by Ava Miles
“I’m glad to be here. Tonight, I’ll see all my children be who they truly are. It’s like having a front row seat to a miracle.”
Daddy rubbed Mama’s back, a soft glow in his eyes. “Yes, they’re all quite a miracle.”
Amelia Ann was smiling when she turned away to find Rye. He was standing with Jake and Clayton in a distant corner, going over something on Clayton’s clipboard, in business mode.
The ribbon of nerves in her belly was turning into frayed wire. Rehearsal might have gone great, but the arena had been quiet then. Tonight, you could hear the music that was being piped into the venue as fans found their seats. You could hear the clash of conversations. People would be staring at her as she stood under the lights. Thousands of them.
Tory appeared by her side. “Rye wants everything to be perfect tonight. They’re doing the final run-down now.”
She hugged her sister-in-law. “It will be. I keep praying tonight is going to change people’s lives.”
“That’s a nice prayer. Can I get you something to drink? There’s food too, but you look too nervous to eat.”
“I am,” she said, rubbing her stomach. “I’ll eat after the concert.”
“Well, Rye has plenty of food planned for the after-party. He wouldn’t let me cook anything but the cake. I tell you what. It’s going to be one of his largest after-parties yet, and it’s the first one we’ve hosted in our home. His insistence on inviting all of the women featured tonight and their families, as well as the staff and boards from all the women’s shelters and legal aid clinics in town, made me love that man even more than I already do. I can’t wait to meet your boss tonight, Amelia Ann.”
She’d been touched by Rye’s desire to meet the people she worked with at the clinic. “You’ll like her.”
“I expect so,” Tory said. She glanced back at where the men were huddled in the corner. “Are you doing any better with how things are between you and Clayton?”
How to respond? Seeing him only made her realize the depth of her enduring pain. “I’m slowly coming to terms with it. You know, if this hadn’t happened, he would have found some excuse to draw away from me. He’s too afraid of opening himself up to someone. Better for it to have happened sooner rather than later.”
Tory’s eyes were troubled. “That’s how I felt when Rye and I broke up in Memphis, but he ended up surprising me.”
“I doubt Clayton will surprise me. I’m only worried about it being awkward for Rye.”
“Don’t worry about your brother,” Tory said. “He’s not happy about it, but he’s coping. He just hates to see you both hurting.”
Yes, they were both hurting. The evidence was there. His former vitality was gone.
“I’m going to go and see the McGuiness sisters,” she said. “I’ll catch you later.”
“Good luck, Amelia Ann. You’re going to do great.”
As she turned away, Clayton looked over. Their eyes met and held. In his gaze, she saw both accusation and longing. Pain exploded in her heart. Would it ever go away? She forced herself to make a full turn and walked toward the McGuiness sisters, who were sitting on a couch strategically located next to one of the refreshment tables.
“What are y’all doing over here?” she asked.
“Our dear brother told Sadie and me not to embarrass the family by drooling over Jake Lassiter,” Sadie said. “We’re trying not to look at him.”
“But it’s so hard,” Shelby drawled. “My, oh my, is that man gorgeous.”
“Amen,” Sadie added like she was in the Praise the Men of Perpetual Hotness Church.
She hadn’t felt like laughing in quite a while, and the chuckle felt good. “Yes, he is, and nice to boot.”
“Susannah here is immune, though,” Shelby said, sipping her white wine.
Amelia Ann cast a glance at her friend, whose expression made her smile. Immune didn’t seem like the right word at all. The intensity with which she was ignoring Jake seemed even stronger than her sisters’ open regard for him. After the natural way they’d clasped hands at the feature screening, she wondered what could have gone wrong between them. She’d felt certain there was a mutual interest there. Well, Susannah would tell her about it when she was ready.
Rye broke apart from Clayton, and he and Jake sauntered over to them, radiating the star power for which they were famous.
“I haven’t had a chance to kiss my beautiful sister yet,” he exclaimed, lifting her off the floor.
He was in a rare mood, but then again, he always loomed larger than life around his music.
“What a nice thing to say.”
“Hey, Amelia Ann,” Jake said with a cute wink. “You ready to introduce me tonight?”
“You know it,” she responded as he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.
Someone sighed, and she had to bite her lip. Must have been either Sadie or Shelby.
“Can I get you ladies anything else to drink?” Jake asked. “I’m going to wet my whistle before I’m called up.”
“Why, that’s mighty charming of you, Mr. Lassiter,” Shelby said with a coy smile. “I’ll drink anything you choose for me.”
Susannah shot her a hard glance, and Amelia Ann had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. J.P. had been right to worry his younger sisters would go all fan crazy around Jake.
“Please call me Jake. Mr. Lassiter makes me sound like my old man.” His lips twitched. “Anyone else?”
Was it her imagination, or was he looking straight at Susannah now?
“Me too,” Sadie breathed out. “Just anything.”
“Be right back,” Jake said after waiting a beat, and then he sauntered away.
“Oh, dear God in heaven!” Shelby breathed, fanning herself.
“Imagine that!” Sadie said with a dramatic sigh. “Jake Lassiter is getting me something to drink.”
“Y’all are crazy,” Rye said, “but that’s okay. Not too many women are immune to Jake’s charms.”
“J.P. is going to skin you alive for acting like twits,” Susannah told them.
“Don’t worry about J.P. none,” Rye said, taking a slug from the water bottle he always carried around before a concert to hydrate. “Jake knows the score. Y’all should ask him to autograph his new album for you.”
“Really?” Shelby said with a gasp.
Sadie clutched her sister’s arm, her eyes wide. “We can ask that?”
“Oh, for the love of Pete,” Susannah declared. “Give the man a break. He probably treasures the few moments he can snag when some crazy woman isn’t asking him for something.”
“You’re not crazy women,” Rye told them. “You’re J.P.’s sisters, and Jake adores your brother. Heck, so do I. Now, I need to check in with my guys one last time and make sure we’re ready to go.”
His band members weren’t in his dressing room tonight, and Amelia Ann smiled at that. Rye had made this concert all about family, and his thoughtfulness touched her heart.
“Amelia Ann,” she heard a familiar voice say behind her. “It’s time.”
She took a deep breath to steady herself and turned around. Clayton stood there, his clipboard still in hand.
“I’m ready.”
Expecting to follow Clayton, she was surprised when he extended his arm, acting like he wanted her to precede him. Of course, she knew her way to the stage, but it reminded her of the little things he’d done for her when they were together, like opening doors or putting his hand to the small of her back as they walked into a restaurant.
Well, that was all in the past now, and she’d best forget it.
In the wings, she gripped her hands together tightly at the sight of the gathered crowd. The buzz of conversation competed with the blaring recording of Rye’s recent hit. Then the lights fell, and the music stopped abruptly.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” a bass voice said as the crowd went silent. “Bridgestone Arena welcomes you tonight.”
As the announcer continued with his brief in
troduction, she felt Clayton’s hand on her arm. “Go on out there, darlin’.”
Her eyes flew to his at the touch, which she’d only felt in her dreams these last few weeks. His eyes darkened, and he gave her skin a gentle caress.
“You’re going to do great.”
“Clayton!” Georgia called from a few yards away. “Get her onstage.”
He shook himself. “That’s your cue.”
Right, her cue. She’d forgotten. Her legs seemed to be heavier than usual as she walked to the microphone.
Then the spotlight came on, illuminating her while leaving the rest of the stage in darkness, as Rye had requested.
“Hi, y’all. I’m Rye Crenshaw’s sister, Amelia Ann, and tonight it’s my honor to welcome you to a very special concert.”
Applause swelled, and some people even hooted and whistled. She knew to wait for the noise to die down. Rye had told her not to rush.
“As you know,” she continued, trying not to think about her image being broadcast on the jumbo TV in the arena, “tonight’s event is raising money and awareness for a topic near and dear to our family’s heart. Domestic violence is an epidemic in our country, I’m sad to say, and it doesn’t receive a lot of attention because it makes people very uncomfortable. I should know. Someone in our family was affected by it, and for a long time, I didn’t know what to do to help.”
There were a few shocked gasps, and she sought out her Daddy in the front row to keep herself grounded. He was staring at her with pride in his eyes.
“And I’m not alone in that. Some of you out there tonight might suspect someone in your own family is experiencing domestic violence. Or maybe it’s happening to you. Tonight, we’re going to hear the stories of four brave women who have overcome their own nightmares while we listen to some really wonderful music. I hope their stories touch your heart like they have mine. It’s my privilege to introduce you to the amazing Martha Freeman, who is seated in the audience with her family tonight. Her story is one of triumph. I hope you enjoy it.”
The light on her faded, causing her to blink at the change in her vision. The feature began to play, and she watched the audience as Martha told her story. By the end of it, after listening to the amazing transformation Martha had made from the victim of horrific abuse into the strong, successful businesswoman she was today, people were brushing tears from their eyes.
Even though Amelia Ann was prepared for it, when the spotlight returned to her, she had to force herself not to squint. “Isn’t Martha amazing? Let’s give her a round of applause. Martha, please stand up so everyone can see you.”
The woman was in the front, next to where Amelia Ann would be sitting, and the rest of her family sat next to her. On the jumbo screen, Amelia Ann watched her rise and press a hand to her heart, silent tears streaming down her face. She kept mouthing the words, thank you, and Amelia Ann felt her own eyes grow wet with tears.
When the applause died out, she smiled. “Now, please help me welcome one of country music’s hottest stars and one of the nicest men you’ll ever meet, Jake Lassiter.”
He strode out onto the stage, holding his guitar, as the stage lights went up. When he reached her, he kissed her cheek again. “Great job, honey.”
“Good show,” she told him and walked off the stage.
“How are y’all doing tonight?” he shouted over the crowd’s screams. “As Amelia Ann said, I’m Jake Lassiter, and it’s an honor for me to be here tonight. Even more so to support this cause. As y’all know, I served in the army and fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
People were cheering and shouting at the top of their lungs by the time she reached the wings. Clayton reached out a hand to her before dropping it.
“You did wonderful,” he said, and the light in his eyes made her swallow.
She could only nod and force herself to turn her attention back to Jake.
“Now I didn’t tell you about my service to make a big deal of it,” he continued when the applause died down, “but to tell you a shocking fact I learned recently. Did you know the number of women killed by a male partner in a ten-year span is greater than all of our brave troops’ casualties from Iraq and Afghanistan put together? I mean, can you believe that?”
Even Amelia Ann was shocked. She’d never heard that statistic before, so Jake must have gone out of his way to discover it himself. He hadn’t mentioned it in rehearsal.
He paused on stage, holding his guitar close. “Growing up, I knew a few women who came to church with bruises on their faces, saying they’d slipped. I want to dedicate my first song to those women and to any of you out there who have experienced something like that. This is called, ‘Survivor.’”
Clayton touched her arm again. “Kendra will show you to your seat.”
His hand stayed longer than needed, and it hurt, oh so bad, to have him reach for her like that again. With one last glance at him, she strode off. It was over. Touching wasn’t allowed between them. She’d have to tell him if he did it again.
Kendra led her to where her parents were seated in the first row. The McGuiness sisters were sitting behind them with Winnie and Hazel’s families. Having decided she was too nervous to watch the concert before sharing her story, Tammy was backstage with J.P. Tory was in the wings with Rye, her favorite place to watch the concert.
When she took her seat beside Daddy, he clutched her hand and leaned over to shout in her ear, “Honey, there are not enough words in the English language to say how proud I am of you tonight.”
Mama leaned across him and patted their joined hands, her eyes suspiciously moist as well, making Amelia Ann give her a watery smile.
Once she’d greeted her parents, she turned to Martha, and they shared a knowing glance. Both of them hoped this concert would change lives. If it touched even one person, they would have accomplished something beautiful.
Everything continued to run like clockwork. Susannah did a wonderful job introducing the second spot, and all around her, people wiped their eyes as they listened to Winnie’s story.
Then Jake introduced Rye, and the two kicked off his set with a duet.
Her brother continued on alone and sang his heart out. When he finished “Cracks in the Glass House,” Amelia Ann sent up a prayer for Tammy, knowing she was up next.
Rye set his guitar aside as someone brought a stationary microphone out to the stage. When he reached it, he took off his hat and said, “How are y’all doing so far?”
Her eardrums nearly burst at the response, and it took a while for the crowd to settle down.
“Tonight, you’ve heard some remarkable stories. The next woman who’s going to share her story is one of the most special people in the world to me, and I hope you’ll give her a whole lot of love and support as she tells her story. Please welcome my brave sister, Tammy.”
He scrubbed his face as she emerged. A hush settled over the crowd as Tammy walked across the stage. She’d chosen a powder blue dress and worn Grandmamma Crenshaw’s pearls. Amelia Ann was happy to see her calm aura and the light radiating from her face.
She had to wipe the tears streaming down her face as she watched her siblings clutch each other for a long beat. When they finally separated, Rye stepped back and Tammy took her place at the microphone. Daddy took Amelia Ann’s hand in his and squeezed it tonight.
“Good evening. I’m Tammy, and I was the victim of domestic violence. This is the first time I’ve ever talked about it outside the family because I was so ashamed something like that had happened to me. That I had let it happen. I didn’t tell Rye or anyone in our family it was going on for a really long time. As you’ve heard Martha and Winnie say, domestic violence is a cycle of abuse. When my kids started getting older, I was afraid my ex-husband would start to raise his hand to them too.”
A few people gasped in the audience, and Amelia Ann gripped Daddy’s hand even harder.
“With the help of Rye and the rest of my family, I was finally able to break away. Now, the kids a
nd I are safe, and I have been blessed to find the most wonderful man in the world, a man who not only makes me feel safe but loved. I’ve also managed to discover my passion in life and open my own business, which I’m happy to say is growing by leaps and bounds. If any of you are going through the same thing I did, know you aren’t alone and that there are people to help you. You can change your life.” Then she gave a radiant smile as the first tear slid down her face. “I did.”
Amelia Ann pressed her free hand to her mouth as she softly cried in her seat. Her sister had done it, and somehow seeing Tammy’s act of bravery had set her free as well.
Then Rye pulled Tammy into a hug onstage, and the crowd went wild. Everyone rose to their feet, and the crowd’s spontaneous standing ovation made Amelia Ann’s heart fit to burst. When Tammy finally kissed Rye and walked off the stage, Rye knuckled away tears and stepped up to the mike.
“Isn’t she something? I can’t rightly speak right now, so I’m just going to start singing. Here’s an old favorite. ‘Country Heaven.’ This one is for my wife, Tory, who taught me what love truly is. I couldn’t imagine my life without you, darlin’.”
Then he began the song. He seemed to get his composure back as he continued through his set, whipping the crowd into the frenzy he always generated. When he finished and the time came for Hazel’s spot, he held out his hand to the audience.
“Don’t move a muscle. You’re about ready to hear the last story of the night. Then I have something special planned for y’all.”
He strode off the stage as the curtain fell, and Hazel’s story started to play.
No matter how well she knew the women’s stories, Amelia Ann cried during them all. She turned in her chair to smile at Hazel, who was seated behind her. The older woman gave her a wink in return.
When Rye strode back onto the stage, he was clapping his hands. “Let’s hear it for Hazel! Isn’t she amazing?”
The crowd hooted and hollered, chanting his name. All the lights on the stage dimmed except for the spotlight on her brother, and Amelia Ann knew Susannah’s work of art was about to appear behind him. She couldn’t wait to hear the song Rye had chosen to pair with it. He’d refused to share his plans with anyone beyond those directly involved with the production of the concert.