Five: What if James hadn't been unmasked

Note: For details on what happened, see chapter 6 of Jolly Roger Brat's The Secret Love Song, or chapter 9 of her story The Day the Music Died.

James grinned as he listened to the crowd applauding wildly after his song. 'I can't believe it,' he thought as he wiped his tears away and as he watched Vivian sit down again, 'I actually sang this! And in public! And nothing bad happened!'"He couldn't believe that it had been three years since he'd tried to sing that song at his birth mother's funeral. Unfortunately, he had practiced both his and Amber's parts so much that he'd lost his voice on the day they were supposed to sing. But now, after a three-year self-imposed exile from singing in public, he'd decided that he wanted to try the song again. He hadn't told anyone about what he was doing; he wanted it to be a surprise.

"Well, I know who's going to be performing tomorrow," Miss Flora smiled as she came up to the stage, "Well done, Secret Singer! Now, would all of our performers take a bow?"

As he took a bow, James stole another glance up at the ceiling, imagining Queen Melinda smiling down at him from Heaven. 'Tomorrow?' he thought, since he didn't have another song planned. He kept his smile on as he thought quickly. 'Okay, no problem. I can always sing this a second time, since I don't have any other song planned,' he thought as he glanced at Amber, who was wiping her eyes with a broad smile as she recognized the song she and James were supposed to sing at the funeral, 'And maybe I'll ask Amber to come up and sing this with me! After all, we were supposed to sing this together! And won't she be surprised when I unmask myself during the chorus!'

As she watched him, Amber's eyes were as bright as her brother's as she whispered, "He did it, Mom! And maybe I'll see if I can sing this with him tomorrow!"

That night, as James was getting ready for bed, he heard a knock at his door. He opened it and saw the family, looking very proud. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Well, James, or should I say, Secret Singer," Amber smiled, "I wanted to tell you that you did a wonderful job on that song! I'm so proud of you!"

""You knew I'm the Secret Singer?" James asked.

"I had a feeling," Amber smiled as she hugged him. "And I'm so glad you sang that!"

"She's right. Congratulations, James," Roland agreed, "I knew you could do it!"

"And yes," Amber continued, "I knew what you were thinking, and I'd be honored to sing it with you tomorrow!"

"I was going to ask if you'd sing with me, but you're right; great minds think alike," James joked.

"Your mother would be so proud," Roland smiled as he pulled him into a hug.

"And maybe after we sing this, you won't need to sing behind a mask," Amber suggested.

"That's right," James smiled. "Everyone loved hearing me sing tonight, and now I can sing as myself from now on."

As everyone hugged him, the ghost of Queen Melinda was also smiling. "I'm so proud of you, James!"