NetCelebsCaughtOnCamera(entertainment industryvideo shorts)
…Oh,that John John, at it again in Malibu.I mean, if the man found a shirt, we’d have to call the police and tell him to take it off.He needs no restraining order from me, if you know what I mean.
In other news,America Sings!runner-up Elvie has been seen several times out on the town, in good company, wink wink.Who’s that handsome stranger with her?None other than Chris Mulroney, star of the upcomingPirate Knightmovie.It’s a little soon to see her making the party rounds after such a tragedy.
Excerpt,RockIsAboutTheMusic.com
…We seeElvie has finally dropped that whole fake “good girl” routine and is embracing her inner bitch.Did you hear about how she threw a tantrum with Rhiannon?Stormed right out.I’d say it’s rock and roll, but Elvie, baby, it’s unprofessional behavior.You don’t see the guys from Fire Mountain acting like spoiled toddlers.
And now she’s partying with movie stars?Where’s the grief?She only became famous because her family died right after she was on that pompous shittyAmerica Sings!season, and now she doesn’t even talk about them?I mean, come on.Maybe it’s to quiet all those rumors about her and that old bass player…
CHAPTER33
Now
Ellery is luminous.Not that Dante hasn’t always thought so, but particularly now.Particularly when she plays “Water Teeth” like he’s never heard it, like she pulls the plaintive sine waves from her very soul, tearing the grief and heartache and loss from her body and spreading it to the cool Santa Ana breeze.
He’s watched this tour from afar, through texts and news alerts, and feels how deeply the experience has cut her.All the backlash, all the secondhand support, the whirlwind of critics and untempered adoration.
He should have been there for her.
He and Selene and Lorraine have stopped playing, letting the song carry Ellery where she needs it to go.The entire amphitheater watches silently.In the first few rows, he sees countless people with tears running down their faces, smearing makeup.Couples huddle together, supporting one another.
This is why he loves music, why he plays even when it hurts, especially when it hurts.Music brings people together.Music tells truths.It took him ages to get to this plane of understanding, but he’s here at last.
Ellery reaches the final chord and stumbles, Jasper twitching in her hands, and Dante is on his feet, racing to her, not even knowing he is doing it, but letting his body carry him.
He stands beside her, holding her hands, the wooden frame of Jasper warm beneath his touch.
Ellery’s tears rally him.With his thumb, he brushes them aside.
“You’re here,” she says.He doubts she knows she has spoken into the microphone.
“Always.”He realizes he doesn’t care whether everyone hears him.Everyone should.Everyone should adore this woman.He tucks a curl of blond hair behind her ear.“I’ll always be here for you.”
There’s a collective gasp in the audience, but he ignores it.
A half-smile cuts through the grief written on her face, and she traces the lines of his new tattoo, words curlicued into a stylish rainbow-colored Celtic knot.“One and Only?”
He leans his forehead against hers and closes his eyes, breathing her in.“It’s you.The One and Only Ellery.I get a new tattoo every time I miss you so badly it cuts.”
That’s when the stage goes dark.
CHAPTER34
One year ago
Excerpt,MusicToursRevue
…We hearone of the most anticipated tickets this upcoming year will be Elvie’sDark Waterstour.Her music can be divisive, but it’s haunting and lyrical, and she has a deeply devoted fan base.Then there are those who will be watching closely to see her implode, as she’s certainly caused a lot of buzz and her personal tragedy has largely overshadowed her music career.At least she continues to play with Selene Huynh and Lorraine Delarosa, but who knows how long that will last after the stress of touring during a pandemic…
Five-star review,CruiseLoversUnite.com
…First of all,I am SO glad to be cruising again after the lockdowns.Who says it’s not safe?I wear a mask and sanitize.It’s just wonderful to be out on the water again.And the best part?The ship staff.Everyone, from our server to the housekeeping staff, looked so thrilled to be back too.
And the music this time around was wonderful.There was this band who played every night in the lounge, and the bassist was incredible.I’ve always had a bit of a thing for bassists, but luck had me marrying a neurologist.Anyway, he looked so familiar, so I asked him, and it was Dante Baker!Hubby and I first saw him on our Norway cruise several years back.Isn’t that wonderful?We asked what he had been up to since then, and he just said “this and that.”Then our tablemates, this lovely couple from Arizona, told us that he used to sing with Elvie and her band!We just loved her on that America Sings!It’s a shame Fire Mountain won, though I do love that song.
What a wonderful world.
