Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Lately, it felt like everything in Mia Thompson's life was
teetering on the edge, like a fragile glass about to
fall from a shelf, held up by nothing but hope
and duct tape. Every little thing felt heavier, louder, more intense.
Even the morning quiet had a weight to it, thick
like smoke in her lungs. The apartment was dead, silent,
(00:21):
save for the occasional creak of the floorboards under her
feet and the faint, lazy hum of the refrigerator in
the kitchen. It wasn't much of a place, tiny two
rooms in a bathroom that needed a new shower head,
but it was all they could afford. Now, she was
sitting on the old, sagging couch, hands cradling her round belly.
She absent mindedly traced little circles over her oversized sweater,
(00:45):
feeling the baby shift inside. It was still surreal, even
though she was almost eight months along. Her hair, normally
a wild mane of dark curls, was tied back in
a messy bun that barely kept stray strands from falling
in her face. The dim afternoon sunlight filtered through the blinds,
painting faint gold lines across her caramel skin. She looked tired, beautiful,
(01:10):
but tired in a way that went beyond just physical exhaustion.
Her maternity leggings hugged her swollen legs softly, but they
couldn't do anything to ease the pressure in her chest.
It wasn't just the physical weight of pregnancy. It was
the emotional stuff that felt heavier, the fears that kept
clawing at her brain like little gremlins in the dark.
(01:31):
Every time Mia closed her eyes, she saw images of
overdue bills piling on the counter, and her heart would
sink like a stone in water. She'd imagine worst case scenarios,
eviction notices, hospital bills they couldn't pay. Her mom. Shaking
her head in disappointment, she wondered if they were really
going to make it. Noah Harper, her boyfriend, the father
(01:53):
of her unborn child, had left early that morning, said
he was chasing the music. The dream that had once
seemed romantic to her now filled her with quiet dread.
She wanted to support him, but at what cost. When
the door creaked open later that afternoon, she felt her
pulse quicken. There he was standing in the doorway, like
(02:16):
some kind of reluctant hero. He looked, worn out eyes,
heavy shoulders, tents, but there was this little flicker of
hope in his expression that caught her off guard. His
lean frame cast a long shadow across the room as
he stepped inside. His locks were pulled back with a
plain black band, the ends brushing his neck with every movement.
(02:37):
He still had on his favorite faded band t shirt,
the one that clung to his slender body in all
the right ways. Over it, his old leather jacket creaked
softly as he moved. Noah still had that rugged, charming
vibe that had pulled her in from day one, the
deep brown glow of his skin, the way his lips
curled slightly at the edges, like he was all always
(03:00):
on the brink of a grin. But right now all
Mia could see in his eyes were the struggles, the
weight he tried to hide from her. Where have you been,
she asked, her voice tighter than she meant it to be.
Out working on something, He dropped his keys on the
counter and walked toward her. His hand went instinctively to
(03:20):
the chain around his neck, adjusting it the way he
always did when he was nervous. What's up, he asked softly.
She stared at him, her eyes stinging before she could
stop the tears. I can't do this any more, Noah.
I can't keep pretending like everything's fine. The babies coming
soon and were barely scraping by the world's changing so fast.
(03:45):
People are making music with AI now and it's everywhere.
Do you know how competitive this is? What chance do
you even have? Noah crouched down in front of her,
resting his hands on her knees. I get it, I
swear I do, but please just hear me out for
a second. His voice was calm but firm. He waited
(04:08):
until her tear filled eyes met his. I've got good news,
she blinked. Good news. Yeah, there's this famous musician, big name,
coming to town for a concert. He's looking for local
talent to open for him, and they picked me. Noah
let the words hang in the air, watching her face
closely for any sign of relief. This could be my break, Mia,
(04:33):
and the pay. It's good, really good. For a moment,
Mia just stared at him, Her lips trembled. Are you serious?
You're not just saying that I wouldn't lie to you.
Something in his tone broke through her defenses. She threw
her arms around his neck, sobbing into his chest as
(04:54):
he held her tight. After a long minute, she pulled back,
wiping at her cheeks. What do you want for lunch?
She whispered, her voice small. Noah shook his head, pressing
a soft kiss to her forehead. Don't worry about that.
I'm heading to Malms to tell her the news. Good luck,
she murmured, kissing him lightly before he left. The sun
(05:17):
was low in the sky, drenching the world in warm,
golden hues. As Noah pulled up to the small house
where he'd grown up, he hesitated in the driveway for
a moment, gripping the steering wil tight. This place was
filled with memories, both good and bad, and coming back
always hit him in the gut. When he finally stepped
out and walked to the door, he knocked gently before
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letting himself in. Inside, the familiar scent of something simmering
on the stove welcomed him. It was comforting in a
way that also made his chest tighten. Mamma, he called out.
A moment later, Sarah Carter appeared in the hallway, drying
her hands on a dish towel. She looked the same
as always, shorter them him, her once black hair streaked
(06:01):
with gray and tied back in a neat bun. Her
floral blouse and loose jeans were her typical house clothes.
There's my boy, she said, warmly, pulling him into a
tight hug. Noah hugged her back, trying to ignore the
pang of guilt that crept in. She'd raised him mostly
on her own, and he knew she worried about him
more than she ever let on. How are you, she asked,
(06:24):
pulling back to look him over. And how's Mia. She's okay.
You know, some days are harder than others with the
baby coming, but we're managing. She raised an eyebrow, clearly
catching the strain in his voice, but didn't push. Come on, sit,
you want lunch first, or you going to tell me
(06:45):
what's on your mind. Let's sit. I've got good news.
Just as he pulled out a chair, a faint sound
caught his ear, a soft scuffling from the back of
the house. What was that, he asked, frowning. Sarah glanced
quick toward the hallway before forcing a smile. It's nothing,
Probably the cat knocking things over again. You know how
(07:08):
she is. Noah nodded slowly, though something about her tone
felt off anyway, He continued, there's this big artist coming
to town. He's looking for local talent to open at
his concert, and they picked me. This is huge, Mama,
This could change everything. He expected her face to light up,
(07:29):
but instead her smile faltered. She sighed, her hands folding
in her lap. What's wrong, Noah? What if it doesn't
work out? What if the concert gets canceled or you
don't get the break you're hoping for. You've got a
baby coming. You can't rely on luck to raise a family.
You need something solid. Life's all about luck, Mama. Every
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day we wake up as a gambol. I know you've
been through a lot, and I know you've lost things,
but don't lose hope. Now. This could be the start
of something good. Sarah looked away and he could see
the pain flicker in her eyes. Bringing me up was
luck too, Noah said softly. But you made it work
(08:14):
and I will too, I swear. He leaned in and
hugged her, tight, feeling her hesitation, before she returned the embrace.
My music career will work out, he whispered, and I'll
raise this kid with what I get from it. Then
a shadow moved at the edge of his vision. Noah froze.
Standing in the kitchen doorway was his father, Richard Harper,
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rows of seats. Searching for familiar faces, his eyes darted
across clusters of people, laughing, chatting, scrolling on their phones,
but there was no sign of Mia or his mother yet.
He exhaled, trying to convince himself they were just running late, Yo, Harper.
One of the other performers called from behind him, You
(08:58):
up next after this set? You ready? Noah turned, forcing
a grin, even though his chest felt tight. Yea man
born ready. But the truth was his palms were slick
with sweat and his heart was pounding like a drum line.
He stepped back behind the curtain and paced in small circles,
his mind running wild. What if they don't show, What
(09:22):
if Mia decided she's done with this. He tried to
shake the thoughts, but they clung to him like burrs.
Then his phone buzzed a message from Mia running late.
MAM's driving like a grandma. L O L We'll be there, promise.
A wave of relief washed over him so hard his
(09:44):
knees almost buckled. He let out a laugh, small and shaky,
and slipped his phone back into his pocket. All right,
he whispered to himself, clapping his hands once, let's do this.
The sound guy waved him over, handing him a mike.
You're up in five. Don't choke, kid, Noah smirked. Don't worry,
(10:07):
I'll make it count. He stood near the edge of
the stage as the act before him finished. The crowd
clapped politely as the previous performer exited. Then the announcer's
voice boomed through the speakers. Ladies and gentlemen, give it
up for our next rising star, Noah Harper. The lights
flared and the crowd cheered. As Noah walked out, mike
(10:28):
in hand. For a moment, all the fear melted away.
The air smelled like summer hot asphalt and sweet snacks,
and he felt like he could float. What's up, everybody,
he said, his voice steady. A few people hooped, phones
rose up recording. I wrote this next one for the
(10:49):
people you love so much it hurts you ever felt
like that, Like there your whole world. More cheers this time,
He grinned, nodded at the band behind him, and the
first notes filled the air. As the beat dropped, Noah's
voice rang out, clear and strong, raw with emotion. For
a few minutes, there was no Mia, no mom, no dad,
(11:12):
no bills, no fear, just him and the music in
the way. The crowd swayed and clapped in time. He
poured everything into the last verse, closing his eyes as
he belted out the final note. When he opened them,
the applause was deafening. And there they were, Mia standing
near the front with her hand resting protectively on her belly,
(11:33):
her eyes shining beside her. His mom clapped hard, tears
streaking her cheeks. Even his dad was there, standing awkwardly
a few rows back, hands shoved in his pockets. For
a split second, Noah froze, his throat tightened as conflicting
emotions crashed into him. But then Mia blew him a kiss,
(11:55):
mouthing You're amazing, and that was enough. Thank you, He
shouted into the mic from the bottom of my heart,
thank you. As he left the stage, the headliner's manager
caught his arm. Kid, that was fire, The man said,
you got a unique sound. The boss wants to talk
after the show. Noah's jaw dropped. Wait like the boss, Yeah,
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don't go anywhere. The manager disappeared into the crowd of
crew members. Noah sat on a nearby crate, staring at
his hands as they trembled. This is it, he thought,
this is the moment. But then he heard MIA's voice
call in his name. He turned just in time to
see her weaving her way backstage, her sweater stretched tight
(12:42):
over her belly, his mother right behind her. You did it, baby,
Mia cried, throwing her arms around his neck. He hugged
her back so hard it made her laugh. His mother
touched his shoulder gently. You made us so proud. Even
Richard's stepped closer, clearing his throat awkwardly. Good work, son.
(13:04):
Noah shot him a look, but didn't say anything, not yet. Instead,
he focused on Mia, kissing her forehead. Told you, I'd
make it happen. I know, she whispered, smiling, and for
the first time in a long while, the future didn't
feel so terrifying. It felt possible to be continued