Second chances Book 4/6

Chapter 8

"Listen to me, please, here are the lyrics. Read them while listening to the music that will accompany you. The text is written in such a way that you understand how to sing it. We will do a first test, then according to the voices of each one we will make adjustments of place. Do we agree? Listen, many of you answered this call for Kate's ultimate album. These are original texts, all by Kate without exception, the music I would say seventy-five percent, the rest... the rest is Tilly. Tilly, please come forward," asks Kris. "Tilly is a friend of Kate, a special friend. Her secret weapon. Tilly has been Kate's shadow on her last two albums, bringing the magic of the penultimate and her backing on certain songs to the last. It's not very clear, but you'll understand. Follow her directions and we'll create something wonderful.

— Excuse me Kris, something's bothering me," Sam Hedges says as he walks over, "that woman in the corner, it's...very disturbing.

— Hello, my name is Cameron, I'm Kate's sister," she present herself.

"She never told me about you, you're so...as beautiful as your sister. It can't be easy living being his spitting image.

— It's true, Mr. Hedges," she admits, glad someone understands what she sometimes goes through.

"I'm happy to know that Kate had a sister by her side.

— And me to meet her friends. I'm touched to see that she had real friends in the business, that she was more than a guest on your shows.

— When it will be filmed can I have you by my side, with Mary?

— I would be honored, Sam," smiled Cameron.

Under applause, Cameron wipes away a tear before hugging Kris.

"Are you ready?"

Tilly behaves like an orchestra conductor guiding Kate's friends to achieve the result she wanted. Watching Abigail, Sam Hedges, and Cameron sing with emotion, holding hands; Clara-Rose, Harper and Caity together, inseparable; Uma, Kara, Bethany, Sean and Shanna all together. She ended up establishing zones, who would do the choruses and in less than five takes she was happy with the result, having everyone listen to the result and ending in a round of applause. It took more than half an hour for most people to leave after taking photographs for the album and the media. Taking a short break, Tilly was able to move on to the second stage of her program, having texts read by Sam Hedges, and other friends of Kate. She had been inspired by Caity and thought it went well with Kate's writing, revamping it slightly. The friends she had selected lend themselves to the game, the musicians follow, adapt. Finally, in a restricted committee, Kris makes listen to the music improvised by Clara-Rose and, text in hand, Caity and Clara-Rose sing together on the music that the musicians take over, adding more emotion to it, then start again with the text read by Caity, ending with Clara-Rose's song. Caity listens to her best friend sing, surprised. Her voice is soft, warm, with the right emotion, the one that makes you vibrate and shiver. Once again Tilly and Abigail are spellbound, watching her as she closes her eyes to the choruses, all in sensitivity.

"CR! It was so beautiful!" cried Caity, hugging her.

Kris and Tilly go over all the recordings noting the musical changes that need to be made. The vocals are perfect. A few more songs and she would have an album in time. Putting away her gear, Kris keeps congratulating Tilly, thanking her. The rest of the family is in the hallway, Sean, Shanna and Caity have already left.

"Kris?

— Yes?" she said, putting the tapes away.

Seeing that Tilly doesn't answer, she raises her head to look at her, as she nervously clutches her purse.