“Go ahead, ladies. Noah and I will be right there. Oh, don’t worry Lexi. I’m not going to jump him and have my way. Scoot.”
As soon as the others were out of sight Marie turned to him and grabbed his hands. “Noah, you’ve got to help me. I don’t think I can go through with this. Look at me.” She held a shaking hand up for him to see. “I can’t stop the shaking. I feel like I’m going to puke and I can’t catch my breath. Do you get stage fright? What should I do? Please, you’ve got to help me.” She squeezed his hands in a death grip.
Noah softened towards her, the ass-slapping forgotten. He pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back. “It’ll be fine, Marie. Come on, take a few deep breaths. Everyone gets some kind of stage fright before they go on. Some more than others. Didn’t Leigh used to be in show biz? Did you talk to her?”
Marie pulled away from him. “You’d think after all the years we’ve known each other, I’d be able to talk to her. But she’s so in control about this whole thing, the last thing I want to do is start putting doubts in hers and Evelyne’s head, too. Could you imagine if the three of us froze up there? Nope, this is all on me.” She nodded her head.
“My gut clenches right before I go on stage. I love it, it’s what I was born to do, but there is always that one moment right before I face the crowd that I wonder if I’m good enough. If I am going to forget a lyric or fall off of the stage.”
“Oh, honey, I’ve watched video of you in concert. You’re good enough.” Marie nodded.
Noah laughed. “Thanks, Marie. I remember the first time we played Madison Square Gardens. Madison. Fucking. Square. Gardens.” He looked down at Marie. “Sorry about cursing.” He continued after she nodded at him. “It was such a huge deal. We’d made it, but if we sucked here, well, we were done. My stomach started clenching hours before we went on. I couldn’t believe that we had made it. I was missing my mom; she had died a few years before. She was my rock and she’d never doubted me but here I was, all alone, standing on stage before the sound check, looking out over everything and not believing in myself.”
Noah looked out over the parking lot, lost in thought. “My gut was cramping harder and harder, my breathing was coming faster and faster, then I saw it. I saw the whole crowd before me, screaming my name, cheering for the band. All of them on their feet, fists pumping in the air. It was such a rush. I knew it was going to be okay. I went back to the dressing room and was fine for the show. You’re going to be great, Marie. If you make a mistake, you’ll be the only one that knows. Just go up there and do your best. If you are up there having a great time, everyone else will, too. Just feel the music. It’ll take you where you need to go. If that isn’t helping, I can go get you some Jack and you can have a shot.” He grinned and winked at her.
Marie gave a little laugh. “I’ll hold that in reserve. Thanks for talking to me, Noah. It’s good to know even big stars get stage fright. Let’s get this show on the road.”
By the time Noah and Marie walked into the cafeteria, the stage was busy with people setting up as Lexi directed people.
“Ready to work, what should we do?” Noah asked.
“Noah, can you help arrange the chairs and tables? Here’s a drawing of how I want them set up.”
“Oh course you have a drawing, dear. You might want to tone down your anal-ness if you ever want to marry,” Marie said with a knowing look.
Lexi closed her eyes. “I don’t have time for this. Besides Marie, I don’t think anal-ness is even a word. Can you go backstage and make sure that everything is set up, in order, for each performance? Here’s a list of what’s needed for which act. And no, I don’t need to hear anything else about my mad organizational skills. Scoot, both of you.” She looked up over their heads and started walking across the room. “No Fred, that doesn’t go there.”
Noah watched the way she moved with a gleam in his eyes. Even at that fast pace, the sway of her hips made him all but come undone. He gave a little yelp as Marie poked him in the ribs. “What was that for?”
“You know exactly what that was for, young man. As soon as you finish your job, you need to come back stage and talk to the three of us. Don’t you give me that look, and don’t make us come looking for you. It won’t end well.” Marie stormed off muttering under her breath.
Now what? He looked at the drawing Lexi had given him, smiling at her precise notes, and got to work. The sooner he finished this job, the sooner he’d find out what he was in trouble for. He wanted today to go smoothly for Lexi, which meant he needed to make sure the Troublesome Trio was on the same page.