Page 105 of Rock Me

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Noémie

Celine Dion is smiling at me, and touching my hand.

And I haven't fainted yet. She's so beautiful I think I might be falling in love. But I can't.

Because she's saying something and I think should listen.

"My very good friend Pink wrote this song for me, in the toughest time in my life,” she’s saying. Her voice full of emotion, of memory.

I know exactly what song she is talking about. And now I know why I'm here.

"The name of the song is Recovering." She nods to me, and smiles and I nod back. A nod of understanding. Of people who'd known what it’s like to break.

And have recovered.

I count it in, and play.

Play with everything I have.

Everything I want to be. Everything I want to say to Jez, in this moment.

Who gave me this moment. I don't know how he did it, but he gave me the one thing I needed.

Belief in myself again. The song is over almost before it began. Celine’s voice soaring over my last chord and then it’s done.

And I soak in the applause.

The moment.

And then I walk off the stage and return to my life.

My new life.

With Jez.

"You were phenomenal," he's yelling at me over the cheers as I walk into his arms.

"I can't believe what just happened!" I scream, trying to make sense of what I've just experienced.

"It happened. Every single fucking moment."

"Ahh!!!!” I yell, pumping my fists into the air.

"Quiet!" Someone with a headset shushes us and Jez grabs my hand and we run giggling out of a side exit.

"Is that... is that how it always feels?"

He nods, his eyes sparkling. "Yeah. It is."

"Thank you. My sugar guardian angel." And I wonder if I’ll ever be able to repay him.

***

There's a cello in the middle of the foyer when we get back to the room after a helicopter ride over the strip a few days later.

Jez opens the door and it's just sitting there.