The Unexpected Life of Carnegie Lane

by Virginia Higgins

  They pulled up out the front of their newly renovated terrace house and walked around it twice noting excitedly all the little things they discovered. Their clothes were the same as what the locals were used to yet; most obvious was their continual happy chatter. They had so much to say to each other and gave a smile as the neighbors approached them offering the mandatory welcome. They were all very excited to have their favorite author moving into their street, not to mention the lead singer from their favorite band.

  Before that move, Carnage Lane lived in the town of Bundaberg, as far away from Sydney as she could afford to be. Now she was home. Back to the place she had longed for and back where her children had wanted to remain all along.

  “Well, do you like it Mrs Bowman?” Nate walked over to her, and put his arm around her shoulder. He was pleased to watch her facial expressions, he loved to watch her and mentally noted, that this was the first time he had seen this smile. That made four that he knew of so far, he had the rest of his life to discover them all.

  There had been enough conversations for him to know, this was everything she dreamed of having back, and then some. Finding this place and getting it ready for her was the easy part. Her own rehabilitation to recover from that accident was all he wanted her to focus on.

  “I love it, Mr Bowman.” She said softly. Her emotions were taking over, and even though she was happy, she still had the ability right now to burst into tears.

  “Mummy! There’s a swing out the back, come and see.” Sienna was discovering all the things that were clearly hers. “AND A CHALK BOARD ON THE FENCE!” She called out so all the neighbors could hear. They laughed.

  “Who’s idea was that?” Carnegie looked over at Nate sure she knew the answer.

  “I always wanted a chalk board on a fence. Sienna and I are going to spend hours drawing on that, you wait and see.”

  “I’m counting on it.” She said as he picked her up, ready to carry her over the threshold to her new life.

  “Ready?”

  “I am so ready.” She said. Carnegie couldn’t wait to see how he had furnished this place. It didn’t really matter what he’d done, she had everything around her right now that she wanted. She had four happy kids, a successful career with her book, that just kept getting better and better, and she had him.

  Nate got to have the family he never expected, he got to love children that he treasured like a gift.

  His phone rang a few weeks later. It was Leonie. She was doing what she did best. Organizing…

  “Your opening in Sydney, now that’s your base, then you move out from there to Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. After that we go back to the States. That’s as far as I’ve managed to book. Then you get to break from the tours for a while, until the new album is finished.”

  “Sounds good Leonie.”

  “How’s the house?” She asked with genuine interest, since it had been her who had overseen the renovation. She was rather attached to it.

  “It’s great, she loves it. You were right with all of your choices.”

  “I told you! I totally get that wife of yours. In more ways than one.”

  “Yeah well, she loves you for it. When are you coming here?”

  “In two weeks. So you better make some room for me.”

  “There’s an entire room here for you. Olivia and Sienna started University last week. They decided to live on campus. Mind you, it’s so close, they bring their washing home and still turn up to raid the fridge.”

  “Ahh, and you wouldn’t have it any other way…would you?”

  “Not a chance.”

  “See you soon Nate.”

  “That you will.” He hung up, still writing down his dates, and trying to coincide as best as possible to work around the activities he had with the kids. Connor sucked it up a little and let him take him to Soccer on Saturdays. He used to play, before they went to Bundaberg, but never ever did he let his parents stay and scream encouragement from the sidelines. Nate really needed this, and underneath that insensitive exterior, Connor was truly grateful, even if Nate could prove to be one of “those” Soccer dads at times.

  Even the American tour was set up so that the first two weeks were in School Holidays. He took to parenthood like a duck to water, soaking in the experience every chance he had.

  Carnegie on the other hand was still catching up on interviews, so she was away a lot, leaving Nate to play ‘mum’. Her work load was slowly taking on a faster pace, governed always under the watchful eye of Nate Bowman. He knew how close he had come to losing her. There was no way he would let work compromise her health. With help from Katalie, they managed to find even ground.

  Hours turned into days, that eventually became weeks. The first concert of Sheeva’s Disciples was about to begin at the Sydney Entertainment Center to a full house. Leonie stood in the wings with Sienna close at hand pretending as always to be the personal stage manager. Connor was restringing the spare guitars and was given a few new jobs. This was the first time he was being paid for his efforts. Most of his time was spent with the mixing desk up the back, his new want in life was to become a sound engineer.

  The twins were out in the crowd with their friends. All of them excited to be there, and all of them wearing a back stage pass. Things seemed to have finally turned out the way she always wanted them to.

  It’s true that our lives are made up entirely of moments. How we live those moments is up to us. Not every one of them will be memorable, some will even be sad, yet the ones that you choose to hold onto are always the ones worth fighting for. When we believe in ourselves, everything becomes possible. When we challenge ourselves, those challenges become the achievements that help us move forward, bringing us closer to our purpose. It’s a simple thing to strive for. Being happy!

  Carnegie was standing with Leonie and Sienna when the band began to play. Her heart skipped a beat, as it always did when the music started. She closed her eyes and got lost in the drums, in the bass and in the lead guitar as it lit up her senses. Nate began to sing, just at the same time the audience went wild.

  They were five songs into the show when Nate stopped to address the crowd. She was expecting it, yet her nerves almost got the better of her. Leonie grabbed hold of her hand just in case she wandered off.

  In Carnegie’s life lately, there were many firsts. This was one of them. She had prepared herself for this moment. All she had to do was breathe.

  “Today is a very special concert for me. Since I now officially live in Sydney. You are my new home crowd.” The applause was deafening.

  “So who wants to meet my Carnegie Lane?” He asked looking over to the side catching her eyes.

  Leonie whispered in her ear and gave her a gentle shove.

  “Go…” She said as she began speaking into her headset to the sound engineers up the back.

  Nate took her hand and walked her out to the microphone in the middle of the stage. The lights up the back focused on her, dimming the crowd to be visible only around the edges. The drums began to play, then the lead guitar took over her soul, the bass held her heart and then… Nate stood back, allowing her to take front and centre. What happened next, was the most defining moment in her life.

  Carnegie Lane, mother of four, idol to inanimate objects, International Bestselling Author and wife to Nate Bowman, suddenly and unexpectedly… became a Rock Star.

  The end!

  So…where are they now?

  Richard Toll was turned on by the media, who went after him in force, drawing from every available resource to tear him down. He is now recognized wherever he goes, and is often slapped in supermarkets by little old ladies for his bad behavior. He became a recluse and hasn’t been seen or heard from, for a very long time.

  Leonie continues to manage Sheeva’s disciples. She hasn’t had the guts to tell the lead guitarist she’s been in love with him for years…But she’s working on it.

  Sobian and Olivia listened intently to their mothers words over the
years although they never believed her when she told them. “There was a place for everything…And that place is called University”. Now they finally understand what she was talking about. Both of them reunited with their friends. They excel in the subject of partying above all.

  Connor discovered there was more to life than an X-Box. This was a huge achievement in itself. He is possibly the only person in the world who shares Jason’s passion for destroying perfectly good electrical appliances.

  Lilli went home to the states after Nate and Carnegie were married. She still puts flowers on Taylors grave, and now also on Taylors mother’s, who died the day Carnegie regained consciousness. Her last words were “Taylor…time to go.”

  Katalie became one of the most sought out agents in London for fiction submissions. Ross Hartman proposed to her one day over lunch. She accepted…Never saw that one coming did ya!

  Sienna hardly ever gets head lice anymore… And now, neither does Nate. She found a hidden talent in chalk art, and extended it to the sidewalk out the front of the terrace house in Paddington. Strangely, it never looks out of place.

  The X – He was never seen or heard from again.

  Nate Bowman still leads the band Sheeva’s disciples. His touring schedule has settled down a bit, and he is helping with the movie production of “Impossible Things.” One of those “creative” projects he always wanted to do.

  Carnegie Lane recorded an album, which rivaled Nate’s for positions in the charts. Both of them look at it with a sense of humor. She continues to write novels, often under the pen name of Virginia Higgins. Katalie Bowman continues to be her agent. She still sings 80’s songs to the bedside tables in her room, appreciated most by the lamp.

  Author’s Note:

  Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for their kind words and amazing response to this story. I would like to answer one of my most asked questions. Is there really a book called ‘Impossible Things’? The answer is a resounding yes, the book does exist and I look forward to letting you know when it will be available for release.

  I have listed many songs that reflect my music taste and those songs that bring back memories for me. There are so many others that didn’t make it in this book although they are not forgotten. The website for Carnegie Lane has links to the bands represented from my poster collection on the cover and also links to the songs mentioned in this book and beyond. www.carnegielanebook.com is where you will find it. Check it out when you can and get lost in the wonderful world of sound. If you remember you loved the music, support the artists and buy the song. ITunes links also listed!

  Although this book is fiction, some of it is loosely based on events that have happened, just changed a little to protect the not so innocent. These events are drawn not only from my world, but also from the world of my gorgeous friend and personal muse, Maree Furniss who helped me so much to write this. Thanks woman!

  There has been many a laugh and tear constructing the universe of my Carnegie Lane. I got to rediscover my absolute love for all things 80’s, taking me back to a time when I did wear Doc Martins, have jet black hair and follow the underground rock scene all over Sydney. So this is a great time to thank all the musicians in the world. The old and the new, the ones I don’t know and… the ones I do, for keeping me sane with endless tunes while I write. Oh, and a huge thank you to Robert Smith from The Cure, simply for existing!

  Music is a gateway to the soul.

  Remember to play it loudly.