Chapter 5

I lay in the floor in a daze. Did she really say what I thought she did?

Freddie brought me back to reality by shaking me.

"Wiley, WILEY! Are you okay?"

"Huh? I mean yeah, I'm all right,"

"Well get up then, get squared away. Everybody is getting ready for the last number."

I got up, swapping my bass for my Stratatone. This song had a good slide lead in it. I looked around but couldn't see Moira anywhere, so I took my place.

The three drummers led us off. 'Twisting The Night Away' was an old Sam Cooke song. When I was about twelve, just when I was getting familiar with a guitar, my Mom and Dad dragged me to a Rod Stewart concert. They were big fans and had a lot of his work, including when he fronted the Faces.

They pretty much had everything except his disco stuff, Dad felt he sold out and stopped listening to him for years. When Rod came out and apologized for his disco era Dad forgave him.

Even to a twelve year old the music wasn't half bad, He was younger and still had his voice.

His finisher was 'Twisting The night Away', and it blew the crowd away.

When we were trying to find a closer, I thought of it and pulled it up in the computer, finding a clip from the right era. Everyone saw the potential. Old time rock and roll, using every musician except the strings, and they could be back up singers.

I could do a fair Rod Stewart, so I sang the first verse before stepping back to turn my slide loose. Freddie sang the second, then Frank sang the third. We went into the long break, featuring the horns, particularly saxophone.

A new spotlight came on, and there was Moira and all the girls, clustered around two mikes, singing away. We did the last verse, and came to a thunderous finish. The lights went off, and there were call of thanks and goodnight.

We stood in the dark for a full two minutes. People started to leave, and then the drums started up and we redid the last verse. When the vocals were over we just jammed while Mel came on and introduced every musician that shared the stage. Freddie got the most applause, followed by Moira, and then me. Musically it was the best night of my life.

...

Ever been physically exhausted while at the same time mentally exhilarated? That was us afterwards.

Freddie came to me.

"Man! What a show. Playing with you guys is never dull, but I'm beat. I'll call you Monday, we've got things to talk about."

I looked, but Moira was nowhere to be seen. Jimmy said she left right after the show, and promised to call Monday. Sammi left word she would like to talk to me also, if I had some free time Monday.

I better rest tomorrow, Monday was gonna be really busy.

I had lunch with Mom and Dad Sunday. As usual Mom talked and we listened. If Dad had something important to say he would, but if not he would let Dottie talk. She gently chewed me out over my failed love life. Then she said better days were ahead for me, she can feel it.

I hope so, and she was usually right.

...

I met Freddie Monday morning at my studio. He was bubbling over, and had brought his manager and producer with him.

The manager just smiled while the producer raved about the show. He went on and on about chemistry and quality. I knew he was leading up to something so I let him ramble. He finally wound down.

Freddie took over.

"This isn't a strictly social visit, Wiley. I'll get right to the point. How committed is your band in the near future?"

Our agency handled the bookings, but I had final say. There are some places that for various reasons I refuse to play at. Some were dives, some were run by people who didn't like to pay on time, and some I just didn't like period.

"We're three weeks out that I know of. I'm supposed to call this afternoon and confirm about another three weeks' worth, bu that's tentative right now."

The manager stepped in.

"What we'd like to do is hire you to work on Freds' new album, as well as be his backup band on his next tour. We've got eight dates we have to honor as a warmup act, but we're anticipating doing a headline tour after that. We'll go into details later, but we'll pay well and it could be a tremendous opportunity for you and your band."

Wow. Double wow.

Fred broke in to try and seal the deal.

"By your band, we don't mean Half Irish. We want the Smilin' Wiley Orchestra, at least most of it.

The crowd really seemed to like the western swing, and we're thinking about doing a tribute to Bob Wills and some of the other pioneers. It won't be just me singing, either. I've already got a few more artists interested in doing a song or at least a cameo. This could be big, Wiley, big."

"And we don't want you as just a musician, we want you to be musical director for the project, and I'm sure you'll bring Moira in to help with the arranging. Think about it for a few days and get back to us. Now, we need to have a serious discussion."

This wasn't a serious discussion already? I didn't know what to expect.

Apparently it was time for the producer to speak.

"I've been doing this for twenty five years. In that time, if you don't have an 'ear', you're not very successful. And if I didn't have that 'ear' I would have been gone a long time ago."

"I guarantee you 'I Got A Plan' will be Freddie's breakout record. Platinum, minimum. And your song Saturday, 'How Could You Love Me', will probably perform just as well."

"As a matter of fact, we want to record and release it as soon as possible before the tour.

I want it done just like you did it Saturday night, down to your partner playing."

"And one more thing. Fred tells me you have a whole file cabinet full of songs. I want first choice at them. If it won't fit Freddie, well, I produce a lot of acts. If I can't find anyone in house to do a song you've given me, I have lots of friends that do what I do. One of them will have the right artist for the song. I'm willing to pay a very generous retainer. Think about all we've said and try to get back to us by Friday."

He paused for just a second.

"While you're thinking, let's work on "How Could You Love Me'. I'd like to have the video out in two weeks."

Two weeks? The music business never moves that fast.

I wouldn't commit to anything until I talked to Moira and Jimmy. If they came on board we would recruit the rest later.

I called Jimmy and had him get Moira and come over. It was a lot for them to digest. Instead of bars we would be playing to thousands on a regular basis. True, we wouldn't be the focus, but we would be up there none the less. I was single. Moira was now single, so we weren't leaving anyone behind.

Jimmy had to sell it to Crystal. It was only eight dates to start with, but we had to record and rehearse, and we couldn't do it in our hometown. They had four kids not counting the one on the way.

Mom, bless her heart, volunteered to help her. She said she would use his kids as practice for her own grandchildren. We would be back from tour two months before the due date. They really needed the money and it was a great opportunity, so she came on board.

After Jimmy left that Monday, Moira and I had our first serious talk.

I started it.

"You know why Sammi and I split up, but tell me what happened to your marriage."

She collected herself, looking inward.

"We were desperately in love. He was smart, handsome, and on his way to being very successful.

We had a plan. Two kids at least. I was going to be a homemaker, at least until they got older."

"Erin was a joy. A quiet, happy baby. We wanted to space them apart, and we decided to wait at least three years before we had another."

"Then his business took off. He started traveling more and more."

"When Erin got sick, my whole world collapsed. Because he was gone so often, I had to handle everything myself. When I finally asked him to cut back and help, he agreed. For about two months he stayed close to home. But, as Erin got worse he started traveling more. I think he couldn't face the fact that she was dying."

"At the same time, he was insisting we keep to the schedule we had agreed on and have another child."

You could see the pain on her face.

"I couldn't, Wiley, I just couldn't. I was spending every hour with Erin, grieving her impending death, and I just wasn't up to getting pregnant. I think I was afraid if I had another there was a chance that child would get sick too."

"I think it was the beginning of the end for us. After Erin passed I just went through the motions for awhile. I refused to go off the pill. I was just too afraid."

"After that we just started drifting apart. We stayed intimate for awhile, but when he saw I wasn't going to get pregnant he pretty much lost interest. We've worked together for a little over a year and I hadn't shared his bed for about six months prior."

"Finally, three months ago, he flew home, asking him to meet him at the airport."

"When we got home he said the infamous words-we need to talk. He had fallen out of love with me, and had met someone. In fact, she was three months pregnant. He wanted a divorce."

"I wanted to feel angry, or betrayed, but all I felt was relief. I still loved him, but not like a wife should love her husband."

"We were very amicable, and he was far more generous than he needed to be. I got the house and enough money to see me living comfortable for the rest of my life. He got to move on and marry his girlfriend. I didn't know it, but he had changed his legal address to Reno. You can apply for a divorce after six weeks and get it almost immediately."

She moved around restlessly, touching my guitars, taking down my Martin and strumming it for a minute before putting it back.

She stopped moving and sat on a stool she had moved so she could be close and watch my reactions.

"And now the million dollar question. What to do about us. You know I have feelings for you, and I feel the same from you. It was easy when you were engaged and I was married, we could look but not touch. What happens now?"

I collected my thoughts. What I said now could determine the rest of my life.

"Moira, we're friends, friends for a year. I'm glad. With Sandy and Sammi I just jumped right into love. We both know how that worked out."

"Now, without any pressure, I've gotten to know you pretty well. I know you hate bigoted people, have very little tolerance for rudeness, and love children. I know you are afraid of snakes and thunderstorms. You stick out your tongue slightly when you're concentrating, and you love to wear black."

"You know you're pretty but you don't seem to be vain. You're fiercely loyal to family and friends."

"Most importantly to me, you seem to have an unending capacity for love. I want that love very badly."

"Here is what I would like. We're both coming out of flawed relationships. I want to go slow, build on our friendship. In the end, I want you to love me as much as I think I'm going to love you. Does that sound acceptable?"

She started to answer when I held up my hand.

"I want just one more thing. If it doesn't work out, if you find you're interested in someone else, tell me up front and walk away. I'll make the same promise to you."

She sat on the stool, staring into my face for a minute or so. Then she grinned.

"I find your proposal acceptable Mr. Patterson. I'd like to shake on it as friends."

She held out her hand and I took it. She didn't let go and pulled me to her unexpectedly, planting her lips on mine and giving me a very enjoyable kiss.

She pulled back, laughing.

"I wanted to shake as friends, but kiss as the lovers we're on our way to becoming. Now, fill me in on the details of our new career."

...

I had my conversation with Sandy and Sammi at the bar where we first met. After greeting my old friends we got a booth. It was early on a Monday evening so very few people were around.

Sandy started first.

"God Wiley, I'm so sorry for the way I treated you. I wish I could take it back but I can't. Mom was dying, I was vulnerable, and he was very good at seduction. We never had a chance, you and I. I know it's a lot to ask, if you and Sammi are really through, could we go out sometimes?"

The look Sammi gave her was murderous. I'm pretty sure she didn't expect this. I cut in before she could say anything.

"I don't think so, Sandy. Too much history. I don't think I could go back down that road."

She nodded, sadly. I think she expected my response.

Sammi was passionate, eloquent, outlining why we should try again. She didn't take my traveling well, she was jealous of Moira or girls I could meet while out of town. She really did love me.

I just nodded.

"Tell me Sammi, if we got together again, what would change? I'd still travel. In fact I've been offered a job that will have me traveling all over the country, not just a few towns over. I'll even be out of the country for two weeks. Are you telling me you could handle that?"

She was nodding vigorously.

"Yes, yes I can. I'll be stronger, you'll see."

"I don't think so. You were cheating on me before I met Moira, so that argument won't fly. But tell me, would you sign a prenuptial agreement, excluding everything except what we would accumulate together?"

Her eyes widened and she hesitated before saying she would, money meant nothing.

"Really? Then explain this to me."

I played a copy of the tape I had for them. Sammi slumped afterwards, knowing she was finished.

I felt a little pity on her.

"I'm sorry Sammi, but the fact is even if we could get past this, I'm just not in love with you anymore. I hope both you girls find somebody, I'm going to try to, sometime down the line."

They were both sniffling when I left, but didn't seem the least bit interested in consoling each other.

...

In the end, The Smilin" Wiley Orchestra consisted of me, Moira, Jim, Al, all four guys from Horns For Hire, Frank and Amber from Hard Country. one of the violinists from the chamber quartet, and two new members.

Celtic Curry happened when an Irish engineer meets an Indian widow with two small girls while on a job in India, marries her and emigrates to the U.S. The girls embraced the Celtic music their stepdad exposed them to, and started a group with the younger brother that was a result of that union. The brother was following in Dad's footsteps and going off to college to be an engineer. One of the older sisters was getting married, so I got Sarah. Her real name wasn't Sarah but was hard to pronounce, so she chose one people could handle.

Jenny from Jenny/Ginny/Jen was at loose ends since her band dissolved, and was a perfect fit.

The orchestra had four women, one black, one Indian, and two white. Ten guys, if you count Freddie, three black, six white, one Asian. It was the least likely country band I had ever seen.

Of the fourteen of us, nine could play multiple instruments, so if we needed a sound, we could produce it.

Rehearsals were grueling but fun. I pretty much set the guidelines, so anybody could make a suggestion and it would be considered, but the eventual decision would be made by me and Moira, with input from Freddie. It worked.

I was wrong about the speed of the music business, or perhaps the ability of his producer, because 'How Could You Love Me' was recorded in four days, and the video was finished in one.

Of course, when all you need is two stools on a sound stage, and three spotlights, it is pretty easy. Van Halen spent six hundred fifty dollars filming the video for 'Jump', basically just taking turns filming each other jump around. They probably spent more than that on ours, but not a whole lot more.

He was supposed to lip sync and Moiras' guitar wasn't supposed to be on, but it came out more realistic to just let them sing and play.

He was in a spotlight dead center, and she was sitting just behind him to the left. I was in it.

I was one of the guys snapping in time. There was a spotlight on our hands and forearms, the other three guys were stagehands. Every thing was totally dark except the area under spotlight.

Moira insisted I be there because I was the writer. I was actually co-writer, and published the song in both our names. I wrote the basic lyrics, Moira wrote the music and suggested a few lyric changes that I agreed bettered the song.

It eventually peaked at number three, his highest charting to date.

'I Got A Plan' was huge. Nine weeks at number one, in the top twenty for thirty one total.

The man behind the video was a certified genius.

It started out in a small cafe for the proposal, with Freddie and an attractive actress. It switched to an empty lot where a house literally sprang from the ground. It was a modular house, moved to the site and assembled. It took five days, and that was just rushing a shell up.

While he was singing about the white picket fence it appeared in sections, and when he got to the line about two dogs, a cat, and all the kids they could stand, first the dogs and cat appeared on the porch. followed by two boys and a small girl, each holding a pet.

The scene changed and the house was surrounded by mature bushes and trees, with two old people sitting in a porch swing holding hands while the sun set behind them. It was Freddie and the woman, heavily made up.

It won awards.

...

We were in the big time, but we weren't big time. With the band being so large we had to stay two to a room.

Imagine the surprise when Moira and I found out we were room mates. We asked Freddie about it and he seemed surprised.

"Frank and Amber are married so obviously they're sharing a room. Sarah and Jenny aren't romantically entangled with anyone I know of, so they share a room. You two are obviously together so we--"

He stopped, and started laughing.

"You mean you're not, that is to say you haven't, I mean seriously, you two aren't sleeping with each other? Why? You're glued at the hip every time I see you. I'll ask one of you a question and the other answers. If you want, I can switch Moira to Jimmy, and you can split a room with Al. You know he's gay, right?"

Before I could answer Moira decided the issue for me.

"I don't want Wiley to be tempted to change teams. I've got my own plans for him. The room assignments will be fine just the way they are.

Come on, honey, let's go look at our room."

We had started out slowly, as we agreed. We went on real dates. It was kind of odd. We rehearsed and arranged for ten or more hours a day, then went home to the same house, went into separate rooms, got ready, and then went out.

We had to move to Nashville for the rehearsals, so we rented a four bedroom on a monthly basis. It was Jim, Al, Moira, and me. It was almost as cheap and a lot more comfortable than a motel room. We took turns cooking until we found Al couldn't boil water. We all tried to teach him but it just didn't take.

Jim and Al would go home about every other weekend so they could see their loved ones.

Jim and Moira's parents had retired to Ireland, so she had no one to visit. Every other weekend we had the house to ourselves.

We explored. Found out on top of other things Moira was afraid of caves. Went to the home of Andrew Jackson. Hit a few of the well known bars that hosted open mike night. No one knew who we were so we did a few songs just for fun.

One Saturday Freddie got us tickets to the Grand Ole Opry. It was great. Some of the legends were there, along with established acts, and talented newcomers. Freddie had played there three times.