Adult-FanFiction.org : Celebrity

Photographer in the Park	By : NutsAboutHarry Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Joshua Bell Views: 1770 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not know Joshua Bell (Do you think I'd be writing fan fic about him if I did?) the following story is TOTAL FICTION the prouct of my extraordinarily overactive imagination. No profit of any kind is made from the writing and publishing of this story!

Chapter List
- 32
- 33
- 34
*****************************************************************************************************************************
After a heady few days where the news quickly spread about Josh and Louisa’s engagement the newly engaged couple made their way to La Guardia on the morning of the sixth of September in preparation to fly to Los Angeles for Louisa’s appearance on the Guinness World Records T.V show. Josh had his Strad over his shoulder and Louisa was saddled with her favourite electric violin, her favourite acoustic violin and her four million dollar Guarneri viola. Her striding through the La Guardia departure lounge with Josh and with four instrument cases between them was attracting many stares and comments.
‘Do I look like I’ve been in town single handedly supplying the entire New York Philharmonic with violins?’ she muttered to Josh once they found their departure gate and sat down.
‘No but you have to admit it does look a little odd you striding through one of the busiest airports in the States with three instrument cases over your shoulder’ Josh said squeezing her hand ‘even I’ve only ever carried two at once and that was when I had my own electric violin’
‘I reckon you should get another one’ Louisa said with a grin ‘I reckon a black Hades one would suit you especially if you wore your normal concert outfit of black boots, dress trousers and silk shirt rawr’
‘Don’t you have to get them custom made for you?’ Josh asked ‘you got yours custom made’
‘Yeah I opted to have mine custom made but normally they’re made generically’ Louisa said ‘the Luthier that makes the Hades violin has their American office in Los Angeles that’s where I want to get a spare bow from and where I’ll send my Hades if it needs repairing’
‘Hmm I might consider it’ Josh mused.
‘Charlie has a Crossbow’ Louisa went on ‘made by the same Luthier. Looks like it’s made from a block of Ice it’s a lovely instrument’
‘She got hers from London like you?’
‘Nah she got hers in Los Angeles’ Louisa said opening her laptop and switching it on ‘hey I have a favour to ask you’
‘Sweetheart as much as I’d like to that sort of thing in an airport departure lounge is blatant indecent exposure’ Josh said with a barely discernable smile upon his face ‘we’d get arrested’
Louisa rolled her eyes.
‘Haha’ she said dryly ‘no I mean in regard to the wedding’
‘Hmm?’
‘I want Jim to marry us’ Louisa said ‘you know the rector from the church we played at at Easter? I’d like to have some connection from home at the ceremony and he’s one of my family’s closest friends’
‘Yeah alright’ Josh said amiably ‘he’s a nice guy and we were going to invite him and his wife to the wedding anyway weren’t we?’
‘Yeah’
‘Well you have his details you tee it up’ Josh said absentmindedly rubbing the back of her neck ‘you’re already looking at gowns?’
Louisa laughed as ‘weddingdresses.com’ came up on her laptop screen.
‘Yeah why not?’ she said with a grin ‘we’ve already decided on a March ceremony that’s only six months away if I start looking now I’ll have a fair idea of what I want to get by the time to actually buy the dress comes around. And I want to look for bridesmaids dresses for Charlie, George and Leisl too the gowns are the most important bit’
‘Not the vows?’ Josh said with a chuckle.
‘Ha ha you know what I mean Josh I want to look pretty on my wedding day’ Louisa said ‘I will not turn up in my gym outfit’
‘It wouldn’t be any less special if you did you know’ Josh said ‘you’re going to look beautiful whatever you wear sweetheart don’t stress so much everything will turn out fine’
Louisa smiled and squeezed his hand.
‘I know they will’ she said ‘it’s a girl thing I need to have the gowns figured out first. You’re lucky as a bloke you only have to work out your suits’
Josh laughed.
‘Yeah great job’ he said in amusement ‘and easy one too if I wear the suit I usually wear to recitals’
‘Joshua Bell you are not getting married in that manky old suit!’ Louisa exclaimed ‘you are going to go out with the guys in the grooms party and get suits especially made no off the shelf bits of crap’
‘You are going to send me broke if we get everything especially made’ Josh teased ‘I don’t have that much in savings you know’
Louisa rolled her eyes.
‘Ha ha’ she said witheringly ‘you’re not paying for everything I want to go the traditional route. The grooms pays for all the grooms stuff. The bride pays for all the brides’ stuff you know. This is big for me J I’m about to marry the right man and I want it to be memorable’
Josh pressed a kiss to her temple.
‘Only joking’ he said with a chuckle ‘go your hardest. Get what you think will contribute to your perfect day. I’ll get the suits and turn up on the day and say ‘I do’
Louisa dropped a kiss on his lips.
‘I love you J’ she whispered ‘I look forward to becoming Mrs Bell’
‘I look forward to you becoming Mrs Bell’
********************************************************************************************************************************
Shortly after three PM local time Josh and Louisa’s plane touched down in Los Angeles. It taxied into the arrivals gate then the passengers were given the all clear to disembark. Josh and Louisa gathered up all their carry on luggage and left the plane walking up the sky bridge and into the arrivals lounge.
‘Louie!’
Louisa turned in the direction of the familiar voice and saw Charlotte waiting for her. She strode over and immediately engulfed her friend in a crushing hug.
‘Well look at you Miss Newly Engaged’ Charlotte said with a laugh holding Louisa out at arms length ‘god you look radiant you’re not pregnant are you?’
‘Ha! No’ Louisa said ‘at least not yet’
‘You’re trying?’ Charlotte asked in interest.
‘No just having fun practicing’ Louisa said with a giggle as Josh arrived.
‘Hey Josh congratulations’ Charlotte said embracing Josh briefly.
‘Thanks’ Josh said ‘Groban didn’t come with you?’
‘Nah he’s in Burbank having a meeting with Brian’ Charlotte said ‘apparently the producers of CSI New York are interested in having him on the show and he’s going to find out more’
‘Really that’s awesome!’ Louisa said as they started toward the luggage carousels ‘Josh Groban CSI this is a stick up motherfucker!’
The two friends collapsed in a fit of laughter.
‘That’s the exact phrase I said to J yesterday when Brian rang him’ Charlotte said with a snort ‘and of course I got a ‘ha ha very funny’
‘Is he going to have to audition?’ Louisa asked in interest.
‘Yeah but he has no issue with that’ Charlotte said ‘with the basic information he got last night we’ve gathered they want him in New York by the end of the week to audition and there within a month to start filming if he auditions well enough’
‘Sounds like they’ve already decided’
‘That’s what I said to J but he said nothing’s set in stone on the acting biz he’s going to find out more from Brian today. He ought to be back at the farm by the time we get there and we’ll find out more’
‘Do you know much about the character the producers want him to play?’
‘A little apparently he’s a mid thirties Los Angeles native Detective who’s transferred up to New York and who gets results every time but has a reputation for being a bit free with his fists’ Charlotte said ‘sounds an interesting part. Josh said ‘great a violent bastard something to get my teeth into’ He’s not one for playing goody goody parts apparently there’s no room to move. Evidently a badass is more artistically flexible’
‘Well I hope he gets the part’ Louisa said as they arrived at the luggage collection area ‘lucky bastard he’d get to work with Gary Sinise rawr’
‘I know’
The two women giggled.
‘Well that’s one person I’m not inviting to the next home recital’ Josh said with a barely discernable smile.
‘He’s been to one before?’ Louisa asked in interest.
‘Yeah a few in the past’ Josh said with a grin.
‘Oh please J invite him to the next one seriously of all the people in Hollywood I’d like to meet it’s him!’ Louisa exclaimed tugging on his sleeve.
‘You wouldn’t drool over him?’
Charlotte let out a great snort of laughter.
‘Not to his face’ Louisa said with a grin ‘might when he’s not looking’
‘Amen sister’ Charlotte said slapping her friend a high five.
‘You two are terrible when you get together’ Josh said in amusement ‘are you always like this?’
‘You have no idea Josh’ Charlotte said with a snort ‘us Aussie girls party like every day is our last you know. Louie’s hens night is going to go off the scale’
‘So will Charlie’s’ Louisa said with a grin as the luggage carousel whirred into action.
‘I don’t think I want to know’
Within an hour and a half of landing in L.A Josh and Louisa arrived at Charlotte and Josh’s. Louisa immediately noticed a new brass sign affixed to the Iron gates as Charlotte stopped the car and punched in the pin to open the gates’
‘Haven Stud?’ she said as the gates swung open ‘you’ve finally named this place after a year?’
‘Yeah it’s taken that long to decide on a name George and I couldn’t think of one that sat just right’ Charlotte said driving through the gates ‘in the end Josh came up with Haven you know it’s the name of Mum and Dad’s property back home and we thought it over and it sat just right with us and tah dah the sign went up on Tuesday. We’ll buy and sell under Haven Thoroughbreds at the yearling sales’
‘Are you sending any foals to the breeding stock sales in November?’
‘Don’t know yet we’ll have to get our bloodstock agent in to help us look at the stock we have to see if any are worth sending up’ Charlotte said ‘yearlings are more our go’
Charlotte drove them down the long drive til the magnificent homestead came into view. A medium sized sandy coloured dog raced around the garage barking madly as Charlotte pulled into the garage and parked next to a gleaming black Porsche.
‘Sweeney Beanie!’ Louisa called getting out of the car ‘here boy!’
Sweeney ignored Louisa and headed straight for Josh bouncing around him with the enthusiasm of a young puppy. Charlotte let out a great snort of laughter upon noticing this.
‘Oh I’m offended!’ Louisa declared ‘I’m the vet here I make sick animals well and he ignores me?’
‘It might have something to do with the fact last time you were here you expressed his anal glands’ Josh said with a snort coming around the side of the garage ‘I’d ignore you if you stuck your fingers up my arse too’
‘Oh shut up Groban you know full well I didn’t stick my fingers up his arse’ Louisa said dryly embracing her friend ‘I saved you a hundred bucks at your vet you should be grateful’
‘I am I am believe me I am’ Josh said extending his hand out to Josh’s and shaking it ‘Good to see you again J, Louie you might want to apologise to Sweeney though unless you want him to ignore you permanently’
‘Ha ha he’ll live most dogs whose anal glands I express do’
‘Moving onto slightly more pleasant conversation topics!’ Charlotte exclaimed giving Louisa two of her three instrument cases.
‘Sure what would you like to discuss?’ Louisa said with a grin ‘sheath cleaning, mucking out-‘
‘We’ll save those for afters’ Charlotte said dryly snapping the trunk of her car shut ‘c’mon let’s get inside do you want a practice session before evening stables? The boys can get together and talk blokey stuff while we practice’
‘Sure’
‘Define ‘blokey’ stuff’ Josh said to Charlotte putting a guiding hand on the small of her back as the four friends ascended the porch steps.
‘I dunno girls, sex, alcohol, music the usual guff’ Charlotte said pushing open the front door.
‘Sounds good enough for me’ Josh said with a laugh slinging the Strad case over his shoulder ‘we’ll have one jam session after dinner shall we?'
‘Sounds good’
********************************************************************************************************************************
As soon as Louisa had unpacked her belongings in the room she and Josh would share she went downstairs to Charlotte and Josh’s music room. Her friend immediately seized Louisa’s hand and closely inspected her engagement ring.
‘Oh my God Louie that ring is gorgeous!’ Charlotte exclaimed ‘shit hon he spent a bucket load on it by the looks’
‘Yeah I reckon he did but he won’t tell me how much’ Louisa said with a grin ‘I had to take it off for all the surgeries and clinic work yesterday so J put it back in its box and put it in the vault we have for the Strad and Guarneri’
‘Yeah I have to take mine of when I do the sheath cleaning on all the male horses in the barn’ Charlotte said ‘though that’s only happened once since Josh and I got engaged. Oh that’s lovely and he got it custom made?’
‘Yeah and he rang Mum and Dad to ask their permission too’ Louisa said with a sigh leaning against Josh’s Steinway ‘Mum said yes straight away but apparently Dad said if Josh did to me what Chris did to me he would hunt him down shove the Strad somewhere that would require surgery then once he’d recovered he’d kill him. I chewed Dad out for saying that when I rang home’
‘Aw hon he’s only being a protective poppa bear everyone around you is like that after what happened’ Charlotte said hugging her friend ‘but all that business is way way way in the past now Josh is your future and you couldn’t have picked a better man’
Louisa returned the hug.
‘Thanks’ she said turning around and unzipping the case that held her electric violin.
‘How has Josh’s ex handled the news of you two becoming engaged?’
‘I can tell she’s jealous as hell but she did actually have the good grace to congratulate us to my face’ Louisa said taking her electric violin out of its case ‘I don’t think she’s fully dealt with Josh being with another woman yet but she’s mature enough not to chuck any of the hissy fits she used to when the subject of me and Josh came up in conversation’
‘Well it’s about time she pulled her head in’ Charlotte said dryly unpacking her own electric violin ‘and how about Josef, Ben and Sam?’
‘Oh of course they think it’s the best news since we told them we would take them to Blackcomb to go skiing in January’ Louisa said dryly ‘most kids want to go to Disneyland but nope the Bell kids want to go skiing in Canada’
Charlotte laughed.
‘J and I are going to Blackcomb just after Christmas’ she said clipping a shoulder rest to her violin ‘we didn’t have the time to go after last Christmas because of all the tour prep J was doing at the time’
‘What if he gets this CSI gig?’
'hey take a winter break from the beginning of December to the end of January’ Charlotte said attaching a battery back to the waistband of her jeans ‘did you bring your battery pack or do you want to borrow my spare?’
‘Nah I’ve got mine’ Louisa said ‘ya know Charlie for the first time in my life I am absolutely sure my personal life is perfect. I never felt any of what I do now with Josh when I was Chris not for one second’
Charlotte hugged her friend.
‘That’s because Chris wasn’t your soul mate’ she said ‘Josh is. You’re going to marry the man for you and you’re going to become the stepmother to three of the cutest angelic kids I have ever seen you’ve got a ready made family you lucky tart’
Louisa laughed.
‘They’re not always angels you know’ she said ‘and we’re going to try for our own kids once we are actually married’
‘Oh that’s brilliant Louie really it is, I know you’ve wanted kids right from when I first met you’ Charlotte said with a smile ‘I bet you’re having fun practicing making them now’
‘Like you wouldn’t believe’ Louisa said with a grin hooking her own battery back off the back pocket of her jeans ‘but I’m not going into detail you’d know from personal experience with your own Josh’
Charlotte giggled.
‘I would’ she said ‘alright let’s start with a nice easy warm up then move onto Smooth Criminal alright?’
‘On three’
********************************************************************************************************************************
The following morning at eleven thirty Louisa arrived at the Fox broadcasting studios ready to film her spot for the Guinness World Records show with her Electric and acoustic violins, her viola and a small suitcase holding the outfit she would wear on air in tow.
‘Smile your face won’t fall off’ Charlotte said dryly locking her car securely and slinging her own electric violin case over her shoulder ‘this is your T.V debut smile and enjoy it. It’s quite a bit of fun performing for the public’
‘Charlotte this is the whole freaking country three hundred million people it’s not going to be like one of our university recitals’ Louisa said dryly.
‘I know that but the studio audience is going to be three hundred people at most with a backstage crew of fifty max, you played in front of four times that much at your first Conservatorium recital’
‘She has a point you know’ Josh said as they entered the reception area of the studio block building ‘once it’s all over you’ll be wondering what you were worrying about’
‘I could nip out to the nearest liquor shop and get you a bottle of vodka if you like’ Josh volunteered with a grin as he put an arm around Charlotte’s waist ‘get drunk and you can fly like Spiderman’
‘Josh you’re not helping’ Charlotte said elbowing him in the abdomen.
‘Aw I don’t know about that getting drunk seems a great idea’ Louisa said with a grin ‘I know I’ll be fine this is just a new experience for me and I hate unfamiliar circumstances’
After Louisa had notified reception of her arrival Josh pulled her aside.
‘You’ll be fine’ he said softly brushing her cheek ‘I have all the confidence you’ll kick ass at this. You’re a brilliant musician and you know you can do it’
Louisa smiled.
‘I know I shouldn’t be such a bloody drama queen but when I’m nervous I bang on about how nervous I am’ Louisa said sheepishly ‘Char’s totally different when she’s really nervous she whistles and when George is nervous she drums her fingers’
Each person deals with nervousness differently’ Josh said sagely as they made their way back to where Josh and Charlotte were waiting for them ‘you know me I go totally silent and broody. You’ve practiced and practiced and practiced over the last month and you know you’re ready let it flow from there’
Ten minutes after their arrival Pixie Gareth’s personal assistant cake to collect Louisa.
‘Great to see you again!’ she said brightly after introductions were made ‘how are you? What’s been happening since you auditioned?’
‘Well I got engaged on Sunday’ Louisa said with a grin holding up her hand where her engagement ring.
‘Oh my god really? Congratulations that ring is to die for’ Pixie said taking Louisa’s hand and inspecting her ring ‘looks custom made’
‘It is’ Louisa said slipping her other hand into Josh’s ‘but don’t make a big deal of it alright?’
‘No problem doll I know how you feel’ Pixie said ‘when I was first engaged I only told my best friend. It was a whole month before I told anyone else’
‘Well everyone in New York knows and we both have no doubt it will spread down here but we’d like to keep it as quiet as possible for the time being if you don’t mind’ Josh said mildly.
‘No problem Josh I understand’ Pixie said solemnly ‘Well Louie shall we come through? You all set for your spot?’
‘Yeah let’s get this over and done with’ Louisa said with a nervous smile ‘I’m all set’
‘Great, don’t worry you’ll be fine Gareth will give you a run down of procedure then we’ll get you into rehearsals then make-up then hopefully about three half three the recording itself’
‘I have another friend coming today will she be able to sit with the rest of my friends?’ Louisa asked as they began walking through the backstage area of the studio.
‘Sure doll if she can let you know when she’s arrived I’ll go collect her and get her a VIP pass’ Pixie said cheerfully ‘you told me she would come and watch when you auditioned last month so I got her a VIP pass that will give her backstage access and a front row seat’
‘Great stuff’
Pixie let Louisa and Josh and Josh and Charlotte through the bowels of the studio building til the group came to the same green room Louisa had been assigned when she had auditioned for the show. Gareth was in the hallway talking to a man wearing a set of headphones when they arrived.
‘Louisa!’ he called striding over to her ‘good to see you again all set?’
‘Yeah been practicing like mad every day since the audition’ Louisa said.
‘Great but we’ve had a bit of late news courtesy of the researchers’ Gareth said ‘can we go into the green room?’
‘Sure’
Louisa made her way into the green room and everyone say down except Pixie and Gareth.
‘Well spit it out’ Louisa said in amusement.
‘Alright then, our researchers have been doing a bit of....well research since your audition and they’ve discovered that David Garrett is no longer the world record holder for the world’s fastest violinist’ Gareth said.
There was a sharp collective intake of breath and Louisa and Charlotte yelped ‘WHO?’
‘A British violinist Oliver Lewis’ Gareth said checking his notes.
‘Who the hell’s Oliver Lewis?’ Charlotte asked.
‘I printed his Wikipedia page out for you both’ Gareth said handing Charlotte then Louisa a piece of A4 paper each.
There was a short silence as both women read the information.
‘His fingers are insured for a million dollars?’ Louisa yelped ‘what pompous arse does that?’
‘He was on Ellen in February?’ Charlotte exclaimed ‘in sixty three point three?’
‘Jesus Christ’ Louisa mumbled ‘sixty three seconds? That’s not the world’s fastest violinist that’s the world’s fastest violin rapist’
Charlotte and Josh let out great snorts of laughter but quickly covered their amusement.
‘How did I not know about this?’ Charlotte wondered out loud ‘Ellen is a good friend of Josh and I and she tells us about her show all the time’
‘You were on tour with Josh in February you weren’t here to see the show obviously’ Louisa said ‘and I’m never home to watch her show so I wouldn’t have seen it either. I’m telling you right now I wouldn’t have even dared attempt the record if I knew it was sixty three seconds’
‘Do you still want to go on?’ Gareth asked ‘you don’t have to if you honestly don’t think you can’
Louisa flopped back in her seat and covered her face with her hands.
‘Aw geez I dunno’ she said after a long period of thought ‘a minute three is two seconds faster than my best time do you have any idea how fast I’d have to be to get even close to that? Two seconds is twenty six notes that is blazing’
‘You can do it’ Charlotte and both Josh’s said instantly.
‘Hmm’
‘Look we don’t need you and Charlotte in rehearsals for twenty minutes yet how about I give you fifteen minutes to think it over then if you don’t want to go on we’ll leave it here and you’re free to go home’
‘Thanks’
As soon as Gareth and Pixie left Louisa got up and swore loudly.
‘FAAAAAAAAAARK!’ she bellowed ‘sixty three point three? I can not do that! Who’s mental enough to even try?’
‘This Oliver Lewis apparently’ Josh said scanning the piece of paper ‘even I’ve never heard of him and I know everyone or have at least heard of everyone in the business’
‘Have you heard of him?’ Louisa asked Charlotte ‘you follow the alternative violin music scene more than I do’
‘No I haven’t’ Charlotte said pulling her laptop out of her suitcase ‘I’m bringing up his website though’
‘And give me a second I’ll ring Ellen and get the scoop on this guy’ Josh said getting up ‘I don’t know how much it’ll help but you never know’
‘Thanks Josh’ Louisa said gratefully ‘anything that can help me make up my mind’
Josh ducked out of the greenroom and Louisa flopped back down on the lounge.
‘I think you can do it you know’ Josh said to her ‘you can put your mind to anything I know it’
Louisa could only give him a wan smile.
‘Have a look at this’ Charlotte said several minutes later pushing her laptop sideways so Louisa could see the Ellen Show video page ‘this is his appearance on Ellen’s back in February’
Louisa pressed the play button and began watching the video.
What she saw floored her. This Oliver Lewis played like a man possessed. She listened to the notes carefully and as far as she could tell he played every note where it should’ve been played each one despite at which the speed it was played was clear and accurate.
‘This guy is something else’ Josh said in amazement ‘Jesus how does he do that?’
‘Shh!’ Louisa hissed elbowing him in the side.
Louisa, Josh and Charlotte sat there enraptured with the video all three of them training their eyes on the precise spot where the bow hair touched the strings. Then when the video ended they sat there stunned.
‘Jesus’ Charlotte said ‘that’s the first time I’ve seen that’
‘I reckon you could play it more accurately than that’ Josh told Louisa ‘clearly that guy knows his stuff but you play more accurately I could barely discern each note’
‘Same here’ Charlotte said saving the video to her favourites file ‘I’m telling ya if you break his record there’s no way anyone else would ever break it again. It would be physically impossible to do it faster’
‘It’s physically impossible now!’ Louisa said dryly ‘shit Charlie I don’t know really I don’t’
‘Anything is possible sweetheart you know that’ Josh said.
‘Hmm when I was sure the record was David Garrett’s I knew I could break it in fact I did it several times. Once at my audition and twice when I got home to New York but I’d have to knock off a second and a half off those times’
‘Well I think you should at least have a go’ Charlotte said ‘and you brought your viola with you too at the very least you could be the world’s fastest violist. That could make the viola a sexier instrument encourage more kids to pick it up instead of the violin’
Louisa couldn’t help but laugh.
‘Says she who got a degree in the violin’ she said in amusement.
‘Well I wanted to go the viola route but the viola program was already full’ Charlotte said with a grin as Josh re-entered the room ‘oh go on Louie at least have a go’
‘No decision yet?’ Josh asked sitting back down next to Charlotte.
‘No so what did you find out about this Oliver Lewis dude?’
‘Well according to Mary Ellen’s executive producer Amy Ellen’s P.A and Tony the DJ guy he’s an arrogant, pompous, snooty, ‘I’m better than you’ ‘I’m gods gift to women’ ‘Look at me my fingers are worth a million dollars’ up himself prick’ Josh said ‘Amy told me if he got hit by a truck on route sixty six she would piss her pants laughing and Mary told me she would only go to his funeral to make sure he was dead’
Josh and Charlotte sniggered and Louisa couldn’t help but smile.
‘Sounds a delightful bloke’ she said dryly ‘well I suppose I could at least have a go. If I don’t I’ll be left wondering and that would kill me’
‘So you’ll do it?’ Josh asked.
‘Yeah I mean it would be a waste of a first class airfare they paid for me to come down here wouldn’t it?’ Louisa said dryly getting up and striding over to her electric violin ‘bloody hell I seriously cannot believe I’m about to do this I must me mental’
‘Yeah but we all love you’ Charlotte said with a grin getting up and slapping her friend on the shoulder ‘come on let’s practice huh?’
Within an hour Louisa and Charlotte had finished their rehearsal spot for their ‘to the break’ act changed and gone through makeup, Georgia had arrived and was now sitting in the front row of the audience. Only Josh remained backstage.
‘I have to go and sit in the audience but remember I have all the confidence in the world you can do this’ he said kissing Louisa softly on the lips ‘you’ve worked too hard and are too determined to let this slip’
Louisa smiled.
‘Thanks’ she said as Pixie arrived ‘now go and sit I’ll see you soon’
Josh flashed her a wink and disappeared behind a black curtain Pixie then approached her clipboard in hand and a microphone headset on.
‘All set?’ she said brightly.
Louisa tucked her violin under her arm and bobbed up and down on her heeled feet.
‘As I’ll ever be’ she said as the low rumble of the audience filtered through.
‘Great now you know what’s going to happen yeah?’
‘Yeah ‘Ryan will introduce me onto the stage ask me about why I decided to go for this record, engage me in a bit of small talk about where I’m from what I do blah blah blah get me to briefly say how I know Charlie, Josh and Josh who’ll he’ll introduce as ‘Grammy award winners in the audience’ then we do your record attempt then if I break the record he’ll invite me to perform with Charlotte going to the break’
Pixie grinned and clapped her hands.
‘Brilliant that’s the exact plan’ she said happily adjusting her headset microphone ‘you okay for me to tell Rob you’re good to go?’
‘Yeah’
‘Rob? Yeah it’s Pixie Louie’s ready to go she’s set when you’re set....uh huh alright yup great’
‘Well I can’t back out now’ Louisa said dryly adjusting the firm fitting bodice of her strapless black and white dress.
‘Don’t worry honey you’ll be fine’ Pixie said ‘okay see this monitor here? Watch that and listen through your ear piece and when you’re introduced just walk down the steps and onto the stage and tah dah go from there’
‘Do you stay back here?’
‘Yeah I get all the acts on stage and tell them the same thing I just told you’ Pixie said as the lights from the stage filtered up through the staircase Louisa would walk down ‘okay this is it....good luck’
‘Thanks’
Louisa watched the small monitor only four feet away from her and listened carefully to the feed of audio from the studio floor as the shows logo flashed on screen and previously filmed clips were flashed across the monitor.
‘Can Louisa Riminton become the world’s fastest violinist? Is Randy Pollard the new most tattooed man in the world and can this soccer Mom from Arkansas become the world’s fastest juggler? I’m Ryan Seacrest and this is the new series of Guinness World Record T.V!’
Louisa’s mortal nervousness slowly faded into excitement as the audience burst into applause and the camera feed zoomed in on Ryan Seacrest standing in the middle of the brightly lit stage.
‘Welcome to the new series of Guinness World Record I’m Ryan Seacrest in this new revamped series of Guinness World Records T.V you will see records attempted and broken by everyone from rural soccer moms to respected members of the corporate world. We welcome everyone on this series, if you think you can break or set a record go to www.fox.comand tell us all bout yourself!’
There was a pause.
‘Alright tonight’s first guest is a young woman who could’ve gone down a musical career path but instead chose a career in veterinary medicine, please welcome all the way from Long Island New York Louisa Riminton!’
Louisa took a deep breath and with a whispered ‘good luck’ from Pixie descended the steps and walked on stage the long flowing skirt of her dress flowing around her legs. Immediately she heard several loud wolf whistles from the stage but ignored them and headed straight over to Ryan.
‘Welcome to the show Louisa now I’ve been told by the show’s producers you’re a little nervous about tonight would they be right?’
‘Oh just a little’ Louisa said dryly ‘but eager to get going’
‘Now you’ve come from Long Island where you live but you’re originally from Australia right?’
‘Yes grew up in Melbourne and came to the States five years ago’ Louisa said adjusting the position of her violin under her arm.
‘And as I said in your introduction you’re a vet?’
‘Yes I work with horses specifically but I treat any animal my specialty is equine obstetrics’
‘Interesting stuff now I understand you also got your education in music too?’
‘Yeah I graduated from Melbourne University nine years ago with a double degree in Music specifically the violin and Veterinary Medicine’ Louisa replied.
‘And you chose to be a vet over music? Why’s that?’
‘That’s where my calling was Ryan, I love music but I love horses even more so that’s where my career path has gone though I do still give violin and now viola lessons though in my spare time’
‘Have you ever busked?’ Ryan asked with a laugh.
‘Oh yeah when I first arrived in the States six years ago’ Louisa said ‘I made about three hundred bucks in four hours and really since then I’ve been too busy to do it’
‘Would you do it again?’
‘No I don’t think so I simply don’t have the time really I don’t’
‘Aright and speaking of all things violin and music we have three famous musicians in the audience tonight Grammy Award Winners Josh Groban, Charlotte Preston and Joshua Bell!’
There was loud and enthusiastic applause and even a loud wolf whistle when Josh’s name was announced. All three obviously not expecting to be introduced to the audience blushed and gave small waves.
‘Now Louisa you know all three of these industry luminaries quite well don’t you?’
‘Yeah I do’ Louisa said with a grin watching Charlotte blush redder than a tomato ‘Charlotte is my best friend and we went through high school and uni together and completed the same music degree together, Josh of course I met him through her last year at the Rockefeller Plaza tree lighting and the other Josh is my fiancé’
‘And I’ve been told you only recently got engaged?’
‘Yes four days ago’ Louisa said with a smile.
‘Well congratulations, now down to business, tell us all about the record you’re going to attempt to break tonight’
‘I’m going to attempt to become the fastest violinist in the world’ Louisa said ‘the record of playing Flight of the Bumblebee the fastest is currently held by Oliver Lewis a violinist from Britain in I think a tick under one minute and four seconds. I’m going to try and beat that by at least a hundredth of a second’
‘Are you confident?’
Louisa exhaled in a rush.
‘Well I’d be lying if I said I was supremely confident but I’ve practiced for hours a day for the last month and that’s what I’m going to rely on’ she said.
‘Okay then I’ll take this opportunity ton introduce our chief judge from Guinness World Records Craig McFarlane can you tell the viewers at home and in the studio the rules by which Louisa must abide by to be the new Worlds Fastest violinist?’
A shot muscular man with a bleached blonde buzz cut looked at his clipboard bearing the Guinness World Records Logo.
‘Well Ryan Louisa must complete the entire Flight of the Bumblebee in under one minute three seconds and thirty five one hundredths of a second’ ‘Craig’ said ‘she can’t make any more than five mistakes. This includes dropped notes in the bowed music or pizzicato or extended gaps. If she chooses to sit she must remain sitting for the entire piece and the same if she chooses to stand. If she can do this she will in fact become the World’s fastest violinist and will get certification from the Guinness World Records head office in London and a place in the two thousand twelve Guinness Book of World Records should she still be the record holder by the publication cut off date’
The audience applauded loudly and enthusiastically.
‘Alright well that’s all the fun stuff over let’s get down to business’ Ryan said as Louisa sat down on the bar stool set out for her and hooked the heel of one of her stilettos over the foot rest ‘ladies and gentlemen the woman who could become the next world’s fastest violinist Louisa Riminton!’
Louisa’s ears rang with the audience applause as she tucked her violin under her chin and closed her eyes briefly sending up a silent prayer.
‘On three’ she said poising the bow over the strings ‘one, two three!’
And she was off.
********************************************************************************************************************************
From his vantage point in the front row Josh watched Louisa play with the intensity he normally reserved for his own recital performances and he know within the first five seconds his fiancée would get this record despite all the upheaval in the hours prior to this moment. Her lips were pursed and her brow was creased in extreme concentration as she played figuratively burning up the fingerboard of her dark mahogany violin. Her hair swayed with each jerk of her head and her creamy complexion reddened slightly as the music progressed and Josh knew this was because behind the pursed lips Louisa was gritting her teeth to the point of pain.
‘C’mon sweetheart you can do this’ he said inwardly forming his fingers into a steeple under his chin and tapping his foot to the lightning fast staccato of the metronome on the tall clear PVC plastic table beside her ‘burn up the fingerboard’
The studio was silent. Not one person uttered a sound as Louisa played Josh even found himself holding his breath as he watched her. In his opinion (Louisa called it his up himself opinion) a lot of violinists in the business had technique and flair that left a lot to be desired but hers was perfect. He slurring was flawless her finger placement on the fingerboard was light and lightning fast but accurate and each note that he knew would sound like a long sting of gibberish to the uninitiated flowed back to his ears mistake free. Periodically he flicked his eyes toward the timer directly above Louisa’s head as the time crept up into the late fifty seconds.
‘Come on Louie’ Charlotte whispered from beside him ‘go girl’
The pizzicato flashed by then Josh could sense the rest of the audience behind him started to get restless as Louisa neared the end of playing and it became clear she was going to smash the current record. He sat up and grinned in relief flooding his body his breath rushing out of him and his abdomen muscles unclenching.
Then it was over. The audience leapt to their feet and roared their approval. Louisa obviously still in the zone slipped off the stool and punched the air hissing a low ‘yesssssssssssssss!’
‘She did it!’ Charlotte exclaimed pointing the timer that was flashing ‘1:03.3o’ ‘oh my god!’
‘Ladies and gentlemen one minute three second and three hundred and thirty hundredths of a second I think we have a new world record!’ Ryan exclaimed as the studio lights came back on ‘Louisa how do you feel?’
‘My fingers are killing me’ Louisa said shaking her hand and cracking her knuckles ‘I’ll pay for that later’
‘Of course our panel of judges have to study your performance under slow mo conditions but that should happen quickly within the commercial break. How do you like your time?’
‘Very happy’ Louisa said with a grin ‘the fastest time I’d done before that was one oh five and a half back home but this time I cut the pause between the bowing and the pizzicato and that seems to be enough to shave two seconds off. I’ll only be happy with the effort if I’ve been accurate. That was the biggest concern for me if I didn’t have accuracy I didn’t have anything’
‘Well we’ll go to a commercial break now and come back after to see if you have the new record. Back in a moment....’
‘Aaaaaaaaaand CUT!’
The filming ended and ass soon as she was sure the cameras had stopped rolling she swore.
‘Fuck!’ she muttered scrunching her eyes shut ‘bollocks’
‘Louie you can come back to the greenroom for a bit if you like we’ll take a fifteen minute break before filming the next segment’ Pixie called from atop the stairs at the back of the stage.
‘I’m there!’
Louisa walked to the back of the stage and skipped up the steps. Pixie gave her a bottle of ice cold water and escorted her back to the greenroom.
‘I’ll come and get you in about fifteen minutes’ she said ‘congratulations I think you did it’
‘Will I find out wether the record is mine before the taping of the next segment?’
‘No we’ll do it on air. If you don’t get it Ryan will invite you to try for the record again and if you get it he’ll invite you to play something ‘to the break’ then you ask if you can invite a friend to help you then he’ll say yes then you invite Charlotte up on stage and we’ll go to your spot music, lights and groove all the way’
Louisa rested her violin back in its case with a grin.
‘Sounds good’ she said flopping into the nearest chair.
Pixie left and Louisa got her electric violin out setting it up. She was just tuning it and trying out some quick scales when threw a quick knock on the door and Charlotte and both Joshes’ streamed into the room.
‘You were out-of-this-world!’ Charlotte exclaimed engulfing her friend in a crushing hug ‘oh my god Louie seriously you smacked that one out of the park! If you don’t get the record I’ll sing every single verse of I’m fucking Ben Affleck at the Breeders Cup this year!’
Josh let out a great snort of laughter
‘I was so in the zone!’ Louisa said resting her violin on her hip ‘I’ve never ever been in the zone like that! Even at my first conservatorium recital when I was doing the twenty fourth Caprice. I have never played like that!’
‘Not in the time I’ve known you anyway’ Josh said.
‘And George and I have known you for nineteen years and you definitely haven’t played anything like that in the time I’ve known you’ Charlotte said.
‘Yeah not even when you came down for your audition and we all got drunk and jammed did you play like that’ Georgia said admiringly.
‘That’s because I was shitfaced I’m still surprised I could pick up my instruments'
‘You did really well you know’ Josh said watching Charlotte unpack her own electric violin ‘I picked up a little bit about violin music since I’ve been in the music business but most of all since Char and I have been together and none of the session musicians I've worked with or Lucia Micarelli ny tour violinist have ever played like you did out there’
‘Thanks’ Louisa said with a sigh ‘now I’ve just got to wait’
‘That’ll be the worst part’ Charlotte said cheerfully ‘if you get it it’s my shout for dinner tonight at the Tango Bar’
‘D’you reckon we could get a booking there?’ Josh asked doubtfully.
‘Oh yeah now we could’ Charlotte said ‘if not let’s go to Bellini’s in Thousand Oaks’
‘Let’s go there its closer to the farm’ Josh said ‘and you doon’t need to dress up there. The Tango Bar has a damn dress code I don’t like doing that unless I have to schmooze at a business dinner’
‘How about we have fish and chips on the beach?’ Louisa suggested with a snort of laughter ‘really Charlie you don’t have to do anything’
‘I know but I want to’
‘How about we decide once the day’s finished?’ Josh suggested holding out a chunk of rosin to Louisa ‘there’s no rush is there?’
‘Nah there isn’t’ Charlotte said sheepishly ‘I just want to go out on the town and celebrate’
‘We’re not a hundred percent sure there’s anything to celebrate yet’ Louisa said absentmindedly flicking the strings of her electric violin.
‘There will be Louie there will be’
********************************************************************************************************************************
Fifteen minutes later Pixie came to collect Louisa. Louisa gave her electric violin to Charlotte and her friend went to sit back down in the audience with Georgia and both Josh’s. Louisa herself went back on the stage where the lead make up artist touched up her and Ryan’s makeup.
‘What no lippy this time?’ Louisa joked nervously.
Ryan rolled his eyes.
‘Ha ha’ he said dryly.
‘Alright Ry you ready to go?’ Rob the director called.
‘Yep all good’
‘How ‘bout you Louisa?’
‘Yeah I’m all good’ Louisa said tucking her violin under her arm.
‘Alright on my signal’ Rob said ‘PLACES EVERYONE! We go to air in fifteen seconds!’
Louisa stared at the ground and nervously tapped her foot as the seconds went by. But eventually in her earpiece she heard Rob count down ‘five, four, three, two, one...ACTION!’
The studio lit up, the audience began applauding and Ryan began his spiel.
‘Welcome back from the break and after an exciting performance from Louisa Riminton we are waiting to hear if we have a new world Record’ he said ‘Louisa are you confident?’
Louisa grinned.
‘More so now than I was before I started’ she said holding up her right hand and crossing her middle and index fingers ‘I got the time I was after I just have to hope my accuracy was there’
‘Well the time has come to see if you have in fact gotten the record if I could call Craig McFarlane from Guinness World Records up to the stage...’
The audience whooped and whistled and out of the corner of her eye Louisa could see Charlotte and Josh cross their fingers for her. Craig McFarlane came up on stage his clipboard his expression unreadable in Louisa’s eyes.
‘Well Craig tell us do we have a record?’ Ryan asked.
There was a long and very pregnant pause.
‘We do’ McFarlane said eventually bursting into the biggest shit eating grin Louisa had ever seen ‘I am proud to announce that Louisa Riminton is the new World’s Fastest Violinist!’
Louisa’s jaw dropped and her hands flew to her mouth as the audience burst into deafening cheers whistles whoops and applause and Josh and Louisa slapped each other a high five.
‘Are you serious?’ she exclaimed eventually finding her voice.
Off camera a stage hand gave Craig a frame and he dually presented it to Louisa. She read it the words slowly sinking into her psyche. Beneath the Guinness world records logo read. ‘This document certifies that Louisa Riminton now holds the record for the World’s Fastest Violinist for playing Flight of the Bumblebee in 1:03.30 on September 7^th2011’ beneath the statement were the signatures of the three adjudicators and Craig McFarlane.
‘Well Louisa it’s official you are now officially the world’s fastest violinist how do you feel?’ Ryan asked Louisa who was reading her certification over and over again a look of pure incredulity on her face.
‘I feel....wow I did it!’ Louisa said looking up ‘it’s official’
‘Are you going to try and break the record again?’
The audience laughed and several people called ‘Oh go on!
‘No way’ Louisa said emphatically ‘no way in Hades. Not unless someone breaks the record. And they’d have to be God himself to do it. I don’t think it would be physically possible to do it faster. If it was I’d consider it’
‘Well congratulations on breaking the record. Would you like to take us to the break with a little something?’
‘Sure, could I invite a friend up here to help?’
‘Of course’
Louisa gestured to Charlotte who grinned and came up on stage carrying both their electric violins.
‘So what will you two ladies play for us?’ Ryan asked as Louisa handed her violin and certificate off to a stage hand.
‘Something a bit more upbeat and modern and upbeat then Bumblebee’ Louisa said with a grin tucking the violin under her chin ‘I’m sure the audience will recognize it’
‘Ladies and gentlemen to funk it up Charlotte Preston and the new world’s fastest violinist Louisa Riminton!’
Louisa looked at Rob the director between cameras one and two and nodded. Then the lights dimmed the music began and she and Charlotte launched into ‘Smooth Criminal’
********************************************************************************************************************************
- 32
- 33
- 34
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Photographer in the Park