By: Lisa Anne Hetu
Disclaimer: Alan Doyle, Bob Hallett, Sean McCann and Darrell Power are members of Great
Big Sea and are property of themselves. Anne is my middle name that I used for the female
character in this story.
The crowd cheered and screamed as Newfoundland's most beloved band jogged
across the stage. The chant of "Great Big Sea" was a sound they all loved to hear.
One teenage girl smiled at them from the middle of the fence. She was one of the
few of their friends who cheered them on at their concerts as if she were nothing
more than a fan. Through the excitement, the weather seemed surprisingly warm as
the first sprinkle of snow drifted softly towards Newfoundland soil.
Great Big Sea sang with the pride they always had, and the energy they
never lost, but the sound of their voices and the sound of people cheering were
faded in her mind. Anne watched her friends having a wonderful time as they
always did, only now she wasn't quite concentrating on their happiness and joy.
Today, Anne was returning home to Ottawa after being in Newfoundland with Great
Big Sea for over a year. She knew that after she got on that plane, Great Big Sea
would barely be a part of her life and she'd most likely never see them again. "Hey
lass, you know them personally don't you?" asked someone from the crowd.
"Yes, that I do" Anne answered trying to sound cheerful.
"Could you get their attention for my daughter, just ask them to say hi?"
"Sure, what's her name?" asked Anne
"Bonnie" said the man.
Anne hopped over the fence and talked to the guard for two seconds. He
nodded and let her go. Alan was just introducing their next song when Anne tapped
the stage at Sean's feet. He bent down and nodded his head as Anne spoke. Anne
pointed to the little girl; Sean gave her a smile. Then Sean got up and took his turn
to speak; all four of the guys said hi to Bonnie. "Oh thank you miss!" said the little
girl hugging Anne; they both waved at the boys.
After the concert, Anne went to meet her buddies back stage. "You were
wonderful" she said hugging them as she always did after a concert, but they
sensed she wasn't as happy as she usually was.
"Somehow I get the feeling you had your mind on something else" said Alan
holding her by the shoulders and starring directly into her eyes..
"That doesn't mean you weren't wonderful, Alan" said Anne trying to smile for
him.
Darrell was standing where he could see Anne's face. "Don't force yourself
to be happy to make us feel good Anne, you don't need to cover it up, we know" he
said, giving her an encouraging look.
"I don't want this to end up the way I know it will," said Anne darting her eyes
from one friend to the next, "We're gonna end up at the airport and I'm gonna cry,
then I'm gonna leave and we'll never see each other again."
"We'll see you again, Anne; stop being so hard on yourself." said Bob,
putting his arm around her.
Sean pulled a little gray swede box from his bodhran case. Handing it to
Anne, he said "We all know that we aren't going to see each other as much as we
have in the last year, but we aren't going to let that break up our friendship. This is
for you, so that if ever you are thinking of us it'll be there."
Anne opened the box and found a gold heart-shaped locket on a golden
chain, like the one she had with a picture of her family inside. Anne opened the
locket; on the right was a picture of Bob and Sean, and on the left was a picture of
Alan and Darrell. Anne looked at her friends with tears in her eyes; she didn't know
what to say. Bob removed the locket of Anne's family from her neck and put in the
box as Sean clipped the locket of them around her neck. Anne held the box in her
hand, and she looked at the new locket around her neck. She hugged each of her
friends tightly and kissed them all, ever so softly, on the cheek.
At the airport, Anne had her backpack hung over one shoulder and her
passport in one hand. The five figures in the lobby, in front of the on-ramp, starred at
each other sadly, not knowing exactly how to say good-bye. The awkwardness of
the moment was felt all around. "Say good-bye to your families for me, tell them I'll
miss them" said Anne sadly.
Darrell wrapped his arms around Anne, "We'll write to you as much as we
can" he said softly, his breath brushing across her right ear.
"Me too" she answered, her voice barely a whisper.
"Say hi to your family for us" said Sean hugging Anne in his turn, and kissing
her gentlely on the cheek.
"I will" she answered, her voice tembling slightly.
"Don't cry luv, we'll be in Ottawa as soon as we can" said Alan wiping a tear
off her cheek and holding her protectively, against his chest.
"I'm sorry," said Anne, "I can't help it"
"Come here," said Bob comfortingly, pulling Anne to him.
Anne held on to him tight and sobbed "I don't want to leave, I love you all too
much"
"Hush now, we love you too lass" said Bob rubbing her back with one hand
and resting his head on hers.
"Bob, your the closest thing I have to an older brother" said Anne, barely able
to speak over her crying .
"I'm here Anne, I'll be your older brother" said Bob, his voice slightly cracking
up, "Hush now, everything will be just fine"
Sean pulled a few tissues from his pocket and put them in Anne's hand. "I
love that shirt" he said trying to make her smile. The shirt she was wearing looked
just like one that he owned; the five of them usually laughed when Sean mentioned it.
Anne turned to the boys one last time and, almost unwillingly, freed herself from
Robert's strong arms. "I love you" she said, backing away from them towards the
on-ramp.
"We'll miss you lass" she heard them say as she boarded the plane.
Anne let giant tears roll down her cheeks as she stared at the open locket
around her neck. "What's wrong dear?" asked the old woman beside her on the
plane, "You look like you just lost your best friend"
"My four best friends, miss" Anne managed to say, showing the lady her
locket.
"They look like four very caring young boys dear" said the old lady, "I
understand how you feel"
"I'm sorry, but I don't think you do, miss" said Anne turning to glance out the
window at the clouds, "You didn't leave your heart 1200 miles away"
THE END
