Free Love Song by Sharon Gillenwater

changed to an office reception area overflowing with boxes of letters and gifts. A reporter held out the microphone to a man in his early to mid-thirties who looked like a soap opera heart throb. Wade knew it was wrong, but he detested Kyle on sight, and only partly because the man worked Andi too hard.
    “The outpouring of love from Andi’s fans has been overwhelming,” said Kyle. “I talked to her yesterday, and she’s feeling stronger day by day. We’ve sent some mail to her already and will be sending all of these letters and gifts out tonight. I know they will boost her spirits and hasten her recovery.”
    “Do you have any idea when Andi will return to work?” asked the reporter.
    “As soon as her doctor gives his approval. We’re hoping to have that in a couple of weeks, but of course, we don’t want her to go back to work until she’s completely well. When he gives us the go-ahead, we’ll firm up the new dates for the shows we had to cancel. Andi doesn’t want to disappoint any of her fans. That’s why she tried to do the show in Tucson even though she was very ill. She loves them as much as they love her.”
    The scene switched back to the broadcaster. “We would also like to extend our wishes for a quick recovery to Andi. She’s a lady who gives her all to her music and her fans and is destined to go to great heights in the country music industry. We look forward to having you back, Andi.”
    Stunned, Wade turned off the television. He’d had no idea she had collapsed during a performance. She should have been in a hospital long before she set foot on that stage. Even his mother, as driven as she was to succeed, would have chosen her health over her job.
    The sheer volume of letters and gifts left him speechless, partly because he suddenly realized that they came from a small portion of her fans. Whenever he thought about her albums selling a million copies, he had envisioned stacks and stacks of CD’s. He had not tried to imagine the number in terms of people.
    The broadcaster’s words about Andi’s devotion to her music and her fans and being destined for greatness rang in his ears. None of that was news to him. Then why did having those beliefs confirmed make him feel as if he had fallen into a bottomless pit?
    Trying to deal with the barrage of emotions, Wade didn’t think about Andi’s reaction to the story until she slowly got up and walked over to the front window. He turned off the lamp and joined her. Moonlight draped the valley in silver, and thousands of stars sparkled in the dark heavens. Nearby, an owl hooted, and in the distance an elusive pack of coyotes howled and yipped in excited communication.
    He glanced at Andi. She stood with her back straight, her arms crossed in front of her like a shield. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “You didn’t tell me you collapsed on stage,” he said quietly.
    “Didn’t I? I guess I never thought to mention it.” She kept her gaze fixed on the landscape.
    “Why did you try to perform that night? Why didn’t you go to a doctor?”
    “I had seen a doctor earlier in the week. He gave me some antibiotics and cough medicine and told me to rest. We had two days without a concert, so I took my medicine and practically slept around the clock. I woke up at four o’clock the next afternoon in Tucson and felt terrible, but it was too late to cancel the show outright. Those people had spent their hard earned money on tickets to see me, and I had an obligation to them. Some had driven over a hundred miles, and I didn’t have the heart not try.
    “By the time I stepped on stage, I knew I’d made a big mistake. I was so weak I could hardly stand up and had to sit on a stool. I felt as if a giant was standing on my chest and stabbing me every time I took a breath.
    “I told the audience that I wasn’t feeling well, and that we were going to do a couple of songs as a thank you for coming and refund their money. I almost made it