Chapter Text
Nick strummed the final chord and the audience erupted in applause. As the clapping died down, the lights in the venue dimmed.
"Thank you, everyone, for being such a great audience tonight, but our time is drawing to a close," Nick said, pausing for a moment to let the polite boos subside. "I would like to conclude with one of my favorite quotes.”
“Life is made up of stages. The most pleasant is love, the hardest is separation, the most difficult is saying goodbye, and the most beautiful is meeting up with others again after spending time apart.”
“Our last song for the night is named after a French word that doesn't have a direct translation in English. It's a word that describes the joy of seeing someone you haven't seen in a long time."
As he gazed, a woman exited the side, dressed in a sleek black gown with a familiar pixie cut. (1) Danny's eyes narrowed and his breath caught in his chest. The drummer glanced sideways, searching for direction. Danny locked his gaze, and the drummer acknowledged with a nod before starting to play.
Nick appeared unaware, giving away nothing, as his years of experience took over and he delivered his speech with ease.(2)
"This song is for anyone who has ever missed someone, who needs to rediscover happiness, or who wants to make a part of their past into a part of their future. So if that's you, listen closely and let this night be the night you're reunited with that special someone. Ladies and gentlemen, our final song of the night, 'Retrouvailles.'" (3) (4)
As the backup singers crooned the lyrics, "I'm still a believer, though I don't know why," Nick's fingers strummed the guitar, and a fake smile spread across his face.
His eyes caught sight of a woman with blonde curls near the back of the venue. His heart quickened and his back straightened. Despite his anticipation, she kept averting her gaze. He continued to wait for her to turn towards him, but her face remained tantalizingly out of sight.
Authors' Notes
1. Tidy exposition, noting that Nick and Hannah are now married, and having problems in their relationship.
2. Introduce the idea of Lonelycept. Rather than being actively unhappy, having lonelycept is accepting loneliness as there is no alternative.
3. Introduce the concept of Retrouvailles, the joy you feel in seeing someone you have missed for a long time.
4. Stolen idea from Before Sunset. In Before Sunset Jesse has written a book about his time with Celine. Show, don't tell. Richard Linklater is truly a master.