesly. “Honey, have you been crying?” She walks toward Matt. “You knob head! What have you done now?” Even in high heels, Lucia is still one small woman next to Matt, but one small, angry, determined woman. I better get there before she attacks him. She goes to Beesly instead and hugs her, wiping her tears.

“
I’m okay, Luce,” Beesly tells her. She nervously passes her hands through her hair. “We’re going to Vancouver!” she adds while slowly starting to smile.

“
You finally told her,” I tell Matt. I look at Lucia. There is no warmth in the look she’s giving me. “Matt got a movie role and they’re shooting in Vancouver…along with Linda Hamilton,” I deliberately add to explain Beesly’s tears.

“
I’m expected on the set the day after tomorrow.” Matt reaches Beesly’s arm and gently pulls her towards him. “Love, it’s just for a few weeks,” he softly says. He looks at Lucia before adding, “It will be great for my career and very good publicity.”

“
As long as you guys come back for recording sessions, I’m sure we could work something out,” I tell Matt. Lucia is still quiet. Lucia’s silent is never a good omen. She’s looking at Matt and me completely assessing the situation.

Matt smiles and kisses his wife.
“I’m sure that will not be a problem, mate,” he tells me. “And Beesly and the G Band we will be available on the East Coast if you need them.”

“
What do you mean?” Beesly asks. She’s pulling away from him.

What does he bloody mean?

“He means…you’re not going, B,” Lucia lets out.

“
Matt?” Beesly says. “Why would I stay here without you?”

“
What are you going to do there? I’ll be working twelve hours a day.”

Beesly walks away from him.
“I’ll be with you, Matt,” she pleads.

“
Seriously, Matt?” I say. “You’re not bringing your own wife, but you’ll go spend time with your ex? And you never worked a day in your life!”

Matt actually rolls his eyes at me and starts to walk towards Beesly.

“You’re an asshole, Matt Marsh,” Lucia says. Matt stops in his tracks.

He turns around and walks back towards us.
“What did you say?”

“
I said you’re an asshole, Matt Marsh,” she repeats, walking towards him as well.

“
How dare you?”

“
But I do. Go play with your ex in Vancouver. But I want you here for two days every two to three weeks.” She looks at me before adding. “You’re done screwing with me.”

Matt looks all fired up. I don
’t remember the last time anyone spoke to him this way. He walks even closer to her. I know he would never do anything stupid but just in case, I put myself between them.

“
Back off, Matt. Go to your wife. You’ve done and said enough,” I tell firmly him. We stare each other down for a moment until Matt walks away to Beesly. I turn to Lucia, “Lucia, listen –”

“
Don’t bother,” she says before going back to the studio.

I finally find Beesly in one of the meeting rooms, by herself, wiping her tears. Bastard! She turns around as soon as she hears me and smiles. Poor girl; I think she’s finally realized what she got herself into when she agreed to become Mrs Marsh. Where is that wanker anyway?

“
Hey, Cushion,” she says as I sit beside her. She hits me gently with her shoulder. “He went to see Lloyd and Callia. Maybe I should have gone home with the other British guy that day. If it hadn’t been for bloody Mary…”

“
Hey, B. It may have been the wrong choice, but you’ve been doing great this past six years,” I tell her. I was still with Mary when we met Beesly; those two could never get along, then or now. “The American,” Mary calls her.
Mary!
– I’ve been avoiding her calls since I got here. I know they’re not about her upcoming album.

“
Did she really call him an asshole?” she asks, referring to Lucia.

“
Twice,” I laugh. “She’s…gutsy.”

“
And a bit foolish,” Beesly continues.

“
But a good friend,” I finish.