Signed, Sober You - Michael Hardy

SEVEN

"Michael!" Jenna shouts, her voice echoing down the hallway. "Michael Hardy!"

He shyly pokes his head out the door of the room he's currently in and smiles when he sees his girlfriend's face split into a grin. "Michael!"

He meets her in the hallway, laughing when she launches herself into his arms. "What's up, baby?"

"Jon Langston bought that song we wrote last week!"

"Hey! Congrats!" He kisses her as he spins her in a circle.

"Whatcha doin' tonight?"

"I'm as free as a bird." He responds, taking her hand as they walk to the room he left.

"Come over." She says, sitting on the leather couch of the lounge. "I got a lotta ideas to run through that brilliant head of yours."

"I'll pick up some pizza." He says, sitting next to her.

She leans into him as they listen to Sean, Michael's friend from the bar, sing a song he helped co-write.

+++

Michael hasn't really looked around her house yet. They spend most of their time at his place.

Jenna's got a small house, it's been just her for a while. It's one bedroom with one bathroom but it's just enough for her.

"You still workin' at the home?" He asks as he looks at a framed picture of her and Florence.

"Yeah, when I have time. I'm probably gonna have to quit though." She says sadly, handing him a beer as she stands next to him.

He sighs, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "So, what're these ideas you got?"

"C'mon." She takes his hand and walks him to her bedroom where her upright piano is.

Michael sits on her bed while she sits at her piano, her back and her wrists straight. She starts playing a couple chords, her foot covering a pedal as she sings along.

He leans forward with his elbows on his knees as he listens to her. Her voice makes him melt and fall in love with her.

His brown eyes graze her visible tattoos peaking out from under her shorts and baggy t-shirt. He loves every splotch of art on her skin. He loves how some have stories and some are just for fun. His favorite one has to be the little smoking chili pepper she has on her hip- really it's more on her asscheek.

She had gotten it when she first moved to Nashville. Her and her roommate got drunk and got tattoos. She got a drunk bell pepper and Jenna got a smoking chili pepper.

He's pulled back to the present when she clears her throat. "Whatcha think?"

"Huh?" His face goes red. "S-sorry."

She chuckles and kisses him cutely before spinning back around to her piano.

"Me and Hannah did everything together, said we'd be best friends forever. Then her Mama got a job that was better, cross the parish line. And I was one summer shy of eleven when Granddaddy took a ride up to Heaven. It ain't ever been an easy lesson, on how to say goodbye. They say what don't kill ya makes ya stronger, and I believe that's right..."

Her sweet, honey like voice makes these lyrics hit harder.

"For every lowdown beatin this old hearts taken. A whisper in the dark says I won't make it, I know it's just the devil doin what he does tryin to make me suffer. No matter what the battle is keepin me prayin. I gotta be strong, I gotta keep sayin, I'm gonna make it through it one way or the other. Life is tough, but this girl's tougher..."