Playing at Love (19 page)

“Good night,” she said, starting to back inside.

Jack nodded once. “Good night, Tess.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Tess tossed and turned all night. First she dreamed that Penny suddenly contracted laryngitis. Then there was the nightmare that someone sold the new show choir costumes on eBay. But the worst was when she dreamed that she had forgotten altogether that today was the day of the Regionals competition—the day they’d been preparing for all semester. After that, Tess finally rolled out of bed to take a run before starting the long-awaited, pivotal day.

Penny sat in the passenger seat as Tess drove her own car behind the school bus carrying the rest of the choir. It was only a forty-five-minute drive to Indianapolis, but for Tess—and probably for Penny—it felt longer than a Celine Dion concert.

She hadn’t felt nerves like this since her audition for
Carousel
when she was seventeen. And since
she
wasn’t the one with the big solo today, she knew Penny must be even more nervous.

Tess still regretted that the choir hadn’t been able to compete at Invitationals, just to get them extra geared up for Regionals. But believe it or not, her team was ready.

“My parents are coming,” Penny said while chewing on her thumbnail.

“Oh, cool!” Tess acted pleasantly surprised, even though she wasn’t. This was the biggest singing event Penny had ever competed in; of course her parents were coming.

“Mine are, too,” Tess added, adjusting her visor as they drove into the morning sun.

“Even though you’re not really singing?” Penny asked, pulling her hand from her mouth.

“They like to be supportive,” Tess explained. “That is, unless there happens to be a
Cheers
marathon on TV. They won’t step foot outside the house if
Cheers
is on.”

“Really?” Penny said. “What’s
Cheers
?”

Tess turned to look at the young girl blinking at her, and she almost laughed.

“Anyway,” Tess said, “when we get to the venue, you catch up with the rest of the group while I check us in. Each school has its own section in the overflow behind the stage. There will be a big sign on the wall with our name on it. Our spot will be right underneath.”

“We don’t get our own rehearsal room?” Penny asked, sounding alarmed.

“No one does,” Tess said. “And anyway, rehearsal time is over, right, kiddo?”

When she glanced at Penny, she noticed how pale she’d gone.

The girl nodded, then slowly turned to stare out the windshield, her thumbnail back between her teeth.

“Our spot will be a place to hang out and relax and warm up before each round,” Tess continued, knowing that the more information Penny had, the calmer she would feel once they arrived. “The first round is at ten. It’s alphabetical so we’ll be pretty near the front of the line.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Penny lower her hand.

“If we move on to round two, that’s after lunch. The semifinals are at three and the finals usually start around seven. Any questions?”

“‘If’?” Penny said after a moment.

“What?” Tess asked, turning to her. “What was that?”

“You said
if
, Jo…
if
we make it to the next round.”

Tess stared at her, dumbfounded.

“It’s
when
,” Penny continued. “
When
we move on to round two and the semis and the finals. And it’s
when
we
win
.
When
.”

“When?” Tess asked.

“When,”
Penny confirmed.

Tess saw that eye-of-the-tiger expression on Penny’s face, just like that first night when she’d killed it on the football field. After a nod, Tess broke into a grin. “Woo-hoo!” she cheered.

“Woo-hoooooo!” Penny echoed.

“When!”

“When!!!”

“When we win! When we win!” the two chanted, Tess punching the steering wheel in time while Penny stomped her feet. “When we win!”

After meeting her team at their designated spot, Tess left them to wander around. She couldn’t help hearing a few whispers as she passed certain groups. Yes, evidently the news from Rick’s revealing story had traveled far and Franklin High was the gossip of the competition.
This could be good for us
, Tess considered. If there were the right kind of buzz, the judges would be looking forward to seeing what they would do. They already had momentum without singing one note.

Tess grinned as an unexpected wave of optimism washed over her.

Franklin sailed through the first round. After a slight miscommunication, they almost missed their slot in round two. But they hit the stage just in time, complete with sequined bow ties and jazz hands.

The semifinals were the real test. It was the first that truly showcased Penny. In their earlier pieces, she had only been spotlighted, having a few more solos than the others. But for their next piece, the choir was the steady background to Penny’s a cappella solo. Choosing to cover the Beatles wasn’t particularly risky, but the Beatles
song
Tess had chosen? Well, that was where the risk was.

And it completely paid off.

All six judges were on their feet at the end of “Roll Over Beethoven.” One of the bass singers grabbed Penny, dipped her, and planted a huge kiss on her in front of everyone. Tess laughed and whooped along with the rest of the audience while silently making a note to discuss that with Penny later.

“Your kids are doing so well,” Tess’s mother said as they stood just outside one of the back doors. Tess had needed fresh air while the stage was being reset for the championship round. “Every time they sing, I just want to cry.”

“I feel a first place coming,” Dad added.

Tess couldn’t help grinning, though too superstitious to say she agreed. “I thought Charlie was coming,” she said instead.

“He was here,” Mom answered, turning up the collar of her jacket. “But he left about twenty minutes ago, right after your choir was on. He made me promise to record it on my phone, but I’m not sure how this darn thing—”

“Why did he leave?” Tess asked. When her mother didn’t answer, she touched her arm. “Is anything wrong?”

“Looks like rain is heading this way,” Mom said, looking up at the sky, ignoring Tess’s question.

Tess lifted her chin and saw the black clouds coming in from the south. “Mom,” she repeated, “why did Charlie leave?”

“Well, honey,” she said after a few moments, “he wanted to, um, be at the game.”

Tess stared at her. “You’re serious? He left my competition—the most important of my career—to go to a football game? Dad?”

Her father shrugged. “You know your brother used to play for Franklin when he was in high school. And it’s homecoming.”

“So what?”

“I don’t understand it, either,” her mother chimed in. “But that’s where he is. He said he was sorry and that he’ll make it up to you.”

Tess shook her head. “Well, he’s dead meat. So typical,” she muttered, mostly to herself, staring at the sky as the clouds rolled in. “He’s re-upping and leaving
me
here with—” She cut herself off, suddenly realizing what she’d been about to say.

“Tess, sweetie,” her father said. “Your mother and I need to talk to you about something.”

“Not tonight,” Mom said, poking her dad in the ribs. “You’ll make her worry.”

“What is it?” Tess said. “You have to tell me now, or I’ll think the worst.”

“See, she’s upset. We’ll talk about it later.”

“Dad,” Tess said, starting to panic. “Please.”

Her father nodded. “Well, we know how hard you and your brother have been working to help out with the house. We appreciate everything—we always have.” He touched Tess’s cheek.

“It’s no big deal,” Tess replied. “It’s what children are supposed to do for their parents.”

Her mother laughed quietly. “I think you’ve gone above and beyond.” She paused thoughtfully, then shot her husband a look. “We wanted to tell you when we were all together, but your father and I have been thinking about moving.”

“What?” Tess gasped. “Since when?”

“Well, we’ve always wanted to retire somewhere exotic. You know, like St. Petersburg or…Muncie.”

“Very exotic.” Tess laughed.

“We discussed it, and it’s going to be hard—”

“And sad,” Mom added.

“Yes, and sad,” Dad confirmed. “But we want to sell the house.”

Tess grabbed her mother’s hand and stared at her father. “Oh, don’t, please. I’m sorry I said anything.”

“We’ve been talking about it for years. And a few weeks ago…” He looked at his wife. “We checked out a little retirement spot near the lake.”

Tess stared at them. “So you’re…you’re selling the house?”

“If it’s okay with you,” her mom said.

“The house I grew up in?”

Her father chuckled. “You mean that money pit that we can unload at a profit and still have enough to repay you?”

“I can’t believe—”

“It’s a good thing, Tess,” her mom said, putting an arm around her. “It was a difficult decision, but it’s the right one. And we’re happy about it. But we’ll only do it if you’re on board, too. We know how much the house means to you.”

Tess thought for a moment and realized that it wasn’t the bricks and front hedges she would miss, it was the memories. But they weren’t tied to a location; they were in her heart and with her family. And seeing the way her parents were grinning at each other, like they were about to start a whole new adventure together, well, Tess couldn’t be anything but thrilled about that.

“Hmm,” she said with a genuine smile, “a house by the lake, you say?”

“Right on the water,” Dad confirmed with a twinkle in his eyes. “I might start fishing again.”

“Well, in
that
case!”

But that was all Tess had time to get out. One of the FHS parent chaperones was tapping on the glass door—Tess was needed inside. The finals of the Regional competition were about to start. She gave both of her parents one last hug before returning to her group.

Even though pretty much the whole Midwestern show choir community was up to speed with the budget situation Franklin was facing, Tess didn’t think the judges would take that into consideration when they made their final decisions. And that was the way it should be. Even if that meant the end of the program.

“When we win,” Penny whispered to Tess then winked, right as the choir was about to take the stage. Tess was awestruck by her poise and wondered if Penny was nervous at all. If anyone was deserving of the scholarship Rick Duffy was offering, it was her.

Just before the curtains opened, Penny turned around from her place at the front and opened her arms, giving the entire choir a silent group hug. Tess felt tears behind her eyes, realizing—not for the first time—how incredibly special this group of kids was.

And then the curtains opened. Do-or-die time.

Tess could not have asked her team for a better showing. Not only was everyone on and the energy high, but there was something else: that X factor people talk about but can never really describe, something special that only happens once in a lifetime, if you’re lucky. Perfection.

She had no doubt that Franklin had first place in the bag…

…Right up until Walnut High School, the very last performance of the night. About twenty seconds into their piece, Tess grabbed a program and flipped to the information page for that school. Her jaw dropped open as she read all the accomplishments of their choir director, a Juilliard alum who still taught there during the summer. Her heart plummeted further as she looked up and stared at the choir taking complete control of that stage.

“Do-or-die,” she whispered, closing her eyes and wringing the program between her hands.

Twenty minutes later, the whole auditorium was on their feet as the final awards were about to be announced. With one arm around Mac and one around Penny, Tess was giving the guise of supportive fearless leader, but really, she needed them to help her stay upright. It all came down to this. Either they got first prize or the program was lost.

“You did so great,” Tess whispered into Penny’s ear as they bounced up and down in anticipation.

“It’s us,” Penny said over the noise of the crowd, looking up at Tess.

Tess could only smile, hoping she was right.

When the MC stood behind the lectern, Tess’s stomach muscles tightened. “Third place…goes to…”

Tess closed her eyes, praying inside her head.

“Pleasant Valley High!”

Tess breathed out in relief then cheered with the rest of the crowd.

“Second place,” the MC went on, after adjusting his glasses, “goes to…”

Tess stared at his face, trying to anticipate the shape his mouth was about to take. It looked like it was forming into an
O
. That was good—the name of her school didn’t begin with the letter
O
. But when his top teeth touched the outside of his bottom lip, Tess knew, down to her toes, what he was about to say.

Her heart sank, and she knew it was over.

At an event the size of Regionals, there was absolutely no disgrace in coming in second place. Tess had never been an extreme competitor, but still, it was a devastation she would not be able to truly comprehend until she was alone in her car on the way back to Franklin.

She wrapped her arms around Penny, offering wholehearted congratulations as the audience cheered and clapped around them.

“I’m sorry,” Penny said, her bottom lip trembling.

“Sorry, Jo,” a teary-eyed alto said. And suddenly, Tess was surrounded by her choir, each offering an apology. Most of the girls were in tears.

“No!” Tess said, barely holding back her own sobs. “Don’t ever say that. I’m so damn proud of you guys. You have no idea!”

“But we lost,” a spiky-haired tenor said, pulling loose his red bow tie. “That means the choir won’t…”

A few of the girls started sobbing and hugging each other. Tess felt her own tears rolling down her cheeks. “It’s okay,” she said, offering hugs. “You guys did so great, better than I ever dreamed.” She put an arm around the closest two. “Yes, it totally sucks that we might lose the choir, but remember what you learned here and what we did during every class. Love music,
live
music…make it part of your world every day. Do that and you can’t help but be happy.”