Fernandez turns to one of the women in the crowd. She looks to be in her mid-twenties, with blond hair and shiny lip gloss. She wears her Patron Saint Virginia T-shirt with the sleeves rolled up and fiddles with her stack of bracelets.
FERNANDEZ:Hello there. What’s your name?
KELLY LATIMER:Kelly Latimer.
FERNANDEZ:Kelly, what brings you to the arena tonight?
LATIMER:My older sister and I flew in from Indiana to support the Saints. We love their music. We’re devastated they’re breaking up, but we really wanted to show them what they’ve meant to us. Even though we can’t go inside the Grammys, we wanted to be here for their last performance.
She tugs on her shirt.
LATIMER:And we wanted Hannah to know we’ll remember Ginny. That’s the reason behind the shirts.
FERNANDEZ:What does your sign mean?
Latimer turns her sign so it faces the camera. It reads “Virginia, You Will Live Forever.”
LATIMER:All the quotes on our signs are lyrics from the Saints’ new album. We want them to know we hear them loud and clear.
FERNANDEZ:That’s lovely. Thank you.
She turns to an older woman on her left, with clear-framed glasses and a shock of white hair.
FERNANDEZ:And your name?
SUSAN BEARD:Susan Beard.
FERNANDEZ:Susan, did you discover the Patron Saint Virginia campaign on Twitter?
BEARD:TikTok, actually. My daughter introduced me to their music, and I love what Hannah Cortland stands for. She shows young women that you can be flawed and messy and still talented. You don’t have to be perfect to be powerful. You can pull yourself out of the dark.
She glances at the young woman next to her, who grins nervously at the camera.
BEARD:My daughter and I drove up from San Diego to show Hannah she isn’t alone.
FERNANDEZ:Thank you so much, Susan.
Fernandez turns back to the camera and squares herself in the frame, flashing a megawatt smile.
FERNANDEZ: As you can hear, the enthusiasm from fans of the Future Saints is quite moving. We hope the band can feel the love as they head into what’s an absolutely tremendous night for them, with their first-ever Grammy nominations and award show performance. Back to you in the studio, Ryan.
Chapter 61
Hannah
Sunday, February 2, 2025
The lights dim in the stadium. The ambient noise of twenty thousand people, stacked from the floor to the rafters, settles into an eerie hush. Offstage, Kenny, Ripper, and I stand in a circle, holding hands.
“May the rock gods bless us,” Kenny whispers, “and allow us to connect to the infinite collective.” His hand trembles. I squeeze it hard.
“Amen,” Ripper says.
“Amen,” I repeat. A spotlight flares in the middle of the pitch-black stage, illuminating a single microphone, which means it’s time. The Future Saints will play our first performance for the Grammys, our last for the world. One night in my old life, then back to the new.
“I love you both,” Ripper says.
“Always,” Kenny agrees.
