Lessons Learned, Healing Hearts

Operatic Pop? (Chapter 2)

"Thank you," Marlow said, taking the sealed yellow envelope from the UPS courier. Dropping it on the kitchen table, she grabbed herself some breakfast.

Called late last night and asked to take over for Mark, she had expressed her hesitancy about taking on a full-time, twelve-day commitment. Concerned with how it would look for the company if she declined, she accepted, but only after confirming the itinerary wouldn't interfere with her school schedule.

Ripping the envelope open and pulling out the front page, she read the unfamiliar name: Il Volo. Beside each event, three names were listed: Gianluca Ginoble, Ignazio Boschetto, and Piero Barone. Occasionally, there were two others: most likely management.

Their schedule looked manageable: six to eight hours a day, centred around the Blue Light Recording Studio,leaving her plenty of time to study. Thursday was the only packed day, with a video shoot, and the Sunday, before departure, featured a performance at the Orpheus Theatre. A few TV and radio interviews were sprinkled in, but both Saturdays were free. So long as the clients didn't add unexpected demands, it would work.

Slipping into her navy dress shirt and tan pants, the required uniform for driving duty, Marlow sighed. The outfit was plain and did nothing to flatter her curvy figure. She dressed it up with her favourite navy sweater before heading to the bathroom. After applying makeup and French braiding the top half of her hair, she let the rest of her beachy, caramel-brown curls hang down her back. Satisfied with her appearance, she ran downstairs, grabbed her car keys, company jacket and purse, and headed to work.

***

"Morning, Malcolm," Marlow greeted, beaming at the familiar figure sitting at his desk. Old enough to be her grandfather, Malcolm was a 6'5" mountain of a man with a bald head, full beard, and hands the size of baseball mitts; hands that had sent many a bad boyfriend scurrying.

"Morning. Are you working today?"

"Yup. I am," she replied cheerfully.

Dropping his reading glasses onto his nose, Malcolm flipped through the bookings. He raised a brow. "I assume Mark's wife called him home?"

Marlow dipped her head. "Someone did. I got a late-night call to fill in for the next twelve days."

"Twelve days? What about school?"

"It's all good. Their itinerary allows me time to attend school or study during the day."

"Do you know who you're picking up?"

"Nope. Never heard of them. Apparently, they're an operatic pop group."

Malcolm frowned. "Operatic pop? What on earth is that?"

Marlow giggled. "No clue. I guess I'll find out in two hours."

Malcolm, ever the comedian, launched into a dramatic opera-style rendition of a pop song.

Bursting into laughter, Marlow covered her ears. "I hope that's not it."

Feigning a wounded expression, Malcolm handed her the keys to the seven-passenger Audi SUV.

"Yes!" Marlow exclaimed, taking the keys from him. "You're the best." Grabbing a handful of Werther's Original caramels from the jar, she smiled and popped one into her mouth, savouring its buttery sweetness.

"Drive safe."

"I will."

She loved driving the Audi. Sporty and stylish, it was precisely the kind of vehicle she dreamed of owning one day. Settling into the luxurious leather seat, she pressed the memory button, smiling as everything adjusted to her preferred settings.