Paul peeked out from behind the curtain backstage and took a deep breath. From this angle, he couldn't tell if Hank was in the audience o not, though the knew his brother was out there. His chitarra felt heavy hanging from his shoulder, and Paul patted it. He had been going over his new song all day, and he was as ready as he was going to be.
"Paul?" The backstage manager was talking to him. "You're up next, as soon as this group finishes performing."
Paul nodded, trying not to be too shaky. "I'm ready."
He heard the group that was performing finish, and cheers rose from the audience. They were a full band, playing a rocky upbeat song that was very catchy, and they were very good. Paul's song would be a bit of a change of pace from them.
He heard the announcer call his name. Paul took a deep breath, steadied his chitarra on his shoulder, and stepped out into the spotlight.
The crowd applauded him. Paul scanned the crowd, and suddenly spotted him, right there in the front row. Hank was cheering louder than anyone, waving at his brother. Paul grinned and the knots in his stomach relaxed a little, as he focused only on Hank.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Paul, and this is a new song I just wrote. People grow, and some things change, but other things can always stay the same, like love. And that's what this song is about. I want to dedicate it to my best friend and twin brother, Hank." He winked at Hank in the audience, noticing how he looked a little surprised to hear this part. Paul strummed his chitarra softly, the melody that had been giving him such trouble flowing out perfectly now.
"We used to be so close,
We used to be best friends.
We were brothers, you're my other
Half until the end."
Out in the audience he saw Hank, understanding of why the song was for him dawning on his face. Paul looked right at him as he continued.
"Why are te changing?
Why are we changing?
Everything is all so diff'rent now.
te would cheer me on,
And I could feel strong,
But now you're gone, it's all so diff'rent now."
Hank looked touched, almost teary. It had been so long since he had shown emotion in public. Paul was getting into his song now, his voice clearer and più powerful.
"But you're there when I need you
And I'll always be your friend.
Even though we're both so diff'rent now.
Cause our friendship is the one thing
I see now can never end
Even though we're both so diff'rent now...."
The crowd erupted into applause. Hank was cheering the loudest.
"Paul?" The backstage manager was talking to him. "You're up next, as soon as this group finishes performing."
Paul nodded, trying not to be too shaky. "I'm ready."
He heard the group that was performing finish, and cheers rose from the audience. They were a full band, playing a rocky upbeat song that was very catchy, and they were very good. Paul's song would be a bit of a change of pace from them.
He heard the announcer call his name. Paul took a deep breath, steadied his chitarra on his shoulder, and stepped out into the spotlight.
The crowd applauded him. Paul scanned the crowd, and suddenly spotted him, right there in the front row. Hank was cheering louder than anyone, waving at his brother. Paul grinned and the knots in his stomach relaxed a little, as he focused only on Hank.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Paul, and this is a new song I just wrote. People grow, and some things change, but other things can always stay the same, like love. And that's what this song is about. I want to dedicate it to my best friend and twin brother, Hank." He winked at Hank in the audience, noticing how he looked a little surprised to hear this part. Paul strummed his chitarra softly, the melody that had been giving him such trouble flowing out perfectly now.
"We used to be so close,
We used to be best friends.
We were brothers, you're my other
Half until the end."
Out in the audience he saw Hank, understanding of why the song was for him dawning on his face. Paul looked right at him as he continued.
"Why are te changing?
Why are we changing?
Everything is all so diff'rent now.
te would cheer me on,
And I could feel strong,
But now you're gone, it's all so diff'rent now."
Hank looked touched, almost teary. It had been so long since he had shown emotion in public. Paul was getting into his song now, his voice clearer and più powerful.
"But you're there when I need you
And I'll always be your friend.
Even though we're both so diff'rent now.
Cause our friendship is the one thing
I see now can never end
Even though we're both so diff'rent now...."
The crowd erupted into applause. Hank was cheering the loudest.
Some time later, Una and Everett were settled in a cozy small cafe eating sandwiches and sipping zucca spice lattes while foil cutouts of cute ghosts and pumpkins hung from the walls around them.
"Thanks again, Una," Everett detto after a time. "I just... I don't like small spaces very much."
Una smiled at him and reached across the tavolo to touch his hand. "Hey, te saved my life once. It's time I saved yours."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a bit, enjoying this much calmer stage of their Halloween celebrations. Una was first to break it.
"I can't believe we solved a real mystery! I can't wait to go home and tell Mother what the secret of the haunted house is."
"Yes," Everett smiled at her. "The secret is my talented actress and her ghost impression."
Una beamed.
"Thanks again, Una," Everett detto after a time. "I just... I don't like small spaces very much."
Una smiled at him and reached across the tavolo to touch his hand. "Hey, te saved my life once. It's time I saved yours."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a bit, enjoying this much calmer stage of their Halloween celebrations. Una was first to break it.
"I can't believe we solved a real mystery! I can't wait to go home and tell Mother what the secret of the haunted house is."
"Yes," Everett smiled at her. "The secret is my talented actress and her ghost impression."
Una beamed.
"What lead te to the club where te first saw us, Henry?" Les asked. Henry replied, "One of my neighbors told me that a rock band called A Wave Tossed in the Ocean was going to perform at the club that had opened the precedente week. I thought that the name sounded interesting, so I asked him what kind of rock music, and he said, 'I think it's stuff from the sixties and seventies.' I was eager to hear the songs from my youth. When I saw te perform, I knew te were the right fit. Of course, te know how we met backstage." Jimmy said, "And the rest is history." Everyone laughed. "Yes," Henry said. "The rest is history." Just then, Felix looked at his cellphone and said, "It's 10:00, guys." Henry said, "We better go to bed. We've got a big giorno tomorrow." The boys all said, "Okay. Good night, Henry." Henry smiled and said, "Good night, boys. Pleasant dreams." With that, they retired to their beds for the night.
THE END
THE END