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The clapping grew louder.
“I’m taking a little break. Enjoy your dinner or drinks and I’ll be back in thirty minutes.”
The applause didn’t stop. As she stepped from the small stage, she even caught the restaurant staff clapping. If this kept up, by the end of the night she would be sobbing.
Mamá rose to her feet, clapping. “My baby. My baby. You’re fabulous!”
“Thank you.” She hugged her mother.
Her mother had lost so much weight. And in her heels, Carolina towered over her. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Her mother was still supposed to be the brightest flower in the bouquet. The glint in a jewel. She wasn’t supposed to fade away.
“You were so good.” Mamá kissed first one then the other cheek. “This has been the best night.”
“You taught me how to sing.” She helped her mother sit back in her chair, then stood with her hand on her shoulder.
“You did have a fantastic teacher.” Her mother dusted off an imaginary lapel.
Sage, Kaden and Courtney all laughed.
“You were amazing.” Sage kissed her hand and kept it in his.
It wasn’t the words that thrilled her as much as the light in his eyes.
“You’re incredible.” Courtney leaned over the table. “Do you have a recording of that lullaby?”
“I… Not of that song.” She’d done some recordings, but they were all demos.
Courtney winked. “Do you have other children’s songs? I would love to use your music in the day care. Your voice is so clear, I could understand every word. Well, not the Spanish, but it would be good if you could sing the song in both Spanish and English.”
“Thank you.” She shook her head. “I do have some other children’s songs. But not an album’s worth.”
“Work on that.”
Kaden set a hand on his fiancée’s arm. “Let her catch her breath.”
“Of course.” Courtney’s cupped her mouth and whispered, “We’ll talk.”
And laughter rang out again.
“Nice set.” Ella pushed a water bottle into her hand. “Thought you were going to lose it on that last song, but you pulled it together.”
Carolina bumped her friend’s shoulder. Everything was perfect tonight. Her mother was laughing, Sage looked at her like she’d hung the moon in the sky and she was doing what she loved with her best friend.
“We’re almost done with dinner.” Sage squeezed her fingers. “I’ll be taking your mother back to the hospital, but I’ll return.”
“Thank you.” She brushed a kiss on his cheek. “Having you and Mamá here means the world to me.”
She brushed another kiss on her mother’s cheek. “I should mingle.”
“I’m so proud of you,” Mamá exclaimed. “Now go work the crowd and don’t forget to flirt with the men. They’ll leave bigger tips.”
Some of the shine came off the evening. “Mamá.”
“Well, they do!” Mamá dug into the crème brûlée the server dropped off. “Go. Go.”
“I’ve got it handled,” Sage assured her.
She and Ella worked the room. If a diner called out, they stepped over to the table and talked. Took a few requests. Finally they made it to the bathroom.
“You should have flirted more with that last man,” Ella joked.
“Ha, ha.” She finished washing her hands and checked her makeup. “Thanks for being here. For everything.”
“It’s what best friends do.” Ella gave her a hug. “I wish I didn’t have that gig up at Hilton Head. I love it here.”
“It’s only for two weeks, right?”
“Yeah.” Ella raised her eyebrows. “Why did you lose it on the last song?”
She swallowed. “My mamá won’t ever sing that lullaby to my children.”
Ella gave her another hug and then pushed back and stared her in the face. “Are you and Sage talking children?”
“No!” Carolina jerked. Although the image in her head of a child had her black hair and his green eyes.
“He’s awfully nice,” Ella said.
She smiled. “He is and if I don’t come back to the apartment tonight, I’m with him.”
“Got it,” Ella said.
After exiting the bathroom, they linked arms.
“This is the best night I’ve had in—months,” Carolina said. “Let’s go back and wow the next group of diners.”
“You go, girl.” Ella asked, “Any changes in this set?”
“We can add that request from the last table in. Make it the second song.” She smiled. Tonight was perfect.
