Cover Me
Chapter 21
“April, there’s no need to be scared. You’ll go out there and show them what you’re made off.” Josh kissed her forehead and headed towards the stage. She’d been feeling sick all day long. Even the day before. And now it was time to face the crowd. She knew that Josh believed in her and that gave her strength. Still, she thought she’d faint any minute now. She took a deep breath when Josh announced her.
“Good evening Chicago! My name is Josh and we will begin our set in a few minutes. Before that we’ve got a special treat for you. This is her first appearance in front of a crowd this big and she will wow you with her voice. She’s a dear friend, a wonderful singer and songwriter. Please welcome: April Duncan!”
Taking a deep breath, she took her guitar, made sure everything was plugged in and walked on stage. Only when she was in front of the microphone did she face the crowd. Her heartbeat sped up even more, but she had to stay cool and start singing. She would address the crowd after her first song. It was a good start because they were still fired up. If she talked now, they’d probably get disinterested. She didn’t have that much to say, only a few words, but still. And so she closed her eyes, struck the first notes on her guitar and started singing her little heart out.
Her time on stage was soon over. She thanked the people there and practically ran off stage. Her heart was beating so hard and fast that she thought it would jump right out of her chest. She’d survived this and the crowd had cheered her on. They were still clapping now. Unbelievable.
“Josh!” April squeaked as soon as she saw him. She practically jumped into his arms, full of adrenaline. “I did it!”
“And they love you!” He squeezed her tight, grinning from ear to ear. “I told you, you can do it.”
He didn’t have much time, because he had to be on stage himself. Finally April would be able to eat something. She hadn’t had more than a piece of toast all day. And that had been this morning at nine because she had forced herself to eat at least something. Now she could sit down backstage and listen to the music until it was her turn again at the end of the concert.
Josh had been so excited about her song. They’d practiced it every day since she’d shown it to him. The rest of A Promise Kept also loved the song and they’d come up with a really nice arrangement to accompany the text. It sounded a little different from her original version, but it was better this way. Her version had only been with an acoustic guitar. Now they had an acoustic and an electric guitar, a bass and a drum set.
Jonathan sighed, when he saw Patrick’s face flash on the screen of his mobile phone. What could he possibly want? He was supposed to be on a date with Haley. They were at a concert. At least he hoped they were. He knew that Haley had to cover the show and Patrick should accompany her. He’d been looking forward to it, so Jonny would be surprised if Patrick really hadn’t gone and left Haley alone.
“Hello?” he said when he finally took the call.
“Jonny? You’ve got to get your ass to the House of Blues NOW: April’s on stage.”
He didn’t have to be told twice. He ended the call immediately, jumped up from the sofa and put on his boots and coat. One quick look in the mirror was enough for him to head straight out the door. He looked decent, even though dark stubble covered his chin, jaw and cheeks. But he didn’t have time to shave now. He might get there too late and miss April again. He couldn’t risk that. Before he hopped in his car, he read Patrick’s message.
He drove like the devil to get there, jumped out of his car and ran straight to the securities Patrick had described. He thanked them and went to look for Patrick and Haley. They were exactly where the security had said they’d be. But April was gone from the stage. He told them both that he’d go towards the stage. After all, they were on a date and he shouldn’t interrupt their time together. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t a real date. He’d brought them together so that Haley could pose as his girlfriend so that the management left him alone. Better than having a reporter following him everywhere every day.
Jonathan looked around, but he couldn’t make Haley out anywhere. She was probably backstage, but he couldn’t get anywhere near there right now. So he decided to enjoy the show and look for her afterwards. And then it happened. The singer called her name once again.
When Josh called her on stage this time, she wasn’t scared anymore. She’d survived all by herself, so performing with the band would be easier. She was still excited though. This time she left her guitar behind and only needed the microphone.
“This is our last song. April wrote it for a very special person, who’ll probably never know that this song is about him, but maybe this message reached him somehow. She’ll kill me for saying this.” Oh, damn. He was right. This was something only Joshua knew. Music was one way to express her thoughts and feelings, but not everybody needed to know who this was about. Chances were good that that one person wouldn’t find out. “He saved her and I’m glad he did this.”
Joshua smiled one last time at April before he started playing the guitar and sang along to the music. April closed her eyes for a few seconds to enjoy this moment. Having Josh sing her song in front of so many people. She joined him in the chorus, her eyes locked on him, but then she looked out over the crowd. And then came the most important part to her.
Everything they see
Is just a funny girl
What they cannot see
Is what’s inside of me
You’re the only one
That sees behind the curtain
You say: I’ll protect you, hun,
This one thing is certain
When they were finished the whole crowd erupted in applause and loud cheers again. Joshua, bold as he was, pushed April forward to show her off to the audience. They thanked everyone who was there and walked behind the stage.
What had just happened? Was it possible that April had written this song about him? It couldn’t be. Or could it? The song was beautiful and so was April. She blossomed on stage. This woman was unbelievable.
When he could finally think straight again, he headed to the securities again and gave them an explanation. He told them that April was a friend whom he hadn’t seen in a long time. It helped that he was Jonathan Toews, so they didn’t have a problem with letting him go through.
And then he saw her, but stopped dead in his tracks. She was plastered to the front of the singer. Probably the guy Sharpie had mentioned on the phone. They were both laughing until the guy saw him. The corners of his lips curled up in a smile and he said something to April. Then she turned around and looked him straight in the eye. His could feel a knot in his stomach, his heart picking up its pace once again. But he couldn’t say what that look on April’s face meant.
“Jonny!” Her voice was barely audible when she stopped right in front of him. Her cheeks blushed at the sight of him.
“Good evening Chicago! My name is Josh and we will begin our set in a few minutes. Before that we’ve got a special treat for you. This is her first appearance in front of a crowd this big and she will wow you with her voice. She’s a dear friend, a wonderful singer and songwriter. Please welcome: April Duncan!”
Taking a deep breath, she took her guitar, made sure everything was plugged in and walked on stage. Only when she was in front of the microphone did she face the crowd. Her heartbeat sped up even more, but she had to stay cool and start singing. She would address the crowd after her first song. It was a good start because they were still fired up. If she talked now, they’d probably get disinterested. She didn’t have that much to say, only a few words, but still. And so she closed her eyes, struck the first notes on her guitar and started singing her little heart out.
Her time on stage was soon over. She thanked the people there and practically ran off stage. Her heart was beating so hard and fast that she thought it would jump right out of her chest. She’d survived this and the crowd had cheered her on. They were still clapping now. Unbelievable.
“Josh!” April squeaked as soon as she saw him. She practically jumped into his arms, full of adrenaline. “I did it!”
“And they love you!” He squeezed her tight, grinning from ear to ear. “I told you, you can do it.”
He didn’t have much time, because he had to be on stage himself. Finally April would be able to eat something. She hadn’t had more than a piece of toast all day. And that had been this morning at nine because she had forced herself to eat at least something. Now she could sit down backstage and listen to the music until it was her turn again at the end of the concert.
Josh had been so excited about her song. They’d practiced it every day since she’d shown it to him. The rest of A Promise Kept also loved the song and they’d come up with a really nice arrangement to accompany the text. It sounded a little different from her original version, but it was better this way. Her version had only been with an acoustic guitar. Now they had an acoustic and an electric guitar, a bass and a drum set.
Jonathan sighed, when he saw Patrick’s face flash on the screen of his mobile phone. What could he possibly want? He was supposed to be on a date with Haley. They were at a concert. At least he hoped they were. He knew that Haley had to cover the show and Patrick should accompany her. He’d been looking forward to it, so Jonny would be surprised if Patrick really hadn’t gone and left Haley alone.
“Hello?” he said when he finally took the call.
“Jonny? You’ve got to get your ass to the House of Blues NOW: April’s on stage.”
He didn’t have to be told twice. He ended the call immediately, jumped up from the sofa and put on his boots and coat. One quick look in the mirror was enough for him to head straight out the door. He looked decent, even though dark stubble covered his chin, jaw and cheeks. But he didn’t have time to shave now. He might get there too late and miss April again. He couldn’t risk that. Before he hopped in his car, he read Patrick’s message.
He drove like the devil to get there, jumped out of his car and ran straight to the securities Patrick had described. He thanked them and went to look for Patrick and Haley. They were exactly where the security had said they’d be. But April was gone from the stage. He told them both that he’d go towards the stage. After all, they were on a date and he shouldn’t interrupt their time together. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t a real date. He’d brought them together so that Haley could pose as his girlfriend so that the management left him alone. Better than having a reporter following him everywhere every day.
Jonathan looked around, but he couldn’t make Haley out anywhere. She was probably backstage, but he couldn’t get anywhere near there right now. So he decided to enjoy the show and look for her afterwards. And then it happened. The singer called her name once again.
When Josh called her on stage this time, she wasn’t scared anymore. She’d survived all by herself, so performing with the band would be easier. She was still excited though. This time she left her guitar behind and only needed the microphone.
“This is our last song. April wrote it for a very special person, who’ll probably never know that this song is about him, but maybe this message reached him somehow. She’ll kill me for saying this.” Oh, damn. He was right. This was something only Joshua knew. Music was one way to express her thoughts and feelings, but not everybody needed to know who this was about. Chances were good that that one person wouldn’t find out. “He saved her and I’m glad he did this.”
Joshua smiled one last time at April before he started playing the guitar and sang along to the music. April closed her eyes for a few seconds to enjoy this moment. Having Josh sing her song in front of so many people. She joined him in the chorus, her eyes locked on him, but then she looked out over the crowd. And then came the most important part to her.
Everything they see
Is just a funny girl
What they cannot see
Is what’s inside of me
You’re the only one
That sees behind the curtain
You say: I’ll protect you, hun,
This one thing is certain
When they were finished the whole crowd erupted in applause and loud cheers again. Joshua, bold as he was, pushed April forward to show her off to the audience. They thanked everyone who was there and walked behind the stage.
What had just happened? Was it possible that April had written this song about him? It couldn’t be. Or could it? The song was beautiful and so was April. She blossomed on stage. This woman was unbelievable.
When he could finally think straight again, he headed to the securities again and gave them an explanation. He told them that April was a friend whom he hadn’t seen in a long time. It helped that he was Jonathan Toews, so they didn’t have a problem with letting him go through.
And then he saw her, but stopped dead in his tracks. She was plastered to the front of the singer. Probably the guy Sharpie had mentioned on the phone. They were both laughing until the guy saw him. The corners of his lips curled up in a smile and he said something to April. Then she turned around and looked him straight in the eye. His could feel a knot in his stomach, his heart picking up its pace once again. But he couldn’t say what that look on April’s face meant.
“Jonny!” Her voice was barely audible when she stopped right in front of him. Her cheeks blushed at the sight of him.
2/5/13