Sheet Music - A Rock 'n' Roll Love Story

Lacey smiled and patted him on the cheek.  “She’s a professional, right?  When she feels the heat from the lights and hears the crowd, everything will fall into place.”

He nodded nervously.  “Yeah.  You’re right.”

The procession stopped by the stage stairs and waited for the introduction of the band.  Then came the stomping and then the cheers.  Michael smiled broadly at Annie and winked.

“Okay, take your places,” the stage manager directed.

One last kiss on the lips and Michael sent a terrified Annie on her way.  “Have fun,” he shouted.  “I’ll be right here.”

The lights came up, instruments were strapped on and the bass drum began an intro beat that the rest of the band quickly jumped on.  Lacey looked over at Annie and nodded, counting off a one, two, three count.  Then together they began the opening song of the night.  It was an old Lace standard.  Every fan in the audience knew the words to it and sang along.  The crowd immediately rose to their feet and roared their appreciation.  Annie was gone, lost in a sea of adulation.  All Michael could do was smile with pride.

“Hey, how’s it going?” Brian asked, jabbing Michael in the ribs.

Michael turned around and saw all his band mates standing beside Brian.  “Thanks for coming, guys.”

“We wouldn’t have missed this,” they all replied.

After the third song, Annie peeled off her long opera gloves in a slow seductive way that had every man in the theater howling catcalls.  She swung them over her head and tossed them into the audience.

“Hmmm, the girl might have missed her true calling,” Brian chuckled in Michael’s ear.  “She’d make a great pole dancer.”

“Only for me,” Michael replied with confidence.  Inside, he was overflowing with happiness that it would be him that had the privilege to take her home that night and every night to follow.

Annie came to the side stage and took another guitar from the technician.  Then before heading back to center stage, she stopped and gave Michael a quick kiss.

“You’re doing great, babe,” Michael reassured.

“You’re on fire,” Brian added.

Annie couldn’t hide the smile that ebbed across her face when she noticed all the guys in Michael’s band standing with him behind the curtain.  She was amazed they had all thought enough of her to come see her opening night show.  She gave them all a wave and mouthed the words ‘thank you for coming’.  Then she ran back to take her place beside Lacey.  Annie plugged into her guitar amp and dragged her fingers loosely across the strings sending a shrill twang out into the crowd.

“Good evening people,” Lacey began.  “I’d like to take a minute to introduce someone special.  Standing beside me and singing her pretty little ass off for you tonight is Annie Logan!”

Annie waved to the audience and was nearly blown away from the noise they were creating in her honor.

“Way to go, Annie!” A voice screamed at her from the front row.  Annie’s eyes instinctively followed the voice and stopped dead center, in the first row of seats behind a burly row of security guards.  Then one by one, she spotted Gary, Buzz and Ivory waving back at her.  Tears quickly filled her eyes as she waved back at them.  Then her attention shifted to Michael.  Touching her heart and blowing him a kiss, she thanked him.

“Annie has been kind enough to fill in for Taylor while she is recuperating after her recent surgery,” Lacey announced to the audience. “Taylor is doing fine and she thanks you for all your cards and well-wishes you’ve been sending to her.  She’ll be back as soon as she can, but, until then, Annie is going to rock your worlds!”

Like a cannon ball being launched into the sky, Lace, catapulted into their fourth song.  Annie gave everything she had and then some.  No one was more pleased than Michael.  Like a proud teacher witnessing the awakening of his best student, he reveled in her success.  When it was over, he was the first to congratulate her triumph.

The back stage dressing room was over flowing with photographers, reporters, family and friends.  The congratulatory sentiments were overwhelming to Annie.  It was something she had never experienced before and she was unsure of how to handle the attention.  An hour into the meet and greet session, Michael stopped the endless procession into the room.  Then he invited her friends back to their hotel suite for an after-party in her honor.

Michael had three limousines waiting to take them and their guests back to their hotel suite for the party.  Michael and Annie rode alone in one limo, while the other two vehicles transported their guests.

Annie sighed loudly as soon as the door of the car closed, blocking out the noise of the busy city street.  Finally, they were alone.  She rested her head back against the cool leather seat.