All of the Earlings attended free practice, qualifying and the race itself. They stood, clapping and cheering, drawing odd looks from the Europeans, but hey, they were rich. They didn't care what anyone else thought.
After the race and the podium, Max found Morgan and her family.
"We're staying for the concert," Morgan said, "just so you know."
"Oh, then I will too," Max replied, "I don't usually, but it's your favorite band."
"Awww," Morgan said, giving Max a quick kiss on the cheek. "That means a lot to me. I think the media is waiting for you."
Max turned and saw people waving him over. Sighing, he kissed Morgan on the cheek, and waved goodbye to the Earlings, then walked over to the media. When he returned, Morgan was gone.
"Hey Mason," Max said, "where's Morgan?"
"I don't know, she was just here," Mason replied, his brow furrowed. "Have you texted her?"
"I don't have my phone," Max replied with a shrug.
"Oh right, my bad," Mason replied, pulling out his phone.
[Mason] ayo where u at?
[Morgan] is max looking for me?
[Mason] ye
[Morgan] oh tell him to just go to the concert with the fam and i'll join later
[Mason] okee
Max wiped his head off with a towel and put on one of the Perelli caps.
"So she just said to go to the concert and that she'd join later," Mason said, holding up his phone, "if you're fine with that."
"I guess I get to be," Max replied with a shrug, "it's just... odd."
"Oh yes, I suppose Morgan hasn't told you how... impulsive she can be sometimes." Mason replied, grinning.
"Morgan? Impulsive?" Max asked, tilting his head.
"She's her own kind of woman," Mason replied as they walked towards Max's room, "very independent."
"I'm pretty independent too," Max countered, "but I don't leave without saying anything."
Mason laughed and clapped Max on the shoulder.
"She loves you very much, which means she wants to show off to you," Mason said, "she wants you to be impressed. I suspect that's what this is about."
Understanding dawned on Max.
"She just wants me to know that she can do it," Max replied, nodding as they stood outside his room.
"Exactly. Now you're getting it," Mason replied, "see you later."
"See you," Max said, slipping inside his room. He took off his racing suit and put on his jeans and was about to put on his Red Bull polo, when he noticed a box on the couch. He took off the lid and found an ivory T-shirt with a dark green blazer. There was a little note that read:
If you would like, you may wear this.
Love, MHE
Max smiled and put on the clothes. When he left his driver's room, the sun had begun to set. Security flocked around him as he headed to the concert venue. Christian and Geri joined Max.
"Staying for the concert?" Max asked.
"I listened to some of their songs and I really liked them," Geri replied, smiling. "So I convinced Christian to stay."
Christian grunted in response, and Max laughed.
"Oh, where's Morgan?" Geri asked, looking concerned.
"She said she's coming later," Max replied.
They were now standing in a balcony overlooking the venue. Alex and Charles were there, holding their new puppy.
"Morgan told me there's a surprise in this show," Alex said to Charles, and Max turned to look at her.
"A surprise?" Max asked.
"Yeah," Alex replied, stroking the puppy, "she didn't elaborate. Have you met Leo yet? We just got him."
Max walked over and let Leo sniff his fingers, before stroking the dog. His fur was blonde and soft.
"I like Leo," Max said with a smile, "might have to steal him."
"Nooooo," Alex whined, and they laughed.
The Earlings all arrived a little later, all talking and laughing. Morgan wasn't with them.
Whitney walked over, pushing strands of silver hair out of her face.
"Is Morgan not here?" Whitney asked, looking around.
"She's coming later, is what she told me," Max replied.
"Huh," Whitney replied, then she seemed to look at Max for a moment, "you look really good."
"Thanks," Max replied with a laugh, "Morgan got it for me."
"Really?" Alex asked, "you decided to finally wear something other than the team kit?"
"She asked me nicely, okay," Max retorted playfully. "Besides, she's got the best taste out of anyone I know."
"Rude," Charles replied.
"Excuse me, you could fit a yacht into one leg of those trousers you walked in wearing," Max shot back, and everyone laughed.
"It's starting!" Mason shouted. Everyone walked to the edge of the balcony to watch as the lights got dark. Smoke filled the stage down below as the crowd quieted down. Then four guys walked out onto the stage, three of them with guitars.
"Who's that?" Max asked, pointing to the man in the middle wearing a hat.
"That's Bear Rinehart, he's the lead singer," Mason replied, "the guy on the left with the dark curly hair is Tyler Burkum, the guy on the right is Seth Bolt, the guy in the back on the piano is Josh Lovelace, and the guy on the drums is Randall Harris. They're all married."
"How do you even remember all this?" Max asked, shaking his head.
"Morgan remembers it, and she used to talk about it all the time," Mason replied, "after dad died, she didn't listen to them because it was one of dad's favorite bands. But now she's back."
That was news to Max. This was more than Morgan's favorite band.
If anything could be said about NEEDTOBREATHE, Max thought, it was that they were very talented. They were now about halfway through the concert, and all the Earlings had been singing along. The crowd below seemed very well-receptive to the band, and were dancing and shouting.
"Now, we have a very special guest for you tonight," Bear said, "not someone we've ever sang with, but she sang for us, and we knew y'all would want to see her too. We're a rock n roll band from South Carolina, and we'd like y'all to give a warm welcome to Morgan Earling!"
The crowd erupted as Morgan walked out, wearing her vintage Red Bull jacket, black jeans and high-heeled boots. Her once curled hair was now in a high-ponytail, and she was holding a microphone.
Morgan walked over and dapped up Bear, then went to the front of the stage.
"Y'all get lucky," Bear said with a laugh, "she wanted all the old songs."
The crowd laughed.
"They're classics at this point," Morgan replied, laughing. Then the drums started to go, and Morgan seemed to change. This was the song that kept her going during her trials. Feet Don't Fail Me Now.
"I got this target, right here on my back, they're aiming where I was, not where I'm at," Morgan sang, her face set and determined.
It was a heart-pounding rock song, and Morgan knew it. The crowd was catching her energy and matching it.
Morgan was singing and rocking like the best of them, her grin wide. Her eyes kept flicking up to Max in the balcony. But then, Bear was singing a song about "being the banks to your river," and Morgan was standing in the background for a moment.
"We're gonna do one last song for y'all tonight," Bear said, "it's one we've been singing for a long time, but it's one that's very special to us. Ramblers in the wilderness we can't find what we need, Get a little restless from the searching, get a little worn down in between."
Morgan sang the second verse beautifully, and then pointed to Mark then to Mason, then blew a kiss to Max.
"Brother let me be your shelter," the crowd sang, and everyone was swaying back and forth. Then the guitars dropped out and they sang a cappella, in a beautiful harmony. Geri was standing up in shock. The song ended, and Morgan hugged Bear.
"Have a good night, y'all," Bear shouted, and the crowd burst into loud applause as the band left the stage.
Once Morgan was backstage, she gave high-fives to the band.
"I got to go," Morgan said, pulling out her earpieces and setting them on a table, "my boyfriend is waiting."
"Yeah, you run," Bear replied, his eyes glittering, "thanks for singing with us!"
Morgan sprinted through the venue, reaching the stairwell to the balcony, and skipping steps. Opening the door, everyone turned to look at her for a moment, then they all started clapping. Max ran to her and hugged her, spinning her around before setting her on the ground.
"That was amazing!" Max exclaimed, kissing Morgan's forehead.
"Thank you, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up," Morgan replied, putting her hands on her hips.
"You should've been a rockstar," Mason said, shaking his head.
"Nah, I like where I'm at," Morgan replied, shrugging and winking at Max. "It's a good time, but I couldn't do it as a job or a lifestyle."
"Understandable," Mason replied, backing down.
"I've got to go get packed up," Max said, "y'all have a good night."
"Did you just say 'y'all'?" Morgan asked in disbelief, "I'm turning you into a regular American."
Max groaned, but then he laughed.
"See you in a little while," Max replied, heading down the stairs with Christian and Geri following behind.
"That was so fun!" Morgan exclaimed.
"You were electric," Carter replied, "that was entertaining."
"Good," Morgan replied, "let's go. I've got to get packed up too."
i love this sm
trust me we're almost there
