The next day was the day of the concert. Corryn arrived at the arena and got right into her sound check; the band had already been there for a couple of hours before she got there to do their portion it. After an hour or so, Corryn's sound check was done. She was informed that fans were already outside the arena waiting to be let in. She was excited, but distracted; she couldn't get Winston out of her mind.
As she was getting her hair and makeup done, she let her mind slip away. She was in Winston's room on the night that she helped him stumble home from his office. She was reliving the passion and love that he had lavished on her. When her eyes began to tear, her hairdresser asked if she was pulling too hard. Corryn tried to laugh it off.
The time came to get dressed and Corryn was asked about the necklace. "I'm wearing it," she said sweetly. "I think it may become a trademark of mine." The costumers actually saw it as a good idea.
She listened as the opening band played and her stomach churned. There would be critics and fans, and while she worried about impressing both, she only deeply cared about the possibility of seeing Winston, even if she could only see him in the crowd.
Her music began to play. She stepped onto the lift that would bring her into the center of the stage. The crowd in the arena began to scream. She took a deep breath and the lift started moving upward. Within seconds she was standing in the center of the stage.
She ran through the beginning of the set flawlessly, then took time to "talk" to the audience. Most of it was scripted, which she hated, but she did have a few minutes to talk about how she missed New York and such. While she was talking, the house lights were up and she saw Winston. She froze for a moment when he smiled at her, but managed to regain her composure. Claudia was seated next to him, of course, and was flashing the most awful looks to Corryn.
The concert came to the point where there was one song left in the set, a number called "Let Me Be." At first, Corryn didn't want to do yet another cover as the final song before the encore, but tonight it fit beautifully. She had changed the lyrics to the song ever so slightly…aiming it at Claudia. Corryn glared at her while she sang:
"You try to read me, you try to figure out.
You try to breathe me, but you can't blow me out.
You try to feel me, but I'm so out of touch.
I won't be falling; they won't need to pick me up.
Sorry if I sound confused, don't feel the way you do,
But I won't turn around, but I won't turn around.
Think that I might back down, but I won't.
Think that I might have doubts, but I don't.
No insecurities. Won't you just let me let me be?
Think that you know me now, but you don't.
Think that I can't stand on my own.
Ain't my philosophy. Won't you just let me let me be?
Trust in my instincts. Trust that I know what's right.
These are the reasons that keep you up at night.
Tell me "no, no" but this is my show.
'Cuz you don't know, know what I know.
Let me tell you how it feels
I think you should know that this is for real.
Sorry if I sound confused I don't feel the way you do,
But I won't turn around, but I won't turn around…."
Claudia fumed as Winston smiled at Corryn's words. She elbowed him, but he was oblivious. Corryn continued to sing, finally directing her attention to the rest of the audience. She disappeared at the end of the song and the area erupted in applause and cheering. It eventually led to the steady rhythmic clapping that leads to an encore.
A white stool was brought out onto the stage, soon followed by Corryn who had changed into a glittering white strapless gown. The crowd grew silent, knowing exactly what she was going to sing.
"Before I do this, I need to thank someone here," she said sweetly. Bathed in the spotlight, the necklace from Winston sparkling almost blindingly, she walked towards the edge of the stage. "The man who started my career is here with us tonight. I owe him everything. Thank you, Winston, for making almost all of my dreams come true."
She began to applaud him, and the audience in the arena followed her lead. She fought back tears as he mouthed the words "I love you" to her; Claudia was too busy brooding to notice. The band then began to play the opening accompaniment to "Hands To Heaven." Corryn sat on the stool and sang with all of her heart. For her, the audience was gone, Claudia was gone; she only saw Winston. He knew she was singing to him and nobody else there. Both Winston and Corryn shed a few tears as she sang.
"Morning has come, another day. I must pack my bags and say goodbye. Goodbye."
The arena again erupted in deafening applause. She thanked them for a wonderful evening and disappeared backstage.
*Again, "Hands to Heaven" is by the group Breathe…"Let Me Be" is on Britney Spears' album, "Britney"
