Hard To Leave - Riley Green

- 20 -

She had to talk Riley into going back to work, writing, recording and touring. He kept telling her that he didn't want to miss a single thing in his kids' lives. Lina told him that she will be fine while he's on tour but that's a big fat lie.

Gracie and Jack have been running her up the wall. Two kids under three, she's practically tearing her hair out.

Caleigh has been a godsend.

Her and her husband, Michael been named the godparents of those kids and they're  truly honored.

Currently, Caleigh is hanging out with Lina at the house, trying to keep the babies busy so Lina can take a long, relaxing shower.

There's a tiny voice that makes Lina jump. She peeks out from behind the shower curtain and sees her baby boy sitting on the floor with a couple matchbox cars Riley got him.

She quickly finishes up and dries off before picking her son up.

Lina heads to the kitchen to start dinner but it's taken off guard when she sees Caleigh already cooking. "Hey!" She beams. "How was your shower? You feel better?"

"Yeah, I do. Thank you so much for watching the kids." Lina replies, sitting her son in a chair at the table.

"It's no problem! I love these babies so much." She laughs, passing Gracie off to her mother. "When's Riley supposed to be back?"

"Uh, tour's going until the last Wednesday of next month." She sighs. "Y'know I thought that this would be like any other tour but I miss him so much."

"I totally get that. I can't imagine what it's like to not have him around right now."

"I'm managin'. Thank you again for helpin' out, seriously. I really appreciate it."

"It's really no problem."

Lina looks down at Gracie who is playing with the string of the hoodie she stole from Riley's side of the closet. "I'm gonna put her down." She heads upstairs and tucks her daughter into her pink sheets.

+++

Riley picks at his lips as he paces around backstage of a hometown show.

A fucking hometown show.

He's back in Alabama and he's without Lina Shay, his love, his life.

He doesn't want to be here but there was no way out of it. Some of this show's profits go to a couple schools in Alabama, including his Alma Mater.

"Yo, Riley. You okay? I've been tryna talk to you for like five minutes."

He looks up with dark, tired eyes at the stage manger. "What? Sorry, just- just a lot on my mind." He shakes his head slightly then takes a drink from the water bottle in his clammy hand.

"I said that we got everything set up and we're doing soundcheck in about ten minutes."

"Okay." He nods and heads back stage to grab another bottle of water.

When he returns to the stage, he hears a tiny, little voice echoing around the venue.

His head shoots up and his eyes land on a little boy with the stage manger crouched next to him, holding the mic as he-

Wait.

Wait a second.

That's no ordinary kid, no.

That's his boy.

The manager spins Jack around to see his dad and both of their faces light up as they rush toward each other.

Riley scoops him up and laughs, hugging him tightly to his chest. "Jack!" He kisses his head, making him giggle."Where's your mama?"