Buckingham Nicks-Part II of Fritz Series

Pale Shadow of a Woman

"Ladies and gentlemen appearing for one night and one night only, the duo you've all been dying to see Buckingham Nicks!" Charity concerts have never really been out thing. Not because we aren't charitable, but Al knows there's no money in them...ironic. Tonight, is special, an executive at Warner Brother's owes someone a favor so we've come out of our semi-hermitude to play a short set of our more popular song to a small crowd at a country club in Bel Air. We step out on stage, Bob and Brian already in their places. The crowd goes crazy, and the host and his wife clap enthusiastically in the front row.

"How are you all doing tonight?" my greeting is met with more applause as I start strumming Rhiannon, Stevie and I share a secret smile and she goes into her trance. I didn't realize how much I missed performing until we start Landslide; Stevie wraps her arms around my waist during my solo kissing my ear, the crowd erupts into cheers and we both smile. She makes it back to her mic in time to finish the song and we take a bow the crowd calling for an encore.

There's a sudden ruckus backstage, then the sound of feet pattering rapidly toward me. I look down and Sara grabs my legs, having escaped from the nanny we hired for the night. Robin had plans which Stevie translated for me as a "hot date". Stevie turns red embarrassed and I do to picking Sara up, the crowd laughs as Sara sticks her tongue out to the nanny. I try and play it off addressing the crowd with a chuckle "I guess Sara wants an encore too". There's a ripple of laughter and Sara hides against my shirt "I think it's someone's bed time" Stevie looks over at Sara who hides her eyes from her mother smiling.

She reaches her hand into her jean overalls and pulls out her harmonica blowing on it "I learned my song this week, can we sing that?". Stevie smiles addressing the crowd again "She gets this from her father by the way" more laughter. I raise an eyebrow at her in challenge "I think we can play it, Mommy would you join us?" more clapping as I pass Sara to her mother, she blows on her harmonica again and I hold up my hand "Hang on baby girl. Well, I guess we can do an encore join me on the harmony. Remember when to start Sara?" she nods smiling.

"One, two, one two three go."

I hit the first chords on my acoustic tapping my foot to the beat Bob taps lightly on the symbol of his drum kit and Stevie holds Sara on her hip as she stands next to me at my mic after the last bar of my lead in Sara starts blowing on her harmonica in perfect time I sing the first line Stevie joining me on the chorus:

"Wish I was an apple dangling from a tree

Every time you'd pass me by you'd take a bite of me

I wish I was a bluebird I'd never fly away

I'd sit up on your shoulder baby and sing to you all day

Come on home Cindy Cindy, Come on home Cindy Cindy

Come on home Cindy Cindy, Come on home to me"

Sara plays her small solo in after the first chorus her whole-body rocking as she keeps time, the crowd loves it clapping along as she goes. I've never been prouder, and the look on Stevie's face lets me know the feeling is mutual.

"I wrote it in a letter, carved it on a tree

Told it to a honeycomb, told it to a bee

Told them that I love you, they all know its true

Say it till the cows come home until it gets to you

Come on home Cindy Cindy, Come on home Cindy Cindy

Come on home Cindy Cindy, Come on home to me"

I do my guitar solo now and Sara claps along to the beat the audience following suit as we make it to the last line: