After an unexpected transfer in her career, a young singer is swept into a whirlwind of life-changing events surrounding new romance, intergenerational friendships, and the music that intertwines it all.
Inspired by true events.
(( COMPLETED )...
The lights were blinding at first as we stepped onto the stage. Slightly disoriented and overwhelmed by nerves, it felt like Yoongi was pulling me along. I think he sensed it too because he shot me a discreet "You okay?" under his breath. I nodded and smiled as confidently as I could and we parted ways to head to our positions.
The lights dimmed and the bassline began. The crowd cheered as a popular standard flooded the venue.
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I swallowed my fears and shook out my fingers, breathing in a deep, grounding breath before I began to sing.
"Never know how much I love you
Never know how much I care
When you put your arms around me
I get a fever that's so hard to bear.
You give me fe-ver..."
I shot my head to the left, right on the beat as Kookie smacked the rim of his drum, landing my eyes right on Yoongi. He threw me a million dollar smile before turning back to the keys. Meanwhile, I felt my face flush pink and I quickly turned my attention back to the crowd swaying before me.
"...When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight..."
By the third verse, I had warmed up and felt completely at home on that stage. The band was as charismatic and entertaining as ever and had the audience falling in love with them more and more with each passing song. I sat beside Yoongi on the piano bench as we played through one of our favorite songs to perform together. It didn't take much to show everyone watching who the soon-to-be-married members of the ensemble were.
During the second half, I stepped up to the mic to introduce a special song.
"Tonight is a bittersweet night for our band. A few months ago, we lost someone very special to us. He inspired us all, brought us closer together as a group, and we are saddened that he can't be here to share this moment with us. Backstage is his ninety-two year old wife. My best friend. I dedicate this song to you, Jane." I pinched my lips between my teeth, trying my damnest to hold myself together, "For Roy. And for Jane. Sentimental Journey."
Why I thought I'd be able to perform that song in that moment is beyond me. I should have known that I would never make it through alone.
Thankfully, I wasn't alone at all.
As he noticed me struggling to sing the first verse, Yoongi motioned with one hand, directing the group to loop the instrumentals as I tried to regain my composure. The people watching seemed understanding enough what was going on, but I had felt in the moment as if I might not be able to bring myself back at all.
It wasn't until I felt a warm hand on the small of my back that I realized my sweet Jane had snuck out onto the stage to save the day.
Jane Young is the strongest woman I've ever met in my life. That night, she wore the face of a woman who truly saw the beauty and joy in existence. Heartache and all.
"Gonna take a sentimental journey..."
Jane sang in a glorious, old-timey voice that brought the entire place to its knees. I cried through the entire first verse as we stood at the mic stand holding each other's hands. By the next, I had composed myself enough to join her. From what I could see glancing around at the faces beyond the stage, most seemed to be sharing that moment with us, feeling what we were feeling. It felt... comforting.
"He's here with us," I spoke into Jane's ear as we hugged each other tightly in front of a standing applause. Everyone was still cheering, moved by our surprise duet, "He's proud."
Jane walked away with a teary-eyed smile, headed off-stage. I saw my dad back there, wiping away his own tears before welcoming her in a hug. I waved and blew a kiss to him, mouthing Thanks for taking care of Jane for me.
The second to last song was 00:00 and I could see Yoongi's nerves from a mile away. He was feeling apprehensive about sharing this vulnerable part of himself.
"Now it's my turn to reassure you," I bent down to speak to him at the piano, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, "There's a reason why we're here. And this is it. You've got this."
Improvisation had become second nature to me, and I'd added a number of new tricks and licks to the melody overtime, but up until that night, I never once used words or written lyrics.
I'm not sure what came over me, or why it came to me the way it did. I suppose you could say I was just lost in the moment, or perhaps high off of the performance itself. As if I'd planned it, the words came naturally, flowing from my ruby red lips like a new mantra only for Yoongi. The melody, already laced with hope and love, now carried new meaning for us as I sang the new words...
"And you're gonna be happy..."
Yoongi's eyes shot up from the piano, his brows furrowed with emotion as he took in what he'd just heard. He knew those words were only for him.
The show concluded with a roaring standing ovation from the audience. The guys - all of them, including my dad - were hyped up and ready to celebrate once it was all said and done. Jane and I, however, needed some quiet time.
It was nearly one in the morning when Yoongi came to Jane's room to get me. She'd fallen asleep watching Perry Mason, hand still stuck in the bag of kettle cooked chips she was snacking on in her bed.
"Poor kid's tuckered out," he joked, helping me pull the chip bag away and re-position her to sleep more comfortably, "I missed you, pretty girl."
Curled up in each other's arms, we chatted well into the night. He told me more about his failed engagement from the past, his feelings about his parents, and his ideas for our future together. There was no shortage of praise between us, both of us feeling immensely proud of not only each other, but ourselves for all that we'd accomplished. Making it through such a massive gig without any hiccups was a feat in itself, but we could see that we delivered a performance that effectively connected us to our audience and that mattered to us more than just about anything else.
"When do you want to have the wedding?" He asked, threading his fingers into my unkempt hair. His chocolate eyes never failed to invite me into his world.
"Mmmm..." I hummed, nuzzling into his neck as I thought about it, "Maybe in the spring? What do you think?"
He nodded and a breathy chuckle followed.
"What?" I laughed, feeling like I caught him in something.
"I guess I had just hoped it might be sooner."
"You're adorable, you know that?" I pinched his cheek and watched him suddenly turn shy. "We can do it sooner if that's what you want, babe."
"Spring is perfect. There's no need to rush. Gives us plenty of time to plan..."
