Epilogue
TRANSCRIPT
The Queenie Show
Interview with Queenie Miller and Singer-Songwriter Reese Franco (EXCERPT)
Queenie Miller (QM): Welcome back from the break, everyone! Now, I know y’all have been waiting for this one.
[Extended cheers from studio audience]
QM: When I say we scooped a good one here at The Queenie Show, I mean it. Here in our studios, fresh off her debut Coffee Shop tour, I’ve got the one, the only Reese Franco!
[Audience cheers as Reese Franco steps out from backstage]
QM: Woo! Are we ever excited to have you on the show, Reese.
Reese Franco (RF): I’m so happy to be here, thank you!
[Cheers]
QM: Now I have a list here of all your accomplishments—awards, performances, appearances, tours, but I know our audience knows all that.
[Cheers]
RF: [Laughs]
QM: What they might not know is that all of this has happened to you in just over a year. One year!
[Cheers]
RF: It’s been a whirlwind for sure.
QM: What I think is so unique about you and your meteoric rise, Reese, is that you’ve always stayed true to who you are. You made it clear from the beginning that you wanted to sing in intimate settings. To connect with your audience. You’ve eschewed—I like that word eschewed.
RF: [Laughs] I do too.
QM: You’ve eschewed those big stadium performances with the pyrotechnics and swings and backup singers, even though we know from your record sales you could fill those stadiums up.
Tell me, why is that? What called you to do these more intimate performances like you’re doing on the Coffee Shop tour?
RF: Well, I think maybe if I’d started singing in my twenties—I mean, I did sing in my twenties, but I took a long hiatus. But if I’d stuck with it, if I’d been lucky enough to achieve the kind of success we all dream about—
QM: That you now have.
[Cheers]
RF: That I’m lucky enough to have now—
[Cheers]
RF: I think my career would have looked like that. I would have loved to sell out those stadiums. Party backstage and all that. [laughs]
QM: Oh yes, we’ve all heard about the parties.
RF: Right. Well, I think that would have been incredible.
But that’s not me. And I don’t think I would have been true to myself had I gone that route.
Because for me…for me, singing is about connecting with each and every one of you.
You can do that in stadiums but…I want to see you all.
You know? I want to be able to home in on a face in the crowd and tell them, this one’s for you.
[Applause, cheering]
QM: Your music really lends itself to that “stool on the stage” kind of setting too, doesn’t it?
RF: It does. And that’s very purposeful. But also, Queenie, I have another reason for keeping things intimate. It’s because I don’t want to stray too far from home.
QM: And why’s that? [lifts brows]
[Cheers]
RF: Because of love.
QM: Oh, I could faint. For anyone who doesn’t know, Reese is talking about her partner Eli. It’s Eli, right?
RF: Yes, Eli.
[Audience ahhs]
QM: Tell us about Eli, would you? We don’t know much about him.
RF: Yes, he stays out of the public eye for the most part. I won’t share too much because of that, but I will say he’s the love of my life, and he’s the reason I’m singing.
QM: Well, we like him!
RF: You’d love him, Queenie. I admit, I miss him terribly! I haven’t seen him in two weeks since this tour took me to Europe to visit family. But now that I’m back stateside, I’m going to see him in a couple of days.
QM: Aw. Well, Reese, rumor has it you have a little surprise you wanted to share.
RF: I do. I’m a big fan of your show, Queenie, so I thought I’d share with you first, that we’re planning another tour next spring—this one on the west coast.
[Audience screams; sustained applause. Reese Franco stands, clapping.]
QM: What amazing news. And I understand it’ll be your last tour for a little bit so you can spend a bit of time at home making… or should I say conceiving a new album?
RF: [blushes] Yes.
QM: Okay, but are you ready to be more excited?
RF: What?
QM: Eli, come on out here!
[Audience cheers as Eli Kelly steps out from backstage; Reese Franco jumps up…microphone cuts out]
— end of excerpt —
I sprint to Eli as fast as I can, hitching up the flowy dress wardrobe insisted I wear, and before I know what I’m doing, I leap onto him, throwing my arms around his neck.
“Eli,” I whisper in his ear as all around us thunderous applause explodes. “What are you doing here? You hate being on TV.”
Ever since his interview last year with Gratitude Cindy went viral, Eli has refused to be on TV at all, preferring to stand in the wings and cheer me on.
“I do hate TV,” he murmurs into my hair. “But I love you.”
My heart feels like it’s exploding. I even clasp my chest as I pull away.
Eli looks like he’s sweating. “So, uh…”
“Honey, are you nervous?”
“A little.”
“I still can’t believe you told that news outlet you can’t wait to make babies with me.”
“Why? It’s the truth.” Eli gives me a kiss, and even though it’s brief, the crowd goes wild. They jump up and down, the sound so loud I have to laugh. “Anyway, that’s not why I’m nervous,” he says.
“Okay, why then?”
“Do you see them?” Eli asks, pointing to a row at the front of the balcony.
I gasp when I see who it is: Michelle, Will, and all four of their girls. My parents—my mom is sobbing. I clap my hands over my mouth, waving. The girls cheer, waving signs they must have kept hidden until now that say WE LOVE YOU, REESE!!!
“And there.” Eli points to another row of people down below, waving up at them and then us. Cass and Blake. Seamus and Chelsea.
Jude and Cap, both whooping, which is better than I’ve seen the both of them looking lately with Nora missing from their side.
“You did this,” I whisper to him as our families cheer. His hand is on the small of my back, then it’s gone, leaving an absence. I’m moved beyond words, but I don’t know why he’s gathered everyone here. My first TV interview since I got back home? Or…
The cheers explode.
Confused, I turn back to Eli, a question on my lips.
But he’s not standing beside me anymore.
He’s down on one knee, holding up a ring. It’s simple, but beautiful. Gold, with a row of tiny studded diamonds sparkling under the TV lights.
It’s intimate. Close. Solid.
Just like my music.
Just like us.
“Reese, will you marry me?” Eli asks over the din. His pulse beats at his throat, and I know he’d rather have done this alone, with just the two of us. In fact, I’m surprised he didn’t.
“Eli,” I whisper. “You didn’t have to do this to propose.”
“But I did,” he says.
I have to bend down to hear him.
“If there’s one thing I want the world to know, it’s that we’re for real, and we’re for forever. If you’ll have me.”
I laugh, tears blurring my vision, understanding now.
We only told a few people we weren’t really a couple at first. Nora. Michelle. Seamus.
Griffin already knew somehow, of course.
But no one else knows.
Now, there’s no hiding, no pretending.
This is Eli acting as intensely as he does, but in the best possible way.
This is love, pure, true, and for everyone to see.
“So…” Eli clears his throat. “Can you say yes?”
I laugh, throwing my head back, then dropping to my knees across from him. “Yes, Eli. It’s always yes with you, and I want the world to know, too.”
Then I throw my arms around my man again.
“This is better than sex, Eli,” I whisper in his ear.
“Yeah,” he agrees. “But just barely.”
Thank you for reading Sing With Me!