Neon Moon

Ch. 9 Gentle On My Mind

AN:  Just wanna say sorry for the wait for this update had some family commitments to take care of as well as got completely side tracked by guardianangelcas updating Rough Day on Ao3.
If anyone is looking for a good Mandalorian fic it's perfect and I'm obsessed! You should check it out!Thank you rant over! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Love, Liz
~

The bar was in full swing like every typical Friday night. You already did a few songs about to close out your set when your eyes move across the familiar faces smiling, enjoying the moment when you catch the stare of a rather handsome bartender who shoots you a wink.

"Alright y'all, now I only got a few left. This one was requested last week but I had to change a few things to make it just right. Here's Please Mr. Please by Olivia Newton John." Your fingers start to pluck away on your acoustic guitar as you hear a voice from the back shout, "that's my song." You laugh continuing to play,

"In the corner of the bar there stands a jukebox
With the best of country music, old and new
You can hear your five selections for a quarter
And somebody else's songs when yours are through
I got good West Virginian whiskey on the counter
And my friends around to help me ease the pain
'Til some button-pushing cowboy plays that love song
And here I am just missing you again
Please Mr. please, don't play B-17
It was our song, it was his song but it's over
Please Mr. please, if you know what I mean
I don't ever wanna hear that song again."

Every time you played or sang Clyde couldn't help himself from getting lost in you. It was like one of his books coming to life right before his eyes. You were always so charming and open talking to the people around you with that bright smile making them feel cared for and connected to. Your voice flitted through the air like a bird singing on a spring morning.

He hated how you acted like you were just okay when you were so much more with a quirky style that gave you that unique friendly flare everyone loved. Clyde never wanted you to feel any less than incredible about yourself because to him you were so much more than that.

"We've made it to the end now, folks." You said sadly as people groaned around you. Waving a hand to get them to stop you speak up, "last song goes to Carol who's been begging for another Glen Campbell song." Carol, the older middle aged woman you'd become friends with over the last month or so, was a regular always giving you great song suggestions and just great conversation. You owed her this. "You've given me quite a bit of songs to choose from but I had to go with Gentle on My Mind." You heard her shout from the side waving her beer in the air. "Yes, that's my favorite thanks girly!"

Smiling big, you answer quickly without thinking, "good it was my dads too!" You close your eyes taking a breath feeling instinct take over your fingers. You have played this song too many times to count, it was basically second nature. Your response was a reaction that took you by surprise. He has been on your mind a lot lately actually. It would be a year without him tomorrow and you weren't sure how to act or feel, so you've just kept it at a distance. Not really acknowledging it, or even talking about it. You'd mentioned it once to Clyde but no real specifics about the day. You just wished if you treated it like any other day it would be just that a normal day.

Clyde heard your words sending a pang through his chest. He knew that no one else noticed but he did. He watched as you took a deep breath collecting your thoughts. He just wanted to run up there and scoop you up and away and do everything to make you feel better. Then like always you opened your mouth letting that voice of yours calm everything, even your quiet inner turmoil.

"It's knowing that your door is always open
And your path is free to walk
That makes me tend to leave my sleeping bag
Rolled up and stashed behind your couch
And it's knowing I'm not shackled
By forgotten words and bonds
And the ink stains that are dried upon some line
That keeps you in the backroads
By the rivers of my memory
That keeps you ever gentle on my mind"