Better in the Long Run

When I Look at You

"I like that," Hunter said as I played the keys to one of the incomplete songs from the journal, "how did you come up with this one?" He was referring to Look At You.

"I seem to be on the receiving end of death." I stopped playing for a moment, "like Joelle, my mom, now Lindsay and it's like a storm. The emotions are a tidal wave and I feel like I'm drowning but you can just hug me and bring me peace." His lips curved into a gentle smile.

"Well, it's beautiful. Can you play me what you've got?" I nodded.

"Everybody needs inspiration
Everybody needs a song
A beautiful mercy
For all the nights alone

There is no guarantee
That this life is easy
Oh, when my world is falling apart
When there's no light to break up the dark
That's when I, I
I look at you
When the waves
Are flooding the shore and I can't
Find my way home anymore
That's when I, I
I look at you"

Hunter scribbled on the other sheet of paper and we built up the next verse and bridge together.

"When I look at you, I see peace
And I see the truth
You love me for who I am
Like the stars hold the moon
You show me where I belong
And I know I'm not alone"

"Then chorus, bridge and chorus times two." He sat back in his chair and looked at the time.
"This is so good. Between this song and that other one, Because You Live... I don't think this would be an exclusively acoustic album. We might be doing some piano on here. It can be still be all us, even instrumentally."

"Don't go making this bigger than it is." I smiled and sat back, "I don't want to take from your work. I want it to be simple. This is for fun."

"You are fun, work is fun." He kissed the top of my head, "So I am away for the weekend, Thursday to Sunday. Sutton's performance is next week Thursday night. And I'm away spring break." We migrated from the piano to the kitchen.

"And the day after you get back we have country people here." I grabbed a mug from the cupboard, "coffee?" He nodded and I handed him one before making my own. "The kids are gonna miss you being here for spring break. I might try and find camp for them. At least for the boys." I finished my coffee, grabbed my keys and was headed out the door to get the kids. Hunter parted ways as he had a surprise gig over al Ole Red, "Have fun," I kissed his lips, "love you."

"Love you."

I headed off to the school, gathered up the kids and asked them if there was any camp they'd be interested in doing for spring break. The boys agreed sports camp would be fun. They were both athletically inclined and loved to plays all sorts of sports together in the yard."Mom," Sutton fished through her backpack, "Lilly is going to this camp, can I go with her?" She handed me a brochure for Crossroads Ranch, and began telling me all about it.

"That sounds like a lot of fun," I said as her explanations and stories from her friend poured from the car into the front door and into the kitchen, "I think you would enjoy that. Leave the information with me and I will call first thing tomorrow." The kids got working on their homework and we had dinner before taking a walk along the creek side. The winds began picking up, and I could tell a thunderstorm was brewing. We headed home and closed the door behind us just as the skies opened up. After watching the thunderstorm, I got the kids up to bed, and eventually got myself there too. I checked my phone and was a bit surprised that I hadn't heard from Hunter.

J: love you xox

I closed my phone and turned off the light. I rolled over and my phone began to buzz. "Hello? No I just turned the lights off. Are you okay? Where? Why?... oh my goodness. Do you need me to come get you? I can be there in twenty minutes. Yeah."

"Sutton," I poked my head into her room, "hey sweetie, dad was at a show tonight and there was a fire and he's at the hospital."

"Is he okay?"

"Yeah the medics wanted him to get checked out. He said he's fine but I gotta go get him. Can you stay up? I'll be back in an hour."

"Yeah no problem." She hugged me and I threw on some more appropriate clothes before driving to the medical centre.

"Hey," I walked up to the nurses desk, "I'm here for Hunter?" My voice was quiet and she nodded, pointing to a set of grey doors.

"Second bay on the right." I thanked her and proceeded through the doors to find Hunter and the doctor.

"You're lucky Mr. Hayes, you should be fine. You may be coughing a bit but otherwise we will just wrap up the burn on your arm and you will be good to go."

"Hunter, thank goodness you're okay." He opened his arms for a hug and told me there was a kitchen fire and it spread so quickly.

"I'm okay, the guys are okay. My guitars and the equipment, not so much."

"Oh shoot," I shook my head, "did you have insurance on any of it?" He nodded, "let's deal with it all tomorrow okay? Where's your car?"

"At the rehearsal space, we ubered to the bar."

"Okay good. Let's get you discharged and go home." He kissed my cheek and once he was bandaged up, we made our way home. I checked on Sutton who was awake, and assured her to go to sleep. Hunter washed up and crawled into bed. I fell asleep massaging Hunter's back, thanking God that he was home, safe.