Chapter 28

One day as we were finishing the CD, I was in the booth with Piero, filming him intently as he finished re-recording certain sections of a new song.

"How's that?" he asked as he finished and slid off his headphones.

"Perfect!" Renis said, giving him a thumbs-up. "Guys…That's a wrap!"

"Really!?" Piero called, and outside the booth Ignazio leaped up and cheered, and Gianluca followed suit. They hugged and then ran to the producers and Michele to hug them, and Piero started happy-dancing in the booth until Gianluca and Ignazio burst in and pulled him into a hug too. They all started whooping and high-fiving and jumping around, and I sat silently in my corner, shaking with excitement as I captured the moment the CD was deemed finished. This would be an important part of my documentary, and I could see it coming together before my eyes!

Ignazio thankfully waited until I had set down the camera to race forward and pull me up into his arms and into the whooping mass of cheering boys.

I laughed and cheered with them, and then after a minute we all left the sound booth and I grabbed my camera and started filming the excitement again.

"What happens next?" I asked Gatica.

"Now we piece together the music. Soon we'll all listen to the finished CD together."

"Brilliant!" I said, and when I lowered the camera Ignazio swept me up into his arms and kissed me.

Several days later, we gathered together in the studio and sat quietly as Gatica and Renis put on the full CD. I sat against the wall to be able to get everyone on my camera screen and filmed for a while, getting the boys' approving smiles and nods at their own music. After a while I sat the camera down beside me to listen and take it all in. I leaned my head on my fist and was quiet and still, fingering the camera strap as I listened to the music my life was currently set to.

It was absolutely gorgeous, and I closed my eyes, entranced, remembering the first time I had realized my responsibility as their photographer. I smiled as I remembered everything I had done with them since then, the beauty I had thankfully gotten entangled with.

With this thought, I opened my eyes and looked at Ignazio across the room and found he was looking at me already and smiling softly. When he saw me looking back his smile widened, and he wordlessly pushed at Piero to get him to move over on the couch. Then he reached out his hands, and I smiled and got up from the floor, leaving my camera beside Michele's chair.

I soundlessly crossed the floor and sat beside Ignazio, who wrapped his arm around my shoulders and quietly leaned toward me to sweetly kiss my cheek and whisper teasingly in my ear, "I think I like this pop music. How about you?"

I rolled my eyes and stifled a laugh, and I then held my finger to my lips. He smiled brightly and leaned back against the couch, closing his eyes to keep listening, and he smiled when he felt me lean against him.

When the last notes ended, we all sat silently together for a few minutes, thinking, staying in our trance. I looked around at everyone and then at Ignazio, who stopped gazing into the distance to smile back at me.

"It's brilliant!" I said to the group, breaking the silence, and Ignazio laughed and hugged me. Then Piero and Gianluca laughed, and we were all laughing in joyful excitement.

"I agree wholeheartedly, Tamzin!" Renis said, and as they started to discuss production and distribution of the album, I collected my camera and sat beside Ignazio again, listening intently to their plans.

"So," Michele said, shaking hands with Gatica and Renis, "That's it, boys! The album is finished!"

Ignazio whooped, inspiring Piero and Gianluca to do the same, and they all jumped up for another round of hugging and cheering as I left the couch and went to crouch down beside Michele's chair. "So, then what?" I asked.

"What?" Gatica asked, and Michele put a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm assuming she wants to know what happens after the CDs are ready for distribution."

"Yes. What's next for Il Volo?"

"Well, there's promotion. We need to let it be known that there will soon be a new, fabulous Il Volo CD ready for purchase!"

I moved closer to his chair and put my chin in the palm of my hand, waiting intently. When he just smiled at me and didn't continue, I asked, "Specifically. How do we go about doing this? What now?"

Michele smiled.

"Now, you enjoy the rest of the summer with the boys as the CDs are produced."

"And then what?"

"Then we'll start our promotion of the album in August, so you and the boys will have some time to play and relax."

"I don't want to relax. I want to-"

"She wants to come to the beach with us, I hope!" Ignazio said, and I felt his hand on my arm pulling me up from the floor.

I didn't answer him as I continued interrogating the producers.

"So when August comes, we'll start a promotional tour and we'll go…where?"

"To the beach!" Ignazio exclaimed, walking around me and taking my camera in one hand and my hand in another, "Come on, my dear! We're going water-skiing!"

"Go, Tamzin. I'll let you guys know later," Michele said as I squirmed away from Ignazio.

"Michele! When do we leave? Where are we going? Do you have interviews planned yet? Which ones? Are we going to-"

Michele just smiled at me and then shook his head at the producers. I put my hands defiantly on my hips, glaring exasperatedly at him.

"Michele!"

"Go play, Tamzin," he said, and then laughed when Ignazio wrapped an arm around my middle and hoisted me over his shoulder.

"Let's go!" he called, and Piero and Gianluca called see-you-laters to the producers as they stormed out the door, Ignazio following, carrying me as I squirmed.

"I'll be back, Michele!" I promised, and he laughed and waved.

I let Ignazio take me to the beach with him and Gianluca and Piero, after I made him take me back to the condos to change and put away my beloved camera. Then we went water-skiing, like Ignazio said we would, and we played Frisbee, and we went swimming. I didn't mind the break, actually, because it was fun and it gave me an opportunity to think about what I was going to do after we returned to the condos.

When we did return, in the evening, and Ignazio kissed me goodnight and left me on my porch, I went directly to Michele's condo and climbed through the kitchen window, finding it open to let in the summer air.

He was sitting at the table eating a bowl of soup, and he watched me as I dropped to the ground and then waltzed over and slid into a chair across from him.

"Good evening," I said, as if what I had just done was completely normal. "I came back."

"I thought you would. I see you wasted no time in getting here," he observed, eyebrows raised, and I straightened my swimsuit cover-up and flipped my damp hair over my shoulder.

"So," I said, leaning forward and crossing my arms on the table. "In August we start on the promotions. Can you elaborate on that?"

"We'll do a promotional tour in the U.S. throughout August and some of September, focusing on the major cities. Then we'll do some interviews in the Latin countries and see where we are after that."

"Do you have any interviews lined up yet?"

"A few, though the producers and I would like to get some more."

"Can I have a copy of the schedule of the ones you've got?"

He put down his spoon and smiled at me, pushing aside the bowl of soup.

"Tamzin, would you like to be Il Volo's manager?"

"Just give me the schedule."

"Why?"

"I like to know what's going on."

"Oh really?"

I rolled my eyes and then leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms and giving him an exasperated look.

He smiled at me and then pushed back from the table. I sat up and watched eagerly as he walked to the couch and went through a stack of papers, pulling out a manila folder and returning to the table. He sat and pushed it toward me across the tabletop.

I reached out and received it from him, flipping it open and observing the calendar in front of me. He had written down the times and locations of several different interviews and television appearances on various dates. On the side of the calendar he had written notes about what cities we would be in during certain dates. The interviews he had secured were good, but the calendar was sparse.

"Okay. How many interviews were you planning on having?"

"As many as we can get."

"Really!?"

"Within reason, Tamzin!"

"Yeah, yeah. So, Michele…"

I flipped the folder shut, and realized that my name was written on the cover. I looked up at him, and found him smiling crookedly at me.

"Yes, Tamzin?"

"If I can secure us some interviews with big TV and radio programs, will the boys do them?"

"Yes, but how will you get them?"

I leaned my chin on my arm and smiled cunningly.

"I can be very convincing. So when are we planning on releasing the CD?"

"Late August, I think."

"Late August…hmmm…"

I picked up the folder and stood from the table, leaning against the wall beside the window as I dug the toe of my red high-top into the ground.

"Late August…So not much time before the AMAs, but I guess I'll have to work with it…"

"Tamzin, what?"

I looked up at him and smiled slyly.

"You just wait."

I turned and walked briskly toward the door, pulling it open and stepping out into the fading light.

"Tamzin?"

I turned and found him pulling the bowl of soup back in front of himself, smiling as he watched me.

"Hmm?"

"Go for it."

I shared the smile with him, and then whirled around and shut the door, running down the steps and toward my condo, my only slightly-damp hair flying behind me as my red high-tops shone in the porch lights of our cluster of condos. I couldn't help but laugh excitedly as I ran, my heart racing as I clutched the folder with my name on it to my chest.

I hung up the phone and smiled to myself as I picked up my pen and scribbled a few lines onto the calendar I had tacked up the night before, then moved over to a paper of my own carefully planned out notes and crossed out some details. I raised my phone again and dialed quickly and excitedly, sitting down at the table and sighing.

"Come on…" I murmured as the phone rang, "I've got some other calls to get to…"

Finally someone picked up, and I smiled confidently and leaned back in my chair, crossing my red high-topped feet on top of the table.

"Yes, hello, this is Tamzin Montgomery; I work with Il Volo, the world-famous trio of young Italian singers. I have written here that they performed on your show in January of two years ago, and I'd like to speak with the producers of your show about possibly setting up another performance, that is, if your schedule works with ours…Thank you!"

I waited until the secretary was scrambling to find the producers, and before long I found myself speaking to the management of one of the U.S.'s most popular late-night shows.

"Why, hello!...Yes, that's right, I'm Tamzin Montgomery, and I work with Il Volo, the world-famous trio of young Italian singers. I have in my records here that they performed on your show on January 23rd of two years ago, and had a vey…lasting impression on your audience, yes?"

I heard a soft knocking on the door of my condo, and I turned as Ignazio called, "Tamzin!? Are you there? I want to ask you something!"

"Good, of course, how could you not? They performed flawlessly on your show! Anyway…"

"I'm coming in, okay?"

Ignazio opened the door slowly, peering in and then smiling brightly when he saw me, his lengthening dark hair falling into his eyes whenever he turned his head.

I immediately held my finger to my lips and raised my eyebrows, and he nodded, closing the door very quietly behind him as I smiled and turned my attention back to the papers scattered across the table in front of me.

"Anyway…the boys have just finished recording a brand-new CD of their versions of popular traditional American songs, and I'm sure the country would be very interested in hearing a preview of it…I believe it's an excellent opportunity for the country, and for your show also, to be one of the first programs in the world to be a part of this movement toward more operatic music!"

I heard Ignazio walking toward the sofa, and I heard him sit as he presumably waited for me to finish my phone call.

"So I've managed to convince the boys to take some time out of their busy schedule to do some public televised appearances, and they agreed that your show definitely had to be contacted! The boys just love your show, and they'd love to have the chance to perform again on your stage!"

There was silence for a moment, and then he asked for time to consult with his fellow management.

"Why, of course!" I exclaimed, "The staff must be notified immediately about this opportunity!"

While I waited, I turned and saw the look of astonishment on Ignazio's face, and I smiled and blew him a kiss. He stared bewilderedly back at me and raised his eyebrows.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm just on the phone with the management of one of the most popular nighttime shows in the country!"

"What!? Why!?"

"I'm getting you some new publicity opportunities. Haven't you learned by now that I can be very convincing?"

"Does Michele know that you-"

"It is with his blessing that I operate."

"How do you suppose-"

"Shh, Ignazio! I'm on a very important phone call!"

He raised his eyebrows, still looking bewildered, and I smiled and tapped my pen impatiently on the table.

I waited for several minutes, and then the producer came back on, his gruff voice business-like and strikingly unplayful as he spoke.

"Usually our schedules are made out by our booking team, Ms. Montgomery."

"Yes, well, I thought you might want to be notified directly about this opportunity."

There was a pause, and I held my breath, my heart racing in my chest.

"Sure, of course. So here's when we're able to accommodate you…"

I smirked eagerly and set my feet down from the table, jumping up and going to the calendar on the wall.

"I'm listening…"

I scribbled down everything that he told me, obediently agreeing to the date and time he provided, which was fortunately during the time we'd be in New York anyway, and noting the location of the set as Ignazio watched me in astonished silence.

"Okay…so, final plan run-through..."

I saw Ignazio perk up out of the corner of my eye, listening intently, and I leaned back and sat on the table, watching my improved calendar of promotional events.

"We'll be in New York already in mid-August, so on August 19th we'll be at your studio at six o'clock sharp! Yes, I'll have the boys dressed and ready to perform, although I do expect you to give us some necessary pre-show sound-check time…Naturally!... Alright, I suppose we can do that. At five, then, we'll be at the studio, and the boys will be dressed and ready to perform, and accompanied by myself and the other management…Michele Torpedine and Barbara Vitali. There we will have our necessary sound-check and eagerly await the boys' appearance on the stage. I will make sure that you have the music we will be releasing before the official release of the album for the boys' performance, and I expect it to be guarded highly within your studio."

I turned to smile brightly at Ignazio, who was still staring back, eyebrows raised, shaking his head.

"Alright, then it's settled, thank you so much, we'll be there! I'm sure the boys will be eagerly awaiting their interview!"

Ignazio beamed at me as he jumped up triumphantly from the couch, reaching out to me as he waited excitedly for me to hang up.

"Woa, hold up, what!?"

Ignazio lowered his arms, looking confused.

"Just a performance? No, no, no, that won't work…Now, you listen to me!"

"Tamzin!" Ignazio hissed.

"Sit!" I mouthed, pointing at the sofa, and he sat.

"Yes, I'm well aware of how the last show went. You had your whole episode interviewing washed-up members of Hollywood, people hoping to drag out their fame but have long since passed their peak. And your host sat there with them and asked them about what they've been up to, because no one in the audience had even heard their names since they finished whatever sitcom they had done in the nineties, or even back in the eighties! And I'm sure you saw the bored faces of the people in the audience, because even though they loved whatever sitcom produced this star-and I use that term loosely- they no longer care what they're doing, because now they're just normal people with normal lives, and if we wanted to hear how someone feels about their new grandchild, we could have just selected any older member of the audience!"

I was aware that Ignazio was staring open-mouthed at me, and when I turned to look at him he started motioning wildly for me to stop and clasping his hands together to beg for my mercy upon the producer as he fell off of the sofa onto his knees.

I turned away and continued.

"Now, I don't say this to be rude, but we both know you could have done better than that. And so you did, in the last few minutes of the show when you finally introduced Il Volo, and they came onto the stage in their tuxedos, and they sang their hearts out, and it was beautiful, and transcendent, and people in the audience even cried! Don't you remember that!? It was a brilliant performance, and I commend you sincerely for securing a performance from those three! Your mistake was cramming them into the final minutes of the show. I seem to remember that a verse of the song was also omitted."

"Tamzin!" Ignazio hissed, and I turned to find him still on his knees, clasping his hands and shaking his head vigorously. "Tamzin, you've already somehow booked us a performance, let it be and don't lose it!"

"Expect more, get more!" I hissed back, momentarily holding away the phone.

"Tamzin!" he pleaded, shaking his head, "Don't!"

"Sit!" I commanded, and instead he collapsed dramatically face-first onto the floor, giving up his fight. I rolled my eyes and decided that was good enough, and then held up the phone again, starting my pacing back and forth across the living room carpet as Ignazio raised his head and watched me curiously.

"I'm afraid you have misimagined these three boys. See, they're not just stunning singers! They are incredibly handsome and charming young men, and they command your attention with just a single smile. Listen, let me give you some specifics, here. Ignazio's the funny one, and he'll be the one to answer most of the questions and take control of the interview. He'll be the comedian, and the audience will just fall in love with his candor! And his Italian accent will definitely be the most present, which isn't bad to listen to either."

Ignazio was sitting against the sofa now, smiling and shaking his head as he watched me.

"Piero's got some great stories to tell, and he and Ignazio have this very funny banter that America would love to see. And Gianluca, well, he's the reflective type, but image the charm of a young John Stamos and multiply it by ten. He'll be pretty quiet, but make sure he gets addressed personally, because he can be quite…suave…"

I stopped pacing and leaned against the table to watch Ignazio, and I paused for a moment to take in his sweet smile at he listened.

"Overall…" I said more softly as I watched Ignazio, "I promise you that you won't be sorry you took the time to interview these three amazing boys."

There was a pause, and I stayed locked into Ignazio's deep brown eyes as I waited with baited breath, my heart racing as I waited for my answer.

The producer sighed and then said, "Okay. Here's how we'll do this…"

I straightened up, and Ignazio's eyebrows jumped up as I whirled around and raced back to my calendar, snatching up my pen.

"August 16th…four o'clock… main studio…dressed and ready to go…no former meeting with the host…live recording. Okay, yes, I got that…"

I turned to Ignazio, beaming, and he rose slowly from the floor, staring at me with a hesitant smile.

"We'll see you there. Thank you," I said, and then hung up and slowly set down the phone on the table, placing my pen next to it. "Ignazio?"

"Yes?" He stood poised, ready to run and scoop me up in his arms.

"On August 16th, when we're in New York City…"

I slowly made my way around the table, stepping out into the open in front of him.

"Yes?"

"You have an interview and a live performance on one of the most popular nighttime talk shows in the country!"

"AHHHHH! TAAAMMMZZZIINNNN!"

He ran at me and I laughed as he grabbed me and swung me up into the air high above his head, spinning me around as we laughed together. Then he set me down and pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me and kissing me all over my face before he kissed my lips.

"How did you do that!?" he asked, and I laughed and leaped away from him. "I told you I could be convincing!" I ran back into his arms and took his face in my hands. "When I want something, I don't back down!"

He laughed, and I kissed him and then grabbed his arms and pulled him toward the table.

"Come see! Come see!"

He followed me to my calendar, where I pointed at the first of August and followed the days with my finger to the end of the month, explaining the interviews I had secured.

"Everything in red is yours?"

"Yes!"

"Woa."

"Yeah! But I still have some more interviews to secure, like these…"

I turned and shuffled through the papers on the table, producing a sheet that I handed Ignazio.

"Wow," he said, and then again, "Wow!"

"I've got a lot of work to do," I explained, "I want to secure all of these before tonight so I can help Michele arrange the traveling."

He laughed, and I took the paper back and added it to the stack on the table.

"I've watched all your previous performances on some of these shows, took notes, researched producers and phone numbers, found loopholes and people to talk to, and I've written down…hey wasn't there something you wanted to ask me?"

"Well, I was going to ask if you wanted to go to lunch with me, but now maybe I think I'll cook something here for us instead?"

I smiled, and then took him by the shoulders and stepped toward him to kiss him. He wrapped his arms around my back, and I moved my arms around his neck as we kissed.

"Perfect," I said when I finally pulled back, "I was so eager to start that I didn't even have breakfast! Thank you, Ignazio!"

He laughed, and I laughed with him, giddily and excitedly.

"No problem, Tamzin. Besides, if you're going to be calling some more studios now, I want to hear!"

I laughed, and reached up to tug gently on the hair falling into his shimmering eyes.

"If you're going to be on these shows, though, you're going to need a haircut."

He kissed me again, and then pulled back and just watched me for a moment, shaking his head.

"You're something else, Tamzin, you know that?"

He let go of me and hurried out of the condo to get his things to cook lunch, as I leafed through my papers and picked up the phone again, falling into a chair and propping up my red high-topped feet on the table.