Chasing Abby(87)

Four different projectors blast rays of light through the smoky air, all focused on a spot to my right. Within seconds, a hazy image begins to form and soon a hologram of Caleb appears next to me. He’s sitting on a stool in his bedroom with his guitar in his lap. The hologram is so well defined, he looks real. Like I could just reach out and touch him and he’d respond.
Jaxon and I had to write a proposal to the director of the physics department at USC to request to use their ultra-high-definition holographic projectors. Jimi presented the proposal for us. She’s an actress and she has more poise in her pinky than Jaxon and I have in our whole bodies. Together, we managed to get USC to let us use their projectors.
Jaxon and I have been fine-tuning the audio and video feed for the past four months. He’s also been working with the rest of the lighting crew to program the projectors and the light show for this performance. Possibly, the most important performance of my life. It only makes sense that Caleb should be there to see me through it.
The crowd gets very quiet and Caleb looks up from his guitar. “I’m kind of hoping you’ll sing while I play, ’cause you know my voice is shit. But you sing like an angel. So, yeah, here it goes. ‘Chasing Abby.’”
He plucks out a soft melancholy melody on his guitar and my hands start shaking as I sing the first line.

You’re the sun that shines down on this carnival of hearts.
The ray of light that breaks through when the curtains part.
You’re the healing breath waiting for me to surface.
The spark of hope that lights me up with just a kiss.
But you’re just beyond the horizon.
Yeah, just beyond my reach.
An ocean between us and I can’t,
Can’t find a ship on this beach.

And I’ll keep standing on this shore,
Hoping the light will catch me.
Send up smoke signals you can’t ignore,
But I’ll keep chasing Abby.
’Cause time catches up with everyone,
So I’ll catch up with Abby

All through the streets and down the broken lanes.
All across the years, time and time again.
Your heart keeps me yearning, through the ages.
Your love keeps me learning, flipping pages.
But you’re just beyond the scope,
And this ship hasn’t breached.
You keep dangling the hope,
Just out of my reach.

And I’ll keep standing on this shore,
Hoping the light will catch me.
Send up smoke signals you can’t ignore,
But I’ll keep chasing Abby.
’Cause time catches up with everyone,
So I’ll catch up with Abby.

When I sailed the seas and found you huddled just beyond the signs,
Thought I’d found the grail, but turns out all I found was my sunshine.
I knew then that your heart would never really belong to me,
Because blackbirds can’t touch the sky if you never set them free.

And I’ll keep standing on this shore,
Hoping the light will catch me.
Send up smoke signals you can’t ignore,
But I’ll keep chasing Abby.
’Cause time catches up with everyone,
So I’ll catch up with Abby.
Fly away, my little sunshine.
Fly away where I can’t see.

Caleb stands from his stool and I stand up with him. He takes a bow and his hologram disappears into the foggy mist. I take a bow, wishing I could stay in this position so people can’t see the tears streaming down my face. I stand up and hold my fist over my heart. Then I close my eyes and thank Caleb for giving me wings.
After a twenty-minute encore where I perform three more tracks, including another of Caleb’s songs that’s not on the album, I bid the audience goodnight and head to the grassy field behind the stage. As expected, Chris, Claire, and Caleb; both my parents; and Jaxon are waiting for me at the foot of the stairs. Since we started sharing holidays together, both sets of parents have become quite friendly. They’ve even had dinner together without my knowledge a couple of times since I went on tour.