'Baby's Theme' Part 2

Repercussions of a wife who traded her husband for her lover. Part 2 of 2. Please read Part 1 first or this won't make much sense.

18

The wedding was an intimate affair. Held in part of a hotel ballroom with a Justice of the Peace as the officiant. The groom wore a dark tailored suit with a white starched shirt and a red tie. The bride wore a beautiful light blue dress with heels. Her blonde hair had been styled by a beautician earlier that morning. Her light makeup highlighted her blue eyes. They made an attractive middle-aged couple.

"Ladies and gentlemen," smiled the officiant. "Let me introduce Mr. and Mrs. Henry Carter!"

Both were all smiles as they turned to the gathered friends and coworkers. Henry bent over and gave his new wife Amy another kiss. As they pulled away from each other, Henry reached up and wiped a little tear with his thumb that started to fall from Amy's eye. She was so happy. This is exactly how she pictured it. And she was right where she should be. With exactly the right man.

Henry's golf buddy Aaron was his best man. Aaron's wife Samantha was Amy's Matron of Honor. Most of the guests were made up of Henry's friends or coworkers and a couple of the lawyers from her firm. Both Lizzie and Amy's friends from her earlier years were not supportive of the marriage, so did not attend. Amy was hurt that Lizzie wouldn't come but knew she'd accept Henry at some point. She didn't care about the old friends. They just didn't understand. And she was tired of explaining herself. So, it was their loss.

Amy's parents did come down from Missouri, but they let it be known that they also were not in favor of her choices. They missed their granddaughter and favorite son-in-law. But they would grit their teeth and be there for their daughter. After three attempts at being polite and having a conversation with them, Henry gave up. Since it didn't bother Amy, it didn't bother him. He knew there wouldn't be too many trips to Missouri.

After honeymooning in San Diego for a week, they settled into Henry's home in Buckhead. Henry went back to work running his businesses and Amy continued her job at the law firm.

The only hiccup was the prenup that Henry wanted her to sign. She had taken it to Bob Nelson, her acting attorney, who pointed out how draconian it was against her. So, he rewrote it. Soon the attorneys for both sides were in on the particulars of the document. In the end, it was agreed that Amy would receive a lump sum of half of a million dollars in case of a divorce. As Henry's businesses were valued at over six million dollars, this was considered a fair trade. Amy was not pleased but signed anyway. Because it was something that would never happen.

On her second day back in Buckhead, as she sipped a cup of coffee and looked out over the manicured grounds of this glorious morning, she caught herself thinking of her old life and her first husband. "I wonder where Robbie is now? Probably directing the brass or the percussion section and getting ready for Saturday's game. Then going home to his little hovel of an apartment. I'm so glad that's not my life now!"

19

"Robbie, how soon can you get over to the office?" Ginny was asking over the phone. "I've got someone I want you to meet. It's important."

"I'm about twenty minutes away," he answered. "Headed your way now."

Twenty-five minutes later, Robbie walked into Ginny's office and noticed the beautiful brunette sitting with her.

"Hey, Robbie," Ginny stood up and gestured to her companion. "I want you to meet my little sister."

Robbie took a quick look at the stunning woman as she stood up. Probably five feet and six or seven inches tall, deep set brown eyes inside a perfect face. His brain quickly went to mush.

"Robbie Foster, my sister Maleena Skye." Ginny made the introduction.

"Nice to meet you, Robbie," Maleena held out her hand.

"Uh, hi," stuttered Robbie, as he shook her hand. Then his brain reengaged. "Wait! Did you say Maleena Skye!?"

Ginny nodded.

"The Maleena Skye is your sister??" He had stepped back just gaping at her.

"She is," laughed Ginny. "And put your tongue back in your mouth. You look silly!"

"I apologize. You're meeting the six-year-old Robbie. I'm such a fan! I have no words. Ginny, why didn't you warn me that your sister is this gorgeous?" He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head before looking back at them. "I mean that your sister is Maleena Skye?"

Both women laughed.

"Please, Mr. Foster," said Maleena. "I'm flattered. But please relax. I won't bite."

"Robbie, sit down and take a breath," smiled Ginny. "We have an offer for you."

Robbie quickly sat down. The girls smiled at each other as they followed.

"You've got the record done," started Ginny. "It sounds great. I knew it would."

"I agree," said Maleena, as she smiled. "Ginny shared it with me. Your sound is wonderful. I especially love 'Baby's Theme'. Such a moving song! Where did that come from?"

Robbie glanced at Ginny, wondering how he should answer. Ginny just nodded.

"Originally, I wrote it for my ex-wife. Her name is Amy. But when she left me, I slowed it down and dropped it into a minor key. Instead of a happy love song, it became a sad ballad. I changed the word 'Amy' to the word 'Baby'."

"Wow," muttered Maleena. Then her smile brightened. "You've turned your tragedy into a masterpiece."

"Thank you," nodded Robbie. "From you, that is high praise, indeed."

"So, as I was saying," Ginny got back to business. "You've got the record done. Now we just need to market it. And market you. Barry and Will are on board with what I'm about to ask."

Robbie smiled and nodded to her to continue. Now he was prepared for the offer and negotiation.

"We want you to join Maleena's tour," said Ginny.

"What?" Robbie was floored. This was unexpected.

"Yeah," said Maleena. "I want you to join my tour. I'm home for two months as we just played our final show last Friday, but we plan on hitting the road again for a winter tour in November. It'll last through February. I work with basically two full bands. Throughout the concert, we use one group or the other or use both at the same time. It gives us a powerful sound. But one of my lead guitarists had a death in the family recently, and his heart just isn't in it anymore. So, I need a new second lead guitar.

"Also, I don't use a warm-up band. I've never seen the need for one. But I could use a break occasionally. So, what I'm offering is that you would be soloing with my guys throughout the night playing your stuff. It would simply be intermixed with mine. That would get your name in front of the audience. And cover the marketing that my sister wants. What do you think?"

"And the money is good," added Ginny.

Robbie smiled. "Ladies, you drive a hard bargain. But you have a deal! I would love to tour and play music with you, Miss Skye."

"Maleena," she corrected. "And you're Robbie."

"Maleena. I like that." Robbie smiled and nodded to her.

She felt him look deeply into her eyes. She suddenly had the same feeling she had when Ginny sent her his song and his picture. Again, she felt him deep in her soul. It scared her. She quickly looked away.

Ginny noticed and smiled. She was a good matchmaker. "Okay, Mel, when do you want him to start?"

Maleena pulled out her phone and opened the calendar. "I'll have Vinny get you the sheet music today. The band is taking the week off. We'll get together on Monday and start rehearsing. You might want to watch one of our concerts to get an idea of how we work on stage."

"I can get that to you," added Ginny. "I've got a number of her concerts recorded."

"Give him some recent copies," said Maleena. "We had changed some things slightly over the course of the tour."

"I'll take anything and everything!" said Robbie. He stood up. "Well, it looks like I'd better get back and start practicing. He held out his hand to Maleena. "It has been a pleasure, Miss Skye. And thank you from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity."

She stood and shook his hand. "I look forward to working and getting to know you. This will be fun!"

He turned to Ginny. "And thank you, young lady. You're the best!"

After he walked out, the girls just looked at each other for a minute.

"I told you." Ginny was smiling.

"Oh my god, he's adorable," swooned Maleena. "I hope he can handle my gang."

"I think he only needs to learn how to handle you."

"Ha! You're the worst! Okay, sis, talk to you later."

20

"Touring with Maleena Skye?" asked an excited Lizzie over the phone. "That is awesome! I can't believe my dad is going to tour with superstar Maleena Skye!! I love it!"

"Calm down, young lady," said Robbie. "She hasn't even heard me play yet."

"Hasn't heard you play??" she hollered. "Do you realize what that means?"

"No," said Robbie. "What does that mean?"

"Dad!" She laughed realizing she was talking to her father like he was a child. "That means she's already impressed with you. Otherwise, you'd have to audition for her. Because you didn't, that means she likes you!"

"No, baby girl, she's a superstar. I'm just a band director that strums a guitar."

"And that has an album done. I'll bet she's heard it and was impressed."

"Maybe," said Robbie.

"Maybe nothing! She's cute, isn't she?"

"I guess so. I really didn't notice."

"Dad! You're an awful liar!"

"Well, even if she is gorgeous, she's a superstar. So, that knocks out us mere mortals."

"So, she's gorgeous, is she?" Lizzie was laughing. "Lucky for you, she isn't dating anyone right now."

"How do you know that?" asked Robbie.

"Dad!" she sighed. "Don't you follow Hollywood gossip? She broke up with Shark Rivers six months ago!"

"The football star?"

"Yep! Turns out he was a real jerk to her. That makes her single."

"And you think your band director dad that plays a little guitar can hold a candle to Shark Rivers?" asked Robbie, laughing to himself that he was even having this conversation.

"She just invited you to join her band, didn't she?"

Robbie took a deep breath. He wasn't going to win this exchange. That's why he loved his daughter. He decided to change the subject. "So, have you talked to your mother?"

"Not really. You know she married the guy. She wanted me there, but I had no desire to go. I know Grandpa and Grandma went, but they weren't happy either. They told me about it later. They had to stand by Mom, but Grandma told me she heard them say to each other that they wouldn't be coming to Missouri anytime soon. That didn't upset her at all!"

"Your grandparents are the best!" laughed Robbie. "No matter what, make sure you stay close to them."

"I will," she laughed with him. Then she turned serious. "Are you still okay with everything?"

"Yeah," he muttered. "I'm learning to live with it. It's getting a little better with each passing day. Sometimes though, I still miss her. Or I miss the old version of her."

"Me too."

"Well, on that note I've got to go. Time to start practicing."

"I love you, Dad," Lizzie replied. "Remember what I said. And I'm looking forward to meeting your new friend!"

"Okay, honey. Love you! Bye!"

"Bye, Dad."

21

The members of Maleena's band were also consummate professionals. Robbie was amazed that he had met so many talented musicians. No one seemed to have an outsized ego that usually followed great talent. Everyone was there for a reason, and everyone pulled their own weight. He was worried when he first joined that he would be treated as an outsider, but they warmly welcomed him into the fold when they heard his music and saw him play.

After weeks of practice, they hit the road. They were playing five to six venues every week starting in November in San Francisco and ending in New York in February. They added Christmas music to their repertoire. And the audience size ranged from nine hundred to twenty thousand at each stop. This was bigger than almost any symphony audience ever, and it took place almost every night.

Robbie's music was featured in five different songs with him singing lead. He would sing 'Baby's Theme' in the middle. He let his counterpart, Dwayne, play the lead electric guitar while he used his acoustic to play the intricate blues and flamenco riffs throughout the song. It always got a standing ovation. He never ceased to be amazed at that response. He knew it was a great song, but he couldn't fathom how the public seemed to relate to it. It was just his personal pain put to music. But it had become a hit. The record had hit the airwaves and radio stations around the country were being besieged right and left to play it. It was making Robbie a star.

Yet he was nobody when he was with Maleena. She was the real star. Her beauty, her talent, and her effortless control of her audience was amazing. Everything about her total radiance enthralled Robbie. He knew that he could easily fall for her. For that reason, he knew he had to be totally professional in any dealings they had with one another. After all, according to Lizzie, this was a woman who dated professional football players. A simple guitar playing band director wouldn't cut it in her world. So, it was better to stay away when they weren't on stage or practicing or meeting as a group.

Except for her assistant Lea, and her bodyguard Jose, she was totally approachable and close with the band. She had no overbearing manager or agent. Though Robbie had never been on the road, being in the music industry, he knew horror stories of music divas. When he had accepted this gig, he fully expected to be in that situation. He thanked his lucky stars that he wasn't. She was almost perfect. Just another reason to stay with them - but stay away from her!

22

Ben Butler relaxed just slightly as he surveyed the patrons seated around the restaurant. The Saturday lunch rush was almost complete. He hated his job, but jobs were tough to come by in this economy, so he had accepted the manager position of this Fatsy Patsy to make a little money. His college degree was in finance, so this fast-food management job was going to be short term. And he wasn't impressed with the senior management. They seemed to cut corners at every opportunity. This Fatsy Patsy was a franchise location for a large operation with locations throughout the south. There were strict rules for every side of the business. But the quality of the food seemed to be going down. He had mentioned it to the district manager but to no avail. No one seemed to care. Yet, whenever he tried to do the right thing for a customer, his superiors were on his case. It was a very frustrating position to be in.

At this moment, there were only three people waiting for their food at the counter. A couple groups of teenagers were playing with their phones over in the corner instead of eating, but he had come to expect that. Three couples were at different tables, and three more single people were seated separately.

There were two high-schoolers bussing tables and refilling the straws and drink stand. Three more were working at the front counter. And two were running the drive-through. Four were cooking.

As Ben turned away from the counter, the blood-curdling scream from the middle of the tables froze everyone for a second.

A man was spitting out his food onto his plate and trying to stand. Then he started screaming. "A worm!! There's a worm in my hamburger!"

The teenagers nearby quickly grabbed their phones and started filming the man and then started filming his plate. Ben had raced to the man and saw the remains of a large worm still moving inside the uneaten meat, while the worm's remains were in the mush that the man had spit out.

"Sir! We are so sorry!!" Ben was quickly grabbing his tray and taking it away. He handed it to one of the high school kids who was bussing tables. "Please calm down, sir! Let us make it up to you!"

"A worm!" the man yelled. "How the hell did a worm get in my hamburger?!?"

"I don't know, sir," muttered Ben. He glanced around at the phones that were recording. He knew he was in a lot of trouble. "But how can we make it up to you?"

"By shutting down! I'm going to make sure everyone knows about this!" the man screamed, before turning and storming out of the restaurant.

Ben stood there awkwardly for a moment. His troubles had just jumped by a factor of ten. Not only had the man threatened the business, but he had also left before Ben got any information. He slowly turned to face the kids with the phones. "Okay, guys, the show's over." He turned and walked back behind the counter and back to the makeshift office.

He knew he had to call his bosses at once, but it dawned on him that the guy might have used a credit card to buy the food. So, he grabbed the security monitor and backed up a half-hour and watched. Sure enough, the guy had paid with a card. He found the receipt and credit card number with a name - Cliff Snead. Okay, time to call corporate.

As expected, they were ticked. He sent the security footage of the event when the man screamed and his quick response. He also sent the footage of the man buying the food and his credit card information. He also warned them about all the cell phone videos of the event. "It's probably already on the internet. We better be prepared."

The situation escalated quickly to the offices of Henry Carter. He was livid! This couldn't have happened at a worse time. He was in the middle of refinancing the restaurants with the bank to withdraw cash to put into the hotel he had previously promised to buy. If everything came together, this was going to be a very lucrative venture. This little fiasco could cost him everything.

"How the hell did a worm get into our meat?" Henry demanded.

"I don't know," said Jim Wilson, his second-in-command. "We started using the ABC Meatpacking company you asked us to switch to last month. I bet it's something that got by them. We may have to shut down all the operations while we check to make sure nothing more is tainted."

"The hell we will!" snapped Henry. He wasn't about to tell Jim the real reason he needed the income and needed it now.

Jim was smart. He knew why Henry needed the money. But he also knew that they should not have replaced the specified meatpacking company that the Fatsy Patsy corporation mandated that franchisees use. Even though he had worked for Henry for years, his respect for the man had gone down almost every year.

Jim watched as corners were cut, deals were lost, and people were cut mercilessly. And Henry's personal life had bled into his business. Everyone loved Mae. But she died and then Henry replaced her with his mistress named Amy. The staff felt she was a gold-digger.

Jim had reached the end of his rope. That is why he had reached out to Harry Hawkins, the VP of Fatsy Patsy, on a personal basis last year warning about what his boss was doing. Harry listened as Jim outlined his concerns. The meeting ended with Harry asking Jim to keep him informed and let him know if anything had changed. Jim would be calling Harry in just minutes.

"Okay, but Ben warned us that kids took videos, and it'll be all over the internet soon. It probably already is."

"Then get the lawyers to stop them! That's why we pay them!"

"Sorry, Henry," said Jim. "That's like playing whack-a-mole. There's no way we can stop them. Not without costing a great deal of money. Probably tens of thousands of dollars.

"The only way for us to win is to get in front of it. Close the restaurants for a few days. Go through the meat and everything else. Maybe even bring in the USDA and the Georgia inspectors to review our operations. Once we get a clean bill-of-health it's back to business as usual. I'm afraid if we fight this, we're in for a war that we can't win."

"Damn it!" said Henry, as he turned his chair and stared out the window. He took a deep breath. "Alright. Do it. Put out a press release that we take our customers health seriously."

"Done." Jim rose and walked out of the office.

Henry leaned back into his chair and stared at the ceiling for a moment. Then he pulled out his cell phone and called his new wife. "Hi. What are you doing?"

"Just relaxing by the pool," she cooed. "And I'm wearing your favorite blue bikini. I miss you."

"And I miss you. I'm having a rough day. I think I'll be home soon."

"Hurry!" She teased him. "I'll give you a full-body massage. Then you can return the favor. I want to help you get over your rough day."

"I like the way you think. I'm leaving now."

That evening, he took her to a five-star restaurant. Then they went home and made love.

At eight am the next morning, the inspectors raided all eight of his restaurants. By nine-thirty, yesterday's video was on all the national websites showing the worm slithering on the plate. Comments ran the gamut from gross to sick comedy. Even the press releases the company put out were laughed at for being in poor taste and out-of-touch with the common Fatsy Patsy customer.

By eleven am, Henry was contacting his banks asking for extensions on his loans. The bankers were leery but made no immediate decisions.

Heading home at the end of his miserable day, he started to think about how this might cause all the dominos in his world to collapse. He couldn't let that happen. But, what if it did? How can he escape? And who would he escape with? Or who would he leave behind?

23

"Hello."

"Amy?"

"Yes, this is Amy."

"Miss Amy, it's so good to finally reach you! This is Rose Batcher of the Valley Boosters. How are you, my dear?"

"Fine, Mrs. Batcher," said Amy, a little put out. She never cared for Rose. "How are you?"

"I'm good, Miss Amy, I'm good!" Rose enthused. "I'm just calling to see if you could ask Robbie if he would play for us when he's in town? I know it's a lot to ask, but..."

"Pardon me," interrupted Amy. "I don't understand. Robbie and I got divorced last year. I married Henry Carter - the owner of the Fatsy Patsy restaurants. But isn't Robbie directing the Valley band?"

"Fatsy Patsy?" asked Rose. "You mean you divorced Robbie and married the guy that sells the worm burgers?"

"Worm burgers?" asked Amy. This was a very unhinged conversation.

"Yes, Miss Amy," said Rose. "It's all over the news. There were a bunch of worms in the meat from those places. I'm never eating there again!"

"I'm sorry," said a stricken Amy. "I didn't know. Now, about Robbie. Isn't he still the Valley Band Director?"

"Heavens no, Miss Amy! He's got records on the radio and is currently touring the country with my favorite girl, Maleena Skye! She's so beautiful!"

"Records on the radio?"

"Yes, ma'am," said Rose. "My favorite is 'Baby's Theme'. It is the most heartbreaking wonderful song. I'm surprised you haven't heard it."

"Me too," said Amy. This news was hitting her like a baseball bat to the chest.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you," said Rose, realizing that Amy knew nothing of her ex-husband. "We are just excited that they'll be in concert at State Farm Arena on the twenty-first."

"Thank you for calling, Rose," said a shaken Amy. "I really appreciate the updates."

"Take care, Miss Amy," she said. "Maybe we'll see you there. Goodbye."

Amy took a deep breath. Was her Robbie on the radio? Was he touring with Maleena Skye? At State Farm Arena? That place holds twenty thousand people!

She quickly opened her laptop and googled Robbie's name. There it was. The ex-band director signed with Price Records. 'Baby's Theme' was the third ranked song in the nation as of a week ago. She clicked a link of the Maleena Skye concert to see the two of them together on stage singing the song. Her first thought was that it was a beautiful song. Her second thought was that she recognized it! It was the song Robbie had written and performed for her! It wasn't 'Baby's Theme'! It was 'Amy's Theme'! It was her song!

She slammed her fist down on the table. "Damn him! Why couldn't he have been this version of Robbie when they were married? This was the man she wanted! She didn't want the high school band director. She wanted bright lights and wealth! And now he had it! Without her!

She looked around the big house. Suddenly, Buckhead didn't seem so wonderful. And worm burgers? Whatever that was all about didn't sound so good. But she loved Henry. Didn't she? Or did she just love the money and the prestige? She couldn't be that shallow, could she? Of course not!

Robbie was in her rear-view mirror. He was the past - Henry was the present. But Robbie now had a best-selling album and on a national tour with a superstar. Henry owned a handful of sandwich shops. Was there really any comparison?

Had she made a mistake? She was a divorced woman already remarried. How would she even talk to Robbie? Her words of derision towards Robbie came back to haunt her. But she knew Robbie. If she could just talk to him, she could apologize. He would understand. And then, maybe he would take her back? That's it! She decided to begin by apologizing to Lizzie. She knew they were still close. She could get Lizzie to facilitate a meeting. If all went well, she could tell Henry to get lost.

She decided to start by ordering a pair of tickets. But it was sold out. So was the next night in Augusta. Savannah had open seats three days later. That'll work. She would mention it to Henry when he got home. They could make a weekend out of it.

Henry did arrive about an hour later in a sour mood.

"Another rough day?" Amy asked, as she kissed him hello.

"Yeah," he muttered. "Another banner day."

"I've got an idea to take your mind off of work," she smiled.

"What's that?"

"There's a concert early next week down in Savannah that I want to see. We could make a weekend out of it."

"Who is playing?"

"Maleena Skye."

"I hate her music. No, I don't want to go. And things are rough around here now." He grabbed a beer and sat in his favorite recliner.

She sat across from him and let her dress slide up her leg. "Please? I do like her, and it would be good for you to get away. And I'd really like to show you how much I'd appreciate it."

He noticed. "How much would you appreciate it?"

"This much," she cooed, as she sat on his lap and began vigorously kissing him.

He slid one hand resting on her leg up her dress as the kiss continued. "Maybe," he muttered.

24

Lea stood in front of the band members. "Okay, boys, here's the schedule for the next few days. After the Nashville concert, we're heading straight to Atlanta, getting there early Thursday morning. Then you guys are free all day to go your own way. On Friday, we'll meet at two at the hotel. Saturday, we'll be in Augusta and Monday in Savannah. Any questions?"

Nobody said anything.

"Okay, then we're good. Have a great show tonight!"

Maleena walked over to Robbie and sat down beside him. "You're from Atlanta, aren't you?"

"Well, not originally, but for the past couple of decades, yeah," he smiled at her.

"Do you have any plans on our day off there?" she asked.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I'm going to stop by my old high school and say hi to everyone. Then I'm going to a barbeque with my old band. What are you planning on doing?"

"Nothing," she muttered, as she looked away. "I'd love to be able to do what you've got planned, but no, no plans."

Robbie thought for a moment. The idea scared him, but the thought of hanging out with the beautiful Maleena all day just felt right. "Would you like to join me? It'll probably be very boring."

"I'd love to!" she snapped. "Thank you! This will be fun! And I look forward to meeting your old gang!"

She smiled and jumped up and went to talk with Lea.

"What the hell did I just do?" he muttered to himself.

The Nashville concert went well. They boarded the buses a little before midnight and the drivers headed towards Atlanta. All the band members tried to get some sleep. They pulled into the hotel parking lot around four am.

At nine am, Maleena met Robbie in the lobby and they headed out. She was dressed in a green flowery blouse and tight blue jeans. Her black hair was loose, and she was carrying large sunglasses. She was perfect! Keep it under control, he reminded himself. He got them an Uber to take them to his apartment and to drive his own car that he had put in storage when he left for LA. Luckily, it started right up.

And Maleena liked his apartment. He showed her around, pointing out that he really had not lived here very long. She liked Lizzie's furniture and smiled when he pointed out his bedroom.

"Can I see your old house?" she asked, as they finished the apartment tour. "It's not too far away, is it?"

"No, it's not. It's on our way to the school. But are you sure?"

She smiled. "I'm enjoying this. Relax!"

He just shook his head. "You are a puzzle, Miss Skye."

"Don't you know it!"

He drove them over to his old neighborhood. He slowed down when they got close to his old home. Then he stopped a couple of houses away.

"It's that one." He pointed it out to her.

"It's beautiful," she said quietly. "Very nice."

"Yeah, it was supposed to be forever."

She looked over at him. "Sorry to bring up memories."

He smiled a tight smile. "No. I need to face them. I still feel like I ran away."

"I'm glad you did," she smiled brightly back at him.

"Me too," he nodded back at her. "Well, are you ready to be surrounded by high schoolers? They're going to go nuts when they see you."

She took a deep breath. "I'm ready!"

They parked in the visitor spot in front of the school.

"Not too late to back out," Robbie teased her.

"Yes, it is. And do me a favor - start calling me Mel when we're out and about. Okay?" Maleena teased back. "Now, let's go!"

They went in and met with the principal, Joe Loftin. He took them down to Robbie's old band room where they met his replacement, Jane Corman. They walked in when the concert band was rehearsing. They sat in the back and simply enjoyed the music.

Robbie recognized several of the students and marveled at how much they had improved this last year. Maleena simply enjoyed the music.

At one point, Mrs. Corman asked Robbie to come forward and direct the band while they played one of the pieces that he had directed many times. It felt good to stand and direct again. Then he introduced Ms. Maleena Skye. The students went wild. A real superstar was standing in their band room.

Then Jimmy, one of the seniors, asked if Robbie would play a guitar. Maybe both he and Ms. Skye could do a duet? Within a minute, a guitar appeared. Robbie quickly tuned it and glanced over at Maleena. She nodded and smiled.

"Let's do 'Baby's Theme', she said. "You start and I'll join in."

He nodded and started strumming and singing. As he finished the first verse, she started in with him. He quieted down letting her sing the lead part while he harmonized and continued playing his guitar. As the last notes were played the students jumped to their feet yelling and clapping. This was quite an experience for these kids. Both Robbie and Maleena stayed for photos and signed autographs.

At that point, Robbie and Maleena politely excused themselves and left the school after promising to return one day and do a full concert for the entire student body.

"Thank you for that," said Robbie when they were back in the car, headed to a late lunch.

"No," she countered. "Thank you. That was wonderful. I haven't felt that fulfilled singing in a long time. And you are an impressive director. I can see you love teaching."

He smiled as he drove. "You know, I do. I've always had a dream of starting my own music school or camp or something musical for kids who want to learn or simply get better."

She nodded with him. "That is a beautiful dream. I think someday you'll achieve it."

"Yeah. Maybe someday. How about you?"

She looked out the window for a few seconds. "A home."

"A home?" he asked.

"Yeah," she drew out the word. "I've been living in apartments, hotels and trailers for the past 22 years. I guess that's why I got emotional seeing your old house. Even if you don't have it now, you did once."

Robbie was speechless. He simply reached over and squeezed her hand for a moment.

They stopped at a deli and ate a light lunch before going back to the hotel.

"Are you sure you want to come with me tonight?" he asked, as they got to her room. I know my friends would love to meet you, but they can be a handful, and I don't want to put you on the spot."

"Of course I want to come," she smiled as she opened her door. Then she looked back at him. "But only if you want me to come. I won't insist, but I'd love to meet your friends."

He smiled back. "Okay, I definitely want you to come. Pick you up in an hour?"

"I'll be ready."

They pulled into Patrick and Sue's driveway on the west side of Atlanta in the early evening.

"You look great," Robbie smiled as they exited the car. "They're going to love you."

"I hope so," she smiled back at him.

The front door flew open, and Sue came running out and hugged him ferociously. "We've missed you so much!"

"How's my favorite girl?" Robbie smiled, as he hugged her back.

"Great!" She released Robbie and looked at Maleena. "Hi, I'm Sue."

"Hi, Sue, I'm Maleena."

"Maleena Skye?"

Maleena nodded.

"I hope it's okay?" asked Robbie. "I invited her to join us."

"Oh, my god," stuttered Sue. "I can't believe you're here."

Patrick and Noah came out at that moment to say hi.

"Guys, this is Maleena," Robbie said as he shook their hands. "Maleena, Patrick and Noah."

"Wow," stuttered Patrick. "You are really pretty."

"Thank you," Maleena smiled. "And thank you for letting me come to your home."

Sue quickly got her wits about her. She grabbed Maleena's arm and started guiding her into the house. "Come with me, Maleena! Let's get away from these lunkheads!"

Steve had stumbled into them as he came out of the house. "Who's that?"

"Maleena Skye."

"The singer? Man, you have really scored!"

"No," said Robbie. "She's just a friend. I'm a member of her band. She dates professional football players. Not ex-band directors."

"I don't know about that," said Patrick. "She's with you meeting your friends. If I didn't know any better, I'd think she likes you."

"As a friend. And as a tour guide for a quiet day off. That's all."

The guys laughed.

"If you say so," added Noah.

The girls huddled in the kitchen. They went quiet when the men walked by headed to the back deck.

"Patrick," Sue ordered. "Get the grill ready. I'll have the burgers for you shortly."

Noah grabbed beers for the guys as they left the kitchen. The girls went back to talking.

Robbie felt sorry for Maleena. He knew she was probably getting the fifth degree. But when he heard laughing and squeaky voices, he knew she was just fine. So, he enjoyed his conversation with the guys. They wanted to know about the touring and the making of the record. Robbie was happy to share because he was among friends.

Just before dinner was ready, the seven kids also showed up. They were mesmerized by Maleena. A real, honest-to-goodness superstar was eating dinner with them.

It was Noah and Carla's son Chase who brought up the forbidden subject.

"So, Uncle Rob," he asked. "What did you think about the Fatsy Patsy thing?"

"What Fatsy Patsy thing?" Robbie looked up at him as he was preparing to take another bite of his burger.

"Um, nothing," Steve interjected.

Robbie and Maleena looked around at the stricken faces.

"Okay, guys, what's going on?" he asked.

"Whatever it is, it sounds like it was fun!" added Maleena, smiling.

That broke the dam. Everyone gave a sigh of relief.

"Well," Patrick started. "It seems that a worm got into a Fatsy Patsy burger. And a few teenagers just happened to be there and put it on the internet."

Maleena started howling with laughter. "That's unbelievable!"

Robbie looked stricken for a moment until he, too, burst into laughter. "Okay, tell us the whole thing."

"We had to do something," pleaded Carla. "We love you too much, Robbie!"

"Yeah," added Noah. "With the kids help, we got one of the cooks to add a worm into a burger. Kind of scary that he hates working there that much. He made sure to cook it for a customer who was staying and eating there."

"We were recording on our cell phones when the guy started screaming!" Penny was smiling as she told her part of the story. "We just recorded him and his plate with the worm crawling around. Then we downloaded it onto all the sites. It was gross and cool at the same time!"

"So," Patrick stepped in. "Inspectors quickly closed the place down. And Mr. Carter's other locations too. They're still closed. The story's been in the paper every day now. It seems that Henry Carter was using tainted meat and a bunch of other subpar stuff in his places to save a nickel. And it has also come out that he was leveraged to the hilt and was using the same collateral for several loans. His entire business is collapsing."

"I guess we lit the match," Steve joined in. "But he burned down the forest all on his own."

"I wonder how Amy feels now!" Sue laughed.

Robbie just stared at his friends. They had done this for him. It was mean. It was nasty. And it was absolutely fantastic!!

"You are the greatest friends a guy could ever have!" He was laughing and crying at the same time. "Maleena, remind me never to cross these people!"

She, too, wiped away a tear. "He's right. You are the greatest friends. I only wish I had friends as wonderful as you."

"You do," said Sue. "You're in our group now! You are part of us. Never forget that!"

Maleena stood up and stepped forward as Sue, Carla and Jane all stepped forward and had a huge group hug. The guys just sat back and smiled. Patrick looked back at Robbie and nodded. Robbie understood. Maybe she was special.

Later, when Robbie dropped Maleena off at her hotel room, she reached up and pulled his face to her where she kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for this wonderful day. You are a very special man, Robert Foster. Good night."

He watched as she turned and stepped into her room. She gave him one more smile as the door closed between them. He stood there frozen for a moment, then he reached up and touched his cheek where her lips had just been. He was torn. Part of him wanted to bust down that door and grab her and make her his own. Another part of him remembered she dates pro football stars - not regular guys like him. He blew out a sigh and turned towards his own room. He was still a regular guy.

25

As everyone ran around preparing for the concert, Maleena was walking on air. This was a great day. Yesterday was so perfect. His old high school, his old house, his friends, and those friends accepting her and making her part of their group. This was what she had been looking for. She realized she was falling for this guitar player. She laughed thinking about how her sister Ginny was going to tell her, "I-told-you-so," but she didn't care.

"Maleena," Jose asked. "Can I speak with you a moment?"

"Sure, what's up?" She looked up at him from her chair in her trailer behind the stage. The doors were open and people were walking in for the concert. It was about an hour before showtime.

"It's about Robbie," he said.

"Yeah?"

"Well, he asked for an extra ticket. And she's here."

"Are you effing kidding?!" She jumped from her seat. "Show me!"

They quietly stepped to the corner of the stage and peeked around the corner.

"The young blonde sitting in the corner of the first row."

"Damn it! She's beautiful, isn't she?" Maleena was ticked.

"Uh, yeah," stuttered Jose, not sure what he should say.

"Why?" she muttered to herself as she turned away and headed back to her trailer, while shaking her head. "Why do I always fall for the wrong guy? Why didn't he tell me yesterday about her? Why?"

The concert went well, though she caught him nodding and smiling to the cute blonde numerous times throughout the show. She was sad and furious at the same time.

Usually at the end of a show, she sticks around and helps the crew. Tonight, she decided to make herself scarce.

She was walking towards her trailer with Jose when Robbie called to her.

"Hey Maleena," he said "there's somebody I want you-"

"Sorry, Robbie," she hollered, without looking back. "I'm really busy."

"But I want you to meet-"

"Robbie! I'm busy!"

"Dad, it's okay, I'll meet her some other time."

Maleena stopped suddenly. Jose almost ran over her. She quickly turned and smiled. "Are you Lizzie?"

The pretty blonde nodded and held out her hand. "Yes, ma'am, I'm Elizabeth Foster. I'm pleased to meet you."

Maleena ignored her outstretched hand and moved in for a bear hug. "I'm so happy to meet you!"

Lizzie was speechless as this famous singer was hugging her tightly. She glanced at her father and Jose, but they also had stunned looks.

"You and I have so much to discuss!" Maleena said as they pulled apart. Maleena then reached down and grabbed her hand. "Come with me!"

"Sure," Lizzie smiled and started walking with her.

Both Robbie and Jose began following them.

Again, Maleena stopped suddenly and turned to face the men. "Just where do you think you're going?"

"With you," said Robbie.

"Oh, no you're not! This is girl talk. Go practice your guitar or something! We'll find you when we're done. Now, be gone! You too, Jose!"

With that, the two women turned and strode off to Maleena's trailer. Robbie and Jose just stood there and watched as they walked away.

"What the hell just happened?" asked Robbie.

Jose just shrugged his shoulders. "No idea, Mr. F., no idea."

26

Lea was surprised when Maleena entered the trailer with a younger pretty blonde woman.

"Lea, this is Lizzie Foster, Robbie's daughter."

"Hi, Lizzie, I'm Maleena's assistant. Nice to meet you."

"You, too!" exclaimed Lizzie. "I can't believe I'm here."

"Maleena," Lea turned to Maleena. "I've got everything ready for tomorrow. Why don't I leave you girls to chat."

"Thanks Lea," Maleena nodded to her.

"Nice to meet you, Lizzie."

"And you," smiled Lizzie.

"So, tell me about Lizzie," Maleena smiled as she sat down on a sofa across from Lizzie after handing her a bottle of water.

"Not much to tell," said Lizzie. "I'm a junior at the University of Georgia. Majoring in nursing. It's going okay."

"You're twenty, right?"

"No, just turned twenty-one last month."

"Well, happy belated birthday!"

"Thank you. It was a quiet celebration as dad was travelling with you and mom and I don't talk much. Luckily, my boyfriend Isaac was around so we had a good time."

"That's great. Sorry about keeping your dad away. Twenty-one is a big event."

"No problem! Dad and I talk quite a bit, so I knew he wouldn't be around. Besides, who wants to celebrate with their dad?" Lizzie was laughing.

"True, very true," smiled Maleena. "Still, I bet he was sorry he wasn't with you."

"Yeah, but I knew he was safe and in a good place hanging around you and the band."

"Thank you for that," smiled Maleena. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Tell me about your dad?"

Lizzie just stared at her for a second before she broke out in laughter. "You like him, don't you?"

Maleena looked down at her hands. "Maybe a little."

"Ha! That's great!" Lizzie was putting the pieces together. "Wait! That's why you were so upset earlier. You thought I was with him! Or a girlfriend! That's why you didn't want to meet me!?"

Maleena nodded. "Guilty as charged. I don't know what it is about your dad, but I like him a lot. But I don't think he thinks of me in the same way. I pretty much threw myself at him yesterday but got nowhere."

Lizzie laughed. "You two are so funny! Dad is really got a big crush on you but is scared."

"Scared?"

"Yeah, of you of course! And screwing up again."

"I don't understand - your dad is scared of me? Why?"

"Because you're a superstar. Because you date professional football players. He still thinks of himself as a high school band director who plays a little guitar. All this," Lizzie waved her hand around. "He's a fish out of water. Serious imposter syndrome."

"Dating Shark Rivers was the worst mistake of my life," Maleena shook her head. "A real narcissist. Luckily, I figured out what he was really like within a month. Just another in my long list of dating failures."

"Dating failures? But you're Maleena Skye!"

"Yeah," she nodded. "That's the problem. I'm looking for someone who loves me for me. Not for being Maleena Skye."

"Wow," Lizzie said softly. "I didn't realize how tough it is to be famous."

Maleena nodded.

"So, do you really want to date my dad?"

"I do," she said. "At least I'd like to see where it leads."

"Then you need to show him the real you. Not the superstar. The superstar scares him. But the beautiful woman - I happen to know he's hooked!"

Maleena thought for a moment. "I can do that."

"Good."

"But I have to ask," Maleena leaned forward. "What about your mother? Any chance of them getting back together?"

"Ha!" Lizzie laughed. "Not a chance in hell! She belittled him! Told him he was a loser! And now she's remarried. But I bet she may be regretting her decisions."

"Why?"

"Because she let me know she's got tickets to your show in Savannah. So, she knows what dad is doing now. I bet it's driving her bonkers!"

"Tell me about her?"

Lizzie took a deep breath. "Well, dad and mom dated all through school. Then dad went away to college and mom dated other guys. But they still saw each other. When I confronted mom about the dates of my birth and their marriage, she confessed that I was an early accident. So, dad came home, put his dreams of being a professional musician on hold, and married mom and took a job as a band director.

"I had a great childhood. Dad fell in love with his job and was happy. Mom was a homemaker and we had a nice home and I had good friends. When I hit my teens, mom decided she wanted to go back to work. I think she just got bored.

"So, she got a job with a law firm as a secretary. For the first time, she was around people with money. Dad and I started seeing a lot of changes in her. Suddenly, her wardrobe wasn't good enough. Then her car wasn't good enough. Now she was ashamed of her house. Soon enough, that shame extended to dad and me. We weren't enough. Not rich enough, cultured enough, or successful enough.

"So, we were replaced. She found a guy with a big bank account, nice car, even a house in Buckhead.

"When dad got the offer to go to LA and make records, he told me not to tell mom. So, I didn't. But somebody did. And now she wants to see him. That's why she got tickets. So, I need a favor from you."

"Anything," said Maleena.

"If you see dad talking to them before or after the concert, please go interrupt them. Dad will thank you. Mom will be ticked off. If mom sees that dad has moved on with someone as beautiful and successful as you, she'll be spitting bullets. It'll be great!"

"I love it!" smiled Maleena. "And I'll be happy to do it!"

"Thank you. Now if I could just think of something to do with the scuzball she married."

"You don't know?" asked Maleena.

"Know what?"

"Your dad's old band friends, Sue and-"

"Aunt Sue, Uncle Patrick and the others?" asked Lizzie.

"Are they your relatives?" asked Maleena.

"Not really," said Lizzie. "But we kids all grew up together and we consider each other cousins and the parents aunts and uncles. Have you met them?"

"Yeah," said Maleena. "They are all fantastic. Your dad took me to a barbeque they had. I really like all of them. And, I can't believe it, but I think they liked me."

"You are so hard to like!" Lizzie was laughing. "So, what did they do?"

"They got a cook to put a worm in a guy's burger. Then Penny filmed him screaming. They dropped it on the net and it's gone viral. The shops are currently closed. It looks like he was doing some financial tricks too, so he's in a great deal of trouble. Isn't that great!"

"That's fantastic!" Lizzie yelled. "I'm going to call Penny and find out what happened. Thanks for telling me!"

"No problem! Tell me more about your dad. I really want to know him. I mean, he told something about wanting to start a music school or camp someday."

"Yeah," nodded Lizzie. "That's always been his dream. Give dad a fishing pole, a shotgun and rifle for hunting and his guitar and he's happy. But his real love is teaching. He's helped a lot of kids over the years that turned into some great musicians."

"That's great! And he loves hunting and fishing?"

"Yep. Before mom went over the edge with her material possessions passion, we used to go up to Montana during the summer where we'd all fish and hunt. We'd rent an old cabin on a lake by the mountains and go fishing, hiking, and hunting deer and squirrels. I'm pretty good with a rifle. God, those were the best times!"

"I like hunting and fishing, too," mused Maleena. "But I haven't done it in a long time. I, too, used to go out with my dad and my sister. Mom never cared to do it, but she happily skinned and cooked our catches."

"My mom did that, too," said Lizzie. "But I'll bet she'd deny that now even with her hand on a bible."

They were both quiet for a moment.

"Does dad know of your love for fishing and hunting?"

"No," she shook her head.

"Then you need to tell him," Lizzie smiled. "Like I said, he needs to meet the real you. Not the superstar."

Maleena stood up and Lizzie followed her lead. Maleena stepped forward and hugged her tight. "Thank you. You are now one of my greatest friends. I hope you know how proud your dad is of you. And now I know why. I intend to follow up on everything you have told me tonight. Again, thank you!"

Lizzie was tearing up. "I came to see my dad play in a concert with one of my favorite artists. And now I am leaving with a new friend. I can't ask for more than that! Actually, I can. Maybe you'll be more than my friend. Maybe a stepmom!"

Maleena smiled and nodded as she wiped away her tears. "We better go find your dad. I'm probably in enough trouble with him!"

"I guess," Lizzie sighed. "Let's go."

27

"I want to thank you for letting me steal Lizzie away from you last night." Maleena was smiling at Robbie as she sat beside him on the bus heading to Augusta for the concert. Except for the driver, they were alone. The remaining band members were all on the other bus as they wanted to watch the college football game on the built-in television. Neither Robbie nor Maleena wanted to watch.

"I don't think I had much choice," he smiled back at her. "But that's okay. I know she had a great time with you."

"She is awesome," said Maleena. "You have done a fantastic job raising her. We immediately connected."

"She is pretty impressive," nodded Robbie. "I'm very proud of her. Even with this screwed-up home life, she's been a rock."

"We had a great conversation," Amy looked out the window at the passing scenery. "She told me about you."

"I hope some of it was good."

"It was all good. She loves you with a ferocity I haven't seen in a long time."

Robbie smiled again. "So, what did you learn about me?"

"That you like to hunt and fish. That you used to vacation in Montana. That you love teaching. Of course, I already knew that."

"Yep, that's pretty much my life," Robbie nodded. "But she left out the part about being a failure with pretty much everything else in my personal life."

Maleena started to object but thought better of it. "Can I tell you a story?"

Robbie nodded as he scanned her face. He could get lost in those eyes.

"I have a friend in this business," she started. "Her real name is Melinda Smith, but she changed it when she started. She and her big sister were the product of a broken home, but they survived. Her sister is still her best friend. She realized when she was only seven years old that she had talent. She begged her mom to enter her in local singing competitions and at the age of nine was part of a radio show that featured local talent.

"When she was sixteen, she dropped out of high school to follow her dream. She faced years of rejection and heartache until one of her songs hit. Then the world fell to her feet. Suddenly, she was both rich and famous. And the fame went to her head.

"She started dating famous guys and spending her money like there was no tomorrow. Luckily, before she went overboard with drugs or any other outside forces trying to drag her down, her sister staged an intervention. It saved her life. She confessed that the more famous she got, the hollower she felt inside. And to this day, even though she is still successful, she is still hollow. But she's been able to keep the depression at bay. I know that she is still looking for love. For true love. But all the guys she's met see her as a meal ticket to fame or a notch on their bedpost. So, she's very skittish."

Robbie listened intently. "That is a painful story. I'd like to meet your friend. I think we've got a lot in common."

Maleena smiled. Then she held her hand out to shake Robbie's. "Hi, my name's Melinda Smith. What's yours?"

Robbie's eyes got big as saucers. "You? You are Melinda Smith?"

"I am." She smiled, while still holding out her hand. "And you are the only person besides Lea that knows that. Let's keep it that way. And we do have a lot in common."

He reached out to shake her hand but didn't let go when they touched. He twisted his body in his seat and pulled her close. He saw the desire in her eyes and knew he felt it too. Their lips touched. Cautiously at first, then both hungrily started dueling tongues with the other. Once they started, they couldn't stop.

She pulled away and stood up before stepping in front of him and sitting down in his lap. She again grabbed both sides of his face and resumed kissing. He wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her tight. She was wearing shorts, so with one hand he started sliding his hand up and down her thigh.

She moaned slightly. He pulled away from her mouth and started kissing and licking her jaw line. She shivered slightly and moved her head to the side allowing him to kiss and lick her neck. As he did, he moved up with his mouth close to her ear.

"I want you," he forcefully whispered. "All of you. And soon."

She just nodded her consent with her eyes still closed. "I want that, too."

He moved his lips back to hers and resumed kissing her deeply. He pushed his hand between her legs and squeezed while sliding up higher. Her quiet moans increased.

He pulled slightly away from her lips. He spoke quietly, as he looked deeply into her eyes. "We're pulling into Augusta. Let's continue this dance after the concert tonight."

She nodded. This felt so right. She was now his. "I can't wait."

He again pulled her to him and resumed kissing her. After a few minutes, he pulled away again. "I need you to get ready. We'll be at the venue soon."

As he had been here many times, he knew exactly where they were even though they were in the back just looking out the tinted windows. No one could see in.

"I guess you're right," she muttered, as she leaned back in for a final deep kiss. Then she pushed herself to her feet with his hands helping her. She looked back down at him with her eyes clouded with lust. "Tonight."

28

Savannah is such a beautiful city. It is said that General William Sherman was so taken with the city's beauty, that he ordered his men not to burn it to the ground as they had done across the south on his famous march to the sea during the Civil War. So, Savannah survived and thrived as a true southern belle of a city even to present day.

Robbie and Mel - she was now Mel to him - were holding hands as they wandered the streets of town on foot admiring the majestic oak trees draped in Spanish moss and the old southern buildings and parks. But as much as they were in awe of their surroundings, they really were only thinking of each other and the previous night.

As it had been some time since either had been intimate with anyone, there was a little hesitation and awkwardness in the beginning. But after a couple of laughing mistakes, both knew what they wanted and the night was fantastic for both. After three rounds of lovemaking, they fell into a deep sleep intertwined with each other. And, upon waking this morning, they repeated their lovemaking before going down to breakfast with the band.

Though they tried to hide their evening from the rest of the band, the looks on their faces gave them away.

"I win!" yelled Dwayne. "Pay up everyone!"

"Win what?" asked Robbie, as he pulled out a chair for Mel.

"We had a bet on when you two would get together and do the deed," said Dwayne. "And I win!"

Both Mel and Robbie turned multiple shades of red.

"I didn't think anyone would know," muttered Mel.

"Oh, honey, we've all known," said Lea. "From the day Robbie started. We laughed this entire time as we realized you two were the only ones that didn't know how great you are together."

"So, are you guys okay with this?" she asked.

"Hell yes," said Mark. "Just so long as he doesn't get any special privileges. I mean, beyond the obvious!"

Robbie laughed. "Thanks, guys! You are the best! I owe you!"

"Yeah, you do! Cause I won! So, pay up everyone!" Dwayne was laughing.

As the guys were joking, Lea looked at Mel and quietly asked, "Are you good?"

She smiled a bright smile. "I am. I really am."

"Good," nodded Lea, smiling with her. "That's good."

After breakfast, they wandered through the city while holding hands and stopping occasionally to kiss.

That afternoon, they ran a practice session and then proceeded to Enmarket Arena to help set up for the show. The ticket sales showed about 9,300 tickets sold of the 9,500 seats available. So, not quite a sellout, but still strong numbers.

29

Amy and Henry had gone down to Savannah on Saturday evening. They made love that night, then spent Sunday and Monday touring the city.

For Henry, it was good to get away. His businesses were getting worse. He had lawyers fighting for him on all fronts, but it was getting costly. The inspectors still had not let him reopen the restaurants. And Harry Hawkins had called demanding a meeting later this week. Nothing was going right. How the hell did his world come crumbling down so quickly?

Luckily, the beautiful blonde on his arm still made him feel good and virile. She was gorgeous, smart, and so much better in bed than his late wife ever was. Even though he was still having misgivings about keeping her long-term, at this point she was a great diversion from his problems. And he tried to shield her from the issues he was facing. His late wife, Mae, would help him through problems. He wasn't sure about Amy. She might, or she might run. He knew he had won her only because her ex-husband was a lowly band director. And he had money. The ex-husband didn't.

He looked over at her and smiled. They would attend this silly concert tonight, then he would fuck her again. That made the trip worth it.

Amy always enjoyed Savannah. She, Robbie and Lizzie have been here many times. So, she was having a good time showing her new husband around some of her familiar haunts. But she was focused on the concert tonight. And especially, the lead guitar player. Since last week, she had been rehearsing her speech to Robbie when they cornered him. He would take her back. She would be part of the Los Angeles music scene and hang out with superstars. Henry wouldn't be happy but so be it.

After a wonderful light dinner, they headed to the Arena.

30

The concert was spectacular that night. Maleena never sounded stronger and surer of herself, while the band was right on point. There was a lightness and a crispness to their sound that hadn't been evident before. Because everyone knew their part, they were able to relax and perform to the highest level that evening.

Later, the band members attributed that to Maleena and Robbie finally getting together. And the other guys weren't jealous. Most had wives or girlfriends at home. A couple of them played the field and had or would find a different girl at almost every stop. Something about being a professional musician with a travelling superstar brought out groupies. Even Lea had a steady guy at home that called every day.

During the concert, Robbie called Maleena back on stage to sing 'Baby's Theme' as a duet. He asked her to sing the same way they had done at the high school a few days before. The audience went nuts and gave them a standing ovation to that song. Then Robbie soloed on his second song that was also climbing the charts, 'Walking Through the Dark Valley' while Maleena stayed with him and sang harmony. Again, a standing ovation. This was another song about his divorce and crawling through the wreckage.

Maleena took over at that point with either Robbie or Dwayne playing lead guitar for her. After the two encores, she settled the crowd down with a soft ballad before sending everyone on their way. An excellent concert all around.

As the lights came down and they left the stage, Maleena remembered the warning from Lizzie, so kept a close eye on Robbie. Sure enough, within a few minutes she saw a pretty blonde that was an older version of Lizzie with a distinguished older guy beside her making their way to Robbie.

"It's showtime," she thought. She headed that way, too.

31

"Robbie!"

Robbie froze as he slowly stood up, letting go of the cable he was disconnecting. That was a voice from his past. One he hoped to never hear again.

"Robbie, how are you?"

He slowly turned around and stared at the approaching couple.

"Hi, Amy." There was zero emotion in his voice. He nodded to the man. The same man he had thrown out of his house the year before.

"You didn't tell me you joined a band," said Amy, ignoring the tension.

"You walked out on me and we got divorced. Then you remarried. Why should I tell you anything? But I'll tell you now - I joined a band."

"And you're on the radio," she smiled. "With my song."

"It's not your song anymore. I changed the key, the tempo, and the lyrics. There's nothing left of your song there. Kinda like your old family. You and your new husband saw to that."

"It's still my song," she was nodding as she smiled. "You wrote it for me."

"And I rewrote it to rid myself of the cheating slut of an ex-wife."

"Now," interjected Henry. "You can't talk to my wife like that!"

"Then get her out of here," snarled Robbie. "Because to me, she's a cheating slut of an ex-wife."

"Robbie," Amy started to cry. "I came to apologize. To say I'm sorry for the way things ended. To try and mend fences. At least for Lizzie's sake."

It was at that moment that the beautiful brunette stepped up beside Robbie. "Hi, honey, who are your friends?"

"Not really friends," muttered Robbie. "Maleena Skye, meet my ex-wife Amy and her new husband Henry Carter."

"Oh!" Maleena was all smiles as she held out her hand. "I've heard so much about both of you!"

Henry was wowed by the woman's beauty and her star status. He quickly realized his wife didn't hold a candle to this woman.

Amy stared daggers at her. This was not what she expected. Robbie should be accepting her sincere apologies, not flaunting this floozie at her! But she reluctantly shook Maleena's hand. "Amy Foster - I mean Amy Carter!"

Henry snapped his head and stared at his wife for a moment. Suddenly, it was clear why she wanted to go to this concert. She wanted to be 'Amy Foster' again.

He quickly regained his composure and turned to shake Maleena's hand. "I'm Henry Carter. I own restaurants up in Atlanta."

"Really," asked Maleena, dripping with fake interest. "Which ones?"

"The Fatsy Patsy fast-food diners," he smiled proudly.

Maleena quickly wrinkled her nose. "The ones with the worms? Aren't they closed?"

"Well, yes," he muttered. Suddenly, this was not a fun conversation. "Some bad meat came in, and we closed until we figure out from where and when. Our customers are our highest priority."

"Good for you!" Maleena's smile returned as she hugged Robbie's arm tighter. "Safety first! I hope you get it fixed!"

"We will." Henry nodded to her, as he accepted her condolences on the situation.

Maleena turned to Amy. "And I want to thank you for discarding this guy! Not only is he a great guitar player and singer with songs climbing the charts, he's also one hell of a lover! You know I last dated Shark Rivers, the pro football player, but he doesn't hold a candle to Robbie. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart! And Lizzie! She's the best! You must be so proud of her!"

Amy's world collapsed as she saw this Maleena woman hugging her husband. But he wasn't her husband anymore, was he? She had traded up!

But to hear this woman brag about Robbie like that was sickening. And she knew Lizzie! This had become a nightmare.

"I am," Amy croaked, speaking of Lizzie. She forced a smile. "And I'm glad you found someone, Robbie. You deserve to be happy."

He nodded to her. "I am. Good luck to you, too."

"Honey," said Maleena. "We've got to go and help the boys."

She turned back to the now unhappy couple. "Nice meeting you. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of each other. Next time you're coming to a concert, let us know and we'll get you some tickets. Hope you have a great rest of your evening!"

She pulled on Robbie's arm to turn and walk away.

"Goodbye, Amy," Robbie nodded to her as he walked away with Maleena on his arm.

"You bitch," Henry said quietly to his wife as they watched Robbie and Maleena walk away. "You didn't want to see this concert. You wanted to see him. And get him back. That plan really backfired, didn't it?"

Amy gulped hard. At this moment, she was broken. Nothing had worked out as she planned. And now, it was even worse because her husband knew she still carried a torch for her ex. Or at least his success.

"Well," he sighed, as he grabbed her arm and forcibly started walking away with her. "I guess I know what I'm doing tomorrow. It looks like we're going to be divorced. Ha! Didn't even make it a year."

"No!" she snapped, as she stopped and glared at him. "I don't want a divorce! I wanted to apologize to Robbie for the way I ended it with him! I'm yours! Now and forever!"

"Okay. Let's get a drink and go back to the room," Henry smiled at her. Now, he could add to Robbie's earlier description of her. She is a lying, cheating slut. Tonight, he'll treat her like one. Tomorrow, he will call his attorney and get out of this sham of a marriage.

32

"Thank you for that." Robbie had stopped Mel as they got back behind the stage. "That was a wonderful thing you did."

She glared at him. "I didn't do anything. I meant every word! I think I'm falling for you, Mr. Foster, and I'm afraid! Very afraid. Remember the girl I told you about. She may have just found her Mr. Right. And that scares her."

"Then this guy better not do anything stupid!" He smiled as he pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her waist. Then he bent down allowing their lips to intertwine and their tongues to start dueling with each other.

"So far, he's on the right track," she muttered, as they came up for air. "But kiss me again so I can confirm this!"

"Yes, ma'am," he said as he moved back in.

33

Amy wasn't surprised Wednesday when she was served with divorce papers at her office. Second time in less than a year. Must be a record.

Monday night in Savannah after the awkward meetup with Robbie and Maleena, Henry was not happy. They had gone back to the hotel and had a quick drink before going back to their room. She had hoped they would make love, but he treated her like a cheap tramp. And yesterday's ride back he was cold as ice.

She didn't even bother opening the envelope as she made her way down to Bob Harris' office again. He rolled his eyes when she appeared.

"You're kidding, right?" he asked.

She sadly smiled as she shook her head. "I wish I had listened to you the first time. And I'm sorry I ever laid eyes on Henry Carter."

"Well, let's see what the damages are." He took the envelope from her and opened it. "Looks like irreconcilable differences. And he's not going to pay the prenup money."

"The hell he's not!" shouted Amy, as she rose from her chair.

"Relax, Amy," he smiled at her. "He'll pay. Remember, I wrote that damn thing. As a matter of fact, I think we had better get the ball rolling right now. I'm going to file a formal motion asking the judge to order compliance. If that doesn't work, we'll request a court order to seize his assets."

"Thank you, Bob," Amy sighed. "I'm not sure I can do this anymore."

"Amy," Bob leaned back in his chair. "Can I give you some advice?"

She nodded.

"Now, I'm not a shrink, but you need to relax. You need to go off by yourself for a while and find the true Amy again. Stop chasing happiness or wealth or even men. You left your first husband because he wasn't successful but now, he is. You pick husband number two because he looks successful but now, he isn't. Do you see the pattern? Or the common denominator?"

"Yeah," she took a deep breath. "It's me."

Bob nodded but stayed quiet.

"I understand," she looked down at her feet. "I need to get my head on straight."

"You do. Now, regarding this situation, you need to get an apartment and move out. The house is his. You've got no rights to it. You've still got the money from the house sale before, don't you?"

She nodded.

"Now I've heard his restaurants are still closed," he continued.

"I think so. He doesn't really confide in me." She shook her head. "I guess I never really asked him about it."

"Doesn't sound like it was much of a marriage." Bob was staring at her.

She shook her head again slowly. "I guess not. I do have a lot of thinking to do, don't I?"

He smiled. "You should think about professional help. I've got a list of therapists that might help you get on the right track."

"That's a good idea. Thank you."

34

Lea was pounding on Mel's door at four am. She was curled up on Robbie's arm sound asleep while the pounding continued. "Open up! Mel! Open up! Now!"

Robbie stirred first and threw on his pants as he went to open the door. At this point, no one in the band cared that they shared a room. So, Mel and Robbie started sleeping together almost immediately.

Lea brushed past him and flew into the room. Mel sat up in bed, holding the bed sheet to hide her naked body. "What the hell is so important? What time is it?"

"They just announced the Grammy nominations!" shouted Lea. "Mel, you've got 'Best Female Artist of the Year' and 'Album of the Year'."

"Mel, that's fantastic!" exclaimed Robbie. "Congratulations!"

Lea turned to him still smiling. "And you, Robbie Foster, are up for 'Song of the Year' for 'Baby's Theme' and 'New Artist of the Year'. What do you think of that?!"

"You've got to be kidding?" stammered Robbie.

"Oh my god!" yelled Mel. "Robbie, that's awesome! You have done it!"

Robbie just shook his head and dropped into the nearest chair. "I owe all of you so much. This is so unbelievable. I'm a high school band director. Not a Grammy nominee."

"You are now!" Lea went to hug him. "Both of you! Now, I'll leave you alone. Try to keep the celebration to a minimum and go back to sleep. I love you both!"

"Thanks again, Lea," smiled Mel. "We will. Talk later. Goodnight."

As she left, Robbie again locked the door and turned back towards Mel. "A Grammy nominee."

Mel smiled. She had been nominated before, so she knew what was ahead. "Hey, nominee, how about coming back to bed and we can celebrate - nominee to nominee?"

She raised the sheet and showed off her naked body to him. He growled in admiration and quickly discarded his pants as he crawled back under the sheets beside her then wrapped his arms around her. "I'm ready to celebrate."

"Me too!"

35

Three months later, on a cool February evening, Robbie, wearing a tuxedo, walked the red carpet into the Crypto. com arena in Los Angeles for the Grammy Awards, with his stunning daughter Lizzie on one arm and the even more stunning Maleena Skye on his other. The shimmering dresses and hairstyles that each sported were simply gorgeous. Robbie had joked in the limo that brought them, that both were going to be "belles of the ball." They stopped for several photos from the paparazzi on their way towards their seats. He was sweating on the inside but was trying to stay calm on the outside.

Lizzie knew he was uncomfortable. "Relax, dad. We'll be inside soon enough."

"Yeah," Maleena added quietly, as she smiled for the camera. "You are doing great. Just a little longer."

Once inside, Robbie breathed a sigh of relief. He knew this was a necessary part of the game, but he really didn't want to be here. Yet he owed it to everyone to be here when his song had catapulted him to this stage. Each of these people had a hand in that. And to the many members of the Grammy voting membership who nominated him, he owed them, too. At least he had zero chance of winning anything. That meant he could go enjoy the show with his favorite girls and they would cheer when Mel won. And he patted his jacket pocket. Yes, it was still there. No matter what, this was going to be a great evening.

Barry and Ginny were waiting for them. By this time, Lizzie had met everyone involved in her dad's life and felt close to all of them. Everybody had big hugs for each other. The men both marveled at the beauty of the three women with them.

"Okay, ladies," Barry took the lead. "Time to head to our seats."

Both Mel and Robbie were also going to perform tonight. The director had told them ahead of time when they would get the signal to head backstage to prepare. After the song, they would go back to their seats.

After the grand opening, three of the winners were announced. Then a rock band played one of their hits. Two more awards and it was a country group that played. That was Robbie's cue to go get ready.

"Wish me luck," he murmured to both girls.

"You'll be great, dad," whispered Lizzie.

Mel smiled. "Knock 'em dead, lover."

He joined the band backstage as the show went to a commercial. That was their cue to quickly move to the stage and get ready. Three minutes later, the MC was pointing at them. "And here's Robbie Foster with 'Baby's Theme'."

"Ladies and gentlemen," Robbie stepped to the mic. He looked over to Maleena and smiled. "If I may, I'd like to ask Maleena Skye to join me for this song."

She was stunned but slowly rose from her seat as Lizzie and Ginny helped push her to the stage. Robbie reached out and grabbed her hand to help her up the stairs to the stage. An extra microphone was quickly set up for her as Dwayne hit the first note.

"Just like we've been doing it," said Robbie quietly as he smiled at her.

She nodded.

They turned together and started singing. With Robbie's dazzling guitar picking and their voices seamlessly blending, the song got a standing ovation. This one meant so much because it was in front of their peers. They nodded as they bowed holding hands as the show cut to commercials.

Soon they were back in their seats watching the parade of winners. Finally, they got to the 'Best New Artist' award. The six nominees were introduced with a camera in front of each as the presenter called the winner.

"And the winner for 'Best New Artist' is - - Robbie Foster!"

Robbie just sat there. His mind was blank. It was Maleena, Lizzie and Ginny yelling and clapping and pushing him from his chair. As his brain slowly re-engaged, he turned and kissed Maleena on the lips and Lizzie on the cheek. He was still shaking his head as he climbed the steps to the stage. After the presenter handed him his trophy, he nodded and stepped forward to the microphone.

"I'm so humbled," he quietly said. He was simply improvising at this point. "I know all my fellow nominees are all so deserving of this that I didn't prepare any kind of speech. Um, I need to thank Will Price and everyone at Price Records. You guys are the best! To Jerry Grayson and his team - I only sound this good because of you! And Stan Phelps and the back office - if there was a fire and I could only save one person, it'd be Stan - because he writes the checks!"

The audience howled and clapped.

"Um," Robbie looked down for a second as he continued. "Many of you know my story. A year and a half ago, I was a high school band director down in Atlanta - go Valley Eagles! I'm so proud of you! It was then that my ex-wife walked out on me calling me a loser. My salvation was my band, The Stormers. I love you all!! The night my ex-wife walked out on me, Sue, the lead singer, convinced me to play through my pain. Thank God she did. Because that night, I met Barry Danvers - my brother from a different mother!"

Barry and Robbie shared a thumbs up.

"And, more importantly, I met his wife, Ginny Danvers. When God is looking for Saints, she better be his first pick. She single-handedly restored my faith in women."

Ginny nodded to him with tears in her eyes.

"But there's two women in my life that are my life. The first is my daughter, Lizzie." He nodded to her.

She was beaming.

"She was there for me during this horrible time. She was the parent and I was the child. I can't tell you how much you mean to me, princess. I love you."

She, too, had tears running down her face.

"And finally, when I met Ginny Danvers, I was so captivated by her, that I asked her if there were any more like her at home. To my surprise, she said yes. And then a few months later, she introduced this clone, Maleena Skye. And Maleena invited me to tour with her! An ex-band director touring with a superstar! But I came to know and admire and even fall for this superstar. As a matter of fact..." he paused as he surveyed the room. "You know, what the hell!"

The cameras followed as he stepped off the stage and went straight to Maleena's chair and dropped to one knee. "Maleena Skye, from the moment I met you I have been crazy in love with you. I know this is not the quiet intimate moment it should be for this question, but... Will you marry me? And make me the happiest man on the planet?"

Maleena was stunned. She blinked hard as she looked into Robbie's eyes. Suddenly, everything was all right with the world. "Yes! Yes, I'll marry you!"

Robbie smiled as he slid the ring on her finger that he had hidden in his breast pocket. Then they kissed, as the audience broke into wild applause. He pulled her from her seat, and they went back up on stage to collect his trophy before heading backstage.

At that point, the MC took back over the show. "Well folks, that was quite a speech! It'll be fun to see what tops that!"

As they stepped backstage with everyone clapping and backslapping, both with congratulations, Robbie grabbed her arm and pulled her to one side as he excused them from the growing crowd of well-wishers. She was all smiles as he pushed her into a corner.

"I love you, Robbie Foster."

He looked hard at her.

Her smile drained from her face. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want to marry Maleena Skye," he said.

"What? What do you mean?!" She was getting angry. "Then what the hell was that stunt you just pulled?"

"I'm giving you the chance to go back out there and tell them it was a sick joke," he said. "Because I'm not going to marry Maleena Skye. I want to marry Melinda Smith. I'm in love with Melinda Smith. I want to grow old and die in Melinda Smith's arms. And I need to know if Melinda Smith is in love with me?"

The anger Maleena had melted at once. She smiled again. "Yes, Melinda Smith is in love with you. And Melinda Smith wants to marry you and be yours forever."

"Good." Robbie leaned in and kissed her again.

As they parted, Maleena looked hard at him. "Melinda will be your wife and love you, but Maleena will occasionally appear and sing and make records and tour with her guitar playing husband. He, too, will make records and tour with his wife Maleena. Do we have a deal, Mr. Foster?"

Robbie nodded and smiled. "I can live with that, my soon-to-be Mrs. Foster. Now kiss me!"

"With pleasure, Mr. Foster."

The evening continued with Maleena winning for 'Best Female Artist of the Year'. During her speech she kept looking at the new rock on her finger.

"Thank you so much for this award, but somehow it's second to this one!" Again, she held up her left hand.

Then Robbie won again for 'Song of the Year' for 'Baby's Theme'.

"This means so much to me," Robbie was crying this time. "This song used to be a happy song, but when my life as I knew it was pulled out from under me, this song became my sad anthem. For it to have found an audience is unbelievable. Again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you, so much. And she said yes!!"

With that, the night ended. The happy couple went off to celebrate with Lizzie, Barry, Ginny, the band and the Price Records family.

36

In Atlanta, the older blonde reached for the remote and shut the TV off as the credits started rolling for the Grammy Awards show. She was sitting on her second-hand sofa in her two-bedroom apartment by herself with a blanket covering her legs. She wiped the tears from her eyes as she headed to bed. There was nothing more to see. At least not tonight.

37

Seven months later found Robbie again wearing a tux. This time he was standing in front of the altar at the church with the minister at his side. They watched as Noah led Jane down the aisle coming towards them and splitting apart as they reached him. As they separated, Steve followed, leading Sue down the aisle. Again, they separated in front of them. Next up was Patrick leading his beautiful daughter Lizzie towards them. And, finally, Barry and Ginny made their way down. Barry took his spot beside Robbie as Ginny stepped slightly away from them, allowing the bride her space.

The wedding march music started. Down the aisle walked the most beautiful woman in a stunning wedding gown that Robbie had ever seen. She was on the arm of Will Price. Will had graciously accepted the role of walking the second Smith sister down the aisle.

Robbie's eyes started misting as he realized this beauty was about to give herself to him. He had done it right this time. This was meant to be.

As she joined him by his side, they turned towards the minister who talked of forever love. Of forever being best friends. Of forever fighting battles side-by-side. Of forever forgiving the other for mistakes - both big and small. Of forever wanting to be together.

Then the minister pronounced them man and wife and they kissed. Robbie held her tight as they turned towards the congregation.

"Ladies and gentlemen," announced the minister. "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Foster."

With that pronouncement, the ceremony was over. They rushed to their hotel where they changed clothes, before being driven to the convention center where they held a large reception.

Everyone was there. Friends from the music industry, band members and spouses, some of Melinda's old friends and Robbie's best friends. Lizzie had brought her boyfriend Isaac. Speeches, dancing and liquor were the order of the evening. Everyone danced and mingled with each other. All were friends by the end of the night. Robbie and Mel danced together and with others throughout the evening.

Lizzie congratulated him for finally getting it done. And she was now calling Mel, "Momma Mel".

Ginny was patting herself on the back for being the matchmaker. Both Mel and Robbie agreed. "That just makes us love you more!"

Robbie and Mel both had a long and semi-serious discussion with Lizzie and Isaac. They later agreed that Isaac seemed to be a keeper. Lizzie had done well.

When the evening was over, Robbie and Mel were chauffeured to their hotel for their wedding night. Will Price had secured the bridal suite for them. The view overlooked the lights of Los Angeles. But they only had eyes for each other.

As the suite had two separate bathrooms, they were each able to get ready for bed at the same time. Robbie was first in the bed awaiting his new bride.

When Mel entered the bedroom wearing only a see-through silk robe showing off her figure with a sexy teddy set, Robby's eyes bulged. This woman was perfection!

"Wow," he muttered.

"You like?" she smiled. She twirled around giving him a full view of her body.

"Come here," he ordered as he held his hands out for her. "I want you. Now!"

She smiled and started to twirl again. As she did, he leaned forward and grabbed her, pulling her on top of him on the bed. Then he rolled over on top of her. It happened so quickly, she was out of breath.

"Now I've caught you," he smiled. "And you are mine. Forever."

She sighed in defeat. Then she raised up to kiss him. "I am. And I love you so much, Mr. Foster."

He smiled. "Not nearly as much as I love you, Mrs. Foster."

He leaned in for another passionate kiss.

She smiled at him as they broke their kiss. "I got you a great present. I think you'll like it."

"This is the only present I want to unwrap," he smiled and wiggled his eyebrows as he ran a finger down her neck to her breasts. "This is all I'll ever need."

"And you're all I'll ever want," she whispered. "Now, make love to me."

"As the lady wishes," he smiled.

38

The happy couple were catching a flight to the Bahamas for a honeymoon two days later. The wedding gifts had been sent to Mel's apartment where they were now living. Robbie had let his lease expire the month before and had moved in with Mel. After the wonderful love-filled wedding and wedding night at the hotel, they went back to the apartment to spend their second married night.

"I want to give you my present now," Mel smiled, as she handed Robbie an envelope. "This is actually for both of us."

"Okay," Robbie started to cautiously open the envelope. He pulled out some legal paperwork. It finally began to dawn on him what he was looking at. "Land? In Montana?"

She was smiling a bright smile. "I bought us a 900-acre ranch near Whitefish. It's got a house and a couple of barns. The couple passed away and I got it from the estate. There's a river for fishing, enough trees for hunting and it's at the base of the mountains. I think we can build a camp there for aspiring musicians. Maybe a recording studio, too."

Robbie just stared at her for a moment. "My god, that is the most wonderful thing ever! Wow!"

"What do you think?" she asked.

Robbie was shaking his head as he tried to wrap his mind around this present. "You are the greatest! I love you so much! This is unbelievable! Yes, definitely a recording studio. Maybe housing. A concert venue. Both inside and outside. I can't wait to go see it!"

"I want a nice house," she was shaking with his shared enthusiasm.

"Anything my Queen wants! As a matter of fact, that will be first on the list!" He grabbed her and kissed her hard. "Let's go on a great honeymoon and then go see the property."

She nodded. "I'm excited. I bought sight unseen. But I think the family we bought it from is honest. And we hired a good real estate appraiser up there. The attorneys gave us their blessing. If any issues, it'll be taken care of."

"I can't wait!"

39

Robbie stood knee-deep in the gently flowing river as he again threw his fly cast into the water. He had already caught three trout this morning. One more and he'd be done for the day. Early September in Montana meant the water was starting to get chilly and stay that way longer. He knew his days of standing in the water while casting was coming to an end for the season even with heavy-duty waders. And he wasn't getting any younger. Three more throws and he got lucky. The pole bent quickly, but he was ready and slowly reeled in another gorgeous trout.

He threw his new catch in the bucket with the other three for Maria to cook. She wouldn't be pleased, but she was a great cook, and the best staff hire Mel had ever made. That she also had strong opinions that she wasn't afraid to share only added to the love he and Mel had for her.

Then he cleaned up and collected his supplies before walking back to the main house. Hard to believe twenty years had passed. Looking at the multiple buildings with people buzzing around carrying musical folders and instruments, he thought back to how this operation began:

Soon after he and Mel's honeymoon, they visited this wilderness ranch that Mel had gifted for both to build their respective dreams. Included in the original group were Mel and Robbie, Lea, the property caretaker Jess Cooper, the real estate agent Carol O'Casey, and architect Sean Abrams.

Jess was pleased to meet the new owners, but he knew that his days were now almost done. They would have no use for him. Still, it was exciting to meet two famous singers. So, he wanted to put both his and the property's best foot forward. And he thought the assistant, Lea, was cute. Being a single ranch hand was wonderful except for meeting members of the opposite sex. Only when he was able to get to town would he see pretty girls.

Carol O'Casey was also pleased to meet the famous couple. But she had been at this game of real estate for several years and was slightly jaded at this point in her career. So, she smiled sweetly as they roamed around and all were asking questions. Her real goal was getting them to the office and closing the deal. That was scheduled later in the afternoon. Until then, this was simply a waste of time.

Sean was busy taking notes and pictures. When the Foster's sat down with him and explained what they had in mind, he knew this would be a big project. He was already lining up contractors and getting permits. It would all rest on his shoulders. He had a good idea of what they would want and need, but he needed to make sure it was possible.

"Jess, can you give us the history of the place?" asked Robbie.

"Yes, sir," he replied. "The Hastings family has owned the place for the last 42 years. I came on board as a hired hand about six years ago. When old man Hastings died four years ago, Mrs. H. wasn't sure what to do. The two sons had moved to New York years ago and wanted nothing to do with it. So, I kept it going. When they sold it to you, the staff and ranch hands simply collected their last check and left. I felt I owed Mrs. H. the favor of continuing the upkeep until you officially take over. Then I'll pack and go."

"How long have you been here without being paid?" asked Mel.

"About a month, ma'am," smiled Jess.

Mel and Robbie shared a glance at each other. Each were now good at reading the other.

"Hold up a second, Jess," said Robbie. He turned to the group. "Give us a minute."

He grabbed Jess by the elbow and led him away from the group.

Jess quietly followed Robbie's lead.

About fifty feet from the others, Robbie stopped and turned to Jess. "Do you like it here?"

"Yes, sir, I do."

"Well," Robbie took a deep breath and surveyed the valley before turning back to Jess. "We are going to need someone to look after the place. Somebody who's got our best interests in mind. Someone we can trust completely. How about it? Think you'd like that?"

"Um, are you offering me the job, sir?"

Robbie nodded. "I am. You'll be working with Lea. She's going to run our operations, but I need you to handle all this. So, I'm officially offering you the job. What do you think?"

Jess just dumbly nodded. "I accept."

"Good," said Robbie, as he held out his hand. "We'll work out money later. Now let's get back to my wife and the others."

Jess quickly shook his hand. Then Robbie led him back to the others.

"Lea," said Robbie. "Jess here, he's going to be working with you to get this place in shape. You okay with that?"

Lea smiled. Her boyfriend had dumped her two months ago because she was travelling so much. And this cowboy was damn cute. Maybe working together might lead to something. "I'm okay with that."

"Sean, you got what you need?" asked Robbie.

"I've got about an hour more here, Mr. Foster," Sean replied.

"Is it okay if we leave all of you?" asked Robbie as he looked around. "I think Ms. O'Casey wants Mel and I to get our business done."

"That's okay, Mr. Foster," stammered Carol. "I'm fine."

He smiled a knowing smile at her. "We're good, aren't we, Mel?"

She smiled back at him. "Yes, we are. Jess, welcome to the team. And Jess, can you give Lea a ride to the hotel when you're done?"

"Yes, ma'am, I'd be honored." Jess smiled as he looked at Lea.

Lea blushed slightly.

Robbie and Mel climbed into the SUV they drove and followed Carol O'Casey back to her office. It took about an hour for the paperwork to be fully complete. Carol smiled when Mel produced a seven-figure certified check. She realized these folks were legitimate. The ranch was officially theirs.

Mel and Robbie stayed a week while working with Lea, Jess, and Sean each day. When it was time to head back to Los Angeles, Lea opted to stay and be their eyes and ears for this project. Besides, she liked being around this cowboy. Mel just hugged her at the airport and told her to have fun while working.

Mel and Robbie each headed back to the studio for solo albums in Los Angeles. But on each album, the other would sing back up or, for Maleena, Robbie would play guitar. Then another tour would begin. This was now their life, but it was one they were happy to face together. And their future was coming together in Montana.

They started with the main house. Sean's work was amazing. When it was completed, they had 8,000 square feet of a mountain rustic barndominium with stacked stone pillars, a two and a half story vaulted ceiling from one end to the other, heavy timber logs throughout, and expansive floor-to-ceiling windows at each end that connected to the outside surroundings. It was Mel's dreamhouse, and she furnished it with eclectic items she would scavenge from her world tours.

Soon after, once permits were acquired, Sean started the process of building a concert building with practice rooms of all sizes. Also included was an auditorium with seating for 300. Then came the two dormitories for the students. A full cafeteria was included. Separate housing structures were built a little further out. And finally, a full recording studio was built. All the structures were built in similar mountain rustic design but used fire resistant materials as forest fires were always a concern. Even a parking garage that merged with the surrounding nature was installed for large events.

The ranch was named Foster/Skye Ranch. The businesses were all merged under the Foster/Skye name.

As the years went by, the sound engineers figured out how to record outside, allowing the sounds of nature to mix with the singing and instrumentation of the musicians. A small outdoor amphitheater was added. The recording studio became a mecca for both aspiring and established musicians to record. The Foster/Skye label did well.

When they were setting up the label and studio, Will Price invested in their idea, giving Price Records a 20% stake in Foster/Skye Records. Eleven years later, Will decided it was time to retire. At this point, he contacted Robbie and Mel and offered them his company. They had to borrow a small amount from banks and Will carried back some paper, but they now controlled the entire operation. They were happy to put Barry and Ginny in charge of both record companies and let them operate from Los Angeles. The stable of talent was extensive. The Price/F/S label was known as a good partner in the industry. Many musicians made their way to Montana to record. There was a continuous flow of famous artists walking around the grounds daily.

For Robbie, the highlight was opening the school part of the property with the construction of the auditorium. He was back in his element as a teacher. Though he still recorded and toured, usually with his wonderful wife, he spent most of his time teaching and directing. They had opened the school for students during summer vacations and quickly had a waiting list. Also, the professional musicians volunteered or were recruited to assist with the teaching of aspiring musicians.

Jess oversaw the buildings and the entire property. He oversaw crews handling maintenance, landscaping, food prep, and all other real estate needs.

Lea had taken over the role of running the operation. She oversaw scheduling, billing, accounting, and all the other items that made the operation run smoothly.

She had fallen in love with Jess, and they got married seventeen years ago. Robbie was best man and Mel was matron of honor. One of the larger private homes that was built on the grounds was given to them by Robbie and Mel as a wedding present. Running the ranch together they made a formidable team.

Robbie reached the back door of the main house where he stepped out of the waders and boots that he was wearing. Age was starting to take its toll. He wasn't as agile as he was twenty years ago. At 62, he still had a full head of hair, though it was turning grayer with every passing day. Mel laughed when he complained. She said it was making him sexier. And he was still slim. Steady exercise and a decent diet had kept him in shape, though he complained to Maria about the terrible food she made him eat. She just laughed.

His guitar playing never lapsed. He practiced daily unless he was travelling or stuck in meetings. His voice got deeper and raspier as the years passed but he could still sing. But the best-selling singles and albums were in the past. He was now an elder statesman in the music world.

But Maleena Skye was still a force. Mel tried to put an album out each year, though touring slowed down. She didn't need to do it as much anymore. Her voice was still as crystal clear as it was earlier in her career. And her beauty remained, though there were more lines on her face. But she loved being home teaching the next generation of musicians and helping her husband. And they both continued to act like newlyweds, even after twenty years. It was truly a marriage made in heaven.

Those thoughts brought him back to the present, as he was walking through the door with his catch. He passed the gold records hanging on the walls as he headed to the kitchen to pass off the fish to Maria.

She was not pleased as she cussed him out in Spanish while she took the bucket to the outer freezer. He just smiled as he headed to the sink to wash his hands.

"I think you should apologize to her," Mel smiled, while sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee. "You know she doesn't like your fishing."

He smiled at her. "Yes, dear, I'll apologize. But I did catch four of the little guys this morning. So, it was a great morning."

Robbie's cell phone rang at that moment. He had left it on the table. Mel leaned over and looked at caller ID.

"It's Lizzie," she smiled, as she picked it up and put it on speaker. "Hi honey, how are you?"

"We're good, momma," said Lizzie. "Is dad around?"

"I'm right here, honey," said Robbie. "How are our favorite grandsons doing?"

"Great dad," she said. "It's actually mom I'm calling about."

"Okay?" Both Robbie and Mel leaned in to listen.

"I don't know how to say this."

"Honey, just go ahead. What's going on?" asked Mel.

"Mom's dying. Her cancer has returned and it's bad. She's gone through hell already, so she said no more chemo or anything else, so they've moved her to hospice. I don't think she's got more than a few days left. But she asked if you both could come and see her? I know it's a lot to ask, but..."

"Lizzie, Mel's already looking up flights," said Robbie, forcibly. "Honey, we're not going to let you go through this by yourself. We'll be there tomorrow. Are you holding up okay?"

"Thanks, dad. Yeah, I'm fine," Lizzie breathed a sigh of relief. "She'll be happy to hear that. And your grandsons will be thrilled!"

"We're looking forward to seeing them, too," said Robbie. "Okay, honey, text Mel all the details. We're going to start getting ready. Hang in there, okay?"

"I will, dad. Thanks again."

"Love you, honey!" Mel quietly said.

"See you tomorrow, babe," Robbie said as she hung up. He turned to Mel. "Well, that's not a call I was expecting."

"Are you okay?" she asked, worried about this news and her husband.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I guess it's time to really say goodbye."

40

As the flight headed to Atlanta, Robbie, while holding his wife's hand, thought back to his first wife. And the events that led them to this point in their lives.

High school love. Then college and making it somehow work long distance. Lizzie coming into their life. His happiness in personal and professional life. Then it all went to hell. She cheated. She walked out of his life and called him a loser.

Which led to a different life. A different wife. And it was better because he got to keep the one wonderful thing from the old life and that was Lizzie. So, it was through Lizzie that he had any contact with Amy throughout the years.

Mel and Robbie would see Amy at Lizzie's graduation ceremony. At her wedding with Isaac. During the births of both grandsons. And the occasional festive holiday party that Lizzie and Isaac might be hosting. And she was usually with a different guy each time. Robbie never knew what happened to Henry, the man that stole her from him. The last time they saw her was last Christmas at Lizzie's. She was with Tom somebody.

He knew she had cancer. It started three years ago. Breast cancer. But she had surgery and the doctors thought they got it all. It must have returned.

Otherwise, he didn't think of her much. Ex-wife, ex-life. Those were his thoughts as they landed on familiar turf in Atlanta.

They stopped at the hotel, checked in, then changed clothes before texting Lizzie for directions. Soon, they were headed to the hospice center in their rental car.

They were impressed with the center as they pulled in. A simple two-story building in a park-like setting. There were large trees among the manicured grounds and park benches along a concrete walking trail. A tranquil setting for saying goodbye.

"This is beautiful," said Mel, as they walked to the front door.

"It is," agreed Robbie.

"Thanks for coming!" Lizzie met them at the door. She hugged both of them.

"How's she doing?" asked Mel as she and Lizzie held hands.

"Hanging in there at the moment. But she's not as lucid as much. I don't think it'll be long now. She's happy you're here."

Robbie reminded himself that his daughter was a nurse. And her husband is a doctor. So, each of them had seen or had been nearer death more often. It made her feel a little less emotional talking about the end. It scared him yet made him feel so proud of his little girl who really wasn't a little girl anymore. She was a beautiful wife, a wonderful mother, and a brilliant RN. He couldn't ask for anything more.

After signing in at the front desk, she led them down the hall to Amy's room. He took a deep breath before entering.

"Mel! Robbie! Thank you for coming!" Amy was in bed but sitting up because the adjustable base had lifted her back to a sitting position. She was thin and gaunt and had scrawny arms. She was wearing a nice blouse, but her legs were covered with a blanket. She had a stocking cap on and her eyebrows were gone. It was safe to assume that all her beautiful blonde hair was also gone.

Mel at once approached her and hugged her. "Amy, it's so good to see you! When Lizzie called, we caught the first flight down. You look good."

Amy smiled, after the hug. "No, Mel, you're the one who looks good. I'm just the one dying."

Mel started to protest, but Lizzie just hugged her shoulders and guided both to the chairs nearby.

Amy turned to Robbie, who hadn't moved or said anything since entering.

"Hi Robbie. Here, come sit!" She patted the spot beside her on the bed.

He glanced at Mel and then approached Amy and kissed her on the cheek. He smiled at her. "I'd ask how you feel, but I think I can guess."

"And I'd tell you I'm dying. So, that's why I asked Lizzie to get you down here. I need to clear the air between us and resolve our history."

"Okay," Robbie said. "I thought we did that years ago."

"No, we never did. I hurt you, I said bad things and I've carried so much guilt. I believe this disease is God's punishment for my behavior."

"No, it's not," said Robbie. "We were two different people. You saw that first. I hated you for a long time. Until I met Mel, and she made me realize that you and I were doomed long before you detonated the grenade that I was too stupid to see."

"That's not true," Amy argued. "You were the only man in my life that was there for me. Through thick and thin. And I pushed you away. I got carried away by riches and fame and it cost me my family."

"A few years ago," Robbie started. "I watched an old rerun of 'Green Acres', the old TV show. The beginning showed that a country boy married a city girl and took her back to the farm. The show played for laughs, but I saw you and me in those characters. I was a happily married high school band director with a nice home, a gorgeous and brilliant daughter, and a loving and faithful spouse. And I was happy and content.

"So, I missed the signs," he continued. "The signs that my wife wanted more. That she wasn't happy on the farm anymore. That she needed out.

"Our communication with each other was awful. I think if we had really sat down and talked about what we wanted, we would have acted more like smart adults instead of stupid teenagers. You know, I realized Lizzie was the adult in the room after the blast. It sure wasn't you or me."

"Yeah," Amy agreed. "Maybe if we had, then we'd still be together."

Robbie shook his head. "No, we were on different tracks at that point. You wanted, no, needed more. I didn't. If it wasn't for what's-his-name..."

"Henry Carter."

"Yeah, Henry Carter," nodded Robbie. "It would have been somebody else. You weren't strong enough to do it on your own. By the way, whatever happened to him?"

Amy looked away and smiled. "Good old Henry. Well, he divorced me right after we saw you two at the concert in Savannah. Guess he wasn't thrilled that I looked at Mel and called myself Amy Foster. It honestly was just reflex. Twenty years saying it one way and then changing, really throws you."

"Ouch!" Mel chimed in.

Amy nodded in agreement. "Yeah, luckily, I had a prenup. It was in his favor, but I ended up with enough cash to last a long time. And then his business went bust. I think he ended up in prison for a while. So, I dodged a bullet."

"How about the others we've seen you with over the years?" Mel asked.

Amy shook her head. "No. None wanted to stick around. I only had one guy in my life who stuck around. And even that was based on a lie."

"A lie?" asked Robbie.

Amy looked down and took a deep breath. She looked over to Lizzie. "Lizzie, regarding who fathered you, I'm not sure."

"What?!?" Screamed Lizzie, jumping from her chair.

Robbie smiled and put his hand out to calm Lizzie. Even Mel sat forward to hear this.

"She's talking about Adam Lang, aren't you?" Robbie looked at her before turning back to Lizzie.

Amy nodded. She didn't think Robbie even knew or remembered. She started to speak, but Robbie shushed her.

"I'll talk," he said. "When we were in college, I thought we could be long-distance dating. Your mom wasn't so sure, but she accepted. Still, each of us dated others. When I went to play with the Pops in Boston that year, your mom got lonely and got together with a guy from our high school. His name was Adam.

"So, they dated all summer. Then he broke up with her. But he really didn't, did he?"

Amy shook her head.

"So, my senior year of college, your mom shared us when I came home for Christmas and spring break. Then, two weeks before my graduation, she called to tell me she's pregnant. And it's mine. So, I was scared and did the only thing I could think of - I called your Grandpa Foster. And he was a pretty smart guy! Everybody knew your mom was still seeing Adam, so he told me to get a paternity test the minute you were born. So, I did."

"You did???" Both Amy and Lizzie yelled. Even Mel looked shaken, but she kept quiet.

"I did," Robbie nodded. Then he looked directly at Lizzie. "You're mine. I still have the papers if you want them. But I'll be honest, the first time I held you and you stared at me with those beautiful blue eyes and grabbed my finger with your little fingers, I knew you would have me wrapped around your little finger forever. Whether I was the sperm donor or not."

"Oh, daddy!" Lizzie jumped up and hugged Robbie for a minute. "Thank you."

Amy just stared at him. "You knew. And you never said anything?"

"I figured I'd tell you when you confessed to me. And you just did. Even your old friend Kim and I had a laugh about it one time when she told me about your Ben Franklin list you guys made comparing me and Adam."

"That bitch! She never told me that!"

"I asked her not to. Told her nothing good would come of it. And she kept her word."

"Mom," asked Lizzie. "Whatever happened to Adam?"

"He died," she muttered.

"Yeah," added Robbie. "About two months later he and his buddies were racing each other, and he hit a tree and was killed. Your mother cried for a week. She blamed her pregnancy with you and her hormones for her tears, but we all knew about her real grief. She didn't know until this second which of us was your real father."

"And you let me grieve!" Amy glared at Robbie.

"I did," he said. "Lizzie wasn't born yet. I didn't have the paternity test yet. And you didn't confess to sleeping with him while sleeping with me. What should I have said?"

"I don't know," she huffed.

"But I did come home and marry you. And we had a baby. Our baby. And I changed careers for the two of you. And I don't regret one second of any of those decisions. Because I had a family and a nice job. I was good."

"And yet the second I leave you totally changed! Why didn't you do that with me?"

He leaned away from her slightly. "Because I was broken. Because you walked out on me calling me a loser. And because the very night you leave, I still play the gig that night. It was all I could do to hold it together. And the pain must have come through my music because Mel's sister Ginny and brother-in-law Barry heard me and offered me a job. Twenty-four hours earlier and I would have said no way. I have a loving wife and home. But right then I didn't. So, I took the job. With Lizzie's blessing. I guess you are the reason.

"Ginny was a lifesaver for me. And that beautiful blonde sitting over there. They both helped me get back on my feet. And then Ginny, bless her heart, introduced me to her little sister. And I married her little sister. Definitely the smartest thing I've ever done." He winked at Mel.

She smiled. Their love for each other was deep and permanent.

"But if you had done that earlier, I wouldn't have wanted anyone else!" Amy was angry.

"I don't recall you telling me that." Robbie took a breath. "Isn't that what married couples do? Talk to each other? Why didn't you say something about me getting back in the recording business? Or touring? Or anything else? Why did you take a lover and throw us away? Why, Amy, why?"

Amy looked away with tears streaming down her face. "Because you were supposed to know how I felt without me telling you. Because I was stupid and vain. Because I didn't realize what I had. Because I wanted more. I really don't know what else to say. I just know you guys have a great life up there in Montana. And I'm jealous."

Both Mel and Robbie snickered.

"Amy," Mel said softly, "Do you know what our life is like up there?"

Amy shook her head.

"Well," Mel started. "Ninety-eight percent of the time we are in boots and jeans. Robbie is a teacher. That's all he ever wanted to be. He just happens to be a great singer and guitarist, too. But he spends his time teaching. We have a music school on the property. It's expensive. So, we have a record company to help pay for it. And I am still touring.

"But the main reason we are together is that we were on the same page when we met and we're still going the same way."

"What do you mean?" asked Amy.

"I started professionally singing at sixteen. For years, I was a nobody. But I kept pushing and pushing and finally I made it. I was famous! I was admired! I started hanging out with the beautiful people." Mel shook her head. "And I realized I hated it. I was famous but it was a hollow fame. I had no home. Except for my sister and brother-in-law, I had no family. Then I met Robbie. He was hurting too. A different way, but still in pain. And we clicked."

Robbie smiled at her and nodded for her to continue.

"That first tour after I hired him, we had a day off when we hit Atlanta. So, I asked Robbie to show me around. He drove me by your old house, we visited his old school, and then we barbecued with his old band mates. It was the best day of my life, and I realized I was in love with this guy. And, at that point, we had only shaken hands."

Mel turned to Lizzie. "When I met you, Lizzie, you told me to be honest with your dad and lay my cards on the table. I was scared, but it worked. I love this man with all my heart.

"So, Amy, you and I are the opposites of the same coin. You had the family but wanted the riches and fame. I had fame but wanted a family. And Robbie really didn't want the fame; he just wanted to go back to teaching. And I wanted a home. We've got that now."

Amy nodded. "Yeah, I guess I understand. Thank you, Mel. You, too, Robbie."

Then she looked out the window before continuing. "You know, up until almost the end of our marriage, I lived in the present. Then I got stupid and tried to live in the future. These last few years I've been sad because I lived in the past."

No one said anything. Then she yawned and squeezed her eyes shut and blinked a couple of times. "Sorry, but I'm getting tired. I'm glad we had this conversation."

That was their cue. It was time to go. All three guests stood up.

Mel spoke first, stepping to Amy's side. "It was a pleasure knowing you. You created a wonderful daughter and grandsons. Thank you."

Mel reached down to hug her and Amy held her tight. "Take good care of him, okay?"

"I will," Mel wiped tears away. She then turned and walked to the door.

Amy and Robbie smiled at each other.

"Well, kiddo, I guess this is it," Robbie said, as he bent over and kissed her cheek again. She reached her arms around him and hugged him tight.

"We had some good times, didn't we?" she asked.

"We sure did." He pulled away from her. "And I'll never forget them. Or you. Or that cute Amy Rogers in history class that I was scared to ask out. Goodbye, Amy." With that, he turned and walked to the door, before turning and giving her a gentle nod.

Tears fell from her eyes as she waved him goodbye.

Lizzie followed them into the hallway where they all hugged. "Thank you, dad. You too, momma."

"You are staying with her, aren't you?" asked Mel.

"Yes," Lizzie nodded.

"Good," said Robbie. "Do me a favor. Call Isaac and tell him we're coming over. We'll treat everyone to dinner. We want to see our grandsons."

Lizzie nodded. "Sure thing."

"And Lizzie," Robbie added. "Keep us posted. We're not going anywhere. We'll be with you to the end. Okay?"

"Thanks, dad. I love you."

"We love you," said Mel.

"Go back in," said Robbie. "I think you both have a lot to talk about."

"Yeah, I sure learned a lot today."

With that, Robbie and Mel left. When they got outside, Robbie led Mel to one of the park benches, and they sat quietly holding hands for a few moments. Both took in the beauty of their surroundings.

"A penny for your thoughts," said Mel, breaking the silence, as she leaned into him.

"I guess the word is karma," sighed Robbie, squeezing his wife's hand. "You know, I haven't used that word since the night Amy left me and I met your sister. But it fits this moment."

"Why?"

"Because last Tuesday I celebrated a milestone. An anniversary of sorts. And now we're here."

"What anniversary?" Mel couldn't think of anything that had happened on that date. "Did I miss something?"

Robbie smiled as he shook his head. "No, my dear, you didn't miss anything. It's just that last Tuesday marked the point I've been married to you one day longer than I was married to her. And that makes me very happy."

Mel just stared at him for a moment. Then she smiled and leaned into him for a kiss. "That makes me very happy, too."

They again sat quietly for a few minutes. Then they headed to the car.

Robbie started the engine to let it warm up for a few seconds. The radio was on.

"Here's an oldie but goodie," said the DJ, as the last song ended and he segued into the next song. "Robbie Foster and Maleena Skye, 'Baby's Theme'. You know, I wonder what ever happened to them?"

They both laughed as their song started. Then started humming along with the lyrics and music.

"I know the answer to his question," Robbie smiled at her, as the song ended.

"Oh, you do, huh?"

"I do. They're living happily ever after."

She smiled. "Yes, Mr. Foster, they are. Now, let's go see our grandchildren."

"Yes, my lady!" Robbie turned the car out of the parking lot and they drove away.

THE END