Main Attraction

Chapter 9

After dinner, we all sat around the fire pit Reid built in his backyard. He was apparently quite handy. I had Melody sat between my legs as I helped her roast a marshmallow. She kept trying to stick it right in the fire, which I tried to explain was not going to be something she enjoyed. Eventually, we got it to the level of perfect toastiness and I helped her build a s'more. She was just getting into it when Adam appeared holding a guitar.

"Who's up for a jam session?" He asked as he claimed his seat by the fire.

"Always!" Rebecca said. I had to laugh under my breath. Reid was right about Rebecca when she's had too much whiskey.

"Can Olive play something?" Will piped up.

I blushed as I shook my head. No way was I embarrassing myself in front of Reid's family. "No, let Rebecca sing."

"Oh, please, go ahead." Rebecca said, grabbing the guitar from Adam to hold it out to me, "Can you play?"

"Yes! Mama can play!" Melody hopped up, grabbing the guitar and carefully bringing it over to me. My eyes met Reid's across the fire. There was something in his eyes that made my protests die on my lips. Instead, I took the guitar from Melody.

"What should I play Monkey?"

"A Mama song! Play a Mama song!" She said. Of course, that was her choice. I didn't know what song to play. There were a lot of 'Mama' songs. Which one to sing for a bunch of strangers is beyond me. "Play one you wrote about dad!" Melody said before turning to everyone, "He's a butt face." Everyone laughed as Melody went to sit beside Reid. I had enough songs about that asshole to fill an album. I went for one that felt very appropriate.

(Moving On (So Long) by Blue October)

You always said I would never find a better one
Well, look at me, I did that sh-
Well come on now, come on now
You always said that I would end up alone,
Well look at me, I'm on top of the world
You were wrong now, you were wrong now.

Brian was shitty, manipulative, and a cheater. He'd do everything in his power to make me feel like garbage. I felt so alone when I was with him. It wasn't until I finally caught him cheating did I realize I couldn't do it anymore. He was supposed to be watching Melody while I'd had my first day back at the work. He should have used the time to bond with her. Instead, when I came home, she was in her spoiled diaper, crying her eyes out, while he banged his friend Blythe. I realized if I stayed, I'd just be hurting Melody. It was the best decision of my life.

Melody loved this song. She says it's my strong song. It showed that I had grown so much since I was with him. I am not in the least bit sorry I left him. When I wrote this song I was hopeful; an image of a better life playing in my head. Now, I'm finally making good on my promise, I'm moving on.

You're not the one to give
My life is mine to live
You thought I'd take you back, well
Yeah I'm not going to
I wrote you a hundred songs
So here's your final one
Now you're the lonely one
I'll never take you back

As I finally finished the song, I noticed the people around me. I had a bad habit of forgetting other people in the room when I'm performing. I saw that Melody, Will and Osiris were dancing. Rebecca had a stunned look on his face, Dean was nodding his head to the beat and Reid had an intoxicating sparkle to his eyes. As soon as I played the last note, everyone clapped and cheered for me. That felt weird.