"Daphne do not stand there. That is bad for your eyes." Mom scolds Daphne as my little sister stares at the microwave. "And anyway a watched pot never boils."
"It's not a pot mom and it's popping not boiling." Daphne corrects.
"Ooh excuse me."
"So is Teddy going to be home for movie night?" I ask.
"I wouldn't miss it." Teddy speaks coming into the kitchen.
"Daddy!" Daphne runs into his arms.
"Okay so comedy, sci-fi, action, or chick flick?" Maddie questions.
"Documentary?" Teddy asks jokingly. I hope it's jokingly at least.
"No! Boring." Maddie replies.
"Alright girls. Go get us set up."
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"You look so beautiful mom." Maddie tells mom. We're in mom's dressing room before my mom goes on stage at her record label's anniversary show at the Ryman.
"She sure does." Teddy adds.
"Thanks guys." Mom says as the makeup later continues on my moms face.
"Alright come on girls let's go. Mamas gotta be on stage soon." Teddy tells us.
"Okay hugs." Mom speaks. She stands up and gives all of us a hug. "I'll see ya on the side of the stage." Maddie, Daphne, and I walk out of the dressing room and Teddy follows us to the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen. Edgehill's most successful artist without whom this evening and this label wouldn't be the same- Ms. Rayna Jaymes!" Marshall Evans, Edgehill' CEO announces before my mom walks out on stage.
"Hey Nashville! It is just thrilling to be here to celebrate my label and most importantly my fans. Thank you. I love you. And I'm honor of this wonderful evening. I've got a special guest here- a fellow Edgehill republic recording artist and a friend of mine. I'd like to invite her to stage right now. Miss Juliette Barnes." The crowd claps excitedly and so do my sisters.
"Juliette and I wrote a special song for tonight. Just for this particular occasion. And we're gonna play it for you right now." Mom tells the audience before the band starts to play.
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"Um Harper." Dallas speaks from beside me.
"What?" I question turning to look at her.
"Isn't this your step dad?" Dallas hands me her phone with a tabloid website open. On the page were pictures of my step dad with another woman. They're not kissing but the pictures look pretty intimate. I hand her the phone and try to hold back tears before running to the bathroom. As soon as I'm out of the classroom tears start to run down my face. How could my dad do this to us?
"Harper?" Someone questions from behind me. "Hey what's wrong?" He says making his way in front of me. I don't respond I just pull him into a hug. I don't want to talk about it I just what him to hold me. "Hey it'll be alright."
"No it won't. There's pictures of my step dad with another women." I sob.
"What?" Landon asks confused.
"Dallas showed me. I know they exist. He cheated." I tell him still engulfed in his arms.
"Maybe it's not what it looks like." He tries to convince me.
"They look pretty friken real to me." I argue.
"Come on why don't we go out to lunch or something. You can finally show me around Nashville." Landon suggests.
"You mean ditch school?" I question the tears starting to slow.
"Yeah." Landon states like its obvious.
