Tour Manager's Daughter

Speeches and Yellow cherry tomatoes

*Shawn pov*

After speeches, people would leave and closer family members would go out to bury the cremation boxes in the cemetery.  

Sadie sat with me and my family as the service went on. Person after person went up to speak as they pleased. 

"Jan was my best friend.. and never did a week go by that I didn't get my Jan phone call. Until this week. I miss her terribly already. But I wanted to share a fond memory of her back in 1975 when we took our kids to the neighborhood park. It had been a rough week, as both of our boys had been horrible behavior wise, and my son had just initiated a fight at school.. it was awful. What did jan do? She brought us wine in the park. We sat and let our rotten boys, at the time, play for 3 hours as we chatted and laughed our bellies sore laying on a blanket in the grass. She made me feel like a teenager again. Rest easy friend."

"Jan and Jim never passed up a dominos night at our house. Always bringing something for us, whether it be refreshments, a food dish, Christmas candies and occasionally random pieces of furniture. They were the best guests and were always welcome in my home. They have both taught me and my girls so much about not only gardening but the weather as well. Who would've known Jim loved those weather catalogs so much."

My mom went up to speak, as my dad was having a hard time keeping himself together.

"My in-laws were better than any in-laws. They were my second set of parents. Jim threatened me as if I was marrying his daughter when in fact I was marrying his son. As much as he scared me as I was a young and silly teenager, he loved me just the same as any of his kids. He taught me how to choose produce at the store when me and Manny moved out. Jim was a less than serious guy, and I feel fortunate that myself and my family had gotten to experience that. When I was pregnant with my son, Jim had made a bet with me that the baby was not a boy, and when I gave birth that the baby was gonna be a girl no matter what the ultra sound said.  He said he would pay 6 months of our utilities at our house if he was wrong. Well, my Shawn, is indeed a male and well we were able to save some money his first 6 months of life. Jim wanted a little granddaughter oh so badly and when we finally gave him one I remember him shedding a single tear in the hospital room. Jim was a blessing in our family and instilled so many valuable lessons into my children. My sweet mama jan, was the light of my life and my best friend. I married her baby boy but she accepted me into her life with open arms. She always told me that in another life she believed that I was hers and it was the reason why our bond was so strong from the start. She loved me like her own and loved my children more than I could even imagine possible. She wanted to be around them constantly and expressed to me weekly how proud she was to have us as part of her life. I love my parents, my in-laws. My family will be missing two pieces forever now, but I hope they're watching over us. I pray they help protect my family from the evils of the world and praise us as we make them proud. I'm going to stop blabbing up here now, thank you."

Seeing my moms speech and my dad visibly crying didn't make me feel so confident. Sadie rubbed my arm as we sat through another speech, luckily a more pleasant one with jokes and fond memories. Then it was my turn.

"Hi..uh I'm Shawn. I stand in front of crowds a lot but never have I felt as nervous as I do right now." I say and look at my family.

*Sadie pov*

I watched intently as Shawn began a speech. I knew he was nervous, I wasn't sure if he had a lot to say or didn't know what to say. Either way I was here supporting him.

"My grandparents have attended every performance I have ever had In Toronto. They were often front row or close to it and I could easily see them watching me. In a few days, I will have my first concert here at home without them. Or so I thought." Shawn spoke, he sniffled and looked up at us. I believe he had a few notes on his phone.