The Country Bears: The Girl Behind the Bears

The Show Must Go On

The ride back to the hall was filled with joy and fun. Beary and his family rode with the band. Everyone was talking and laughing, just having a good time. Beary and his brother, Dex were having fun and taking pictures with everyone. Mari sat with Tennessee and Ted. She giggled when she saw Dex blushing when he sat next to her.

It was dark by the time they got back to the hall.

"We are here." Mr.Bearington said.

"Hurry up. Hurry up." Beary urged everyone. "Open the door. Open the door."

"Watch your step."

Come on, guys." Beary was the first off the bus. 

"I can't wait to see the ol' place." Zeb said as he followed Beary. 

Mari got off next, but something felt off. It was quiet.

"Hey, where is everybody?" Zeb asked.

The all walked inside.

"What's going on?" Fred asked. 

"No cars outside, no lights." Henry said as they walked into the hall. 

"No...No people." Fred said.

"And there's the reason why." Mari said and pointed to Thimple and Rip handling money between each other. 

"Hey!" Henry yelled. "What's going on?"

"I'm impressed." Thimple said. "Wow, I'm telling you. I am so impressed. I cannot tell you how impressed I am, but, boys, it doesn't matter. The place is dead."

"Somethings about to be dead in here!" Mari snapped at him, Roady put an arm around her shoulders to calm her. Thimple sneered at her. He pointed to Rip.

"Look at him. He never promoted the show. 

"Wh...? Rip!" Henry exclaimed. 

Uh, heh...wow. Hey, guys, long time." Rip tried to be casual. "Looking good! Henry, are you working out?"

"Rip!" Henry yelled.

"It's not personal, Henry. It's just business."

"Business? Business that'll ruin our lives!" Henry yelled as Ted had to hold him back. "I can't believe...!"

"Yeah, maybe, but it-it's him." Rip pointed at Thimple.

"Hey," Big Al papered by the door. "Ain't you guys doing the show tonight?"

"Uh...ain't gone be one Big Al." Fred said. "Nobody showed up."

"What are you talking about, Fred?" The big bear said as he turned on the lights all over the property. "They's all out in the back field."

"They're what?" Henry asked.

"Didn't want anyone parkin' on my grass out front." Al opened the door and people came flooding in. Thimple and Rip were quickly pushed out of the place. Mari hugged her dad and smiled. The show was gonna happen.

"This is not over, bears!" Thimple yelled. Mari stuck her tongue at him as he went through the doors. 

"See ya never!" She called to him.

The band headed back stage and Al came in with a big basket of money. Turns out, he did some promoting of his own. 

"There he is!" Henry said to his brother.

"Look, here's the money I got."

"Holy Moly." Beary said as he looked in the basket. The crowd was cheering and the band was getting ready. Henry made an announcement that the hall had been saved and the crowd went crazy. Mari sat on a box and strummed her own guitar just to keep busy while Beary sat next to her.She had gotten changed into a different outfit for the concert.