Here To Stay

The next two weeks, Lori worked her voice harder than she ever had. She wanted to feel like she was doing her brother proud, and she knew just the song to sing to celebrate his life, along with show that through finding her voice again, she was able to move on from his death.

“Try it again Lori,” Matt said when her voice cracked at a higher note.

“Can’t I take a break? My throat is killing me,” Lori muttered, massaging her neck with her hand.

“Yeah,” Matt replied, cutting the sound coming from the stereo system and walking into the kitchen. He came back a minute later with a bottle of water for Lori and a beer for himself. Lori downed half the bottle with one gulp, gasping for breath while she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

“It’s coming along,” Matt commented.

“I’m trying to make him proud,” Lori admitted, looking at a picture Matt had of Jimmy on his wall. Matt looked over at the picture himself, his heart racing as he thought of the man he would no longer see walking the earth.

“You know what, I’m sure you already do make him proud,” Matt smiled. “Just getting the courage to do what you’re doing would make him the proudest brother in the world.” Lori smiled at Matt and took a more generous sip of the water in her hand.

“Ready to get back to it?” Matt asked. Lori nodded, standing up and grabbing the microphone Matt brought out for her to practice with. It was the one Jimmy used for the live shows, and he was giving it to her as form of luck, but also as a way to show her that Jimmy would be there with her.



“Hello, and welcome to the Huntington Beach High School Talent Show!” Mrs. Carlisle exclaimed through her microphone. Everyone in the audience applauded and cheered. Matt was sitting between Val and Brian, who had Michelle beside him. Behind them was Johnny with Lacey and Zack with Gena. Leana didn’t show up, saying it would be to hard for her to be there.

“Did you give Kelly the flier?” Brian asked Matt. Matt nodded as the auditorium doors opened. He looked back to see Barbra, Joe, Kelly and Katie standing there.

“Where is she?” Joe demanded when he walked up to Matt.

“About to perform,” Matt replied as Lori walked onto the stage. Joe looked up at the stage, stunned as she looked over at a boy. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. Gena tapped Kelly’s shoulder, and indicated the five seats saved in the row behind her. Kelly and Katie sat down. Joe went in next and finally Barbra, leaving a seat at the end opened. Barbra couldn’t help but think that that seat would have been for Jimmy if he was still alive. He wouldn’t miss this moment for the world.



Lori stared at her feet, taking in deep breaths and preparing herself for what she knew was coming up. She looked over toward Jason, who smiled encouragingly at her. She smiled back and brought the microphone to her lips just as the doors to the auditorium opened.

“This song I would like to dedicate to my brother…” her voice faded as she stared at the person who had just walked in. “Jimmy?” she finished with a question. Everyone in the three rows supporting her turned around, confused.. Tears sprang to Barbra’s eyes as she realized her son was standing in the doorway. Her wish had come true, though she had no idea how. Joe looked back at her, amazed. Matt smiled at Val, who watched Jimmy smile at his little sister, who was still frozen on the stage.

Without thinking, Lori took off down the aisle, straight into the arms of her older brother.

“I-I thought you were dead,” she whispered, staring into his bright blue eyes.

“What, and miss your big break, not a chance,” he smiled, using his thumbs to wipe her tears from her eyes.

“But, Mrs. Carlisle, Mom, Dad…the funeral.” Lori stammered, trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she was standing there with her brother, the brother she believed to be dead for several months.

“It’s a long story sis, and I believe that our little chat is holding up the talent show,” Jimmy muttered, looking around behind her. Lori didn’t even turn her head around, she just continued to stare up at him with amazement and wonder in her eyes.

“How did you know I would be performing?” Lori asked, the confusion deepening.

“Let’s just say I ran into a little birdie who was extremely proud of you, and completely surprised to see me,” Jimmy replied with a smile. He glanced up at Matt and sent him a wink. Matt smiled and bowed his head as everyone in their group turned to look at him. Lori opened her mouth to say something else, but Jimmy cut her off by placing his finger on her lips.

“Sis, I came here to hear you sing, and that’s what I want from you,” Jimmy glanced up at the stage, at Jason, and nodded his head. Jason got the meaning right away, so he started the song. “All I want for you to do right now, is to get up on that stage and sing your heart out,” he replied. Lori stared at him for another minute before realizing her cue was coming up.

“I found myself today,” she started singing. “Oh I found myself and ran away. But something pulled me back, a voice of reason I forgot I had. All I know is you’re not here to say, what you always used to say, but it’s written in the sky, tonight. So I won’t give up, no I won’t break down. Sooner than it seems life turns around. And I will be strong, even if it all goes wrong, when I’m standing in the dark I’ll still believe,” she stared deeply into Jimmy’s eyes as she started singing the last of the chorus. “Someone’s watching over me.”
She turned and walked back up to the stage as Jimmy slid in beside their parents, to engrossed in his little sister’s performance to notice his mother’s tears. He felt tears of pride well in his own eyes as Lori continued to belt out the song like a professional.

“It doesn’t matter what people say, and it doesn’t matter how long it takes. Believe in yourself, and you’ll fly high. And it only matters how true you are, be true to yourself, and follow your heart.” Jimmy felt the tears trail down his cheek, realizing just how much she had grown these past few months. He felt something on his hand, and looked down to see it was his mother’s smaller hand. He squeezed it as he met her gaze, both full of an unspoken understanding. They turned back to Lori as the song ended, and Jimmy stood up as he clapped for her, not even bothering to wipe the moister from his face.



Lori met up with everyone outside later that night. The talent show was over, and she didn’t win, but she didn’t care. To Lori, she won something even better that day, and he was standing just a few feet from her.

“Jimmy!” she called, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Hey squirt, you were terrific up there,” Jimmy said, wrapping his arms around her back and twirling her around. She squealed with laughter as their parents watched them.

“You were amazing,” her father said, hugging her when Jimmy finally let her go.

“Thank you Daddy, I’m sorry I lied to you.” she said.

“By far the best thing you’ve ever done,” he smiled, shocking everyone, especially Jimmy.

“Matthew, you knew about him being alive and you didn’t tell any of us?” Val asked her husband.

“He came to the house a few days ago while you were out with Michelle.” Matt answered her. “I told him about Lori being up here, and we both knew he had to be here.”

“Thank you Matt,” Lori said, running up to him and hugging him tightly.

“Loraine, we’re sorry, about how we were,” Barbra sighed. “We should have seen how much it was hurting you that Jimmy was gone.”

“I’m not even asking, because I don’t want to argue right now,” Jimmy muttered.

“Let’s just say that we weren’t as supportive as we should have been,” Katie informed him.

“Like I said, I don’t want to argue.” Jimmy looked down at Lori, and his smile came back full force. “You know, you have a bright future a head of you,” Jimmy said, wrapping his arms around her neck. “Waddya say, wanna join us on tour once? Get the feel of it too see if this is what you want to do. I know we have one coming up, you can switch to home schooling.”

“Dad?” Lori asked, looking up at her father.

“Is it okay with the others?” Joe asked, looking over at the rest of the band.

“Let her come!” Johnny shouted automatically.

“I’m for it,” Brian replied. Zacky nodded his agreement while Matt crossed his arms.

“What took so long for the idea to come up?” he asked, smirking.

“Then I guess if you want to, we can figure something out.” Joe said with a smile. Lori squealed again and rushed up to her father, hugging him again before turning back to Jimmy.

“Don’t you ever leave me like that again,” she scolded him suddenly, smacking his arm.

“Ouch, abuse,” he lovingly accused. “I’m sorry,” he said after a minute. “I wouldn’t if I had any other option, you know I wouldn’t have.”

“I love you,” she said, wrapping her arms around his waist. He rested his head on hers, letting his arms drape around her.

“I love you too sis,” he said, stroking her hair. “I promise, I’ll only leave you when I have to.”

“I’m holding you to that.”