Long Story Short

But you're still around

This was going to be a difficult number, given that we had yet to practice all together, but with our fingers crossed, everything would work out.

i put my cloak hood up as do the dancers as the gloomy guitar chords start playing. We wander out to 'Willow'.

The dancers all have glowing golden spheres that they move in sync to symbolise a spell taking place in order to make this man fall in love with me.

in reality it's just a gorgeous love song and i smile all the way through and think about when Tom gained his nickname 'Willow'.

"that's my man" i take my cloak off and breath a sigh of relief as the choreography went almost perfectly.

I walk over to the beautiful piano covered in moss and play the beginning chords of champagne problems. It takes a few seconds but the fans get excited to hear me play it.

"you booked the night train for a reason"
...
"Your Midas touch on a chevy door, November flush and your flannel cure, 'this dorm was once a madhouse', i made a joke 'well it's made for me'. how evergreen our group of friends, don't think we'll say that word again, and soon they'll have the nerves to deck the halls that we once walked through. One for the money, Two for the show, i never was ready so i watch you go, sometimes you just don't know the answer, till someone's on their knees and asks you. She would have made such a lovely bride, what a shame she's fucked in the head they said, but you'll find the real thing instead, and she'll patch up the tapestry that i shread..."

Other than swearing in public for the first time in my life, i was quite proud of myself for not messing up on the bridge. However i wasn't expecting the reaction that it got when the song ended.
I was ready to start talking after the applause lasted around 20 seconds but it just kept going, and going, and going. I don't know how long, probably a good 3 minutes until i had to quieten them down.

"Oh my goodness, that was something" i spoke "was that really for me, all i did was sing a song?" and the applause started again.
"I was so confused, i thought 'why are they still clapping it's been almost 3 whole minutes, your hands must be tired'" and they applauded again.

"Now i want to speak with you all about this next song, as it supposedly about a woman called 'Marjorie' who is i guess 'Taylor Swift's' Grandmother? i'm not sure but that's how i wrote it, but it is actually about my life, as a few years ago i lost a very important woman in my life" My eyes water and my voice cracks.

"my mother was my whole world and although the song is called 'marjorie', every lyric is about me and my mother. Every lesson she taught me and everything i wish i said to her. And what you may not know, is my mother also loved to sing, she was a huge opera fan and use to sing it all all the time. It was her dream to sing but of course she had bigger things to focus on, so i guess that dream lives in me. I actually found an old recording of her singing and if you listen closely to the backing track of the song you will be able to hear her sing. So it's incredible to have this opportunity to be able to sing with her." i take a deep shaky breath and look to the sky.

"This is Marjorie"

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William had his arm around Harry as they listened to their sister talk to their mother. Both boys had tears in their eyes and sad smiles across their faces.

"The autumn chill that wakes me up, you loved the amber skies so much, long limbs and frozen swims you'd always go past where our feet could touch." they look at each other, instantly knowing the day she's talking about.

"And i complained the whole way there, the car ride back and up the stairs, i should have asked you questions, i should have asked you how to be. asked you to write it down for me, should have kept every grocery store receipt, cause every scrap of you would be taken from me." Their mother always used to take them to the shops and other normal places so that they wouldn't be so distanced from everybody else.

"watched as you signed your name marjorie, all your closets of backlogged dreams,  and how you left them all to me"

"... but you're still around" Diana's singing was amplified so that everyone could hear her.

The princes gave each other a side hug and a few friendly pats as a few loose tears found their way down their face.