Epilogue
DUSTY
“A re you excited?” Key asks.
I tear my gaze from the limo window to look at him. “Excited? I’ve only been waiting for this day for half of my life!”
He smiles, his whole face lighting up like that boy I first met in that stinking hot church. “Who would’ve thought we’d actually get here, huh?” he says.
I squeeze his fingers between mine. “It still feels like a dream.”
“We’re here,” Joel says, a huge grin overtaking his face.
My heart flutters. I’ve listened to Joel and Key’s music on repeat. I know every lyric by heart—but I have yet to see them perform live with the rest of the band.
Joel opens the limo door and climbs out, reaching back for my hand. “M’lady,” he says.
I grin and step out onto the sidewalk, feeling Key exit the limo right behind me. I glance up at the huge lit marquee, Carnal Sins displayed in giant black letters. There’s a warmth from the lights on my face that’s familiar and comforting. Then I see the chip in the molding on the corner, then the faded black paint on the front doors and I forget how to breathe.
“This . . . this is . . .” I whisper, my jaw dropping open. “This is The Sapphire!” My stomach is doing a mambo. “The first performance I get to see of your band and it’s at The Sapphire?”
“That’s right,” Joel says, placing his hand on the small of my back.
“But,” I mumble. “How? How is this even possible? The theater is abandoned.”
I turn toward the two of them with a million questions. What are the odds?
“Actually, not quite abandoned. Just neglected,” Joel corrects me.
My brow creases. “What?”
Key shrugs. “It actually had an owner, but they didn’t have any interest in doing anything with it. So . . .” he says with a look at Joel, “they were willing to let it go to someone who had big ideas to make it into a space where a lot of great things can happen.”
“We thought you should have it.”
I blink. Once. Twice. Three times. What is happening? Then Key holds up an old ring of keys in front of me and my pulse is racing like the rapids. “We bought it. For you.”
“You . . . you what?” I squeak out, barely lucid enough to clutch on to the ring that Key places in my hand.
“It’s all yours to do with how you said,” Joel says, stepping closer. “To show old movies, host performers, and run art and acting classes for kids so they can stay out of trouble. Maybe if kids have a safe place to explore art, they won’t end up in trouble and get sent off to horrible places like we were.”
“You can work your magic,” Key continues, “and bring out the beauty you always knew it could have.”
The tears begin to trickle down my face and for once I have no shame in standing on the street and openly sobbing with joy at this incredible gift.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m . . . is this real life?”
“It’s real,” Joel says, wiping at my cheeks with his thumbs. “You can have all of your dreams come true, too, you know.”
A burst of pure joy radiates out of me in a contagious giggle. I’m crying and laughing and feel like I’m floating. “I don’t think I’ve ever been more surprised or happy in my whole life!”
Key takes my hand and kisses my knuckles. “We know you can take care of yourself. You’ve been surviving for twenty-five years. But now, we want you to live.”
I close my eyes and pull Key into my side, my head falling on Joel’s shoulder.
“I will. I can. Because we’re together.”