CHAPTER FOURTEEN
(chapter title – Talent Night)

"December fifteenth, six PM – Eastern Standard Time. Zoom in on Sara, getting ready for Talent Night at her school." Mark narrated into his camera. Sara was in the bathroom, putting on her makeup.

"Daddy! Do you min-Ow!" Sara poked herself in the eye with her mascara wand.

"Here, let me do that!" Maureen stepped into the bathroom.

"Thanks Aunt Maureen." Sara smiled as Maureen came into the bathroom to do Sara's hair and makeup.

Fifteen minutes later, Roger drove Sara to the school. The rest of the family – Maureen, Joanne, Scott (he and Sara had made up at Collins' memorial service), Jeffery and Mark – would be joining them soon.

"Let's go find seats." Roger told the others as Sara disappeared backstage. She wouldn't tell her friends or family what she was doing – she wanted it to be a surprise.

"Hey – look at the program." Scott pointed out as he, Joanne and Maureen sat down next to Roger and Mark. Jeffery was seated on the asile. He smiled at Mark, who had his camera to his face, prepared for anything.

"What's up, Scott?" Roger asked, leaning over to see what Scott was looking at.

"Carolyn, Kristen, Jennifer and Tiffany are doing Big Spender from Sweet Charity. Why isn't Sara with them?" Scott whispered as the house lights dimmed. The principal came out, said a few words and disappeared just as four girls dressed in sequined leotards and top hats.

"HEY BIG SPENDER!" the girls yelled, moving around the stage in perfect rhythm. They finished their number and exited stage left. The audience was up on their feet, cheering their hearts out.

"Those girls were good!" Jeffery said as the group sat back down. The others nodded in agreement as a girl in a periwinkle blue sweater and black skirt came onto the stage carrying a guitar.

"Hi. I'm Sara Cohen-Davis and this song is for my mom. It's called Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again. It's her birthday today and I would like to have a moment of silence for the woman who gave me life. She died shortly after I was born, so I never got to know her." Sara bowed her head for a silent moment, as the audience did, too.

"You were once
my one companion . . .
you were all
that mattered . . .
You were once
a friend and mother -
then my world
was shattered . . .

Wishing you were
somehow here again . . .
wishing you were
somehow near . . .
Sometimes it seemed
if I just dreamed,
somehow you would
be here . . .

Wishing I could
hear your voice again . . .
knowing that I
never would . . .
Dreaming of you
won't help me to do
all that you dreamed
I could . . .

Passing bells
and sculpted angels,
cold and monumental,
seem, for you,
the wrong companions -
you were warm and gentle . . .

Too many years
fighting back tears . . .
Why can't the past
just die . . .?

Wishing you were
somehow here again . . .
knowing we must
say goodbye . . .
Try to forgive . . .
teach me to live . . .
give me the strength
to try . . .

No more memories,
no more silent tears . . .
No more gazing across
the wasted years . . .
Help me say
goodbye." Sara sang. As she finished the song, she had tears in her eyes. The principal congratulated her just as Caitlyn Coffin came onto the stage dressed in a pink tutu and ballet slippers. Her blond hair was piled into a bun on the top of her head. Sara rolled her eyes as she sat down on a stool not too far away from the snack table.

She heard applause as Caitlyn strutted by her and to the dressing rooms. Sara rolled her eyes and tried to watch the magician that was performing, but she couldn't concentrate. Picking up her guitar, she headed to a practice room just off the stage and closed the door. She then sat down on the piano bench and strummed her guitar.

"There is no future…
There is no past…" Sara sang, tears streaming down her cheeks. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Sara looked up to see Carolyn standing at the door, smiling and waving. Sara motioned for her to come in.

"Sara! That was amazing!" Carolyn squealed as she hugged Sara tightly.

"Carolyn, sweetie, I can't breathe." Sara told her friend, patting her back. Carolyn broke away from Sara and smiled at her.

"Why didn't you tell us that you were gonna do that? We were gonna give your spot to Hannah McKinney." Carolyn told her, whispering Hannah's name.

"…and second place goes to Sara Cohen-Davis for Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again." The principal announced over the burst of applause. Carolyn screamed and shoved Sara back to the stage. Blushing, she accepted the trophy and stood onstage next to Caitlyn Coffin, who had come in third.

"And first place goes to – CKJT for Big Spender." The principal announced as Carolyn, Kristen, Jennifer and Tiffany screamed and ran onto the stage. Sara laughed and hugged her friends.

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"December fifteenth, ten o'clock Eastern Standard Time. Zoom in on Sara, who came in second in the talent competition and CKJT who came in first." Mark narrated into his camera, zooming in on the girls who were laughing as they ate their ice cream. The eleven of them were crowded around a booth in the Life Café.

"Mark, honey, put the camera away before I break it." Roger told him, kissing his cheek. Maureen, Joanne, Jeffery and Scott nearly choked on their ice cream.

"Okay. Fine." Mark was upset, but quickly cheered up as a bowl of Black Cherry ice cream was place in front of him.

The bell above the Life rang and three figures came into the café. The hostess led them to a booth in the back. The group of eleven stopped their talking as Benny, Alison and Caitlyn walked past them. Caitlyn was scowling as Alison put an arm around her daughter's shoulders. Benny put a hand on his wife's back as the hostess seated them in a private booth in the very back of the restaurant.

"Benjamin Coffin the third – how nice of you to show your face here." Maureen stood up as she called to Benny.

"Maureen!" Joanne hissed, pulling Maureen back down as Benny walked over to the table.

"Nice job girls." Benny congratulated Sara, Kristen, Jennifer, Carolyn and Tiffany.

"Thanks." The girls thanked him quietly.

"What do you want, Benny?" Roger asked.

"What do I want? Roger, I thought that we were friends now." Benny told Roger, a little irritated.

"Well, I did thank you for paying for Collins' funeral – isn't that enough?" Roger inquired.

"Roger, what the hell is the matter with you?" Mark, Maureen, Benny and Joanne chorused.

"Just leave me the hell alone." Roger stood up and walked away without another word.


A/N: don't own the lyrics to Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again. belongs to respected owner. 'nuff said.