The band was on tour, and the usual pre-show buzz filled the dressing room as Stevie and Lori were getting ready. Lori sat in front of the mirror, adjusting her eyeliner while Stevie rifled through a collection of scarves, trying to decide which one to wear that night.
Stevie hummed absentmindedly as she settled on a black and gold fringed shawl, then suddenly said, "I can't believe Christine's birthday is coming up already."
Lori, mid-brush stroke, froze for a second before turning to look at her. "Wait—Christine's birthday? When?"
Stevie blinked, realizing she had spoken without thinking. "Uh... a few nights from now."
Lori furrowed her brows, mentally running through their schedule. "We have a show that night."
Stevie winced. "Yeah... not ideal, huh?"
But Lori wasn't discouraged. In fact, an idea was already forming. "Actually," she said, standing up, "that might be perfect."
Before the show that night, Lori made her way backstage in search of Ali, the band's tour coordinator. She found her standing near the production team, clipboard in hand, checking off last-minute details.
"Ali!" Lori called, approaching her.
Ali turned, giving her a curious smile. "What's up?"
"I need your help with something," Lori said, lowering her voice. "Can you meet me for dinner after the show?"
Ali raised an eyebrow. "Sure... what's this about?"
"I'll explain everything there," Lori replied with a smirk. "Just bring the crew. Oh, and it's top secret—the band can't find out."
Ali grinned. "Now you've got me intrigued. Alright, I'll get the word out."
True to her word, Ali discreetly informed the entire crew, instructing them to keep it quiet. Everyone was eager to find out what Lori had up her sleeve.
After the show, Lori, Ali, and the crew gathered at a quiet restaurant away from the venue. The table was filled with laughter and conversation, but eventually, Jenn, Christine's assistant, leaned forward and asked, "Alright, what was so important that we needed to have top-secret dinner plans?"
Lori smiled, placing her drink down. "Christine's birthday is coming up, and we happen to have a show that night."
Jenn nodded. "Yeah, so?"
"So," Lori continued, "I was thinking... what if we got the fans involved? What if, as soon as Christine takes her place at the keyboard that night, the whole audience sings 'Happy Birthday' to her?"
The table erupted with excitement.
"That would be incredible!" Ali said.
"I love it," another crew member chimed in.
Krystal, Jenn's sister, leaned back with a skeptical look. "Only problem? Jenn here is terrible at keeping secrets."
Jenn gasped in mock offense. "Hey! I can keep a secret!"
Krystal rolled her eyes. "Remember last year when you accidentally spilled the surprise party plans to Christine?"
"That was one time," Jenn defended herself. "I won't mess this up, I swear."
Lori laughed. "Alright, just be careful. We don't want Christine finding out."
Everyone agreed, and with the plan in motion, they wrapped up dinner and headed back to the hotel.
Once back in her room, Lori picked up her phone and called her daughter, Jessica. After a few rings, Jessica answered, "Hey, Mom!"
"Hey, sweetheart," Lori said, sitting on the bed and kicking off her boots. "How's everything going?"
"Good! How's the tour?"
Lori chuckled. "The usual—long drives, late nights, and lots of caffeine. But it's been good."
Jessica laughed. "Sounds about right."
Lori smiled, then shifted the conversation. "Listen, I actually need a favor."
Jessica's interest piqued. "What is it?"
"We're trying to pull off a surprise for Christine's birthday at the next show," Lori explained. "We want the fans to sing 'Happy Birthday' to her as soon as she sits at the keyboard, but we need to get the word out."
Jessica grinned. "So, you need me to post about it online?"
"Exactly," Lori confirmed. "Get the word out to as many fans as possible, but make sure it doesn't reach Christine."
Jessica laughed. "Got it—covert birthday mission engaged."
Lori chuckled. "Thanks, sweetheart. I appreciate it."
"Anytime," Jessica said. "I'll make sure the message spreads."
Lori smiled warmly. "Alright, I'll let you get some sleep. Love you."
"Love you too, Mom."
They said their goodnights, and Lori hung up, feeling satisfied that the plan was truly in motion.
A few nights later, it was finally Christine's birthday. As usual, the band prepped for the show without any suspicion of what was about to happen.
Backstage, Lori glanced at Ali, who gave her a small nod—everything was set.
The moment the band stepped on stage, the crowd erupted into cheers. Christine made her way to the keyboard, adjusting her microphone. But before the music even started, the entire audience—thousands of voices strong—broke into a loud, unified chorus of Happy Birthday to You.
Christine's eyes widened in shock, her hands pausing over the keys. She glanced at her bandmates, who all feigned innocence, though some were struggling to hold back laughter.
Lori, standing nearby, couldn't help but grin as Christine turned toward the crowd, placing a hand over her heart.
By the time the song ended, Christine was beaming. She leaned into the microphone and laughed. "Alright... who planned this?"
Lori smirked and stepped forward, grabbing her microphone. "Guilty as charged." The crowd cheered as she continued. "Stevie let it slip a few nights ago that your birthday was coming up, and I realized we had a show tonight. So, I had a little meeting with our wonderful crew, called up my daughter, got the fans involved, and well..." She gestured toward the crowd with a grin. "This happened."
Christine chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief. She turned to Lori. "You sneaky thing. I should've known you were up to something."
Lori laughed. "I mean, what's a birthday without a little spectacle?"
Christine playfully rolled her eyes before turning back to the fans. "Well, you guys got me. I truly wasn't expecting that at all. Thank you so much—you have no idea how much this means to me." She paused for a moment, looking out over the sea of faces. "You know, after all these years, it still amazes me that we get to do this night after night. And it's moments like this that remind me just how special you all are."
The crowd erupted into cheers again, and Christine smiled warmly. "Alright, let's get on with the show, shall we?"
The band exchanged knowing looks, and with that, they launched into their first song of the night—one that was already shaping up to be unforgettable.
