Read Online This Could Have Been Our Song!: A coulda woulda shoulda ballad by Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba - Free Book Online Page A

Thank you but no. My sisters are the ones on stage not me.” I check at the time.
    “ Not anymore anyway,” she teases.
    I grin back. Sometimes Beesly acts like she knows more than she lets on.
    “B – can I call you B? What do you know about my life? Apart from Belinda, the G Band and a few singers’ crushes.”
    “ I like B,” she chuckles. “From now on I’m B.” She looks at me with great intensity and totally freaks me out. “You can pretty much play any string instrument, but guitar and violin are your favorite. Violin for your mom and guitar for your dad; your father passed away when you were eight from an explosion in the lab he was working at. And I’m sorry about that. I’m also sorry about your mother, skipping out on you four years later,” she says without catching a breath.
    “ You do know things about me. Do Matt and Marcus know?” I ask.
    She shakes her head. “No. All in due time. I know your sister, Axelle, raised you and was the reason why you were on tour with all those musicians over the years. I know you’re an amazing artist and an even greater person. I know you won’t let my husband bully you and you won’t let Marcus take over.”
    I gaze back at her. She ’s much smarter and sweeter that I initially thought. A potential soul sister indeed.
    Axelle used to tour with Callia (once Charisma) before se ttling down in Toronto. And Noor was part of the best North American dance troop before opening her own dance school. But I’m the one our mother abandoned before I even hit puberty, before I even knew if I wanted to become a dancer or a musician.
    “ But still,” I tell her with a sincere and happy smile. “No more spotlight for me. My teen years cured me of any craving.”
     
    It turned out that Beesly had actually gone rogue. She came on her own from Soho Hotel to talk to me. Marcus and Matt arrive a little later and we all end up in fifth floor’s meeting room.
    “ Hi, Lucia,” Marcus cordially says. Is he actually looking at me this way? Smug smile and a bit of flirtatious look.
    I take a seat, holding my demo CD. Matt kisses Beesly on the cheek and waves at me. What a class act!
    “Good morning, Marcus, Matt. Always a pleasure.” I smile back to both of them.
    Callia and Lloyd join us soon after. Let the party begin!
    “Anybody want something to drink?” Kathie asks.
    “ I’ll have a tea with one of those delicious pastries…that I did not bake,” I answer. The rest of the room declines the offer.
    Kathie comes to me with my tea and an apple Danish. “ Manyeo [4] ,” she murmurs to me with a smile, in Korean.
    Her brother Greg taught me Korean when we were dance partners – fine, I’m a witch!
    “ Manyeo yourself,” I murmur back.
    “ You’re welcome.” she looks back and heads to the door. “ Jeulgeoun sigan doeseyo [5] !! !”
    “ What did she say?” Matt and Beesly ask at the same time.
    “ Have fun,” Marcus and I respond at the same time. Interesting!
    I take a bite of my Danish, ready to enjoy the show and I can feel Marcus ’ eyes on me. Yes, Mr Grant, I’m nervous no more, but I still don’t want to stare into your deep-green eyes.
    “ Thank you all for being here.” Callia says. “This shouldn’t take too long. We have a lot to do and not such a long time.” She points out Marcus and me. “Now that our creative team has been assembled, we can lay out the terms.”
    I take a quick peek at Marcus and he looks surprise. Poor Grant the Grand; he hasn ’t heard the best part yet. I sip my tea. It’s chamomile tea; good for your nerves. Somebody is going to need it.
    Lloyd takes over, “Matt and I have been discussing this and we think it’s a great concept.”
    I look at Beesly sitting next to Matt and wonder if she knows about that new concept.
    “Twenty songs,” Lloyd announces. “For the entire album.”
    And there it was. I look at Beesly again. Who ’s the witch now? That sneaky B knew. And Marcus? He’s livid. I keep