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Wansmut Hotel.
As Adam and his crew from the New Fruit Candy Band rocked the stage with their first big hit, the real stars of the wedding—Matthew and Lily—finally got a chance to grab a bite of something hot down below.
"Play another one!"
"Encore!"
"One more!"
When Adam finished his song and saw Matthew and Lily happily munching away, he was about to step offstage. But to his surprise, the guests were even more hyped than they'd been earlier when they were teasing the bride and groom!
"Another one?" Adam glanced at Juno.
"Let's do it!" Juno slung her bass over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow. "How about something fitting this time? Maybe Green Day's Time of Your Life?"
That song, Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), was from Green Day's breakout album a couple of years back. With its melody full of blessings for people at life's turning points, it had slowly become a go-to wedding tune these past few years—super on-point for the occasion! Years from now, it might even be considered one of those cheesy, overplayed wedding classics. But that just proves how timeless it is. And right now? Still totally trendy! 😎
"Alright, let's go for it!" Adam was pumped.
Music has this infectious energy—it lifts everyone up, including yourself. Adam was definitely feeling the vibe now. And it wasn't just him! Juno was glowing, Karen's keyboard was flowing like magic, Heather was killing it on the drums, and little angel Tatiana? Her freestyle moves had the crowd absolutely stunned.
"What in the world is this godly lineup?!"
"With looks and talent like that, why aren't they debuting professionally?!"
Ted opened his mouth to say something but couldn't find the words.
"Too wild… just too wild…"
Matthew, now full and no longer starving, was equally floored. Yup, both he and Lily were music buffs too! I mean, what main character in an American TV show doesn't love music? Who doesn't know a few instruments?
Ted could play piano and guitar. Matthew rocked guitar and drums—he'd even dreamed of starting a band with his future sons. Barney the playboy? Piano, guitar, and trumpet. Lily? Violin and French horn. But they were all just hobbyists, dabbling here and there.
Who'd have thought Adam and his crew would be this pro, with stage presence that hit like a tidal wave?! Ted and Matthew felt like that guy from Shaolin Soccer—you know, the one who almost screams, "In this moment, I'm about to explode!" 😂
Sadly, the fire in their eyes never quite ignited. They didn't have that dramatic, over-the-top flair—like bathing in public and striking a sultry pose with half their pants down. So, Ted and the gang just watched in awe from below, never quite mustering the guts to jump onstage and join in.
Song after song, the reborn New Fruit Candy Band pushed the wedding vibes to the max. The guests didn't want to leave, and even the bride and groom—who were supposed to head straight to their honeymoon—couldn't tear themselves away!
Eventually, the limo driver waiting outside got fed up. He'd been pacing around forever, worried the newlyweds would miss their flight, so he marched in to hurry them along. That finally put an end to the spontaneous party.
Matthew and Lily left reluctantly. Adam, despite the crowd begging for more, called it a night, still buzzing from the high. Even Tatiana was wiped out from freestyling. Adam caught the urgency in Heather's eyes—she clearly wanted to get Tatiana home to rest.
Mother-daughter bond, huh? That's how it goes.
The wedding finally wrapped up. Adam drove Juno and the gang home. Inside the car, Tatiana was still humming the songs, and Adam and the others chimed in now and then. It was all warm and cozy vibes. 😊
"Whoa!"
As they neared the apartment, Adam's eyes narrowed, and he let out a surprised grunt.
"What's up?" Juno, in the passenger seat, turned to look at him.
"Hospital colleague."
Adam pulled the car to the side, unbuckled his seatbelt, and hopped out. "I'll check it out. Juno, you guys stay safe, okay?"
"Be careful!" Juno and the others called out, worried.
"Got it!" Adam shut the door, waved them off, and scanned the traffic. Spotting a figure in a white coat stumbling through the cars, he shouted, "Dr. Svedik! You okay?!"
"I'm fine! I'm better than fine!"
Dr. Dave Svedik—psychiatrist from the medical center and boyfriend of ER doc Susan Lewis—staggered through the traffic. Hearing Adam, he threw his arms wide and laughed. "I've never felt this good! Woo-hoo!"
"Shit!" Adam saw a car nearly clip him, but Svedik didn't even flinch. He instantly pieced it together.
Lu Xun once said, "When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back." Psychiatrists who dive deep into their patients' minds often end up with issues of their own. Dr. Svedik was a bit of a name in the field, and now it looked like the abyss had locked eyes with him.
Adam scanned the traffic, did some quick mental math, then darted in. He grabbed the still-laughing Svedik and hauled him out of the chaos.
"Dr. Svedik, what happened?" Adam asked gently once they were safely on the sidewalk.
"You don't know?" Svedik looked shocked, then pointed at a fancy apartment building nearby, giggling like a maniac. "Look!"
Adam followed his finger and froze. A figure spread their arms and leaped from the roof. Then—gunshots rang out from that direction.
Thud! Bang!
Svedik mimicked the sound of a body hitting the ground, then pointed a finger-gun at his temple and pulled the trigger with a "pow!"
"What the hell's going on?" Adam's face turned serious. This wasn't just Svedik losing it—people were killing themselves left and right.
"Liars! All liars!" Svedik cackled. "He fooled all of New York—the whole world! Tonight, New York's gonna light up with a bloody fireworks show. Isn't that hilarious? Haha!"
"Who's the liar?" Adam grabbed Svedik's shoulders, shaking him. "Spit it out!"
"Martin Channing!" Svedik grinned. "He tricked the world! Tonight, thousands of New Yorkers are gonna lose everything because of him—heart attacks, rooftop dives, bullets to the head. They won't be lonely on their way out!"
He raised his arms toward the traffic again and roared, "We're all the same! Let's welcome the storm together!"
And that was it.
Adam wasn't having it. He yanked Svedik back from jumping into traffic and turned to Juno. "Drive them home. I'm taking him to the hospital."
"Got it," Juno replied. They all understood what was happening—no need to argue.
"Oh, one more thing!" Adam, still holding the giggling Svedik, paused and looked back. "Juno, on your way home, keep an eye above you—watch out for jumpers. Don't get hit. Once you're inside, stay put. No peeking out the windows either—stray bullets could be flying."
"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Juno nodded.
Adam gave a few more warnings before he felt okay leaving. After all, their neighborhood was super upscale—full of rich folks. And tonight, Martin Channing, father of Caroline Channing, was about to become the ultimate destroyer.
Dr. Svedik, being a doctor, had probably saved up a decent chunk of cash over the years—only to get suckered into this mess. As a psychiatrist, he'd already been carrying a ton of emotional baggage. With his mental state stretched thin and his temper on edge, this "back to square one" disaster must've snapped him completely.
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