Say We'll Meet Again

Prologue

Stevie's old wired phone rings, it's been so long since the last time that happened. She sits upright and puts Lily aside to reach for the phone on her nightstand.

"Hello?"

"Stevie, uh... you know Joni and Billy Joel are performing at this year's Grammy Awards. They want to get another legendary musician up there as a surprise guest and you're their first option, it's gonna be a big deal, you know..." Karen answers.

"Oh, Karen. I don't know if I will be able to do that, I know their expectations are too high for this one and I'm old, you know,"

"You need to think about this, you're their first option for a reason. They really want this to be memorable since the ratings have declined over the last couple of years. I'll give you the rest of the day so you can think about it, they want us to call back as soon as possible."

"What? You can't make me decide that soon! I need at least a week... I was not expecting something like this to happen, I'm stressed enough with those upcoming tour dates. I need to rest," she says while biting her nails. She was already anxious when she heard the phone ring. Usually, when that happens, it only means something serious is the reason for that phone call.

"Stevie... the awards are happening this weekend. In case you agree, rehearsals are scheduled for tomorrow at noon. So please hurry, call me back before 11 pm, please." Karen hangs up.

She stays still for a couple of seconds, still holding the phone to her ear, too overwhelmed to think straight. She hangs up and takes her glasses off, she's got 12 hours to decide on one of the most important moments of her career. How could she make it work? Being onstage by herself is nothing new, she owns her show. That's where her heart has always been, but the pressure of meeting the standards as a surprise guest at one of the most important events in the music industry is something she's not sure she can handle at 75 years old.

She still needs to decide what song to perform in case she says yes, but the options are limited since her voice is not what it used to be. Maybe something from the tour set list, she's been rehearsing and singing those songs for over a year now, but what if people want to listen to something different? Something she hasn't performed in a long time, it needs to be special. She lays down and cuddles Lily for comfort, this is too much, would backing up be a bad move? A million thoughts run through her mind while she takes some deep breaths, unable to move.

She looks at the clock on the wall in front of her, it's been 2 hours already and she feels even more scared than before. Sharing a stage with Joni is something she's dreamed of for at least 50 years and she's been sharing it with Billy Joel for this past tour and that eases the tension of it, but her solo performance is the most important thing for her. She can't mess it up.

Hours fly by and something about it makes her recall the feeling when Fleetwood Mac was asked to perform for President Clinton's inauguration, she could not decline that, the compromise of it was huge and it was as unexpected as her being asked to join the Grammys. She vividly remembered how terrified she was during one of the darkest times of her life even though she was gonna be sharing that stage with her long-time band mates.

But there was only one person in the world who could make her forget about everything in a heartbeat. Someone who was there with her during the most scary moments of her life and career. She would always feel nervous before coming up on stage but that person can make her feel invincible. A simple touch of their hands would silence all the doubts in her head. She would stare at those ocean-blue eyes and feel the breeze of calmness spreading through her body. Nothing else mattered in the world when it was just the two of them.

She picks up the phone again and dials the number hoping to get an answer with each passing ring until she finally hears the familiar voice on the other end.