Chapter 25 – I Want to Shake Them All
Ifound out her audition is being held at her university this afternoon, so racing from the airport to my apartment, I quickly showered and changed before heading here. Ready, patiently I wait, taking an empty seat at the top of the auditorium.
I haven’t seen Margo yet. Not since the night of the wedding.
She messaged me the day after to say she was going back to the city and told me she had an audition moved forward.
A little bit of hope spoke to me. Maybe there is something, maybe she finally sees it, I don’t know.
Whatever it is, I’m here. When she’s finished, she’ll see me and know I traveled back for her, and hopefully that’ll be enough. Hopefully, she’ll be able to see that I’m willing to support her no matter what she does.
I pray.
Nerves and butterflies spin my stomach, mixing together.
Even though it’s been only twenty-four hours since I last saw her, I can’t help but be excited, though at the same time, nervous for her, because I know how much this means to her. This could be her big break.
But I also know that if it goes wrong, that she is so talented, there’ll always be something else.
I see other musicians in the room getting their instruments from their cases. Listening to the streams of twinkles sounds as they tune them. The judges are sitting at the desk in front of the stage. There are four: two men, two women. I have no idea who they are, but they look important, and by the reactions from the other people in the room scuffling around them, not making eye contact, they must be a big deal.
I want to move closer to the stage so I can see her properly when it’s her turn, but I don’t want to make her more nervous than she probably already is. Wiping my hand on my face, I sigh. You can do this, Pearl. You can do this.
Little time elapses, a couple of people come on and play, then the clock strikes one, and she comes on stage, bowing gracefully before the piano.
She looks beautiful wearing a tight black dress and little black blazer over the top. I mean, if it was anyone else, they’d look like they’re going to a funeral, but she looks elegant, classy, like she owns that stage. Margo sits and doesn’t say anything. She lets music take over, she places one finger on the key then another, striking each one without fault.
I have no idea what it is, but it’s beautiful. She closes her eyes, the soft spotlight above her shining down on the keys and illuminating her face at the same time.
She’s completely absorbed in the music. Few more keys play, and it turns from classical to something I recognize. Leaning forward to the edge of my seat, I place my hands on the chair in front of me.
That’s our song, U2 “With or Without you.” She’s playing it flawlessly on the piano. It sounds better without the lyrics as she mingles it in with the song she was originally playing.
She’s playing our song, and she’s playing it fucking amazingly. I watch the judges looking backward and forward from the stage to the papers in front of them, and I want to go down there and shake them and say, “Are you listening to this, can you see how perfect my girl is?” This is her moment, and she’s doing it in style.
One lady stops writing, placing her pen down, crossing her hands in front of her and watching with pure intent. I look back at Pearl and can’t help wondering if she’s remembering our first dance as she plays.
When she finishes that last note out, I stupidly stand and start clapping, and the whole audience looks up toward me with a shocked expression. Whoever is controlling the spotlight that was on Pearl, flicks it up toward me lighting me up like a fucking Christmas tree as I clap away like an idiot.
But I’m so happy, I don’t care. I’m so proud of her. She played our song in her audition. Looking down at Margo on stage, still sitting in front of the piano, she’s got the biggest smile on her face. This is it.
Blowing her a kiss, she flips me the middle finger, and I’ve come to learn that’s her way of telling me she cares too. I turn and walk out the top doors. I’m gonna go find my girl.