Todd was biting his nails. This was it. The final ten bands were getting selected for the television live tapings.
"You voted, did you select your favorites? Maestro, the envelope."
Todd's bar was packed, everyone was waiting to see who was selected for the finals.
"C'mon Lemon Drop.'' Ken whispered.
"From Mayville, Kentucky, Liberty Stalks!''
Todd heard them, they had a very good country slang.
"Buffalo, New York, Crazy Connection!"
Todd liked rap, he was glad that a amateur rapper was finally going mainstream.
"Chelon, Washington State, Diamond Shine!"
Todd stopped serving when they got to the final two. The show was live streaming the semi finalists, it was down to the final two bands. Both Lemon Drop and their rivals Sweet Harmony were the final two girl bands.
"Here we go. Which two will join us in Los Angeles? Let's see the polls."
"Lemon Drop. Lemon Drop." Someone whispered.
The entire bar was silent, everyone was waiting to see who was chosen. It was close, Sweet Harmony was very popular on Instagram, they had close to a quarter million followers. But Lemon Drop wasn't too shabby themselves, they trended on YouTube several times.
Todd found himself biting his nails. Just when the host was about to call the last finalist, there was a commercial break.
The bar groaned.
"Sorry Todd." His new girlfriend was shaking her head. Suzanne flew into town from Vermont, she had to attend a charity benefit in Los Angeles. She came a day early to see Todd.
"It's show business." Todd was nervous as hell. He had more customers come in, thanks to Lemon Drop, he had a ton of college students from SVU and OCC as customers. He was busy almost every night.
"What will you do if you win?" Suzanne asked.
"Pay back my debts, maybe take a vacation." Todd could really use one. Even though his bar was doing well, he barely had any time for himself. He worked here 24/7.
"Poor baby." Suzanne took his hand. Todd smiles at the gesture. "Maybe you should join me in Vermont for a vacay. Our old pals would love to see you." Todd was pretty popular in Vermont, he and Suzanne were the golden couple in their high school.
"Eventually." When the commercials ended, Todd turned up the television.
"We're back! Now the results!" Todd and the entire bar was silent. Lemon Drop wasn't here, they were currently in live streaming online with the other fifteen semi-finalists. "It was close, real close. It was almost a tie, with both having a strong following on social media..."
'Get to the point.' Todd breathed. The whole bar was dead silent, same with everyone watching at home. Todd's band, Lemon Drop was holding hands, they looked excited and terrified.
"And the final band is..." The announcer held his breath.
Suzanne was shaking in her chair, she was dying to know if Todd was in the finals. She glanced over at Todd who looked pale. She giggled. Even in Vermont he never was that white with the winter weather.
The announcer slowly and agonizingly opened the gold envelope. Then looking at the large television with the two finalists, he looked back at the camera.
"Lemon Drop!"
Todd was jumping up and down as the whole bar cheered. He hugged his nearest bartender, who looked startled but hugged Todd back.
"Congrats Todd!" Bruce calls from the back with Lila. Neither went to common bars like Todd's, but wanted to support him.
"You just put Sweet Valley on the map!" George Warren yells.
Suzanne was dying to hug Todd, but she was surrounded by Todd's cheering friends and family. She sat patiently, she knew Todd will talk to her eventually.
"Todd! Phone call!"
Todd picks up the phone.
"Wilkins' Brewery."
"Todd! Congrats! Did you see the results!" Andrea's cheerful voice says over the phone.
"It was a nail biter." It was close, real close. Sweet Harmony was fantastic, they sounded better than the girl groups in the 90s. But Lemon Drop had a advantage, they were younger with sex appeal. Despite that, Todd worked his butt off to market them as reputable singers, he did not want a Britney/Christina/Miley makeover when they came of age.
"Yeah, my bosses were pushing me to get Sweet Harmony to trend, but you pushed the girls hard. It looks like you have some more work to do!'
"Yep." Where would he find the time? He was maxed out as it is.
"Anyways I'll let you go, I'm sure you have a lot of work ahead of you. Bye!"
"Have a good night!" Todd hung up. He saw Suzanne waiting for him at the bar, but when the phone rang again, he had no choice but to answer it. "Wilkin's Brewery."
Suzanne was disappointed. She wanted to spend more time with her new boyfriend before she left town, but it looks like Todd won't be available for the next few hours. She wanted to ask him to her date to LA tomorrow. Oh well. She had to go back to Vermont, but she knew she'll be back in a few weeks. She wrote a note and handed it to his bartender.
"Give this to Todd whenever you can." She blew Todd a kiss and wheeled her way out.
An hour later, Todd looked for Suzanne.
"Justin, where's Suzanne?" He was looking around the bar.
"She left, but she left a note for you."
"Thanks." He wondered why Justin didn't give him the note, but he was just as busy as Todd. "Take your break!" Todd ordered.
"Awesome!" Once Justin was gone, Todd served more drinks.
Hours later when the bar closed, Todd opened Suzanne's note.
'Todd, I know you're busy right now, but I just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of moving to California. I wanted to ask you to occupy me to LA tomorrow, but I'll wait till I get back to ask you again. Suzy.'
Todd grinned. Things were looking up. He was successful, had a new girlfriend, and plenty of friends. Life was good. Shame he was busy at the moment. Good thing he had resumes, he needed time off, it was time for a vacation.
Suzanne hummed as she drove to her hotel room, she was glad the rental car company had a accessibility van. She was looking forward to seeing Todd on a regular basis soon.
Unbenounced to her and the residents of Sweet Valley, a man was stumbling out of the local bar, drunk after having too many drinks.
"Damn bosssss." He slurred. "I had it all, then you took away my family's future." Bert Wilkins says in a heavy voice. He walked slowly to his car, he needed to get home before his wife got mad. Taking out his keys, he goes inside his wife's Lexus.
Suzanne waited patiently for the red light to change. When it turned green, she pulls ahead.
"The lights are green?" Bert couldn't tell. But he was late, his phone was gonna go off soon.
The lights, they were so bright. Too bright.
When Todd answered the phone, he immediately runs out of his bar, forgetting to count the night's receipts.