Music Man Pt. 01

Ged had to wait until Cassie got home. They kissed they hugged as always.

Then, "Cassie..."

"Something wrong?"

"Bad news, and I don't know how to tell you."

"Oh, God, Ged, It's not your Dad?"

"No. It's the tour."

"So? we've sorted that out, surely. I'm happy to wait for you."

"Cassie, my darling," he stammered a little. "Leo's extended the tour. It's a world tour now. Probably eleven months."

"No," she said flatly. "It can't be. Nearly a year?"

"Can you wait that long?" he asked, "I thought you could fly over to wherever we'll be in December - I think we'll be in South Africa. We take a break there according to Leo. You could stay for a fortnight or so, and I suspect there'll be other breaks later on when you could join us as well."

"But Ged, a year! How will we manage?"

"Keep thinking about the money. Once this tour's over, along with the sales of downloads and DVDs, Blueray etc, I'll not need to go on tour ever again. I'm already getting near break-even point with my song writing. I'll leave the band when we get back, but if you don't think you can take me being away for so long, I'll leave the band now."

She could see that he meant it. Once again she was caught between her love for him which desperately wanted him at home and in her bed with her, and wanting him to follow his star and establish himself. She knew what she had to do. If he could cope with being apart from her, she could cope as well. Then came the unguarded thought, could he cope? Would he?

"No," she said, with a heavy heart. "You go. I won't visit you in Europe and that'll give me enough holiday time to come to South Africa at Christmas."

Once they had agreed, life went back to normal. After all, there would be the festivals in June and July, and a few gigs, but generally Ged was able to spend most of his time at home, writing his songs and keeping in touch with Gus, who was placing the songs with internationally acclaimed singers.

As far as the press were concerned, there was the usual speculation whenever one of the band was seen with a woman. By and large, once it was clear that Ged was purely professional and had no liaisons, he was ignored which suited him fine. Ged and Cassie had always avoided Facebook and all other social media sites, and so there was little for the press to find out about him, unlike the band, who used social media sites extensively to promote themselves.

Joshua gave most of the interviews and appeared on chat shows. The band made some appearances on late chat shows to play their single or some pieces from their album.

Once the festivals started, Ged was away more, this time without Cassie who was working, and he began to notice that Cassie was becoming increasingly preoccupied. Eventually he broached the problem.

"I'm worried about the world tour," she said apologetically. "It's such a long time and I fear that you will find some woman to take away your loneliness. You know how I can't abide unfaithfulness and it would be the end of us; I just couldn't love you if you betrayed me. I'm sorry," she looked woebegone, "It's just the way I am. I'm terrified this will break us."

Ged was silenced. He had no intention of being unfaithful; Cassie was all he ever wanted in a woman, and he would wait faithfully until he came home for her.

"It works both ways, my love," he replied, though gently. "History is full of stories of soldiers who get 'Dear John' letters from their so-called faithful girlfriends or fiancées, but I have no worries about you, so why worry about me?"

"You're not the first man who let me down, you know. I've been hurt badly. I couldn't stand for it to happen again."

"Cassie," he said patiently. "We're engaged. You're wearing my ring, and it tells everyone you have committed yourself to me and I to you. Why don't you buy me a ring, and I'll wear it on my left hand. I love you so much, I just couldn't do that to you."

She was somewhat eased by his earnestness and his commitment, and she did buy him an engraved ring, which he solemnly put on his ring finger. They hugged and kissed and felt better for it.

--

Chapter Ten

Glastonbury was over. The band had been feted and now there was only a month before the tour began. Ged went to see Leo.

"Leo, who's the on site Tour Manager? I haven't heard anything about him."

"Problem there," said Leo with some embarrassment. "I had a good man lined up, Derek Stopworth, but he's had a heart attack and so I'm looking again.

"Also," added Ged, "We still haven't appointed a Road Manager, someone who will take care of the transport problems and look after the equipment failures that are bound to arise, even though I'm sure you've done a great job. But you're not coming with us, and we need someone on site. If you remember I made this a condition of agreeing to the Euro tour: this is bigger."

Ged was beginning to feel afraid that this was a half-baked tour, and wondered if Leo was up to organising it.

Leo contacted Joshua. Since the band had agreed in principle to employ a road manager, it only needed the three of them to appoint someone. Leo wondered if the road manager could double as the tour manager. This worried Ged even more.

Ged had essentially been their electronics expert since he joined the band. He had got them out of some sticky situations and had begun to take his tool box with him as well as his instruments, but this was too big for him. Ged looked at the other two expectantly.

"You need a Tour Manager, Leo, and you need a Road Manager. Both. I can't see you getting someone who can do both, it's unrealistic - it'd be too big a job for one."

Joshua nodded, and looked at Leo. "They'll need paying." said Leo, redundantly.

"Part of the normal expenses: you can't do without either." said Ged. Joshua agreed.

"And they'll need paying well," Ged went on. "They'll be away from home for the best part of a year. Not easy to find someone prepared to do that. They'll have to be fairly young and free to take a year out, I would have thought."

They agreed on a very generous package and to his surprise, Leo and Joshua asked him to find and appoint a road manager while Leo found a tour manager.

"After all," said Joshua, "You're the only one who can assess his electronic ability."

The search for a resident roadie was difficult, because Ged was very choosy about the qualities needed. His final choice was unexpected by everyone.

Annette Fenster had a degree in electronics and an MBA. She was also six feet tall, very pretty in a statuesque sort of way, and very strong. She had no trouble with the heavy equipment, and in any case, Ged had got the rest of the band to help with preparing for and clearing after every gig while in Britain. Leo assured him that there would be local roadies to do that, and that she would only have to manage them.

What was completely unexpected was her business qualification and that she had previous touring experience, so Ged could see she was capable of running the tour. However he kept very quiet about it, so that Leo eventually found an experienced manager who brought his own assistant: his wife!

Ged and Annette met Jon Cohen who was to be their tour manager and his assistant, and the four hit it off immediately.

The last piece of information Annette gave Ged was that she was a lesbian and was in a long-standing relationship. She asked him to keep the information to himself, since she didn't want the press getting hold of it, at least until towards the end of the tour. Her partner was in a job which could be compromised if the press began persecuting her before she had worked out her contract, which was for another six months.

Annette wanted her long term partner to join her in Australia for the duration of that part of the tour, since her contract would be finished by then, and for the three week break in Africa. Ged thought that Cassie would be able to use the following year's holiday allowance to join them in Australia, or the States, and Cassie cheered up on the prospect of some more world travel.

Ged was relieved by Annette's admission. The band would keep a safe distance once she had rebuffed them and that would save relationship problems would have added to the other arguments and fights in which the band seemed to delight.

Annette's arrival in the group caused a stir, even more so when she revealed that she could play bass. Ged had not known of that, and was secretly delighted. Was there no end to this woman's capabilities? Moreover, she was more than competent on the instrument.

Ged spoke quietly to each member of the band, explaining that she was in a relationship and was not interested in any advances, should they decide to make them and as their road manager could make life very uncomfortable for anyone who caused her trouble. They looked at her height and build and decided to leave her well alone.

Ged for his part scrupulously kept his word and told no one of Annette's sexual orientation, not even Cassie, but he did tell her that Annette was in a long term relationship, without mentioning the sex of the partner in accordance with Annette's wishes. He promised she could meet Annette and her partner in South Africa at Christmas time, and she thought she could get enough time on the following year's holiday allowance to join them in Australia as well.

The band was to meet in a London hotel which was near the storage facility where their kit was. The week before he left, Ged spent at home. Cassie took a few days holiday time and they spent a good deal of time in bed together. Then it was time for him to leave.

He gave her a final warning as he left. "Cassie, my darling," he said most seriously, "For God's sake don't believe everything you read in the press. They lie for a living. If they print anything that upsets you, let me know, and I'll tell you what really happened. Promise?"

She promised.

They agreed to use email while he was away as far as possible, with Skype or only a weekly phone call, since phoning from abroad seemed too expensive for Ged's liking, whereas Skype was free where they could access it.

They hugged and kissed for the last time and he left. She went back indoors, sat down and cried. When she was cried out, she left the flat and went to see Cheryl.