Chapter 26 – Bean There Café
Leaving the stage, happy tears streaming down my cheeks, gone is that horrible knot in my stomach.
I did what Mr. D told me to do; I played from the heart.
I’ve always loved “Romantic Piano Solo” by DS Productions; it was a no-brainer that it was going to be the piece I played today, but then I decided that although part of me loves piano, another part of me loves who I am when I’m with Colton. I didn’t think he would ever turn up, so I played the song we shared during our first dance too.
I’m so proud of myself.
When I stopped and heard clapping and whooping, and then the spotlight moved over to his stupidly handsome face, that toothy dimpled grin plastered on it, it was like coming home.
He was so happy, happy for me, and yeah, I was a little shocked, he left his best friend’s wedding, granted, it was over, but still, he left, and he came back to the city for me. It got me thinking, maybe I can have my dream and have the guy. Maybe that is possible.
I leave the stage to go find him. I need to see him.
Whatever the outcome is, if I get in or if I don’t, I know this is my calling.
It doesn’t take me long to find him, his body is propped up against the wall just off the stage.
“I just need as much of you as I can get my hands on.” My cheeks blaze and I run toward him.
“Whatever you say, Deep Browns, just shut up and kiss me.” I wink at him, jumping into his outstretched arms, then wrap my legs around his waist.
Moving my hair from my face and tucking it behind my ears, he says, “Darling, you’re a nightmare, but lucky for you, I can work with that.”
“So, I guess we could go on a date.” I smile, and he laughs.
“Thank fuck for that.”
******
After we had a little talk, and when I say talk, we might have, you know, done a little more than talking, I rang Hadley and told her everything that happened.
She informed me that Mr. D had called Dad and told him last week about my audition, and they’d booked the flight out. I stood in shock. They were all here too. They watched my audition.
Screaming and shouting at Hadley to tell me where she was, I gasp as they all come flying around the corner. Dad is first to sweep me into a bear hug, then Hadley and Mum. And Billie was here too wrapped up in the arms of her dad; they were all there. They all came for me. Mum was doing the usual thing, crying, and fussing over us all.
And then the weirdest thing happened. I looked over to Dad, he and Colton and were actually talking, they weren’t fighting, which is not how it went down with Hadley and her husband. He had a couple of black eyes for weeks. Colton and Dad were laughing with each other, so I go over and tap my boyfriend on the shoulder. My dad wastes no time in asking,
“So, Fight Club, how long have you two known each other?”
Colton and I share a look, his eyes twinkling with mischievousness. My cheeks burn bright red. And I tell Dad we should talk about it over milkshakes. Billie jumps up and down screaming, “Milkshakes” over and over. She can’t form sentences yet, but milkshakes are a winner for her.
We follow Colton to the best place in the city—Bean There Café. The cafe we first went to.
We all chatted for ages, and Hallie and Logan surprised us by turning up too.
I cried when I hugged Hallie, and explained to Mum they just got married a couple of days ago and were supposed to be in the honeymoon period in Barbados. Hallie engulfed me into another hug.
“We are so sorry we missed your audition, we tried to get back as soon as we could. When we spoke to Colton this morning and found out, we wanted to make sure we were here.”
“You didn’t have to come, none of you,” I say, looking around the table. Overcome with so much love for each of them.
“That’s what family does,” Logan adds, and tears spill out all over again. Dad jokes with Colton about whether I have any more tears left in me after today and how I’m now his problem.
“Well, so what did they say?” Max says as she comes flying through the doors.
I smile and suck in a deep breath. “Um, I don’t know yet. I have no idea.”
She’s not the only one walking in. Mr. D follows behind in his bright-red vest and stripy black-and-brown shirt underneath it.
My teacher walks up to me, smiling. “There you go.” He hands me a cream envelope, and I stare down at it, my heart rate picks up, then I feel his arm … My confidant pulling me into him. “You can do it,” he whispers in my ear.
I look around the table once more: Mum, Dad, Hadley, her husband, baby Billie, Hallie, Logan, Max, and Mr. D, my entire family is in this room … And my entire life is on this paper.
At least that’s what I would have been saying a week ago, but they all came for me. I prefer this magical version. I shakily rip open the envelope and pull out the letter. Colton puts his hand on the letter. “Whatever it is, baby, we got this.” “Don’t worry about it, Fight Club,” my dad adds.
“You got this, Tink”s,” Hadley chimes in.
This is it. I suck another breath in.
“Open the fucking letter already, God’s sake woman.” I laugh at Colton’s outburst. “I’m impatient.”
“You’re impatient.” I raise a brow, pulling the letter open.
“Yes, impatiently waiting for you to open that letter so we can get the answer that we know is already there, that you’re in the N-Y-C orchestra. And then we can get shakes. Look,
Bertie’s waiting on tender hooks over there. Come on, open the goddamn letter.” I look at Bertie who’s turned bright red, and I mouth a “Sorry” to him. “Okay.” I pull out the letter and in bold words at the top.
We are pleased to offer you a place as our head pianist in the New York City Symphony Orchestra.
…. Start in summer 2024!
I’m stunned to silence, and Colton’s hand interlocks with mine. “Dreams can come true,
Margo, I told you, take my hand and you’ll see what I mean.”
Smiling from ear to ear, I decide it’s time to tell him. “I fucking love you too.”