Epilogue

ONE YEAR LATER

Jordan was pacing.  She was beyond nervous.  This was their first award show and they were already nominated for Best New Rock Band.  She could feel her stomach turning.

Brie and David sensed their daughter’s nervousness.  “Let me talk to her”, David said when he saw the silent pleading of his wife.  He stood, looking like a million bucks and still like he was a rock star.  He placed a hand on his daughter’s shoulder.  “Jordan, you’re making your mother nervous.  What’s wrong?”

“What if we don’t win, Dad?”

“Then you don’t win, baby, and you keep trying.”

“How did you guys go ten plus years and not win anything?”

“The Academy just didn’t see that we’d busted our assed to earn it.  They finally got the message, eventually.  Now, your limo is waiting downstairs.  Your brother and the rest of your band is waiting for you.  Get your sixteen, damn near seventeen year old ass down there and get out of my sight until I see you at the ceremony.”

She smiled.  “Thanks, Dad.”  She hugged him and kissed his cheek.  She crossed quickly to her mother and did the same.

“Good luck, baby”, Brie whispered to her daughter.

“Thanks, Mom.”  And she carefully ran from the room.

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After fielding the reporters and handling them like a pro, Jordan was finally seated with her band in the Staples’ Center.  When the ceremony started, she looked over her shoulder to see her parents and uncles sitting behind her.  She could finally relax.

As the ceremony progressed, Jordan’s nerves picked up again.  Then, the award for their category was announced.  David was one of the presenters.  As the nominees were announced, Jordan grabbed her brother’s hand and squeezed.  “And the award for Best New Rock Band goes to…”, he said as he opened the envelope, and smiled, “Reckless Disregard!”  Jordan’s heart leapt.  She stood and hugged her brother, adopted brother, and cousin, then turned to hug her mother.  

 “Congrats, baby”, Brie whispered. 

Jordan just smiled and led her band up to that stage.  She took the statue from her father and gave him a huge hug.  She could see the look of pride on his face.

“WOW!”, Jordan said into the microphone.  “This is a little unexpected, but welcome.  We’d like to thank God, of course, because without him, we wouldn’t be here.  We’d also like to thank our families for their undying support; our label, Intoxication Records for believing in us; our manager Lauren Cook for doing the same; and last but not least, our fans for their undying loyalty and devotion.  We’d also like to dedicate this win to the memory of someone very special to all four of us, the late Master Gunnery Sergeant Matt Cartwright.  If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have had the inspiration for half of the material.  Thank you!”  She looked at her band mates.  None of them had anything to say.  They just walked off the stage.

Once off stage, Jordan threw her arms around her father’s neck one more time.  David pulled Malachai into the hug.  “Way to go, you two.  You deserve it.  All you had to do was believe in yourselves.  I always did.”

THE END!