A Little Cinderella Moment

Chapter 118

Walking into the house I see Dad sat on the stairs with what looks like a photo album in his hand. I shut the door behind me and slowly approach him looking at the sad expression on his face as he stares at a photo in the book. When I got closer, he looked up at me with unshed tears in his eyes. When I asked him if everything was okay, he said that everything was find and he was just living back in the past, and he showed me the page he was looking at in the photo album. It was Mom and Dad's high school graduation. It was the picture of Mom with her diploma and then Dad with his diploma and under that was the picture of the two of them together.

Dad told me the story about how him and Mom met in high school. Hearing what he said was almost a de ja vu. Mom bumped into Dad as she wasn't watching where she was going, and Dad bent down to help Mom pick up her things and he said it was like love at first sight. We sat on the stairs for a few more minutes just talking and reliving the good memories we shared with Mom. He told me more stories about their graduation and that reminded me of what I needed to talk to him about as he closes the photo album.

"Dad, I've got something I want your opinion on."

Placing his hand on top of the album he turns and looks at me, "Sure baby girl what is it?"

"The principal called me into her office today after my last exam," Dad was about to interrupt me to ask what happened, but I put my hand up to stop him before he did, and I continued, "I have been asked to perform a final song at graduation."

"Oh, sweetpea that is some amazing news I am so proud of you what an honor that is. But what do you want my opinion on?"

"Well, Jen is valedictorian, and her speech is based around memories of high school and the future we dream to have."

"That's a great theme for a speech and I'm pleased to hear it's Jen who has that honor. So, what is it you are asking of me sweetpea?"

"I have an idea of a song, but I want your opinion on it because it has some meaning to the pair of us," I look at him with my own unshed tears welling up in my eyes.

"Are you thinking of Faith Hill?" I nod at him then look down at my hands as I start twiddling my fingers feeling nervous on his opinion of this. "Sweetpea look at me," I do as he says, "If the song what you're thinking of is the same one I am then I think it will be perfect."

"You think singing the same song I sung at Mom's funeral will be good enough for graduation?"

"Sweetpea, are you thinking of 'There You'll Be?" I nod at him, "Then it's perfect, it sticks to memories and thinking of the future and how you want to soar through the sky with your dreams. Yes, it's a love song but the message behind it runs deeper than you think. You should know that darling, Pearl Harbor and The Lost Valentine are your mom's favorite movies for a reason. All I will say to you right now baby girl is this, if your gut is telling you that is the song to sing at graduation then sing it. Your mom would be proud of you no matter what," He squeezes my hands to stop the twiddling and then hugs me into him and kisses the top of my head, "Just think about it baby girl, you always know what's best to do and I have faith in you," He kisses the top of my head one more time before he passes me the photo album and heads upstairs to bed.

Dad is right. If my gut tells me, it's right, then it must be. I go into school the next day and head straight to talk to Mrs. McIntyre and see what she thinks of it. With concert rehearsals in full swing Mrs. McIntyre was in the auditorium with someone rehearsing their performance as I walk in. I stay as quiet as I possibly can and wait in the isle close to Mrs. McIntyre until she was finished with Jeremy Wood with his ventriloquist act on stage. When Jeremy finished and walked off stage, I approached her to ask her opinion on the song choice as my gut is flipping between yes and no, so it is leaving me more confused as ever. Mrs. McIntyre was in love with the thought of that song as she agreed with my dad there is more to the meaning within the lyrics than there is, and she thinks that song will be perfect. Once I have spoken to Mrs. McIntyre I go and head to the principal's office and ask to speak to the principal quickly just to confirm my song choice for graduation. I was ushered in immediately and the principal has confirmed that song choice is the perfect one to perform at graduation and I should speak to some of the students in the music department to play with me and I agree that does not seem like a bad idea. That is exactly what I do throughout the day.