Just the Way You Are

Show You Off

"Alright Jenna," Alexis looked over her list of items, "I have a lot of good things coming your way." She handed me her list and boy she was not kidding. Production was in motion for Unconditionally, album art was up next and the release date was set for January fourth but the first single Take You Away was scheduled to be released in December 1st. We had a music video lined up, as well as a request from Pixar for my voice in an animated movie. "I know this is always the heavy part, but we gotta talk tour and winter award shows. Hunter got nominated for two Grammys and I have a tour for you - a headliner all your own, forty dates, in ten weeks."

"Wow," I sat back in my chair, absorbing all of this heavy news, "this is exciting. I wanna just say yes to everything. This is all such a dream come true, just when I'm afraid people have forgotten me, all this pops up."

"Everyone is excited for your music." She smiled, showing me the opening acts for my tour, Devin Dawson and Kira Isabella. The fact I had reached a pinnacle of doing my own headliner was incredible. Alexis and I raked over the tour, from March 15th to May 21st, "we will definitely have the kids and Hunter there over spring break. What should we call this: Jenna Hayes: Unconditionally All American tour, or do you prefer Unconditionally, Jenna Hayes "

"Oh, hmm," I contemplated, "I am not American, so I think we will go with the second one." Alexis smiled and made note, wrapped up our meeting and I texted Hunter.

J: Congrats on the 2 Grammy nods, also big tour lined up - headlining my own show! Alexis cc'd you on all the upcoming details xox

H: Thank you & that's amazing babe. So proud of you XO

Stephanie came in through the front door from her interview at St. Jude's, her eyes were red and I could tell she had been crying. "Steph is everything okay?"

She nodded, laughing, "I cried the whole way back here because they offered me the job in the spot." I screamed in excitement and wrapped her in a hug.

"That's amazing! I am so happy for you! When do you start?" We went to the kitchen and grabbed some water.

"I start in two weeks. I have to get a preliminary health screen, some updated vaccines and a police screen. Do you have time to drive me around for this?" I looked at the forms in her hiring package and nodded.

"Let's grab a bite on the go and we can check off as many things as possible. Police check you can do online." We had time before I needed to get the kids from school so we grabbed a celebratory lunch at the Panera and headed to the clinic to get Stephanie set up.

I sat beside her in the waiting room and she leaned over to me, "I don't know if I have enough to pay for this. I get medical coverage but after three months employment from my start date."

"I got it," I smiled, "you can pay me back by babysitting next weekend. I have a music video shoot downtown - Saturday." She nodded and went with the nurse to the treatment room.

The rest of the day was pretty routine, we got the kids, Steph helped tackle homework and her over all energy was the most positive I've seen in years.

The week flew by and I was counting down the days for Hunter to come home and in a whirlwind, I was on a music video set downtown.

"Alright, Jenna, you ready?" Jace, the director ran through the concept with me one more time, "any questions?"

"No, it looks good." We got set up and after a few takes we moved scenes from the studio space to a bar downtown called the Black Rabbit. Fans lined up along the street, they were the unpaid extras to help fill the bar scene. After about three hours at the bar, we did one last scene at dusk along Riverfront park. By 10pm, after a fourteen hour day - I climbed into my car and headed home.

I opened up the front door to see Steph asleep with Beckett on the couch. I let them lie while I went upstairs to find Easton and Sutton asleep in their own beds. I picked up Beckett and brought him to bed whilst waking up Steph.

"Hey, sorry, he came down and found me," she said groggily, "bad dream." I nodded.

"It's okay, you can go to bed. We'll talk in the morning."