---------Antique Shoppe Epilogue, by guest author------

The screen door closed with a muffled “bang:”.

Casey ambled over to the old porch swing where MC sat swinging gently.

“What’s the matter, MC? I didn’t think we were done?“ Casey said wistfully while flashing a grin.

“We’re done, Casey. “ MC said with some emphasis on the word “done”. “We’re more than done“, she muttered under her breath.

She didn’t know quite what it was, but all of a sudden his big feet bugged her, and she noticed that he ate a LOT of garlic and no mouthwash or toothpaste would cover it because the smell was pouring out of his pores after they….no, no, chase that out of her mind, she thought as she shook her head , because that’s what will draw her back in.

But it wasn’t just those things.

There were other turn offs, too. Like when he threw in the goat vibrato in every song when he performed on AI. Every darn song! When he sang for her while they lay in the hammock in the back yard, she never caught even a hint of the vibrato. She loved laying in the hammock, gently swaying while Casey lay next to her with his arms around her., his lean body shifted onto her lithe one, one of his legs thrown over her. It’s like he enveloped her. The sun played peek-a-boo through the leaves and warmed them just the right amount. He would start to sing, softly in her ear. And she thrilled to it, all the way down to her toes, as it were. Things progressed from there, and it was always a nice prelude to the afternoon’s fun inside the Antique Shoppe.

“Casey, Why do you always do that, uh, what did Kara call it? Lamb thing? “, MC asked, with her eyes downcast.

“Hah! She said “sheep”. Casey chortled.

“Oh, yes, but why, Casey?” MC responded.

“Well, it’s worked for me so far, MC. Casey retorted. “Like when I came out and just did a straight up Bob Seger song. I knew it would be enough for me to get votes to be there the next week. And the vibrato makes me stand out from the others. “

“Yes, Casey, but when you sang like you did on “Jealous Guy” that’s what really moved me. Don’t you think that the vibrato is, at this point, well, overdone?” MC responded, and she looked off into the distance, down the road, her voice trailing off as she spoke.

“Shucks, MC, I made the top 4, Lord willing. Big Mike’s a judges’ favorite since they saved him and all, and we know they like Crystal. And Lee, heck, he already has two albums out and has made videos to support them. Simon can't say enough nice things to him. It's like he wants to get up on stage and do it for him. I know the score. I know it’s probably “it” for me this week. I’m just playin’ the game till I can get on tour and see what the audience reaction really is. “ Casey smiles to himself. “Maybe they’ll be some panty-throwing for me, who knows? They threw ‘em at Adam last year and the guy’s an avowed gay.”

MC shifted in her seat on the swing. She still held her gaze, looking at some far point down the road.

Casey, in a soft, pleading tone, “You’ll come see me on tour, won’t you, MC?”

MC turned her gaze on Casey. “No, darlin’.” It’s the Antique Shoppe for me. You’ll just have to think of me when you are on tour and sing a song without vibrato. At least one, Casey, for me.”

There was something in her tone that cut through Casey. He could tell that something was different. What a week this was going to be. Most likely to get booted (have you seen the suggested song list? You know Big Mike’s gonna do a Bryon Adams song, this week was made for him!) and now MC’s turned cold, too. He knew instinctively what it meant.

He reached down to pick up his guitar case and walked over to MC at the swing.

“Yes, MC. For you, yes. At least one song on the tour without vibrato. And I’ll be thinking of you and the Antique Shoppe each time I sing it. I’ll be singing to you. And,” he said, running his hand down her face and cupping her chin, “I’ll always have the “inside the Antique Shoppe” times to keep me ….sane…on the bus with Big Mike, Aaron, Lee, Tim, and Andrew.”

He bent down and kissed her, a deep soulful kiss, and then turned around, whistling, “You’ll Accompany Me” as he stepped off the porch. He sauntered on down the road, guitar case in hand, and didn’t look back.

MC stretched out on the porch swing and threw her arm over her eyes. It was a long time until AI season 10 and who knows if there would be anyone “Antique Shoppe” worthy?

Weeks later, the UPS man rang the doorbell. MC approached the screen door, wondering why the UPS man was here because she hadn’t bought or sold anything on EBAY for a few weeks. Her heart hadn’t been in it.

“Sign here” the UPS man said holding out his clipboard.

MC eyed him, wondering if he needed lemonade, and noted his well defined biceps.

Then she saw the package’s return address. It was from a saddle shop in Texas. A smile crept across her face, and she opened the screen door wider. “Lemonade? “ she offered the UPS man.

“Wow, thanks, yes, it’s hot enough for frying an egg on the hood of my truck” he said.

As he came through the door, MC took the package, tore it open on one end, and reached in. She smiled slyly as she felt the new whip coiled inside the package. “Thanks, Casey” she said softly to herself.

Thank you zazzy. I couldn't have said it better myself - - MC