Tenney in the Key of Friendship

Festival Lights

In the days before the Spring Clean, Tenney spends her lunches in the school gym pricing donated books with Jaya and Holliday, hoping to raise enough for Mina’s school. When she argues a hardcover copy of The Secret Garden deserves more than two dollars, Holliday agrees and doubles the price instead. Jaya only nods along. Guilt creeps in, too, since this is the last afternoon Logan can rehearse before the brunch.

The next morning is a blur of breakfast and Mom doing her hair before Tenney rides with Dad toward Belle Meade, one of Nashville’s fanciest suburbs, where the City Music Festival’s artists’ brunch is being held at a private home. She reminds him more than once to have her back in East Nashville by one o’clock for the end of Jaya’s Spring Clean fundraiser, and Dad teases that he could hardly forget after a dozen reminders.

The gate buzzes open once Dad states their names, revealing a driveway leading up to a mansion with a tiled roof and turrets. Neither of them knows whose house it is. Ellie Cale and Logan come down to meet them, Ellie in sparkly cowboy boots and Logan in rockabilly style. Tenney climbs out with her guitar, waves goodbye to Dad, and follows them inside.

Ellie leads them through a marble lobby toward the conservatory, where the stage and Logan’s drums are set up, explaining they’ll warm up before playing for Belle. When Logan asks who Belle is, Ellie’s answer floors Tenney: this is Belle Starr’s house. Tenney’s mouth goes dry at the thought of performing for one of the biggest stars in the world, and Logan telling her not to be nervous doesn’t help.

Past a window-lined hallway, French doors reveal a crowd of glamorous guests mingling around tables piled with flowers and food. Zane greets them, asks if the “stars of the show” are ready for their debut, and points out the platform and mic where they’ll perform. Ellie spots country legend Kit Harkins and guitarist Justine Gunn in the crowd, teasing there’s time to stargaze once they’re onstage.

Ellie settles them into a sitting room with muffled drum pads so Logan can loosen up quietly. Once Zane and Ellie leave to check the stage, Tenney’s nerves creep back as she tunes her guitar, replaying her rocky start at the Bluebird Cafe. Her E string snaps and stings her hand, and Logan’s comment that she’s wound tighter than the string only irritates her more. Annoyed, she slips out to the backyard for air.

On a bench near a tall hedge, Tenney calms herself by singing “Reach the Sky.” Rounding a corner mid-song, she nearly collides with a woman checking her phone, who turns out to be Belle Starr herself. Starstruck, Tenney explains she’s performing with Logan and that her sister owns every one of Belle’s records. Belle calms her down, admits she overheard the song, and wishes her good luck before heading back inside.

Buoyed, Tenney hurries back to Logan, but Ellie insists it’s time and guides them through the crowd toward the stage. Tenney sets her two microphones, one for guitar and one for vocals. Zane checks that they’re ready, gets a nod from Tenney and a whispered “Ready” from Logan, then quiets the room to begin introducing them. Tenney’s stomach drops at the sight of musicians who have spent their lives making records and winning awards. Being good enough to perform for them is intimidating, but what scares her most is wondering what happens if they don’t like what they hear.