Come to Me Alive

by Leah Atwood

  Mrs. Thatcher dabbed at her eyes with a tissue before hugging her daughter. “My little girl is all grown up. I love you, my baby.”

  “I love you too, Mom.”

  “Welcome to the family.” Alton Thatcher stepped forward and clasped Bryce’s shoulder firmly. “This goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway—take good care of her.”

  “I will.” He stepped back, letting Sophie have the focus.

  They didn’t have long before they had to leave, but he wanted her to have the opportunity to share the news in person with those she loved.

  An hour later, he pulled her aside. “Time to leave, or Caroline will have my hide.”

  She took a deep breath. “All right.” Her muscles instantly tensed.

  “You can stay here. I promise I’m okay with that.”

  Brandishing a smile and relaxing her shoulders, she looked him square in the eye. “Not on your life. I’m going to that concert.”

  Chapter 23

  “Here we are.” Bryce killed the engine and looked over to her. “Ready?”

  “No, but I’m doing it anyway.” Sophie gave a weak laugh. If only he knew why she was so nervous.

  “You’ll have fun. Caroline will be by your side whenever I’m not. You won’t be thrown out to the wolves. Want to give the guys the good news?”

  A ray of sun caught the diamond from her ring at just the right angle and sent light bouncing against the dash. His proposal had taken her by surprise in the best way possible. They’d talked of marriage, he’d hinted toward an engagement, but she hadn’t expected it today. And she definitely hadn’t anticipated the way in which he’d orchestrated it. There wasn’t a single thing she would go back and change if she could.

  A thought struck her that she hadn’t met Caroline or any of the band in person. At the same time, she felt like she already knew them, between Bryce talking about them and her video-conference with them over the last few weeks. Those sessions were the only way to hold some form of practice for what was about to transpire, for whatever good it would do.

  An air of excited energy hit her the moment she stepped out of the rental. Crew dressed all in black raced to and fro, speaking on headsets, all with purpose. A few stopped to wave, but most carried on about their business, moving large black boxes around, carrying trays of food, moving from one location to the next.

  Bryce led her to a nondescript motor coach, black with a gold line down the center. “Welcome to my home away from home. Everyone should still be in here.” He took both steps in one motion, opened the door and popped his head in. “Are you all decent?” she heard him call.

  “Did she say yes?” A loud voice carried outside and Sophie smirked.

  “See for yourself,” Bryce answered. He reached for her hand and took her inside. “Sophie, meet everyone. From left to right—Caroline, Jay, Adam and Rob. Everyone, meet Sophie, my fiancée.”

  Hearing him call her his fiancée sent a delicious thrill through her. She didn’t think she’d ever tire of hearing that. Until she was his wife.

  Caroline stepped forward and clasped Sophie’s arm. “I’m so happy to finally meet you.”

  She was even more gorgeous in person. Sleek blonde hair was pulled back into a perfect ponytail without a single strand out of place. A sheer black blouse overtop a black camisole accentuated perfectly-tanned skin. To an extent, she reminded her of Kate, but in a more pristine, less-spontaneous way. That she felt no jealousy toward her was a testament to the assurance she had of Bryce’s love.

  “You, as well. I feel like I’m meeting an old friend.”

  “I’d like to think we are. And I’m dying to see the ring.”

  Sophie held her hand up, proudly displaying the ring. “It was my great-grandmother’s.”

  “It’s absolutely gorgeous.” Caroline took her hand and twisted it, looking at the ring from all angles. “Vintage jewelry has so much more character to it.”

  “Ahem.” One of the boys coughed loudly.

  Both women turned their attention to where the guys were and saw Adam nudging Jay. Caroline’s face colored with a deep red.

  “Don’t you guys have any place to be?” She gave them a harsh frown that didn’t reach her eyes.

  “Not for another twenty minutes,” Rob shot back. “That’s almost a full half hour to goad Jay into issuing his own proposal.”

  Caroline turned to Bryce. “They’re all yours. Deal with them, appropriately. Sophie and I have our own business to attend to.”

  Before Sophie knew what was happening, she was being swept away by Caroline and separated from Bryce. How she hated to leave him, but Caroline and she did have things to discuss.

  “Sorry about the scene in there,” Caroline apologized, rolling her eyes. “They’re all pumped and sometimes they can get, well, obnoxious.”

  “It’s fine. They’re a fun group.” She’d been on the receiving end of a few teasing remarks during the video chats, but it had all been affectionate, like that of a big brother, and not malicious.

  “They’re good guys. This past year has been tough, but overall we’re a tight-knit group. Do you have any idea how hard it was not to spill the beans? Bryce has been planning the proposal—you’ve been planning tonight, and I couldn’t say a word to either of you about the other’s plans.”

  “Thank you for making all this happen.” She found herself liking Caroline and the authenticity she projected.

  “Just doing my job. As a manager and friend,” she added. “Are you nervous?”

  “You have no idea.” Butterflies were multiplying in her stomach.

  “I can’t wait to see the look on his face when you step onstage. He’ll never see it coming.”

  She swallowed, wishing she had a drink. “Is there a place I can get some water or something?”

  “There’s some inside the venue. We’re going on now so I can show you around while the guys get ready. You’ll need this.” She reached into her purse and pulled out an all-access pass in a plastic pouch attached to a lanyard. “I hate to treat you like a guest when you’re essentially family, but not all the crew will recognize you. This pass will save you from explanations for now.”

  Slipping it over her head, she gave Caroline assurance that she understood. “It’s fine—I don’t want to cause any problems. Any word from you-know-who?”

  A frown marred Caroline’s perfectly colored lips. “No, but I’m not giving up. I’ve been praying.”

  Her admission of prayer gave Sophie pause. Multiple times, Bryce had mentioned Caroline’s cynicism toward a relationship with God, so it seemed like an odd choice of words. Something in Sophie’s expression must have given her thoughts away.

  “This prayer thing is new to me, but I see the power it has. Adam, Elle and Bryce have all shown the rest of us what being a Christian is about. Last week, Jay and I both accepted Christ. We were going to tell everyone after the concert and engagement news settled down. You and he deserve your day.” For the first time, Caroline seemed almost shy.

  Sophie took her into a strong embrace. “Don’t keep this a secret on our account. Bryce will be so happy. I’m so happy.”

  “It’s still new. And personal.” Caroline shrugged, uncomfortable.

  Sophie stepped back. “I understand.”

  “Jay and I have been talking about the changes we need to make, not just in our lives, but our relationship. It’s kind of daunting.” A droll smile crossed her face. “But hey, if Bryce did it, Jay and I can also.”

  Sophie still had a hard time believing Bryce had ever been as wild as everyone said, even though he, himself, had told her of his not-so-good days. Since they’d known each other, he’d always been driven to make the right, responsible decisions. Amazing what maturity and redemption can do for a person.

  Caroline’s phone rang, and she stepped aside to answer it. Minutes later, she returned with a huge smile. “I don’t know how you pulled it off or what you said to convince them, but they’ll be here. That was h
is mother. They’re at the airport now and going to check in to their hotel. By the time the concert starts, they’ll be backstage.”

  “You don’t think he’ll be mad, do you?” Suddenly, she wasn’t sure of everything she had planned. This was out of character for her and she had little experience going out on a limb.

  “Are you kidding? This is something he’s wanted for a long time. No matter how much he denies it and says he doesn’t care anymore, we all know how much his parents’ attitudes hurt him. You must be a miracle worker to succeed in getting them here.”

  “All I did was talk to his mother, woman to woman, and poured lots of love and prayer into the conversation. At the end of our call, I wasn’t even sure what the verdict would be, but Mrs. Landry seemed open to the idea, if she could convince her husband.”

  “Looks like whatever you did worked.”

  The next few hours passed in a blaze of activity, with Sophie rarely getting a minute with Bryce, but true to his word, he or Caroline stayed near her at all times. An excited hum came from the audience as they waited for Georgia Roots, the opening act, to come on stage. The band went out and the crowd went wild. While they played their set, Sophie took in everything around her, having never been on this side of a concert. Cables were strung everywhere, people moved heavy set pieces around, and a few special fans, who’d won backstage passes, stood in a sectioned off area, waiting excitedly for the main act.

  Georgia Roots were on their final song. The audience was pumped, ready for Bryce to take the stage.

  “Five minutes to go,” someone shouted over all the noise.

  Standing beside her, Bryce squeezed her hand. Rob, Jay and Adam were nearby, feeding off each other’s energy. None of them knew of the guests about to arrive. If his parents didn’t show, she’d rather he never knew she’d made the attempt.

  “Are you okay?” Bryce squeezed her hand a second time.

  “Surprisingly, yes. I’m having fun.” To her even greater shock, she’d been able to relax and set aside her nerves for later. Of course, anytime she looked on stage, the butterflies began to swirl again, so she’d stopped looking.

  “There’s a good audience out there tonight. That can make all the difference between a good or bad show.” He yelled out to the band. “You guys ready? Georgia Roots are on their last song. Anyone know where Caroline disappeared to?”

  The stage manager bustled through. “Everyone in place. Get the set changed pronto.” A flurry of crew members dressed in black shirts spread like wildfire, coming out of the woodwork.

  Shifting from foot to foot, Bryce called out reminders for the guys. His excitement was contagious. The closer it got to show time, the more animated he became and the wider his smile grew. Darting her gaze around and holding her breath, she looked for Caroline.

  “Please don’t let them back out,” she prayed.

  “Back out of what?” Bryce asked.

  She hadn’t meant to say that out loud. “Nothing.”

  And then things went silent. The audience still roared, the background noise of stands and props and stage designs being moved was audible, but backstage, the silence from Bryce was deafening.

  His eyes were trained on the couple walking with Caroline. He didn’t blink. Didn’t say a word. The only movement he made was squeezing Sophie’s hand with a vice grip. The band noticed their front man’s dedicated concentration. One by one, they came to stand near him, in a show of absolute support for their friend.

  Bryce’s cheek twitched before he unclamped his jaw. “Mother, Father. This is a surprise.”

  Sophie looked at Mr. and Mrs. Landry through the eyes of a not-so-casual observer. His parents looked out of place dressed in designer clothes, much too sophisticated in style for a country music concert. Any concert, really, except maybe a symphony performance. Even looking out of place, they made a stunning couple. Everything about their appearances was flawless, from their hair down to their shoes. There was no doubt which parent Bryce took after physically. He had his father’s face, physique and dark features. But his smile, that he inherited from his mother. And at the moment, mother and son both wore a very uncertain one.

  “Your girlfriend, er, fiancée as I understand, invited us.” Trent Landry had a commanding voice, almost intimidating. His face remained neutral, impossible to read, which Sophie supposed was better than a scowl or other negative expression.

  “Her phone call brought us to the realization we haven’t shown you the support we ought to have.” Mrs. Landry’s perfectly made-up face was twisted into a myriad of emotions—remorse, regret, hope.

  Sophie’s heart went out to her. She had to believe Bryce’s mother wanted a fresh start.

  “One minute to go,” someone called out.

  Breaking the stare at his parents, Bryce turned to her with raised eyebrows. “You did this?”

  “Surprises aren’t exclusive to you,” she said, bringing levity to the situation.

  A full smile erupted. He looked back to his parents. “Thank you for coming. Will you stick around after?”

  The Landrys exchanged a look before nodding.

  “Thirty seconds,” a voice warned.

  “Duty calls.” Bryce wrapped his arms around Sophie in a brief but poignant embrace. “Thank you.”

  “You might want to save that thank you,” she muttered, bringing an odd stare from him.

  She simply smiled and watched him grab his guitar. Slinging it over his shoulder, he walked onstage, to a booming applause from the crowd. She watched him engage with the audience before beginning the show. He started the concert with one of his first hits, Young with You, an upbeat song about reliving carefree days and driving down country roads.

  With every sideways glance her way, every song he sang, she fell more in love. His energy, his countenance, everything about him lit up while he performed. This is what he was born to do. God had given him a gift to share with the world. Words from their first weeks together filtered to her memory. Hadn’t she told him something similar when he’d wanted to give up? Yet she had run from it when it ripped her from her secure, safety net of a life. She’s been so wrong, but not anymore.

  Caroline sidled up to her. “You’re up next.”

  Panic fought to surface, but she pushed it down with a prayer. This was something she needed to do. Caroline gave her arm a soft squeeze. The stage went black and the audience went silent. A spotlight shone on Jay as he stepped from behind the drums and made his way to stand beside Bryce. She could see the confusion on Bryce’s face. This wasn’t part of the set, not how the final song had been planned.

  Jay took hold of a microphone. “You all are wondering what I’m doing, coming out from hiding behind my beloved instruments, right?”

  The audience laughed and clapped. They didn’t know what was going on, but they didn’t care as long as they were having a good time.

  “See, my friend here…” He loosely draped his arm around Bryce, “is the king of surprises and grand gestures. Tonight, we thought it would be fun to turn the tables on him. Bryce, meet your new duet partner.” He motioned Sophie out.

  Holding a deep breath, she walked onstage, a spotlight following her. The light faded off Jay as he returned to his post. She stood next to Bryce now, with a single spotlight illuminating them. He was speechless, his mouth gaped, and he shook his head in disbelief.

  She released the breath she’d been holding and took the microphone with trembling hands. “Hi, everyone,” she began in a shaky voice. “In case you’re wondering, I’m Sophie, the girl in love with this guy. Before I met him, I was coasting in life, content in my complacency. Until him, I didn’t know what it meant to really live or love.”

  The band began a slow intro to Come to Me Alive. She dropped the microphone to her side and breathed words for only him to hear. “Until I met you, my life was easy. I never had to work at my relationships, my faith, and I never questioned why. But then you came along and showed what true faith and real love are, even
when it’s not easy or wrapped in a pretty little box. Through your steadfast devotion to everything in your life, even during difficult moments, you’ve taught me so much. This is for you. I’m coming to you with my heart alive and full of love.”

  Raising the microphone, she listened for the right beat and began to sing.

  “I see you running, fighting what’s happening.

  I see your fear, know your thoughts.

  That breath you’re holding

  You can let it go.

  Fear is a friend who’ll always betray,

  Keep you running or locked in a cage.

  Like a weed it will strangle,

  But you are a rose, meant to bloom.”

  A lump of emotion filled her throat and she couldn’t finish the verse. Recovering from his speechlessness, Bryce removed his guitar and leaned it against a stool. In slow motion, he came to her, grabbed the microphone and clasped her hands.

  Moisture pooled at the corner of his eye. It could have been sweat, but she suspected it was something more. Some tears of her own trickled down her cheek.

  He began singing the refrain. Swallowing the knot in her throat, she found her voice. The thousands of men and women in the audience ceased to exist for those few minutes as she and Bryce sang together, for each other.

  Come to me, come to me now

  Let me love you, bring you alive

  Yesterday’s Gone and Tomorrow’s not here

  Don’t just live, let me awaken your soul

  Ignite every ember, fan every flame

  Don’t settle for ash, when you can be the glow

  Come to me now, come to me alive

  The song ended, and they remained gazing at each other, still lost in the moment. Only when the audience erupted in wild applause were they brought back to the reality of where they were.

  Bryce turned to face the crowd, and Sophie also did. Still holding her hand, he raised it in the air. “Ladies and gentleman, give it up for Miss Sophie Thatcher, who, earlier today, agreed to marry me.”