[Chapter 7: You Will Be Famous]
♫ Girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are
When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
'Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for a while
'Cause girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are
Yeah ♫
The ultra-sweet love song finished.
The room had already melted around the singer.
When Daisy looked at Orlando now, her expression almost stretched with affection.
The other diners and servers broke into applause.
---
"BOY, what song was that? Are you saying you just wrote that?" The clapping hadn't stopped. Frank leapt forward, eyes shining like someone who had just spotted a golden opportunity, and asked.
"This came from my muse just now. I wrote it for her. It doesn't have a name yet. Daisy, give it a name!" Orlando said.
"Oh!" Daisy blushed, clearly touched.
Frank, however, cut the mood a little. MJ's former manager studied Orlando with a serious eye for the first time.
"I have to admit, Orlando, you kind of stunned me. If that song's really yours, it's another track with breakout potential -- just like that demo earlier."
Orlando withdrew his attention from the beautiful woman and looked at Frank.
He felt it in his head -- by now, the former manager who had helped MJ reach his peak was genuinely taking him seriously. Not just playing along to curry favor with Daisy and treating Orlando like her little pet.
Orlando's mental radar reached across the entire restaurant. Amid the stunned praise, he could read that Daisy's emotion was real. She was both joyful and shocked.
He smiled inwardly -- mission accomplished.
His sudden show of skill made even himself, who mentally was already in his thirties, feel a little cringe. Was it for show? No. It was to grab the wealthy, beautiful woman's support. To charm the guardian of a pretty girl.
Orlando knew Daisy Cuomo was his biggest ticket now. Without her, people at Frank or Seymour's level in the record business were out of reach, no matter how gifted he was. Even with a prophetic creative spark, he wouldn't get this far so fast.
Didn't he see what happened to the future Lady Gaga? Before her big break she had spent years as a mid-level writer. Without someone like Daisy, even with connections, it would've taken a long time to break out. Even if he later became huge -- on the level of influencing pop the way MJ did -- Daisy would still be someone worth holding onto. Her social rank was that high.
So even if it was a little cringe, as long as the wealthy woman liked it, a bit of awkwardness was worth it. He could be the "kept man" for now -- no shame in being supported by a powerful benefactor. Besides, the rush from wowing an entire room was worth the embarrassment.
Still, there was a small discord. From a table along the inner side of the steakhouse, a thread of unease snagged at him. Orlando followed it with his senses and saw three people. One was a middle-aged white man in a cap who was bent over, scribbling furiously on paper.
Orlando's mind told him what was happening: that man was writing down and stealing the song he had just channeled.
---
When Orlando returned to the table, he pointed. "Frank, that guy over there -- he's been jotting down notes since I started singing."
Frank's face changed as he looked toward the table. "Oh, you mean--" He rose to deal with it before Seymour interrupted.
"No, no need." Seymour Stein stopped Frank DiLeo from getting up.
Daisy and Frank looked at Seymour, puzzled. The old man smiled.
"First, this place was full of witnesses. Even if someone tried to rip it off, there were plenty of people who heard it live. Second, this is Manhattan. Ms. Cuomo, I think you can handle any legal matters..."
He didn't finish the sentence, but everyone understood what he implied.
"And if that jerk really did steal Orlando's song and put a singer to it, then besides the marketing plan you mentioned, Frank," Seymour said lazily, "congratulations, kid -- you'd have another angle for promotion. One that would guarantee heat."
"That is a direction..." Frank mulled it over and sat back down.
Daisy nodded softly. She and Frank had understood Seymour's point.
Orlando hadn't fully grasped it at first, but because he could read minds and this affected him, he caught on to Seymour Stein's meaning.
"But just to be safe," Seymour added, "young man, you'd better write down the sheet music and lyrics, cut a demo as soon as possible, and file for registration right away."
"OK!" Orlando agreed.
"Then the rest was clear," Frank said, smiling. "First we'd set up a record company for Ms. Cuomo--"
"No... it's not mine." Daisy cut him off and turned to Orlando, her eyes soft. "That should be Orlando's record company!"
She had changed her mind. Orlando's sense-net picked up the shift: Daisy had originally been ready to split everything fifty-fifty, forming a label they would both own. But now, inspired by the song he had written for her, she wanted the label to belong to him. She wanted to help him fulfill his dream.
Orlando felt a mix of gratitude and amusement -- this wealthy woman was definitely worth flattering, and maybe a little lovestruck.
"No matter." Frank didn't argue. He laughed. "First we'll set up Mr. Keller's label, then record the single -- those two things could happen at the same time. Once the company was formed and the single was ready, we'd approach the majors..."
"Warner," Daisy interrupted, "I'll find a way to inform Steve Ross. I think he'd be willing to help."
Frank didn't mind getting cut off; he beamed. "Once the single's finished, we'll set a release date with the label. Once it's out, I'll push the buzz..."
"You are going to be a star." Seymour patted Orlando on the shoulder. "I am sure of it."
*****
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