Chapter Eleven.
Following Tim through the maze of backstage I could hear the crowd getting louder, the show had started an hour and a half earlier but I had been hiding out in a car for nearly three hours before and now my butt was numb. I heard her voice and smiled as I remembered seeing her perform this song with him at Live 8. I desperately wanted to go further into the wing but I knew that I would be visible to her if I did so I kept back and attached my battery pack to my jeans pocket while I waited for the song to come to an end.
The music ended and I my body tensed, this was it.
“Now as you all know tonight is the last night of the tour, but next week is a special girls birthday,” he said turning to her and she just gave him a death glare, “ so what do you say we all sing her an early happy birthday?” he addressed the crowd and they all cheered. “Ready? On three, one ,two, three Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to Willow, Happy Birthday to you.”
She blew the candles out from the cake that had been wheeled on to the stage and took a bow. She began to walk back towards her guitar but Robbie pulled her arm and made her stop.
“No, you have one more surprise, sit there,” he said pointing to a stool that was now centre stage, she looked at him questioningly but did as she was told. “Now I’m gona tell you all something about Willow here, she’s an amazing songwriter, but there is one song that she wishes she had written and as its her birthday we have added it to the set list tonight for her, enjoy it babe,” he said as the band kicked in and I saw a huge grin spread across her face.
Robbie rocked, I can’t believe he was going to sing this song, it would so totally suit his voice, hang on a minute I could hear the words but his mouth wasn’t… that was…oh fuck. I turned my head quickly but I still couldn’t see him I could just hear the words.
“This Romeo is bleeding
But you can’t see his blood
It’s nothing but some feelings
That this old dog kicked up
It’s been raining since you left me
Now I’m drowning in the flood
See I’ve always been a fighter
But without I give up.”
The crowd got louder and I looked to my left but he still wasn’t there, so that meant he had to be coming on from the right. I slowly turned my head and it was then he came into my view. He looked nervous walking towards me but there was also something else in his eyes. He stopped ten feet from where I was as he sang the bridge and I wanted to get up and go to him but I was frozen to the spot.
“Now I can’t sing a love song
Not that way it’s meant to be
Well I guess I’m not that good anymore
But baby that’s just me
I will love you baby
Always
And I’ll be there forever and a day
Always
Now the pictures that you left behind
Are just memories of a different life
Some that made us laugh
Some that made us cry
One that made you have to say goodbye.”
He had edged closer towards me now but I was still laughing at the stupid pictures of us that had been put up on the screens. He could be such a dork at times, being lost in my thoughts I nearly jumped ten feet when I felt him run his hands through my hair.
“What I’d give to run my fingers through you hair
To touch your lips
To hold you near
When you say your prayers
Try to understand
I’ve made mistakes
I’m just a man
Well, there ain't no luck
In these loaded dice
But baby if you give me just one more try
We could pack up our old dreams and are old lives
And fined a place where the sun still shines
I’ll be there till the stars don’t shine
Till the heavens burst and the words don’t rhyme
I know when I die you’ll be on my mind
And I’ll love always.”
The song ended and I knew that I looked like a racoon due to the tears that had spilled from my eyes. He squeezed my hand which he had held since the second verse and smiled down to me, the crowd were still cheering as I stood up and cupped his face in my hands as we had the movie snog Robbie had suggested. He pulled me into his arms more as he kissed me back deeply.
By the time we pulled back from each other Robbie was already singing Angels along with the crowd and she just smiled up to me a goofy besotted grin that I had missed for so long. I pulled her into my arms again and began to dance with her.
And through it all she offers me protection
A lot of love and affection
Whether I’m right or wrong
And down the waterfall wherever it may take me
I know that life won’t break me
When I come to call
She won’t for sake me
I’m loving angels instead
When I’m feeling weak
And my plane walks down a one way street
I look above
And I know I’ll always be blessed with love
And as I’m feeling gross
She brings flesh to my bones
And when love is dead
I’m loving angels instead
The crowd had taken control of the second verse and Robbie just stood at one point of the stage looking out to the masses. It amazed me how America hadn’t caught on to him considering how huge he was over here. I glanced down to Willow but all I could see was the top of her head as she was snuggled in against my chest while we danced and I couldn’t help myself when the second chorus kicked in. I pulled one arm back and lifted my mike as I began to sing.
And through it all she offers me protection
A lot of love and affection
Whether I’m right or wrong
And down the waterfall wherever it may take me
I know that life won’t break me
When I come to call
She won’t for sake me
I’m loving angels instead.
The song ended and the crowd went crazy the only noise that could be heard was them cheering as the band stayed silent just looking out to them. I felt Willow pull me and the rest of the band gathered on the stage as we took a bow to the still cheering audience and I couldn’t wait to get back on the road again, to feel all this love directed at us.
“You guys need to act fast if you have pictures of these two, you’ll make a mint if you sell them to the press,” Robbie joked to the audience making Willow giggle and then reach up to kiss me again, it was a small peck but it felt amazing and I couldn’t believe it had taken me this long to come clean about how I felt.
Always – Bon Jovi
Angels – Robbie Williams.
