"Penny,

Meet me at the bench in front of the Saloon at 3:00pm on Friday. Be prepared to dance, and to stay out late. -Maru"

Penny read the note again and checked the time. It was only 2:48. She had plenty of time. What exactly did Maru mean by "prepared to dance," anyway? Penny had tried her best to prepare; she was wearing comfortable ballet flats and her blue sundress, and she'd eaten a salad and had more than enough water. At least "prepared to stay out late" made a bit more sense. She'd slept in, left a note for her mother, and had a coffee.

"Hey, Penny!" Maru trotted over from the town square. She walked up to the bench and gave Penny a hug. "I hope you haven't been waiting too long."

"Only all week since I got your letter!" Penny giggled. "You look great."

Maru shrugged and smiled. "Thanks. It was hard to figure out what to wear, this isn't exactly a t-shirt and overalls occasion." She was wearing a western-style button down shirt with a star pattern, deep indigo jeans, and new cowboy boots.

"What kind of occasion is it, anyway?"

Maru pulled an envelope out of her pocket. "I got us tickets to see Wayne Rivers in Zuzu City."

"WHAT?!"

"The concert's at a place called the Fairy Rose, I hope I can find it. I got us VIP access so we can be out on the dance floor in front of the stage instead of off to the sides like the General Admission tickets. The bus leaves at 3:15, so we should have time to-"

"Maru!" Penny's voice broke as she interrupted. "Did you say the Fairy Rose?"

"Yeah…" Maru shifted her weight nervously. "I know it's billed as a 'Saloon and Concert Hall' but all the alcohol will be in the balcony seating…"

"Maru, no, this is amazing! We're going to see Wayne Rivers at THE Fairy Rose! The same Fairy Rose that he sings about! That place is so important to the Zuzu City country music scene! Haven't you heard of it?!" Penny threw her arms around Maru. "I've been hearing about this concert on the radio for months, and there's just no way I could go alone, I couldn't even afford the bus fare…" She sniffled hard. She was crying.

"I'm just glad you like it! I was worried because you said his comeback stuff isn't very good, but I know you love his old stuff, so this was kind of a gamble…"

"You win!" Penny laughed. "You totally, completely win!"

"I'm so glad." She put her hand on the small of Penny's back. "Let's head for the bus."

When they got to the Fairy Rose, the line stretched around the block. Maru marched right up to the front door, with Penny following nervously behind her. Sure enough, there was a line marked "VIP Access."

The bouncer, a burly redneck with a baseball cap and a Ferngill flag tattoo, blocked the entrance. He checked tickets and searched each party coming in, then gave them wristbands.. When Maru and Penny got to the front of the line, Maru quickly stepped behind Penny. She handed the bouncer the tickets, from behind Penny.

"Maru, party of two," he said. "That you?"

"Yes, sir." They answered in unison.

He patted the top of the small table off to his side. "Purse goes here, ma'am. Any cameras, recording devices, glass bottles, alcohol, or weapons that I should know about?"

"No, sir." Penny watched him search through her purse. He found nothing but tissues, makeup, and a drawing of a Rock Crab that Vincent had made earlier that day.

He boredly strapped on a wristband. "Alright, ma'am, this is your VIP Iridium wristband, it gives you access to the dance floor and-"

"Penny!" Maru gave the "cut" sign to the bouncer. "Will you please hurry inside and get us a couple bottles of water? I have money for you." She handed Penny a couple bills. As soon as the bouncer finished securing Penny's wristband, she went inside.

"Purse, ma'am?" The bouncer asked Maru.

"No, sir."

"Anything I should know about in your pockets? Cameras, recording devices, alcohol, glass bottles, weapons?"

"No, sir."

"I'll have to pat you down." He reached for Maru's pockets.

"Wait!" Maru shoved her hands in her pockets. "I'll empty them. You can pat me down when I'm done, but I have something fragile in here."

"Okay."

Maru emptied her pockets, got her pat-down, and put the things back in without incident. The bouncer strapped on her wristband and gave his spiel. "This is your VIP Iridium wristband, it gives you access to the dance floor and the backstage area. Backstage access is only allowed after the show, you are to speak with security before exiting through the northwest stage door. Please remember that the Fairy Rose is not responsible for theft or loss of valuables. Thank you."

"And thank you!" Maru practically pranced inside.

The concert itself was amazing. Wayne Rivers seemed to know that his new album was getting a chilly reception; he only played the two singles, and devoted the rest of the show to his old stuff. The crowd went wild when he mentioned the Fairy Rose by name. Maru and Penny were out on the dance floor for every song they could two-step to, firmly rebuffing all the guys' attempts to cut in.

The encore was a party anthem. Penny got out on the floor to line dance. Maru stayed behind, positioning herself as close to the security guard by the northwest door as she could.

As the song ended, Penny walked up to Maru and wrapped her up from behind. "That was awesome!" She was breathing hard.

"You're good!" Maru opened up the one remaining water bottle and gave it to Penny. "I didn't know you could line dance like that!"

"Thanks." She downed half the bottle of water. "Line dancing was the thing to do in high school. We'd all go to the all ages night at the Stampede nightclub in Grampleton...Emily, Shane, and Alex would always be there, Sam showed up sometimes…" She giggled. "I haven't thought of that place in years!"

"That's awesome! I wouldn't have thought of Emily as a country music fan."

"She wasn't, really. She was more of a people fan. She wanted to hang out with her friends, and her friends were at the honky tonk, so that's where she was." Penny took another big drink, then handed the bottle back to Maru. "What time does the bus leave?"

"There's one at 10:30 tonight that we definitely won't make, one at 11:30 that we probably won't make, one at 12:30 that we might not make, and then they start again at 6:30 tomorrow morning."

Penny took Maru's hand. "Well, then, let's grab a snack at the food truck you were talking about and hurry to the bus stop. I bet we could still make the 10:30 bus."

"No, we're not done here," Maru said.

"What, are you going to look at the merchandise?"

Maru broke out in a wide smile. "We have VIP Iridium wristbands...that means we're going backstage!"

"WHAT?!" Penny grabbed her purse from Maru. "Oh Yoba, do I look okay?" She immediately grabbed her makeup bag and pulled out a mirror.

"You look beautiful," Maru said. "You always do. And tonight you look even prettier than usual."

"Thank you." She leaned in closer and whispered conspiratorially, despite the roar of the crowd leaving the saloon behind her. "But...do I look too poor? I've had this dress since high school, I haven't gotten a haircut in ages, my nails aren't painted, my shoes are secondhand..."

"Penny. No." Maru kissed her cheek. "Your dress still looks nearly new, you're having a good hair day, and I bet those shoes were barely worn before you got them. Nobody's gonna be critiquing your clothes, and you always look polished and pulled together, even in sweatpants." She laughed. "Besides, you've got a big ol' iridium wristband on!"

"Thanks, Maru. It's hard for me to step outside myself and realize just how much people won't notice about me sometimes."

"Iridium wristbands, ladies?" The security guard opened the door.

Backstage, a small crowd had already gathered. There were a few people in radio station t-shirts, band members, and roadies. Maru and Penny were trailed by about half a dozen others with iridium wristbands.

Maru leaned in toward Penny. "Help me out here, which one's Wayne Rivers? All I remember is the brown cowboy hat, and I'm seeing a few of those."

Penny laughed, she couldn't help it. "He's the one in the white t-shirt, no hat. He changed clothes after the show."

"Well, that's not very fair!"

"Hi, ladies, don't be shy!" Wayne walked up to Maru and Penny. The other fans pushed them out of the way and immediately mobbed the singer for autographs and selfies.

"Ugh, sorry about that." A plump, friendly-looking woman in a radio station t-shirt walked up to Maru and Penny, past Wayne and the crowd. "Would you two like to have a seat? We have pizza over here, along with water, Joja Cola, beer…"

"Thanks!" Maru grabbed a bottle of water and a slice of pizza, then plopped down in a giant beanbag chair.

Penny took a seat beside her and rested her head on Maru's shoulder. "It's so good to sit down, I'm getting tired."

"My name is Kathy, by the way." The radio station lady sat down in the beanbag chair next to them.

"Oh, from the Kathy and Bob show!" Penny clasped her hands in front of her chest. "I know you! I listen to you every day!" She sat up and reached out a hand. "My name is Penny. This is Maru, my girlfriend."

Maru waved and nodded. Her mouth was full of pizza.

While Wayne was busy with the fans, and Penny and Kathy were catching up on the gossip from the show, Maru finished her pizza and walked off. Penny saw her talking to someone who appeared to be a stagehand, over by the lighting and sound controller. To Maru's credit, it did look like a fascinating piece of equipment. The stagehand let Maru press a button, and the curtain closed.

Slowly, the other fans trickled away from Wayne. Some grabbed pizza and beer, some talked to Kathy and Bob or the band, some just left. The stagehand walked up to Wayne and spoke with him. Both men looked over at Maru, who was still admiring the lighting system. Penny wondered if she'd try to reverse-engineer it.

"Ma'am?" Wayne gently tapped Penny on the shoulder.

"OH!" Penny turned around giggled nervously. "Hi! Sorry! My name is Penny." She shook his hand, hoping he wouldn't notice her trembling. "I've been a huge fan of yours ever since I was a little girl."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Penny."

"I never thought I'd be able to see one of your concerts in person! But my girlfriend, Maru-she's the one ogling your lighting and sound-bought us bus tickets from Pelican Town and VIP wristbands, she knows I love to dance."

"I can tell!" Wayne laughed. "I actually have an okay view of the dance floor in this venue, and I saw you out there all the time. I don't think you missed a song, did you? I know your girl sat out a few of them, she doesn't like to line dance?"

"She doesn't know how. Honestly, she's not much of a country music fan. She only learned to two-step so she could dance with me."

"She learned to dance for you? And she bought you tickets and came with you to the Rose? Honey, that girl is a keeper, and don't you forget it."

Maru waved Penny over.

"You like that control system, huh?"

"Yeah, it's amazing! I bet I could make something like it. Sebastian's band needs one." She paused for a second and glanced behind Penny's shoulder. "Hey, you think they'd let us go out on stage?"

"I don't know…"

"Of course!" Wayne piped up behind them. "Y'all were very patient, waiting on me like that. And you," he said, gesturing to Maru, "must be Miss Maru."

"Yes, sir, nice to meet you!" She shook Wayne's hand with all the confidence of someone who couldn't care less about a person's fame.

"You as well. Miss Penny here told me some wonderful things about you." Wayne pushed the curtain aside. "Now get out there and check out the view, this is something that not many people get to see!"

As they stepped onto the stage, the house lights went down and a spotlight lit them up.

"I was hoping for a quiet moment alone with you tonight," Maru said. She wrapped her arms around Penny and gave her a soft kiss. "Have you had a good time?"

"This has been amazing!" Penny laughed. "I can't believe you got us backstage! And on stage! And the dancing, and the ice cream before the show...even the bus ride over was fun with you around!"

"Thank you. I'm so glad. I hope it made your heart soar, because that's what you do for me. I love you, Penny." She reached in her pocket and pulled out a necklace with a long, twisted blue shell and pressed it into Penny's hand. "More than anything, I want to be your wife. Will you marry me? Please?"

"YES!" Penny squealed. She threw her arms around Maru, who picked her up and swung her around. As she put the necklace on, she heard the swish of the curtains and the first few notes of the song her and Maru had danced to that night in the town square. The stagehand and the radio hosts applauded as Maru and Penny spun around the stage, sharing their first dance as an engaged couple.