Page 66 of Passion’s Song

“Hello?” April finally answered.

She listened to Carlos’s excited voice on the other end of the line. She was certain that he was disappointed in her reaction. Instead of a scream of delight, April groaned at the news Carlos had just imparted.

Just like that, life had thrown her another curveball. And she had no idea what she was going to do with it.

* * *

April pulled into a parking spot less than a block away from her house. As she trudged along the sidewalk, it felt as if her legs were filled with lead. The weight of everything that had transpired over the course of today was just too much to handle.

On top of the vandalism, Damien’s revelation about what the McGowan Group wanted to do to the youth center and Linsey’s arrests, April found out on her return to A Fresh Start that Nicole had just accepted a new job in Tampa, and would be leaving at the end of the month. It made the decision April faced even harder.

Her steps faltered when she came upon her house.

Damien sat on the steps leading up to her porch, his knees braced apart, his elbows resting on his thighs. He clutched his hands together as if in prayer.

When he noticed her, he remained silent, his eyes tracking her steps.

April walked up to him and took a seat beside him on the porch steps. They both looked straight ahead, not saying anything for several minutes.

“How’s it going?” Damien finally asked.

“I’ve had better days,” she answered.

She spent the next ten minutes explaining the situation with Linsey. It was the phone call from the police precinct that had cut their conversation short this morning.

“I don’t know why I’m even doing this, Damien. I thought I was making a difference, but I don’t know anymore.”

“How can you say that?” he asked. “I’ve seen you with those kids, April. More important, I’ve seen how the kids are when they’re with you. You make them want to be better people, the same way you did with me.”

She looked over at him, wanting to believe him.

“Don’t give up on them,” Damien said. “You are making a difference.”

“But is it enough? I don’t know if I’m really cut out for this. Maybe I should just go back to touring. That’s what I’m good at.”

“Where is this coming from, April?”

April covered her face with both palms. “My agent called this afternoon. I’ve been granted an audition with the Boston Pops.”

She heard Damien release a low whistle. “Wow,” he said. “That’s the one, isn’t it? The one you’ve wanted.”

“Ever since I was ten years old,” she said.

“You have to do it.”

She spread her fingers wide enough to peer at him.

“You have to,” Damien said again. “This is your dream.”

“But what about A Fresh Start? How can I just bail on them?”

“You’re not bailing on them, and you’re definitely not going to bail on Linsey.” Damien captured her wrists and gently tugged her hands from her face. “You can make this work. Even if you have to teach your music class via the web. We’re going to figure out a way for you to do both, April. Call your agent and accept that audition.”

“Does it even matter?” she asked. “If the McGowan Group is going to come in and bulldoze over A Fresh Start, what does it matter?”

“They won’t,” Damien said. “Well, the building may not stand, but A Fresh Start will.”

April’s heart started to pound with anticipation. “What do you mean by that?”