by Liwen Y. Ho
That’s all? Didn’t he realize how much this one act was chipping away at the armor around her heart? “I appreciate it, but it’s too much. He should’ve sent me a card.”
“Not when you told him never to contact you again. Anyhow, a card isn’t enough when a man’s trying to make things right with the woman he likes.”
Abby swallowed hard. The idea that Aiden would be interested in her had her all flustered. She adjusted her glasses with her palm, wishing she could hide her now-flaming face behind her hands. When she trusted herself to speak, she retorted, “It doesn’t matter though because I’m not interested in him.”
“Then why do you hang onto my every word when I talk about him?”
“I …”
“I rest my case.”
The way Candy narrowed her eyes almost made Abby squirm in her seat. This wasn’t someone to mess with, even for her. “There’s a problem though.”
“What? Tell me what it is and I’ll make it go away.”
Abby had to laugh. Was this how an older sibling spoke to a younger one? Apparently so. “Thanks for offering, but even you can’t do anything about this. The only reason Aiden wants my attention is because of who I remind him of.”
Candy chuckled, softly at first, then loudly. “Is that what you think? Because you are nothing like my sister.”
“Believe me, I know. I’ve heard what an amazing person she was. But it doesn’t do away with the fact that I look like her.”
“Oh, you may look alike, but when you open your mouth, all bets are off. My sister was the sweetest, most soft-spoken person there was. If you needed a real-life example of meekness, she was it. You, on the other hand—” she pointed at herself “—you’re like me. When God handed out the loud, opinionated genes, he gave both of us an extra dose. There’s nothing wrong with that. We’re just wired differently. Which is how I know that when Aiden sees you—most definitely, when he hears you—he hears Abby. And he likes you for who you are. He really does.”
She didn’t know whether to be offended or happy. Okay, she was happy, according to the flutters in her stomach. Was Candy right? Did Aiden like her for her? “Even if what you’re saying is true, the thing is, we hardly know each other. What if he gets to know me—all my baggage and hang-ups—and decides it’s too much? I-I’ve been rejected before; I don’t want to go through that again.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s not worth it. No guy is worth getting your heart trampled on. Not even America’s hottest professor,” she added with a smirk.
“Hey.” Candy placed a hand on Abby’s arm. “I’m sorry you got hurt before. But Aiden is as faithful as they come. He stood by my sister through her darkest days. He won’t abandon you when things get tough. If anything, I’m more worried about him and what would happen if you ended up breaking his heart—so, don’t do that, you hear?”
Ha! She, break Aiden Spark’s heart? That would be the day. Abby wanted to say something sarcastic in response, but the glint in Candy’s eyes stopped her. The woman was serious. Abby held up both hands in surrender. “I hear you loud and clear.”
“Great.” A pleased smile softened Candy’s features. “You won’t refuse then when I tell you Aiden needs you to emcee a concert he’s putting together.”
“Say what? A concert? When and where?”
“November tenth at The Masonic in S.F.”
Abby’s jaw dropped. “In five days? Why haven’t I heard anything about this?”
“It all came together this past week. Aiden’s planning to make an announcement on social media tomorrow. He’s certain the tickets will sell out. All the recent publicity he’s been getting should help.”
“For sure. But why the sudden interest in putting together a concert? And with returning to the spotlight? I thought he wanted to put all that celebrity stuff behind him. This makes no sense.”
“Abby, this is his way of playing it forward like you asked him to. The concert is for charity to raise money for pediatric cancer research. He knew for it to be successful, he had to attach—”
“His name to it,” Abby finished for her. Hot tears pricked her eyes as all the pieces of the equation fell into place. She was beginning to understand Aiden’s intentions and how grand they were. And selfless. He was willing to give up his life of privacy and use his celebrity status for good. Like she had suggested when she’d accused him of being uncaring. He had listened to her big mouth and followed through.
Tears began to cascade down her face. She swiped at them, trying to prevent a full-on blubbering session. Oh, she was such a softie! She couldn’t help it though. The thought of a man—an influential, smart, and hot man!—doing something so sweet and amazing turned her insides into mush.
“I can’t … believe … he did ... all this,” she managed to get out in between her sobs.
“Believe it. He’s like a new person because of you. Well, mostly because of you. I’d like to take some of the credit, too, for all the times I prayed for him over the years.”
Abby shook her head. “The real credit goes to God.”
Candy smiled. “I know; I was kidding.”
She took a shaky breath, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “I’m such a mess. I’m happy, really I am. I’m just blown away by all of this.”
“I’m happy, too, and relieved. I can finally stop worrying about Aiden. I know he’ll be in good hands with you.”
Those kind words started her bawling again. She took the tissue Candy handed her and blew her nose. The loud, honking sound that came out made them both laugh. “Are you sure about that?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
Abby nodded. For the first time in a long time, she felt certain, too. Certain there were too many coincidences for her to not believe God’s hand was in this. And certain Aiden was worth taking a chance on. Now if there was some way for her to tell him that.
Chapter Twenty-One
Aiden
Aiden took a deep breath as he walked into the brightly-lit dressing room of The Masonic. Memories flooded his mind of himself standing in this very place years ago as he and his bandmates waited to go on stage. Today, however, he was alone, at least for the time being.
He’d arrived extra early to make sure everything was in place for the evening’s concert. A concert that was nothing short of miraculous, considering how quickly he’d put it together. He’d expected to wait until the new year to secure a venue, but somehow by God’s grace, he’d managed to book this one when another artist canceled two days ago. Moreover, the tickets had sold out within three hours, all thanks to fans tweeting and retweeting about it. He had to admit, he had some of the best fans around, loyal ones who liked and followed him on social media the very day he set up his accounts. The support they gave him was overwhelming and humbling at the same time. Even still, there was one person he longed to hear from who had yet to contact him.
He’d given up his private life in hopes of hearing from Abby. He now had paparazzi showing up at the college and trying to sneak into his lectures. Thankfully, the administrators didn’t mind the attention; they considered it as free advertising for the school. His students were also understanding and even proud of his new ridiculous title as “America’s hottest professor”. Several asked to take pictures with him for their older relatives and also brought in old Heartland CDs for him to sign. He was sure the novelty would wear off in time, but for the moment, he was enjoying his celebrity status. Most of all, he was using it for good, as Abby had asked him to.
Abby. He’d been praying about her, and for her, non-stop. For a guy who hadn’t talked to God in years, the words flowed like water when he thought of her. He wanted the Lord’s blessing to pursue her, but more so, to not mess things up more than he had already. The fact she had agreed to emcee the concert was a good sign. The still doubtful part of him wanted to confirm with Candy that Abby was indeed coming.
He dug his phone out of his back pocket and took a seat on one of the plush sofas. In the yea
rs since he’d performed here, The Masonic had gone through some major renovations. The dressing room now looked like a luxury hotel suite, complete with floor-to-ceiling mirrors and a full bar.
Ding, ding!
His phone vibrated with an incoming text. He swiped the screen open and read the message, his heart sinking in the process. No, why today? Before he could reply to the text, the phone rang.
He hoped it wasn’t more bad news. “Hello?”
“Hey Aiden,” Nick, the oldest one of his bandmates answered him groggily. “I don’t think I’m going to make it tonight. I’m so sorry, man, but I literally can’t get out of my hotel bed.”
“What happened? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, but feeling my age. I was practicing that one move where we get down on the ground and jump back up, you know? I did something to my lower back, pulled a muscle. The doctor gave me something for the pain and ordered me to stay put.”
Aiden didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I’m sorry to hear that. I guess we overdid it this week trying to relearn those dance moves.”
“I’m nearing forty, man. These hips don’t move like they used to. Anyhow, you’ll have to do the show without me.”
“I don’t think we can do the show at all now.” He rose and began pacing the room. “Kevin can’t make it either. He texted me saying his wife’s in labor. He needs to catch the next flight home.”
“You’re kidding. How about Brian? Half the band is better than none.”
“I don’t know—”
Ding!
An incoming text cut him off. As he suspected, it was from Brian. I can’t make it. Accidentally had a milkshake at lunch. Stuck in the bathroom. Sorry.
How did one drink a milkshake by accident? “I was right. Brian texted to say he’s not coming either. Something to do with lactose intolerance.”
Nick scoffed. “More like stage fright. He always hated performing.”
“Either way, there’s only me left.” He shook his head in disbelief. “This is not how I imagined today going.” Aiden was starting to think it wasn’t meant to be. Had he gone to all this trouble for nothing? How was he supposed to put on a Heartland concert without the headlining act? If people demanded a refund, he wouldn’t have anything to give to charity. “What am I going to do?”
“Do what you do best, Aiden. Put on a show.”
“By myself?”
“Yeah, why not? The fans liked your solos the most. So, give them what they want: a night with Aiden Spark. Sing our old songs and do some covers. Do you have any new material?”
“One song, but it’s an important one.”
“Great, you’re set then. All you need to do is sing your heart out.”
He’d be doing that in more ways than one. If all went well, by the end of the night, Abby would know how he felt about her. And maybe, just maybe, he’d find out how she felt.
He promptly ended the call with Nick. First, he needed to find the stage manager and inform her of the changes. He also needed to do a sound check and get in the right mindset for the show. He was already out of practice, and he hadn’t planned on doing a whole concert by himself. Fortunately, he had grown a full set of calluses and could play his guitar without any pain. He hoped his voice would hold up as well.
On second thought, he decided to sit down for a moment to pray. With only an hour until the show started, he needed all the help he could get. He bowed his head and closed his eyes.
Lord, You’ve provided so many miracles, from bringing me back to you, to putting this concert together, to helping me meet Abby. But things are starting to fall apart. And part of me wonders if I did something wrong for this to happen … but the other part believes You have everything under control. So, I’m choosing to have faith. I trust You. Thanks for helping me, for loving me.
Aiden opened his eyes and took a deep breath. A great sense of peace flooded his body, the kind that surpassed human understanding. Under the circumstances, he should be stressed, or at the very least frustrated, but he knew he’d done his best. He was leaving the rest in God’s hands.
He wiped away the tears that had gathered in his eyes and smiled. This was the start of a new chapter in his life. And what better way to begin than to do what he loved the most.
With a new purpose to his steps, he made his way to the door and opened it. As he strode down the hallway, he began humming scales to warm up his vocal cords. A potential song list ran through his mind and he pulled his phone from his pocket to jot some notes down. With both thumbs flying across the screen, he rounded the corner and promptly collided with someone headed his way.
“Ow!”
Aiden reached out to catch the woman he had crashed into. “Sorry, I didn’t see you!”
“It’s okay. I didn’t see you either,” she mumbled into his chest. She looked up and gasped when their eyes met. “Aiden.”
His body warmed at the sight of this beautiful woman he couldn’t get off his mind. Her face was now inches away from his, as were the full, pink lips that had uttered his name. “Abby. You came.”
“Of course—oh!” Her cheeks flushed when she realized her hands were still on his chest. She smiled sheepishly and quickly dropped them to her side. “Of course, I came. I wouldn’t have missed this concert … or the chance to see you again,” she added with a coy smile. “This is a wonderful thing you’re doing.”
Relief flooded his whole being when he heard her words. “It’s all because of you, Abby. You gave me the push I needed to do something more with my life. I can’t thank you enough.”
“No, I’m the one who should be thanking you. You paid for my car repairs, even after I hung up on you. That was so not cool of me—”
Aiden cut her off with a shake of his head. “Don’t worry about it. I did a lot worse. Don’t forget I walked out on our date and left you to pay the bill. If anyone should be apologizing, it’s me.”
Abby pursed her lips for a moment. “You’ve got a point there,” she replied with a glint in her eye.
He laughed. “I’m glad we finally agree on something.”
“Well, apology accepted, if you’ll accept mine.” She held out her hand. “Deal?”
“Of course,” he agreed wholeheartedly. “Deal.”
When their fingers touched, Aiden felt a weight lift from his shoulders. The handshake may have been a playful gesture, but it was a gesture of reconciliation nonetheless. With it came the reassurance that God had heard his prayers and answered them. Abby was here, and she looked even more beautiful than he remembered. Her simple black dress hugged her curves and showed off her legs. A red headband held back her thick hair and complemented her fair complexion. What he adored most, however, was her confidence. The way she met his gaze head-on, unblinking, almost teasing him. He didn’t mind being held captive by those big brown eyes.
The air sparked with an unseen electricity, emboldening Aiden. He clasped her palm and turned it over to rest on top of his. In one swift motion, he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it.
Abby’s eyes widened. “What was that for?”
“I thought I’d sweeten the deal.”
“Are you trying to one-up me?” Her grin reflected the humor in her voice. “You should know I’m a very worthy opponent.”
“Not anymore. I want to be fighting the good fight with you now, not against you.”
“What are you saying, Aiden?”
He longed to speak more from his heart, but lost the chance to when a man called out from down the hall, “Mr. Spark! It’s time for your sound check.”
Aiden reluctantly turned and acknowledged the stagehand with a wave. He offered Abby a pained smile. “I’m sorry, I have to go.”
She squeezed his hand before letting go. “Don’t be. The show can’t start without its star. Go on. Break a leg.”
As much as Aiden loved performing, he wished he could pause time. There were so many things he wanted to say to Abby, but they would have to wait. Not f
or much longer though. “We’ll finish this conversation soon,” he reassured her before he walked away.
Epilogue
Encore
Abby waited on the side of the stage for her cue to enter. Her chest swelled with pride as she thought of the work Aiden had put in to make this concert successful. From her vantage point, she glimpsed dozens of people—mostly women her age—standing in the general admission area. Beyond them sat hundreds more concert goers, both on the floor and in the balcony sections. The venue had been renovated to fit over three thousand attendees, and it looked to be a packed house tonight. The buzz of excitement in the air added to the adrenaline running through her veins. She enjoyed every opportunity when music brought people together. This night was no exception.
A stagehand approached and handed her a mic. He motioned for her to take the stage. She took a deep breath and said a quick prayer of thanks to God. So many emotions ran through her body, causing her hands to tremble, but strangely enough, she felt at peace. Peace in knowing God loved her and she was where He meant for her to be. Everything else was minor details that would eventually fall into place. Including Aiden Spark who—she was happy to admit—had moved to the top of that list.
Their intimate moment may have been cut short earlier, but Abby had faith they would talk again. She also had hope, hope that a relationship with Aiden could—and would—be different from her others. He was a different man than her exes; she was in a different place than she had been in the past. Most importantly, they both had a relationship with the Lord. He had brought them this far and would continue to sustain them.
She clung to this truth as she walked onto the stage and toward whatever the future held.
Blinking against the bright lights, she smiled and waved to the crowd. “How’s everyone doing?”