Lady in Red Ch. 24

After the first intermission where the principal of the school thanked first responders for their efforts to save the school, Gwen began the next set with her version of 'I Need a Hero'. She had earlier asked some of the first responders to remain on stage. They had no idea that she was going to sing to them when they agreed. They were both embarrassed and proud as Gwen made the song about them. The audience absolutely loved it. Then Jordan kept them on stage as she sang 'Wind Beneath my Wings' to them. The fans gave a standing ovation when Jordan ended her song.

Gwen found time to descend to the prom dance floor and dance with Tom and a couple other boys while Steve and Jordan sang. Jordan was soon doing the same thing when Steve sang lead. With their mobile microphones the girls were able to sing back up while they danced.

Steve went down to the dance floor and asked a girl watching from the rear of the group to dance. He led her onto the floor as Jordan began playing 'Slow Dancing' by Johnnie Rivers on the piano. Steve sang it as he danced the blushing girl around the floor. Gwen quickly pulled the girl's date onto the floor to dance with him while Steve sang.

A bit later, Steve sat at the piano while Jordan picked a boy out of the crowd and began dancing with him as Steve led into the Patsy Cline song, 'Crazy'. As soon as the song ended, Gwen chose a tall boy and began singing 'Unchained Melody' as she danced with him. The crowd loved seeing Gwen, Jordan, and Steve interact with the local kids. It gave them a prom night they'd never forget.

Three hours after the show began, the stands were still full and the fans showed no intention of leaving. The group had only a few songs left that they had rehearsed. In a change of pace, Gwen sang 'Addicted to Love' by Robert Palmer. She gave a little extra hip action as she performed. Steve played guitar as he and Jordan sang backup. He marveled at how sexual Gwen made the song. Every man in the place felt she was singing just to him. It was almost midnight when the organizers announced the show was over. They had enjoyed almost four hours of music with a few breaks thrown in.

The applause was thunderous and simply rolled on. Steve and Jordan had saved their recent chart topper for an encore and delivered it perfectly. Then Gwen sang 'My Heart Will Go On' followed by Steve delivering 'Can't Help Falling in Love with You'. Then the stage went dark.

Jordan, Gwen, and Steve quietly left the stage and retired to the small changing room under the stands. They were soon joined by Charlie and his band mates.

"That was just amazing! I can't believe how well we all did! You guys sang the hell out of every song and the audience knew it. They loved it when you danced with the prom kids. We played our asses off!" boasted Charlie as he shook hands with Steve and hugged the two girls.

The group waited still the arena was pretty well emptied out before packing up their equipment. Steve was surprised to see Amber Stahl waiting for them on the stage.

"You guys really brought the house down tonight! I'll be surprised if the network doesn't broadcast it, and soon. I interviewed people during the breaks and after the show. They all raved about how great it was and how proud they are of their seniors for organizing the prom that grew into such a successful fund raiser so soon after the tornado. Everyone thought you guys sang great.

"My station wants an interview with all of you that they can broadcast in prime time half an hour before your TV special Sunday night! They think the folks in the viewing area will love it. Hometown talent and all that. We'll need to video it a few hours ahead of time at least, so it can be edited. Are you willing? And if so, when do you want to do it?"

"Could you set up and do it right now, on the empty stage here?" asked Steve. "I'm so jacked up, I won't be able to sleep. I know the girls like to spend time putting their make-up on, but they look great and we're all eager to talk about the show and what we liked and didn't like."

Jordan and Gwen agreed, as long as they had some time to fix their faces and hair. Amber assured them they would have enough time since she needed to borrow a couple remaining CNC camera men to video the interview for her. Knowing the video would be edited down to half an hour, the trio was comfortable answering Amber's questions and volunteering information about the benefit and the fans reaction to it. It was almost two AM when they ended the interview. Amber hurried off to get the videos to the station while Gwen, Jordan, and Steve returned to the hotel.

Jordan, Steve, and Gwen each had separate rooms. Gwen felt she'd be more comfortable in Steve's bed and spent the night with him. Shortly after seven AM, Steve untangled himself from Gwen and quietly made his way to the bathroom. He was only there for a couple minutes, but when he returned to the bedroom, wearing only his boxers, a thin faced woman was standing just inside the entrance. She quickly raised a camera and snapped a picture before rushing back out the door!

"What the hell was that?" demanded Steve to an equally surprised Gwen. "How did she get in and what did she want?"

"I heard a knock on the door and you were gone, so I thought you were out in the hall and wanted to get back in. I opened the door without checking to see who it was and that crazy bitch stepped in and took a picture of me. Just then you came out of the bathroom and she took another one, this time with both of us in it. My hair's a mess and my nipples show through these little pajamas. What's she want with our pictures?" wondered Gwen.

"She either took them for someone, or she plans on selling them. The pictures will pretty much prove that we spent the night together. They'll be someplace between embarrassing and damaging, or maybe both. We'll be exposed to the public as lovers," concluded Steve.

"I never considered that. Now I know how celebrities feel when paparazzi chase them all over and take pictures over fences and through windows. How bad will this be for us?"

"The part that bothers me the most is that someone thinks they're putting one over on us. They may try to blackmail us, although that seems pretty farfetched. More likely, they'll just sell the picture to some supermarket rag to drag us through the dirt," reasoned Steve.

"We're looking at this from the wrong angle! We're not criminals and aren't ashamed to be lovers. It just seems like a personal thing the public doesn't need to know. But that's not the real world. Everything we do will be known or guessed at until the public forgets about us. I've got an idea."

With that, Gwen dug out her cell and punched in a number. "Sorry to bother you so early, Amber, but we need a favor. Could you do a quick interview with Steve and me here in Steve's hotel room in an hour? Thanks! I'll see you then."

Gwen smiled at Steve's obvious confusion. "We're going to be exposed as lovers, so let's do it on our terms. We can't hide it any longer and neither of us care to lie about it, so let's just tell the truth. One thing I've learned the past few months is that the truth will always get out and it's usually not as bad as any lies you can dream up to cover it. Get cleaned up and dressed nice. We're going to be on TV."

An hour later, Gwen and Steve sat on a small sofa and answered the questions that Gwen had requested Amber ask. "A woman we had never seen before knocked on the door this morning around seven. I foolishly opened it and she stepped inside and took two pictures of Steve and me without asking permission. Then she bolted back out the door.

"We were very surprised and confused for a few minutes until Steve determined what the woman was probably after. She was trying to get photographic proof that Steve and I are lovers. We never felt it was anyone else's business, so we've never discussed that subject in public," stated Gwen calmly.

"Bt it seems that there are some people out there that want to know about our personal lives. We've become public figures and are under a microscope all the time now. We've just come to realize that fact."

"You and Steve are quite obviously in love. Tell us, Gwen, are you and Steve lovers?" questioned Amber right on cue.

"The short answer is 'yes'. I wanted Steve to make love to me for a couple months before we actually slept together in Paris. He wanted the perfect situation and location. He's really quite a romantic. He's my first and only lover. Our first time was in Paris with the Eiffel Tower shinning outside our balcony. It was absolutely amazing! I'll never forget it. I guess every girl remembers her first time, but mine was one for the ages. This hunky guy is my friend, my partner, my protector, and my lover. I'm very content with that, and now that it's out in the open, I feel great!" laughed Gwen.

"That's certainly a romantic story. How do you feel about all of this, Steve?" asked Amber as she swung her attention to Steve.

"How do I feel about Gwen? No one's ever loved a woman more than I do her. I wasn't all that eager to share my personal life with the world, but we realize now that we don't have much choice. As far as that skinny woman that came into our room and took our picture this morning is concerned, I'll eventually find out who she is, and who, if anyone, put her up to it. I won't forget. That I promise."

Amber was putting her tripod away when her cell phone rang. She listened to someone for a couple minutes. Then she smiled and said, "Don't edit it yet. I'll be sending some more video I just recorded. It's pretty juicy. The two of them have decided to tell their fans that they're intimate. Yeah! That's what I'm telling you. I'll get it to you in the next few minutes."

"The station manager just told me that CBC has changed its schedule at the eleventh hour. They're busy editing last night's show and they're going to broadcast it tonight, while the tornado and the devastation it caused are fresh on people's minds. They claim it'll help the relief effort, and it might, but I know very well that they're doing it because it was so damn good!

"They love the interview we did last night and showed it to the network. They're going to broadcast it before the show. You guys will have half an hour interview followed by two and a half hours of your performance from last night. That TV movie about the river rescue broadcast the other night was Lifetime's highest rated movie ever! CBC wants some of that magic and they're willing to pay for it. This is going to be big for all three of us!"

Gwen, Amber, and Steve met Jordan, Charlie, and the rest of the band for breakfast before heading for the airport. The group was in high spirits as they told their impressions of the performance the previous evening. Charlie had already been in contact with Clyde Davis and had a contract for his band, including a handsome payday from CBC for the performance the previous evening.

"I thought we were doing well when we had the chance to play in Paris. We received that offer pretty much because of the video of Steve playing with us that one night," admitted Charlie. "Now we've played in Paris, in a big benefit concert, and we'll be broadcast all over the planet tonight! Clyde signed us to play for Jordan when she goes on tour this summer. We owe you three, big time!"

Charlie's happiness was contagious and the group had an enjoyable breakfast that lasted until lunch. When it became evident that the group had finished eating, people began stopping at their table, praising them for the help they gave Becton. Many asked for autographs and pictures. Charlie volunteered to use peoples' own cameras to photograph them with Gwen, Jordan, and Steve.

"You kids are so polite and well mannered," praised an older woman after she had her picture taken with the group. "You're big stars on TV, in music, and soon in movies and you take time for us regular people. That's truly a wonderful thing. I'm a loyal fan now."

By 2 PM everyone had checked in at the airport for the trip back to Sparta. Charlie and his band had booked an earlier flight and had just taken off when Gwen turned to Jordan and stared at her.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face?" asked Jordan.

"Yes, you do. It's a smile that just won't quit," laughed Gwen. "Something tells me that you had a pretty good night after you returned to the hotel. I know what it means when I smile like that, and I'm smiling like that today."

"Okay! Charlie spent the night with me. Does that make me a slut, or a horrible person? He's been so good to me and I really, really like him. Don't be upset with me," begged a worried Jordan.

"Upset? I'm happy for you! Charlie's a great guy and you deserve to be loved and happy. You're certainly no slut. You're a woman in love and that's pretty cool. I know Charlie has it bad for you. I can tell by the way he looks at you and the way he treats you," said Gwen as she hugged a relieved Jordan.

A couple hours later, on the way to Sparta from the airport, Gwen took a call from her mother. "Mom said to drive straight to Aunt Dianne's. They're planning to have a small party during the TV show. I'm getting a little worried about our interview, but I still think we did the right thing. I hope Mom, and especially Dad, agree."

When the trio reached Diane's, they found the driveway packed and cars parked along the road. When they entered the house, they were met with silence.

"We're watching the network news. That Bill Hardy just had a story he taped in Becton. He showed you kids on a roof trying for a 'photo op', as he called it, with a bunch of people putting down shingles on a damaged home. Then he had a photo of Gwen in her pajamas and Steve in boxers in a hotel room. He suggested that you two weren't the role models and innocents you claim to be. He tried to make you look as bad as he could," seethed Paula.

"Bill Hardy had that picture?" questioned Steve. "Now we know who put that little witch up to it. As far as I'm concerned, he's just declared war. I can't overlook his petulance and vindictiveness any more, not when it's directed at us. It's personal now."

"Mom, I could try to explain everything to you, but it's better if you watch television and see what everyone else sees. Then tell me if Steve and I handled this okay, or if we made a big mistake. We're celebrities now. Like it or not, we're going to be in the crosshairs of petty, jealous, unhappy people.

"This is a party, so let's be happy and enjoy the show. I'm more nervous now than I was when we were performing last night. Every relative and friend we have is here! Grandma, it's so nice of you to come!"

"I wouldn't have missed this for the world! I've been watching promos for your TV show the past few weeks. I loved that Lifetime movie, although that girl that played you doesn't have nearly as nice a figure as you have. Don't worry about that jackass showing pictures of you and Steve in underwear. Every woman that sees it will wish they were you, and every guy will be drooling over you."

"Thanks, Grandma. Please watch the interview we did. They'll show it at eight. I want to know what you think of everything we said and if we made a mistake by being so candid."

Everyone gathered in front of the big screen TV shortly before eight and the room became totally quiet when Amber Stahl's face appeared on screen. Steve admired how well she handled the introduction and interview. He had no doubt that she had a great future in broadcasting.

If the room seemed quiet before, it became deathly silent when Gwen was asked if she and Steve were lovers. Tears flowed freely as Gwen gave her response. "He's my first and only lover. Our first time was in Paris with the Eiffel Tower shinning outside our balcony." When the first commercial aired, everyone tried to speak at once.

In deference to her age, Gwen's grandmother gained the floor first. "That was so romantic! You took the air out of Hardy's sails. He tried to make you look cheap and dirty. You showed everyone what a true love should be. By being so happy and proud of being with Steve, you've eliminated most negative reactions fans might have. You two are over eighteen and stars! Sleeping together isn't news. All the hard work you do for charity is. I hope this Amber mentions that."

Caroline had voiced what the others were thinking. Gwen and Steve were congratulated for handling a touchy situation so well before everyone settled down to watch the rest of the interview. The next segment opened with Steve carrying shingles up the ladder and placing them on Joe Franklin's roof.

Amber explained to the audience how Steve had seen the elderly man worrying about getting the shingles up, left the tour group and carried the materials up the ladder for the man. Then she showed Steve, Gwen, Charlie, and Jordan nailing shingles down with no one else around. She explained how people began stopping to help when they realized who was on the roof helping Mr. Franklin.

"Photo-op, my butt!" declared Kate during the next commercial. "Steve was helping that old man before anyone even knew he was doing it. You guys went back to help put the shingles down after you checked in on the preparations at the arena. That Hardy sure looks like a fool after watching Amber's interview. I knew he was full of crap!"

The mood of the gathering had greatly improved once the interview was aired. It was pretty obvious that Hardy had an agenda of his own and that Gwen and Steve were simply trying to do the right thing. Then the benefit concert began with Gwen and Jordan singing 'the Star Spangled Banner'.

Paula was amazed as she watched her daughter, Steve, and Jordan perform. Some songs brought tears, and some brought smiles, but all were emotional and very well done. When Gwen belted out 'Addicted to Love' Kate, Stephanie, and Charlotte squealed in delight. Soon they were up and dancing to the music. By the time the show ended at eleven with Steve singing 'Can't Help Falling in Love with You' as the credits rolled over the screen, everyone watching realized that they had just seen something very special.

"Holy crap!" exclaimed Billy Marsh. "That was the best show I've ever seen on TV. Gwen and Jordan looked incredible and sang great. Even Steve did okay."

"When Steve danced with Gwen and sang 'Lady in Red' to her, I cried," admitted Ms. Summers. "That was the most romantic thing I've ever seen."

"Who thought of dancing with the kids at the prom? That was a stroke of genius," offered Ms. Walker. "It made it all more personal and more human. When you danced with them as you sang, it was especially effective. You need a pretty strong voice to pull that off while dancing. I've got to agree with Billy. The entire performance was absolutely wonderful!"

"I guess we might as well face it, Sis is addicted to love!" laughed Kate as she embraced her sister in a warm hug.