Lola stayed with Rhea for the next few days and they talked and caught up, Lola told her about her time in New York and Rhea told her about her time in L.A. They also talked about Otto, and Lola admitted that she liked him and was eager to see where it was going with the two of them. They giggled like they had when they were school girls and it was nice for Rhea not to have rush off and cook, or care for Aion, or balance the books. Her time was her own, she should have been worried about the inn and restaurant but she wasn't.
The only problem was the plan. Wednesday had rolled around and there was still no plan. She and Lola were watching the local news and the commercials caught their attention, the first one was for a local charity event that was almost sold out. Elias Emory, Cassandra Stevens, Mason Stevens and a few other people, who were starring in Mason and Cassandra's movie, were hosting a fundraiser for the local hospital. The next commercial was for an interview with Elias Emory on one of the major network's news hours.
Rhea and Lola stayed glued to the television until Eli's face filled the screen. Rhea watched the interview closely, noting the changes in Eli as he became Elias Emory, he held himself differently and he even spoke in a different voice, it was deeper and more polished. Even his smile was for effect and lost its naturalness.
She watched it all, listened to all of the questions that Rainer asked and heard all of the answers, finding it hard to believe it was her he was talking about. As she watched him the plan formed and she knew what she had to do.
She reached for her phone and she texted Cassie, she didn't trust Mason and she told Cassie as much. Cassie agreed to her request and told her it was about time that she had gotten her act together because Eli had been a miserable grump who couldn't write a note over the last week, and at the rate he was going there would be a film but no music for it.
Rhea and Lola spent the next two days shopping for the perfect dress, spending the day at the spa, and getting manicures. When Saturday night arrived she barely looked like herself as she slipped into the beautiful yellow dress. It had to be yellow, she was Sunny after all. It had gauzy layers that fell past her knees a high empire waist with capped sleeves and she didn't want to trip so she had settled on a pair of flats. She had had her hair cut into layers that framed her face and made her look softer. Lola had kept her make-up simple and she was as ready as she would ever be.
Lola looked nice as well in a black velvet dress and high heels. Together they made their way to the waiting car and it was less than a five-minute drive to the theater. If it had been different circumstances she probably would have walked instead of taking a car.
The concert had already started and she and Lola walked up to Will-Call. When she gave her name the ticket sales girl did a double take and gave her a smile. "You're Sunny, aren't you?" she asked shyly.
Rhea nodded and blushed as she took the ticket.
"Wait here, please," she insisted as she picked up the phone and made a phone call.
Rhea felt the urge to run, unsure of what was coming next. She thought it might be a camera crew but it wasn't. Otto came out of a side door and waved at them.
"Come on, everyone's waiting," he said as he hustled them into the empty lobby. However, instead of going into the main auditorium they were led through a side door and into a small little room. "Wait here a minute."
He disappeared and Rhea looked at Lola.
"Don't ask me, I'm not in on this one, I promise."
They were silent until Otto's return a few minutes later but this time he had Mason and Cassie with him.
Mason pulled her close in a hug and them passed her off to Cassie as he lead the way further into the theater.
"If this is going to work, you'll both have to stay out of sight," Mason said as he ushered them into a small dressing room.
"He is planning to play the song?" Rhea asked. Her whole plan hinged on it.
"I don't know," he looked over his shoulder at Cassie who was hissing at him that it was time, "he didn't rehearse it." He walked away.
"What does that mean?"
Mason shrugged. "You'll have to wing it."
He and Cassie disappeared and a minute later she could hear their voices as they echoed around the theater.
Rhea sunk onto the couch behind her. She had planed it all perfectly and if he didn't play the song what would she do? She looked at the clock, there was still over an hour and a half to go until the end and an intermission to get through. Lola looked at her and patted her hand.
"Maybe he,-
Rhea shook her head. "He's finally given up on me." Her mind raced as she tried to think of another plan, would he still want her? He had said at the dock that day that if she left again, but he hadn't finished the sentence, what had he been going to say?
She watched the clock, she heard intermission and all of the action backstage as the actors moved around. She was sure someone was going to come and find them but no one did. She listened as the show started again. It was torture. Otto had finally brought them a playbill so they could follow along with the songs as Rhea looked it over she noted that the song 'Sunny,' wasn't on the list.
She was in tears as the final song finished and the audience started clapping and stomping for an encore. He hadn't played the song. She slowly stood as she could hear talking and another song played. It was Eli's voice but it wasn't the song.
"I want to go," she said to Lola. "Now, before it's over and he sees me."
"Rhea-"
But Rhea didn't listen as she opened the door and started for the exit. She walked into to the still empty lobby and had almost reached the door with Lola by her side when she heard it. The first few notes of her song. She stopped and looked at Lola who grabbed her arm and started dragging her towards the auditorium.
She pushed past the usher who tried to stop them with a hiss.
Rhea walked through the door and saw Eli sitting in the middle of the stage, it was just him, a piano, and a spotlight. The audience was totally silent as they watched him, and she was oblivious as a murmur went through the crowd when her presence was noted.
It was as if some invisible force was pulling her towards the stage. There were a set of steps at the base of the stage and as she reached them she slowly climbed them, stopping in font of Eli's piano. His eyes were closed as he was singing and he didn't notice her at first but he must have felt her presence as his eyes opened.
When he saw her a smile lit up his face that told her all she needed to know. He hadn't given up on her. He had played the song for her in hopes that she would be there and this time she was.
They still had a lot to work through but she knew that Lola had been right, she had been afraid that she wasn't good enough for him, but every time he played the song he was saying that she was and he had been saying it for over five years.
As the song ended he stood and walked towards her. "You realize everyone thinks this is part of the show, right?" he asked as he pulled her against him.
"I had to come, you told the whole world how you felt about me, how could I not do the same for you?"
He held her face in his hands as he looked down at her, waiting for her to say more and she knew she needed to say it.
"I was afraid that I wasn't good enough for Elias Emory. Eli, sure, he's a normal guy, but not Elias Emory. He's unobtainable."
"Oh Sunny, you have all of me, and without you...Elias Emory will cease to exist."
"What about Victoria?" Rhea asked, his only answer was to kiss her. They had forgotten about the audience and Rhea jumped when they started to applaud.
"She's no longer a problem, the tide has changed and after my interview the public put two and two together and for once came up with the right answer. She's even more unpopular now than she was last year. Everyone's on our side."
He dropped to one knee and the audience went wild again.
"Sunny my love, will you marry me?"
"Eli," she hissed as she looked around her. "Everyone's watching!"
"I know, if you say yes you'll have to marry me, especially with all these witnesses."
Rhea bit her lip as she nodded. "Yes, Elias Emory, I'll marry you, all of you."
He stood and picked her up, twirling her around as the crowd that had quieted went wild again.
"We'll get married at the church?" he asked.
"Yes, the church." She couldn't think of a better place. It was where they had truly found each other and where they would always find each other, forever.
THE END