The Way We Were

That Evening...

I had slept a couple more hours and then decided to invite Marilyn over so we could collaborate on music. He was super sweet to bring over a peppermint tea for me, knowing that I was pretty hunover and still sick. He really surprised me as to how normal he was.

As I led him upstairs to my studio where I had some recording equipment, he began critiquing me on my song, "Okay, last night you sang Marry The Night for me and that blew me away, we could do a little more work on that, but it's really good."

"Okay, well, we can do some recordings and whatever you think will improve it up here." I replied.

He noticed my paintings and photography all over the place, "Wow, you're quite the artist."

"Thanks, I heard you're not too shabby yourself." I chuckled, "We should have a paint date some time."

"And the acoustics up here are amazing, this'll be good for recording." He smiled, going to check out the equipment and soon beginning to set up the keyboard.

"So I thought as I start to sing it, it'll be kind of, melancholy and deep, gradually getting more intense as the keyboard follows it, supporting it, then at the same time as the synthesizers, I just go for the chorus hard." I said as I turned on the mic and the sound board. Afterwards I went into the sound room and put on the headphones.

"Yeah, and then when you come down from the chorus, try to sound poetic, like one of Bob Dylan's ballads; frustrated, you have something to say, then you just jump at the chorus. And the bridge, like you're finally being heard, like Madonna on Evita, all eyes on you and everyone's there to hear you. This is your moment." He added, adjusting the sound levels. I turned on the keyboard and played the first line of notes.

We took several takes of that song, but it was fun in the process. I danced and sang my heart out, finally feeling the inspiration that I've longed for for so long, coming back to me. After singing out the last few lines, I ended the song with a slow fist pump.

"That's it, you got it." He smiled, "I'll edit it later. What song do you wanna do next?"

I thought for a moment, "Well, I had written sort of a southern rock poppy sounding song, I'd love to do it, but I actually wanna bring in my ex-boyfriend to play guitar on it."

"Okay, who?" He asked.

"Brian Haner, he's from Avenged Sevenfold. It's been a while since I've talked to him, but this song is sort of an homage to him and I really wanna have him involved in it." I replied.

"Well then invite him over." He chuckled, "I wanna get these songs right, and whatever you think will help, then do what you have to."

"Okay, I'm just wondering if he's in New York, I'll call him." I said as I walked out of the sound booth. I took out my phone and called his number, at first it rang for a long time but soon he picked up.

"Hello." He answered

"Hey Brian, it's Audrey." I smiled, sitting down on an old couch.

"Hey, wow it's been a long time. How's it going?" He seemed excited, I was relieved.

"Uh, not too much, I'm actually here at my place hanging out with Marilyn Manson, he's kind enough to help me out on making a new album. How 'bout you?"

"A new album? That's awesome, I'm happy for you. I'm good, I'm actually in New York, the band played at Madison Square Garden which was crazy and Val and the girls picked up their dresses from Kleinfeld yesterday." He replied.

I smiled, "That's cool, so you're in New York? I'd actually like to see you before you go back to Cali, I kind of have a favour to ask of you."

"Yeah? What kind of favour?" He chuckled.

"Well, I had written a song and it's dedicated to you, so since it's loosely about you, I was wondering if you could play some electric on it, and maybe even sing a little bit." I grinned, holding my breath waiting for his answer.

"I'd love to." He said. I screamed from pent up excitement, making him and Marilyn laugh.

He laughed, "When do you wanna do this? I've got no plans so far."

"How 'bout tonight? Like, now?" I asked.

"Yeah that sounds great, I'll come right now, what's your address?" He asked. I told him it was on 159 Bleeker St. in Greenwich Village. He said he'd be right over and our convo ended.

"He's coming over." I told Marilyn, smiling.

"Great." He smiled back. "Do you mind if I look at your art for a bit?"

"Oh of course, I'd love your feedback." I grinned, standing up and walking with him to the several pieces of artwork.

"You're really good, your work is just like your dad's." He replied, studying the grotesque images. "He was great."

"Yeah, I'm really glad I'm able to convey my emotions through art, he was a pro at that." I smiled, thinking of my dad. We had looked at the art for a while and talked about our favourite artists and why we started painting and why we continue. I really enjoyed talking with Marilyn, he's very understanding and he isn't judgemental whatsoever.

In the middle of our talk, I heard the door buzzer go off and grew excited. "He's here!" I grinned, turning around to go run downstairs. I buzzed him up and waited for him to come upstairs, when there was a knock at the door I checked the peephole and saw Brian. I swung open the door and welcomed him with a hug.

He set down his guitar case and picked me up and spun me around, "I've missed you so much!" He laughed, setting me down.

"I've missed you too foo', what did you do to your hair? It used to be long and shaggy, now it's short and awesome!" I laughed.

"I grew up, I finally became a man." He chuckled, shutting the door.

"Awe, Brian it's so great to see you." I smiled, hugging him again. "C'mon, Marilyn's upstairs."

He followed me up to the studio and greeted Marilyn, they already know each other and get along quite well.

"So let's see this song about me." He grinned, sitting down on the couch.

I grabbed the sheets of paper and handed them to him. He silently read them as a smile grew on his face, he laughed as he reminisced about the memories that made up the song. He looked down at the couch he and Marilyn were sitting on, "Is this the same couch we made love on?" He laughed.

Marilyn quickly stood up, "I'm gonna sit over here." He chuckled, walking to the soundboard.

"No." I laughed.

"Audrey this is sweet, I'd like to hear you sing it, just so I can get a feel for it and then I'll add some guitar to it." He smiled.

"Okay." I nervously smiled as I walked into the sound booth. Marilyn signalled me and I began playing the keyboard, singing the words:

"It's been a long time since I came around
Been a long time but I'm back in town
This time I'm not leaving without you
You taste like whiskey when you kiss me, oh
I'd give anything again to be your baby doll
This time I'm not leaving without you

You said sit back down where you belong
In the corner of my bar with your high heels on
Sit back down on the couch where we
Made love the first time and you said to me this

Something, something about this place
Something 'bout lonely nights and my lipstick on your face
Something, something about my cool Nebraska guy
Yeah something about, baby, you and I

It's been two years since I let you go,
I couldn't listen to a joke or rock 'n roll
Muscle cars drove a truck right through my heart
On my birthday you sang me a heart of gold
With a guitar humming and no clothes
This time I'm not leaving without you
Ooh-oh ooh-oh

Sit back down where you belong
In the corner of my bar with your high heels on
Sit back down on the couch where we
Made love the first time and you said to me this

Something, something about this place
Something 'bout lonely nights and my lipstick on your face
Something, something about my cool Nebraska guy
Yeah something about, baby, you and I

You and I
You, you and I
You, you and I
You, you and I, I
You and I
You, you and I
Oh yeah!
I'd rather die
Without you and I

C'mon!
Put your drinks up!

We got a whole lot of money, but we still pay rent
'Cause you can't buy a house in Heaven
There's only three men that I'm a serve my whole life
It's my daddy and Nebraska and Jesus Christ

Something, something about the chase
Six whole years
I'm a New York woman, born to run you down
So have my lipstick all over your face
Something, something about just knowing when it's right
So put your drinks up for Nebraska
For Nebraska, Nebraska, I love you

You and I
You, you and I
Baby, I rather die!
Without you and I

You and I
You, you and I
Nebraska, I rather die
Without you and I

It's been a long time since I came around
Been a long time but I'm back in town
This time I'm not leaving without you."

We did a ton of takes of the song, but eventually when Brian laid down the solo and nailed it, he joined me in the booth and did some backing vocals for me. It was amazing, being able to sing with him a song that reflected our tumultuous yet memorable romance back in the day. As we sang I danced and pointed to him as I sang a line about him.

As I softly finished off the song, Marilyn gave me a thumbs up and I hugged Brian, happy with the outcome. We exited the room and joined Marilyn.

"That was out of this world, you guys nailed it." He smiled.

I was grinning, "Yes!"

"I'm sorry I never appreciated your talent of songwriting, but now I do, and Audrey, that song was perfect. Thank you." Brian smiled.

"No, thank you." I chuckled, high-fiving him. "I'm glad we still have a musical connection."

"So what song do you wanna do next?" Marilyn asked, leaning back into the chair.

I looked at the time, it was already 9pm, and we had spent nearly an hour and a half on that song alone, if we were gonna keep going, we'd need reinforcements. "I'd like to try writing a new one tonight, but are you guys hungry? 'Cause I know I am."

"Yeah, do you wanna order take-out?" Brian asked.

"You read my mind." I grinned, "Chinese anyone?"

They both agreed, so I ran downstairs and grabbed a take-out menu and came back upstairs. After we decided on what we wanted, I called the restaurant and gave them our order; it'd be 20 minutes.

"So you wanted to write a new song?" Marilyn asked, picking up a pen and paper.

"Yeah, I mean, it just feels like everything's going right for me now, last night was a disaster, Marilyn witnessed it first hand, but this afternoon I talked to Caleb, and finally I'm recording a new record. I wanna write something in appreciation to everything that's good." I replied, sitting on the floor and resting my elbows on the coffee table.

"That's sounds good. Do you have any ideas of how to start it?" Marilyn asked.

"No." I replied.

"Well, how would you describe how you feel toward everything that's going good for you?" Brian asked.

I thought for a moment, thinking of Caleb and Brian, meeting Marilyn, my career and how it's growing everyday, my future and my hopes and dreams. "I just...I just feel like I'm on the edge of glory." I smiled, giving a short laugh.

Marilyn wrote down on the paper, "edge of glory."

"And it should be about, how I feel like I'm being set free from my old life and I'm becoming a new person, with a new life and love, and Caleb and how he's in my life now, he's the centre of it, and I'm on the edge with him, we're in this together, I'm moving on in my life with him." I smiled.

I began tapping the table and humming a tune that popped into my head, I began singing whatever came to mind, "I'm on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment of truth, out on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment with you..."

Quickly I sprung up and ran into the booth and played the tune on the keyboard, singing the few lines over again and coming up with new ones, "Another shot before we kiss the other side, tonight, yeah, baby! Tonight, yeah, baby! I'm on the edge of something final we call life tonight..."

I hummed again and then finished it off, "Put on your shades, 'cause I'll be dancing in the flames, tonight, yeah, baby! Tonight, yeah, baby! Who gives a hell if everybody knows my name tonight..." I grinned as I looked at the guys, Marilyn frantically writing.

"I love it." Brian smiled.

"I like it too!" I laughed, coming out of the room. "And I want a killer saxophone solo too." I grinned.

"Then we'll get you a saxxy solo." He smiled softly.