Chapter 12

One of the things that had struck Willow as they worked with the two orchestras was how one was so much older. As it had all been a gradual change, she had only noticed the changes in herself in the need to occasionally buy new clothes. When they were with the Juniors, she realised that she had been the same age when she started at the school, and it was only Abbie that stood out as older, and wiser.

When the Seniors gathered, Willow looked around and made note of the way her friends had grown up. The girls all looked like young ladies, even in the school uniform, and the boys were mostly handsome. Vivienne was way ahead of her in the looks department, but Willow realised that a lot of it was good make-up.

“Viv. Do you go to a salon?”

“Of course. Every three weeks with Mum. Why, don’t you?”

“Except for shows where we were made up, I’ve only been the once, and that was for Racheal’s wedding. I’ve been taking note of our friends, and I realise what being sixteen means. I’m going to have to do something if I’m going to help Dad.”

“We visit a very good place in Birmingham. I’ll organise a visit for you and pick you up when we go. It’s actually this Saturday.”

“All right. I’ll be home.”

That Saturday, her parents were going to look for a car for Ashley, as he couldn’t keep putting mileage on the company car. They locked the house and Willow waited by the gate, watching the traffic go by, until Vivienne and Juliette arrived. They went to a place that welcomed them and especially welcomed Willow. She had a full hair treatment, a mani-ped, some wax treatment on a few spots where hair had sprouted that she couldn’t see, and agreed to a semi-permanent make-up treatment, which would be good for school days, and added to for other times.

When they got back to Rising Lane, Willow invited the others to join her for lunch at the Punchbowl. They talked about the future, and wondered what would be happening with the operetta, the charity show, and their general life direction as they moved towards the end of high school and into further studies.

Juliette was keen for Vivienne to become an established entertainer and praised Willow for giving her daughter such a magnificent training in long shows. One thing that was becoming clear was that Peter wasn’t going to continue as their manager as they moved on. They would need an established big-name manager, probably in London, to further their careers.

When her parents came home, she was sitting in the kitchen with her notebooks open, working on lyrics. Wendy walked in and grinned.

“Ashley, darling, can you call the police while I hold this strange person in the kitchen!”

He came into the kitchen and took a look at his daughter.

“Who are you and what have you done to my normal teenager?”

“This is the result of four hours in a salon, Dad. I’ll be going with Viv every third week, from now on. Do you think that it worked?”

Wendy sat beside her and touched her arm.

“It sure did, darling. You grew up. You’ve only looked older when you’re performing, but you needed to take the plunge, now you’re sixteen. What brought this on?”

“Looking at all my schoolfriends in the orchestra and seeing how grown-up they all looked, compared with the Juniors we’re also working with. It made me realise that there was one thing about being a girl that I was neglecting. I’ve got a bag of new products, and instruction sheets, and I’m going to train my brain into being a model, and not just for shows.”

“I’m impressed and proud of you, love. Today is the first day of the woman who is Willow. Can I join you at the salon next time?”

Ashley sat at the table, after putting cups of tea in front of them, and pored over a car brochure.

“What are you getting, Dad?”

“Another Range Rover, like your mother’s, but in white with black highlights. I know it will be used on weekends, mainly, but the paymaster gave me a tip that my usage of the company car will be scrutinised before I get a replacement. We’ll have to look for something for you in another six months, so that you can be independent. You can’t rely on a limo service every day, especially if you need to go into a university most days.”

“I know, Dad. It’s racing up quicker than I expected.”

“You know that you’re already old enough to get a provisional licence and start to learn to drive.”

“Can I? I thought you have to be seventeen.”

“To be able to drive on your own, yes, but that doesn’t stop you learning, or driving with one of us in the car.”

“Nice one! I’ll look into getting an instructor.”

That Sunday, they had a drive out. The Kenilworth electorate was a big ring around the Warwick and Leamington electorate, and mainly rural. The biggest towns were Kenilworth itself, and Stratford-on-Avon. That day, they were hosting all of the volunteers from the south-eastern corner of the area, mainly only a few to a village, at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon. Willow had never been there and had a great time looking at the cars and being photographed with the volunteers in front of some. A few even included her father. Whenever the election was called, he was beginning to be known and befriended.

Over the next week, Willow received comments on her new look. She had to admit that her hair had become her crowning glory, with tints and waves that she now loved. The Juniors were coming along nicely, with about half of the show scored and rehearsed. She introduced the Seniors to her ‘Fractured’ song, taking her laptop to school and playing it to them with the synthesiser sounds. She, and Vivienne had written about half a dozen new songs, between them, which were already undergoing the orchestral scoring, so they considered that they were doing well.

The first week of October brought another statement from Peter. The old catalogue had picked up, bringing her another four hundred and ten thousand. Her CD was still selling well with another three hundred and twenty thousand sales, giving her one point two-eight million. The double DVD was now removed from the package, which had sold out at six hundred thousand copies, adding another forty thousand sales to give her two hundred and eighty thousand. Her DVD had gone on to sell a hundred and eighty thousand on its own, adding another nine hundred thousand to her income. In total, after the costs and commission, she had another three point seven million. She replied to get him to transfer three and a half to the business.

The weeks went by, with Wendy joining them to visit the salon on the third Saturday, and then it was just a week to the half-term holiday. Sundays, these days, were mainly taken up visiting all the volunteers in outlying areas, often just sitting in kitchens and drinking tea. For Willow, her Saturdays were now dedicated to driving lessons with an instructor from the Driving Academy in Coventry. As in everything she did, she concentrated on the job in hand and became quite good, once she had passed the written exam.

In the break, she went down to London with her mother, who was now only working part-time, with the brochure business in a bit of a slump, due to rising printing costs, even from overseas.

They lived in their separate apartments but joined for meals and outings. For Willow, it was a new experience, seeing the traffic in a new light as they went to places in the Range Rover. She wasn’t quite up to driving in the city, yet, but they had magnetic plates which went on the vehicle when she took over the wheel in the more open areas.

One place they went to, with Ted and Alicia, was to Royal Holloway, where Terry met them and showed them around the campus. She had booked for five at the Great Fosters restaurant, and Wendy had her first taste of Michelin Star dining. After that, Willow drove them around the south of the city on the M25, and A3, stopping at Clapham Common for Wendy to take over to drive back to the parking station. Walking back to the apartment, Ted asked her about her plans, noting that she had taken the application form for a Batchelor of Science in Business Administration that Terry had offered her.

“Terry said that the applications open in February, with the intake next November. He assured me that, if I apply, I should be sure of a place. I finish fifth year in July, so should have my exam results by August. With the course I’ve already passed, I don’t need to go for higher studies to qualify. That will mean that I start in November, after a nice holiday, and will graduate when I’m twenty. It’s full-time at Royal Holloway, so I can live here and take myself to the university.”

“That sounds like a good plan, Willow. What do you intend to do with your qualifications?”

“That’s something that will become clearer as time goes on. I am a firm believer that things come to those who wait.”

“In your case, big things happen to those who do the hard work. What are the musical plans?”

“We’re working on a school show to be performed in a month. It’s Vivienne and me with the Junior Orchestra, with a VivWillow selection of old Summer Rose and our new albums. After that, we’ll be recording a new album of new work with them that we’ve put together. Then we’re going to record another new album with the Senior Orchestra, and that will be followed by a series of big charity shows at the Coventry City ground with the Senior Orchestra. That one will have lights, projections, and pyrotechnics. The results will give the Juniors a lot of points in their Music Studies, and the Seniors passing their final Music Studies. The two orchestras are writing out the scores for all the music.”

“That big show sounds like one to get tickets for. Will that be your last show?”

“Could be. I’ll need to concentrate on my studies after that.”

“At twenty, you’ll have a lifetime ahead of you.”

“I know. We’ve talked about things, and Vivienne and I have decided that we will let the music slide while we study. She wants to find somewhere to become an opera singer, or a soloist in front of orchestras. If we end up earning very little after three years, we can leave our manager and talk to new ones here, who are better prepared to take us further.”

During that week, she rang Jill and went to see her at the office. Jill and Clive welcomed her in and congratulated Willow on a very successful package, one that exceeded the expectations. Willow was given bags with Gold Records for her CD and DVD, with another pair for Vivienne’s CD and DVD. There were a pair of Gold Records for them, as well, engraved to the VivWillow Writing Team for the two albums. She was given another bag, with Platinum Records for the CD and DVD , both having passed the mark during the month, along with awards for the studio. Willow advised Clive of her plans, with just the next album and shows as her last for a few years, to allow them to prepare the media for her absence from the stage while she studied.

They went home on the Friday morning, so that Willow could take her driving lesson on Saturday. They stopped off at Vivienne’s house to give her the awards, and then went home to prepare a dinner for Ashley when he got home.

On Saturday morning, when her instructor arrived, she came out with the awards in their bags.

“What are we doing today, Willow? You look like you’re ready for a trip.”

“If you don’t mind, I would like to go to Leicester, to leave these items.”

“That will be at the recording studio. I have looked up your profile on social media.”

“That’s right. I hope you don’t mind.”

“You’re paying by the hour, Willow. Why should I mind? We will go through Coventry on the way. It’s about time you got used to inner-city traffic. You’re already excellent in the open country.”

They took a way that she had been before, and then traversed the city, coming out on the M69 to Leicester. At the studio, she parked and took him into the studio, where Garry was recording a new album with his band. The instructor was amazed at what he was seeing. They stood behind Sarah as his long-time heroes were working on new songs.

When they had a break, they all gathered in the rest area, and Willow presented the team with her awards to go on the wall, along with the awards for the studio. The wall was getting full, with Josh telling her that all the older Golds were now stored, to make room for the newer ones and the Platinum collection. He had rearranged them and gone higher with a long line of the older ones, then a line of later ones, many for recording other singers and bands, the line of pictures from the sessions, now very close together, with space underneath for more. One picture showed Zara with her combo, and there were both Gold and Platinum awards above it.

The other wall had the sign lifted higher to give more room, with the Double Platinum and Treble Platinum in pride of place. That wall was only Willow Rose offerings, with and without the rest of the band. One row of Platinum, one row of Gold, the pictures, and one row of the studio awards.

Sarah told her that the ENO was coming in on the last week of November and had already booked the same weeks for next year. The studio was sending regular singers and bands during the second week of the month, and had also booked for next year, making this studio their main one. Willow told her to maintain the pricing for another year, as the studio was achieving her intended income.

The instructor got to talk with his heroes, and Willow got to talk to Garry.

“How do you like being a rock god, Garry?”

“Beats school, hands down. We did the big tour over summer and I’m now very well off. When we finish this album, it will be my first as an actual band member, and then we’re promoting it with a tour in the summer. After that, the band will take a rest to write new material. Someone from the ENO has been in touch, asking me if I would be available after that to be part of the operetta, which they’ll be workshopping. Have they been in touch with you?”

“Not yet. I suppose they needed to see if you were available, now that you’re a megastar.”

“You’re the real star here, Willow. How about I take you through and show you the kit?”

They went through to the studio and stood behind the stack of amps and kissed.

“You really are beautiful, love. What will you be doing after school finishes?”

“Living in my apartment in London and going to the University for three years. I won’t be making any albums after April.”

“Maybe I can come and visit you there, once we’re off the road.”

“I’d like that, Garry, a lot. You’ve got my number. Now, you’d better be ready to get back to work and I need to continue my driving lesson.”

They kissed some more, and Willow checked her lipstick before they went back to the others. When they were back in the car, the instructor had all the signatures, in texta, on his uniform hi-vis shirt.

“That was unexpected and wonderful, Willow. While we were there, I rang a friend of mine and we’ll be driving to the Everyman Racing track near Derby, to give you a high-speed experience as my gift to you. Of course, they will want pictures of you for their wall of celebrities.”

He directed her north to Prestwold, where they were greeted by his friend.

“Nice shirt, bud. Been to a concert lately?”

“This is from this morning, in Willow’s studio, where I met the whole band recording a new album.”

“Well, bud, you do get around. Willow, what would you like to experience, we have a huge range of cars for you?”

“I don’t want to scream around in something where my bum is almost touching the ground. Have you got something that I might want to buy for myself.”

“How is she on motorways, bud?”

“As good as it gets.”

“All right. We have a BMW M135i which is quick enough to be an experience, yet a lovely car for a female to drive as she gets more time at the wheel. If you do get one, you can come back and throw it around our track.”

She was sat in the passenger seat of the BMW, kitted out in a driving suit, helmet, and strapped in with the full harness, and then taken out on the track to get the feel of speed. As it was on an old airfield, the main excitement was on short section of a runway with a slight turn to the long straight. Willow watched as her driver took her up over a hundred miles an hour and then through the turn, reached a hundred and forty, before pulling up and turning around and going back. When they had got back to the offices, she was put into the driving seat with the man beside her.

On her run, she was slower, but not by much. She did get to a hundred and twenty on the long straight in both directions. Back at the offices, she was photographed with her driver in front of the car and given a certificate to show that she had officially become a member of the ‘ton-up club’.

It was almost an anticlimax to be back in the normal car and heading back home. On the motorway, she had to be reminded to slow down.

“Sorry, after going over a hundred, this just seems too slow with all that road in front of me. Do you have another appointment today?”

“Not until three. I’ve learned to give myself a buffer when I’m with you, as you don’t quibble over the cost of an extra hour.”

“When we get back to Rising Lane, there’s a place where we like to eat, not far from home. I’d like to buy you lunch.”

“Well, thank you for that. Can we go by my office, I’d like to change this shirt. I wouldn’t want to spill food on it and have to wash it.”

They made good time on the M1 and then the M69 and stopped at his office.

“Before I take this off, Willow, can you please sign the back?”

She signed it with a big signature, and he went off to change. When he returned, they carried on to the Punchbowl. Over the meal, he told her that he was impressed with her normal driving and that he doubted that he could teach her any more than she would learn going out with her parents. He suggested that she look for something to drive, that she would be taking the test in, and that for her to contact him a few weeks before her birthday, so he could take her around the usual roads that were used in the test.

He drove from the restaurant to her house and dropped her off at the gate, thanking her for lunch and wishing her a Merry Christmas. In the house, she joined her parents in the kitchen with a cup of tea.

“Bit of a long lesson, love. Was there any trouble? Did you hit anything?”

“Just the opposite, Dad. We went to the studio to give them the latest awards and Garry’s band was there, recording an album. My instructor is a huge fan and walked out with his shirt signed, and on top of the world. He was so happy, he directed me to a place where a friend of his works, and I was given a ride in a very fast car, then was able to drive it myself.”

She pulled out her certificate. Ashley looked at it a laughed.

“Can I have this for my wall of things my daughter as done?”

“Certainly, Dad. I brought back the brochure for you. They have Aston Martins.”

On the Sunday, they went to Stoneleigh to talk to Malcolm and the volunteers. They already knew everybody, but it was still good not to leave them out. They had lunch, with Willow now allowed a small glass of wine. After the meeting finished, and Malcolm was behind the bar, Willow sat on a barstool to talk to him.

“How are the Saturday nights going, Malcolm?”

“Good, lass. We had Zara in with her combo a couple of weeks ago. She’s very good and it was a great night. When are you going to entertain us again?”

“I’ll have to talk to Vivienne, but I was thinking of a Christmas Eve or New Year Eve party.”

“Either would be grand. Find out and let me know so I can advertise it. You know we can’t pay you what you normally get, these days.”

“As far as I’m concerned, we’ll do it for free. This place is a huge part of our memories.”

That week, she spoke to Vivienne about the show, and she agreed that playing as a duo, with Willow on the keyboard, would be a lovely way to see in the year. Willow rang Malcolm and confirmed that it would be a New Year’s party.

In the middle of the week, she had another statement from Peter. The CD had sold two hundred and eighty thousand with the DVD selling three hundred and twenty thousand. With the old catalogue still selling, she had received just under one point eight million. She asked him to transfer two million, and also advised him of her plans to stop recording after her next album, until she had finished university.

On the Saturday, Willow drove her mother’s Range Rover to the BMW dealer in Leicester and asked about buying a car for herself. She told them that she had driven an M135 and liked it. She had a drive in the showroom 135 and sat with her mother and the manager to thrash out a deal, taking in the fact that it would be paid for by her company, who already had two 5-series.

When they left, she had ordered an M135i in Tanzanite Blue, with Veganza Oyster upholstery, nineteen-inch wheels and the technical pack. The normal price was over forty-seven thousand, but she got it down to forty-two and a half. It would be available early in January, as there were none in that configuration in stock. She told them that it wouldn’t be a problem and paid the deposit.

As the weeks passed, the girls and the junior orchestra worked through to complete the show, with all the scores passed on to the Seniors, who were working on the newer songs that the girls were bringing to them in raw form. The single show had now blown out to three shows with the rush of bookings.

During the weekends, she was driving her father in his Range Rover as he went to various meetings. Her driving had become almost natural, and she was getting impatient with the wait to allow her to be independent. On the last weekend of November, they were visiting a group of volunteers when Ashley’s phone rang. He excused himself and left Willow to talk. As they were going home, he pulled out his diary and wrote in it.

“The phone call was Hugh. He wants to come and visit us next Saturday. He did say that he has a couple of tickets for your show on Friday evening.”

“I think that it’s sold out, along with the other two.”

“You know Hugh, he can get tickets for anywhere if he puts his mind to it. He has more contacts than anyone I’ve ever met.”

Marianne Gregory © 2025