Hit'n Those Notes Ch. 07

When we were alone, Michelle said, "This is fucked up... But I'd like to be done tonight. That's my vote."

Really? Not what I wanted to hear...

Wyatt nodded and looked at Janet. "I'm for being done," she said.

All eyes turned toward me. Damn it!

"You know we're at a disadvantage," I said, trying not to sound like I was complaining.

"Yeah, well, I'm for getting this over with... Come on, Brea, let's just let it roll and have some fun with it," Wyatt encouraged.

Augh... I don't think I want to do this tonight! Wyatt cocked his head and gave me a smirk.

"Fine," I said after a few seconds. I probably wasn't going to make the finale anyway. Fuck it! Whatever!

Wednesday, March 28th, 10:04 p.m.

While the crowd might have been smaller, their enthusiasm in support of us had been ratcheted up a few notches - the free alcohol the show had provided the likely cause? Maybe...

When Leza Howell went on stage to begin getting the crowd back into show mode, it took a full minute before they calmed down enough for her to introduce Michelle. When Michelle approached the microphone, you'd swear the volume of the crowd was even more enthusiastic - like she'd already performed and they were showing their appreciation. I couldn't believe the support; this was absolutely crazy!

At the microphone, Michelle said, "Let's do this..." and turned towards the band and pointed.

They punched into her song like I hadn't heard any other song performed tonight. Two lines into the song, and I could tell she was on fire; she owned that song. The break, the rejuvenated audience, and her performance - she would be in the finale, no doubt about it.

The applause when Michelle was done can be summed up with one word: deafening. Absolutely deafening. So much so that when Leza Howell tried to settle the crowd to introduce me, she had to wait at least a minute. I got chills from the energy. Okay, use that! You got this... Breathe...

"Ladies and gentlemen, Breanna Calloway," Leza said while extending an arm in my direction. I felt that familiar jolt of nervous energy, took a final controlled breath, and made my way onto the stage.

The stage crew had swapped out microphones for my condenser-styled model; I wanted the vibe from the 40's, even with my 90's Britney garb / costume. It fit since I was flipping the pop song on its ear and slowing it down to something from days past.

When I walked on stage, the crowd again went crazy, and after fifteen or twenty seconds, I looked back at Brian on piano, flashing him two by two, meaning to start playing but double up the intro... Hopefully the audience would be calmed down enough for me to begin singing after that.

Breathe... I turned to the mic stand and grabbed it seductively as the notes began to ring out from the piano and the audience settled down for me to begin singing. Breathe...

Wednesday, March 28th, 10:26 p.m.

"Don't you know that you're toxic? Intoxicate me now. With your love now. I think I'm ready now. I think I'm ready now... Intoxicate me now. With your love now. I think I'm ready now..."

My voice faded with those last few lyrics, and Brian rolled one more haunting trip through the melody and let it fade. That fade didn't last to completion because the audience in the theater lost their minds! The roar of applause and cheers was insane, absolutely insane! Their response was no less than intoxicating; fitting for the song I just finished singing.

I leaned into the mic and said, "Thank you..." I'm certain no one heard me.

Wyatt was the first person I saw backstage, and he was grinning ear to ear.

"I think you killed it, kiddo," he shouted over the applause still going on, while Leza Howell was trying to cue up Wyatt's introduction.

I couldn't wipe the smile from my face no matter how hard I tried.

"I just warmed them up for you... I kissed his cheek, careful not to leave any of the caked-on red lipstick I was wearing behind.

"Congratulations," he squeezed my hands as his name was being announced by Leza Howell.

"Give 'um hell cowboy," I said, smiling, and saw my guide back to the Green room nod at me to follow him.

As we walked the backstage maze, the crowd was going crazy behind us, then blew up as the first bars of 'Hotel California' floated through the theater full of energy, powerfully from the band. Wyatt could sing that song with made-up words, and they would still eat up his performance. Holy shit - what a rush!

Wednesday, March 28th, 10:35 p.m.

Once in the Green room, I got plenty of compliments and one playful jab from Jenna. She said, "Well, that was a mistake - letting your group decide whether to perform tonight..." She was all smiles, and the hug she gave me was genuine. She whispered in my ear, "Congratulations. That was the winning song..."

It gave me goose bumps, and I thanked her twice for the love.

My moment was cut short, because Wyatt's performance was nothing short of amazing. His voice was like silky country love'n, the band played better than any other song played tonight; he had silenced those in the Green room. I wouldn't be surprised if someone in the crowd wasn't brought to tears. That's how powerful his performance was.

"Oh, shit," Dana said while watching the monitor.

At first I was confused, but then I saw it - a single light shining in the audience, then another, and ten more. Then nearly half the audience had their flashlights on their phones going, raised high, swaying to the music. That was "the moment" of this entire show. This guy had just blown every other contestant out of the water, including me.

Wednesday, March 28th, 10:48 p.m.

When Wyatt entered the Green room after his performance, he was literally mobbed. Compliments and congratulatory words flowed earnestly; someone, Katie, I think, said he probably just won it all with his performance.

I think he was trying to play it cool, but I think what he just experienced on stage moved him. He probably was dreading going back to Nashville after that audience's approval of his singing abilities. I was so happy for him. He was totally deserving of all the praise he was getting.

When he finally got a chance to speak a full sentence, he said, "Did you hear the audience? That was insanely crazy!"

Leza Howell showed up a few seconds after he made that statement, and he repeated it when she asked him what he thought about his performance. There was a PBS camera in his face, another panning around to capture the reaction of the rest of us, and two microphone booms trying to capture every word.

Everyone was so intent on interacting with Wyatt that no one caught the beginning of Janet's performance. By the time Leza Howell left the room, everyone had calmed down enough to focus on Janet, who was really putting on a show with her wireless mic and using every inch of the stage to strut her stuff while performing the Shania Twain song 'Man! I Feel Like a Woman'.

During the guitar solo, she was all over the guitarist, Gary, and that brought on roars from the audience and a few "Wow..." comments from those watching backstage. She certainly knew how to work the audience, and she knew how to work her body.

Vocally, she wasn't as impressive as Michelle, but she had chops. Her song choice might have played a bit to the audience - calculated? Probably. I smiled to myself - good for her!

Making the finale, which would be just six of the twelve of us, was going to be tough. My honest assessment of the rankings, including Janet's performance right now, was that I was probably on the bubble for making the cut. I would not want to be one of the judges.

I was happy with my performance, though I wondered if maybe I should have worked my body a little more and used the stage rather than hanging out at the microphone the entire time. It's too late now to beat myself up with what-ifs. I think it is going to be too close to call because everyone was honestly so good.

Wednesday, March 28th, 11:01 p.m.

We were called on stage as a group by Leza Howell, and it was pure insanity the way the audience was reacting. Most of us clapped back or waved, and a few of the contestants pointed at those they knew, blowing kisses and such.

I tried to scan the rows I could make out for my mom, Bill, Charles, and Kaley, but the bright lights flooding the stage made it tough to see past the first ten rows in the theater. There was balcony seating in the rear, but there was no way I could make out faces this far away. I hoped they were here and got caught up in the energy.

"Thank you! Thanks," Leza Howell shouted as she waved at someone in the audience. "How about a round of applause for the band tonight!" She encouraged the crowd while waving the band forward to take center stage. The applause was loud and appreciative, lasting a good thirty seconds before she could continue.

"Amazing job tonight; I really enjoyed the song choices and arrangements," she said, clapping as the audience settled down and the band retreated to their instruments at the rear of the stage. "We want you all to join us in the Cayman Lagoon banquet room right after we announce the finalists for tomorrow night's finale. Just follow the signs outside the theater; we hope to see you all there."

There was a brief round of applause she milked before continuing, "You'll get to meet our amazing singers...," the audience began clapping and cheering, "Yes...," she waved a hand toward the twelve of us standing awkwardly on stage - everyone's nerves were on edge, wanting this portion of the show to be over with, "And there will be food and drink, so please join us."

More applause rose loudly after the invitation, and I wondered how they could possibly be so loud and wanted to clap so vigorously. I shifted slightly and bumped Wyatt, who looked at me smiling and mouthed, 'This is nuts!' I nodded 'Yes' in return with a nervous smile. Come on! Get on with it!

"Okay... Thank you! You are amazing! You are valid! And we are not going to be ignored or erased by anyone!"

The audience went batshit crazy, cheering, whistling, and clapping - this was a gathering for the Transgender Day of Visibility, and a mainstream casino like the Grand Cayman validating and celebrating us was huge!

Leza Howell was really working the crowd, pumping up the audience like I hadn't seen before at any of the LGBTQ+ events I'd ever attended. I could only imagine what tomorrow night's sold-out show would be like.

"So... Thank you... Yes, Alright," the audience settled down after a few seconds, "Our five judges have crunched the numbers on the performances... And without drawing this out further, here are your finalists, in no particular order..."

A lite drum roll began behind us, and I'm not sure how it started, but a few of us began holding hands, and after a moment we were all holding hands with one another.

"When I call your name, please step forward."

I was hoping this wasn't some American Idol thing where the people stepping forward formed one group and those behind were another. Then it was announced which group it was the 'End of the Line' for... If this was how they were going to do this, I just wanted to be in Wyatt's group; he was certainly in the finale. I could feel my stomach rolling and my chest tightening. Wait, she said she was announcing the finalist?

"Our first finalist, Michelle Barlow...

Michelle brought her hands to her face, turned to hug me, then reached out to squeeze the hands of Wyatt, Janet, and a few others as the audience exploded again with their applause. She walked to center stage and clapped back at the rowdy crowd. I was so happy for her; she deserved to be in the finale.

When the applause died down, Leza Howell continued, "Dana Warnick..."

Again, the audience went nuts. He joined Michelle; they hugged, then clapped and waved to the audience. I wasn't surprised Dana made it; he did as well as Michelle, but not as well as Wyatt, though. All I knew for certain was that they had better call Wyatt's name, or something was really fucked up in the judge's ability to recognize a talented...

"Wyatt Stiller..."

Yes! OMG! Wyatt and I hugged quickly, and he kissed my cheek.

"Congratulations Wyatt!" I tried yelling above the audience's roar.

He smiled and squeezed my hands, and I think he said, "Thanks...," just before he turned to join Michelle and Dana center stage. OMG! Way to go, Wyatt! My heart was soaring as I watched him join the others on center stage. OK, my faith in this competition has been validated. The judge's choices so far were spot-on.

Leza Howell flipped a note card over, looked back towards those waiting to hear who was next, "Carlie Brooks..."

True to form, another rowdy cacophony of audience approval filled the theater. Carlie joined the group center stage, waving and clapping back at the audience.

She was likely the oldest of all the contestants, maybe in her early forties. Her vocal abilities were worthy of her making the finale, and she took what she was doing very seriously. That seriousness made her a pretty quiet person around the group, and short of a couple standard greetings between us, I really hadn't talked to her much. I liked that she was in the finale; she had a shot at winning if Wyatt stumbled at all.

With just two spots remaining, it could be a toss-up between four of the eight of us waiting to hear our names. I wanted to make it, but not making it wasn't going to crush me. Yeah, I would be disappointed if I...

"Breanna Calloway..."

It took a second for it to register, to really comprehend that my name had just been called. Janet pulled me to her and hugged me. I instinctively hugged her back, not sure what I was doing.

I could see the group of finalists' at the middle stage clapping and waving at me to join them. I blindly walked towards them, still shocked and wondering how I was going to handle this. That thought didn't last but a moment as Wyatt hugged me, lifting me off the stage. The other finalist tried congratulating me over the roar of the audience; my ears were numb.

I tried to smile, but it took a second for it to all sink in - it did pretty fast, and you couldn't blast that smile from my face even if you tried. I did as those announced before me had done: I applauded the audience and waved.

So many emotions were bombarding me. It was a rush like nothing I had experienced performing before. To the core of my soul, I was thankful to my mom and my friends. I hoped they knew how much I loved them. I hoped I was waving in their general direction. I couldn't wait to see them! OMG! I'm in the finale! YES!

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Author's Note: Don't be afraid to rate this story if it's doing anything for you (you don't have to have an account to do so, and there are no prizes for most 'Rates'). If you comment, I will reply directly to you (if you have an account) or in the comments if you're anonymous, so let's chat...

If there are problems or you have criticisms you'd like to share privately, feel free to message me; I'd love to address them if I can.

I'm trying to grow as a storyteller; I'm far from perfect, so any help is much appreciated. Thanks for reading...

Rachel M. Moore