votes? Will your favorite sweethearts be separated? Or will they go through? And what about the greatest gospel singer to grace the
Zack felt strangely calm. Whatever was about to happen, he was ready. Contestants kicked off this evening would fly home tonight. It was part of the process. Like everyone remaining on the show, Zack had his bags ready.
As for the mess he’d made of his reputation and his life, God held his future. It might lie in a ball of tangled knots and consequences for his compromises. But one day soon he would have his second chance. When he did, he would never look at love or life, faith or family the same way again. Tonight only one thing terrified Zack.
The idea of winning.
Chandra had said it best. She would be Chandra Olson until the day she died. Even after. History would talk about her and compare other singers to her and if she ever married and had a family, her kids would forever be defined first as the sons and daughters of the famous singer. They would be objects of scrutiny with bodyguards of their own. There was no escaping it. If Zack won season ten, there would be no way back to Reese Weatherly. She would find her life in the freedom of anonymity—maybe in London for good—and every sunrise would create more distance between them. If he won, he would be a slave forever to the fame of
Not so for those who went home today. History would leave them alone.
Before the break was over, Zack made eye contact with Chandra. She looked intently at him, as if she had something she wanted to tell him. Instead she only gave him the slightest smile and then turned her attention back to the other judges. The production assistant counted them in to the live show and on cue the audience erupted in applause.
“We’re back with the news you’ve been waiting for.” Kip looked at the contestants. “If I can have all six of you here next to me on the stage.”
Zack could feel Zoey shaking beside him, breathing fast the way she had in Gaines’s dressing room. When she caught his eye, her fear was almost tangible. He smiled, as if to tell her not to worry, she was going to be okay. She seemed to relax a little and Zack was glad. He held nothing against her. What had happened between them was his fault.
Kip talked about their performances, heightening the drama as much as possible and referring to Zack’s cutoff T-shirt. “But was it too much for the guy who got his start singing at church?”
Zack felt the blow to the center of his soul. But all he could do was take the heat. His decisions had led to this. He had no one to blame but himself.
Like always, Kip started with the two contestants who had the most votes. Zack had been in this group every week. Not this time. Zoey and Kent, his married roommate, were ushered onto the Winning Sofa, as it was called. Next, one of the singers was let go, and his exit video was played.
That left just two of them. A woman whose marriage was falling apart back home, and Zack. The buildup seemed to last forever before Kip delivered the verdict. “I can’t believe this, America. But . . . the singer going home tonight . . . is Zack Dylan.”
A chorus of boos came from the audience as Zack and Kip congratulated the woman. She joined the others on the sofa, clearly overjoyed at going through. At this point Kip was supposed to talk about Zack, his run at the title or his family’s horse farm or his “romance” with Zoey. Instead, Kip looked straight into the camera and said something that caused Zack’s heart to skip a beat.
“Coming up next . . . a dramatic surprise . . .” He paused. “Something never done on a
When the cameras cut, Kip came up beside Zack. “You ready?”
“For what?”
“To sing. The surprise involves singing.”
Zack felt dizzy. They’d been told often to always have a song ready. But so far the kickoff shows hadn’t involved anyone performing. Just the exit videos.
The break was over before Zack understood what was going on. Kip launched into the big surprise. They had created a “judges’ save” that would last for the rest of the tenth-season run. “And tonight”—Kip stared into the camera—“the judges have decided to possibly use that save on one of your favorites—Zack Dylan.”
Across Carnegie Hall, the crowd went wild. They might’ve been disappointed by Zack’s choices, but they didn’t want him to leave. Certainly the fans here tonight didn’t want that. Kip was still explaining the situation. “Before the judges vote, Zack’s going to sing for his life. Right after the break.”
When the cameras were off, Kip turned to Zack. “What are you singing for us?”
“Uhh.” The question caught Zack completely off guard. He had given the production team a few choices of what he might sing if called on. That conversation had been weeks ago. Now . . . in light of his pending departure, there was only one song he wanted to sing. “Can someone get my guitar?”
“Of course.” Kip shot the order to one of the grips. He didn’t look flustered, but this was off script. The task proved harder than it sounded. The guitar was across the street in the rehearsal room. One of the production assistants ran for it and had it in Zack’s hands ten seconds before cameras rolled.
“We’re back with one of the most exciting moments in
“A song I wrote. It’s called ‘Her Blue Eyes.’?”
“Okay, then.” Kip turned to the camera. “You sure that’s not called ‘Zoey’s Eyes’?”
Zack smiled, the way he was supposed to. “No.” He could feel the eyes on him, those of Samuel Meier and William Gaines and Zoey Davis. All of them were waiting. “I wrote it for my girlfriend, Reese.”
Zack was breaking the rules one after another. He’d been told never to mention God or his girlfriend again. Tonight he was finished taking orders. “Ladies and gentlemen, Zack Dylan singing ‘Her Blue Eyes.’ While he’s singing, our judges will make their final decision. Will they save your favorite heartthrob? Or will Zack leave
Someone had brought a barstool to the stage and Zack sat down with his guitar. He missed the way it felt in his arms. Zack closed his eyes as he began. Despite the tens of millions of viewers and the packed house at Carnegie Hall, he was back on Reese’s front porch steps, singing this song the morning he left for Atlanta.
As the words came, he felt himself becoming the old Zack again. The guy he had forgotten somewhere along his
The response wasn’t the thunderous applause that had come to define Zack’s previous songs. As he looked out at the crowd he understood why. They were on their feet and many people had tears on their faces. They understood that this song was different, and the sense throughout the building was that everyone had witnessed something they would never forget. Zack had found his way back.
Zack set his guitar down against the barstool and pointed up. Something he hadn’t done since his audition in Atlanta. Then he turned to Kip. “Thank you.”
“Well.” Kip blinked back tears as he looked to the camera. “If that didn’t get you, check your pulse.” He turned to Zack. “Obviously your motivation for that one is very personal. What was going through your head as you sang?”
Zack couldn’t have rehearsed his response. The words simply spilled from his heart. “Over the last few weeks I sort of forgot who I was. My faith . . . the people who are important to me.” Regret weighed heavy in his
