A Singer's Love - An Interracial Romance *ON HAITUS*

A Singer's Love - An Interracial Romance

"Welcome to America's number one television singing show." Barry O, the energetic announcer boomed, "This is the show where all of your dreams can come true, or they could all end in one night." He continued.

While that was going on, in the back room there were 30 young singers. To the left leaning against the wall were about five people in their early twenties with serious looks on their faces. One appeared to be about to cry. In the middle of the room were three singers singing with each other. One could hear an old Motown toon.

"Oh I heard it through the grapevine." They sounded so good together one might think they were a singing group.

Over on the other side of the building were various groups of people, some looked worried, and some looked like they had no worry in the world.

Towards the middle of the room was Ellen Delaney, a 25 year old slender but athletic brunette. She was popping cough drops as if they were pieces of candy. She would then cough a little and then sniff.

The front door to the large room opened and the stage manager, a middle aged stout man with balding hair whom everyone called Joe, yelled, "Ellen...Ellen Delaney."

Ellen sneezed again and then looked up and said in a scratchy thin voice, "I'm coming Joe."

Ellen Walked slowly through the crowd of other singers to get to Joe. Ellen could see the look of concern on his face when Joe said, "Are you all right? Are you ready to sing?"

Ellen said, "I guess I have to be."

Joe slowly walked Ellen to the side of the stage and said, "OK, you know the drill, Barry will call you in and then you will come out."

Ellen coughed again and choked out a low whisper, "ok."

Joe asked her again, "Are you sure you want to go on?"

Ellen thought for a few seconds. Her life seemed to flash before her eyes. Ever since she was a little girl she wanted to be a pop star. Now everything was so close. She was not going to allow a little cold to slow her down.

Ellen Straightened her back and said, "I am ready!"

Joe shook his head and simply said, "OK..."

Back on the stage Barry said, "And now we have a young lady who blew the judges away with her vocal prowess. She won all of our hearts with a soulful rendition of Somewhere out There. And now on Motown night she is going to take us back to 1960s with the Temptations signature hit, "Ain't too Proud To Beg."

Ellen stood and tried to compose herself.

Barry then said, "Everyone, Ellen Delaney!"

Ellen walked out on the stage as the music began.

"I know you want to leave me...." Wasn't too bad, she though as the first line of the song came out of her mouth.

"But I refuse to let you go..." And then an unavoidable urge to cough came.

"Shooooooooo" as she coughed. Judge number one, the arrogant opinionated Adam, hit his buzzer to indicate that he disliked Ellen's rendition. However, the music continued. Ellen tried to continue singing.

"...I don't mind..." and then Ellen coughed again.

Then Anthony hit his buzzer. This left only Patty.

But Ellen couldn't help herself. Ellen coughed and sneezed and then coughed again. The music stopped. Patty hit her buzzer.

Barry walked out to the meet Ellen in the middle of the stage.

"It really looks like the weather overcame you today. Let's see what the judges have to say." Barry said. "OK Patty, what do you have to say to Ellen today."

"It is a hard thing to sing with a cold..." Patty began.

"Sometimes you get sick, yeah," Adam interrupted. "You have to be ready at all times. In fact, I don't know why you are wasting my time."

Ellen fought back a tear as a sneeze came out.

"Adam didn't have to be so hard." Anthony said, "But he is right, I was playing keyboard for 6 time Grammy award winner Marilyn Howard one night when she had the flu. We thought she was better with the flu."

"I couldn't help getting this cold." Ellen tried to defend herself.

"You have embarrassed yourself, you have just ended your career." Adam continued going in on Ellen.

"You don't have to kill her, she had a cold. She is trying." Patty angrily said.

"OK, vote. I vote absolutely no." Adam said impatiently.

"No, but I want to see you back here next year." Anthony said.

Patty looked down and said, "No, but your career is not over, mark my words."

Ellen walked off the stage past Larry Jones who was waiting to go on stage.

She then saw Joe who told her, "It was good to have you, but you have 2 hours to get out of the hotel."

She began walking out of the auditorium when she heard someone yelling behind her.

"Ellen...Ellen."

She stopped and turned around and saw Roy Davis, the attractive thirty something tall African American keyboardist for the show running towards her.

“What do you want?” Ellen said bitterly while looking at the pianist.

“Hold on, give me a second here.”

“I only have a second, I have to get out of the hotel.” Ellen then began crying.

“Ellen, You are one of the greatest singers here."

"Alot of good it did me."

"So what are you going to do now?" Roy asked.

Ellen thought, what business is it of his, but she decided to be cordial. "I am going back home and back to work."

"Well if you still want to be a singer, I am the leader of a new group, but I need a lead singer. Here is my card." Roy said while giving her the card. "If you want to continue singing. Let me know, and the job is yours.

"Well I have to get out of the hotel..." Ellen said with a little bit of optimism in her voice.

"In 2 hours...yes I know the drill...." Roy said, "But you think about it."