‘What do you mean?’Does he actually want to stop all this right now?Is this the end of it?My heart sinks at the thought.
‘The song,’ says Tadhg.‘Maybe we don’t have to finish it after all.’
‘But … but that’s the point of this whole fortnight.’
‘Well, maybe it’s not,’ he says.‘Maybe it was just the, I don’t know, trigger.Maybe the point was writing all these other songs.Because we’ve written some great songs over the last week, Lol.I mean, properly great songs.’
‘They are pretty good,’ I admit.‘Even if none of them have proper lyrics.’
‘They will,’ he says.‘Working with you … I can’t remember the last time I wrote so many songs in such a short space of time.Let alone good songs.They might even be better thanthesong.’
‘I mean, maybe …’
‘Seriously,’ he says.‘For the rest of the week, let’s forget about our song.Let’s, you know, just fool around with stuff and trythings out and justplay.Enjoy ourselves.Let’s just be creative with no expectations.Just for the sake of it.If something happens withoursong, then great.But clearly putting pressure on ourselves isn’t the answer.’
‘Maybe you’re right,’ I say.
‘I’m pretty sure I’m right,’ he says.‘It’ll be fun.And with everything that’s happened over the last few days, I think we could do with a bit of fun.And no pressure to perfect a sixteen-year-old song.’
He’s definitely got a point there.Playing music for fun sounds pretty good right now.
‘Okay,’ I say.‘Let’s fool around.’
And we do.
Liberated from the pressure to finish the song by Friday, I feel like some weight has been lifted from my shoulders.The rest of the day is great.We’re so engrossed in what we’re doing – and, it must be said, we’re now playing so loudly – that I don’t hear the front door open, and I get a shock when Katie sticks her head in the door.
‘Is this a private concert or can anyone join in?’she says.‘Afternoon, Timothy.’
‘Afternoon to you,’ he says.‘Were we being obnoxiously loud?’
‘A bit loud,’ admits Katie.‘I think some of the neighbours might have figured out you’re here.’
I hurry over to the window and peek out, grateful that Katie and Jeanne installed slatted shutters.Sure enough, I can see the woman who lives across the road standing in her small front garden, chatting with another neighbour and two teenagers who live at the end of the road.All of them are looking over at our house.
‘Shit,’ says Tadhg.‘Sorry.I think we’ve been getting gradually louder all day.I forgot we weren’t in a sound-proof studio.’He turns to me.‘Would you be okay with coming back to my place tomorrow?’
It’s clear we can’t really keep playing here without attracting a crowd.‘Sure.That’ll be fine.’
‘I can send Paul to collect you,’ he says.‘My regular driver.’
It’s tempting.But I can’t stop walking around my own neighbourhood.The longer I leave it, the more freaked I’m going to be.
‘No,’ I say.‘It’ll be grand.’
After Tadhg goes home, I cautiously turn my phone back on and, because I’m afraid not knowing is actually worse than knowing, I google my name.
Tadhg speaks out: leave Laura alone!
The truth about Tadhg Hennessy’s Cinderella
Why Tadhg Hennessy’s collaborator deserves our respect
Why do we care so much about Tadhg Hennessy’s ‘Cinderella’?
There are more, of course.I don’t read any of them.I’m not that stupid.People I know have clearly seen Tadhg’s post because there’s a flurry of new texts and messages.There’s even one from Caroline, which I can’t resist looking at.
OMG Laura I just saw the pic of you and Tadhg – SO cute!You haven’t aged a day!I know you must be up to your eyes right now, but let me know if you’d like to borrow some Moon pieces – and of course if you’d like to buy them, I can give you a friends discount.Let me know what you think!
