After The Dust Had Settled

"I suppose so," I said, not truly understanding what she meant.

Then Mom turned in her seat to face me, and with a tone of voice that only a mother has, she looked at me and said, "Mark, you really don't realize what an impact you made on all of those people tonight, do you?"

"I guess not," I replied, scratching my head in bewilderment.

"You gave those guys a memory that they'll be able to share with people for years to come, and...." Mom said, but stopped before she could finish, and began to cry.

"Mom?" I asked, now concerned for her.

"What your mother is trying to tell you, son, is, that now she knows that we raised you right, and that we're both so very proud of you. We're also proud of Andie and we're both glad that she's a member of this family," Dad announced reassuringly.

"Don't forget about our grand baby that's on the way, Michael, honey," Mom added, bringing laughter to us all.

*********************

Andie and I had enjoyed my time off the road, but I knew that all too soon the day would come that would bring my time at home to an end. But for now that day was still quite a ways off so; I was going to enjoy every waking moment with my beautiful Andie and our unborn baby that was growing inside of her. Our days together were spent discovering new heights and dimensions of our love. At night we lay together wrapped and intertwined, clinging together lest we lose touch of one another during slumber.

Now six months pregnant, Andie liked to snuggle up behind me when we slept at night. This particular night was a bit chilly as winter was turning to spring, and as usual, we were both sleeping soundly. I was brought out of my sleep by something kicking me in the back in rapid succession. As I raised my head from the pillow I felt it again, only this time it was followed by the sound of Andie giggling. "Somebody wants Daddy to wake up," she said.

"Is that the baby kicking me in the back?" I asked, placing my hand on her swollen tummy, "Here, I want t feel it."

The moment my hand touched Andie's tummy, I felt little thumps and flutters. Before I knew what was happening, tears began to slowly pour down my face, making Andie ask, "Baby, are you alright?"

"I love you, Andrea Thompson, my beautiful wife."

"And I love you too, my beautiful husband."

Then I pulled her nightshirt up to expose her tummy and leaned down. Kissing her bare tummy, I whispered, "And I love you, my precious child."

After gently thumping my ear, Andie giggled and said, "Hey, you, that's our precious child, ya know."

The next day I got a phone call from a much exited Bryan, telling me, "Hey L.B., our picture is gonna be on the cover of Rolling Stone, man. How about that shit, huh? Can you believe it?"

"Yeah, I just heard it a little while ago, too. Pretty cool, huh?"

"Don says that they want to interview all us here in Dallas. You up for it little brother?" Bryan excitedly said. "After all, if it weren't for you, Mark, none of this would've been possible, man."

"Tell Don I'll be there tonight," I replied, and then we said our good-byes.

*********************

That night Bryan, Tommy, Danny, Phil, and I all sat around talking to Don about the up and coming interview the next day. Don looked at us and plainly said, "They're going to want to know all kinds of stuff. I would not be your friend if I didn't tell to not reveal too much, because I promise you, these rock critics will quote you word-for-word. So, if you don't want the world to know too much about you, then watch what you say, okay?"

Bryan was the first to speak and said, "Excuse me, Don, but none of us have anything to hide..." then looking at the rest of us suspiciously, asked, "Do we, fellas?"

I began to laugh while looking at Bryan, and receiving a glare from him in return, said, "I heard some stories about you before after I got to North Texas, man."

"What do you mean?" Bryan growled.

"Ooo, I know what he means. He's talking about the night you spent with Becky Davidson and Marsha Hill," said Tommy, laughing and making the rest of us fall out laughing.

A sly grin crept across his face, and then Bryan simply laughed and shook his head, saying, "Yeah, well, I guess I just had a week moment; but none of you assholes better say anything, alright?"

"My lips are sealed," I replied.

"Yeah, me too, Bry," said Tommy.

"Me too," laughed Danny.

"Okay, me too, but you owe me big time for this, Rogers," laughed Phil.

The next day, a reporter from Rolling Stone Magazine named, Cameron, accompanied by a girl named Annie, who was a photographer, met us in the lobby of the downtown Marriot. After the introductions were made, we were escorted upstairs to a suite where the interviews would take place.

As he was doing a piece on the conception of Prodigy from its very beginning until now, Cameron wanted to interview Bryan, Danny, Tommy and Phil first. As that was happening, Annie led me into another room that had been converted into a makeshift studio. As she was setting up here cameras to take my pictures, she smiled and said, "I understand that you're going to be a father."

At the mere thought of my beautiful Andie, a warm smile spread across my face, and right as I began to speak; a bright flash of a camera lit up as I said, "That's right, in a little over two months from now."

"Are you excited?" Annie asked me, looking into and adjusting her camera, aimed at me.

"Yes," a flash again, I answered, understanding what Annie was doing now. She was asking questions in order to evoke the emotion of whatever shot she was trying to get. She was a very nice person, and while I thought the photo session was going to be a rather disconcerting affair, Annie made me feel very comfortable, and I was able to relax in front of the camera. By the time we were finished, Cameron was wrapping up with the guys in the other room.

For whatever reason, Don sat silently in the room as I came in and sat down. Sitting right across from me was Cameron. Between us was a coffee table that had a tape recorder sting on top of it. Next to that were two microphones at ninety degrees, on small stands that faced both of us. As he turned on the tape recorder, Cameron smiled and said, "Hi, Mark! It's good to finally get the chance to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, too," I replied.

With a motion of his head toward the room where Annie was taking pictures of the rest of the guys, Cameron smiled and said, "Your band mates said some pretty nice things about you."

"If they said something nice about me, then you can be fairly sure it's a lie," I replied grinning, while hearing Don snickering off beside me.

Cameron laughed and said, "Bryan Rogers says that you're some kind of genius with electronic music synthesis."

"I don't know what he's talking about there. I just enjoy playing, that's all," I replied, blushing and feeling warm around the ears.

Cameron smiled and replied, "No, seriously, the other guys in the band compare you to people like Rick Wakeman, of Yes, and Keith Emerson, of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. They also said that everything you touch turns to gold, or in this case, platinum."

"I don't think I understand what you mean," I answered.

All of sudden Don spoke up and said, "Mark doesn't know yet."

"Doesn't know what?" I asked nervously.

Don smiled, and then leaning over and patting me on the shoulder, replied, "I thought I would tell you first and then you can tell everyone else in the band. As of one o'clock yesterday afternoon, Prodigy's first album went platinum."

"YEAAH.....YES...YES...OH MY GOD, YES, YES, YES! BRYAN! GUYS, COME HERE QUICK!" I yelled, at the top of my lungs while jumping up and down in the middle of the room.

*********************

Three days later, we stood in the conference room of Chrysalis Records, in Los Angeles. Mom, Dad, and Andie were there, as well as Dr. Breeden and his wife, and the family members of each band member. This was the presentation ceremony to present each of us with our own Platinum Album. The press ate it up as Don had timed the presentation with the release of the issue of Rolling Stone that had our picture on the cover. It was one of the group photos that Annie had taken of us, and I thought it looked great. With the exception of the day I married Andie, I had never felt more proud than I did at that moment.

*********************

We still had a little over two months left before we went back on the road. Those two months were filled with radio and television interviews all over the country and when that was done; I had only two weeks left to spend with Andie before I had to leave. We decided to spend it with Mom and Dad as well.

"I'm really going to miss you while we're gone," I said to Andie one night while we were lying together in my old bed. All of a sudden, I heard Andie gasp and then there was a sudden gush of fluid that saturated the mattress, sheets, and everything. "What the hell was that?" I asked.

"I don't know," she cried.

I ran to my parent's room to get Mom, and almost crashing through my parent's bedroom door, I said, "MOM! IT'S ANDIE, COME QUICK!"

Mom got out of the bed and put her robe on as we briskly walked down the hall. When Mom saw what was going on, she smiled and said, "Go wake your father and tell him to call the hospital while you go start the car."

"What's going on, Mom?" I asked terrified.

She smiled calmly and said, "The baby is coming, now, go."

*********************

I sat in the waiting room with Mom and Dad, on the maternity ward of the Texas Women's Hospital that had just opened a year earlier. I was so beside myself with worry that I simply could not sit still. One minute I was seated next to Mom, and the next, I was up pacing back and forth. I just knew something was wrong. She should've already had the baby by now, or so I thought.

"Are you okay, Baby?" asked Mom.

"No, I'm worried to death, Mom. She's gonna be okay, isn't she?" I asked, in near tears, and terrified at the thought of something bad happening.

Mom and Dad both stood up and put their arms around me, and Dad said, "It's going to be alright, son. Women have been having babies for centuries. Besides, Andie is in good health, and the baby is going to be just fine, I promise."

The next thing I remember happening was a nurse that appeared smiling and said, "Mister Thompson? Mister Mark Thompson?"

"Yes?" I answered.

With a smile she looked at me and replied, "Congratulations! You're the father of an eight pound, six ounce baby girl."

With tears pouring down my face I asked, "How is my wife?"

"Why don't you come with me and see for yourself?" said the smiling nurse. She led me into a different room and then gave me a gown to put on, and said, "Follow me, please." We rounded a corner and then to a closed door. The moment the nurse opened it, I immediately saw Andie sitting up in bed, looking more beautiful then the very first time I ever saw her.

The second we saw one another, Andie looked up, then smiled and said, "Hi baby!"

I rushed to the side of her bed, and then after leaning down and kissing her lips, I smiled and said, "Hi gorgeous; how are you feeling?"

"Well, I'm not ready to run any races any time soon, but I'm okay." She replied giggling.

"How is the baby? Is she alright?" I asked worriedly.

The nurse, who had been attending to Andie while we were talking, smiled and said, "Don't you worry one bit, sweetie. Your daughter is being cleaned up and will be brought in to you in just a few minutes."

"Oh Mark, wait till you see her. She looks just like you and she's so beautiful," Andie softly cooed.

"So what are we going to name her?" I asked.

"I want to name her Abigail Brooke Thompson," said Andie, her eyes dancing brightly.

"That's beautiful, Sweetheart. We can call her Abby." I breathed, relieved that all was as it should be.

Just then, they brought little Abby into the room, and placing her in my arms, the nurse smiled and said, "Meet your new daughter, Daddy."

I took one look into my daughters face and knew that at that moment in time, God was truly as wonderful as he was powerful. And with tears of love and absolute joy raining down my face, I looked into Abby's little eyes; and smiled and said, "Hi Baby-Girl! You're daddy's little angel, yes you are. Daddy's gonna take real good care of you and Mommy, yes he is." I was so wrought with emotion that all I could do was hold her closely to me and cry.

"Do you think I could hold our daughter, Daddy?" Andie asked grinning.

As I handed her over to Andie, I heard Mom behind me say, "Awww, how precious is that?"

As soon as they were at Andie's bedside, Mom put her arm around my waist, and hugging me tightly to her, she looked down at little Abby and said, "She's so beautiful, baby. She has Andie's eyes and your face."

"She does, doesn't she?" said Andie, in agreement. Then holding Abby closely to her, Andie withdrew her breast and began to feed our daughter.

"Uh...I think maybe we should get outta here while you do that," said Dad uncomfortably.

"What's wrong Mike, haven't you ever seen a woman feeding her child? Jeez! You're acting like you've never seen tits before," laughed Andie, tickled at Dad's discomfort. Of course this caused both Mom and me to tremble with quiet laughter.

I had never in my life seen my father embarrassed before, and I enjoyed it even further when Mom said, "Oh, I assure you that he's seen plenty of tits, Andie honey."

"Jesus, Kerrie," said Dad, blushing brightly, "Mark, would you care to come have a cup of coffee with me....please?"

I knew that Dad was feeling really uncomfortable, and because I love my father dearly, I smiled and replied, "Sure Dad, come on. I'm even buying."

"Well, there's a fucking change," teased Dad.

"Michael!" scolded Mom.

"What?" Dad replied sheepishly.

"You shouldn't talk that way in front of our grand-daughter," smiled Mom, making Andie giggle.

The days that followed were full of love, love for my wife, love for my new daughter, and love for my parents, but most of all; love for almighty God, in whom all things are possible.

*********************

Because the previous year had borne witness to the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, Don got us booked at the Montreal Music Festival as the headline act in the same stadium where Bruce Jenner won the gold. Man, what an honor. Ticket sales went through the roof when the word got out that we were going to play, and from what I heard; the lines at the ticket booth started three days in advance.

"Holy shit, look at all the people," said Bryan, when our tour bus rolled near the stadium we were to play that night. We all looked out the windows of our bus to see scores of people standing in line by the hundreds, and the moment our bus appeared on the street, the crowd of people began screaming and yelling, all making their way toward the bus. I thought for a moment that we were going to be over run until twenty police officers; each mounted on horseback, appeared out of nowhere and dispersed the crowd immediately. The lead officer rode up to the open window where our driver sat, and leaning down to him said, "Follow us please, sir!"

It was cool when the officers split into two lines on both sides of the bus and escorted us all the way to our hotel. Upon our arrival at the hotel, they even set up a security perimeter to allow us to unload and not be harassed by the press or hounded for autographs by the fans. When we found out that the these guys were members of The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, we saw to it that Don made sure that each and every officer all had two tickets and two All-Access passes for the show that night. "What am I supposed to do about the press passes I promised to the people here in Montreal?" asked Don.

"Hell Don, just put their names on the guest list and send them in through the back," laughed Danny.

"Oh, and I guess you think I have that kind of power?" asked Don.

Danny winked at the rest of us, and then looked back at Don and said, "I thought you were the president of the record label."

Amidst the snickers and not-so-silent laughter from the rest of us, Don just laughed then shook his head and replied, "Yeah, yeah, I get your drift.....smart ass kid."

That night, as we sat backstage, I watched and listened to some of the local talent that had won two spots as opening acts. These guys were so good that even Don took notice. The name of the first act was "Afterburner". These guys reminded me of Led Zeppelin with the heavy guitar leads, and rightly so. Even Danny commented on them saying that he thought they rocked.

The next act surprised us all, because of the fact that they were an all female band named "Lilia". Unlike my band mates, I had no reservations about females playing rock and roll as long as they were good, and theses girls were very good. Not only were they a progressive rock band like us, but their keyboardist was as good a player as I'd ever seen.

"Holy shit, Mark, she plays like you," giggled Bryan, as we watched their performance. I had to admit, there was a certain familiarity in the way she played. As I watched this girl further, I discovered that, not only did she play well, but she also sang as well as she played. All-in-all, I was very impressed with these girls, more so than any band I'd heard in a long time.

As we took the stage, the crowd was going nuts as they chanted our name. We were all on cloud nine that night. Every note I played made me smile as I thought of my two beautiful girls at home. Although I had just seen them, I missed Andie and Abby more than I ever thought I would miss anyone. But still, I wanted to make them proud of me so, I played my heart out that night. Half-way through the show, Mark silenced us with a wave of his hand. Then winking at me, he stepped up to the microphone and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I don't know if any of you know this but..." then pointing at me and smiling, he continued, "...our keyboard player, Mark Thompson, and his wife Andie, just became proud parents of a beautiful baby girl named Abby." The crowd stood and cheered very loudly. Then Bryan quieted them and said, "We've never done this before, but we're giving the next few minutes to Mark to let him play anything he wants to. Take away, Mark!"

After giving Bryan and the rest of the guys a sly wink, I began to play a piece by Rachmaninov, called "Etude in G#". It is, supposedly, the most difficult to play, piano piece ever written. What a load of bullshit. I'd been playing that particular piece since I was ten years old. However, this time I played it with electronic synthesis. The opening and closing of the filters and the rotation of the envelopes made for a beautiful combination. As opposed to the Fender Rhodes piano that I used to play, we now carried with us, a Steinway and Sons, grand piano. The combination of pure piano and the electronic oscillation of signals that passed through the many modules of my Moog™ synthesizer, filled the stadium with a sound that, up until then, was unheard of except by players like Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson, to name a few. I poured my heart out onto the keys that night, more than I ever had in all the time I'd played with Prodigy. I think it had to do with the thoughts I was having of my beautiful wife, as well as my beautiful baby- girl that God had blessed us with. Life could not have been any better, save for the fact that they weren't there with me. But still, I knew that I was honoring them that night, and I made sure everyone in the stadium knew it. And when I was done, the roar of the crowd was not only deafening; it rang through the stadium like the gentle thunder of a summer rain. I had never been emotional on stage before, but for some reason that night; I stood up to bow to the crowd and began to weep bitterly, not in pain, but in gratitude for all of the blessings that, in his infinite wisdom, Almighty God had bestowed upon me.