Esther, Be Tender With My Love

II - Seven

The Next Day

I awoke to the most delicious scent I think I'd ever smelled... and no it was not Maurice ( I see you reader ;) ). With my brain on autopilot, my nose followed the scent to the kitchen. To my surprise, Barbara and Linda were chatting and making a crap ton of pancakes.

"Would you like some help?" They both jumped a bit, not expecting anyone to creep up behind them. "Sorry for scaring you." I chuckled.

"It's alright dear!" Barbara forgave me with a smile. She really was the most kind and caring person I'd ever met.

"If you'd like to help us, you can but you don't have to," Linda smiled. "Barry left to get some last minute things for tonight but Maurice and Robin are on their way."

According to Maurice, the premiere didn't start until 7pm but they had to be there by 6:15pm at the latest. Andy said he'd be here sometime this afternoon so the boys could go eat dinner at some fancy restaurant before the premiere and I couldn't wait. I mean a whole evening of just Andy Gibb and a couple of young kids... the me before meeting the Bee Gees would be dying right now. How in the world did it even come to this?

The front door opened right as Linda, Barbara, and I finished preparing the brunch. Maurice, Robin, and Barry walked in laughing at God knows what. Robin was still laughing, even after his brothers had stopped. As he was walking towards us in the kitchen, Mo took the opportunity to put his foot right in front of his twin's. Robin came crashing down to the ground, resulting in everyone laughing.

"You boys better behave!" Barbara tried to sound authoritative but it was hard to take her seriously as she smiled as she said it. "The food is done."

At the mention of food, Maurice came sprinting straight to the kitchen. He pushed me out of the way slightly to cut in front of me in the line. I scoffed and glared at him. He stuck out his bottom lip and battered his eyelashes back in forth. He was too cute to put up a fight with, so I just rolled my eyes and let him be.

As expected, the food was just as delicious as it smelled. It'd been a long time since I'd had such good food as this. Living alone with a super busy job really deprives you of time to cook. I was happy to have a break from that life now but I also began to miss it. I missed the long nights in the studio with different bands, the never-ending rounds of coffee that my assistant would bring me, and the get-togethers my best friends would throw any time a record I helped produce would be released. Most of all, I missed performing. I never really performed for any crowds, except for at my favorite coffee shop and my friends' get-togethers, but I still loved doing it.

At the dining room table, Maurice leaned in to whisper in my ear, "I wish I could be seeing you all dressed up tonight." I could tell by the tone of his voice and the look in his eyes that he really didn't want to go to the premiere.

"Oh really? I thought you'd want to see me all dressed down." I winked at him flirtatiously and got up from the table to place my dishes in the sink. He kind of just sat there staring at me with a smirk slowly creeping onto his face.

--

"Uncle Andy!!" Stephen screamed as Barry's front door opened, revealing the twenty-year old blonde. Andy smiled in excitement and kneeled down to hug his nephew. The heartwarming moment filled my heart with joy. It  was so cute.

Andy stood back up and looked around the room. When he spotted me, his smile grew wider. He walked over and took me by surprise when his arms wrapped around me in a quick embrace. We were about the same height, with him being an inch or two taller than me.

"Long time no see Andy." I joked.

"No kidding." He laughed as he let me go. There was a moment of awkward silence as we both didn't know what to say. "I take it that Barry and Linda are upstairs getting ready?"

"Yeah, Maurice and Robin left too but I believe they'll both be back in a bit. Your mom was here for breakfast too but I think she went home as well." Andy nodded his head at the information he'd just received.

As we waited, Andy moved to sit down at the grand piano in the foyer. I watched as he played a random sequence of chords, tapping his left foot along with the beat. Then he began to play the beginning chords of "Fanny" and I couldn't help but sing.

"First I rise, then I fall
seems like you don't want the love of this man at all"

Andy stopped playing and looked back at me in shock.

"Keep going." I demanded. He nodded his head and kept playing, occassionally looking back at me and smiling. I closed my eyes and relaxed, letting myself belt out the lyrics. When the song finished, I opened my eyes to see Barry and Linda standing in the middle of the staircase, both with their mouths hanging open. My face burned in embarrassment. "Sorry, I got a little carried away there," I looked down at the floor to hide my blushing cheeks.

"Esther, that was amazing! I didn't know you could sing like that!" Barry praised, walking down the rest of the steps. He was all dressed up in his suit and his icon mane had been curled back in it's signature style.

"Thanks." I replied sheepishly. Sure, I'd performed in smaller venues here and there back in the future, but to sing in front of Barry Gibb and have him compliment you meaningfully was completely different.

Before anyone could say anything else, the front door burst open with the rest of our company all dolled up in their tuxes and dresses.