The big night came and James was so tense that he could not stop pacing up and down a small room in the backstage area of the music hall. Rick appeared to be quite amused by his friend’s nervousness, teasing him every now and then. James was still having second thoughts about singing in public, but he owed it to Michelle to give it his best, just this once. In the three weeks they had spent working together, she had managed to change his opinion about her entirely. She relied on him; the last thing he wanted was to let her down.

“Alright,” Rick stated. “You need to stop. You’re making me dizzy.”

“I can’t help it.” James groaned, picking up a large, black hat from the dresser. “Are you sure this is going to hide my face?”

“You can always wear a trash bag.” Rick teased, smiling up at him. Yet, James’ glare wiped the smile off of his face.

“I am not amused.” He grumbled.

“Just relax, man.” Rick used a lazy tone. “It’s going to be alright.”

“What’s the attendance?” James inquired with a stiff voice.

“We have a full house,” Rick’s response was sharp. “There’re some people waiting outside, too.”

At that moment, a knock on the door grabbed their attention.

“It’s time.” James recognized Michelle’s voice. He cast one last glance at Rick and passed him by, as adrenaline rushed through his veins. The light-purple, ankle-long dress she had on drew his gaze.

“You look wonderful.” He complimented, joining her on the corridor. Michelle did not verbalize. She cupped his face in both of her hands, tilted her head up and kissed him on the cheek.

“Thank you.” She whispered, looking up into his eyes. “You’re the best mentor I’ve ever had. You’re all heart, James.”

“You made my job a lot easier.” James spoke in a soft voice, as she leaned back.

“Now…” She took a deep breath. “Let’s show them how it’s done. Are you ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” He smiled. Michelle returned the smile, before starting down the narrow corridor that led to the stage. By now, his heart was beating so fast that he could actually hear it.

“This is for Michelle; for the three weeks we spent working together.” He thought to himself, putting his hat on, as the exit got closer. The lights were dimmed, as Michelle walked on stage. A round of polite applause followed, as James locked his gaze down at the piano, too anxious to risk a glance at the crowd. Seating himself, he sucked in a deep, cleansing breath, as a massive spotlight was pointed down on her.

“Good evening everyone.” She spoke through her microphone. “This song is called ‘Olivia’. I hope you enjoy it. Three, two, one…”

James closed his eyes and put his hands on the piano keys, as Olivia’s smiling image flashed through his mind. The slow, melodic introduction filled the hall, sending shivers down his spine, just before Michelle’s deep, smoky voice joined in. Once more, James struggled to keep tears out of his eyes. He bit his lower lip, as melodious lyrics exploded out of her mouth. With her eyes closed, Michelle sang with passion and presence, gripping her microphone with both hands. Her powerful, sensual voice rocked the hall, as she lost herself in the magic of the song. Determined not to fail her, James sang Olivia’s name, the echoes of his loud, manly voice resounding around the hall…

Was it a dream – Was it a lie

An illusion of a life so far away

A whisper of fate – A breathless sigh

Or a tiny spark in my lightless day

Frozen inside my love you found me

Broken heart in a world of pain

Shadow of the one I used to be

A shattered wolf, howling in the rain

Olivia, my heart’s on fire

Olivia calls out my name

Olivia, my burning desire

Olivia, my dying flame

Your eyes like a river they flowed

Love so strong in my aching soul

Blinded by greed this love you sold

Bound by lust – acting a role

Lying on the snow my heart is bleeding

Scent of betrayal lingers in the air

Pale moon through the trees is peeking

This lonely night is my cross to bear

Olivia, my heart’s on fire

Olivia calls out my name

Olivia, my burning desire

Olivia, my dying flame

James pressed on the keys with passion for the outro, as Michelle’s voice lingered in the air. The crowd did not wait for him to play the last few chords. Seconds before the end of the ballad, most of the six hundred people in the audience rose from their seats and burst into a long, warm round of applause. Michelle slowly opened her eyes and looked out into the ecstatic crowd, with a blissful smile on her beautiful face. She looked down at him, over her right shoulder.

“Thank you,” She silently mouthed to him. James nodded to her, but he could not stay there any longer. He was so overcome by emotion that his hands were shaking and he was almost out of breath. Jumping from his seat, he flipped around, staring down at the floor, desperate to go back to the backstage area.

“It’s over. Thank God it’s over… Now I know what stage fright feels like. I thought I was going to suffocate out there. You don’t have to thank me, Michelle. You did most of the work. You did great. The whole world will be talking about you tomorrow…”

James might have been stressed, but he couldn’t deny to himself that he had done precisely what Michelle needed. He had not let her down. Despite his emotional state, he kept his cool and did not collapse. Still, the night had taken such a toll on him that he needed a break. To his frustration though, he would have to wait for her to talk to the press and sign autographs, before he could discuss it with her. It would take her hours and he didn’t want to wait that long. In his haste to leave however, he dropped his sheet music. Dozens of papers were scattered all over the floor. Just when he bent down, a pair of black, high heels came into view. He had seen them before. Tension tightened the back of his neck, as he looked up. It was Olivia.

“I assume you wrote this for me,” she said in her broken sweet voice as their gazes met.

“What are you doing here, Olivia?” He wondered, his eyes softening with sorrow.

“That’s a beautiful song.” Olivia whispered, blinking back tears. “You did really great out there.”

“Thanks.” James heaved a deep sigh. “You still haven’t answered my question.”

“I came here to ask you a favor.” She went on, as a tear streamed down her cheek. “Think about what I did, when we were together. The things I said to you, my reactions, the way I touched you, the way I looked at you and…” She faltered. “If you still think I was fake, think about this.” Olivia reached both arms towards him and took his right hand into her palms. She led it to her heart, gazing up into his watery eyes. It was racing. “No one can fake this.” Another whisper fled her lips, as more tears spilled from her eyes.

Speechless, James felt her heartbeat, watching as her tears soaked her quivering lips. Olivia let go of his hand and took another short step towards him.

“One last thing,” she sniffled, putting her right hand on his cheek. “You know George Michael’s ‘Careless Whisper’, don’t you?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Why?”

“Please listen to it, one more time,” she said, her voice thick with emotion as she caressed his skin. “Maybe you’ll understand how I feel. Goodnight.”

Stunned by Olivia’s unexpected visit and her words, James found himself in a dilemma: get back together with her or let her go? He had missed her; and it was more than clear to him that whatever they had could not be forgotten, especially in less than a month. He was still in love with her, but he was unable to trust her again. At any rate, James was in no condition to think about their relationship. He was exhausted and in need of some well-deserved rest. His comfortable hotel bed beckoned; he couldn’t wait to take a shower and get some sleep.

Stepping out of the elevator in the underground parking lot of the music hall, he heard a loud, banging noise and felt a tremendous amount of pain on the back of his head. The world around him instantly darkened. James dropped to the floor on his chest, senseless…