Beth sang along with the band, as was most of the crowd. Beth knew the song well, for it was one of her favorites. It was about leaving and being missed. Beth wasn't sure if there was a hidden meaning behind the song, or if someone had simply suggested it. She put the thought out of her head as she continued to clang away on her triangle and enjoy the music.
When the song drew to a close, Beth scanned the crowd. What she saw surprised her. She could see disappointment in the eyes of many of the teenagers and young adults who were present. This confirmed her thoughts regarding the hidden meaning behind the song.
When the song, finally ended, the crowd did not work itself into a frenzied uproar, but rather, fell silent. Greg and the other band members stepped forward as they prepared to address the forlorn fans. Greg slowly pulled his cordless microphone out of his back pocket and turned it on. "Well, by the looks on your faces, I'm sure most of you have figured it out. AFIS is stepping down." The crowd remained silent out of respect for what their host was saying. "We're not breaking up; we're only letting someone else take the lead. We'll still be around every now and then, but we have decided that it's time to let a younger group take over. Warrick, Nick, Alan, Tim, and I will still be the owners of The Cage, but our lives have gone in different directions, and it's getting hard to get together to play. So we just wanted to formally let you know that we're stepping out of the limelight."
No one in the crowd was sure of how to respond. Everyone who was present loved AFIS, and there were no exceptions. Finally, someone began to clap, and then another, and finally, the whole crowd began to applaud. There were no hoots or hollers, just a heartfelt applause from adoring fans.
Greg had to regain his composure before he addressed the crowd once again. "Wow, I feel loved. Thank you, guys. This really means a lot to all of us up here. Thank you for not making this harder than it already is. Before we go, we want you to know that if and when we do decide to play in the future, we will give you plenty of notice so that you can invite everyone you know and make us feel really good." Only Greg would crack jokes at such a somber moment. "Well, that's all we've got for you guys this evening. There are plenty more bands scheduled for those of you who decide to stick around, and me and the guys will be around if you want to get a hold of one of us. Thanks again everyone, and we hope you enjoy the rest of your evening." The crowd broke into applause as Greg and his fellow band members turned and began to pack up their instruments.
Another band began to move their equipment onto the stage as AFIS was moving their equipment off. By the time Beth finally caught up with Greg, the band had begun to play and the crowd was rocking once again. Beth threw her arms around Greg's neck. "Wow, that was awesome. Thank you so much for bringing me along tonight. I really enjoyed myself."
"Hey, I aim to please. I'm glad you liked it. Now, if you'll excuse me, Beth, my adoring fans await me." And with that, he flashed Beth a toothy smile and gallantly marched toward the exit that would bring him back around to be with the crowd.
Beth watched her husband and friends as they mingled with the crowd. Whole groups would stop moving and crowd in around the band member closest to them, asking them questions, trying to get autographs, and trying to put their two cents in. Beth couldn't help but laugh as Greg, Nick, and Warrick were seemingly swallowed up by the masses of people. She let her mind wander as the band's music played on. If Greg had managed to keep this part of his life a secret from her all of these years, what else could he be hiding? Beth smiled in spite of herself. Greg was a man full of surprises and she found herself thinking that she was the luckiest woman alive.
A/N: This is the end of this particular story, and I don't know if I plan on taking it any further. But hey, I might surprise you guys with something a little more dramatic in the future. We'll have to wait and see.