"What a tough decision to make. It's such a small town, and I'm guessing they don't have a lot of choices for radio stations. Change is always hard, especially in tight knit communities like that."
"Yes it is hard, especially because there's a youth group that has been using the radio show as an extracurricular activity. They've been putting a lot of time and effort into their music so they can perform it on the radio, and it's given a lot of them direction and hope in their life. I didn't realize it, but my father helped these kids to turn their lives around. They went from being troublemakers to music makers, and the radio station has been a big part of their life."
"It's awesome to hear that your father had such an impact on so many people! It goes to show that the decisions you are making shouldn't be taken lightly."
"I agree. I am so torn, because the selfish side of me would love to just walk away and not worry about the mess that is left behind. But, I worry about letting my father down, and disappointing so many people who have turned to him for hope over the years. Even though I don't want to let everyone down, I also need to be realistic about the fact that there is no money to run the radio station, and I already have a successful career back in California."
The line was quiet for a moment as Katie thought about what Chelsea had said. Katie responded, "If you're having doubts about shutting down the radio station, maybe you should stay for a few more days instead of rushing back to California. You don't want to make any fast decisions that you'll regret later. Your boss has to be understanding, considering the fact that you just lost your father. You don't need to tell the office what you’re doing; just let them know that you need to finish taking care of your father's affairs. Don't you have vacation time that you can use?"
"Yes, I still have two weeks of paid time off that I can use this year. I was planning to come back in a few weeks for the Fourth of July celebration; I already have my flight booked because that's usually when I come to visit my dad. My big worry is that if I let things go at work right now, then I can say goodbye to the promotion that I should be getting later this year."
"Well, Chelsea, everything happens for a reason. Remember that it is important to trust in God, and maybe he needs you to stick around there for a few more days. Even if you don't know the answer now, it's possible that a few more days will help you decide what to do. If you stay, you won't have any regrets about the way you handled your father's business."
"You're probably right; I've been having a hard time coming to that conclusion on my own. It’s been such a stressful week, and it’s hard for me to think straight."
"You'll get it figured out, I know you will. Keep me updated, and feel free to call anytime if you need a listening ear."
"Thanks Katie, you are a wonderful friend. I'm grateful to have you in my life."
"No problem, that's what I'm here for. Hang in there; I'm sending lots of prayers your way."
Chapter 4
After getting off the phone with Katie, Chelsea knew that the right thing to do was to stay a little longer before heading back to California. She was worried about her job and the things that she needed to get done in the office. On the other hand, she needed to act on the feelings of her heart, because that's what God would want her to do. She had asked for inspiration, and her answer had come. Katie's phone call helped Chelsea to realize what she was already feeling in her heart.
She decided to use her vacation time immediately, instead of flying back for the Fourth of July. She contacted her boss and told him that she had to finish wrapping up her father's affairs, and promised to log in a few hours each day to work remotely. Her boss agreed to allow her to take her vacation time, but was stern about a few specific projects that needed to be finished by the end of the week.
After getting off the phone with her boss, Chelsea reminded herself that God was in control and that everything would be fine at work. As long as she was following God's will, He would take care of her.
She had two weeks of vacation time, which should be enough time to work through paperwork at the radio station before the building needed to be cleared out and the equipment auctioned off. Although, her plan was to get everything done as quickly as possible, to avoid taking the full two weeks of time off. In fact, she had told her boss that it would likely only be one more week before she was back in California again.
Monday morning, after the conversation with her boss, Chelsea stopped by the bank that held the note to the building that her father had purchased 10 years ago for the radio station. She wanted to explain the situation about her father's passing and find out details about the foreclosure. She knew that the bank needed to cooperate so that she could have a little more time to search for options.
She talked to the bank owner, and asked for permission to delay the auction a little longer. She told him about the life insurance check that she should be getting, and explained that she was hopeful that she might be able to get some of the debts paid off. She begged for a little more time so that she could look at the possibilities.
The bank manager was understanding and told her that he would give her a little bit more time, but the payments were already so far behind that he didn't have a lot of options. He needed to hear more details from her within fourteen days and then they would decide how to proceed from there.
During the next few days, Chelsea spent day and night in the studio sorting through paperwork with Mrs. Bullock, trying to identify the exact financial position of the radio station. Together, they brainstormed a few ideas that might keep the radio station running a little longer, but each idea ended in a dead end because they were so limited with financial resources.
Chelsea looked through paperwork, invoices, and tax information, trying to find any loophole or possibility that she might be overlooking. She was grateful for the business background that she had, because the information that she learned in college was applicable to the situation.
During the day, it was fun to hear the radio show playing as she worked. Because of her father's passing, Mrs. Bullock decided to schedule re-runs to play throughout the day. Old interviews, talk shows, and uplifting Christian music played on the station from morning until evening. Chelsea loved hearing her father's voice in the background as she worked.
Thanks to modern technology, they were able to queue the show in the morning and not have to worry about it for the rest of the day. Most of the equipment in the studio was ancient and outdated, but luckily, her father had recently acquired a piece of equipment to schedule the broadcasting. It was a temporary solution, and the listeners were patient with the re-runs because they knew that Jerry had passed away. The old material was a tribute to Jerry, but if the radio station was going to continue then a lot of time would be needed to line up new interviews and write the scripts for the future shows.
Mrs. Bullock was a big help, and she worked hard all day to help Chelsea understand the paperwork. Around 7 o'clock Tuesday night, Chelsea told Mrs. Bullock to go home and get some rest. They had been working hard all day, and could pick things up again in the morning.
Chelsea decided to stay a little longer, to finish a few odds and ends before calling it a night. There wasn't anything waiting for her back at her father's house, and she knew that there were a few more closets that needed to be sorted through. Her father had not been very good about keeping the office organized.
Chelsea was completely overwhelmed, and knew that the only way the radio station could stay in business was if a miracle were to happen. Based on her business training, she could see that the paper trail wasn't offering much hope for the business. But, this decision was not just about numbers on the paper, it was about the community and the people who enjoyed the inspirational messages every day.
Business decisions were a lot more difficult when emotions were involved. Even though she had been trained in college to look at things from a non-emotional point of view, she knew that she couldn't make this decision on logic alone. It was too personal, an
d her hometown would be affected by her decision.
She could feel the weight of responsibility on her shoulders, and desperately wished that her father were around to talk to. In these types of stressful situations, he was always the first person that she would go to for advice. Since he was no longer there, she felt completely alone, trying to navigate the rough waters on her own.
Chelsea set down the paperwork and leaned back in the office chair. She put her hands behind her neck to support her head, and kicked her feet up onto the desk. She had held back tears all day, trying to be strong for Mrs. Bullock. It was time to let those tears flow, because she couldn't hold them back any longer.
She sobbed. She missed her father, and she wished that he were there to help her know what to do. She was trying to do the right thing, but felt as though she had lost so much at once: her father, the only family she had, and the hope to continue his legacy.
As she was crying in the back office of the radio station, she heard the bells on the front door jingle as someone walked in the door. She quickly grabbed a few tissues to blow her nose and hide the tears. She tried to wipe away her smeared mascara, attempting to cover up the fact that she had been crying. Hopefully the lights would be dim enough to hide her red, puffy eyes.
To Chelsea's dismay, Kurt walked down the hallway into the office. Chelsea tried to put on a happy face and pretend as if nothing was wrong, but Kurt could tell that she was upset. She looked tired, her hair was greasy and unkempt, and it was obvious that she had been crying. The stark difference in her appearance made him feel as though he was looking at a completely different girl than the one fashion-conscious woman who had answered the door a week earlier.
"Are you here by yourself? Are you all right?" Kurt walked over and sat in the chair next to her. "I was driving by and saw that the lights were on, and wondered who was here. I'm surprised to see you; I thought you were headed back to California."
"Mrs. Bullock just left, and I'm fine." She didn't really want to talk to Kurt, but was slightly relieved to have someone to talk to... even if it had to be him.
Chelsea grabbed another tissue and blew her nose again. She took a deep breath, and tried to compose herself enough to keep her voice steady. "I was supposed to head back to California, but I decided to use some of my vacation days to stay a little longer. I knew that I needed to sort through the paperwork here at the radio station before the foreclosure happened. It's a mess. I didn't realize how much money my father spent to try to keep the station going. The slow economy caused advertisers to pull out, and my father was in a lot of debt to a lot of people because he wanted to continue sharing his message of hope with anyone who would listen."
Kurt was quiet for a minute, thinking about the situation. He felt frustrated, because a few years earlier he had large amounts of money at his disposal. When his music career was going strong, he never had to worry about how he was going to pay the bills. He always had plenty of money to spend on whatever he wanted. Why did he waste his fortune, and squander the money away on inconsequential things like expensive clothes, cars, and alcohol? If he still had that money, he could put it to good use now.
"Money is a tough thing, especially in this economy. Sometimes it can come fast and it can go fast as well. Did you know that I was signed with a record company, and I performed on stage for a while after high school? During that time, I was living the high life, and it paid well. But, I blew it all on stupid things. If only I could go back in time, and have a chat with myself about the way I was spending my money. Even a small portion of the money that I had five years ago would be more than enough to keep this radio station going for a while."
"You can't beat yourself up over past mistakes, because life is about learning lessons and moving forward," Chelsea reassured him. "It would be awesome to have that kind of money as a resource right now, but since we don't, there's no use in reliving the past."
"You're right, there is no point in getting stuck on past mistakes," he said. "Maybe there's another way." He stood up from his chair and stretched, "It looks like you could use a break. I was heading over to listen to the kid's gospel choir practice, would you like to come?"
"It would be good to get out of the studio, I've been here all day, and my brain is fried. That would be great." Chelsea hesitantly agreed to go, even though she really didn't want to spend any more time with Kurt. She had forgiven him for the way her treated her the first time they met, and was making an effort to be nice to him whenever they talked. But, she still felt guarded around him, especially since she didn't want to fall for his good looks.
As they walked out of the studio, Chelsea locked the doors and they climbed into Kurt's car, making small talk about the local church and the weather.
"The practice is just down the street, they usually meet in the social hall at the church."
Chelsea smiled, "In a small town, everything is down the street. There's only one street to go down!" She joked.
Kurt laughed, a deep pleasant laugh, and Chelsea noticed how striking his profile was when he smiled.
"Good point, the nice thing is that it really saves on gas because you don't have very far to go. Sitting in rush hour traffic is one of the best ways to burn through a tank of gas quickly. Rush hour in this town is when a farmer is moving his cattle down the road."
They pulled up at the church and walked in the front door, Chelsea could hear singing down the hallway, and it sounded like there were many voices in the choir.
As they walked down the hall, Kurt paused before they opened the door. "Hopefully their music helps to cheer you up, these kids really have talent."
"It sounds like it! Do you ever sing with them?"
"No, I help to keep the choir organized and I'm also the assistant chorister. Performing just isn't my thing anymore. I still try to keep music in my life, but I work behind the scenes instead of being on stage. This youth choir is one of the best ways I’ve found to help those in need; it's an amazing group of kids." Kurt thought about the reasons why he stepped away from performing, and didn't feel ready to share the details of his dark past with Chelsea.
They walked in the room, and Chelsea took a seat to listen to the rehearsal. Kurt walked up to the choir and started talking with the conductor, they were obviously good friends.
The music was phenomenal; the group was obviously very talented and well rehearsed. There was quite an age range in the group, Chelsea was guessing that the youngest was probably 10 years old, and there were many teenagers. In all, she counted 36 choir members.
The harmonies were exquisite and they sang a broad range of music genres, all of the music was uplifting and glorifying God's name. They sang classical pieces, modern Christian rock, and beautiful ballads that spoke to the soul.
Chelsea could feel the power of the music, and she realized that Kurt was right; hearing the choir sing was exactly what she needed to feel better. It had been a tough day, and the music washed away her stress and soothed her troubled heart.
Hearing the music touched her deeply, and she felt a stronger desire to figure out a way to keep the radio station in business. If the music helped make her day a little better, shouldn't they find a way to share the uplifting messages with as many people as possible? Music was an effective way to touch the lives of many people, and the radio station was the perfect way to allow them to spread their joy.
She could see the happiness on the kids faces as they sang, and could tell that they really enjoyed themselves as they shared the music. Chelsea said a prayer in her heart, and thanked God for the uplifting sounds. She felt as though God were helping her to see how much of an impact the radio station could have on the lives of so many people.
She knew deep down that she needed to figure out a way to keep the radio station going, although she was terrified to admit it to anyone else. The idea of continuing with the radio station scared her, because she didn't have much experience in the industry. And even if she had the experience, she didn't have the ti
me or money to continue with the business.
She remembered the scripture that Katie shared with her on the phone. Through God, all things are possible, she reminded herself. So, she knew that God would create a way if it needed to happen.
Chelsea didn't want the music to end, but they needed to wrap up and head home for the evening. She spent a few moments thanking the kids and telling them how much she had enjoyed the music. She was surprised to see that many of the kids knew her father very well, and they all had stories that they wanted to share with her. They loved her father, and she could tell that he had really made an impact in their lives.
Her dad had mentioned that he was involved with the choir, but he hadn't told her how much he had actually stepped in to help the kids. The more she learned about the things that her father had been doing with this community, the more she understood that he had been quite humble when he’d spoken with her on the phone about his activities with the radio station and the kids.
He’d mentioned a few things here and there about the radio station and the choir in their conversations, but had never gone into detail about how much he had been involved. Chelsea had heard a few bits and pieces about him attending their concerts and planning time into the radio shows for the kids to sing, but he hadn't expounded any more than that. Most of their conversations had been focused on the topic of Chelsea's work, and reminiscing about memories they shared from her childhood.
Chelsea's heart ached for these children, because they missed her father, and they realized that the choir probably would not last much longer. The choir kids were already grieving the loss of a friend, and they also faced the loss of the close-knit group that had become such an important part of their lives. They enjoyed the friendships they had made in the choir and loved performing together, and it was obvious that they would miss the group.
As everyone left for the night, Chelsea and Kurt walked out to the car and he started driving towards her father's house.
Country Crooner (Christian Romance) Page 5