This Could Have Been Our Song! A coulda woulda shoulda ballad…
Coulda Woulda Shoulda Song #1
By- Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba
Genre-Family saga/ chick lit/ interracial romance/ romantic comedy
Love can be such a “coulda, woulda, shoulda” song sometimes…
Lucia Mpobo-Riddell could have been a dancer like the rest of women of her family but instead she chose music. Marcus Grant could have been a doctor like the rest of his family but instead he chose music. She also could have not fallen for Marcus on her birthday but she did. And Marcus, he could have told Lucia the truth about his real reason for being in Toronto that night, but he didn’t. Now they have to deal with big reveals and consequences: Marcus almost stealing her job and being force to work on an album together. Marcus, because he couldn’t swallow his pride, leaves Toronto and goes home to London. Lucia, because she just couldn’t give up on her first amazing opportunity to produce a whole album. And to complicate the situation further, the band they’re working for is not the easiest one. Mary Gillis, Marcus’ on and off flame, still has a hold on him. Greg McMullen, Lucia’s close friend and former dance partner is back in town and has been in love with her for years. Then there’s Marcus and Lucia, in the middle of their own a professional and personal tug-of- war with each over and the rest of the world. But maybe things could still work out… All things considered, this could have been one heck of a love song!
LUCIA
“The meeting is now adjourned. We’ll meet again in two weeks’ time to discuss and finalize the hen party.” She (Axelle) pours herself another glass. “To D-Day minus one hundred and five!” she tells us, raising her glass. “Luce, be a dear and order another pitcher or two.”
I order the pitchers as well as a dirty martini for the bride-to-be.
Axelle turns to me, her glass in her hand. “So…what’s new? And you look fantastic, honey!”
“Hey, I look good too!” Noor scowls.
Axelle laughs and turns to Noor. “Oh my God! Did I just compliment the wrong sister? You’re Nooradine?”
“Jealousy is not a good color on you, Noor,” I sneer back, filling myself another drink.
“Please, you’re dieting,” she tells me. “She’s dieting, Axelle!” she says even louder and finishes her drink.
“I’m so not. I’m doing a cleanse and some yoga.”
“The one with Beesly,” Axelle says, serving Noor another glass. “I’ve heard of it. You have to do a lot of stretching with it.” She blows me a kiss. “Good for you, Luce, and shame on you, Noor.”
Nice try, Noor. My turn now. I pour myself another margarita. How many have I had so far? Three or four glasses? Do I even care? I feel warm and tickly. “Andrew is holding out on Noor…sexually.” Bam!
“You don’t say,” Axelle giggles. She finishes her drink and pours another. “What did you do to shift the balance of power?”
“I don’t want to have the suburban house and baby talk right now. It has only been a week.” She empties her drink. “Thanks, big mouth.”
Liar, liar, shorts on fire! “You told me five days,” I tell Noor. I turn to Axelle. “Anyway, did I tell you I was dancing again. Just for fun of course. Not like you or Noor.”
“Oh, I’m so happy!” Axelle gets up and hugs me. “So are you shagging anyone?”
So, I guess we’re back on me. I finish my drink. “Nope.”
“Why the bloody hell not? Isn’t that Marcus bloke still in town?” she asks. And another drink.
“She doesn’t know what she wants,” Noor interjects. Another drink there too. “Greg or Marcus.”
“Greg was in town? Don’t you dare break that young man’s heart…again!” She raises her glass to me and wiggling her finger.
“I never broke his heart!” I tell Axelle. “Greg is one of my closest friends. And I don’t have a lot of those.”
“Hey…you have us,” Noor says.
“My point exactly, Noor,” I say.
“That poor kid was so in love with you back at the dancing academy and he’s still in love you.” Axelle gives me the most loving look. “Who could blame him? My baby is breathtaking.”
“Aw, I love you too, Lelly.” I give her a kiss. “But I’m not going to sleep with Greg. Ever.”
“Right.” Axelle winks at me.
“Your loss. That man is ravishing,” Noor says.
I know he is, inside and out. Let’s change the subject. “Lelly, do you have a dress for the launch party?” I innocently ask.
“Yes I do. An original Renee G creation. She sent it to me earlier this week,” she proudly says. Of course anything for Mrs Anderson. “So… Are you bringing someone?”
Where did this come from? I look to Noor for cover, but she’s too sloshed to be of any help.
“Well are you?” Noor asks.
“Can I bring Beesly?”
“Are you going to be shagging her after? I thought she was married. And straight? And so are you. We were thinking about a man,” Lelly tells me, laughing.
“No! Gosh, Lelly… Marcus then,” I say and I can’t take it back.
“Are you going to be shagging him after?” Noor asks.
“It’s good PR for us. There will be no shagging! Please stop asking or saying it. Understood.” I’m losing my buzz. Another drink it is.
“Okay,” Noor chuckles.
“Right,” Axelle giggles.
“Somebody needs to take that stick out of her butt, or just–” Axelle says.
“Enough!” I clumsily get up. My buzz hasn’t gone after all. “I’m going home…in a taxi…I think.”
“I was just going to say–” Axelle continues.
“It has been months after all since–” Noor says at the same time.
“I got the picture, thanks. Bye.” I’m ready to leave.
“Please stay. We’re sorry,” Noor begs. “We just want you to get some because we care.”
“And you can’t leave yet. We haven’t played refugee African princesses yet,” Axelle begs.
I do like to play that bar game. Axelle is the best story teller. “One more drink and then we go home,” I say sitting back down.
“Okay,” Noor chuckles.
“Right,” Axelle giggles.
Our fourth pitcher arrives and Axelle fills our drinks.
“I don’t have to deal with that kind of shit when I drink with Beesly,” I say, sulking.
“She’s your soul sister. We’re blood and, Luce, it’s thinker than water and wine,” Noor literally burps out. She looks around. “We should get some wine!”
“We’re not going anywhere anytime soon are we?” I say, smiling at my crazy sisters. Let the game begin. We’ll worry about getting home later – much, much later…
This Would Have Been Our Song! Catchy tunes and dancers’ tales
Coulda Woulda Shoulda Song #2
By- Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba
Genre- Family saga/ chick lit/ interracial romance/ romantic comedy
Marcus, Greg and Lucia are back in the second part of their journey to their perfect love song... will they finally find it?
This would have been their perfect love song…
It has been two years since Lucia Mpobo-Riddell has made her choice between the two men in her life. She and her beloved would have been perfectly happy if it wasn’t for… the constant distractions from her past, her sister Noor’s complicated life, her own doubts and fears. Maybe there wasn’t such a thing as perfection and this was a lesson that Lucia was going to learn the hard way. Greg McMullen and Marcus Grant’s lives had been affected by Lucia’s choice that day in Glasgow two years ago. Since then one had been fighting to keep her when the other had been relentlessly trying to get her back. It soon became apparent to them that she wasn’t the Lucia they met and fell in love with anymore. Her life and priorities had completely shifted. To even consider keeping her or just getting her back, they would have to accept it or they would have to let her go. But would they ever be able to do either?
X. Lucia - Pondering about all these things that she’s done?
“Look it’s your mama!” Marcus says to Cassie. She’s comfortably settled in his arms, her tiny chubby arms around his neck. “It’s… wow Lucia you look great!”
I love you Fabrice, styling me from head to toe, before I leave for work every morning… against my will and all! “Hiya, I’ll take this off your hands,” I tell him with a big smug smile.
“No!” Cassie says and holds him tighter.
Don’t embarrass Mama, she’s having an awesome moment here. “Or maybe not… so taking a break from your modelling career?” His hair is longer than mine! That’s so sexy and when did his arms get so big and defined? Hello Marcus 2.0 or Mercutio…. I think Cassie is having a crush. She keeps leaning her head on his chest and smiles.
“I like to mix it up,” he laughs back and Cassie giggles with him.
Right… “Hi Mary, fancy meeting you guys here. I didn’t know you were using this studio too,” I tell her.
She glances at her outfit, simple dark skinny jeans, a loose top and flat boots. What? No stylist hidden in your closet? She glances at my short blue vintage floral tea dress, my bare naturally tanned legs and my strappy high heels. He did my hair and makeup too. “Hi Lucia,” she simply says.
That’s right, Fabrice you deserve a raise! “I’m here with Tallie Wilson for the next few weeks but I’m hoping to do part of the album in the Abbey Road Studios,” I say to both of them.
“We use this location when we’re not in my flat,” she says with a hint of something else. Is Marcus blushing? “Anyway, you do look great!” Her work is done, she planted her seed. Well played Mary!
“Thanks,” I say trying to take Cassie from Marcus again but she’s still resisting. “I’m representing my label. I need to look the part.” I’m just repeating B, Alex and Fabrice sales’ speech. Mary and Marcus hum in agreement. I’ll never doubt those three again.
“Mary, lunch sounds fantastic right now,” Marcus tells her and release her hand. They were holding hands? How did I miss that? “But as you can see, I am now otherwise engaged,” he says looking at Cassie. She gives him a very wet kiss. “Just like a Riddell to kiss first!”
I’m so embarrassed. “Shame on you Mercutio! Still seducing babies I see.” Our eyes lock.
“Who’s Mercutio?” Mary asks losing her patience. That girl needs some food in her. She’s so damn skinny!
“Only the best Italian male model in London,” I let out in a laugh.
“Whatever! I don’t have time for this. I’m supposed to meet the director for the music video,” she tells Marcus. She just stares at him like some kind of ultimatum.
“Yes go get something to eat. You’re so fucking skinny!” I whisper but not as low as I wished.
“What!” Mary asks.
“Nothing.” Marcus is trying to suppress a laugh, Cassie is looking at him like is the best thing she’s ever seen. “I was just wondering why you don’t have your own label by now. Most artists at your level do.”
“Why do you mean?” she crosses her skinny arms.
Marcus’ look says the same thing. “Well you would have full creative take on your work, even discover and groom new artists. Influencing the way music evolves. Mary you have so much talent and experience, I’m just surprised you haven’t gone that route…yet,” I tell her, a big manipulative smile on my face.
Marcus is rolling his sexy eyes at us. “What you don’t think I can do it? Thanks Marcus! Lucia you and I need to do lunch,” she says walking away.
“Sure!” Victory!
“Marcus, I’ll see you tonight? My place?” she says.
“I’ll be there,” he mumbles back. Fuck! Time to leave, but he has my kid. “Luce, look at me. I’m not sleeping with Mary,” he says getting closer to me.
“It’s none of my business. I just want my daughter back Marcus,” I say back. I try to take Cassie but she starts to whine so I let her go.
“Don’t do this, I’m not shagging Mary,” he says again. He tries to give me Cassie but she starts to cry. “Okay Cassie, I keep you.”
That is just really pathetic, “Alright, you’re not sleeping with her… whatever!” I shrug.
“You know, with her being so damn skinny and all!” he jokes.
“Bobo?” Cassie asks him.
“Bobo?” he asks me.
“Food, she’s hungry. We were on her way to the kitchen when she escaped.”
“Bobo it is, lead the way,” he tells me. I hesitate for a minute. I could just grab her and go. She’ll cry for a bit then settle down. “Lucia?”
“This way.”
About the Author-
Meet Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba The Author, The Blogger, The Cheeky Reviewer
“My life journey is like my playlist, amazingly unique but full of contradictions with surprising joys with every song...”
In the past two years, while living in Canada, England and France I wrote four novels: This Could Have Been Our Song! A coulda woulda shoulda ballad... (Book one) currently available on amazon, iTunes, Kobo, Barnes and Nobles and Smashwords. The sequel This Would Have Been Our Song! Catchy tune and dancers’ tales has been in January 2014. Bird Of Prey, my first mystery romance novel has been released in October 7th, 2013 and its first sequel The Plot Thickens (a novella) in December. The second one Polliannah Got Married! will be released in June 2014 and the final in July 2014. I’m currently residing in Paris, France.
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