I hadn't seen Gabby since dessert. That night, I found her in her room. My voice startled her.
"What are you holding?"
"Isaac's jacket," she murmured.
"Oh, no…Gabby, what happened?"
She faced me, looking like she never had before. It was then I knew her heart was really gone.
"I was cold…" She wiped her eyes impatiently. "Isaac gave me his jacket. Then…then we kissed each other. Ellie, what's wrong with me?"
"Gabby, I am so sorry…"
Gabby shrugged off my sympathy. "One more month anyway," she said, clearing wanting to change the subject.
"What should I get Zac for Christmas?" I asked.
"I'm sure you'll think of something brilliant, as always. Hey, you wanna sleep in here with me tonight? We can have a sleepover."
"Sure. That's be cool." I smiled and left to go get my stuff.
I was itching to play. We hadn't played in months. I knew Zac was preoccupied with having to leave Ellie soon, and something was up with Ike, but I wanted to play. I told Mom, and she got us booked to do a small gig in a little coffee-house down the street. It would be like before we got famous.
The day of the gig, we practiced most of the day. Ellie and Gabby would come down every once in a while with food. Once, we asked them to sing with us. They sang Tell Him, and we got them to agree to sing it that night.
When Zac left with Ellie, I stayed with Ike to do a song list. We were almost through when Ike said quietly, "I want to sing More Than Anything."
I stared at him. "If that's what you want," I said, adding to the song to the play list.
"Guys, add Ellie and Gabby to the list for a few songs!" Zac screamed down the stairs. I shrugged and added them too.
The guys left early to get to the house on time. Two minutes before they started, Gabby and I snuck in the back and crept up to the stage. I had chosen a blue shirt and khaki pants, and Gabby was wearing a white shirt underneath my patterned black sweater with black pants.
Hanson began with a short acoustic set. They did about 5 songs. Gabby and I swayed to the music. Zac kept glancing and smiling at me. I smiled back very often.
They played Ever Lonely for me, and then Ike nodded to Taylor. Taylor and Zac left the stage and came to stand beside us. Zac closed his hand on mine.
The audience had been incredibly responsive to the guys all night, and I knew they were at home onstage. All three were natural performers.
Ike sat at Taylor's keyboard and glanced up at Gabby. They met eyes for a minute. I placed my free hand on Gabby's arm comfortingly. Then Ike played the most soulful rendition of More Than Anything I'd ever heard. He really felt the words he sang, and it was different somehow. I couldn't figure it out.
Gabby clapped loudest for him after the song. They brought the audience to their feet for MMMBop and ended their performance with I Will Come To You. I elbowed Gabby. We needed to get ready.
I had heard Gabby and Ellie sing together. They were both very good at it. Gabby was a great acoustic guitar player and Ellie had an ear for harmony. I had convinced them to play.
I sat in Isaac's chair onstage with my acoustic guitar. We were doing four songs…one we had written, Tell Him, a Jewel song called What's Simple is True and Celine's Us. I was so nervous. I had never really sung along with Ellie in public. But the strength I gained from Isaac's eyes was good enough to make me begin Tell Him.
My brothers and I got front row seats for Gabby and Ellie's public debut. From the second Gabby and Ellie sung in harmony, the performance we had given, and the one we were being given, make my heart lighten.
I was amazed at the amount of applause we received after Tell Him! "Thank you," I said a bit breathlessly into my mike. "Okay, now we are going to do a song called What's Simple Is True."
This was really Gabby's song. I was doing some harmony near the end, but I knew why Gabby wanted to sing this song.
Her fingers quietly strummed her guitar and when she began to sing, I was reminded of Ike's performance. Both were different somehow.
My eyes had been locked on Gabby all night. The quiet kiss we'd shared was always on my mind.
I knew this song was a Jewel song, but Gabby sang it quite beautifully. Her peaceful high notes really gave me chills. She was a talented performer. She and Ellie both were.
As I lay in my bed that night, I thought about Isaac. With every passing day, I felt more upset. In less than a month, Isaac would be gone.
I turned my head and looked out the window. Ironically, we hadn't had any snow yet. I saw Ellie and Zac standing by the pond in each other's arms. I put my hand on the wall beside me, because I knew Isaac was there. Then I fell into a dreamless sleep.
