I guess I'm gearing up for my NaNo project, which has a heavy element of the Hollywood Studio Musical about it, because that is what this last chapter of my Rosebud story feels like to me. And it's a wonderful feeling, by the way. I even borrow the song "The Man Who Got Away" which was written by Ira Gershwin and performed by Judy Garland in the 1954 classic movie "A Star Is Born." I don't own the song, and I should also mention, I don't own anything about Lizzie McGuire either, but then you all know that.

Anyway, once again my thanks go out to all who have reviewed and supported me in my latest endeavor. I especially love hearing from readers I have not heard from before! Oh yes! And thanks again to green aura for the help with the Spanish. I know I still haven't gotten it perfect, but with your help it's better than it would have been.

-

-

Mr. Dig piloted Larry Tudgeman's private airplane through a clear blue sky across the Mexican border. Lizzie and Gordo sat in the back, side by side, hand in hand, talking quietly as they glanced out the window, laughing occasionally at some private joke. Tudgeman paced the aisle, his cell phone to his ear.

"Okay, Lanny," he said. "I have a short list of things I need you to do. First, take the Monday meeting….no, I don't think I'll be back in time. I certainly hope I won't be back in time." He smiled wistfully, then went on, "And I also need you to make a statement to the press about Tomato Drop, that new kid game. See Parker, she has all the notes."

Larry listened a long moment then said, "No, Lanny, don't worry. She won't bite. I promise."

Larry listened once again, then finally said, "Okay, okay. One more thing. Get in touch with Veruca Randolph. Call Jo McGuire, Lizzie left the phone number with her….Yes, she's a divorce lawyer. Make an appointment for me, earliest possible opportunity. Yes, I'm giving Kate her walking papers."

Larry held the phone away from his ear as his trusted advisor loudly and heartily congratulated him on a good decision.

Larry smiled into the phone, almost laughed. "I know, I know," he agreed. "Thanks, Lanny. Thanks a lot."

Larry hung up the phone and sat down opposite Lizzie and Gordo. "That was Lanny," he explained in answer to a question they had not asked. "He reminded me that he's a mail-order minister and offered to perform the ceremony, should Miranda and I decide to get married."

Gordo rolled his eyes. "Tudgeman…" he smirked.

"Married?" Lizzie teased. "You're moving awfully fast, aren't you, Larry?"

"I don't know," he smiled, with a far off gaze. "I have a good feeling about this. A really good feeling. Tell me again what she said…."

"Which part?" Gordo asked in exasperation. "You're already asked us ten times to recount the entire phone conversation!"

"The part about me being Miranda's soulmate," Larry grinned dreamily.

Lizzie again recounted her brother's story. It exactly matched the report Matt has personally given Larry on the phone earlier that morning. All the planets were in alignment. Something good was bound to happen.

"And she really doesn't know…?" Larry said.

"Know what?" Lizzie asked.

"About me, about my money."

"She asked about you, almost right away. She said she had heard a few years back that you're some kind of businessman, in computers, maybe video game. Honestly, Larry, she didn't sound like she had the slightest clue how successful you are. And we didn't say anything except that we sometimes run into you."

"So you're certain," Larry said, "she has no idea I'm flying down with you?"

"None at all," Lizzie said. "It was Matt's idea to keep it a secret and he made me swear to strictly abide by the 'Cone of Silence.' I guess he feels it will be a lovely surprise for Miranda to have you show up unannounced."

"So she really has no idea…?"

"Not from me," Lizzie said, giving her husband a meaningful glance.

"What?" Gordo exclaimed. "I didn't say anything!"

"You almost did."

"So I'm not an Academy Award Winning Actress like you. So I had a little trouble disguising my enthusiasm. So sue me."

"It's okay, Larry. She doesn't know. She's going to be totally surprised."

Larry smiled at his friends, feeling their love for him, feeling the Love that permeated the universe.

Totally surprised. Nobody could possibly be more surprised than he had been when Matt McGuire called this morning and said "Guess what? I found her. And she's one hundred per cent bonkers for you." At this moment, he didn't need his private jet to feel that he was floating on air. But he did need this jet to get to Miranda as fast as he possibly could. Getting to Miranda was his only thought at this moment.
-

An hour later the sun had set and Mr. Dig began a slow descent onto a small landing strip in the middle of the Mexican desert. Arrangements had been made for a rental car to be waiting. From there, it was only a short trip into town, to the local tavern where the beautiful Rosalita would be performing her Mariachi tunes for the locals and a generous sprinkling of adventuresome tourists.

Larry Tudgeman sat in the co-pilots seat, watching the lights on the ground grow larger and brighter as they approached. "Almost there…" he whispered expectantly.

Mr. Dig looked across at him for a moment and grinned. "Patience, Boss," he said. "It's all part of the journey."

Larry looked at him and wondered, "Life's Journey?"

"No," Mr. Dig said. "It's in the flight plan." Then he laughed lightly and amended, "Well…sure….Life's Journey. That too, I guess."

-

On this Saturday night, the tavern was jam-packed. Mr. Dig drove the rental car around the dusty parking area in vain. "I've got to put her down in that field across the road," he announced. "No other choice. We'll have to walk in a little."

"Let me out first!" Lizzie exclaimed from the back seat. "Let me out now! Gordo, come on! Larry, come on! Do you hear that? Do you hear the music? That's Miranda! She's singing! I would know her voice anywhere. Come on! Come on!"

Lizzie was practically out of the car even before Mr. Dig stopped it. She dragged her husband by the hand, calling back into the vehicle, "Larry! Come on!"

But Larry was frozen to the spot. He also would know Miranda's voice anywhere, and hearing it now he suddenly realized this was happening, this was really happening. He was only moments away from his Rosebud. And he had instantly reverted to that shy, awkward boy he had once been, unable to make a move.

Mr. Dig looked at his employer and yelled out to Lizzie and Gordo, "You go ahead. We'll be there in a few minutes."

-

Lizzie and Gordo ran into the tavern, immediately overcome by the dark smokiness, the smell of booze, the clinking of glasses, smatterings of conversation in both English and Spanish. Yet none of this mattered, because straight ahead on the brightly lit stage, there stood Miranda, in her ethnic costume, her hair curled and cascading down her back, a red rosebud tucked behind her right ear, clicking her castanets and singing her heart out.

From the corner of the bar, Lizzie saw her brother give a big smile and a wave, then he pointed towards the stage, making a thumbs up.

Suddenly Miranda noticed her old friends Lizzie and Gordo. She gasped as she sang, smiling, waving, jumping up and down as she finished her song. And the moment she finished, she flew from the stage and into Lizzie's arms first, then Gordo's. They were all hugging and kissing, and the girls were crying, and Gordo was laughing.

And Matt sat across the room, watching them and grinning like grins were about to be outlawed and he had to use them up quick. Damn! he thought. Sometimes I do things right, don't I?

But where was Tudge?

-

Larry Tudgeman sat in the front passenger seat of the rental car, unable to move.

"I can't do this, Dig," he said in a small voice.

"Yes, you can," Mr. Dig informed him. "You are a self-made multi-millionaire, the King of your very own Software Empire, and just about the smartest guy I know. You are not going to let yourself be done in by a girl. I don't care how beautifully she sings."

"But what if…what if…" He couldn't bring himself to voice his deepest fears.

"Larry," Mr. Dig said plainly. "High school is over. It's been long over. Many many years now."

"Then why do I feel…?"

"Get up," Dig said, opening the car door. He came around to the other side and opened Larry's door. "Get up," he repeated. "Get up and get out. You're going in there and everything is going to be fine. I promise."

"Where do you get off bossing me around like that?" Larry said flatly, not looking at his friend. "I could fire you right now, you know."

"Go ahead, fire me," Dig smiled as he pulled Larry from the car. "Come on, buddy. One foot in front of the other. Everything is going to be fine."

-

Inside the tavern, Miranda had returned to the stage and was wiping tears from her eyes. "Mis amigos Americanos," she explained for her regulars. "Lizzie and Gordo."

A knowing exclamation arose from the crowd. "Ahhh! Lee-zee! Lee-zee! Y Gordo!" they added with dramatically rolled "R's."

There was a sprinkling of laughter as some of Miranda's friends noted Gordo's slender frame and repeated "Gordo? Gordo?" in disbelief, puffing their hands out in front of their stomachs to indicate the girth his nickname suggested but which he so obviously did not possess.

A table up front was cleared and Lizzie and Gordo were led to the place of honor. Rico the bartender deposited two gigantic Margaritas in front of them. Matt soon joined, bringing his club soda, with a twist of lime.

Miranda stood on the stage, gazing down at her three friends, looking as if she might start crying again, though she too was using up her supply of grins before they were outlawed.

"It is so…so…wonderful…" Miranda said at last, "to see my friends here like this…all together. Seeing them makes me so happy tonight. But even in my happiness…there is a stab of sorrow, a bit of pain. Because there is one friend…who is not here. One friend…who was, perhaps, more special, than all the rest put together. And I never told him. And I let him get away. And I've never forgiven myself for that."

Miranda took the microphone and walked to the middle of the stage. She paused a moment, collecting her thoughts, then went on.

"I've been thinking about him these last few days, and it's caused a sad…sad song to rise up in my heart. A sad song that his been hidden deep in my soul these last twelve years. And I know we've been having a good time here tonight, singing, dancing, partying, but right now I need to do something a little different. Guys" she said, looking back at her band. "Take five. I'm going a cappella, if you all don't mind, but I feel I need to do this. I need to get this out. I need to sing this one for The Man…The Man Who Got Away."

As Miranda said these last words, her voice cracked, and everyone in the place wondered how she was going to be able to get through this song. She gathered her wits, took a deep breath. There was absolute quiet. Even the clinking of glasses had stopped as she opened her mouth and began her mournful tune.

The night is bitter
the stars have lost their glitter
the winds grow colder
and suddenly you're older
and all because of the man that got away

Miranda's voice did indeed crack again, yet bravely she went on.

No more his eager call
the writings on the wall
the dreams you've dreamed
have all gone astray

As Miranda continued to sing this old American classic, every ear was tuned into her sorrow. All the couples, including Gordo and Lizzie, hugged each other, and those who were alone wished fervently for a true love. Even Matt began to think wistfully of Melina.

And then, somewhere in the middle of all this, as Miranda drew in a deep breath for the next heartfelt lyric, the door of the tavern opened and two dark figures appeared, one behind the other, walking to the middle of the room. In fact, the one seemed to be gently guiding the other into the middle of the room.

Then they both stopped, and Dig fell back to the bar and Larry Tudgeman stood, surrounded on all sides, yet totally alone in the dead center of this crowded room, gazing up at the stage, at his beautiful Miranda, his elusive Rosebud.

Miranda had her face stretched up towards the ceiling as she belted out the final verse. Her eyes were closed tight, yet two tiny tears ran down her cheeks as she sang:

The road gets rougher
it's lonelier and tougher
with hope you burn up
tomorrow he might turn up
there's just no letup
the livelong night and day…

Ever since this world began
There is nothing sadder than---

Here Miranda opened her eyes, and as she did, for the first time she noticed the solitary figure in a deep blue shirt, his deep blue eyes gazing at her from halfway across the room. She drew in a deep breath, afraid to let herself believe she was seeing who she thought she was seeing. But then he smiled at her, and then she knew…

And she tried to be a trouper and finish the song. She actually got out the words:

a one man woman
looking for the man that---

But she could not finish the song, because all at once she realized that her man had not got away, he was here now, in front of her, smiling at her, slowly stepping closer to her. Miranda put her hands to her face, gasping in a deep sob, but now her tears were not for sorrow, they were the tears of absolute joy, as once again she tried:

…looking for the man---

And then at last she gave up, and left the stage, calmly coming down the few steps, walking directly towards Larry, her arms rising up to greet him.

And when she reached him, she put her left hand behind his neck, and with her right hand she clutched his blue shirt and drew him in close to her, covering his mouth with the kiss she had always wanted to give him but never had.

The crowd went wild, hooting and hollering, chief hooter being Matt McGuire, followed closely by Lizzie and Gordo. Mr. Dig, at the bar, only grinned. There was so much noise and commotion, and then the Mariachi band struck up a new tune, and nobody heard Larry's little moan of surprise and surrender, save Miranda herself.

He alone heard her make the same noise, as they continued kissing passionately, alone with each other in the middle of this mayhem, two souls who had conquered years and miles and a lot of personal nonsense to finally…finally…get it right.