Take It From Me

Fighter

October folded into November and the rush of holidays and birthdays boiled down into a cool December, trace amounts of snow dusted the sidewalk as I headed into the studio.

"Jenna," Luke has his arms open, his once famously chocolate brown hair was faded and greying, "so good to see you. I want to officially welcome you to the team." I was introduced to producers and techs as my band geared up to start with the re-recording of Fight Song. The transition from Atlantic to 32 Bridge was seamless and the media was eating it up. I remained tight lipped over the whole thing, barely hinting at new things and exciting ventures.

I stepped into the booth and like I never took a break, I was working through the song. My range, my pitch, all as good as gold. The smile on my band mates faces said everything, and the smile on Luke 's was the seal of approval. "Jenna, that was perfect. I want you to work with the band and let's go overtime getting a record out. I'm gonna make some calls, you're going to get performances on all the major award shows." Before I could even metabolize the words, he was out the door and Kyle hugged me.

"Jenna, this is going to be big. And I'm really happy you got that song from Rachel. It's perfect."

"Thank you, I'm so excited." I fished through my bag for my song book, "This one is next." I handed him the lyrics to another song I had, he and the band looked it over.

"Let's give it a go." Kyle geared up and we did a dry run before I put my headphones on.

So please don't look so blue,
I'll be everything that you need me to,
Yeah, you know that I'll stay true,
But there are things I just can't tell you.

Because I've got this feeling,
This is the beginning now,
Look up, 'cause there's no ceiling,
Nothing on this haunting town"

"Jenna please tell me you've thought of an album title." Jay, my new bass player asked as he packed his instrument away.

"I don't completely know yet." I hummed, "Too bad I already used Resurrection, ha, maybe something along the lines of Never Gone, or Begin Again?" I looked around for some kind of approval. Kyle patted my shoulder.

"The right title will come to you. Don't try too hard."

"Sutton that's so good," I sat on the floor with Sutton and our guitars as the boys went golfing, "I've hit a roadblock. What should I title my new album?"

"That's a good question," she strummed the strings of her acoustic Fender, "what about Brave." I sat with the idea for a moment.

"Hmm, I like that." I nodded, strumming with my daughter, talking about everything from my new music to her busy school life. "Have you made any new friends?"

She sighed, "Kind of. Some of these kids are super artsy, some are snobby. I met a few people in my program but I don't know, I don't think you would like them." I asked her to go on and what would make her think that. "Well, like last week they asked me to go grab lunch with them and two of the guys...they were smoking weed."  I could tell she was uncomfortable but she reassured me she declined an offer to try it and hadn't had lunch with them since. "I felt uncomfortable, and I thought about what happened to Beckett- the pictures. I wouldn't want a picture of me taken and have the truth twisted."

"You're so incredibly wise Sutton," I placed my arm around her shoulder, "I'm proud you said no. It's definitely not a path in life you want to take." She leaned into my embrace and sighed.

"Thank you for being so cool about it." I told her she didn't need to thank me. "I was thinking, could I invite Savannah over for a sleep over this weekend?"

"Yeah I don't see why not." I smiled and we continued playing our music until the boys returned home.

"So she said no?" Hunter nodded, pulling the comforter back off the bed, "I'm glad our talks are sinking in."

"She cares about her image, what people would say," I explained and I told Hunter proudly, "I believe she learned from us, the rumors and tabloids. I told her I was proud of her and that she was really wise to think like that." 

"I agree babe," we turned our conversation to work before winding down for the night and saying our I love you's.