Chapter 4: It's Showtime
Euphoria was an understatement to describe how I felt as we got ready for the big show. The day had been way more than I could have ever asked for.
"Liss?" Amy was in the bathroom doorway. "Have you seen my Acorns shirt?"
I shook my head. "I haven't even seen it on you since I got here. Best guess though- closet, dresser, or laundry basket." I winked and grinned at her.
She rolled her eyes, but was smiling at my sorry attempt at a joke. "Yeah, yeah! You and Ry would make the best 'World's Worst Comic Duo' EVER!"
I shook my head and went back to putting the finishing touches on my make up.
I randomly heard a faint whistle. I figured it was someone else in the house so I ignored it. Moments later, All Day Long starts blaring. It was my phone. Chrissy was calling me... huh weird. "Hello?" I answered.
"You...are... a... cunt!" It was Anna.
"Oh crap! Sorry I didn't register the ring tone. I thought someone here was whistling." I defended myself, walking out to the living room, grabbing my pack of smokes, and heading out to the balcony.
Lighting a cigarette, "So... How are ya?"
"Don't hand me that crap! I want details biotch!" Anna demanded.
"Well... I miss you too... I'm good.. thanks for asking." I replied, barely containing my laughter.
"Who ya talking to?" Misty said as she came out, looking amazing! Humph! I was jealous, but in a good way!
"Anna Banana!" I grinned.
"ANNA!" Misty screamed in my ear.
"HEY! Hey! You! On the phone! Yeah you! TELL ME ALL THE GOOD STUFF!" Anna demanded. I could hear Chrissy in the background yelling for it too!
I started telling them all about our adventures that day, with the help of Misty and eventually Amy as well. They were going crazy with envy. "So... now we're getting ready for the concert and we'll see the fellas again. Can't wait! Unfortunately, these bitches look better in green than I do." I finished.
Misty and Amy both told me to shut up. Then, Anna and Chrissy's questions started... How's Ryan? Did you sneak a peek of the jumbo bubblies (inside joke, sorry)? … and so on.
"We gotta get going!" Amy said looking at her watch. We all said our good byes to Anna and Chrissy and headed for the car. Misty was driving this time. I hated city driving, although, if I was thinking of moving I'd have to get used to it.
A half hour later, we were standing in line to get to the merchandise counter. Oh man there was a lot to choose from. "I'm glad we came early." I told Amy.
"I knew you would be. Not many people. A chance to get what merch we want. Maybe catch a peek of one of the lads.. That kind of thing!" She said with a devious grin.
"Speaking of lads..." Misty tapped us both on the shoulder. We turned around to see what she was looking at. There was Colm, coming in through the front doors, in nothing but a towel. We couldn't help but giggle. Then I did something that surprised even me. I went up to him and offered him the tee shirt I'd just bought from the merch stand.
"Thanks." He said as he put it on. "Yer Liss right? We met earlier didn't we?"
"Yeah. At Starbucks. I'm with these two wackos over there." I said pointing to Amy and Misty. "The rest of our crazy crew are gonna meet us here."
He nodded like he understood what I was talking about but his eyes said that he had no clue. "I better go see if Keith and Emmet unlocked the backstage door so I can get dressed." he said as he ran toward the back of the theater.
I walked back to the girls shaking my head and laughing. They looked impressed with me. "Wow. You actually approached him and didn't fall on your face or trip over your words or anything." Said Amy, proudly.
Misty nodded and smiled. "Should we find our seats and get comfy?" She asked as the crowd started to thicken.
Amy and I agreed. She pulled out our tickets to check the seats, like it was necessary though. She led the way through the theater that was slowly filling up with people. When we finally came to the correct row, AAA or the first row, Amy went to the right and we found our seats right away, seats 107, 109, and 111. Almost perfectly center stage. Couldn't ask for a better place unless we were onstage.
Slowly our friends filed in and sat down near us. Then, Suddenly, all the lights in the theater went out. We all sat in silent anticipation for what would happen next.
One single white spotlight came on and illuminated a single figure standing in the middle of the stage, moving to the keyboard. It was the musical director, David Munro.
As he sat, another spotlight lit, following Declan to his drum set. I noticed one small glint of metal reflect when the light hit it. He was wearing St. Gregory.
The spotlights continued to light up, one by one, until the entire band was on stage.
At once, all of the lights that completely illuminated the stage, dimmed down to darkness again.
Then the drums began and the crowd went wild! The fog started rolling and the lights came up. There stood six of the most amazing men in the world!
The atmosphere was electric and the guys were right on key. The songs were amazing. Most of them we all knew but there were a few surprises. Purely amazing.
Throughout the first half, we got many a wink, smile, or thumbs up from several of the lads, but, George payed us the most attention.
Before we knew it, the first notes of Ireland's Call were playing and everyone was on their feet. And just like that, the song was over and we joined the crowd filing out of the doors.
"I can't believe its over already!" I said.
Everyone began talking at once, but they all agreed that it went too fast.
"Did you even blink once, Liss?" teased Amy.
"Of course she didn't! She'd have to take her eyes off Deco for that!" added Misty.
"Oh you two are just sooooooooo funny!" I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes.
"Speaking of not taking their eyes off of someone," piped in Bonnie, another crazy friend of ours, "Someone couldn't keep his eyes off of you Ames!"
"More than one person!" I added.
"Huh?" seems we stumped Amy, or she was just playing dumb.
"You were getting googly eyes and daggers shot at you at the same time." I explained.
Amy giggled. Of course she had noticed. She ALWAYS noticed Neil!
We joked and laughed all the way to the area where the buses were parked, the very same spot we were at earlier in the day. Just the thought of it made me smile.
There were throngs of people around us, waiting for the guys to come out. Looking around, I couldn't help but think back to that afternoon when I was constantly blushing and smiling.
"Here they come!" someone screamed when the backstage door opened. A roar louder than anything I can describe erupted. What the hell, I thought. I added my voice to the noise.
Finally a head popped out of the door. It was George. Everyone else slowly filed out and started chatting and signing autographs and taking photos.
I was amazed at how polite and patient the crowd was. A classy group of people, I thought.
We had positioned ourselves away from the crowd but completely visible to anyone walking out of the door.
Lucky enough for us, we were also at the end of the line of fans. We waited patiently, watching each man hug crying girls, kiss babies, sign anything and everything you could think of, and so on. It was truly a beautiful sight to see.
Slowly, the crowd dwindled down to nothing aside from us and the lads. We had them all to ourselves, albeit only for a little while, but little was better than no time at all.
Colm was the first to approach us, carrying something. My tee shirt.
"Well! It's good to see ya with clothes on kid!" I told him, laughing.
He chuckled and handed me the shirt I'd gotten for a friend back home and ended up lending him instead. "thanks again fer savin me."
I shook my head, "No big deal. How is the initiation going?" I asked.
"Those lads can be brutal." he responded. "Hope this doesn't last the whole tour."
"Why not?" asked Emmet, clapping Colm on the shoulder. "Can't take the pressure?"
"Oh come one Em! Be nice to the newbie. It was the same place you were last year." Neil said as he walked up. Then he added, "hello ladies."
"You be nice to my Emmet, Mr. Neil!" Misty chimed in, wrapping her arms around Em.
He blushed but shot a shit eating grin in Neil's direction.
Soon we were joined by Keith, Ryan, George, and Declan. Ry took photos and signed autographs then we demanded he go back to the bus and rest. "Yes Ma'am!" he joked as he saluted us.
"You would be wise to listen to them, buddy." said George. "They outnumber us after all."
"And don't think we wouldn't pick you up and carry you to the bus, mister!" Amy scolded, hand on her hip, making her look very authoritative.
"Don't challenge her Ry. She'll do it!" Neil warned.
"You'd know, wouldn't ya Neil!" Keith teased. He must have felt left out of all the fun.
Neil turned red. Amy grinned ear to ear. The rest of us, well, we were dying with laughter.
"And on that note," said Ryan, when he caught his breath, "I think I'm off to bed. Night ladies. Twas a pleasure meetin ya."
We all said our good nights and got hugs from him.
The conversations went into a comfortable lull. Randomly, I walked up to George, who put me quite at ease, and in a little star-struck teenager, held out my Sharpie and my copy of his album "Mr.. Mr.. Do... Mr. Donaldson, sir, can I please ha... have your autograph?"
He grinned and winked at me. "Well of course you can!" he took the CD and the pen and signed it. When he handed it back to me, "Would you like a picture too?"
I couldn't hold onto the charade anymore and began laughing. By the time I stopped tears were rolling down my cheeks. "Hell yeah I want one!" I exclaimed. "Who's gonna take it for me?" I asked, turning around with my camera outstretched. Colm offered. I gave him my hot pink camera and George wrapped me in a big fatherly bear hug.
Everyone began getting photos and autographs. I couldn't wait to get all of the pictures printed. So many were super silly. We had so much fun. I never wanted the night to end.
Unfortunately, it had to. The guys had to travel to the next city and we all had to start getting back to families and work and, in Misty and my case, fly home.
On the upside, many, many friendships were forged, with the girls we'd met, yes, but also with the lads we came all that way to see.
We all said our goodbyes, got our hugs, and watched the six men we had spent the last hour goofing off with disappear onto their tour buses. Only after they were out of sight did we begin the trek to our cars.