Why couldn’t she just sing a couple of little songs for the small crowd that would be here? The other voice in her head told her exactly why it wasn’t the same. For one, she never sang her songs. Well, technically, she wrote Duchess’s songs too, but they were simple repetitive riffs she could write in her sleep. These songs? They were her heart and soul in loud musical notes. Soon, her heart and soul would be sounding in the ears of every person in the audience. Unless they were deaf. She couldn’t believe she was actually hoping for a deaf audience. She really should have thought of that for her first gig.
Taking a shaky breath, she stood up and flushed the toilet. She could do this. It was one night, it was only a few of her own songs, and then she would sing some covers like Roderick had asked her to. Maybe she would start with some covers to loosen her up. The thought helped steady her breathing.
She was at the sink to rinse out her mouth and check her makeup when her mother walked in.
“Oh, Katie Bug. I thought you would be over the nerves by now.”
Katie shook her head as she leaned over the sink and swished and spit. “I’ll be fine.” She couldn’t let her mother down. This was one of her dying wishes, and Katie would fulfill it.
“You don’t have to do this.”
“Yes, I do. But I think I’m going to start with some cover songs first to get me relaxed. I think that may work.” She put a brave smile on her face. “Now, get out there and be sure to cheer loud so I can hear you.”
Shirley looked doubtful for a moment before smiling. “Of course. I’ll be the one with the air horn.”
Katie had a feeling she wasn’t kidding. She watched her mother leave and took a deep breath to steady herself.
I can do this, she thought one more time before opening the door.
It was still early, but the bar had already begun to fill up. She tried not to focus on the number of people. She went to the stage and started the sound check.
An hour later, it was time for the show, and once again, Katie wished for a deaf audience. She couldn’t wish for a non-existent one because it was a full house tonight. She wasn’t sure why. No one knew who she was, did they?
“Welcome to Shooters!” Roderick was at the mic giving the intro. Katie took a few more deep breaths and imagined she was on a beach, but Roderick’s booming voice brought her back to the bar with a thud. “Tonight, we have a real treat for you. The music business knows her as Duchess’s manager, but soon, all will know her as Katie Murphy! Remember that name, folks, because one day you’ll be able to say you saw her first at Shooter’s!”
The crowd erupted in applause and whistles. Katie’s heart beat in her throat, and she wondered how she was going to sing if it remained there. She stepped up to the mic, and an idea took over that made her smile.
“Thank you, Roderick. It’s great to be here. I thought I’d start us off with a fun little song. Shhh! Don’t tell my boss.” She winked at the audience and told the band what to play. She couldn’t help but look over at Chase as she began to sing.
“You wrote a note to King George back in 1776,
Claimed you needed to be free from us Brits.
But you’ve been worshipping us ever since.
If it weren’t for a war and dumping tea from a ship,
You’d all be enjoying wonderful fish ’n chips!”
It sounded so much different to her without the voice synthesizer in the mic. She was careful to overdramatize any of Duchess’s dance moves, making fun of the artist, but she wasn’t going to sue herself, so she might as well have some fun.
“Fish ’n Chips, fish ’n chips,
Read my lips, you want fish ’n chips!”
The annoyed look on Chase’s face added to the giddy feeling taking over. The next couple of songs were covers from other artists. Katie felt the adrenaline that normally came at one of Duchess’s concerts, only it was different this time. People were screaming for her.
Taking a shaky breath, she stood up and flushed the toilet. She could do this. It was one night, it was only a few of her own songs, and then she would sing some covers like Roderick had asked her to. Maybe she would start with some covers to loosen her up. The thought helped steady her breathing.
She was at the sink to rinse out her mouth and check her makeup when her mother walked in.
“Oh, Katie Bug. I thought you would be over the nerves by now.”
Katie shook her head as she leaned over the sink and swished and spit. “I’ll be fine.” She couldn’t let her mother down. This was one of her dying wishes, and Katie would fulfill it.
“You don’t have to do this.”
“Yes, I do. But I think I’m going to start with some cover songs first to get me relaxed. I think that may work.” She put a brave smile on her face. “Now, get out there and be sure to cheer loud so I can hear you.”
Shirley looked doubtful for a moment before smiling. “Of course. I’ll be the one with the air horn.”
Katie had a feeling she wasn’t kidding. She watched her mother leave and took a deep breath to steady herself.
I can do this, she thought one more time before opening the door.
It was still early, but the bar had already begun to fill up. She tried not to focus on the number of people. She went to the stage and started the sound check.
An hour later, it was time for the show, and once again, Katie wished for a deaf audience. She couldn’t wish for a non-existent one because it was a full house tonight. She wasn’t sure why. No one knew who she was, did they?
“Welcome to Shooters!” Roderick was at the mic giving the intro. Katie took a few more deep breaths and imagined she was on a beach, but Roderick’s booming voice brought her back to the bar with a thud. “Tonight, we have a real treat for you. The music business knows her as Duchess’s manager, but soon, all will know her as Katie Murphy! Remember that name, folks, because one day you’ll be able to say you saw her first at Shooter’s!”
The crowd erupted in applause and whistles. Katie’s heart beat in her throat, and she wondered how she was going to sing if it remained there. She stepped up to the mic, and an idea took over that made her smile.
“Thank you, Roderick. It’s great to be here. I thought I’d start us off with a fun little song. Shhh! Don’t tell my boss.” She winked at the audience and told the band what to play. She couldn’t help but look over at Chase as she began to sing.
“You wrote a note to King George back in 1776,
Claimed you needed to be free from us Brits.
But you’ve been worshipping us ever since.
If it weren’t for a war and dumping tea from a ship,
You’d all be enjoying wonderful fish ’n chips!”
It sounded so much different to her without the voice synthesizer in the mic. She was careful to overdramatize any of Duchess’s dance moves, making fun of the artist, but she wasn’t going to sue herself, so she might as well have some fun.
“Fish ’n Chips, fish ’n chips,
Read my lips, you want fish ’n chips!”
The annoyed look on Chase’s face added to the giddy feeling taking over. The next couple of songs were covers from other artists. Katie felt the adrenaline that normally came at one of Duchess’s concerts, only it was different this time. People were screaming for her.
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