Second chances Book 5/6

Chapter 1

"Thank you London! It was cool to sing here at the Hammersmith Odeon, what a legendary place! Thank you for welcoming me, I dreamed of it for so long. This is one of my latest compositions, it's for you, my friends."

The crowd cheers her to thunderous applause as she waves, bows, hand on heart. The screams and hisses ring out from every corner until they slow and stop the moment her fingers touch the strings of her guitar. The magic happens instantly as she strikes the opening chords of the last song she's playing, making her guitar moan and cry like only she can. The intro is long, with no text, and she can see a few fans crying when she starts singing, the crowd is hers, carried away by the melody, Kate's voice, the beauty of the text, and she knows that what is coming will be worthy of a tidal wave. It's a short text, she had never seen this song otherwise and when she resumes her solo going for the bass, a saxophonist approaches her on stage. The audience reacts immediately, making her smile. Even she gets goosebumps from the sound. She didn't rehearse with the musician at all, trusting him, it was totally improvised. She sees a young girl crying, her hands clasped, in the front row, others embracing each other. Kate plays watching her fans, overwhelmed by the emotion she perceives from the public, before finishing by bowing. Approaching the front of the stage, Kate reiterates her love for the city and the theater before heading to her dressing room to collapse on a sofa. Her assistant opens the door, greeting someone in the hallway, smiling, before closing the door and sitting down in a chair.

"Oh, Kate, that was amazing! I filmed everything. What a brilliant idea the saxophone! It was so warm and bewitching.

— You found a musician at the last second. I don't regret for a second having hired you, I knew you would be perfect and resourceful. Clink glasses with me," said Kate, opening a bottle of water. "To a long collaboration!"

Kate watches as Kristina smiles at her, remembering the girl, fresh out of college in communications, responding to the job posting, and waiting in line outside her office a few weeks earlier. She was so nervous as she handed her resume.

"There's no need to go any further, I'll stop you right now. You have no experience. I know what you're going to tell me, you're going to get high, work day and night and blah blah. Everyone who has passed you already has experience, so why do you think you have something more to offer me than them? Just because you're my number one fan, too, doesn't mean I'm going to hire you. Are we okay, Kristina?

— Yes, Miss Valentine," she nodded, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Okay, come on, go ahead, sit down, I'm listening! Sell me your pitch."

Kate looks at the tall, blue-eyed blonde staring at her. She doesn't need a young person who will have to learn everything, she doesn't have time to train her. She has songs to record, shows she has to attend and finalize her European tour which starts in less than two months. And Kristina sold herself, making Kate smile. She usually cuts job interviews after five minutes or less. It was always the same thing, the diplomas, the contacts amassed who knows how. After twenty minutes Kristina got up and walked over to the mini-fridge, opening it and serving herself as if she were at home, handing Kate a bottle of water, unscrewing the cap, and opening hers to drink and keep talking, as if nothing had happened. Kate listens, removes the cork from her bottle smiling and takes a sip.

"Kristina, I'm going to tell you something. This is the longest and weirdest job interview I've ever had. Tell me, why do you think I hire you?

"Hire, not should hired, Miss Valentine?

— Yes. Tell me what tells me that I know you'll be perfect?

— I... I don't know.

— You were natural, you didn't try to bathe me with your studies. You've been yourself, anticipating my needs and even getting a bottle of water from my fridge. So I'm going to hire you, but on one condition.