Something in the Water

Better Than This

"I love you guys so much!" I kissed the kids and hugged them, reminding them I would be back home in ten days. "I love you Hunter." I kissed him before pulling away at the sound of Beckett crying, "Becks, baby." I hugged him again, "Mommy will be back in ten days. You will have so much fun with dad, grandma and grandpa. I promise." He was borderline inconsolable and it was crushing my heart. Hunter pulled him aside to help him calm down while I loaded my guitars onto the bus. "I'll call you when we get to Louisville, okay?" The kids nodded and Hunter returned with Beckett, still teary eyed but calmer. I hugged everyone for the millionth time before heading into the bus with the band.

"He's taking it rough, hey?" Kyle observed Beckett's meltdown. I nodded.

"He's got something in his head right now that we think work is more important than us being together as a family. It's crushing. But we have a break in ten days, two weeks on and then they're coming out for the last five weeks before we flip and do Hunter's tour."

"Seriously you guys are incredible. As much as I hated the idea I'm glad Danielle's parents moved up here." Kyle was referring to his wife and in laws who were swift to move in to the city the moment Danielle announced her pregnancy.

"I can't believe little Callie is going to be three." I shook my head. "Feels like just yesterday y'all had your wedding." Kyle nodded and we chatted about the tour with our bandmates until we reached our Kentucky venue for sound check.

"Hey y'all just a quick announcement. I have organized a bunch of friends to come out to various shows for one off performances. Tomorrow Cole Swindell will be joining us. Dustin and I will be performing our duet every night whether or not we have an added guest. The nights we have a guest I will cut out the song Traveller from the set." I waved a binder that had the calendars with the list of guest performers for each night. "Thank you all for your flexibility and allowing me to be crazy." The band applauded, saying it was a good idea, something fresh and unexpected for the fans.

We went through sound check and I was over the moon with the stage, the set list and I headed back to the dressing room to change and get hair and make up done. I fact timed Hunter and said hi to the kids before talking to Hunter about Beckett.

"He's doing okay for now. I feel like I won't be sleeping alone." I reassured Hunter and reminded him that the ten days will fly by.

I watched Runaway June and Dustin from the wings before it was my turn to get wired up and head out. We opened with Everywhere and Take You Away before I said hello to the crowd. "Good evening Louisville! How y'all doing tonight?" The room was buzzing with energy. "My name is Jenna Hayes and I am so happy to be spending my Saturday night with you on this tour! Y'all ready to sing along? This one is called Love Like Mine." We played through to Unfixable before I slowed things down a little. "Before I slow things down a little with this next song, I wanted to let you know the inspiration behind it. As a song writer, ideas sometimes pop in to my mind out of thin air, other times, the inspiration is standing right in front of me, handing me coffee and making pancakes..." I smiled as I sat at the piano bench, "my family, and my husband are the inspiration to this one. Hold up a light or a phone flashlight, whatever you've got. This is Everything." I was borderline in tears hearing the audience sing the song back to me and I moved from the piano to the acoustic guitar to sing A Life That's Good before welcoming Dustin onto the stage for our duet. The crowd was so energetic and the first show after party was incredibly fun. The band and I headed back onto the bus when I got a text from Hunter, a picture of him with Beckett asleep beside him.

J: Wish I was there

H: me too. Hope you had fun. Love you and travel safe.

J: xoxo sweet dreams

I hit the pillow and the bus turned on, headed for Columbus, Ohio.