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He licked his lips, hesitating before confessing the rest. “After my parents died, um… I wouldn’t play it with my sister. I guess that I felt really guilty about everything that I was doing at the time, and I hated that it made me miss my dad, so… I refused to play it.”
Emily took a deep breath, feeling her own sorrow consume her. During that time while they both mourned, she hadn’t been able to listen to the song without a pang of regret over what they’d lost. She’d felt like she’d lost her whole family at once.
“Anyway, Emily, I’m really sorry,” River said, “and I just want to say that I’m proud of you, and I’m ready to remember Dad again.”
Tears pricked her eyes. Wow, things really had changed! The seasons of their lives had made a full circle so that somehow River had become the man that she needed when it was her turn to lean on him. She really needed him right now; she felt so fragile.
Liv wrapped an arm around Emily and leaned into her side. “That brother of yours loves you, girl! He wouldn’t stop talking about doing this with you. He’s so excited.”
Mia showed up behind her with a glittery top and a big floppy bun flipping from side to side as she charged to action. “Get out there, Emily! Your audience awaits.”
Yeah, yeah, River’s admissions had rooted her to the spot with shock. Shaking herself to action, Emily dashed out onto the stage to join her brother. She was much shorter than he was. He bumped her hip with his leg. “Okay, sis, you take the low parts, and I’ve got the high.” He practiced a high falsetto note, purposely making it sound pretty awful.
She smirked and took the guitar from him. “Yeah, youneedmy help.”
Emily already knew from all the years of playing around that she was taking the first verse, and strangely, she felt no fear as she launched into the beginning notes of her father’s most requested song. The lyrics were absolutely simple, but heart-wrenchingly tender. River joined her, his voice more gentle than she’d heard it sound in a long time.
“Please don’t take my sunshine away…”
She cleared her throat. The sentimentality was killing her. Her eyes swerved to River and she saw that he was struggling with the same emotion.
“I’ll always love you and make you happy.”
Oh goodness—she never really listened to the lyrics as she sang them before. No wonder River couldn’t sing this back in the day. There was something about music that spoke to her heart more than simple words could. Every memory of her parents came to her, strangely mingling with the beauty of this moment and the hope for the future.
She took another deep breath and closed her eyes—she was home again. She was young and secure in the arms of her family. Opening her eyes again, she saw River next to her, his bicep flexing over his guitar while his nimble fingers plucked at the strings. That’s when she realized… that she was home again.
How was that?
This was what family was all about, despite the cost and the pain. Oh, how she wanted Nash to be that to her. And still their song played like a lullaby, comforting her, even through her agony.
River played a complicated riff on his guitar, watching her with the eyes of a protective big brother. She saw that as he sang that he meant every word. She’d forgotten for a moment that they weren’t alone, and as she became aware of these other onlookers, she only felt their compassion. Who hadn’t experienced similar loss or even this kind of joy when remembering those who’d passed on? The music brought them all together.
Feeling the presence of all these souls began to energize her, and just as she’d felt when she’d performed with Nash, she began to truly be herself around her new friends. She hid nothing, flaunted nothing, just enjoyed feeling at one with her fellow travelers on this earth.
This was what performing was all about, bringing joy and sharing the deepest feelings from your heart. If this was what she chose to do with her life, then she could do this.
They finished the song. A tear trailed down her cheek. River wiped at his eyes, then smirking, he wiped at hers.
She jerked back in dismay, just like a kid sister should. She listened to a spattering of relieved chuckles through the crowd, and quite a few sniffs, to be honest.
These were all happy tears.
River kissed her forehead. Her parents were definitely watching over them with a big goofy smile about now.
She handed him back the guitar. “Don’t hog the whole night, River,” she teased him for the audience’s benefit. “Leave me some time to show you up.” She winked and River pretended to swat her backside as she walked away. Emily expertly skipped out of the way, just in case he proved too quick.
Somehow, she made it backstage in one piece. The whole experience felt amazing! The audience clapped and clapped. Who knew this could be so exhilarating?
“Let’s turn up the energy,” River shouted into the mic.
He thought he could get more than that incredible response from them? They surprised her by roaring out as their answer. She guessed that they could then.
“You ready for my sister?” River asked.
The answering scream showed her that she had nothing to worry about when she returned.
“Too bad,” he said. “It’s still my turn.”
With difficulty, she kept back a laugh. She actually looked forward to getting back on that stage. This was going to be a blast.
