She nodded with a wide grin and led them to the table he’d requested. “I’ll explain it to the manager.” She stood at their table. “I can’t believe that Triage Blue is actually in our restaurant.”
“But we’re going to keep it a secret, right?” He smiled.
She nodded and hurried away.
Triage looked at his watch. “In five minutes, there’ll be twenty people standing at this table,” he said, without a hint of annoyance. “I hope it’s not going to bother you.”
“Are you kidding? I dream of the day when people will rush me for my autograph. It must be awesome to have people love you and your music so much.”
He twirled his glass of water. “In the beginning, it was cool, but it gets old quick. It’s hard to go anywhere without being swamped by fans.”
“Mr. Blue!” A short man with just a wisp of hair combed over his scalp rushed to their table. He took Triage’s hand before he or Deborah Anne could say anything. “I’m Otis Newman, the manager. It’s an honor to have you here.”
Triage smiled and pulled his hand away from the man, who didn’t seem able to let go. “Thank you, Mr. Newman. My friend tells me this is a real nice place.” Triage motioned to Deborah, but Otis kept his eyes on Triage.
“Well, if there is anything I can do while you’re here, just let me know. Dinner is on us. Dessert too! If there is anything you need—”
“We need menus.” Triage smiled.
“Oh, yes.” Otis swung his head around and motioned to the girl who had led them to the table. “Andrea will help you.” The man paused and looked down at his shoes for a moment. “Mr. Blue, if it’s not too much to ask, would you mind signing an autograph before you leave?”
“No problem.”
“It’s not for me,” Otis said quickly. “I’ve got two girls at home who play your CDs constantly.”
Triage nodded and took the menus from Andrea. He handed one to Deborah Anne. Otis and Andrea continued to stand by the table.
Triage pointed to the menus and said, “We’ll need a few minutes.”
“Oh, of course.” Otis coughed. “Andrea, take care of those people who just came in,” he said, as he led her from the table.
“Is it always like that?” Deborah Anne chuckled.
Triage nodded and sighed. “Don’t get me wrong, I’d be nowhere without the fans, but sometimes, I’d like to just have a nice dinner without any interruptions.”
“You seem to handle it. I’ve heard of stars being rude to people when they ask for an autograph or a picture.”
“I try not to be that way, but I can understand how celebrities can go there. It’s as if you lose all your privacy. Anyway, what’s good here?”
Deborah Anne suggested the grilled salmon, and Triage agreed. Otis and Andrea hovered nearby, bringing them drinks and, finally, dinner.
As Triage picked up his fork, Deborah Anne said, “Would you like to bless the food, or should I?”
He blinked and after a moment said, “Uh, no, I’ll say it.” He stammered and began, “Uh . . . thank You, Lord, for this food . . .” and then stopped, as if he didn’t have anything else to say.
Deborah looked up at him. “Amen,” she said. She picked up her fork. “I guess you don’t say grace very often.”
He shrugged. “I do forget most times, except of course when I’m with Grandma. You know, in her house, we thank the Lord for everything.”
“Don’t you think that’s how it should be?” Deborah Anne asked, shoveling a few green peas onto her fork.
“Yeah, but you know, in this business and with my schedule, sometimes God doesn’t get His due.”
Deborah Anne put down her fork and sat back in her chair. “Well, you know I’ve got to ask you the question that all card-carrying Christians ask.” She paused. “Are you saved? Do you have a personal relationship with God?”
“Oh yeah!” he exclaimed. “For a long time. It happened right here in Villa Rica with Grandma. As soon as she thought I was old enough to understand, I prayed for Jesus to come into my heart.” With his fork, he cut a piece of the salmon. He continued, “Even though I’m a card-carrying Christian, I don’t pull the card out of my wallet often enough.” He smiled weakly, but Deborah Anne could hear the sadness in his voice.
“What do you mean?”
He shrugged. “I guess it’s this business. It may sound like an excuse, but work takes over everything. Instead of going to church on Sundays, I find myself in the studio or on somebody’s boat negotiating a new deal. Instead of reading my Bible when I wake up, I roll out of bed and jog five miles or go to the gym to make sure I’m in shape for the next video or movie. And don’t even talk about touring. Road trips really keep me away from God.”
Deborah Anne dropped her eyes.
“Go ahead and say it. I’m not really a Christian, right?”
She tilted her head. “You know you can’t lose your relationship with God. Once you accept Him, He’s always there.”
“I know that, but I do feel bad because I’ve allowed this business to move me away from where I should be with the Lord.”
Deborah Anne pursed her lips. “If I make it in this business, that’ll never happen to me.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“I’m sorry,” her apology came quickly. “I don’t mean to sound judgmental. It’s just that no matter what, if I end up in the business, I’ll do my best to maintain my walk with God.”
Triage smiled. “I’m surprised that you’re not trying to get a gospel deal.”
She shook her head. “There’s no money in that.”
His eyebrows rose higher.
“I keep saying the wrong things,” she said, pulling her napkin to her mouth. “I just meant that I don’t think that’s what I have to do. I think that I’ll be able to serve the Lord better if I’m right in the middle of the world. That’s what Jesus did.”
“Well, if you think this is what Jesus would do, then you go for it, girl. Did you send in the tape?”
Her smile returned. “First thing this morning. My hands were trembling when I gave the envelope to the postman. I’ve been hoping and praying for something like this to happen, but being a twenty-six-year-old police dispatcher, living in Villa Rica, wasn’t doing much for my dream.” She paused and bit her lip. “Triage, do you really think I have a shot at this?”
He nodded boldly. “I’m telling you, when Lavelle hears that tape, it’s going to blow his mind. In fact, I’ll give Lavelle a call in the morning.”
Her eyes opened wide. “You’d do that for me?”
“Of course. I’m going to take care of you, girl.”
Deborah Anne beamed. It seemed like her prayers were finally being answered. But just to be sure, she vowed to pray every chance she got.
They stayed in the restaurant until closing time. Then, at the stroke of ten, Otis and all of the other employees lined up at their table to get Triage’s autograph. Deborah Anne stood to the side, enjoying the scene.
“I’m so sorry about this,” Triage whispered to her between signings.
She waved her hand. “Don’t worry about it.”
As she watched him, she imagined herself returning to Rapture and receiving the same adulation. She sighed, content to watch it all from the sidelines—at least for now.
On the way home, they laughed about Otis and his crew.
“Otis told me those autographs were for his daughters, but then he had me sign two with his name on them.”
“Oh, that reminds me, I almost forgot,” Deborah Anne said as she pulled the card Pauline had given her from her coat pocket. “Do you think you have the energy to sign one more for my cousin Pauline?”
He laughed as Deborah Anne dictated the words just as Pauline had told her.
“You sound like Otis and his people.”
Finally, he walked her to the front door. “Deborah Anne, I had a great time. Thanks for showing me something else besides Grandma’s house.”
She laughed. “I enjoyed i
t too. And it’s the least I could do with all that you’re doing for me.”
“Hey, I’m leaving tomorrow, but how would you like to come to my concert in Atlanta on Friday? You’ll be my guest, and you can even bring some friends along—not a whole crew, just a few folks.”
“I’d love it!”
“Okay, I’ll call you when I get to Atlanta.” He kissed her gently on the cheek, and waited until she was in the house before trotting back down the porch steps.
She could hear the television coming from her parents’ room, but it was too late to disturb them. Instead, she tiptoed to her own room and lay across her bed. “Oh, God,” she said aloud. “Your Word says that You will give us the desires of our heart. Well, Lord, You know my greatest desire, after knowing You, is to sing. I want to do what You want me to do, Lord, though, if there is any way possible, please make this job with Lavelle come through.”
In the silence of her bedroom, she let the words of her prayer sink in.
When she finally closed her eyes, her sleep was filled with dreams of singing at sold-out concerts, draped in glamorous gowns, jewels dripping from her ears. Screaming fans mobbed her until her bodyguards finally whisked her away in a sleek black limousine.
CHAPTER 4
WILLETTA WAS SITTING ON THE PORCH STEPS when Deborah Anne pulled her Toyota into the driveway behind her father’s Lincoln.
“Hey, girl, what are you doing out here?” Deborah Anne asked. “Daddy’s home.”
Willetta stood and dusted off her jeans. “I saw him, but he was just sitting in the den reading his Bible. I tell you, he should know that book by heart now. How many times has he read it cover to cover?”
Deborah Anne laughed. “Leave my daddy alone! He’s prayed this family out of a whole lot of situations! God must be listening to him.” She stopped in the den and kissed her father, and then she and Willetta went into her bedroom.
While Deborah Anne changed from her uniform into a Clark University sweatshirt and leggings, Willetta stretched out on the bed.
“You know why I’m here,” Willetta said after they were silent for a few minutes. She grinned. “How did your date go with Triage?”
“Girl, I told you before, it wasn’t a date.”
“I don’t care what you call it. You went out with Triage Blue, and I want to know all the details!”
Deborah Anne grinned back. “There’s nothing to tell. Triage and I are just friends. He said that I was just like a little sister to him.” Deborah bounced onto the bed.
“Um-hmm.” Willetta sounded doubtful.
“Really, all we talked about was my sending a tape to Lavelle.”
Willetta’s eyes widened with new excitement. “Did you send it in?”
Deborah Anne nodded. “Yesterday. Now all I have to do is wait. Triage said he was going to call Lavelle.”
Willetta kicked her legs into the air. “My cousin is going to be a big-time famous singer.”
“Don’t get so excited,” Deborah Anne warned. “There’s a lot of pieces to this puzzle. First Lavelle and his people have to like my tape, and then there’ll be an audition. I don’t know what happens after that, but I know it won’t be easy.” Deborah Anne’s words were for Willetta, but she spoke to her own heart as well. She’d barely been able to concentrate at work, as the dreams she’d had in her sleep carried over into her day.
“I don’t care what you say, Deborah Anne. I’m going to keep praying about this for you.” Willetta paused and stared at her cousin. “This is something that you want, right?”
“I can’t tell you how much. But I’m trying to remain calm. I realize that there are a lot of women going for this.”
“Yeah, but none of them are as good as my cousin!” Willetta laughed.
“Come on.” Deborah Anne stood and walked to the door. “If you’re going to sit here and grill me, you might as well help with dinner. Mama’s going to be late, so it’s just Daddy and me.”
“I guess I have to hang out with my cousin while I have the chance.” Willetta pouted. “Soon you’ll be a big LA girl.”
“Girl, you’re crazy,” Deborah Anne said as she threw a pillow at Willetta.
They went into the spacious kitchen, and Deborah Anne pulled out a large pan before she took the pork chops from the refrigerator. She handed Willetta a muffin tin.
“What do you want me to do with this?” Willetta grinned, tossing the tin onto the counter.
“You’re not going to help?”
“Why should I? This is your dinner.”
Deborah Anne put her hands on her hips. “Okay, but don’t ask me anything about my backstage tickets to Triage’s concert.”
Willetta frowned. “What you talkin’ ’bout?”
Deborah Anne turned her back to her cousin. “Well, Triage invited me, as his special guest, to his concert in Atlanta on Friday, and he said that I could bring a friend with me,” she explained as she lifted the muffin tin from the counter. “But since I don’t have any friends—”
Willetta snatched the tin from Deborah Anne. “Girl, move out my way! I have some muffins I’ve got to prepare.”
As they laughed, Elijah came into the kitchen. “What’s so funny in here?” Elijah asked as he pulled a soda from the refrigerator.
“Nothing, Daddy,” Deborah Anne said, barely able to contain her giggles.
“We were just talking about Deborah Anne’s job,” Willetta added.
Elijah popped the soda can open, took a swig, then looked at the women through slitted eyes. “Um-hmm . . .”
Deborah Anne and Willetta broke into laughter.
“You girls are acting silly. Just let me know when dinner is ready.”
“Deborah Anne, I hope you guys like muffins,” Willetta said when Elijah’s steps faded down the hallway, “because I’m about to make a whole bunch of them up in here!”
CHAPTER 5
THE APPLAUSE WAS DEAFENING. DEBORAH ANNE smiled from her backstage position behind the heavy scarlet velvet curtains. There had to be over twenty thousand people in the Civic Center audience cheering Triage as he danced across the stage.
“Deborah Anne, can you believe that we’re really here?” Willetta whispered. “I hope you and Triage become close. I could really get used to this.”
Deborah Anne only smiled, not trusting her voice. While Willetta clapped her hands and sang along with Triage, Deborah Anne only watched, holding her eyes to his every move. He strutted with a superstar’s confidence, igniting the crowd’s frenzy; the stage was his tabernacle. She weighed how he used his voice to draw excitement or to calm the crowd. It was fascinating.
His arms glistened with sweat. His sleeveless black muscle shirt and black jeans were damp from the heat of the lights and the fervor of his moves.
Finally, Deborah Anne broke her eyes away to glance at her watch. He’d been onstage for over an hour and would begin his finale soon.
Just as she thought that, she heard Triage say, “Now, ya’ll know how I like to end my shows.”
The applause sounded like thunder, the cheers like a lion’s roar.
“I always pull someone onstage with me, and tonight, I have a special friend that I want to introduce y’all to.”
Deborah Anne smiled, wondering who was going to be the person who would get a shot at fame, singing with Triage Blue.
“You guys are going to love her. This gal can sing,” he said, as he strutted across the stage toward Willetta and Deborah Anne.
“Deborah Anne,” Willetta whispered excitedly, “I think he’s talking about you!”
Before she had a chance to respond, Triage came to where they were standing and took Deborah Anne’s hand.
“No, Triage,” Deborah Anne protested as she shook her head. “I can’t do this.”
“Do ya’ll want to hear my friend, Deborah Anne?”
It was the applause that helped her to move forward, though her steps were still tentative.
“This is Deborah Anne Peterson. Remember he
r name, because this girl is going to be famous!”
Deborah Anne hoped she didn’t look as silly as she felt. But the moment she heard Triage start a “Deborah Anne” chant, her fear dissipated.
“Deborah Anne, Deborah Anne, Deborah Anne . . .” Just like she’d imagined.
“What are we going to sing?” she whispered.
“Do you know ‘Gotta Jam’?”
She nodded. “Yes, most of it.”
“That’s good enough, girl! Let’s go,” cried Triage as he motioned to the band and began clapping, encouraging the audience to join in.
Deborah Anne was glad Triage had chosen a song that was more melodious than most of his raps. She followed his lead, and after only a few moments they were harmonizing and gliding across the stage as if they’d been together forever.
The cheers heartened her, just like she imagined they would. She was born to sing.
At the end, the crowd yelled for both of them, as Triage led her backstage.
Triage kissed her cheek, telling her, “You did great. I’ll be right back.”
It wasn’t until then that Deborah Anne breathed.
Willetta was still clapping. “Girl, you’re a star! I think this is a sign that you’re on your way!”
Still shaking with excitement, Deborah Anne hugged Willetta. “Oh my God. It was incredible.”
Even the other women who were waiting backstage for Triage came over to congratulate Deborah Anne.
After Triage had taken his final bow, he ran off the stage and grabbed Deborah Anne. “I’d better watch out. You almost stole the show from me.” He grinned.
“Triage, I can’t believe you did that.”
“Well, did you enjoy it?”
She nodded as if she were mute.
Triage’s bodyguard tried to push him toward his dressing room as the backstage mob swarmed him.
“Wait a sec.” He motioned to his guard.
“What are you guys going to do now?” he asked Deborah Anne.
“I don’t know. We booked a room at the Ramada Inn around the corner so we wouldn’t have to drive back so late.”
Triage looked at his watch. “I was thinking about getting something to eat, but it’s kind of late. What about getting together for breakfast in the morning?”
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