A young girl walks up to the small stage with an acoustic guitar in her arms, she stands tall with her head high, but she has an aura about her that feels of old sorrow. She sits at the stool in the middle of the stage, take a deep breath and strums the first chords of the piece.
If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in a river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song
Uh oh, uh oh
Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colours, oh,
And life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no
Ain't even grey, but she buries her baby
The sharp knife of a short life, oh well
I've had just enough time
As she sits there in that crowed room, strumming the guitar in her arms with tears running down her face he listens to the song she is singing.
If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song
The sharp knife of a short life, oh well
I've had just enough time
Her voice is smooth and soothing as she bears her soul to the people in the bar. The patrons are on the feet swaying to the songs melody.
And I'll be wearing white, when I come into your kingdom
I'm as green as the ring on my little cold finger,
I've never known the lovin' of a man
But it sure felt nice when he was holdin' my hand,
There's a boy here in town, says he'll love me forever,
Who would have thought forever could be severed by...
...the sharp knife of a short life, oh well?
I've had just enough time
He regrets what he did to her. 5 years ago he made the biggest mistake of his life, and as she meets his gaze there is no forgiveness in them.
So put on your best, boys, and I'll wear my pearls
What I never did is done
A penny for my thoughts, oh, no, I'll sell 'em for a dollar
They're worth so much more after I'm a goner
And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singin'
Funny when you're dead how people start listenin'
If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song
She stares at him. Not wavering in her gaze as she finishes the mournful song.
Uh oh (uh, oh)
The ballad of a dove (uh, oh)
Go with peace and love
Gather up your tears, keep 'em in your pocket
Save 'em for a time when you're really gonna need 'em, oh
The sharp knife of a short life, oh well
I've had just enough time
So put on your best, boys, and I'll wear my pearls.
She ends the song with sad smile on her face. The crowd claps as she stands up with the microphone in her hand, she looks right at him he knows she is speaking to him.
"I would like to dedicate that song to my daughter Ryleigh who I lost 2 years ago, she was a month away from being 3. Thank you"
She puts the microphone in the stand and steps down from the stage and walks behind the bar and deposits the guitar in a stand at the far end.
The bar owner walks on the stage and talks in the microphone
"Thank you Isa that was once again amazing"
The patrons of the bar applaud the girl he knows as Bella.
He stays the rest of the night watching her trying to work up the courage to approach her but every time he works up enough courage she looks up at him with a harsh glare seeming to know when he was beginning to approach.
Its last call and he feels like it's now or never so despite her chilling glare he approaches the bar. She avoids him for as long as possible before she has a patron next to him call out an order, as she delivers the drink he grabs her arm. She freezes at the contact. She turns her head and meets his gaze, his pleading to her chilling glare.
"Please Bella, just talk to me."
"What is there to talk about? I have nothing to discuss with you, now if you would please take your hand off me before I break your arm."
"Bella im sorry"
She put both hands on the bar in front of him and leans in closer and spits out
"What are you sorry for Jacob? Which part are you sorry for? the time you dumped me at 16 while I was pregnant and destroying my life? Or how about the time you destroyed the relationship I was building with my father? Or are you sorry for the time you neglected to show up for your own daughter's funeral? What could you possibly be sorry for?"
He was shocked into silence. This was not the girl he remembered.
"Just leave Jacob. You aren't welcome here."
She turns away as a young voice runs up yelling
"Mummy! Mummy!"
She bends over as a small boy ran into her arms.
"What are you doing out of bed mister?" she questions the boy.
"I had a dream about Ryleigh, I miss her mummy." He cries into her shoulder.
And young woman runs up to Bella and begins apologizing.
Bella reassures the woman and turns her attention the boy.
"Jake I know you do. I miss her too."
The man at the bar looks up startled at the name.
"Jake" he whispers under his breath and sees the child in a new light
"Bella?" he asks softly.
"Not now" She turns to him and says softly
"Lillie can you clean up the bar while I take him back upstairs?"
She turns to him and looks to be considering something.
"Yes Jacob, he is yours but just because you show up now five years later, doesn't mean you get to know him. That was your choice. You made your bed and I'm sorry but now you have to lay in it. We don't need you." She turns and leaves without another work taking his son with her.
He feels his heart break. He stands up and leaves. He doesn't notice the tears rolling down his face.