Access All Areas

Chapter Thirty Seven

Eighteen Months Later....

With the spotlight resting on Rhys who stands in the middle of the otherwise dark stage, he looks like a vision of divinity inside of the circular bright light. An excited hush quickly falls on the small audience as they wait for him to say something after just coming to the end of one of his well-loved songs. With a gracious smile, Rhys sweetly bows to his intimate following, thanking them for their enthusiastic applause and their joyous cheers of appreciation. The cameras keep rolling in the television studio and the studio feels almost static with its electrified live atmosphere. Rhys is nearing the end of this one-off special for TunesTV and is now wanting to address his enthralled audience. "Ladies...and just a few gents." He roguishly smirks, trying to look out at the receptive crowd but is being blinded by the spotlight. "I can't actually see you guys, but being surrounded by all of these ladies...I can totally smell your testosterone." This causes the room to momentarily erupt into laughter and cheeky little wolf whistles. "I just want to thank each and every one of you for making this live show be something really special for me to be a part of." His delighted audience zealously claps and cheers, only quietening down when Rhys's expression becomes much more serious. "Tonight is also special because my gorgeous wife is in the audience with both of our wonderful moms." More enthusiastic cheers and claps. Holding his mic between his hands, Rhys looks ready to open up to his now still and very quiet audience. "For anyone here who has lost someone they love, they will know how hard things have been for me after losing my sister Maci. But each and every day gets better because of each and every one of you." He points out at the crowd before wanting to carry on. "Because of you and all of my fans everywhere else, every day has got better. The incredible support you guys have all shown me, has given me so much strength. So this is me personally thanking you all, for everything." The room roars with thundering applause and respectful hoots of jubilation. Rhys broadly grins, politely bowing his head. He stands gorgeously tall and I honestly couldn't be prouder as he waits to address the crowd once again. As soon as it is quiet enough, he continues with what he wants to say. "I also need to thank mine and my wife's mom, my entire team for their unfailing love and support before I move onto thanking the one person who deserves the biggest thank you of all...where is my beautiful wife?" He's wincing, trying to see me through the spotlight and the darkened space of the studio. "Can someone please bring her to the stage for me?"

Absolutely mortified, I freeze in my front row seat, turning to both my mum and Carol to pleeeeeeease help me out of this cringeworthy situation. They don't. They merely giggle and try to make me stand. Before I even have time to protest, live on air may I add, I am being helped from out of my seat and ushered towards the stage. Beyond feeling embarrassed and terrified, I am soon handed to Rhys who waits on the stage with his almighty big grin and his almighty big spotlight now shining on the both of us. Holding out his hand, he helps me navigate the few and dimly lit stage steps. Very much aware that we are indeed live and terrifyingly on air, I hide my look of you-are-so-in-trouble with a painted on smile and an expression of I-can't-believe-this-is-happening. Rhys clasps my fingers and knowingly grins. "Uh-oh, I'm getting 'the look'...I think my beautiful wife might be filing for divorce after this show." That actually makes me laugh, it actually makes the whole room laugh. "Everyone, this is my very gorgeous wife, Clara." He proudly introduces me to his audience who all start welcoming me with wild clapping and even wilder whistling. Stroking my nervous hand with his loving thumb, Rhys glances sideways at me with pride adorning his utterly perfect face. "Don't you worry, guys! I applaud myself every single day for falling in love with my girl." Then he kisses the same nervous hand of mine before letting it go to stand close behind me with one of his palms protectively cuddling my stomach. "As you can see, Clara is soon going to make me a daddy." His mic-less and loving hand then slowly caresses my rounded belly so adoringly light and gently. "And Clara is soon going to be a momma." Sweetly and without inhibition, Rhys softly kisses the skin on my exposed neck. "I know you feel a little shy, baby...but I want the world to see the person who I owe the biggest thank you to." Bringing himself back to the side of me, he drapes his free arm around my shoulder. "I owe everything to you, Clara." His words carry so much devotion, I am swept away by them and no longer feel like I am terrifyingly live on a stage and in front of a television audience. I have been wonderfully swept away somewhere, somewhere that only Rhys and I happily now are. "Which is why I have written my next song for you." My inner surprise pulls me back from where I had been wonderfully just swept. Smiling at me first, before turning to face his attentive audience, Rhys smiles out at them all. "This is a very personal song, written for my very special and very gorgeous wife, Clara. But this song is also for anyone who is going through a hard time. For anyone who thinks that they'll never be happy. This song is called There's No Never In Happily Ever After. As a beautiful string intro is being loudly played behind us, Rhys guides me back to where the stage steps are. Before safely handing me over to the guy who helped me earlier, he leans in breathtakingly close. "I love you." His emotive whisper delicately fans my face.