Beautifully Broken

Beautifully Broken: Chapter Fifteen

Julian

Loud pops from around the room were heard as waiters opened bottles of champagne for the guests. All around the room people were toasting to the night and to the orchestra that had just ended their act.

Lyla and I had left the stage for a moment as it had dimmed to get ready for the next performance which just so happened to be Adrienne’s solo. Professor Altman had taken to visiting each table to see how the guests were liking the show, and from the way he was laughing heartily, it looked like the evening was a success.

I was just wandering back stage in the meantime. I was supposed to wish Adrienne luck before her performance but Lyla shooed me away, saying something about the whole thing being a surprise. I had already seen her in her first gown, how much more radiant could she get?

Professor Altman originally wanted Addie to do something with the orchestra but in the end her shyness won and she decided that having piano accompaniment would be enough. She had been practicing for weeks but I still had no idea what song she would be singing. She refused to tell me either saying that I might find it dumb or boring.

Lyla took over for the time being as director backstage while Addie was preparing. After a bit I heard Lyla speak into my earpiece to introduce Addie. So I went on stage to see everyone looking up expectantly at what we had next in store for the program.

“Our next performer is also one of tonight’s event planners, an achiever in her own right, and also someone with a place close to my heart,” I announced while taking a survey of the crowd. I had no idea why I decided to announce to the whole room that she was that special to me.

 Way to go Marx.  What if Addie heard and she was now currently panicking?

 “Ladies and gentlemen, let’s give a round of applause for Adrienne Franchesca Setton as she performs her own version of Birdy’s Shelter.”

I walked to the side of the stage quickly as the black curtains opened and Addie and Raph (the pianist) emerged on the stage.

Addie was wearing this silvery white gown with sleeves up to her elbows, a low back, a white taffeta skirt, and a high slit covered with sequins and glitter. I almost tripped on my way down from the stage when I saw her beautiful face. Her hair was down in soft curls framing her delicate face. The tiny crease between her eyes made her look nervous but her eyes looked determined not to make a mistake.

And then she began.

“I’ll find shelter in this way, undercover hideaway. Can you hear when I say, I have never felt this way? Maybe I have said something that was wrong. Can I make it better with the lights turned off? Maybe I have said something that was wrong. Can I make it better with the lights turned off?

Can I be or was I there? It felt so crystal in the air. I still want to drown whenever you’re near. Please teach me gently how to breathe…”

Her voice was like honey and fresh air put together.

God, was I done for it.

Adrienne

Finally my performance was over. I was relieved that it went as smooth as it could but at the same time I was still high over the feeling of performing after all these years. I decided to stay in my silvery dress so as not to waste time changing back into the black dress I had on in the beginning of the program.

Besides, the program was just about done by the time I emerged from backstage into the crowd. Tables were being moved to the side of the ballroom just in time for people who wanted to dance to the band which was doing acoustic covers of well-known songs. Professor Altman had just finished announcing and thanking everyone since we were able to raise almost six-hundred fifty-thousand dollars that night. We would be able to help a lot of people in the town shelters nearby. My personal goal was to make sure that everyone would be entertained for the rest of the night and I was happy with the way things were going.