Country Crooner (Christian Romance)

by Rebecca Lynn Clayson

  "Go ahead and sit down," Chelsea motioned to the couch. She sat down in the armchair next to the couch. "So what can I do for you?"

  "Well, the reason I came to talk to you is because I heard a rumor that you’re thinking about shutting down the radio station. Is that true?"

  "I haven't decided yet, but it is a strong possibility. I just don't see how the radio station can continue running without my father here to manage it."

  "You can't shut it down," Kurt said forcefully. "That's not an option. We’ll have to find another way to keep it running."

  Chelsea was surprised by Kurt's strong opinion in regards to the radio station, especially because she wasn't even aware that he was involved. Her father never mentioned anything to her on the phone about Kurt, and she knew all of the employees that were previously working for the station. "So, have you been working for the radio station? Why is it so important to you that it continues?"

  "I moved back here two years ago, and I've seen how much it means to the people in this area. Especially some of the kids in the poorer parts of town... they look forward to the opportunity to participate by singing on the radio show. In fact, instead of roaming the streets and getting into trouble, they spend their free time practicing their music to sing on the radio. If you shut down the station, then they aren't going to have anything to work towards."

  "I feel bad for the kids, but they’re just going to have to find another hobby. I’m supposed to be back to work by Monday, and there's no way I can keep this radio station running from my home in California. My job keeps me busy, and I just don't have the time."

  "Well, you are going to need to figure something out, because out town can't lose the radio station. It's been a great point of connection and inspiration for so many people. You can't pull the rug out from under them, they will be heartbroken."

  "There's nothing to figure out, because I can't do anything about it. Everyone will need to face the truth, which is that every good thing eventually comes to an end. So I guess I need to be the one to wrap everything up since my father isn't around anymore." Chelsea shrugged, and pulled her feet onto the couch in a cross-legged position. She was surprised that the conversation had put her in such a defensive position. She barely knew this guy, why did she care about his opinion?

  Kurt could feel his blood starting to boil; this big-city diva had no idea what this radio station meant to the people in this town! He knew that Chelsea had moved away, but he was hoping that there was a little bit of her father left in her. He was looking for the compassion and selflessness that he had seen in her father, the compassion that had kept the radio station going for so many years.

  They sat in silence for a few seconds, staring at each other-- as if they were challenging the other person to break the silence. The only sound in the room was the tick-tock of the grandfather clock in the corner of the room and the gentle hum of the air conditioner.

  Kurt finally broke the silence, trying hard to keep his voice despite the anger that he was feeling.

  "No. Absolutely not," he said firmly. "If you close the station, you’ll be ruining the lives of so many people. Those kids used to get into so much trouble around town, and now they’re doing something productive with themselves. They have something to work towards, and if you shut down the station you’ll be crushing their hopes and dreams."

  Kurt's face was turning a little red, and he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He reminded himself to breathe deeply a few times to keep his temper in check. Why wasn't this girl listening to what he was saying?

  Chelsea could hear the anger in Kurt's voice, and her own suppressed feelings of frustration, grief, sadness, and anger started to surface as well. She had been through a lot that week, and couldn't hold in her own emotions.

  "I'm sorry, but I don't have anything else to say to you. I'm out of options, so those kids are just going to have to find something else. There's nothing that I can do. I didn't go to college so that I could grow up to be a radio DJ. And even if it was something that I was interested in, the station is in a financial bind and won't make it through the end of the month."

  She fought back tears and couldn't decide what would feel better; to scream at him or to curl up in a ball on her father's bed for a good cry.

  "I know that it's hard for you to see how much of an impact this is really going to make, because you haven't been around here lately. You're stuck in your high-end California lifestyle, and it looks like you have the same short-sided attitude that is so common out there. It's going to be easy to go back to your fancy lifestyle and use retail therapy to soothe your conscience. You come here and crush all of these kids’ dreams, and then head back home to spend a day at the spa to soothe away your stress. I see how it is."

  "Excuse me? You act as if I'm some kind of a bully that came to town to ruin everyone's life. That's not what's going on here. I came back home to mourn the death of my father, and take care of the things that needed to be done as a result of his passing. I feel bad for those kids, I really do. But there is nothing that I can do." Chelsea threw up her hands in frustration, who did this guy think he was?!

  Kurt had grown up a small town boy, throughout his childhood he lived in quiet country communities and knew what small town living was all about. Like Chelsea, he had moved away after high school and became caught up in the glamour of living in a bigger city. A popular record label signed Kurt soon after graduation. It was the classic music success story: a small-town boy discovered by a successful record label, and he quickly hit it big.

  Chelsea hadn't paid much attention to his music career, but she’d heard his name here and there on the radio and knew that he had experienced a lot of success in the music industry. He was the modern version of a country singer, with a silky-smooth voice that had a hint of a jazz crooner, and many of his songs had a little bit of a pop beat to appeal to the masses. It was a unique style, and had quickly become popular amongst the younger generation. His forte was singing love songs, and the ladies swooned over his sexy voice and slick guitar skills.

  She knew that initially he had been a big sensation in the music industry, and was confused about why he was back in his hometown. She pushed the thought out of her mind, knowing that she didn't care to know anything about this guy... especially because he was being so rude to her.

  Kurt stood up and glared down at Chelsea, sweat forming on his brow. "I know you're dealing with a lot right now, I've been through my own troubles over the past few years. I was hoping that by talking with you I would find that you had a piece of your father's caring heart still in you, but it's obvious to me that you’re too caught up in your own world to care about how your selfish decisions are going to affect other people. Go ahead, tear everything apart here, and then head back to your city living in California. After you’re done, I'll still be here trying to clean up the mess that you leave behind."

  Chelsea was speechless, but didn't even get the chance to respond, because Kurt quickly stomped out the door. She watched him out the window as he walked down the sidewalk, his fists clenched and his neck red from anger.

  Chelsea sat on the couch and cried, not caring that her food was getting cold on the kitchen table. How could a guy be so insensitive, especially when the wound of her father's death was so fresh? Kurt had said some pretty harsh things about her, and she wondered if there was any truth to his words: Was she just a big-city girl who had forgotten her small-town roots?

  Why had her father left such a mess? Moreover, how was she supposed to clean up the mess before she needed to be back to work next week?

  She had a lot of questions in her mind to sort through, and those questions seemed to pile up higher and higher as she tried to make sense of the events of the week.

  Based on the things that she found in her father's office and bedroom, as well as the things that Kurt had said, she understood that the radio station really was an important part of the community. She felt bad that the people of her hometown we
re going to be missing something they loved so much, but could see no other options. She felt as though she was drowning in feelings of being overwhelmed, and trying to decide the right pathway forward. Closing everything down here as quickly as possible and then escaping back to the life that she knew in California was the only thing she could see as a possibility.

  As her crying slowed down, she slipped off the couch onto the floor and knelt down to pray to God, desperately asking for guidance and peace in her life. She knew that she needed His help because she wouldn't be able to get through the next few weeks on her own.

  Chapter 3

  As Kurt stormed out of Chelsea's house, all he could think about was the fact that she was so caught up in herself; she didn’t realize how much the radio station meant to the people of the community.

  He felt bad about the things that he had said to her, because he hadn't gone to her house with the intention of offending her. Although, the things that he’d said were true, and he didn’t believe that he was out of line for pointing out the truth. He realized that his mistake was the fact that he had let his anger take over, he should have done better about being tactful and respectful in the conversation.

  In the past, it was times like this one when he would have turned to the bottle for comfort and escape. A strong drink sounded nice, but he knew that drinking away his anger wouldn't solve anything. He was a new man, and hadn't touched alcohol in two years... and refused to allow himself to slip back into those old, destructive patterns.

  Poor decisions had already ruined his life once, and he wouldn't let that happen again.

  When he pulled up in front of his house, he went into his bedroom and knelt down by his bed to pray to God and ask for forgiveness. He knew that he'd been wrong to lash out in anger, and asked God for help in having more patience and understanding so that he could see the best way to help the kids in the community.

  During the past two years, Kurt had been working on his own spiritual rehabilitation as he tried to get his life back on track again. At first, he was in a dark reality, without any hope for happiness or joy.

  Life as a celebrity had been hard for Kurt to handle and his fame had gotten him caught up in the wrong crowd. It hadn't taken long for him to start living a hard lifestyle of drugs, alcohol, and fast women. His arrogance had known no boundaries, and he'd hurt people that were close to him as he climbed the ladder of success.

  Eventually, the partying lifestyle caught up with him; he started missing rehearsals and underperforming at the concerts. He was too concerned about his next thrill, and didn't care about the music that he was performing. Things got so bad, that the record label cancelled his contract and let him go. At that point, he had nothing left, he had spent all of his money on cars, clothes, and alcohol, and he found himself back in his parents’ basement because he didn't have anywhere else to go.

  At the time, he had felt liked a kicked dog, returning home with his tail between his legs. On top of being broke, jobless and homeless, he had also gone through several weeks of torture while his body ridded itself of the drugs and alcohol. His parents had been very supportive and had helped him through each and every trial. Kurt knew that without God and his parents, he would have never made it back.

  After detoxing and trying to help around the house as much as possible, he had sunk into a deep depression. Kurt had turned his back on singing; he blamed it for his downfall and refused to sing, even at his father’s 50th birthday party. He told everyone the new Kurt had better things to do, even though deep inside he had no idea what he was doing with his life.

  One day, Jerry Watson had knocked on Kurt's door and asked if he would be willing to help organize a youth choir for a radio performance they were doing. Kurt had been hesitant at first, but agreed to help since he had nothing better to do with his time.

  Kurt didn't realize how attached he would become to the kids, and eventually that youth choir helped him to find his way back into the light. He volunteered as an assistant director for the choir, and supported himself by working in his dad's carpentry shop during the day.

  Even though Kurt spent so much time with the youth choir, he refused to sing with them. Performing was the catalyst that had started him down a path of personal destruction, and he wanted to stay far away from that life. He knew that by itself, singing was fine. His problem was in the arrogance and pride that occurred when the performing went to his head.

  After Kurt started working with the youth choir, Chelsea's father had taught him the principle of turning to God for strength in times of weakness. The two of them had many conversations after church, and Kurt listened to the radio show every day to hear the insight and inspiration that Jerry had to offer. Jerry became a mentor to Kurt, and helped him get his life back on track again.

  Over time, Kurt was able to open up about his bad habits and shared with Jerry the day-to-day struggle he fought against the desire of drugs and alcohol. One day after talking with Jerry about his old life, he had turned his heart to Christ.

  Since his change of heart, he was usually pretty good about keeping control of his emotions, but hadn’t held it together while talking with Chelsea. The youth choir meant so much to him, and he couldn't imagine what would happen to the kids if they no longer had something to work for. He couldn't let them fall back into their old habits of getting into trouble around town.

  He developed a personal relationship with each of the kids, and knew that many of them came from unsupportive family backgrounds. The choir was the only thing they had to look forward to in their lives.

  Kurt knew his anger had alienated Chelsea, and that he would need to smooth things over so that they could work together on the same team. If both of them had the same goals for the radio station, then there was a possibility that the station could continue. It was a small possibility, but he knew he needed to try as long as there was a chance.

  Kurt wasn't going to be able save the radio station on his own, and knew that he needed to win Chelsea's support. The death of her father had made her the new decision-maker for the radio station.

  Kurt knew the caliber of man that Jerry had been, and he also knew that those traits had to be present in Chelsea. Even if she had forgotten what it was like to live in a small town, you could never completely remove small-town camaraderie from the heart.

  Kurt resolved to take a different approach, and stopped for a moment to ask himself - What Would Jesus Do? He knew that Jesus loved everyone, and treated each person with respect, and Kurt knew that he needed to follow the good example. He hadn't been very Christ like in his conversation with Chelsea, but he vowed to do better and try to have a conversation with her again in a more civil manner.

  *****

  Chelsea worked tirelessly throughout the week to clean up her father's house, and go through his financial information in order to decide what to do with his assets. Thanks to the help from Mrs. Bullock, she was able to sort through the radio station finances, and she realized that the picture was even grimmer than she had anticipated. The radio station was in a lot of debt, and there was no way she could come up with the money to save the station from foreclosure. She came across a letter from the bank that indicated they would be auctioning off the equipment starting the following week.

  Even though she was hoping to have everything taken care of before heading back to California, she knew that she would need to come back to finish up the business that still needed to be handled. Some of the stuff just couldn't be done from far away, so her plan was to head back to California and get caught up in the office since she'd been away for a week. She still had her two-week vacation that was scheduled for later that month, so she'd fly back to her hometown for the holiday and use that time to wrap up her father's business.

  Chelsea's main concern was paying off her father's debts and making sure that Mrs. Bullock was taken care of. Luckily, her father had a small life insurance policy, and when that money came through it might help her get caught up on some of
his smaller debts. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be enough to get caught up on the mortgage and still keep the radio station going... she would have to pick one or the other. Since the radio station couldn't continue without the building and equipment, it made sense that she should pay off the debts and then discontinue the radio show because she couldn't pay the mortgage. Plus, closing everything down would help to avoid accumulating more debt.

  The week flew by, because Chelsea was so busy with de-junking, cleaning, and trying to make sense of her father's paperwork. Sunday, she decided to attend her old church before flying back to California on Monday. She wanted to have the chance to see her old pastor, and to say goodbye to a few of her neighbors before heading home.

  The church services were beautiful, and Chelsea was grateful that, despite the hard week that she had experienced, she still felt close to God. During the sermon, the pastor offered words of hope and encouragement and talked about how God was the one that should be turned to in times of need. It was the perfect message that Chelsea needed to hear, and she said a prayer in her heart asking God for the support and strength she would need to make it through the next few weeks.

  As she sat in the pew, she looked around and saw familiar faces in the crowd. Some of the people in the congregation had been attending for many years and she remembered seeing them in church when she was a young girl. The room was full, and as her eyes scanned the crowd, she saw the familiar dark hair that she'd seen a few days before - Kurt!

  He was quietly whispering to his mother, and she could see a gentle look in his eyes and handsome, straight teeth as he smiled. He really was the epitome of "tall, dark, and handsome," and had the physical traits that she'd always dreamed of in a man. But despite his good looks, she reminded herself of the horrible conversation they’d had in her father's front room, and the terrible things he’d said to her. Good looks could never cover up an ugly personality.