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I wave him off. “Nah, I’m just here to dance and listen to the band. This is your night,” I call back.
“Come on. Just one song. Get loud, everyone, and help me get our very own hometown star up on the stage tonight,” he encourages.
Everyone in attendance, including Ansley, starts to hoot and holler their agreement.
“I’m on a date. I’m not here to sing. I don’t even have my guitar with me,” I say.
“I think we can dig one up for you, and I bet a free mini concert from Garrett Tuttle would help loosen up those purse strings tonight. Right, everybody?” he continues.
The crowd shouts, “Yes,” and I have no choice but to give them what they want.
I look to Ansley as I make my way to the stage, and she beams at me.
There is nothing I wouldn’t do when she smiles at me like that.
I take the stage, strap on a guitar handed to me, and address the patrons. “All right, you all promised to start writing checks for the library, so I’ll do my part, and you do yours.”
I run the pick over the strings of the guitar and play the first few chords to my hit single “Wild and Free.” The audience erupts in excitement as the other band members follow my lead into the intro.
I perform four of my most popular songs to the enthusiastic mob before I take a bow and hand the mic back to the band.
It is exhilarating to be onstage again. Even a small stage in a town library in Balsam Ridge.
Ansley grins and claps as I make my way back to her.
“That was amazing. Thank you,” she says.
I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her into me. “Anything for you, Foxy.”
I hear a throat clear behind me and turn to find myself face-to-face with Pastor Humphries. He is accompanied by a couple and is holding the hand of a tiny, pale boy.
“Garrett, I’d like to introduce you to Theodore King. He is a huge fan and really wanted to meet you,” Pastor Humphries says.
I look down at the boy and smile. He looks frail. His eyes are stained underneath with a dark purple, and his arms are terribly thin.
I bend down to his level. “Hi there, Theodore. It’s nice to meet you.”
“You can call me Theo,” he says.
“Theo,” I repeat.
I bring my eyes up to the couple.
“We’re Theo’s parents. I’m Jesse, and this is my wife, Lacey. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” the man says as he extends his hand.
I take it, and we shake.
“Okay, Theo, you got to meet him. We have to go now,” Lacey says to her son.
Theo frowns.
“Why are you leaving so early? We just met,” I say.
“Theo and I have an early flight out of Knoxville in the morning,” she explains.
“I have to go to the hospital,” Theo interrupts.
“Is that right? Are you feeling poorly?” I ask.
“He has an aggressive brain tumor. We are going to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis for treatment.”
I look back to Theo. “That’s a great place. I know some of the doctors, and they are the best. I’m sure they are gonna fix you up in no time, buddy,” I tell him.
“Momma says God trained all the doctors himself,” he says.
“I believe he did,” I agree. “Before you leave, can I get a picture with you?” I ask Theo.
He beams and nods his head. I reach down and scoop him up into my arms, and his father snaps a few shots.
“You like country music, huh?” I ask as his dad snaps away.
He nods.
“You’re my favorite. I listen to your music when I’m getting treatments.”
A lump forms in my throat.
His mom reaches for him and I put my hand up before fishing my own phone out of my back pocket and handing it to Ansley.
“I need one too,” I say, and she takes my phone and clicks a couple for me.
I set him back on his feet.
“When you feel better, I’ll come by and see you and bring you some of my signed merchandise and a copy of my new CD.”
“Really? Yay!”
He looks up at his mother, and with tears in her eyes, she takes his hand.
“Thank you again for taking the time to talk with us,” Jesse says before leading his family away.
Pastor Humphries gives me a tight-lipped smile and walks off.
“A brain tumor? How old is he?” I ask Ansley when they are out of earshot.
“He’s seven. It’s terminal, but we’re all praying for a miracle, and St. Jude is his last hope. He and Lacey will probably be there through the end of the year. It’s hard for Jesse to be away from them. He doesn’t even know if tomorrow is the last time he’ll see his little boy alive.”
Her eyes well with tears.
“He’s not going with them?” I ask.
