Goodbye Reckless
fifteen
"I'm going to write a book about this!"
"Of course you are Papa," I said humouring him.
"I'm being totally serious here, it would sell millions."
"Papa you are a publisher, not a writer."
"That's never stopped anybody."
It was the first time that I had seen dad since my last visit, which had been almost a week ago. Rather than a tearful reunion, which both Andy and I were expecting, my father was calmness and composure in it's self. He made no fuss and no complaints, and only went on to congratulate us for having kicked up such a fuss and then proudly went on to say that Angela Merkel the German Prime Minister had come to visit him two days ago and promised to get him out.
"Well I think that the band have done a far better job than she has done Papa," I said gently. Obviously having been in such a prison for so long had serious effects upon his brain. I was going to have to talk to the doctor.
""Mr Sanders," Andy began but got interrupted by my father.
"Call me Stephan please," he said with a small smile.
"Well, Stephan," Andy began again. "The band and I would really love to donate money to Greenpeace from our third album and we were wondering if you would become our spokesman?"
I groaned and buried my face in my hands. Andy had single handily set a fire alight inside my father. My dad's face light up and the life sprang back into his tiered eyes.
I left the two of them discussing plans for talks and promotions with Greenpeace and all the like. Despite my initial protests and head shaking I was immensely proud of them. Andy for pretty much accepting the dysfunctional mess that was my family, and my father for holding out for so long.
Three hours later Andy, Will, Mike, Sisky, Michael, Tony and myself were all stood outside the gates of Tokyo central prison. Sisky was wearing his FREE STEPHAN t-shirt and Tony was wearing his FREE BEATRICE shirt aswell.
Suddenly the doors of the prison opened and two people walked out hand in hand. It was Beatrice and my father. They were smiling and walked with their heads held up, carrying a small bag of their handed in possessions in a small bag.
As I saw their smiling faces tears sprung up in my eyes.
They were finally out.
The gates of the prison opened and as Beatrice and my dad walked out smiling triumphantly everybody started cheering and the tears ran in free fall down my faces, leaving little black mascara tracks.
Andy saw this and immediately put his arm around me, kissing my on the side of my face where there were no black tracks.
"Hey don't cry," he said gently as Beatrice and my father were been greeted and congratulated by the others. "It's over now."
With that I burst into hysterical tears as another pair of arms met me, and before I knew it I was in my father's arms sobbing like a teenager after her first heartbreak.
"I'm here now. Alles ist vorbei," he said soothingly into my hair.
I then received a heart warming hug from my soon to be stepmother and as the rest of the band stood around chatting relieved and joyful I realised that I had found my family, not only with my father and Beatrice, but also with Andy and the band who provided to be such a support as only a family could be.
That night it was the last show in Japan. After days of playing all over Japan The Academy Is played in Tokyo one last time.
"As you will all know we've been fighting to get a friend of ours and his fiancé out of prison. Well Stephan and Beatrice are out!"
As Tony pulled Beatrice, my father and me out of the wings back stage to stand next to a grinning William the tears started up again as the roar of the crowd, where I could pick up many smiling faces, sent the truth home.
Everything was going to be okay now.
"Of course you are Papa," I said humouring him.
"I'm being totally serious here, it would sell millions."
"Papa you are a publisher, not a writer."
"That's never stopped anybody."
It was the first time that I had seen dad since my last visit, which had been almost a week ago. Rather than a tearful reunion, which both Andy and I were expecting, my father was calmness and composure in it's self. He made no fuss and no complaints, and only went on to congratulate us for having kicked up such a fuss and then proudly went on to say that Angela Merkel the German Prime Minister had come to visit him two days ago and promised to get him out.
"Well I think that the band have done a far better job than she has done Papa," I said gently. Obviously having been in such a prison for so long had serious effects upon his brain. I was going to have to talk to the doctor.
""Mr Sanders," Andy began but got interrupted by my father.
"Call me Stephan please," he said with a small smile.
"Well, Stephan," Andy began again. "The band and I would really love to donate money to Greenpeace from our third album and we were wondering if you would become our spokesman?"
I groaned and buried my face in my hands. Andy had single handily set a fire alight inside my father. My dad's face light up and the life sprang back into his tiered eyes.
I left the two of them discussing plans for talks and promotions with Greenpeace and all the like. Despite my initial protests and head shaking I was immensely proud of them. Andy for pretty much accepting the dysfunctional mess that was my family, and my father for holding out for so long.
Three hours later Andy, Will, Mike, Sisky, Michael, Tony and myself were all stood outside the gates of Tokyo central prison. Sisky was wearing his FREE STEPHAN t-shirt and Tony was wearing his FREE BEATRICE shirt aswell.
Suddenly the doors of the prison opened and two people walked out hand in hand. It was Beatrice and my father. They were smiling and walked with their heads held up, carrying a small bag of their handed in possessions in a small bag.
As I saw their smiling faces tears sprung up in my eyes.
They were finally out.
The gates of the prison opened and as Beatrice and my dad walked out smiling triumphantly everybody started cheering and the tears ran in free fall down my faces, leaving little black mascara tracks.
Andy saw this and immediately put his arm around me, kissing my on the side of my face where there were no black tracks.
"Hey don't cry," he said gently as Beatrice and my father were been greeted and congratulated by the others. "It's over now."
With that I burst into hysterical tears as another pair of arms met me, and before I knew it I was in my father's arms sobbing like a teenager after her first heartbreak.
"I'm here now. Alles ist vorbei," he said soothingly into my hair.
I then received a heart warming hug from my soon to be stepmother and as the rest of the band stood around chatting relieved and joyful I realised that I had found my family, not only with my father and Beatrice, but also with Andy and the band who provided to be such a support as only a family could be.
That night it was the last show in Japan. After days of playing all over Japan The Academy Is played in Tokyo one last time.
"As you will all know we've been fighting to get a friend of ours and his fiancé out of prison. Well Stephan and Beatrice are out!"
As Tony pulled Beatrice, my father and me out of the wings back stage to stand next to a grinning William the tears started up again as the roar of the crowd, where I could pick up many smiling faces, sent the truth home.
Everything was going to be okay now.
♠ ♠ ♠
Next part is the last part.