"Hello New York City!" I yelled to the crowd. They cheered, clapped, and screamed, "Being the last concert of tour, I'd like to sing a new song I recently wrote for you guys."
I put my head down and looked off stage. There he was, like he always is, watching me. Only this time, his face was blank. This time Spencer was the one to mouth 'have fun'. This time, Tyler was the one who told me to 'break a leg'.
I put the wireless mic onto its stand and nodded to the band, telling them I was ready. The crowd cheered one last time before the stadium went quiet.
The intro played then I sang, "When I was younger I saw my daddy cry and curse at the wind."
"Sweetheart get in the car, I'm gonna stay out for a bit longer."
"Can't I stay with you, daddy?"
"No baby, just get in the car."
I went to the front of the car after opening and closing the door. There I stood, in front of daddy's car watching him yell over and over again until he fell on the floor and covered his face with his hands.
"He broke his own heart and I watched as he tried to reassemble it."
"Daddy!" He looked down at me, "Look it's Mommy!"
She was standing inside of a restaurant with a man we didn't know. Daddy's girlfriend held my hand as we walked into the same restaurant.
"Daddy, can I go talk to Mommy?" I whispered.
"Of course, baby."
I walked over to Mommy's table and she asked me about my day and school. She asked me about my piano lessons and what songs I'd been learning to sing. All the while, Daddy never took his eyes off of her. A week later, Daddy's girlfriend said goodbye to me and I never saw her again.
"And my momma swore that she would never let herself forget."
"I'm sorry, Karen, but you left me and now I have to teach you a lesson." Daddy slurred.
"John." Mommy begged, "Please don't do this, you're better than this."
"You left us!" He screamed and held up his beer bottle, "Cara go upstairs."
I did as he said but not completely. I went up as many steps as it took for them not to see that I was watching.
Daddy took his fist and hit Mommy that night.
"And that was the day that I promised I'd never sing of love, if it does not exist. But darling you are the only exception."
"Cara!" He yelled after me, "Cara! Get down from there you're gonna break something!"
"Luke, just wait, I've almost got it." I reached higher for the Tupperware I was looking for and lost my footing on the counter.
He caught me, "Jesus, Car. Can't you just listen to me for once in your life?"
"You are the only exception."
"Nope!" I laughed in his face.
"Take this seriously, you could have cracked your head open if I wasn't here."
