A Chorus Lineup (A Glee Club Mystery) (27 page)

When it was time for our team to take the stage, I didn’t see the flaws from yesterday as they twirled and spun. And when they hit their final pose, I couldn’t have been prouder.

When all the performances were over, we all took our seats in the theater and waited for the awards to be handed out. Christine announced the all-girls division first. There were tears, shrieks of joy, and lots of applause as the kids ran up to get their awards. Then it was our division’s turn. I felt my phone vibrate, and pulled it out of my purse as Christine McCann picked up the third-place award, which went to Scott Paris’s team. As the kids raced up to get their trophies, I glanced at my cell phone screen. My already-nervous stomach took a tumble. Alan had sent a message. I clicked on it and felt my heart soar.

“Good news?” Mike whispered as Christine announced the second-place winner. A team from Minnesota. My team danced on the edges of their seats. They had either won it all or had placed in the bottom three.

After one last glance back down at the phone, I shoved it back into my purse, took Mike’s hand in mine, and said, “We can talk about it tomorrow.” The future could wait.

“And first place . . .” Christine paused for dramatic effect. “Goes to Music in Motion from Prospect Glen High School in Illinois.”

The kids jumped up and down. Larry and Jim hugged. And Aldo got down on one knee. Between their happiness, the man standing beside me, and the news I’d just received, it was safe to say what a great future it was going to be.