Read Online The Otto Bin Empire by Judy Nunn - Free Book Online

certainly and she joined Toby and the others, smoking and drinking at times with abandon, but there was far more to her newfound happiness than partying. Never before had Rose felt more loved or more useful. She was Toby’s assistant these days, his ‘roadie’ he called her. She helped him set up before each gig and she helped him with the bump out after each show, and during rehearsals she fetched take-away coffees or made cups of tea for the singers and musicians.
    â€˜You’re a Godsend, love, truly you are,’ Toby would tell her time and again, ‘don’t know how I ever managed without you, and that’s a fact.’ All shite of course, but something she needed to hear. Rose’s self-confidence had taken a beating somewhere down the track, Toby had sensed it right from the start. Poor Rosie’s damaged, he thought, anyone can see that.
    Over the ensuing months, in bits and pieces Toby teased Rose’s story from her, and the more he learnt of her past the more protective he became. He found it rather amusing himself that their relationship raised eyebrows. ‘My, my,’ he would say to people’s faces when he sensed a nudge or a whisper, ‘black girl, white man, tut tut, how shocking,’ and then he’d laugh at their embarrassment and the fact he’d caught them out. But if he sensed Rose was the specific target of their disapproval, he quickly sprang into action. ‘C’mon Rosie love, let’s go,’ he’d say, and taking her arm he’d whisk her away. He would far rather have challenged the offender, but knowing how Rose hated any form of confrontation he understood that a scene would only have added to her discomfort.
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    Toby shielded Rose in every way he could, but there was one time when he made a rather bad mistake. It had, however, taught him a serious lesson about the woman he loved.
    They were in a rehearsal studio with a six-piece band called The Real Goodes, a group that Toby knew well and with whom he worked regularly. The band members were rehearsing for an upcoming gig at a popular venue in Paddo where they often performed, principally covers, but always throwing in a few numbers of their own. The three Goodes brothers, who’d started the band over two years previously, were talented, hard-working and ambitious. They recorded their songs and feted every radio disc jockey in town, determined to get a hit up and going, and Toby had no doubt they would. ‘It’s only a matter of time, fellas,’ he’d say encouragingly, ‘only a matter of time.’
    The atmosphere in the rehearsal studio was friendly and relaxed but unbeknownst to Rose a plan had been set in place. The band’s lead vocalist, Ray, the youngest of the Goodes, was normally backed up by two female singers as well as his brothers, but one of the girls had just quit. Tobyhad suggested they give Rose a try without her knowing she was being auditioned.
    â€˜Don’t want to put any pressure on her,’ he’d said to the brothers. ‘She’ll be fine if she thinks she’s only helping out at rehearsal. And just you wait till you hear her!’
    Ray and his brothers and the other band members were only too happy to oblige – they all liked Rose, and if Toby said she was good then that was enough for them.
    â€˜Rose’ll sing backup, she knows all the covers,’ Toby suggested, apparently struck by sudden inspiration at the next rehearsal.
    Rose stared blankly at him.
    â€˜Go on, Rosie love.’ He ushered her over to the microphone where the other back-up singer was waiting. ‘Take your lead from Evelyn, you’ll be fine.’ She’ll hardly need any lead, he thought. Rose’d leave Evelyn for dead any day.
    Evelyn gave an obliging smile and as the band struck up the opening chords of ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, she started clicking her fingers and nodding rhythmically at Rose in