Nelson On Tour: A Growing Up Nelson Short

It's The Love That Counts

As I sat in my seat still bruiting and being a petty teenager I could feel the sun that was once burning a hole in my face for the last thirty seven minutes begin to set and the sky was a very cool shade of orange and purple. Purple. Oh yeah! I'm mad that him! I can't believe that he really took Tony away from his family! Who does he thing he is?!?!? Prince?!?!? Oh crap.....he is Prince.  My anger rolled in me like a rough sea against the shoreline when a storm was approaching. My mind was going a billion miles the more I felt for Tony. I know he gets on my last nerves and I equally drive him just as batty but..... he has daughters to watch grow up and fight with! He shouldn't be doing those things with me! I'm not his child! None of this is fair! I want to just get up and punch something so bad but the bus is still moving.....and uncle Dre would holler at me if I dared to get out of my seat. I don't have time to argue with him. My real argument is with the man in the purple crushed velvet jacket in the back getting his finger waves adjusted by Miss Kim. I let out a deep sigh just as Joey's head slammed into my arm while he was still unconscious.

  "Jeez kid can you sleep any harder?" I joked to my self as I propped him up on my arm with a pillow and wrapped him in his dinosaur blanket.

Leaving a kid on his blonde crown I could feel someone watching me from the reflection in the window.

  "How are you guys doing over here my dove?" I heard a deep voice from behind say.

I knew it was bound to burst out of me like a bullet from a gun but I coached myself through my anger and looked at his reflection before I spoke.

  "Dad......you're wrong." I said as cool headed as possible.

I can tell by the raised eyebrow and the slight right hand jerk his head made that he was extremely puzzled.

  "Me? Wrong? Whatever about Carlyn?" He asked.

I could feel my eyes shift over to the other side of my seat where Tony was sitting. His seat was reclined a little so I can see him sleeping with a small black blanket covering his arms. I think my dad had finally figured out what I meant when I said he was wrong.

  "Carlyn? What's got you so worried about Tony this time?" He asked with a grin.

  "What's with the smirk?!?!? You know what I'm talking about." I hissed back as snapped my eyes back to his reflection.

  "Well you're getting all worked up for nothing again. Now. Shall we go back and talk about this without you ready to bring back little orphan Carly or do you still want to sit here and be mad at me?"

I swear this man is forever inside of my brain because he somehow knows what I'm thinking about and how I'm feeling at any given moment. Sitting Joey up and leaning his seat back to make him more comfortable I repositioned his head on the pillow and got up from my seat now looking my dad in his face. He stepped back and motioned for me to lead the way which at one point my first few steps were more like the stomping of a T-Rex but I pulled it together the rest of the way. I flopped down in the first available seat and Daddy sat next to me.

  "Ok my dear. What's this about?" He asked as he grabbed my hand with a smile.

  "Daddy Tony needs to be at home with his family not here with us." I said get right down to brass tax.

His head jerked back a little bit as the look of anger began to grow on my face.

  "Carlyn if I didn't have to bring you with me on the tour he could have gone home but with Regan being out of town on business and Erinalia being too young and as well as-"

  "Uncle Jerome being too dingy-" I interrupted.

Daddy let out a sigh and shook his head.

  "Yeah.....yeah that too. Look I know you feel for him and I do too.....but someone had to be here to make sure Joey was taken care of and you stay out of trouble."

  "You ever heard of Care.com?" I snapped sarcastically.

  "Carlyn....."

  "Dad seriously I could have taken care of things at home and you know I'm good with Joey alone." I said feeling myself getting upset.

  "It's not you I don't trust my dove it's.....well.....this year has been a lot and I don't want another thing happening to you." He said in a worried voice.

  "Why won't you give me a chance to prove myself to you?!?!? What are you punishing me for!?!?!?" I belted out.

Well so much for keeping a cool head during this conversation. It's all downhill from here folks. From here on out I know I'm grounded for the rest of my life.

  "Carlyn I understand you're angry but as a parent I have to make the best decisions for you and your brother. You know that. Don't think of it as a punishment. And I can promise you I have Tony's best interest."

The smile that he once had on his face reappeared and this time when he said that he had Tony's best interest it was bigger than even he expected it to be. Dad grabbed my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze then sent me back to my seat leaving me again confused and lost in my own thoughts.

  "You know that none of this is cool Daddy." I said as he shoved me back to my seat knowing I wasn't going to go quietly.

  "Everything is just fine sweetheart. Go calm your brain." He giggled.

With one finally push he left me standing in the aisle next to my seat staring back at my own reflection as the sun had finally set and the stars danced in the deep dark sky. What is this man doing and what is going on with this trip?