Page 93 of Timeless: Encore

Jace’s folks and his sisters huddle with Alex, Andrea, and Lena. Baby Lennox is too little to be here tonight, he’s back at the hotel with Becca, Jen’s wife.

Connor’s family stands close by. Liam and Padraig look like the rockstars they are. Seamus, Brennan, and Cillian hover by Rory. Connor’s mom, Maureen chats with Ronni, who rubs her nonexistent belly. She announced her pregnancy a couple days ago, Torin and Tristan will get a new baby brother or sister next year.

Zoey and Fee stand close to me, Lianne, and Zoey’s parents, Mike and Olivia. Faye isn’t part of the picture again, probably for good this time. When she found out Fiona was pregnant, let’s just say it didn’t go well. I gaze down at my two daughters-in-law, both with newly swollen bellies of about the same size.

By the end of the year, I’ll be a grandpa to four precious kids. It’s still hard for me to believe, after losing over a decade to my addictions, how grateful I am to be alive. How close I came to missing all of this love.

“I think this is the song before you go on.” Zoey grabs my hand, bringing me back to reality.

Zane’s guitar tech, Pokey, hands me my old Strat. I strap it on and give her the thumbs up. “I’m ready.”

My heart swells with pride when I watch my sons onstage. LTZ kicked off their tour four nights ago with three sold-out hometown shows at Climate Pledge Arena. Tonight is the final Seattle show before the band, in their fancy new tour buses, play thirty dates in twenty cities across the country. Their most recent album is their biggest-selling album ever, which is saying something, considering the sorry state of the music industry these days.

Ty swaggers up to the mic and rips off his Mission tee. The entire crowd loses their ever-loving minds at the sight of shirtless Ty. “Are you ready to take things up a notch?” He holds the mic out to the crowd, who scream back at him.

“Fuck that, I can’t hear you.” He cups his hand to his ear. “Are you ready for …”

It’s my cue, I step out on stage playing the intro to Limelight’s biggest hit, Ready Set Crash. The entire stadium erupts. Zane and Ty flank me. I take full advantage of my time on stage, giving them a show. Zane plays rhythm to my lead. Connor and Jace keep a steady beat. When my extended intro begins to morph into the verse, Ty takes over.

We play five Limelight songs to close out the final encore, and then we’re done. The show is over.

But life is truly just beginning.

Not just for my sons, their wives, and their band.

For me too.

I have a story to tell, and I’m just getting started.

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