Page 67 of The Best Christmas Choir Ever

Her thoughts were still consumed by Frank’s absence and her conversation with Julian. Logically, she knew grief wasn’t linear and her reaction was valid—she’d paid for enough therapy to have learned that much. But that didn’t stop her from feeling a little silly for running out on the choir.

Then again, she was so good at running. Part of her still believed that if she ran far enough and fast enough, these feelings and the consequences of those feelings might never catch her.

Even as a flush of embarrassment washed through her, she knew ditching rehearsal had been easier than facing the reminders of her grief or enduring Gram’s looks of concern or Maggie’s uncertain whispers to Harriet. Charlie hadn’t realized just how fond she’d become of this little retirement community, and the thought of losing any of them turned her stomach.

She tried to put those thoughts out of her head, walking down the hall, peeking into rooms. It was time to start funneling the rest of Gram’s possessions to a storage locker. Charlie sighed, seeing a lot of boxes and packing tape in her future. She wandered back to the living room with a sheet of Bubble Wrap. Already the house was looking emptier, and Charlie was unnerved by it. It felt like she was losing something all over again. Being alone in the old Victorian often felt like too much, but perhaps this was worse. Soon the house would be bare, and the memories, good or bad, would be gone. Packed away to live in a cold, damp storage unit.

Her eyes drifted to the second floor stairwell. Wasn’t that what she’d tried to do with Tom? Lock him away in a place inside her that she never wanted to visit?

Charlie pressed her hand to her stomach. Get it together. It was only a house.

Her phone buzzed, and she grabbed it off the coffee table, eager for a distraction.

“Hey!” she said, wincing as Alicia squealed on the other end of the phone.

“Where are you? Are you sitting down?”

Charlie pursed her lips. “Um, should I be?”

“Yes, sit down. Right now!”

“Oh no,” Charlie muttered. “What’s happening?”

“Okay, so I’ve gotten a call from the New York Philharmonic. They saw your viral video with the choir, and they need a singer to fill a spot for a New Year’s performance they’re putting together. Well, I mean, they’ve been putting it together for a while, but the part we care about is that they’ve had someone drop out last minute, and they’ve invited you to take their place!”

“They’ve invited me to sing?” Charlie said, dumbfounded. “With the orchestra?”

“Yes,” Alicia said.

“Holy shit.”

“I know!”

“That’s like…that’s huge!”

“I know!”

The New York Philharmonic was one of the leading orchestras in the country. Tom would have drooled at the thought of being able to work with them.

“There’s a bunch of well-known Broadway performers on the program,” Alicia continued. “This could be an amazing way for you to return to the community.”

“They asked for me?” Charlie said, still a little stunned by the news.

“Yes, you. Someone down at the Lincoln Center saw your little video and loved it. They inquired about your availability with me, and I said you’re looking to get back into performing again. I think they’re trying to embrace the social media thing. You know, attract new fans to the symphony, and as far as viral videos go, you’re kinda famous.”

“Ha!” Charlie said. She’d had exactly thirty seconds of viral fame with the community center video. Then again, there was a reason they called it the power of social media.

“So?” Alicia said. “What do you think?”

“I think Tom would have gone absolutely wild over this news.”

“He would have,” Alicia agreed softly.

“Performing with an orchestra of this caliber was always his dream.”

“Is that a yes?” Alicia asked.

“I think… .” How could she possibly turn down this kind of offer? “I’d like to give it some serious consideration.”