Standing in the middle of the stage, Carrie looked out at the empty auditorium of the Grand Ole Opry.
She ran her hand over the microphone, exhaling deeply.
"There you are, I've been looking all over for you." Mark's voice pulled her out of her daze.
"Here I am." Carrie faked a smile, shrugging her shoulders.
"Wanna talk?" Mark stepped closer to Carrie.
She nodded slightly, sitting down on the edge of the stage. Mark sat down beside her. They both let their feet hang down.
"Lot of good memories here over the past 20 years huh?" Mark finally spoke, breaking the silence.
"Yeah." Carrie mumbled, letting out another sigh. It was then silent again.
"What am I going to do?" Carrie choked, letting the tears fall from her eyes.
"Come here." Mark put his arm around Carrie, pulling her into him.
"I don't know what to do Mark, I can't give all of this up. I mean, this is my career. This is what I've wanted to do my whole life. I can't just quit." Carrie sobbed. "But I can't lose Mike. I mean I've always said I would give everything up in a heartbeat if I had to for my family, but now that I think it's actually happening, I don't know what to do."
Carrie thought back to the fight she'd had with Mike earlier that morning.
"Are you going to be home soon?" Mike asked, leaning against the kitchen counter. His wife had finally answered the phone after over an hour of calling.
"I don't know, we still have a lot to do." Carrie spoke abruptly. She was trying to speed him up so that she could get back to work.
"I really need you here, Hailey got-"
"I have to go I'm sorry, they're calling me. I'll be home tonight." Carrie interrupted, hanging up the phone before he could get out an answer.
Mike sighed, putting his phone down. For the past two weeks, Carrie had been so consumed with the new tour she was about to start that she had no idea what was going on at home. She never had any time to talk and she'd hardly seen her kids or her husband.
Mike was becoming sick of it. He felt like he was the only parent and he was doing everything. Their 16 year old daughter Hailey had been getting in trouble at school and acting out at home lately and Carrie had no idea. Their 10 year old daughter Grace was getting bullied and came home in tears every day and Carrie had no idea. Their one year old son Isaiah took his first steps yesterday and of course, Carrie had no idea.
"Girls, I'm going to the store, I'll be back soon. Get Isaiah if he wakes up please." Mike told his daughters who were working on homework at the table. They both nodded, deep in homework.
Mike hopped in the car and drove to Bridgestone, anger pumping through his body.
He entered the arena, seeing Carrie standing in the center of the stage talking to the producers on the floor.
