DANNY Chapter 34 by Roberta J. Cabot This is a story about Daniel, a guy with a unique talent and an even more unique problem: A great singing voice and the looks of his gorgeous sister. And how he and his family deal with his having breasts. And how he ends up as the female lead singer for a high-school cover band as well as a radio DJ. As he and his gang worked hard to practice and prepare for the concert, Janet showed up, acting crazy, and hit their minibus with her car. They didn't know why she was acting like that. Was she on drugs or something? Anyway, Chapter 34 is one of the special concert chapters. It's going to be a musical night tonight - lots of rockin' and rollin' here! And be sure to check the jukebox! Yup. there is never a dull moment with Batch Fourteen, and Dan & his gang.

 
Chapter Thirty-Four:  High Fidelity

***** (Danny) *****

I was so turned on after yet another faint-inducing, toe-curling kiss from Nikki - the latest in a whole series of kisses and… other things. Good thing I was wearing a dress with a relatively long skirt (down to the middle of my thighs this time) instead of tight pants or something, so I could afford to wear just regular thong briefs instead of a gaff. Otherwise I'd be walking like a cripple by now. Men's thong briefs to be sure, but at least my... stuff... wasn't that squashed down. Well, not too much, anyway (Danielle insisted on stretchy ones a size smaller than my size). And even though it was a tight dress, I'd had enough practice... arranging myself down there, and it was tight enough that there won't be any telltale bumps despite my... friskiness.

One thing, though - my gang always had problems with pronouns when it came to me - calling me a "she" more than they call me a "he." But since the night that we spent at the hotel, Nikki didn't have that problem anymore. I assumed that something about me changed, but I had surreptitiously been probing the others for the past few days, and they said that I was the same person. And I thought so, as well. Besides, why was it that Nikki was the only one who was consistently getting my pronouns right?

So was it Nikki who changed? But she was the same person, too. I think.

Anyway, to get ready, I went to the ladies' bathroom, double-checked for, umm... bumps, tied the two silk handkerchiefs Nikki gave me to the outfit's chunky red bangles at my wrists for my "trademark" scarf thing, and then went to the dressing room assigned to us.

I sat down and started gluing on the false nails with the bright-red polish, and gave Fallon a quick hello. She waved back at me and sat down by a make-up table as well.

Fallon was in a simple white tanktop-style bodysuit, which was matched up with a sparkly miniskirt that looked like it was covered in gold glitter, and a wide black belt. She wore gold bracelets and maybe half a dozen thin chain necklaces. She started putting the last touches on her makeup with a small powder brush. Thankfully, she's not doing the goth thing. Lol.

June came in a little late. She wasn't in the best of moods since she was late and had trouble putting on her own outfit - a sexy, tight brown dress with dark, metallic green shoulder and back straps that looked like they were covered in green glitter, and a plunging neckline. She grumpily pushed Fallon away from the dressing table, sat down and started putting on the final touches on her own makeup. Fallon looked at me and I made a patting-down gesture. Fallon shrugged and sat down by another mirror to finish her makeup.

People hired by RockrGrrl picked out our outfits (as well as the other outfits we'd be changing into later) and did most of our makeup, but we insisted on doing the final touches. They wouldn't be around to help us later, though, so we'd be all alone later and would have to make do - we couldn't have strangers around, after all, especially when Danny and Danielle would be doing switcheroos.

All of us looked pretty good, but with our over-the-top for-TV makeup, we all looked so much older, so much more mature. Far too mature for my taste. Next time, I'll insist on picking our own costumes and outfits... Wait... next time? What am I thinking!

But I guess the TV people knew what they were doing. Fallon's metallic gold skirt, the metallic green highlights of June's dress, and my own metallic red dress made us match. Not even Danielle could have done better.

We joked around as we waited to be called, and June apologized to Fallon for being so rude, which went a long way to sooth Fallon's hurt feelings. Among us three, Fallon was the newest and therefore the most nervous. June sort of been taking Fallon under her wing and tried to give her pointers and advice. I had half a mind to warn her that Fallon was into girls but decided not to. June would find out eventually. Wonder what Morgan would do if Fallon did make a move. Would their trio become a quartet? Heehee.

After a while, someone fetched us and we made our way to the stage.

I climbed up to the dimly lit stage with relative ease, barely no discomfort at all, except that the movement of my upper legs were a little restricted by the dress's skirt.

It was the vampiest outfit I've worn so far. Not risqué at all, actually, but only just - it was just this side of slutty. I would have said trashy, but I saw the price of the duplicate outfit Danielle bought, and it was too expensive to be trashy, if you know what I mean. Haute couture trashy, I guess - bright red with glittery stuff all over. With its plunging neckline (and I DO mean plunging) and nonexistent back, I wouldn't have had the guts to wear it, but Danielle said this was the only dress she could find in the "pre-approved" list of outfits that had an easy-to-get-out-of zip, and the only one which the mall had in stock. Well... at least one of the stores in the mall still had it in stock and in our size. And with the just-cleaned long wig, the over-bright lipstick, red bangles and the white silk hankies tied to them, well, I looked lots older and just trashy enough that I could walk the streets later and not be out of place among the, ummm, professional girls, yet still be okay to attend one of Betsy's black-tie family soirees.

At least June and Fallon were in the same mode as I was so I didn't feel too bad. I gave them hugs when they came over before they took their places on the stage. Mongo and Dale came over and we high-fived each other. Dale was about to give me a thump on the back as well but reconsidered. He settled for patting me gingerly on the shoulder instead.

When Mrs. Piper told us the people from RockrGrrl wanted us to do edgier numbers than what we're used to doing - well, I guess this was the best we could do outfit-wise, without departing that much from our clean-cut image.

And we did a little last-minute change-around in our songs. Thank God for our alternate playlist. Mikey and Morgan wracked their brains thinking up which of the alternate songs were appropriate to use, but Danielle vetoed the songs that they chose.

What were left were some eighties songs mixed with some from movies, some from TV, and some 70s, 80s and 90s songs. And talk about squeaky clean songs... Even the Bruno Mars song sung by CeeLo Green they picked got swapped out for the G-rated version that was featured at the Grammy's. Anyway, I hope this satisfies the sponsors. But Betsy got her licks in, too, and our repertoire now included some cutesy stuff by Michael Bublé, can you believe it (I made the mistake of reading the guy's name wrong once and said Michael Bubble, and Bets didn't want to talk to me for the rest of that day), plus some others we would not have considered before. But who can say no to Betsy? Not me, that's for sure. But at least she found the music sheet for that old Donna Lewis song that was just perfect for Danielle. It still remains to be seen if we can play all the songs we picked out.

Betsy was supposed to join us after the first song (the first song didn't have any part suitable for her violin), so she elected to get ready on her own. She sat with the guys in the audience for now, all dressed up and ready for her part. She was a little out of place in the front row, though, with her sexy club clothes and high-fashion do. I saw her sitting with Nikki, Tracey, Joanne and the others. I waved to them, but it seemed the crowd thought it was for them, too, so everyone waved back and roared & clapped their approval. Dammit! Why does that keep on happening?

A stage hand climbed up the stage and handed me a wireless white microphone and gestured to the side of Mongo's drum set. I saw my candy-pink electric, my white-top bass and my mint-green acoustic on stands there, undoubtedly tuned up, wirelessly wired up and ready for me. I nodded at the guys and they all got set. Although Fallon was totally nervous (I could tell), she was doing her best not to show it. I gave her a little wave and she nodded and gave me a big smile and a thumbs-up. I knew how it felt to be the new one, but she still had agreed to be Janet's substitute singer with hardly any time to get used to it, and I was grateful. I still didn't know what triggered Janet's whatever-it-was - it couldn't really be all that junk that she spouted before about selling out, or about artistic integrity, et cetera et cetera, but now's not the time to dwell on it. I just hope she'll be fine later after all of this, and that she'd be okay with my friend Fallon.

The guys from the Glee Club were all set as well and knew the new sequence of the songs, excited at the chance to sing in front of a real audience. And even if there was another change-up, I was confident the guys would be able to cope. They weren't getting paid much - just a token amount - but that was all that the school was allowing, though the parents wouldn't have minded if Mrs. Piper paid more. But that wasn't the point - the kids wanted to do this regardless.

A week ago, we were in danger of actually not having any backup singers since some of the parents left it to the very last minute to sign the performance permission and waiver slips, but in the end, we had our do-wop guys and girls.

They were all laughing and giggling, and waved to me from their place on the right side of the stage. I waved back.

I stood with my back to the audience, feet as far apart as my tight little outfit would allow, and felt my whole back go cold. The backless, short-skirted, high-heeled outfit just wasn't built for the air-conditioned auditorium but I resolved to tough it out.

As soon as they clicked on the floodlights, the whole place exploded in screams and cheers. I waited for everything to die down, and when everything was relatively quiet, I raised my arms, started clapping over my head in a steady rhythm, and counted the guys in. The crowed clapped and cheered. After maybe several dozen counts, Mongo followed my claps with a drum riff. Over the sound, I heard a girl scream, "I love you, beautiful!" Oh, oh. Shades of the Jubilee Center concert. Hope that's not the same girl.

I continued to clap over my head, and the people got more and more into it. After a few more counts, June started with the five melody chords, with a little synth overdub in the background. Very seventies and early eighties! Dale wiped his hand over his bass's fret and made it squeal, and June repeated her chords on a higher key with Fallon doing a two-finger accompaniment on her lower frets. They repeated the whole sequence a couple of times, amping up the crowd more and more, and me looking sexily down over my right shoulder as I clapped in time, my scarves flying, excitement and anticipation building in me. God!

And, on cue, I spun around and started singing my cheesy lyrics.

- - - - -

***** (Betsy) *****

As soon as the lights came on, the crowd roared in delight and anticipation. Danny was in the middle of the stage, her bare, flawless back to us, sexy arms raised and scarves trailing down. Her hair covered her back a bit but we could glimpse more of it every time her mane of red hair moved as she started clapping in steady rhythm. And the audience just ate it up!
Mongo got in the act first, and then June with her over-synthesized playing, and then Dale with his bass guitar. And as soon as the new girl, Fallon, started playing, Danny spun around, hair and scarves flying, and she started to sing.

As soon as she did, a palpable wave seemed to wash over everyone - it was like an almost physical thing. Danny's so gorgeous!

The crowd cheered but soon quieted down a bit as they listened to her golden tones. Never mind the corny lyrics. It's Danny!

"Other boys may turn me on but I let temptation slide..." Danny sang and danced to the eighties beat like a reincarnated disco queen, and continued.

"Used to be so plain to see the hunger in my eyes. But now I'm buyin'..." and the kids from the glee club, acting as her backup singers, sang in counterpoint, "buying..."

"Tryin'..." and then the glee club again - "trying!"

Danny had somehow danced closer to them and when she was beside the tallest backup glee club singer, she and the glee club singers started singing together:

"High fidelity, high!" (high, high, high...) "High fidelity, high!" (high, high, high...) - keepin' it light, keepin' us tight! All right!"

Danny then rushed to the middle of the stage, left arm straight up and fist high. "High fidelity......" she sang, keeping the last note going for what seemed like a long time, but what was actually just a few seconds. Wow!

"Quadrophonic sound, stereo desire coming to you loud and clear!" Danny sang.

One of the klieg lights installed by the TV people snapped on and illuminated the new girl, Fallon, as she played a short riff, and then Danny sang.

"Like a brand-new, fine-tuned radio. And I'm so glad you're here... Someone to lie with..." (lie with), "fly with..." (fly with!)...

"High fidelity, high!" (high, high, high...) "High fidelity, high!" (high fidelity...)

"High fidelity, high!" (high, high, high...) - keepin' it light," (keeping it light) "keepin' us tight! All right!"

Again, that signature pose - left arm straight up and fist high. "High fidelity..."

She then crooned into her mic. "Oooh!"

Who would have thought that would be so sexy?

Mongo hit a triple-base hit, and Danny sang the refrain as Fallon and June spiraled the music up and up!

"Is it real or is it synthesized? Maybe I'm hypnotized." (Aaaah!) "I need you baby, my feelings are true. I'm saving my love for you!" (You!)

And then the glee club kids sang the next lines.

"You're in my dreams and in my heart, on my frequency..." As they sang, Danny was in the middle of the stage, dancing to the beat like an ultra-sexy, redheaded female Justin Timberlake. The kids did a finger-snapping kind of move the way the backup singers from those old Motown bands did, and continued to sing in harmony. "I'm the number one song on your chart. It's where I want to be!" they sang.

And then Danny took over again. "Someone to lie with," (lie with... fly with...) "fly with.." (fly with!)

"High fidelity, high!" (high, high, high...) "High fidelity, high!" (high fidelity...) "High fidelity, high!" (high, high, high...) - keepin' it light," (keeping it light!) keepin' us tight! All right!"

They re-did the line again, and the crowd went wild. "High fidelity, high!" (high, high, high...) "High fidelity, high!" (high fidelity...) "High fidelity, high!" (high, high, high...) - makin' it light," (making it light!) makin' it light! All right!"

And then Danny and the glee kids went into a three-part harmony.

(High fidelity!) "High fidelity..." (high fidelity...). (High fidelity!) "High fidelity..." (high fidelity...). (High fidelity!) "High fidelity..." (high fidelity...).

And then all together: "High Fidelity!"

The music snapped off, and everyone - Danny, the glee kids, the band - they all lifted their left arms straight into the air.

It was like a gunshot, how it snapped off so cleanly, and slowly the applause rained down. Though I was there when they practiced the entire thing before, I was just as overwhelmed, and I clapped and cheered just like all the others.

All throughout that less-than-three minute performance, which felt more like twenty minutes, a big rear-projection screen suspended from the ceiling showed all the on-stage action so everyone in the Arclight Coliseum could see what was happening. But I and the others were close enough that we didn't need the screen.

As everyone on stage took their bows, I only had eyes for Danny. Danny blushed so prettily as the band and the glee kids turned and applauded her. Mongo and Dale pulled her to the front and she shyly waved to everyone, which started another wave of applause. Nervously, Danny did that thing with her hair again and brought her mic back up.

"Thank you, everyone!" she said. " My name is Dannie, and this is our band, Unlimited Bandwidth." Danny had to pause to let the new wave of cheering die down. "Welcome to the formal launch of KRPQ-FM, as it transitions to its new Digital FM channel and station ID. Let's hear it for hi-fidelity, ninety-nine point three! Hi-Fidelity FM!"

The applause thundered down and Danny grinned from ear to ear. That was the cue for the prop man up in the rafters, and glitter and multi-colored confetti slowly rained down. A little bit of confetti landed on Danny, but what was most noticeable was a small, thin powdering of glitter that landed on her cheeks, eyelids and eyelashes, as well as in her red hair. As the camera flashbulbs fired, the light reflected off the glitter. It was like Danny was covered with little twinkling lights. But she was oblivious to this and the effect this had on the crowd, and continued with her spiel. It made her look like an angel had just come down from amongst the stars.

"And I'd like to introduce your hosts for tonight," she continued. "From ninety-nine point three, Sally Marshall, Talia Roberts and Harry Seavers!"

From the side, Sally, Talia and Harry leaped out and onto the stage, all of them carrying their own radio mics and dressed to the nines. A decision was made by the director early on, which Mrs. Piper agreed with - he decided to use handheld microphones instead of those headset things. Though a little more difficult, hand mics gave the performers an extra prop to work with, and was more visually satisfying. ("Besides," he said, "those headset things just ruin the look of the girls, don't you think?" All of us shrugged - we didn't care.)

Harry let out a rebel yell, and Sally and Talia made a beeline for Danny, and commenced hugging the stuffing out of her.

"Let's hear it for Dannie and Unlimited Bandwidth!" Harry said, raising his voice to be heard over the din of the crowd. Harry raised Danny's microphone arm like a prize fighter's, and everyone cheered. Someone in the crowd snapped a photo of that moment, and this was the picture that got on all the papers - Harry raising Danny's arm as they were surrounded by Sally and Talia, June, Fallon, Dale and Mongo, and the ten kids from the Glee Club, and me - the guys had waved me in at the last second, and I snuck in there, got in the pic, and then scurried away as soon as the pic was done. It was one of the most memorable moments of my life, as I'm sure it was for the others, too. I was so proud of Danny. Right then and there, I decided that it was true - I loved her, innocently forgetting about Nikki. But I guess I could be forgiven for that one short lapse. I love Danny, and I think I always will. I shivered in happiness.

Harry continued - "let's hear it for Hi-Fidelity, Ninety-Nine Point Three FM!" and everyone just cheered their heads off.

Eventually, the applause died down, and as it did, Danny and the band faded to the back of the stage. Talia and Sally took up the spiel. "Let's not stop the fun for tonight, Harry," Talia said.

"Right, Talia," Harry said. "What do you say, Sally?"

"Absolutely, Harry!" Sally responded. "Ladies and gentlemen, the rest of the ninety-nine point three crew!"

Two other people, wearing the station's jackets and colors as well as big, bright-colored headphones over their ears walked on stage.

- - - - -

***** (Lou) *****

From the wings, Dennis and I heard Sally say our cue. Goodwin, our faithful night security guard who accompanied us, clapped me on the shoulder. He was wearing the station's new jacket, just like us.

"Time to go, old hoss!" Goodwin said, and pushed the both of us onto the stage.

I sighed. Clearly, Dennis got off on the attention as he jauntily waved at the cheering crowd. Actually, I did, too, but never would I deliberately seek this out. It was Danny's fault, I said to myself, fondly thinking of the kid. That kid...

I smiled. I was so overwhelmed by the bright lights and large, boisterous crowd that I hardly paid attention to what Harry, the new announcer, was saying. Imagine - all of this - all of this because of that kid.

I guess I had started to develop a soft spot for her. Or is it him... Ahhh, it didn't matter. I guess I owe him this - reviving the station and thereby securing my employment, as well as saving my life when I had my heart attack. But more than that - as my old dad would say, she's a good egg. (Goddammit! I meant "he"!)

Harry had just introduced Dennis, and Dennis did his little smart-alecky little spiel, and everyone just ate it all up. And then Harry introduced me. It was my turn.

I leaned down and spoke into Harry's mic. "Hi," I said in my usual low and gravelly voice and - I couldn't believe it - everyone exploded! Huh? All I said was "Hi."

Dennis clapped me on my shoulder and the two cute girls, Sally and Talia, bussed me on both cheeks. What did I do?!? What did I do!?!

Anyway, Talia took over, and started talking about the newly-revamped station. I looked around and I saw Dannie in the red dress. I couldn't get over how beautiful that girl was, but I was old enough to be her dad. I sighed. She saw me looking, and she gave me a big smile and cheerily gave me a small salute. The little hankies she had trailed her arm. Dammit, "he!"

- - - - -

***** (Lou) *****

A couple of weeks before, Mrs. Piper brought us into her office for a talk. With her lawyer present, she explained how crucial it was to the station's plans that Danny's alter ego be kept secret, but more than anything was that Danny asked us to. Dennis, Goodwin and I would not give the kid trouble by willingly spilling the beans - all three of us liked the kid, even though Dennis thought he was a poof, but Mrs. Piper insisted. And I owed him my life, just as much, actually more, than I did Goodwin, I think.

Mrs. Piper handed us some papers to sign, and in them she spelled the penalty for breaking our word, even accidentally. That momentarily took my breath away. I was about to tear it up until I figured out that, for keeping our word, we'd be given a twenty thousand-dollar bonus, as well as a ten percent raise and a renewable five year employment contract.

With my present financial problems, I signed right away, as did Dennis and Goodwin. However, after we did, Mrs. Piper laid another bomb on us - we found out that the lead singer in that band we just featured at the station - it was Danny as well!

Dennis, Goodwin and I got to talking after that, over drinks (nowadays it's just Diet Sprite for me). We got four Danny's - Danny the kid, our Danny (the DJ), his sister Danielle, and now this Dannie singer. Dennis and I thought this secret won't hold, even if we didn't say anything. I mean, all of them "Danny," and all of them redheads? Good grief! What are the odds?

But then, Goodwin corrected us - Danny-the-DJ was now officially a brunette named Robin, and Danielle was, in reality, Danny's real-life sister. Besides, the various Dannys acted as differently from each other as night and day - there was Danny, the boy who acted just like any other nerdy kid I knew, there was Danny-the-leather-jacket-wearing-brunette-DJ (I mean Robin) who was like a cerebral genius tomboy-type girl, and Danielle, the bright but bubbly cheerleader type who was actually Danny's real-life sister. And then there's this Dannie-the-singer. Among the four, Dannie-the-singer was physically the taller one on account of the skyscraper heels she kept on wearing, as well as the more blatantly sexy, but, oddly enough, she exuded a feeling of shyness and coquettishness which was at odds with her rocker image and sexy look. It's all a mystery to me, actually.

I shook my head - listen to me, talking like they were all different people. I looked back at Dannie-the-singer as she cheered whatever Talia said, and was amazed. I felt a headache coming on.

Sally, the other cute girl took over.

"Y'know, Talia," Sally said, "it's too bad our team isn't complete."

"What do you mean, Sally?" Talia feigned innocence. "Do you mean, not all of the Hi-Fidelity Ninety-nine Point Three FM Deejays are here?"

"Yep!" Sally continued with the shtick.

"But, all the guys - you, me, Dennis, Lou and Harry are here. Whatever do you mean?" It was so campy, the audience laughed.

"Yes, Sally," Harry said. "Whatever do you mean! With you, Talia and us, aren't we all here?"

"No, Harry, we're missing one."

I gasped in mock surprise. "You mean we are missing one Deejay?"

Sally giggled. "Yes, Lou, that's exactly what I mean!"

"Ahh!" Dennis said. "You are probably referring to..."

"That's right, Dennis," I said in my gravelly voice, taking the cue. "Live from our studio downtown, iiit's the Nighthawk!"

Everyone cheered at the top of their lungs, and clapped uproaringly.

"Hey, hey hey," Danny's pre-recorded Nighthawk voice from the live-radio signal was fed into the speakers. "This is the Nighthawk, transmitting from the Ninety-Nine Point Three studios downtown. Thanks, guys!" On the big projection screen hanging above us, they had a picture of Danny - the same picture that was hanging in the station's lobby.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't be with you folks there at the Arclight Coliseum, but someone needed to hold down the fort over here." ('Course, the one really holding down the fort was no one, really - the booths were locked down: no one was in there. But that's okay. I think, aside from those of us who knew Dannie to be Danny, everyone really thought that "The Nighthawk" really was at the station.) "Anyway," the pre-recorded Danny continued, "I hope you all enjoy the party!"

"Thanks, so much, Robin!" Sally answered. "We will! Now, on to the show..."

- - - - -

***** (Danny) *****

I clapped and cheered after Talia got through explaining the new changes at the station, and clapped and cheered some more when Dennis Oldfield and Lou Jefferson took another set of bows and made their way on stage. And then, as planned, my pre-recorded voice came on-line. After my short lines as the Nighthawk, Sally took over again. But just as she did, the stage lights suddenly clicked off. There was a roar from the crowd, in expectation of something. But all of us on stage were shocked. This wasn't expected at all! The entire stage was suddenly cast in darkness. Beside me, in the dark, I heard Fallon swear suddenly.

"Hey, Red!" I whispered. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Danny," she said a little irritatedly. "I just stubbed my toe on something. Dammit! Who turned off the lights!"

"Be careful, 'kay? Don't trip on anything."

"Yeah, yeah..."

After about half a minute of nervous anticipation, a stage hand came up the stage with an old-fashioned microphone. He dragged the mic's wire across the stage as he made his way to Harry and the others. After my eyes adjusted to the gloom, I was able to see the stage hand and Harry whispering to each other. After a bit, the stage hand handed the microphone to Harry, and stepped away. As soon as he did, a spotlight hit Harry.

"Ummm, ladies and gentlemen," he said, "ummm, we have had a small technical emergency here. Seems power is off up here in front. And, ummm..."

There was a restless kind of murmuring that started to come from the crowd.

"Please hold on as we try and fix the problem..."

The murmuring started to become louder, mixed with a few boos. I stopped the stage hand. "Is it true? Power's off?"

He shrugged. "Yes, ma'am. Afraid so. The electrician is trying to find out the cause. He's saying it must be some breaker somewhere, but because of all the patch cords and stuff, he's having a hard time finding it."

"But there's power to the rest of the auditorium!"

"Yeah, it's just the stage and the radio mics that lost power."

"That's weird!"

"That's what he said. It's like it was done deliberately. But he said he'll find it soon. It's just a matter of finding out where the fault is."

Ohmigod! It's Janet! Got to be!

"What do we do in the meantime, then?"

"Don't know - the director said to try and stall for time..."

"God...." I tried to think a bit. "Okay, man. Can you try and get a couple of microphone stands, as well as a couple of extra mics like the one you brought up?"

"What're you gonna do?"

"Never mind! Just do it, okay?"

The stage hand nodded and, before scurrying away, he handed me something. "They said for you to wear this," he said. It was a little in-the-ear earphone with receiver.

As I was putting it on, Fallon walked over. "Danny?"

"There's a big problem, Red. No power to everything on the stage."

"No shit?" she said sarcastically.

"No shit. But I'm trying to think of something we can do to buy some time. Can you grab my acoustic? It's somewhere back there." I gestured vaguely to the back of the stage.

She nodded and made her careful way back towards Mongo's drums.

I looked around and tried to find a good spot at the front of the stage where there weren't any stuff to block the view of the audience. Seems just a bit to the left, near the glee kids' spot. I moved there, and Fallon came over and handed me my guitar. I put the strap over my shoulder.

"Thanks, honey. Can I ask another favor? Can you get everyone to the side, or somewhere out of the way?"

"But..."

"Please trust me!"

In the dark, I can just imagine her expression. "Okay," she said, nevertheless. "Even those guys?" I saw her arm gesture towards Harry, Talia and the others.

"Yes, even them."

"Okay..."

As soon as she had almost everyone herded to the back of the stage and was going for Harry and the other announcers who were making nervous excuses to the audience, the stage hand came back. "Sorry, miss, no stands, but I have one microphone."

I grabbed the mic from him. "Get a couple of those stands over there," I said, pointing to the microphone stands with radio mics over at the backup singers' section.

He went and got a couple of them. "Okay, you keep these," I said, taking off the useless radio mics from the stands and handing them to him. I then proceeded to lower one of the stands, attaching the wired microphone in my hand to it's clamp. "Now you go over there and get me the mic you gave to Harry." I pointed to the other side of the stage.

Although he was a bit rebellious, he went to go get the mic, but he didn't need to - Harry was walking over to me, and the spotlight followed him.

Harry held the microphone to the side, so that no one could hear him. "Whatcha doin' Dannie?"

"I'm sorry, Harry. But I need you to give me that mic and to get off the stage."

"But...."

I gave him a kiss on the cheek in apology - something I now do to get my way with the girls, which seemed appropriate now somehow. "Do as I say, Harry! Please!"

He was taken aback, but after a bit, in the flood's white light, I could see him smile. "Okay, Sexy. Good luck."

He turned around and faced the audience. Before, the unrest was growing, but they were quiet now, having followed his every move in the spotlight, as well as on the big projection screen above. And when I kissed him, everyone became silent.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, in a very somber, low voice, "Mizz Dannie Fairchild." Taking advantage of the situation, the fink kissed me back on my cheek, and then handed me his mic before walking to the back of the stage, and everyone tittered. Sally and Talia followed him off the stage.

In the silence, I busied myself with fixing the mic to the other stand. I aimed one of the mics so that it would pick up my guitar, and I raised the other so that it was comfortably near my lips. And I started playing one of my favorite songs by Train (which I thought was appropriate for Janet), with just me and my guitar.
My initial chords echoed in the almost-silent coliseum, and as I started to sing, the crowd roared and applauded.

"Now that she's back in the atmosphere," I sang, "with drops of Jupiter in her hair, hey, hey..." It was lonely being here - just me in the darkness without anyone to help me or back me up. Nevertheless...

"She acts like summer and walks like rain, reminds me that there's a time to change, hey, hey...

"Since the return from her stay on the moon, she listens like spring and she talks like June, hey, hey..." I tried to be faithful to the nuances of the original, but it was a little difficult since I was all alone, but I did my best.

"Tell me," I sang in a plaintive way, "did you sail across the sun? Did you make it to the milky way to see the lights all faded, and that heaven is overrated?

"Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star - one without a permanent scar, and did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there?"

I didn't notice at the time, but Betsy had come up on stage, carrying a tambourine and a shaker. She waved to Fallon to come close and handed her the tambourine. As I had finished the first stanza of the song and came to the bridge, she started moving the shaker in rhythm, and it made its distinctive sound in synch with my playing.

I had to smile at Betsy's quick thinking, and I continued on with the next lines.

"Now that she's back from that soul vacation, tracing her way through the constellation, hey, hey... She checks out Mozart while she does tae-bo, reminds me that there's room to grow, hey, hey..."

With my friends now around me, I sang more confidently, and gave in to the semi-melancholy words of the song.

"Now that she's back in the atmosphere, I'm afraid that she might think of me as plain ole Jane; told a story about a man who is too afraid to fly so he never did land."

Seems Fallon got it. She moved to my other side and started shaking her tambourine in rhythm. And all three of us started playing in synch.

"Tell me, did the wind sweep you off your feet? Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day and head back to the milky way? And tell me, did Venus blow your mind? Was it everything you wanted to find? And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there?"

As the three of us played the bridge, we looked at each other and smiled delightedly. All too soon I had to sing again.

"Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken, your best friend always sticking up for you... even when I know you're wrong.

"Can you imagine no first dance, freeze dried romance, five-hour phone conversations, the best soy latte that you ever had... and me..."

Betsy, Fallon and I paused, and after a beat...

"Tell me did the wind sweep you off your feet? Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day, and head back to the milky way?

"Tell me," I sang, "did you sail across the sun? Did you make it to the milky way to see the lights all faded, and that heaven is overrated?

"Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star - one without a permanent scar, and did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there?"

In the bridge, the three of us sang: "nananananana, nananananana - nahananana..."

"Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day?"

"...nananananana, nananananana - nahananana..."

"Did you fall for a shooting star! Fall for a shooting star!"

"...nananananana, nananananana - nahananana..."

And then I sang the final line: "and are you lonely looking for yourself out there..."

After the briefest of interludes, the applause rained down. I slid the guitar onto my back, took Betsy and Fallon by the hand and we walked up to the edge of the stage, the spotlight following us. We bowed in unison, and smiled.

"Mizz Fairchild, hello?" I heard someone speak in my ear via the little receiver. "Mizz Fairchild, if you hear me, nod your head subtly."

I tried to look around, yet trying not to appear that I was looking around. Far to the back of the auditorium, I could see someone waving in the control booth. I nodded.

"That's a relief," the voice said. "Hi, my name's Maurice. I'm the lighting director. Good job, by the way. Anyway, we found out the cause of the outage. Seems someone threw the master breaker to the stage lights and electronics, and then cut some power cables. It was deliberate sabotage."

Even as he was talking, Betsy, Fallon and I continued taking bows. Who did it? Could it really be Janet? It wouldn't really be hard to believe if someone told me it was her. I mean, who else?

"We got everything licked," Maurice continued. "Pickups to your instruments and all the sound equipment are hot, but our electrician is still splicing the wires for the floods one at a time. But as soon as one bank of lights is electrified, we'll switch it on until we have all three banks going. Nod if you understand."

I nodded, as a stage hand came up and took my acoustic guitar and traded it with my pink electric, plugged the electric into the electronic box velcroed to it and put a microphone stand in front of me, with a wireless mic already attached.

"Okay," Maurice continued. "So all we need from you now is to hold on for a little bit until we've completely lit up the stage."

A little bit... But I thought of something better. I pulled the stage hand closer. "Tell them when they light up the stage, I want them to light up the front part, wait a while and then to light up the middle, and then then wait again and then turn on the rest. Give about fifteen seconds in between each."

"Huh?"

"Just tell them," I said, and waved him away. He cupped his hand around the boom mic attached to his headset and spoke to someone, Maurice probably. I then turned to Betsy and Fallon. "Guys, I'm gonna play 'Here Comes the Sun.' Be ready."

"You mean, like in Glee Club, Danny?" Fallon asked.

"Yup." I nodded, and then turned to Betsy. "You know the song, Bets?"

"You mean the George Harrison song? The guy from the Beatles? Yeah, I know the song. It's in our alternate song list."

"That's a relief. And remember, we're doing Sheryl Crow's version."

She looked puzzled. She didn't really care one way or the other so long as she had her sheet music.

"You know! From the Bee cartoon!"

Her eyes lit up in recognition.

"Yup - that one!" I gave her a hug. "Now you two get ready with the band. 'Kay?" The two scurried off.

I heard Maurice's voice in my ear again.

"Mizz Fairchild, Kenny told me what you want. You're saying we should connect and light up the front of the stage first, then the middle and then the back. Is that right?"

I nodded.

"Any particular reason why, and when do you want each bank lit?" I shrugged. "Ahhh, stupid me. Of course, you can't answer. Okay, Mizz Fairchild. we'll do it your way. Good luck on whatever you're planning. I'll keep an eye on you. Nod your head when you want each bank lit, okay?"

He clicked off, and I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. Yep, I definitely will need a bit of good luck.
I stood there facing the crowd, and started playing the opening chords. I kept repeating the opening chords, waiting for the first lights, and while I did, the people slowly recognized the iconic Beatles melody. A slow wave of sound started to build up, becoming louder and louder. I nodded my signal, praying that they saw it, and as soon as the first bank of lights was switched on, bathing me in bright, white light, I started singing. I couldn't have timed it any better. And the building murmur in the audience exploded into loud cheering yet again.

"Here comes the sun, doodndoodoo..." I sang, singing softly in the beginning, getting stronger as I sang further, "here comes the sun, and I say it's all right." I nodded, praying they'd see my signal again, and they did. The audience roared in delight at the appropriateness of the lighting, and June and Mongo segued in, June making her keys sound like an old sixties-style electric organ.

I did the semi-complicated riff with them as everyone started clapping to the beat, and I started singing again.

"Little darlin', it's been a long, cold, lonely winter... Little darlin', it feels like years since it's been here. Here comes the sun, doodndoodoo... here comes the sun. And I say it's all right... Little darlin', the smiles returning to the faces... Little darlin', it seems like years since it's been here...

"Here comes the sun, doodndoodoo... here comes the sun and I say it's all right." I nodded my signal again and the next and last bank of lights was switched on. Maurice seemed to have gotten what I wanted, as the timing was impeccable. The audience clapped and hooted.

June, Dale, Mongo and Fallon played the bridge. I decided to let Fallon take the rhythm lead since we really hadn't practiced this much so there was a real risk of my guitar's and Fallon's clashing. Still, they had fun with the simple melody, and that was good enough for me.

The girls from the backup sang the refrain with me, repeating the line five times, with mongo and the others playing a truncated riff in between repetitions. "Sun, sun, sun, here it comes... Sun, sun, sun, here it comes... Sun, sun, sun, here it comes... Sun, sun, sun, here it comes... Sun, sun, sun, here it comes..." That was great!

I took over for Fallon in the next bridge, spiraling up the rhythm.

"Little darling, I feel the ice is slowly melting..." June's organ sound shifted to something more peppy. "Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear... Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, and I say it's all right... It's all right..."

We repeated the last line. "Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, and I say it's all right... It's all right..." And we wound it down, with Mongo doing a fast flourish at the end. And as the applause rained down again, everyone in the band and the backup singers gathered around me in a big group hug. It felt so good. I can do this forever...

I was about to say my usual line when the band got into one of these clinches - that I couldn't breathe - when June gave me a sloppy kiss on the cheek. "Oh, shut up, Danny!" she giggled. It's like she read my mind.

But we didn't have much time for that, as Maurice reminded me in my ear, we needed to continue with the show.

I gave all the girls quick kisses and the guys some tight guy-hugs, and then we started with our next set.

to be continued...

 

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