What Becomes of a Tragedy?, chapter 7
"Billie is looking for you."
"Why? What did I do this time?"
"Nothing. He just wants to ask you something. He's up by the DJ."
"Thanks." I left Tre just standing there. I couldn't talk to him, not tonight. I don't even know why. I shuffled my way through the crowd, making my way to the DJ's booth. Billie was standing next to him. I walk up and a smile creeps across Billie's face. Not a good smile - a sneaky smile. "Hey, Billie. Tre said you were looking for me."
"Yeah. Umm..."
"Billie, I have known you for years and have never seen you at a loss for words. What do you want to say?"
"Well, it's not really what I want to say - it's what I want you to say." He looked at his feet - embarrassed. "Tre was supposed to mention this to you weeks ago, but he didn't."
"Mention what?"
"Mike, Tre, and I wanted somebody to give a speach at our little party here. We thought it would be cheesy for one of us to do the speech or any of the guys in the band. Adie wouldn't do it because she is scared of public speeches. So..."
"So, that left you guys with me."
"No, you were actually the first one we thought of, but we didn't think you would do it either. But our reasoning was, you have known us the longest. You have always been there for all of us - worst, good, better, best. Through personal times and with the band. You've been there through it all - could you please do this for us?"
"Yes. On two conditions."
"What are they?"
"If Mike and Tre both ask me, too. And you three have to stay up here with me while I do this."
"Deal. Let me go get them - don't move from here." Billie comes back in five minutes with both Mike and Tre. They both ask me to give a speech and agree to stand up there with me. Mike hands me the microphone and my tears start to form in the back of my eyes.
"Excuse me. Can I have everybody's attention?" Slowly the crowd settles down and turns to look at me and the guys. We decided to stand on a table so we can see the crowd. "Okay. As all of you know, we are here tonight to support these three gentlemen on their new musical adventure. They have asked me to say a little something tonight, why? I don't know, but I agreed to do it. Let me start off by saying that these three came into my life when I had nothing else. My parents had just been killed in a car accident, I was sent across the country to live with my aunt, and I had no friends. I met these guys on my eighteenth birthday at a club. We instantly became good friends and formed a bond that has been tested over the years. I have seen these guys bust their asses to do what they do and to get where they are. They are the three hardest working people I know. I love all three of them with all my heart." I paused because my tears were starting to fall now. I turned to Billie. "Billie, you have helped me through so much. You have shown me not to hold back and to say what is on my mind, no matter what. Because the ones who mind don't matter and the one's who matter don't mind. Thank you. You are the big brother I never had and needed. I love you." Next, I turn to Mike. "Mike, no matter what has ever happened to me, you have always looked after me. You can always tell when I haven't eaten enough, when I'm sad and when I'm in love. You are, with out a doubt, my twin spirit. We feel and react to things in the same ways. And I love you." Now, the moment of truth. The tears in my eyes are flowing like Niagra Falls by now. I turn to Tre - who, I can sense - knows what's coming. "Tre, what can I say? You are the love of my life. When I needed somebody to care about and for me. You were there. You still are there. Those in this room who know the truth about us, know what I mean when I say, I regret everyday since that day. For those who don't, ask if you really want to know. I love you so much." I pause again and turn to the crowd. "I love all three of these guys. I have watched them grow from boys on a mission to men that all can look up to. You three have children. And if you could have told me 17 years ago that I would still be the best of friends with all of you and your children. I wouldn't have believed it. Adie, I know she's hiding somewhere. You too, are a very important person in our lives. I love you like the sister I lost." I pause and take a deep breath. "So, if you could, please give these three guys an astounding round of applause. They deserve every bit of it."
The crowd bursts out in applause. Tre takes the microphone from me and all three of them give me the biggest group hug I have ever recieved.
After a few minutes of our hugging, Billie takes the microphone from Tre and starts to speak. "Okay, now, everybody listen to me. At this time, we are also going to celebrate our seventeen year friendship with this beautiful woman. We are all going to say something and then we have a surprise for her. I'll start because I have the mic. Holly, I love you like one of my sisters. You are one of the most intelligent people I know. You have encouraged me to keep at my writing, even when I am at a loss for words. You find ways to let us know that it will all work out in the end the way we want it to. Because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." He gives me a hug and and kiss ont the cheek and passes the microphone to Mike.
"Well, what can I say? I agree with you that we are twin spirits - so to speak. We react and handle things the same way. If ever I have been at a crossroad in my mind, I knew I could come to you and you could make sense of it for me. And I knew I would always feel the same way. I love you like a sister and I'm glad you walked in the club that night all those years ago." Mike, too, gives me a hug and a kiss on the cheek and hands the microphone off to Tre, who takes a deep breath and begins to speak.
"Okay, those who truley know me, know I usually don't have a problem finding words, but right now I can't find any that seem right. I love you with all my heart and soul. I regret that night, too. You are my sun in the sky I live to see every morning...you are my blue eyes." He takes the microphone away from his mouth and we just look at eachother. He gives me a hug, but during that hug he whispers in my ear, "Can we please talk tonight after the party?"
My only response, "Yes." We break apart and Tre hands the microphone back to Billie.
"Okay, now for your surprise. We know it has been a long time since you've seen any of your family from Indiana and it's taken us a long time to set this up, but we got it all to work out." I look at him with a look of disbelief. "Holly, this is something we've wanted to do for you for ten years, but never found the right time." He points to the crowd, right at Adie. Standing on either side of Adie are a woman, a little older than me, and a boy who looks about seventeen or so. "Holly, we got your sister, Rebecca and your brother, Luke, whom you've haven't seen in seventeen years." Becca, Luke, and Adie are crying. I look at the three guys, who smile at me, then, I look at my family (what's left of it). I get down off the table and slowly make my way towards my brother and sister. The whole room is in silence. I look at them, they look at me. And like all that baggage that we share amongst us was lifted we hug.
Up on the stage, Billie turns to Tre. "Is she going to talk to you tonight?"
"She said yes, but with our surprise...I don't know..."
"Why? What did I do this time?"
"Nothing. He just wants to ask you something. He's up by the DJ."
"Thanks." I left Tre just standing there. I couldn't talk to him, not tonight. I don't even know why. I shuffled my way through the crowd, making my way to the DJ's booth. Billie was standing next to him. I walk up and a smile creeps across Billie's face. Not a good smile - a sneaky smile. "Hey, Billie. Tre said you were looking for me."
"Yeah. Umm..."
"Billie, I have known you for years and have never seen you at a loss for words. What do you want to say?"
"Well, it's not really what I want to say - it's what I want you to say." He looked at his feet - embarrassed. "Tre was supposed to mention this to you weeks ago, but he didn't."
"Mention what?"
"Mike, Tre, and I wanted somebody to give a speach at our little party here. We thought it would be cheesy for one of us to do the speech or any of the guys in the band. Adie wouldn't do it because she is scared of public speeches. So..."
"So, that left you guys with me."
"No, you were actually the first one we thought of, but we didn't think you would do it either. But our reasoning was, you have known us the longest. You have always been there for all of us - worst, good, better, best. Through personal times and with the band. You've been there through it all - could you please do this for us?"
"Yes. On two conditions."
"What are they?"
"If Mike and Tre both ask me, too. And you three have to stay up here with me while I do this."
"Deal. Let me go get them - don't move from here." Billie comes back in five minutes with both Mike and Tre. They both ask me to give a speech and agree to stand up there with me. Mike hands me the microphone and my tears start to form in the back of my eyes.
"Excuse me. Can I have everybody's attention?" Slowly the crowd settles down and turns to look at me and the guys. We decided to stand on a table so we can see the crowd. "Okay. As all of you know, we are here tonight to support these three gentlemen on their new musical adventure. They have asked me to say a little something tonight, why? I don't know, but I agreed to do it. Let me start off by saying that these three came into my life when I had nothing else. My parents had just been killed in a car accident, I was sent across the country to live with my aunt, and I had no friends. I met these guys on my eighteenth birthday at a club. We instantly became good friends and formed a bond that has been tested over the years. I have seen these guys bust their asses to do what they do and to get where they are. They are the three hardest working people I know. I love all three of them with all my heart." I paused because my tears were starting to fall now. I turned to Billie. "Billie, you have helped me through so much. You have shown me not to hold back and to say what is on my mind, no matter what. Because the ones who mind don't matter and the one's who matter don't mind. Thank you. You are the big brother I never had and needed. I love you." Next, I turn to Mike. "Mike, no matter what has ever happened to me, you have always looked after me. You can always tell when I haven't eaten enough, when I'm sad and when I'm in love. You are, with out a doubt, my twin spirit. We feel and react to things in the same ways. And I love you." Now, the moment of truth. The tears in my eyes are flowing like Niagra Falls by now. I turn to Tre - who, I can sense - knows what's coming. "Tre, what can I say? You are the love of my life. When I needed somebody to care about and for me. You were there. You still are there. Those in this room who know the truth about us, know what I mean when I say, I regret everyday since that day. For those who don't, ask if you really want to know. I love you so much." I pause again and turn to the crowd. "I love all three of these guys. I have watched them grow from boys on a mission to men that all can look up to. You three have children. And if you could have told me 17 years ago that I would still be the best of friends with all of you and your children. I wouldn't have believed it. Adie, I know she's hiding somewhere. You too, are a very important person in our lives. I love you like the sister I lost." I pause and take a deep breath. "So, if you could, please give these three guys an astounding round of applause. They deserve every bit of it."
The crowd bursts out in applause. Tre takes the microphone from me and all three of them give me the biggest group hug I have ever recieved.
After a few minutes of our hugging, Billie takes the microphone from Tre and starts to speak. "Okay, now, everybody listen to me. At this time, we are also going to celebrate our seventeen year friendship with this beautiful woman. We are all going to say something and then we have a surprise for her. I'll start because I have the mic. Holly, I love you like one of my sisters. You are one of the most intelligent people I know. You have encouraged me to keep at my writing, even when I am at a loss for words. You find ways to let us know that it will all work out in the end the way we want it to. Because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." He gives me a hug and and kiss ont the cheek and passes the microphone to Mike.
"Well, what can I say? I agree with you that we are twin spirits - so to speak. We react and handle things the same way. If ever I have been at a crossroad in my mind, I knew I could come to you and you could make sense of it for me. And I knew I would always feel the same way. I love you like a sister and I'm glad you walked in the club that night all those years ago." Mike, too, gives me a hug and a kiss on the cheek and hands the microphone off to Tre, who takes a deep breath and begins to speak.
"Okay, those who truley know me, know I usually don't have a problem finding words, but right now I can't find any that seem right. I love you with all my heart and soul. I regret that night, too. You are my sun in the sky I live to see every morning...you are my blue eyes." He takes the microphone away from his mouth and we just look at eachother. He gives me a hug, but during that hug he whispers in my ear, "Can we please talk tonight after the party?"
My only response, "Yes." We break apart and Tre hands the microphone back to Billie.
"Okay, now for your surprise. We know it has been a long time since you've seen any of your family from Indiana and it's taken us a long time to set this up, but we got it all to work out." I look at him with a look of disbelief. "Holly, this is something we've wanted to do for you for ten years, but never found the right time." He points to the crowd, right at Adie. Standing on either side of Adie are a woman, a little older than me, and a boy who looks about seventeen or so. "Holly, we got your sister, Rebecca and your brother, Luke, whom you've haven't seen in seventeen years." Becca, Luke, and Adie are crying. I look at the three guys, who smile at me, then, I look at my family (what's left of it). I get down off the table and slowly make my way towards my brother and sister. The whole room is in silence. I look at them, they look at me. And like all that baggage that we share amongst us was lifted we hug.
Up on the stage, Billie turns to Tre. "Is she going to talk to you tonight?"
"She said yes, but with our surprise...I don't know..."
