I got on the stage shaky and nervous. l, my eyes fixed on the guitar. I can feel it calling but the tension was much. Like magic, I felt the synergy and the memories of forgotten chords flowed back to me. With my hands twitching, I shut my eyes and played along to the beautiful melody of the band.
In one accord I heard their hands clap in rhythm to the music. The tiny bar was alive again.
I was filling in at the last minute for the band's sick guitarist. Of course, they had asked if anyone in the bar could play the guitar, and I volunteered after much internal struggle.
"Give it up for our guitarists",' the band leader spoke into the mic after our performance, leading to applause. "You're a born natural"
And that one performance led to my first recording contract. Then came the fame and the money. I loved it at first until it came with a price.
Paparazzi chasing after me everywhere I go. Even down to my family in our small family house. It felt like I lost my privacy.
The fake love from people without genuine intentions. People who were only after my money.
With the money in excess, my kid brother, Daniel got into drugs. Living recklessly,
"Even if I get into trouble, you're famous, bro. You'll come saving me". He would reply anytime I cautioned him of his reckless lifestyle.
I tried my best to get him to rehab, but he wouldn't listen to anyone. He loved his newfound lifestyle and tags from famous magazines and blogs.
"Meet Daniel, the only sibling to a famous musician", the blogs wrote about him.
He reeled in it. He loved it
I felt guilty. Did my fame send my brother down the wrong path?
I was advised to withdraw his monthly allowances. But how can I do that to my only brother and sibling?
Then one day, after much contemplation. I withdrew Daniels's allowance. He cursed and threatened but I paid no attention to his rants.
After a few months, it felt like it was working. Daniel stopped getting into fights and was in the news all the time for the wrong reasons. He stayed away from drugs or so I thought and I praised him for that
Then one day, he walked up to me with an investment deal.
"I'm ready to do something better with my life. Just support me on this, bro," he promised.
Without a second thought, I invested a huge chunk of my worth in his deal. Grateful that he had turned a new leaf.
But It turned out to be a fraudulent investment that nearly killed my career. My only brother and sibling scammed me, leaving me broken and almost into depression.
I couldn't press charges against Daniel. He was my only brother, and I didn't want to be the reason he'd be in jail. Daniel ran away with my money, and till today, I don't know where he is.
But did I give up?
No, I didn't give up. Desperate to bounce back, I returned to the studio once I was healed. And worked day and night on a new album with my crew.
With massive streams and sales and a huge number on the billboard.
My new album saved my life and I'm back on my feet.
But as I sat in my study one day, cooking up new lyrics, my phone beeped. I checked, and it was a text message.
"Hi bro, it's your only brother Daniel. I know I messed up and I'm sorry. Can we meet?" It read.
I sat there staring at the text, scared and not sure of what to reply. I wondered what he wanted to talk about.
Maybe he had heard of my comeback and wanted to ruin me again. Another round of domino effect.
But then, I remembered that the domino effect can work in many ways.
To destruction or redemption.
“Let's meet. I'll text you where” I replied, exiting my study.
This time, I prayed for the dominoes to fall towards redemption.