The soft pounding of the music calmed her down slightly. His voice always had that reaction in her brain. A switch flicked and her body just relaxed, it didn’t matter that he wasn’t singing to her. All that mattered was that he kept singing. She followed him where ever she could.1
His music always got his fans hot, it got their blood boiling, wanting to get up and jump around. They all wanted to paw at him, to have him in their arms. To give him everything he wanted. To have him in her arms again, would be the best thing. 2
She could remember when he was a little boy, he’d always had the gift. Every baby girl was all over him, every teenage girl. It hadn’t changed as he got older. She’d done everything she could to give him the best that she could. To give him the life that she knew he should have.3
Gave him everything to help load his singing career. Why not? He was fantastic, a great dancer, a great singer. His voice always made you want more, it left you longing for every thought and dream. She missed her boy so much, she missed his little smile, she missed the way he looked in his crib. 4
It was a shame that he grew up so quickly, to be every girls dream and desire. He didn’t have much time left for mummy anymore. All she could do was sit in the crowd, with her favourite black velvet jacket, listening to his music.5
She supposed it was her gift to him. She’d always danced around with music playing when he was a baby, music up high. He’d always loved it, it had always calmed him down, always put that smile on his face.6
It was hot here at the moment, she could tell by the sweat on his brow. Seeing her baby up there, with the crowd going wild brought a tear to her eye. It made her miss her little boy all the more. 7
He was up there singing and dancing, with that velvet backdrop. He had every girl on his every word, he was like a god to them. They fell to their knees just to get to him. To touch him, get his autograph.8
____________________________9
He got the fateful phone call that his mother had passed away and suddenly he broke down crying. He couldn’t believe that his loving mother was gone, never to come back. Taking a deep breath in he looked around, the sofa in his dressing room had some velvet draped over it and he picked it up, rubbing it against his face.10
He knew his mum was proud of him and he knew that she’d died with his love in her heart. So that night when he went out to perform he gave it his all. He told the audience that the show was dedicated to the most special woman in his life.11
He sung all her favourites. He belted them out with pride, saying every song was for her. That every chord played, every note played, every word sung was for her. It was all for her. And at the end of his performance he looked up to the heavens and smiled his boyish smile from days of old thanking her for everything.12
There was nothing he could do but sing the words for her, to prove that his love for her had never died. That he could still remember his Southern roots, that his velvet would be his trademark. Their trademark.
Author notes
I'm obsessed with the song "Black Velvet" By Melissa Etheridge at the moment. This story is based on her song:
"Mississippi in the middle of a dry spell
Jimmy Rogers on the Victrola up high
Mama's dancin' with baby on her shoulder
The sun is settin' like molasses in the sky
The boy could sing, knew how to move, everything
Always wanting more, he'd leave you longing for
Chorus:
Black velvet and that little boy's smile
Black velvet with that slow southern style
A new religion that'll bring ya to your knees
Black velvet if you please
Up in Memphis the music's like a heatwave
White lightening, bound to drive you wild
Mama's baby's in the heart of every school girl'
Love me tender' leaves 'em cryin' in the aisle
The way he moved, it was a sin, so sweet and true
Always wanting more, he'd leave you longing forchorus
Every word of every song that he sang was for you
In a flash he was gone, it happened so soon, what could you do?"
HoneyAngel
A contest entry
- Storywrite's Next Top Story Creation by whichcraft.
350 points, ended May 12, 38 entries
Honorable winner
• next story in this contest, remove from contest - Options Contest (: by Jenni-Wren.
275 points, ended April 27, 25 entries
• next story in this contest, remove from contest - Give me something worth reading! by Miss Belligerence.
175 points, ended May 4, 57 entries
• next story in this contest, remove from contest
Honest feedback would be good.
Comments
1 - 9 of 9
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That was very touching. I loved how you changed perspectives from the mother, to the son. I think it really helped the story. And the ending was brilliant. I love that he was singing for her at the end and will always remember her. Well done!
And thank you for entering the contest.
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I liked the beginning, that perspective is one I haven't read much, I liked the imagery and there was a lot of emotion in it. The ending, after the line break wasn't as emotional for me. I liked that you switched perspectives, I love it when people do that in stories, but I don't think you gave him justice. I mean before she was just sitting in the audience thinking about his childhood and that made me think he had forgotten her. Then all of the sudden she was dead and he was crushed, that was a bit jolting for me. It might be a good idea, if you decide to revise this, to have him living this rockstar life and kind of leave his nostalgic mother off to the side until she dies and he realizes how much he owes her. I'm not sure if that's cliche or not, but I'd read it.
thanks for entering my contest
-gibson -
Very touching!
I liked how you put the black velvet in there making it an important symbol, that meant so much to her and her son. I also liked how you put the memories in there that the boy who grew to be a now popular singer always remembered and it meant so much to him, that he gave tht back to her looking into the heavens. It was sad because the mums passed away, but it was touching that the son carried on that love for his mum.
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My first thought when I started to read this was of the song "Black Velvet," so it was somewhat satisfying to see that you had those exact lyrics in mind while writing this!
It's sad, but had a happy ending nonetheless, if that makes sense. 
I liked this a lot, actually. Just a few typos and grammar errors, but it still flowed well. Cheers! 
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It's a very sad story but well written. The original song of Black Velvet was sung by Alannah Miles in 1989 and I will always like her true version. I have her CD and I should play it while re-reading your story. I believe that music really opens up the soul and I liked the fact that your story brings people back. Thank you for entering and good luck.
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Geez the musicians always get all the girls don't they. I liked the fact that you gave some back story and point out that even after all the success he has he still loves his mother the way a son should. It's really sweet in that way.
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Touching story...
...well done, and yes, children do grow up fast it seems, time just seems to fly sometimes and suddenly they are all grown up.
Several songs I recall with 'Black Velvet' in the lyrics, one by Cher, I think, another by Elvis Presly? and there was a time when flourescent paint on black velvet was a big thing for artists, thousands of paintings and pictures...
Good job with the music as inspiration...
regards....
Amicus....
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This was good
I liked the way that you portrayed them, the depth of their emotions, and how true they rang. Excellent!
DarkOne -
This is awesome, babe. A great piece, coming from a great song.
I loved the way you conveyed the emotion and feelings of both the mother, and then son. How she felt when he was up there singing, how she reminisced about the times when he was young. How the velvet draped over his sofa gave such a powerful image.
It was awesome, love. Keep it up ^_^
<3
Devil.
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