Page 133 of The Wedding Favor

I took one last look in the mirror, smoothed my hair down, and told my hands to stop shaking.

Then I headed backstage to await the talent portion.

FIFTY-SEVEN

“The people we love are always worth it.”

—excerpt from the unpublished memoir,

Darling, I Must Say by Gloria Hayes

“And singing ‘You are My Sunshine,’ Iris Sampson.”

I didn’t move. I couldn’t move. My feet had grown roots and planted themselves right there in front of the stairs to the stage. I’d just live there forever now.

Yessica appeared by my side, looking concerned. “You need to go up the stairs.”

I grabbed her shoulders. “I can’t do this. What was I thinking?”

“The time for thinking is over,” she said, putting her arm through mine. She took a step up and I followed. “This is the time for doing.” Another step.

My legs were shaking. “I’m going to puke.”

“That’s fine. You can do that after you sing.” Step.

“Will you still be my friend after I make an absolute fool of myself?”

She grinned and pulled me up another step. “Proudly.”

Somehow, we’d made it to the stage. “How did we get up here? Are you a witch?”

“Obviously.” She let go of my arm and gave me a not-so gentle shove. “Go get ’em.”

Suddenly, I was on the stage. Someone thrust a microphone in my hand. Oh, my word, so many people were looking at me. I scanned the audience until I found Mom, Mae and Lulu, who was dancing around excitedly. There was Ellie and Gil, and right there next to Ali were Abe and Hallie and Mr. and Mrs. Ramos. Seeing them made me relax just a bit.

I could do this. Probably.

Mrs. Fox, who was the First Baptist Church pianist and had been for as long as I could remember, was playing the piano for the pageant. I looked to her and she gave a small nod. Ready?

I shrugged. Sure?

She plucked out an intro to the song and then it was time for me to sing. I tried, really I did. I opened my mouth and whatever sound I made, it wasn’t human. A few people laughed. Mrs. Fox stopped and looked to me again. Let’s start over.

My palms were sweaty and I almost dropped the microphone. “Sorry.”

A few more giggles.

The second time, I got the first line out in something that sounded more like a frog’s mating call. I couldn’t do this. More laughter. Mrs. Fox stopped playing again.

I cleared my throat and tried to smile. Quickly, I scanned the audience. Mom, Mae, both wearing identical looks of secondhand embarrassment. Ali gave me a thumbs up. Ellie yelled, “You got this.” But the person I wanted to see the most was just… gone. Had he left? Would he just do that in the middle of all this?

Then something strange happened. The crowd began to murmur and point. Not at me, at something behind me. I whipped around. It wasn’t something, it was someone.

Abe, standing on the stage, holding an unfamiliar guitar.

“I’m not sure I can do this,” I whispered in a panic. The murmur of the crowd quieted.

“Yes, you can,” he said with all the confidence in the world. “I’ll do it with you, okay?”