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"Drop me off right here," Sam shouted as the Maxima approached the historic white building that housed the famed Langdon Playhouse. Established in 1929, the landmark and its horseshoe stage hosted countless plays and concerts for the Newport Beach community. Today would be Sam's first visit to the historic building. Before Aki could finish his goodbye, she slammed the car door and rushed past a set of stained wooden doors that led into a quiet lobby. Her gaze darted around the large room, hoping to catch a glimpse of Mr. Davis just in case the auditions went overtime. But there was no sign of life.
Her stomach churned as she glanced at the time on her watch. It was twelve twenty, and even though Aki did a respectable job navigating around the accident, nothing could change the fact she was late for her audition.
It was your fault. How could you oversleep? Now you've lost the opportunity of a lifetime.
But Sam refused to acknowledge defeat. There had to be a way to get a second chance. She hoped that Stephanie could convince Mr. Davis to give her a second chance.
Maybe they're still inside the auditorium discussing the auditions.
Sam tried to remain hopeful. If God had brought her the opportunity of a lifetime, why wouldn't he make it happen? Why would there be an accident that made her late? Nothing made sense to her as she walked with a hopeful heart into the auditorium.
But as her gaze traveled to the dimly lit stage and back, her heart dropped like a stone. There was no sign of Mr. Davis or any auditionees in the three-story room. A wave of disappointment washed over her as the consequences of her late start and the accident set in. She had blown her biggest break, and who knew how long it would be before she would come across a similar opportunity. One, three, or maybe seven years later? She had come so close to fame, the good life, and living her lifelong passion. And now, it had slipped through her fingers.
A part of her couldn't help imagining the thrill of singing onstage beside the famous women all fancied up in their flowing evening gowns. She knew the lyrics to their most popular songs and had even chosen one to use for the audition. But the closest she would come to that dream was singing a solo alone on that stage.
Sam closed her eyes and imagined the moment. A sea of devoted fans waved their hands in the packed auditorium as she prepared to sing the hit song Your Unfailing Love. She felt the crowd's energy and the floor shake as the music started to play. A show of overhead lights dazzled the crowd as Sam gracefully walked through a pillowy layer of fog toward center stage. The silky softness of her lace gown caressed her skin, and her straight blonde hair flowed freely behind her. Sam held up a microphone in one hand and prepared to sing. Then with a confident smile on her lips, she tilted her head and let her silky smooth voice flow past her lips.
