Gray Skies Ahead (Skies Series #1)

VII

At the end of an awkward week full of Kurt skipping meals to jog and unwanted make-out sessions between Skylar and Kurt, Skylar's audition for the Warblers came up. It was Friday and they were all waiting for Wes to signal for him to start his audition.

"Alright, Skylar, show us what you have prepared."

Skylar took a deep breath and started the music.

Slow down, we've got time left to be lazy

All the kids have bloomed from babies into flowers in our eyes.

We've got fifty good years left to spend out in the garden

I don't care to beg your pardon,

We should live until we die.

The song complemented his voice perfectly, and they all knew that after the first verse he would be their newest Warbler.

We were barely 18 when we crossed collective hearts.

It was cold, but it got warm when you barely crossed my eye.

And then you turned, put out your hand,
And you asked me to dance.

I knew nothing of romance, but it was love at second sight.

I swear when I grow up, I won't just buy you a rose.

I will buy the flower shop, and you will never be lonely.

Even if the sun stopped waking up over the fields

I will not leave, I will not leave 'till it's our time.

Skylar seemed to sing this to Kurt, letting the boy know that he would not be leaving him alone anytime soon. Nobody else noticed, though, they were all enraptured by his voice.

So just take my hand, you know that I will never leave your side.

It was the winter of '86, all the fields had frozen over.

So we moved to Arizona to save our only son

And now he's turning to a man,

Though he thinks just like his mother,

He believes we're all just lovers

He sees hope in everyone.

And even though she moved away,

We always get calls from our daughter.

She has eyes just like her father's

They are blue when skies are grey

And just like him, she never stops,

Never takes the day for granted,

Works for everything that's handed to her,

Never once complains.

You think that I nearly lost you

When the doctors tried to take you away.

But like the night you took my hand beside the fire

Thirty years ago to this day

You swore you'd be here 'til we decide that it's our time

Well it's not time, you've never quit in all your life.

So just take my hand, you know that I will never leave your side.

You're the love of my life, you know that I will never leave your side.

You come home from work and you kiss me on the eye

You curse the dogs, you say that I should never feed them what is ours.

And so we move out to the garden and look at everything we've grown.

And now the kids are coming home

So I'll set the table

You can make the fire.

(The Gambler by Fun.)

When the song ended, all of the Warblers applauded politely. "If you will excuse us for a moment, Skylar." Wes said, nodding toward the door. Skylar smiled and walked out, waiting for our decision. Of course, we all knew he was going to join, it was just the protocol.

"I think we all agree with the decision to make Skylar the newest Warbler?" Wes asked. A ripple of nodding and murmurs of agreement went through the group.

Thad went to go get Skylar. When they returned, Wes welcomed Skylar to the Warblers and they all patted him on the back and cheered.