Madison Square Garden, New York City 2021
The sold out crowd was on their feet clapping and cheering for one of the most popular singers in the world today. She had just done what the crowd thought for sure was her second and final encore of the night because she always sang the same song for second and final encore for each concert. So when she came back out on stage for the third time the crowd roared so loud it was deafening. She stood center stage and waited for roar of the crowd to die down. When it did she lifted microphone to her mouth and started talking.
"As you know tonight is my last concert on my current world wide tour and because of that I wanted to do something special. When I was a senior in high school I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life but one thing I did know was that I wanted to be famous. I remember saying fame is my mistress and I can't live without my fame. When I moved to New York City my main focus was to become famous and after a few years I got my big break and look at me now, I'm famous worldwide. The thing about fame is it can be like a drug because once I got the taste of fame I was always craving more and more fame. I have had twelve number one songs in my career and I'm only 27 years old. Along the way to becoming famous I pushed old friends and loved ones away from me because I thought I didn't need them as long as I was famous."
"I pushed one very special someone away and recent events have made me take a good long hard look at my life and I've come to the harsh reality that fame hasn't made me truly happy. If anything it has made sad and lonely. Anyway, I'm getting off track here. Tonight's concert isn't just the last one of my tour it's the last concert of my career. (The crowd gasps) I don't care to go into the reason why it's my last concert right now but in a couple of days you will know the reason why. The next song I sing will be the last song I ever sing publically. You would think I would want my last song to be one of my own songs but that's not the case. The song I'm going to sing isn't one any of you probably have ever heard before in your life. It's a song that has deep meaning for me and when I knew I would singing my last song tonight there was no doubt in my heart which song I would be singing. I want to thank all of you for being such wonderful fans over the years. I will truly miss our times together."
Piano music starts playing and Santana starts singing.
For you, there'll be no more crying, To you, I'll give the world And the songbirds are singing, And I wish you all the love in the world, And the songbirds keep singing,
For you, the sun will be shining,
And I feel that when I'm with you,
It's alright, I know it's right
To you, I'll never be cold
'Cause I feel that when I'm with you,
It's alright, I know it's right.
Like they know the score,
And I love you, I love you, I love you,
Like never before.
But most of all, I wish it from myself.
Like they know the score,
And I love you, I love you, I love you,
Like never before, like never before.
Santana's looks out into the crowd with tears running down her face. After a brief moment the crowd erupts into clapping and cheering. Santana doesn't know it but there's one face in the sea of people that has matching tears running down her face.
Three weeks earlier
"Ms. Lopez I have the results of your biopsy and unfortunately it isn't good news. You have a growth on your left vocal cord and it's malignant."
Santana set there frozen in the chair in the doctor's office. She had been having problems with her throat the past few weeks during her worldwide tour. Her manager and she thought it was probably due the nightly stress put on her voice during her concerts. Santana had never had trouble with her voice during other tours but this tour was longer and her concerts were longer too.
Santana finally snapped to and she had an angry look on her face, "I don't know what kind of bullshit you are trying to pull her doctor but I certainly do not have a malignant growth on my vocal cords. My voice is raspier than usually and my throat hurts because I've been over using it on my tour. Once the tour is over and I can rest my voice I'll be just fine."
The doctor couldn't imagine how difficult it must be for a singer to hear the diagnosis he has just given Santana. "I'm sorry Ms. Lopez but the diagnosis is correct. I always encourage my patients to get a second opinion if that would make them feel more comfortable, however, the diagnosis will be the same."
Santana's manager was sitting beside her and she hadn't said a word this whole time because she was in shock. "What kind of treatment would Santana have to have?"
"First we would do surgery to remove the growth and then 6 weeks of radiation therapy. After that the prognosis is excellent."
There was silence for several minutes and then Santana asked the question that was lingering in the air. "What about my voice? Will the surgery and radiation affect my singing voice?"
"I'm sorry Ms. Lopez but when we remove the growth we will have to remove a small part of your vocal cord as well. Your singing voice will never be the same again. Your speaking voice will be different too but not as noticeable as your singing voice. I'm so sorry Ms. Lopez."
Santana got her second opinion and the diagnosis and treatment were the same as what the first doctor told her. It was when she was coming to grips with what was happening in her life that she realized all of the fame in the world couldn't hold her as she cried herself to sleep every night over the fact she was going to lose her singing voice. She thought how Rachel, Kurt, and Quinn had been there for her every step of way when she was trying to get her big break. Once she got her big break and became famous she slowly pushed them away until they were gone from her life.
Then there was Brittany who told her to go to New York. After she told Santana that they never gained back the friendship they had during high school. Santana thought about Brittany almost every day but she knew their chance at happiness was no longer a possibility now because too much time had passed. Brittany had asked Santana to return to Lima for her high school graduation but Santana wouldn't suck up her pride and go. Santana not showing up for graduation hurt Brittany so much she never contacted Santana again. Santana knew Brittany had gotten dance scholarships to Julliard and UCLA but she had no idea where Brittany had gone to school. Rachel, Kurt, and Quinn were good at keeping Brittany out of their conversations back before Santana became famous and pushed them away.
Now facing life changing surgery Santana found herself alone. Her parents were going to come to LA for the surgery but she had no friends and no girlfriend or wife there for her. When Santana started her singing career she made sure her manager and recording company knew she was a lesbian and she wasn't going to hide it. She often thought how she was able to be so comfortable with herself now because of Brittany. Santana wondered if Brittany was proud of her or even listened to her music.
Brittany stared at the headline on her computer screen. Santana Lopez Has Throat Cancer And Will Have Career Ending Surgery. The article included a statement from Santana's publicist explaining her condition and what treatment she was going to be receiving. The surgery would be in 3 days in LA. Brittany had tears running down her face. How could this be happening to Santana?
Brittany had followed Santana's career and loved her music. She didn't always like the way Santana conducted herself because she sometimes went over the top with her diva demands. Brittany had never been to one of Santana's concerts and when one of her friends asked her if she wanted to go to the concert at Madison Square Garden something inside her told to go. When Santana sang 'Song bird' it was like she singing the song directly to her like she did in the choir room all those years ago.
TBC
Let me know what you think.
I don't own Glee.