Chapter 48
Six weeks later, the Hollywood Bowl.
Billy and the others all jumped to their feet, clapping and whooping as the last song ended.
They occupied two boxes, front and center, each box made up of four seats. In one was Peter, Damian, Emma, and Ronan, the latter two glued at the hip. In the other box were Billy, Stone, Tessa, and Ben.
It wouldn’t be long now before they’d all be busy with the filming of Peter’s next movie, in which Damian would be making his big comeback. But tonight was Mari Chen and Hattie’s night.
On stage, Mari bowed, then waved for Hattie to join her from the piano where she was sitting. The concert had been filled with Mari’s greatest hits, the sold-out crowd mesmerized by every minute.
“Thank you all for making this a night to remember!” Mari gushed, her voice booming over the speakers. She then turned to Hattie. “I don’t know about you, Hattie, but I’m not ready for it to end.”
If the crowd had been whipped up before, they were in a frenzy now.
“How about one more song,” Mari said to enthusiastic approval.
“Just one?” Hattie asked playfully.
“We’ll see how it goes.”
The crowd loved that.
“One of the new ones?” Hattie asked.
A collective gasp swept through the Bowl.
There had been rumors on the internet for weeks that Mari was in a recording studio, working on a new album, but nothing had been made official yet.
With a twinkle in her eye, Mari said, “Are you talking about the songs we wrote and recorded together, for the album that…” She paused dramatically. This was the moment the whole night had been leading up to. “…will be dropping at midnight tonight?”
The crowd went wild.
This was news only a select few had known, mostly those sitting in the Centurion Pictures box seats.
“Or do you mean one from the album that will be out a month from now?”
The roar of the crowd was the loudest of the night.
“You know which song I want to play,” Hattie said.
“Oh, I do,” Mari replied.
They shared a smile, then Hattie retook her place at the piano. One of the stage crew brought out a stool for Mari to sit on, while another brought her an acoustic guitar.
She strummed a few chords, then leaned into her mic. “This one’s called ‘The Wind.’ ”
A rhythmic whooshing began playing over the speakers.
“Is that…” Ronan whispered loud enough for the group to hear.
“I think it is,” Billy replied.
“If you mean the turbine blades, it is,” Emma said matter-of-factly. “I helped them record it. I even got a songwriting credit.”
Those in their boxes who weren’t already looking at her turned to stare.
Tessa said, “You know if this is a hit, and it’s Mari Chen so it absolutely will be, you’re going to be rich.”
“I’m already rich,” Emma said.
In the response to the confused faces, Ronan said, “She finalized financing for her Fluxibrator start-up.”
“It’s not a Fluxibrator,” Emma said.
Mari’s soulful voice cut off any further conversation, which Billy thought was probably for the best.