“Yeah, right,” Mitch said. “You won’t find me up there.”
Evie looped her arm around his and began sweet-talking in his ear, but he brushed her off.
“I’m game,” Evie said. “Is there a song we could do as a group, maybe?” Her inquisitive look bounced back and forth between all of us but landed on me.
“There’s a bunch. I already put one in for the four of us. I was hoping you would all be down to do it.”
Her hands went together in prayer formation as she twisted toward Maryellen. Mare shook her head at her best friend, but Evie was persistent and not above begging. She eventually got her to agree to doing a group song later in the night.
Evie turned her attention back to Mitch and tried to convince him to join us. That was when the screech of the microphone hushed the entire bar.
“Welcome!” the host yelled. The crowd roared, cheered, and clapped. These nights at Iggy’s were no joke. Many people who came here took it seriously. Tonight was just for fun. Voting nights were cutthroat.
My adrenaline soared when I stepped onto a stage. It helped my anxiety slip away. While I sang, even other people’s words, it made everything else disappear.
I dreamt of a day I could sing my own words on a stage.
For now, this would have to do.
“Who’s ready for some karaoke?”
The host, Jerry, did his thing, getting the crowd riled up. It worked on Maryellen and Evie as they screamed along with the people surrounding us. I enjoyed watching her let loose and have fun. So much of our time together in the office she’s on high alert and walking on eggshells. It gave me a tiny glimpse into what I knew we could have if she let us.
“Look!” Maryellen screamed. She pointed to the screen on the side of the board. It was the schedule for the first hour and I was number eight. “That’s you, Chase!”
She turned toward the table, lifting her arms as if to come to my side. But she quickly slapped them to her sides, remembering where we were. I could still feel her excitement for me as she gave me a toothy, wide grin that made her eyes twinkle, she was giddy.
“What are you singing?” she asked.
Most of my downtime this week had been spent trying to figure that out. I wanted the song I sang tonight, with her here, to be a perfect choice. I knew my range and the artists I should choose from. But I also wanted the song to have some meaning for us.
“It’s a surprise,” I told her with a wink.
Maryellen’s attention was pulled back to the stage as the first singer took the microphone. She was a regular and would no doubt impress the crowd. So many of the people who came here were extremely talented.
When she sang the first line of her song, a hush came over the crowd. She commanded their attention with her rendition. Everyone swayed to her voice, some singing along. And when she finished, it was a standing ovation.
Maryellen clapped hard and long. “See, that’s why I should never be on stage doing karaoke. She’s amazing, and I can’t carry a note.”
“Don’t you worry, there are plenty of non-singers that get up there, too,” I said.
Sure enough, up next was a group of girls singing Donna Summer’s “I Will Survive.” They were off-key, out of tune, and having the time of their lives up there. Everyone in the bar sang along with them, especially the chorus. Maryellen and Evie were out of their seats, singing at the top of their lungs.
We continued hanging out, talking, singing along, and drinking during the next several songs. Mitch even loosened up and sang a few lines here and there. Eventually, act seven was on stage, which meant I was next. I moved to the side where the host stood, and he gave me a nod. We were familiar with each other considering how often I came here.
I was taking a chance with the song I chose for tonight. Of course, I had my good ole standbys I went with most of the time, but those wouldn’t do. My concern was this one wasn’t like the songs that got the crowd rowdy and dancing. It was not that well-known and could shift the mood.
It was my turn.
I walked on stage and gripped the mic in its stand. My eyes scanned the crowd, but only for a moment. They focused on her almost instantly.
When the haunting melody began, the entire bar quieted. Most were listening intently while others whispered to their neighbors. I’m sure they were wondering why I changed my song. It created a different atmosphere compared to every song performed so far.
There was no sing-along. Instead, they were mesmerized by the words I belted out.
The words had meaning. From me to her.
Her attention on me was constant. She sat frozen in her seat, unmoving.
