Page 104 of Rock Me

I calm myself, and pull her into me, squeezing her tight. "Because, I want to prove something to you."

"What's that?" she asks, her voice small and scared.

"That I don't underestimate people. And least of all you. You can do this." I kiss the top of her head. She can do this. I have no doubt in the world.

The sound of loud applause drowns out my words.

"Ready?”

"Hell,” she sighs.

"Good girl. You’re doing this for me," I add, to give her that last dose of motivation but I can tell from the way her shoulder pushes back and her heads tilt up, that she’s in. She really does have a set of double balls.

"Double hell,” she curses under her breath, and her hands grip the ukulele so tight, I can see the individual crevices of her knuckles.

The voice over the speakers have us turning to the stage from our spot in the wings.

"I'd like to introduce a very new friend of mine. Her name is Noémie, and she's going to join me on stage for this very special song. Noémie?"

She doesn't move, I look down at her feet and they’re rooted to the spot.

"Why don't we all give her a little encouragement!"

The cheers and claps fill our ears and I give her a soft kiss on the cheek and whisper into her ear, "For me, please."

She takes a breath and walks on to the stage.

A star.