GraceRyan
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
This one is shorter - I promise.
Obviously not true. Some language.
Sweetness Follows - REM
Readying to bury your father and your mother,
what did you think when you lost another?
I used to wonder why did you bother,
distanced from one, blind to the other.
Listen here my sister and my brother
what would you care if you lost the other?
I always wonder why did we bother,
distanced from one, blind to the other.
Oh..., oh..., but sweetness follows
It's these little things, they can pull you under.
Live your life filled with joy and wonder.
I always knew this altogether thunder
was lost in our little lives.
Oh..., oh..., but sweetness follows.
Oh..., oh..., but sweetness follows.
It's these little things, they can pull you under.
Live your life filled with joy and thunder.
Yeah, yeah we were altogether
lost in our little lives.
Oh..., Oh..., Ah...
Oh, oh, but sweetness follows.
Oh, oh, oh, but sweetness follows.
YouTube - REM-Sweetness Follows
Faith avoided Larry the following day. She made eye contact only when necessary. Horribly embarrassed, she couldn't wait for the last show to over with. They were headed straight back to New York for the final mixing of Feeling Good and the revamped Times Like These. Then it was off England for a video shoot. Their time home would be maybe a day or two. Faith didn't even bother trying to make plans with friends. She was staying with Ryan as she was still homeless.
Larry wanted to talk to her. He wanted to tell her that he did have very real feelings for her. That she was unlike any other woman he'd ever known. He meant that kiss. But he still had obligations. 24 years was a long time. Was a future with Faith worth that? Did he still love Ann or was holding on out a sense of duty? He needed to go home and sort things out. He could tell by Faith's face that she didn't want to talk about it. He respected her space and stayed away.
Bono wandered over looking around as he did. "Do you have a moment?”
"Yeah," she said cautiously. Did Larry tell him? She knew the band was close. Did they share everything like girlfriends?
"Were you planning on visiting hospitals in Europe? " he asked lowly.
"English speaking ones, yes. We thought about getting translators but it would be too tough," she was relieved.
"Could I come with you sometime?" He asked.
"Sure, I guess so," she was surprised.
"My concern is that if I went I would bring attention to your past. I know it's very private for you," he said.
She thought about the kids. He was right. If he started tagging along the press could find out. Eventually, it would be discovered about Faith. But the kids would love a visit from a big rock star. It seemed horribly selfish to deny them that because she wanted to keep it a secret.
"If they find out, they find out," she shrugged. "The kids would love it."
Bono smiled. "Great. I'll check with Paul and Dennis to make sure this isn't a massive security headache for them."
She smiled. "Great." He did prove himself to be a good guy at times. If even if he was dancing very suggestively with a few women the night before. She was sure his entire shirt was ripped open with at least 3 sets of hands on him. Day Bono was easier to stomach than Night Bono.
Her brother John and his wife came the final night of the tour. When Bono discovered that they were coming, he made arrangements for them to be brought backstage before Strict Machine went on stage.
"There's someone here for you," Dennis announced as they waited in their dressing room.
She looked up. "John!" She ran over. She hadn't seen him since Christmas. "How did you get back here?" She had set aside special passes for after the show.
"I guess Bono arranged for us to see you before. We also have seats in the friends and family section," John answered.
"I miss you," she sighed. Truthfully, New York had been tough with everyone’s family around. She felt the void of having no one.
"How are you feeling?" He asked with brotherly concern.
"Good. This has been amazing," she said. "Next....Europe. "
"BCN and FNX have been playing the album," John said. "Because you're from Boston they are claiming the whole band is from Boston. "
She shrugged,"If it gets airplay let them say whatever. "
Bono ducked his head in the room. "Good. You found her."
John walked over to shake his hand. "Yes, thank you. For everything. Giving her a shot like this. "
Bono smiled. John beamed with pride as he looked at his little sister. "You have to give her the credit. She and her band have the talent."
"You got him here?" Faith asked Bono
.
"In a limo," John added.
Bono cheeks pinked slightly.
"You didn't have to do that," Faith said.
"Shush," john said. "Man wants to send a car, let him."
Sam leaned over to Ryan. "My parents didn't get a car."
"Well, he's not looking to get intimate with you," Ryan mused.
"True."
After the show, Bono sat with Faith and her family. He hoped to discover why their parents were absent. Were they orphans? Though he thought he heard a current reference to a mother. He wanted to ask but knew he had intruded on her private life already.
“Whose idea was the duet?” Lisa, her sister-in-law asked.
Faith pointed to Bono. “Sort of his. And Edge’s girlfriend who choreographed it.”
Lisa blushed up at Bono. “I love that song.”
“Do we do it justice?” he asked.
“Oh yes,” Lisa thought Faith was luckiest person to get sing and dance with him each night.
“Are you doing it the next tour?”
Bono looked at Faith. “What do you think?”
“Do you think the song would work in Europe?” she shrugged.
“You don’t think they’ve seen that movie?” he laughed.
“I just didn’t they’d know the song as much as Americans,” she said.
“We could find something else. Maybe switch it up every other night,” he suggested. “I’ll think about it over the break.” He winked.
The morning following the last show, both bands milled about the conference room turned brunch. There were many red eyes as the party stretched into dawn for some. Bono had been orbited by several women as he led the crowd from Irish pub to Irish pub. For the most part, they were largely ignored by him. He spent the night talking with Ryan, Adam, Faith and Faith’s family. They attempted to cajole him to the dance floor. Politely, he declined. He was tired. He was boarding a plane for home in the afternoon. He would have one week with his girls before beginning the European tour. Most nights, he enjoyed the attention. Tonight, he was satisfied laughing and talking with good friends. Some of the crew joined them as the doors of a friend’s bar was locked and they toasted the sunrise. They staggered back to the hotel in a clump, singing and laughing. Bono slung his arms around Faith and Ryan as they walked. It had been an amazing show leading to a great after show. Instead of flopping down on his bed, he sat in hotel room and took pen to paper to write his thoughts in song.
“High - higher than the sun You shoot me from a gun I need you to elevate me here At the corner of your lips
As the orbit of your hips
Eclipse - you elevate my soul
I've got no self control
Been living like a mole now
Going down - excavation
I and I - in the sky
You make me feel like I can fly
So high - elevation”
Now, he was feeling the hours he didn’t sleep. Faith’s eyes were shaded by her sunglasses. She was not as used to the all-nighters. After her night with Larry, she was happy to enjoy herself. Happier that he decided to turn in early. SHe wasn’t ready to be friends just yet.
Both bands exchanged farewells. Alex had dreaded this day. She did look forward to her own bed and being surrounded by her things. She already missed Edge. She felt a hole open inside her just thinking about the 2 weeks away from him. It would go quickly, she told herself. They didn’t have a moment off until the Rotterdam. Maybe without Edge’s presence she could reconnect with Sam. Find the magic she once felt.
Larry returned home to Ann in the morning hours of July 4th. She was curled in their bed still asleep as he set his bags down on the hardwood floors. The golden lab trotted over and nuzzled his hand. He scratched the dog behind his ear. His house felt strange. Familiar and foreign. He looked at Ann from the doorway. His heart broke. He had been unfaithful. His lips had touched another woman. For the first time since that kiss, he regretted it. Ann loved him completely. She waited for him in this big house for months. How did he repay that devotion? He followed another woman around like a love sick puppy. He contemplated leaving this all behind. Shedding his clothes, he slipped under the cool sheets to press himself against her warm body.
Strict Machine spent Independence Day in a studio working on the mix of Feeling Good. There was no rest for the weary band. Sometime after 9pm, Alex dragged herself to her apartment for some sleep. Sam and Faith stayed in the studio listening to playback after playback.
“I think I want to try to vocal one more time,” she said wearily. She was never happy with track she put down while in LA. It felt fake.
Sam rubbed his eyes. “Okay.”
“You wanted to go though,” she said.
“Let’s try one more take and see what we get,” he said.
Her voice was raw. The final days of the tour left her spent. Between Bono discovering her past. The kiss with Larry and the all-nighter the final night. She felt frazzled and raw. Her voice was a throaty growl at the start of the song as she sang over the keyboards. As the rest of the band kicked in, her voice climbed with passion and pain. The hair on Sam’s arm stood on end. Faith, covered in sweat, slumped emotionally exhausted after the last take.
“That was amazing,” Sam said.
“Really?” she asked.
“God yes. It was a lot like the live version. I felt that passion and rage. I think we need to use that one,” Sam nodded. “Let me make a version of that with the music. We’ll play it for Alex and Ryan tomorrow.”
“It felt better than what we had,” She nodded.
It was nice to see Sam invested in the band again. He seemed disinterested at the start of the tour. Perhaps the spoils of fame had changed his mind. He played back the newer version and a smile spread across his face. Alex wasn’t the only one that could make music, he thought proudly. Faith immediately liked this version much better.
“I think we did it,” she nodded.
“I think we did too,” he agreed. “Faith....” he started and trailed off as he looked at her. Her heart stopped. “I’m sorry I was an asshole.”
“When?” she asked. Truthfully, he had had a few moments in the last few months.
“When we were offered to continue on with the second leg of the tour. I was a dick. I made some suggestion about Bono...” he looked down ashamed.
“We’re all getting used to this new life. We all say things we don’t mean sometimes,” she placed her hand on his arm.
He ran his fingers through his dark brown hair. “I know, but still. I was a shit. No wonder Alex has been distancing herself from me.”
A lump caught in Faith’s throat. He had noticed. She thought that maybe he was having too good a time to realize it. “It’s hard to spend so much time with someone. There’s no escape, like work. You work together. You play together.”
“I love her, I don’t want to escape,” he said.
“You know, you need a break. You and Alex went from spending a few hours together a night - and maybe some weekends together to traveling together. Eating almost every meal together. Even married people don’t spend that much time together,” Faith said.
Sam nodded. “I guess you’re right. I didn’t think how that would affect us. How do I get it back, Faith?”
She didn’t have an answer for that. In the last few weeks, she watched Alex draw closer to Edge. She figured both being guitarists, it made sense. They talked gear. They jammed together. Edge wanted to help Strict Machine. But Faith had seen the lingering looks. Alex was pulled in his direction. It was apparent to Faith when Moreleigh visited the tour that friendship was not the only thing on Alex’s mind.
“I don’t know. You are talking to someone that hasn’t been in love in a few years,” she said sadly. “I don’t feel qualified to give you advice. I think you have to follow her lead. If you try to hold too tight, it will make her restless and want to bolt.”
He nodded. “I know. I didn’t think I was smothering. It’s hard to give someone space in this setting. And we don’t have a true vacation. We leave for London in 2 days.”
“It will work out somehow,” Faith tried to be reassuring. “You need to be happy too.”
Sam nodded. Would he and Alex be happy together again? He felt as if they existed as ghosts going through the motions of a couple. He wanted the passion back. He wanted her to look at him with those eyes she used to have for him.
Strict Machine left one busy city for another. London was hectic and dirty. While the American tabloids didn’t really care who Faith was, photos of her and Bono pressed together on stage emblazoned the covers of a few. Faith sighed as she flipped through one in the back of a car.
“One article actually said I was the reason his marriage failed,” she grumbled. “When did he get divorced?”
Sheila glanced back from the front seat. “Officially? Since 1997.”
“I didn’t even know him!” she exclaimed.
“That’s the British rags. You can sue. In fact, I am going to warn them to retract that claim unless they want a lawsuit,” Sheila said.
“I knew there were rumors, but c’mon,” Faith sighed. She wondered what Bono thought of all this attention.
“Told you that duet was a bad idea,” Alex said. “Yes, we got press, but was it the right kind?”
Faith rubbed her eyes. “Maybe we should drop it from the set then.”
“Don’t listen to her,” Ryan said. “This shit eventually dies down. Keep telling the truth. That’s all you can do.”
Just when Faith and Bono had settled into a nice friendship, the tabloids had to make it trashy. Larry wouldn’t want anything to do with this. She cursed herself for even still wanting him at all after he ran away. Over the few days, the anger subsided to hurt. She understood why he pulled away. She hoped he would break up with Ann and want to be with her. As days ticked by with no word from him, it was clear that Faith was not his choice. She stared out the window at the wet London streets. Europe was a new continent with new possibilities.
“Would this be a bad time to present an offer to you?” Sheila asked. “Q magazine has asked to do a feature on Strict Machine.”
“That sounds pretty good,” Sam said.
“They want to do it on both Strict Machine and U2 - sort of double feature. The biggest band in the world handing over the reigns to the next biggest band in the world,” She said.
Alex raised her eyebrows. “Biggest band in the world?”
Faith laughed. “I think they are overreaching there.”
“It’s amazing press,” Sheila offered.
“Ever wonder if it’s happening too fast?” Faith asked. “I think I’m starting to get worried about over-saturation. I know we need to put our music and name out there, but I don’t want people to think ‘oh God, not them again’.”
“What did they say?” Alex asked.
“Who? U2? Their concern was for you. They didn’t want to overshadow you or have the tables turned like what’s in the tabloids,” she said.
“So they have see them,” Faith sighed. What did they think of this kind of press?
“Okay. Let’s do it then,” Alex said. She hoped for a nice photo shoot with Edge. “Like you said, Faith, we need to ride the publicity while people are watching.”
“I said that?” Faith looked over.
‘You did,” Ryan agreed.
Sheila smiled. “I will let them know. They will be joining the tour to interview both bands.”
Bono pulled in front of his old house. It looked so strange to him now. Ali met his car with a tense smile.
“Mummy!” Eve cried from the backseat.
His heart lurched watching the wind whip her hair around her face. She never failed to make him ache. It was a different ache today. Usually, he had to fight the urge to pull her into his arms or fall to his knees begging for another chance. Today, he felt sad.
“Bono,” she nodded as he slid out of his car.
He smiled. “You look good, Ali.”
“Thanks, you too,” she said.
He knew she was lying. He hadn’t shaved in days. He was still catching up from after show parties. His hair shot up in all directions. He was a mess.
“Mummy!” Eve hopped out of the car and threw her arms around Ali.
‘Did you have fun with daddy?” Ali asked as she hugged her daughter.
“We stayed up late,” Jordan said.
Ali raised an eyebrow at Bono. “How late?”
“Ten o’clock,” he said. “We were watching a movie.”
“Say goodbye to your father. He has to go,” Ali said.
Both girls wrapped their warms around Bono. This was the hard part - having to say goodbye. He missed being a family. Eventually, he would leave for a tour but there was a home to return to.
“Bye Dad,” Jordan said.
“I miss you Daddy,” Eve sniffed. It tore at him.
“You’ll see him soon. He’ll be back home in a few weeks and you can see Daddy work,” Ali said.
He squeezed them tightly. “I love you girls. Be good for your mother.” He kissed them each on the cheek. “I’ll see you soon, and I’ll call you from Rotterdam.”
They ran into the house to fight over a video-game. Ali and Bono stood in the driveway staring at one another awkwardly.
“When do you leave for the tour?” she asked.
“The day after tomorrow. We rehearse for a day then we have a show,” he shuffled his feet. He wanted to ask her if she missed him at all. He might have been a child in her eyes, but he made her laugh. Was her life as filled with fun now he was out of it? It seemed as if her laugh lines had disappeared.
“I heard it’s going well. Sold out in Europe,” she said.
“The album is picking up. The tour is getting better. It’s tighter and everyone is having a good time,” he leaned against his car.
“Good. I’m glad,” She glanced at her watch. “I better head inside before they start breaking things over that stupid game. Take care of yourself Bono,” With a nod, she walked back to the house.
He sighed. Again, she didn’t rush back into his arms. He always hoped that she would confess to the awful mistake she made of kicking him out. Apparently the gossip had not reached her about him and lead singer of his opening band. Or if it had, she didn’t care. He started his car for home. Seeing Faith in a few days was his only solace after dropping off his girls.
What was the fucking ringing and what time was it? His eyes squinted at the clock beside his bed. Who the fuck was calling at 2:30 in the morning? With a groan, he rolled over the grab the phone.
“What?” he said gruffly in the phone.
“Paul,” said a familiar voice. “It’s dad. We’re at the hospital. You better get here now.”
Bono rubbed his eyes as he walked through the main doors. That hospital smell hit like a punch in the stomach. He rushed to the main desk.
“I’m looking for Bob Hewson,” he said.
“And you are?” the woman peered over her glasses at him.
“His son Bon....Paul. I’m Paul Hewson,” he had a feeling that she knew exactly who he was.
She punched a few letters into her computer. “He’s in the intensive care unit. Take the lift to the 4th floor. It’s at the end of the hall.”
He ran to the elevators and pressed the button repeatedly. His heart raced. Norman didn’t offer much information on the phone. He knew that the ambulance had been called to the house. A million thoughts ran through his head as paced the tiny elevator. He was too young to lose his dad. He laready lost his mom and his wife. Was his father in pain? Was it a heart attack? Cancer? He thought of Faith. God, please let it not be cancer. Like a shot, he bolted out of the doors to end of the hall. A younger woman looked up from her chart.
“Mr. Hewson, right this way,” she led him through a maze of cubicles with curtains drawn. He heard beeping from every single one. In hushed voices, doctors and nurses spoke outside. “Right in here.”
He readied himself for he was about to see. Peering around the curtain, his father was asleep with tubes and wires running in and out of him. He set his chin as he swallowed his fear. He had just seen Bob a few days ago with the girls. He was strong and a wiseass. Not the frail man before him now.
“Paul,” Norman stepped forward. It was always strange to hear his given name. He’d been Bono for over 25 years. Only Norman and Bob called him ‘Paul’. Oh, and Ali when she told him she wanted a divorce.
“What happened, Norm?” he slipped inside the small room.
Norman shook his head. “I don’t know. I mean, it was a stroke. I got the call from the hospital.”
“Stroke?” Bono gulped.
“Apparently there some blockage in an artery,” Norm whispered.
“Is he going to be okay?” Bono felt his dinner rise up to his throat.
“I don’t know,” his brother sighed.
Bono sat at his father’s bed all night staring at the man. The doctor came in around 5 in the morning to go over what Bob had been through. It was a moderate stroke but there appeared to be no brain damage or affect on his motor skills. Bob had woken in the night to use the bathroom and lost all feeling in his left side. They were keeping him sedated until they could do a scan for brain wave activity. Bono called Paul at six in the morning to let him know what was going on. At 8, he called the band. Larry was the first at the hospital. He sat with Bono in the waiting room while the scan was done on Bob.
“The tour starts in 4 days,” Bono buried his head in his hands.
“Don’t you worry about that. If we have to reschedule some dates,” Larry said.
He shook his head. “We are not doing that. He wouldn’t want that. I just won’t be there until the 18th most likely. I may have to fly home in between shows, that’s all.”
“Have you slept?” Larry asked. Bono shook his head and drank his fourth cup of coffee that morning. “Have you called Ali?”
Bono rubbed the back of his neck. “I did. I told her.”
“Is she coming?” Larry asked.
“I don’t think so. Or at least she made no indication that she was,” he cleared his throat. Truthfully, he was surprised. Ali had always been very supportive. And Bob loved her even after the divorce. “I think she’s waiting for a time when I’m not here.”
“Sorry, mate,” Larry patted his leg.
Edge, Larry and Adam flew to Rotterdam on July 16 without Bono. While Bob was doing well, Bono wanted to be sure he was well on his way to recovery before he took off for the tour. He sat at Bob’s side until Bob looked at him and said point blank, “Get the fuck out of here. You are driving me batty.”
July 17th, Bono was on his way to Rotterdam. He felt uneasy about leaving, but Bob was up and walking around. He was due to be released from the hospital in a few days. It was pointless to sit and watch him. He went directly to the stadium from the airport where everyone would be at soundcheck. A part of him longed to sleep. Since the phone call, he hadn’t slept more than a few hours. He stood like a zombie at the edge of the stage as the word moved in slow motion around him. Band members and crew came to ask him how his father. He went through the story as if hitting repeat on tape player. Now, he watched Strict Machine end their soundcheck. Faith turned around to see him.
“Hey,” she rushed over. “How are you?”
She was the first to ask about him. “I’m tired, but okay. My dad’s doing much better. They are calling it a mild stroke because he’s rebound so well.”
“Good, I’m so glad,” She looked at his tired eyes shielded by sunglasses. “You should get some sleep.”
He nodded. “I will. I wanted to do a quick sound check with the guys.”
She wagged a finger in his face, “No late night parties for you.”
“Not unless you’re going to be there,” he winked. She punched his arm and exited the stage.
Faith caught sight of Larry as she walked down the back stairs. Her heart felt like it might explode. His smile still curled her toes. Be strong, she told herself. As his eyes caught on her descending, he missed her. In the 2 weeks apart, he thought of her every day. He tried to push her out of his mind, but she seeped in like the fog.
“Hey,” she flashed a smile.
“Hey,” his voice was soft. “How are you?”
“Good,” she nodded. On the outside she was strong as steel, while her insides turned like the sea.
He bit his lip. “How was your break?”
She chuckled. “We didn’t really have one. We went from Boston to a recording studio in New York to put the final touches on a single. Then off to London for a video shoot. To here.”
“Wow. No vacation at all?” he raised his eyebrows.
“Not for awhile. Hey, we have to be work horses right now,” she shrugged. “Then we get a long vacation after September.” Just as she was getting lost in his eyes, she saw Ryan come down the stairs. “If you’ll excuse me.”
“Oh sure,” Larry said. At least she was talking to him. The air felt electric around them. As he stared after her, his breath quickened. He closed his eyes and thought of Ann. They’d had a relatively nice week together. He tried to not be distracted by the small kiss he shared with Faith. It was just a small kiss. Nothing more.
Alex felt shy as she came across Edge in the underworld. "How was your break?"
Delighted to hear her voice, he spun around. His face was still pink from time in the sun over the last few weeks.
"It was nice. I got to spend time with my girls. I miss them on tour," he said.
"Do they ever visit?" Alex asked.
"Not really. With Aislinn and I being divorced, it's strange. When they are older maybe," he sighed. If Morleigh and the girls got along, they could visit more. He didn't see that happening soon. He looked at the disc in her hands. "What's this?"
"Oh, I wanted to give you a copy of the final product. Its our single for Feeling Good. It's different from what you heard in LA. Faith went back and redid the vocals," their fingers brushed as he took the disc from her hand.
Immediately, he put it into the player. Soon the stadium was filled with opening keyboards. Faith's aching voice echoed across the empty field. The guitar was blissfully dirty and hard. It was the perfect compliment to the bare passion of Faiths vocals. Alex loved seeing the large smile on Edge’s lovely lips.
"Is this the single?" Bono asked Faith.
"It is," she said glancing around.
"Its very good. Different than what you played for me, right?" He asked.
"I reworked the vocal. It sounded very flat to me. I was exhausted when I did this. Somehow it worked being frazzled," she said. "It's being released this week. I'm not sure how we're hearing it."
"I saw Alex head underground," he shrugged. They shared a knowing look. They had noticed the same thing. Bono shrugged with a head shake as if to say, we're all adults here.
"So you like?" Alex’s eyes expectant.
He nodded. "It's very good. Daniel did a great job of mixing it."
"He was so different to work with compared to Steve. Not bad, just different. I'd like to work with him again," she said.
Edge nodded. “Danny’s more zen. Much more zen with Steve. But he can really discover some interesting sounds in music. And he’ll push you without you really knowing he’s doing it. Have you given thought to the next album?”
“I’m looking forward to writing it. Faith and I have jotted some basic ideas down. I’m looking forward to writing an album, you know?” she grinned her eyes appearing almost green. “The two CDs we had the club shows were just a collection of songs we had performed. And our ‘debut’ album was a greatest hits of those two. I want to do something cohesive, you know?”
“I do. Not just a collection of songs, but a work of art,” Edge said.
She laughed. “I don’t know if I can set my sights that high.”
“Hey Edge, you coming up for sound check or should we all cram down there?” Bono called down the stairs.
Alex glared after the voice. She knew she disliked Bono. Go chase my friend around stage, she seethed.
“I’m being paged,” he sighed. “We’ll continue this later.” And he climbed the stairs.
Faith heard Skunk Anansie hit the stage. Her body was ready after hitting the stage at 6:30pm most nights. They were due on stage at at 7:45. The stadium, which was much larger than most of the ones in America, would be filled more than usual. She admitted that she was nervous. They were playing to people who had never heard of them. How could they? They were an American band.
“I have it,” Bono sat on the couch in Strict Machine’s dressing room in his pre-show sweats.
“An STD?” Faith teased.
“I vote the Clap,” Alex called.
“The next song we’ll sing,” he ignored the barbs.
“Oh yeah?” Faith asked.
“Don’t Go Breaking My Heart?” Alex suggested.
He paused. “That’s actually not a bad idea.”
Faith groaned. “Don’t take suggestions from her. She's trying to sabotage."
“You Don’t Bring Me Flowers!” Alex shouted through a fit of laughter.
“No,” Bono looked pointedly at Alex. “Something Stupid.” He shot her a glare. “Before you add your comments, it’s a Frank Sinatra song.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard it,” Faith confessed.
“I’ll sing it for you during check tomorrow. It’s a lot shorter than Time of My Life,” he said.
“I like that,” Faith said.
“And the way the song is, I won’t be dislocating your shoulder to get you to the stage,” he said.
“I don’t need to hear the song, I’m on board,” she smiled.
“Well, hear it first,” he stood.
“Are we doing it tonight?” she rolled her eyes at his grin. “The duet, you ass.”
“Yeah, that was the plan,” he nodded. “See you later.”
When Faith hit the stage at almost 8 at night, she didn’t expect the sun to be so high in the sky or the stadium to be so full. The Dutch were a punctual bunch. The pleasant surprise was they knew the words to their songs. She opened her mouth for Kiss With a Fist, and the voices lifted over her own. Her eyes widened as she smiled at Alex. They were fans? Of all the shows, this had to be the best. Faith fed off the energy of the crowd. She dove hands into the crowd and they went wild. She ran up and down the ramp so many times, she felt like she’d run a marathon.
It was a good night for everyone. The Dutch crowd were politely rowdy. They even enjoyed the duet between Bono and Faith which was more playful than driven by sexual tension. Faith still smiled at Larry’s scowl as she exited the stage.
The band played with the musical arrangement of Something Stupid as Faith stood nearby to hear Bono’s next great idea. Larry thought this whole duet idea was incredibly silly. Sure, the crowd seemed to enjoy it. Larry saw it as Bono’ss excuse to get close to Faith. Luckily it was a fairly simple song to learn. Bono held the printed lyrics in his hand.
"You've never heard this before?" He asked.
She shook her head. "Are we going to use the same moves?"
He nodded. "We could make up our own too."
Edge looked up. "Okay, I think we got it."
Bono smiled and looked at the sheet.
“I know I stand in line
Until you think you have the time
To spend an evening with me
And if we go someplace to dance
I know that there's a chance
You won't be leaving with me
Then afterwards we drop into a quiet little place
And have a drink or two
And then I go and spoil it all
By saying something stupid
Like I love you”
As Faith listened listened to the words he sang, it didn't sound like a duet. It was more like a man professing his love.
I practice every day to find some clever
lines to say
To make the meaning come true
But then I think I'll wait until the evening
gets late
And I'm alone with you
The time is right
Your perfume fills my head
The stars get red
And oh the night's so blue
And then I go and spoil it all
By saying something stupid
Like I love you
I love you...”
"What did you think?" He asked.
"Are you sure its a duet? Doesn't sound like it," she scratched her head.
"Nancy and Frank sang it together. So there was no parts. I think our voices blend well enough for it," he said.
"It sounds so....." she searched for the words.
"Dumb?" Larry interjected.
Bono lobbed a glare at him.
"No, I was thinking old fashioned. It's a bit dated," she said.
"It was a hit a few years ago in England and parts of europe. A remake of it," Edge offered.
"I like it better than the other one," Alex offered.
Faith was unsure. It sounded very intimate. She felt uncomfortable singing 'I love you'd to Bono.
"Do you want to try at least singing it once?" He asked.
She shrugged and walked over to look at the sheet. The first run through was rough as Faith learned the melody. It was very uneven and she struggled to keep on tempo. Larry hoped it would mean the end of the duet. The second time was better. There was more giggling and less swearing. By the fourth time, Faith had the words memorized. Bono attempted to sing, read the words and dance. He had wanted to perform it that night, but that didn't seem likely. To Larry’s great displeasure, Bono requested they play it one more time to rehearse dance steps.
Paul appeared on the stage with a mobile phone and motioned for the band to stop.
"Hey," Bono turned his head with Faith still in his arms.
"Bono, it's for you. It's your brother," Paul's eyes were watery.
Something Stupid - Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman
YouTube - Robbie williams & nicole kidman Something stupid video
I'll admit that this came on my iPod and thought it would a cute song for Bono to duet with someone. Why not my Faith?
Obviously not true. Some language.
Sweetness Follows - REM
Readying to bury your father and your mother,
what did you think when you lost another?
I used to wonder why did you bother,
distanced from one, blind to the other.
Listen here my sister and my brother
what would you care if you lost the other?
I always wonder why did we bother,
distanced from one, blind to the other.
Oh..., oh..., but sweetness follows
It's these little things, they can pull you under.
Live your life filled with joy and wonder.
I always knew this altogether thunder
was lost in our little lives.
Oh..., oh..., but sweetness follows.
Oh..., oh..., but sweetness follows.
It's these little things, they can pull you under.
Live your life filled with joy and thunder.
Yeah, yeah we were altogether
lost in our little lives.
Oh..., Oh..., Ah...
Oh, oh, but sweetness follows.
Oh, oh, oh, but sweetness follows.
YouTube - REM-Sweetness Follows
Faith avoided Larry the following day. She made eye contact only when necessary. Horribly embarrassed, she couldn't wait for the last show to over with. They were headed straight back to New York for the final mixing of Feeling Good and the revamped Times Like These. Then it was off England for a video shoot. Their time home would be maybe a day or two. Faith didn't even bother trying to make plans with friends. She was staying with Ryan as she was still homeless.
Larry wanted to talk to her. He wanted to tell her that he did have very real feelings for her. That she was unlike any other woman he'd ever known. He meant that kiss. But he still had obligations. 24 years was a long time. Was a future with Faith worth that? Did he still love Ann or was holding on out a sense of duty? He needed to go home and sort things out. He could tell by Faith's face that she didn't want to talk about it. He respected her space and stayed away.
Bono wandered over looking around as he did. "Do you have a moment?”
"Yeah," she said cautiously. Did Larry tell him? She knew the band was close. Did they share everything like girlfriends?
"Were you planning on visiting hospitals in Europe? " he asked lowly.
"English speaking ones, yes. We thought about getting translators but it would be too tough," she was relieved.
"Could I come with you sometime?" He asked.
"Sure, I guess so," she was surprised.
"My concern is that if I went I would bring attention to your past. I know it's very private for you," he said.
She thought about the kids. He was right. If he started tagging along the press could find out. Eventually, it would be discovered about Faith. But the kids would love a visit from a big rock star. It seemed horribly selfish to deny them that because she wanted to keep it a secret.
"If they find out, they find out," she shrugged. "The kids would love it."
Bono smiled. "Great. I'll check with Paul and Dennis to make sure this isn't a massive security headache for them."
She smiled. "Great." He did prove himself to be a good guy at times. If even if he was dancing very suggestively with a few women the night before. She was sure his entire shirt was ripped open with at least 3 sets of hands on him. Day Bono was easier to stomach than Night Bono.
Her brother John and his wife came the final night of the tour. When Bono discovered that they were coming, he made arrangements for them to be brought backstage before Strict Machine went on stage.
"There's someone here for you," Dennis announced as they waited in their dressing room.
She looked up. "John!" She ran over. She hadn't seen him since Christmas. "How did you get back here?" She had set aside special passes for after the show.
"I guess Bono arranged for us to see you before. We also have seats in the friends and family section," John answered.
"I miss you," she sighed. Truthfully, New York had been tough with everyone’s family around. She felt the void of having no one.
"How are you feeling?" He asked with brotherly concern.
"Good. This has been amazing," she said. "Next....Europe. "
"BCN and FNX have been playing the album," John said. "Because you're from Boston they are claiming the whole band is from Boston. "
She shrugged,"If it gets airplay let them say whatever. "
Bono ducked his head in the room. "Good. You found her."
John walked over to shake his hand. "Yes, thank you. For everything. Giving her a shot like this. "
Bono smiled. John beamed with pride as he looked at his little sister. "You have to give her the credit. She and her band have the talent."
"You got him here?" Faith asked Bono
.
"In a limo," John added.
Bono cheeks pinked slightly.
"You didn't have to do that," Faith said.
"Shush," john said. "Man wants to send a car, let him."
Sam leaned over to Ryan. "My parents didn't get a car."
"Well, he's not looking to get intimate with you," Ryan mused.
"True."
After the show, Bono sat with Faith and her family. He hoped to discover why their parents were absent. Were they orphans? Though he thought he heard a current reference to a mother. He wanted to ask but knew he had intruded on her private life already.
“Whose idea was the duet?” Lisa, her sister-in-law asked.
Faith pointed to Bono. “Sort of his. And Edge’s girlfriend who choreographed it.”
Lisa blushed up at Bono. “I love that song.”
“Do we do it justice?” he asked.
“Oh yes,” Lisa thought Faith was luckiest person to get sing and dance with him each night.
“Are you doing it the next tour?”
Bono looked at Faith. “What do you think?”
“Do you think the song would work in Europe?” she shrugged.
“You don’t think they’ve seen that movie?” he laughed.
“I just didn’t they’d know the song as much as Americans,” she said.
“We could find something else. Maybe switch it up every other night,” he suggested. “I’ll think about it over the break.” He winked.
The morning following the last show, both bands milled about the conference room turned brunch. There were many red eyes as the party stretched into dawn for some. Bono had been orbited by several women as he led the crowd from Irish pub to Irish pub. For the most part, they were largely ignored by him. He spent the night talking with Ryan, Adam, Faith and Faith’s family. They attempted to cajole him to the dance floor. Politely, he declined. He was tired. He was boarding a plane for home in the afternoon. He would have one week with his girls before beginning the European tour. Most nights, he enjoyed the attention. Tonight, he was satisfied laughing and talking with good friends. Some of the crew joined them as the doors of a friend’s bar was locked and they toasted the sunrise. They staggered back to the hotel in a clump, singing and laughing. Bono slung his arms around Faith and Ryan as they walked. It had been an amazing show leading to a great after show. Instead of flopping down on his bed, he sat in hotel room and took pen to paper to write his thoughts in song.
“High - higher than the sun You shoot me from a gun I need you to elevate me here At the corner of your lips
As the orbit of your hips
Eclipse - you elevate my soul
I've got no self control
Been living like a mole now
Going down - excavation
I and I - in the sky
You make me feel like I can fly
So high - elevation”
Now, he was feeling the hours he didn’t sleep. Faith’s eyes were shaded by her sunglasses. She was not as used to the all-nighters. After her night with Larry, she was happy to enjoy herself. Happier that he decided to turn in early. SHe wasn’t ready to be friends just yet.
Both bands exchanged farewells. Alex had dreaded this day. She did look forward to her own bed and being surrounded by her things. She already missed Edge. She felt a hole open inside her just thinking about the 2 weeks away from him. It would go quickly, she told herself. They didn’t have a moment off until the Rotterdam. Maybe without Edge’s presence she could reconnect with Sam. Find the magic she once felt.
Larry returned home to Ann in the morning hours of July 4th. She was curled in their bed still asleep as he set his bags down on the hardwood floors. The golden lab trotted over and nuzzled his hand. He scratched the dog behind his ear. His house felt strange. Familiar and foreign. He looked at Ann from the doorway. His heart broke. He had been unfaithful. His lips had touched another woman. For the first time since that kiss, he regretted it. Ann loved him completely. She waited for him in this big house for months. How did he repay that devotion? He followed another woman around like a love sick puppy. He contemplated leaving this all behind. Shedding his clothes, he slipped under the cool sheets to press himself against her warm body.
Strict Machine spent Independence Day in a studio working on the mix of Feeling Good. There was no rest for the weary band. Sometime after 9pm, Alex dragged herself to her apartment for some sleep. Sam and Faith stayed in the studio listening to playback after playback.
“I think I want to try to vocal one more time,” she said wearily. She was never happy with track she put down while in LA. It felt fake.
Sam rubbed his eyes. “Okay.”
“You wanted to go though,” she said.
“Let’s try one more take and see what we get,” he said.
Her voice was raw. The final days of the tour left her spent. Between Bono discovering her past. The kiss with Larry and the all-nighter the final night. She felt frazzled and raw. Her voice was a throaty growl at the start of the song as she sang over the keyboards. As the rest of the band kicked in, her voice climbed with passion and pain. The hair on Sam’s arm stood on end. Faith, covered in sweat, slumped emotionally exhausted after the last take.
“That was amazing,” Sam said.
“Really?” she asked.
“God yes. It was a lot like the live version. I felt that passion and rage. I think we need to use that one,” Sam nodded. “Let me make a version of that with the music. We’ll play it for Alex and Ryan tomorrow.”
“It felt better than what we had,” She nodded.
It was nice to see Sam invested in the band again. He seemed disinterested at the start of the tour. Perhaps the spoils of fame had changed his mind. He played back the newer version and a smile spread across his face. Alex wasn’t the only one that could make music, he thought proudly. Faith immediately liked this version much better.
“I think we did it,” she nodded.
“I think we did too,” he agreed. “Faith....” he started and trailed off as he looked at her. Her heart stopped. “I’m sorry I was an asshole.”
“When?” she asked. Truthfully, he had had a few moments in the last few months.
“When we were offered to continue on with the second leg of the tour. I was a dick. I made some suggestion about Bono...” he looked down ashamed.
“We’re all getting used to this new life. We all say things we don’t mean sometimes,” she placed her hand on his arm.
He ran his fingers through his dark brown hair. “I know, but still. I was a shit. No wonder Alex has been distancing herself from me.”
A lump caught in Faith’s throat. He had noticed. She thought that maybe he was having too good a time to realize it. “It’s hard to spend so much time with someone. There’s no escape, like work. You work together. You play together.”
“I love her, I don’t want to escape,” he said.
“You know, you need a break. You and Alex went from spending a few hours together a night - and maybe some weekends together to traveling together. Eating almost every meal together. Even married people don’t spend that much time together,” Faith said.
Sam nodded. “I guess you’re right. I didn’t think how that would affect us. How do I get it back, Faith?”
She didn’t have an answer for that. In the last few weeks, she watched Alex draw closer to Edge. She figured both being guitarists, it made sense. They talked gear. They jammed together. Edge wanted to help Strict Machine. But Faith had seen the lingering looks. Alex was pulled in his direction. It was apparent to Faith when Moreleigh visited the tour that friendship was not the only thing on Alex’s mind.
“I don’t know. You are talking to someone that hasn’t been in love in a few years,” she said sadly. “I don’t feel qualified to give you advice. I think you have to follow her lead. If you try to hold too tight, it will make her restless and want to bolt.”
He nodded. “I know. I didn’t think I was smothering. It’s hard to give someone space in this setting. And we don’t have a true vacation. We leave for London in 2 days.”
“It will work out somehow,” Faith tried to be reassuring. “You need to be happy too.”
Sam nodded. Would he and Alex be happy together again? He felt as if they existed as ghosts going through the motions of a couple. He wanted the passion back. He wanted her to look at him with those eyes she used to have for him.
Strict Machine left one busy city for another. London was hectic and dirty. While the American tabloids didn’t really care who Faith was, photos of her and Bono pressed together on stage emblazoned the covers of a few. Faith sighed as she flipped through one in the back of a car.
“One article actually said I was the reason his marriage failed,” she grumbled. “When did he get divorced?”
Sheila glanced back from the front seat. “Officially? Since 1997.”
“I didn’t even know him!” she exclaimed.
“That’s the British rags. You can sue. In fact, I am going to warn them to retract that claim unless they want a lawsuit,” Sheila said.
“I knew there were rumors, but c’mon,” Faith sighed. She wondered what Bono thought of all this attention.
“Told you that duet was a bad idea,” Alex said. “Yes, we got press, but was it the right kind?”
Faith rubbed her eyes. “Maybe we should drop it from the set then.”
“Don’t listen to her,” Ryan said. “This shit eventually dies down. Keep telling the truth. That’s all you can do.”
Just when Faith and Bono had settled into a nice friendship, the tabloids had to make it trashy. Larry wouldn’t want anything to do with this. She cursed herself for even still wanting him at all after he ran away. Over the few days, the anger subsided to hurt. She understood why he pulled away. She hoped he would break up with Ann and want to be with her. As days ticked by with no word from him, it was clear that Faith was not his choice. She stared out the window at the wet London streets. Europe was a new continent with new possibilities.
“Would this be a bad time to present an offer to you?” Sheila asked. “Q magazine has asked to do a feature on Strict Machine.”
“That sounds pretty good,” Sam said.
“They want to do it on both Strict Machine and U2 - sort of double feature. The biggest band in the world handing over the reigns to the next biggest band in the world,” She said.
Alex raised her eyebrows. “Biggest band in the world?”
Faith laughed. “I think they are overreaching there.”
“It’s amazing press,” Sheila offered.
“Ever wonder if it’s happening too fast?” Faith asked. “I think I’m starting to get worried about over-saturation. I know we need to put our music and name out there, but I don’t want people to think ‘oh God, not them again’.”
“What did they say?” Alex asked.
“Who? U2? Their concern was for you. They didn’t want to overshadow you or have the tables turned like what’s in the tabloids,” she said.
“So they have see them,” Faith sighed. What did they think of this kind of press?
“Okay. Let’s do it then,” Alex said. She hoped for a nice photo shoot with Edge. “Like you said, Faith, we need to ride the publicity while people are watching.”
“I said that?” Faith looked over.
‘You did,” Ryan agreed.
Sheila smiled. “I will let them know. They will be joining the tour to interview both bands.”
Bono pulled in front of his old house. It looked so strange to him now. Ali met his car with a tense smile.
“Mummy!” Eve cried from the backseat.
His heart lurched watching the wind whip her hair around her face. She never failed to make him ache. It was a different ache today. Usually, he had to fight the urge to pull her into his arms or fall to his knees begging for another chance. Today, he felt sad.
“Bono,” she nodded as he slid out of his car.
He smiled. “You look good, Ali.”
“Thanks, you too,” she said.
He knew she was lying. He hadn’t shaved in days. He was still catching up from after show parties. His hair shot up in all directions. He was a mess.
“Mummy!” Eve hopped out of the car and threw her arms around Ali.
‘Did you have fun with daddy?” Ali asked as she hugged her daughter.
“We stayed up late,” Jordan said.
Ali raised an eyebrow at Bono. “How late?”
“Ten o’clock,” he said. “We were watching a movie.”
“Say goodbye to your father. He has to go,” Ali said.
Both girls wrapped their warms around Bono. This was the hard part - having to say goodbye. He missed being a family. Eventually, he would leave for a tour but there was a home to return to.
“Bye Dad,” Jordan said.
“I miss you Daddy,” Eve sniffed. It tore at him.
“You’ll see him soon. He’ll be back home in a few weeks and you can see Daddy work,” Ali said.
He squeezed them tightly. “I love you girls. Be good for your mother.” He kissed them each on the cheek. “I’ll see you soon, and I’ll call you from Rotterdam.”
They ran into the house to fight over a video-game. Ali and Bono stood in the driveway staring at one another awkwardly.
“When do you leave for the tour?” she asked.
“The day after tomorrow. We rehearse for a day then we have a show,” he shuffled his feet. He wanted to ask her if she missed him at all. He might have been a child in her eyes, but he made her laugh. Was her life as filled with fun now he was out of it? It seemed as if her laugh lines had disappeared.
“I heard it’s going well. Sold out in Europe,” she said.
“The album is picking up. The tour is getting better. It’s tighter and everyone is having a good time,” he leaned against his car.
“Good. I’m glad,” She glanced at her watch. “I better head inside before they start breaking things over that stupid game. Take care of yourself Bono,” With a nod, she walked back to the house.
He sighed. Again, she didn’t rush back into his arms. He always hoped that she would confess to the awful mistake she made of kicking him out. Apparently the gossip had not reached her about him and lead singer of his opening band. Or if it had, she didn’t care. He started his car for home. Seeing Faith in a few days was his only solace after dropping off his girls.
What was the fucking ringing and what time was it? His eyes squinted at the clock beside his bed. Who the fuck was calling at 2:30 in the morning? With a groan, he rolled over the grab the phone.
“What?” he said gruffly in the phone.
“Paul,” said a familiar voice. “It’s dad. We’re at the hospital. You better get here now.”
Bono rubbed his eyes as he walked through the main doors. That hospital smell hit like a punch in the stomach. He rushed to the main desk.
“I’m looking for Bob Hewson,” he said.
“And you are?” the woman peered over her glasses at him.
“His son Bon....Paul. I’m Paul Hewson,” he had a feeling that she knew exactly who he was.
She punched a few letters into her computer. “He’s in the intensive care unit. Take the lift to the 4th floor. It’s at the end of the hall.”
He ran to the elevators and pressed the button repeatedly. His heart raced. Norman didn’t offer much information on the phone. He knew that the ambulance had been called to the house. A million thoughts ran through his head as paced the tiny elevator. He was too young to lose his dad. He laready lost his mom and his wife. Was his father in pain? Was it a heart attack? Cancer? He thought of Faith. God, please let it not be cancer. Like a shot, he bolted out of the doors to end of the hall. A younger woman looked up from her chart.
“Mr. Hewson, right this way,” she led him through a maze of cubicles with curtains drawn. He heard beeping from every single one. In hushed voices, doctors and nurses spoke outside. “Right in here.”
He readied himself for he was about to see. Peering around the curtain, his father was asleep with tubes and wires running in and out of him. He set his chin as he swallowed his fear. He had just seen Bob a few days ago with the girls. He was strong and a wiseass. Not the frail man before him now.
“Paul,” Norman stepped forward. It was always strange to hear his given name. He’d been Bono for over 25 years. Only Norman and Bob called him ‘Paul’. Oh, and Ali when she told him she wanted a divorce.
“What happened, Norm?” he slipped inside the small room.
Norman shook his head. “I don’t know. I mean, it was a stroke. I got the call from the hospital.”
“Stroke?” Bono gulped.
“Apparently there some blockage in an artery,” Norm whispered.
“Is he going to be okay?” Bono felt his dinner rise up to his throat.
“I don’t know,” his brother sighed.
Bono sat at his father’s bed all night staring at the man. The doctor came in around 5 in the morning to go over what Bob had been through. It was a moderate stroke but there appeared to be no brain damage or affect on his motor skills. Bob had woken in the night to use the bathroom and lost all feeling in his left side. They were keeping him sedated until they could do a scan for brain wave activity. Bono called Paul at six in the morning to let him know what was going on. At 8, he called the band. Larry was the first at the hospital. He sat with Bono in the waiting room while the scan was done on Bob.
“The tour starts in 4 days,” Bono buried his head in his hands.
“Don’t you worry about that. If we have to reschedule some dates,” Larry said.
He shook his head. “We are not doing that. He wouldn’t want that. I just won’t be there until the 18th most likely. I may have to fly home in between shows, that’s all.”
“Have you slept?” Larry asked. Bono shook his head and drank his fourth cup of coffee that morning. “Have you called Ali?”
Bono rubbed the back of his neck. “I did. I told her.”
“Is she coming?” Larry asked.
“I don’t think so. Or at least she made no indication that she was,” he cleared his throat. Truthfully, he was surprised. Ali had always been very supportive. And Bob loved her even after the divorce. “I think she’s waiting for a time when I’m not here.”
“Sorry, mate,” Larry patted his leg.
Edge, Larry and Adam flew to Rotterdam on July 16 without Bono. While Bob was doing well, Bono wanted to be sure he was well on his way to recovery before he took off for the tour. He sat at Bob’s side until Bob looked at him and said point blank, “Get the fuck out of here. You are driving me batty.”
July 17th, Bono was on his way to Rotterdam. He felt uneasy about leaving, but Bob was up and walking around. He was due to be released from the hospital in a few days. It was pointless to sit and watch him. He went directly to the stadium from the airport where everyone would be at soundcheck. A part of him longed to sleep. Since the phone call, he hadn’t slept more than a few hours. He stood like a zombie at the edge of the stage as the word moved in slow motion around him. Band members and crew came to ask him how his father. He went through the story as if hitting repeat on tape player. Now, he watched Strict Machine end their soundcheck. Faith turned around to see him.
“Hey,” she rushed over. “How are you?”
She was the first to ask about him. “I’m tired, but okay. My dad’s doing much better. They are calling it a mild stroke because he’s rebound so well.”
“Good, I’m so glad,” She looked at his tired eyes shielded by sunglasses. “You should get some sleep.”
He nodded. “I will. I wanted to do a quick sound check with the guys.”
She wagged a finger in his face, “No late night parties for you.”
“Not unless you’re going to be there,” he winked. She punched his arm and exited the stage.
Faith caught sight of Larry as she walked down the back stairs. Her heart felt like it might explode. His smile still curled her toes. Be strong, she told herself. As his eyes caught on her descending, he missed her. In the 2 weeks apart, he thought of her every day. He tried to push her out of his mind, but she seeped in like the fog.
“Hey,” she flashed a smile.
“Hey,” his voice was soft. “How are you?”
“Good,” she nodded. On the outside she was strong as steel, while her insides turned like the sea.
He bit his lip. “How was your break?”
She chuckled. “We didn’t really have one. We went from Boston to a recording studio in New York to put the final touches on a single. Then off to London for a video shoot. To here.”
“Wow. No vacation at all?” he raised his eyebrows.
“Not for awhile. Hey, we have to be work horses right now,” she shrugged. “Then we get a long vacation after September.” Just as she was getting lost in his eyes, she saw Ryan come down the stairs. “If you’ll excuse me.”
“Oh sure,” Larry said. At least she was talking to him. The air felt electric around them. As he stared after her, his breath quickened. He closed his eyes and thought of Ann. They’d had a relatively nice week together. He tried to not be distracted by the small kiss he shared with Faith. It was just a small kiss. Nothing more.
Alex felt shy as she came across Edge in the underworld. "How was your break?"
Delighted to hear her voice, he spun around. His face was still pink from time in the sun over the last few weeks.
"It was nice. I got to spend time with my girls. I miss them on tour," he said.
"Do they ever visit?" Alex asked.
"Not really. With Aislinn and I being divorced, it's strange. When they are older maybe," he sighed. If Morleigh and the girls got along, they could visit more. He didn't see that happening soon. He looked at the disc in her hands. "What's this?"
"Oh, I wanted to give you a copy of the final product. Its our single for Feeling Good. It's different from what you heard in LA. Faith went back and redid the vocals," their fingers brushed as he took the disc from her hand.
Immediately, he put it into the player. Soon the stadium was filled with opening keyboards. Faith's aching voice echoed across the empty field. The guitar was blissfully dirty and hard. It was the perfect compliment to the bare passion of Faiths vocals. Alex loved seeing the large smile on Edge’s lovely lips.
"Is this the single?" Bono asked Faith.
"It is," she said glancing around.
"Its very good. Different than what you played for me, right?" He asked.
"I reworked the vocal. It sounded very flat to me. I was exhausted when I did this. Somehow it worked being frazzled," she said. "It's being released this week. I'm not sure how we're hearing it."
"I saw Alex head underground," he shrugged. They shared a knowing look. They had noticed the same thing. Bono shrugged with a head shake as if to say, we're all adults here.
"So you like?" Alex’s eyes expectant.
He nodded. "It's very good. Daniel did a great job of mixing it."
"He was so different to work with compared to Steve. Not bad, just different. I'd like to work with him again," she said.
Edge nodded. “Danny’s more zen. Much more zen with Steve. But he can really discover some interesting sounds in music. And he’ll push you without you really knowing he’s doing it. Have you given thought to the next album?”
“I’m looking forward to writing it. Faith and I have jotted some basic ideas down. I’m looking forward to writing an album, you know?” she grinned her eyes appearing almost green. “The two CDs we had the club shows were just a collection of songs we had performed. And our ‘debut’ album was a greatest hits of those two. I want to do something cohesive, you know?”
“I do. Not just a collection of songs, but a work of art,” Edge said.
She laughed. “I don’t know if I can set my sights that high.”
“Hey Edge, you coming up for sound check or should we all cram down there?” Bono called down the stairs.
Alex glared after the voice. She knew she disliked Bono. Go chase my friend around stage, she seethed.
“I’m being paged,” he sighed. “We’ll continue this later.” And he climbed the stairs.
Faith heard Skunk Anansie hit the stage. Her body was ready after hitting the stage at 6:30pm most nights. They were due on stage at at 7:45. The stadium, which was much larger than most of the ones in America, would be filled more than usual. She admitted that she was nervous. They were playing to people who had never heard of them. How could they? They were an American band.
“I have it,” Bono sat on the couch in Strict Machine’s dressing room in his pre-show sweats.
“An STD?” Faith teased.
“I vote the Clap,” Alex called.
“The next song we’ll sing,” he ignored the barbs.
“Oh yeah?” Faith asked.
“Don’t Go Breaking My Heart?” Alex suggested.
He paused. “That’s actually not a bad idea.”
Faith groaned. “Don’t take suggestions from her. She's trying to sabotage."
“You Don’t Bring Me Flowers!” Alex shouted through a fit of laughter.
“No,” Bono looked pointedly at Alex. “Something Stupid.” He shot her a glare. “Before you add your comments, it’s a Frank Sinatra song.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard it,” Faith confessed.
“I’ll sing it for you during check tomorrow. It’s a lot shorter than Time of My Life,” he said.
“I like that,” Faith said.
“And the way the song is, I won’t be dislocating your shoulder to get you to the stage,” he said.
“I don’t need to hear the song, I’m on board,” she smiled.
“Well, hear it first,” he stood.
“Are we doing it tonight?” she rolled her eyes at his grin. “The duet, you ass.”
“Yeah, that was the plan,” he nodded. “See you later.”
When Faith hit the stage at almost 8 at night, she didn’t expect the sun to be so high in the sky or the stadium to be so full. The Dutch were a punctual bunch. The pleasant surprise was they knew the words to their songs. She opened her mouth for Kiss With a Fist, and the voices lifted over her own. Her eyes widened as she smiled at Alex. They were fans? Of all the shows, this had to be the best. Faith fed off the energy of the crowd. She dove hands into the crowd and they went wild. She ran up and down the ramp so many times, she felt like she’d run a marathon.
It was a good night for everyone. The Dutch crowd were politely rowdy. They even enjoyed the duet between Bono and Faith which was more playful than driven by sexual tension. Faith still smiled at Larry’s scowl as she exited the stage.
The band played with the musical arrangement of Something Stupid as Faith stood nearby to hear Bono’s next great idea. Larry thought this whole duet idea was incredibly silly. Sure, the crowd seemed to enjoy it. Larry saw it as Bono’ss excuse to get close to Faith. Luckily it was a fairly simple song to learn. Bono held the printed lyrics in his hand.
"You've never heard this before?" He asked.
She shook her head. "Are we going to use the same moves?"
He nodded. "We could make up our own too."
Edge looked up. "Okay, I think we got it."
Bono smiled and looked at the sheet.
“I know I stand in line
Until you think you have the time
To spend an evening with me
And if we go someplace to dance
I know that there's a chance
You won't be leaving with me
Then afterwards we drop into a quiet little place
And have a drink or two
And then I go and spoil it all
By saying something stupid
Like I love you”
As Faith listened listened to the words he sang, it didn't sound like a duet. It was more like a man professing his love.
I practice every day to find some clever
lines to say
To make the meaning come true
But then I think I'll wait until the evening
gets late
And I'm alone with you
The time is right
Your perfume fills my head
The stars get red
And oh the night's so blue
And then I go and spoil it all
By saying something stupid
Like I love you
I love you...”
"What did you think?" He asked.
"Are you sure its a duet? Doesn't sound like it," she scratched her head.
"Nancy and Frank sang it together. So there was no parts. I think our voices blend well enough for it," he said.
"It sounds so....." she searched for the words.
"Dumb?" Larry interjected.
Bono lobbed a glare at him.
"No, I was thinking old fashioned. It's a bit dated," she said.
"It was a hit a few years ago in England and parts of europe. A remake of it," Edge offered.
"I like it better than the other one," Alex offered.
Faith was unsure. It sounded very intimate. She felt uncomfortable singing 'I love you'd to Bono.
"Do you want to try at least singing it once?" He asked.
She shrugged and walked over to look at the sheet. The first run through was rough as Faith learned the melody. It was very uneven and she struggled to keep on tempo. Larry hoped it would mean the end of the duet. The second time was better. There was more giggling and less swearing. By the fourth time, Faith had the words memorized. Bono attempted to sing, read the words and dance. He had wanted to perform it that night, but that didn't seem likely. To Larry’s great displeasure, Bono requested they play it one more time to rehearse dance steps.
Paul appeared on the stage with a mobile phone and motioned for the band to stop.
"Hey," Bono turned his head with Faith still in his arms.
"Bono, it's for you. It's your brother," Paul's eyes were watery.
Something Stupid - Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman
YouTube - Robbie williams & nicole kidman Something stupid video
I'll admit that this came on my iPod and thought it would a cute song for Bono to duet with someone. Why not my Faith?
I hope you'll keep writing this stuff for a long time.
No problem! And its true, I hate the happy fluffy stuff all the time. Angst ftw.
