Day One - LA to Las Vegas via Joshua Tree

"I'm not riding in the back the whole way," Daphne said as they walked across the lot to the convertible Deacon had rented.

"We're going to take turns," Deacon replied.

"So, I do get to drive," Maddie replied, skipping ahead toward the red convertible.

"Uh," Deacon replied. "I meant that you and your sister will take turns in the back."

Deacon stowed their bags in the trunk and opened the door to the convertible. "Okay, so where to first?"

Daphne pulled out her phone and tapped on it. "First stop, Joshua Tree. And yes, we have the album downloaded."

Maddie slid into the front seat. "And for tonight...Vegas."

"You're too young to gamble," Deacon said. "What are you going to do in Vegas?"

"We want to see the fountains," Daphne replied. "And Maddie found a secret surf and turf special at the Hard Rock Hotel."

"Oh, and we're going to see the Backstreet Boys tonight," Maddie added. "Bucky arranged it."

"The what?" Deacon asked. "A boy band?"

Daphne shrugged. "Maddie's into pop music now and if they aren't pop music, I don't know what is."

"And I have to go?" Deacon asked as he sat down behind the steering wheel. He slipped his sunglasses on and looked back at Daphne.

She shrugged. "Hey, if you want to sit in your room watching reruns, you can go ahead and do that, Dad. But if you want to come out and have an incredibly fun night with your daughters, well, then you'll come with us."

"And you're set on Vegas?" Deacon asked. "Because I hear there's a pretty grand canyon around there. Been on my bucket list for a while."

Maddie looked over at him and smiled. "Where do you think we're going after Vegas?"

"Well, then," Deacon said as he put the car in gear and headed out of the lot, pointing the car east.

Deacon pulled the car into the lot near the Keys View overlook inside Joshua Tree National Park.

"Let's go check it out," he said as he put the top up on the convertible and got out of the car.

Maddie pulled the passenger seat forward and let Daphne out. They stood next to the car waiting as Deacon handed them each a water bottle.

"It's hot," Daphne said.

"But it's a dry heat," Deacon replied. "Let's check out this loop trail. There's supposed to be an amazing view."

They headed down the short trail, walking along slowly.

Maddie paused looking over the valley. The view went on for miles.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Deacon said as he walked up behind her. "It's the…" he looked down at the brochure they'd gotten at the visitor's center. "So, this is the Coachella Valley."

"I want to go there," Maddie said, looking over the mountains and desert.

"Now?" Deacon asked, smiling at her. "I"m not sure it's on Daphne's schedule."

Maddie smiled and shook her head. "No, I mean, I want to perform at Coachella, at the festival. I want to do it all!"

Deacon slipped his arms around her. "Of course you do, and you will, Maddie. You'll do it all."

"Viva Las Vegas!" Daphne shouted from the backseat as they drove past the iconic Vegas sign onto the Strip.

Deacon looked into the rearview mirror and smiled. It was so good to see her happy again. He switched lanes, looking at the various signs as they continued down the long roadway filled with people, hotels, casinos and lights.

"This is quite a circus," he remarked as they drove along. "A little different than Joshua Tree."

"It's America," Daphne replied. "Quintessentially."

"Ah," Deacon replied. "Quintessentially."

"Hey, we could have planned to say at Circus, Circus," Maddie replied. "But it's kind of for little kids."

Deacon signalled and pulled into the long driveway into the Bellagio. "Thank you, I appreciate that."

As they pulled up, the fountains in front of the hotel shot up, moving through a choreagraphed routine. They stopped the car in front of the valet and watched.

"Mom would have loved this," Maddie said as they music played and the waters danced.

Deacon looked over and nodded. "She did. We did a show here a few years ago and I had a hard time pulling her away."

"Can we go down and watch?" Daphne asked.

"Sure," Deacon said. "I'll text you the room number, but don't stay too long-we still have your special night tonight."

"Oh, we won't be late for that," Daphne replied. "I hope you have the right outfit, Dad."

Deacon smiled at her. "You mean plaid won't do it?"

Daphne shook her head. "Preferably something without snaps instead of buttons."

Deacon looked down at his western cut shirt with the pearl covered snaps. "Okay, you go see the fountains and I'll see what I can do about wardrobe."

Maddie looked in the mirror, smoothing a bit of foundation across her face. She remembered her mom's instructions about making less look like more. A brush of mascara and it looked complete.

"How does this look?" Daphne asked as she stood in the door to their bathroom in her outfit for the night.

"You look great," Maddie replied. "Very cute."

"We should check on Dad," Daphne replied. "I'm not sure he got the message earlier."

They walked back into the suite where Deacon was slipping on black dress shoes with his dark jeans and a fitted black t-shirt.

"Will this do?" he asked, standing up.

"You could have worn your boots," Maddie replied. "I mean, at the end of the day, you're still from Nashville."

"Oh, no," Deacon responded. "I'm following Daphne's protocol and bringing it Vegas style tonight."

He held out his arms taking the girls in his embrace. "Okay, let's go see what these Backstreet Boys have to offer."

Deacon sat at their table, down near the front of the venue, watching as the girls headed toward the stage for the final encore of the show. It was an amazing production, these Vegas residencies. He knew that Rayna had been offered one, after her breakup with Luke. What would their life have been like if they'd done something like this?

He brushed his hand past the tear that threatened to escape. In some ways, that was the hard thing, wondering what would have been, if she hadn't died. It wasn't fair that she was missing out on all of this, that she wasn't here to see the girls grow up, to see Maddie on the brink of everything they had dreamed for her…

"Dad!" Maddie called. He shook his head. He had come to the concert. He was not shaking his bootie in front of a boy band.

They would have to make their own memories now. Even if some days it was harder than others.

As they walked back across the Strip, the fountains started again. Much like the final scene of Ocean's 11, they stood in a row, watching in silence as the theme from Titanic played. As it finished. Deacon looked down at his phone.

"Hey, we should probably head up. We have another big day ahead of us tomorrow."

They turned to leave as the sound of flutes began to play. Deacon stopped and stood there.

"What is it, Dad?" Maddie asked.

"Let's stay for this one," Deacon said. They stopped and watched as the sound of Luciano Pavarotti's voice filled the air all around them.

Deacon felt the tears come again and he reached up, trying to brush them away before the girls noticed. Daphne moved next to him and slipped her arms around his waist. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head, pulling her close to him. Maddie came on the other side and took his hand.

When the song finished, they walked back to the hotel in silence hand in hand. Before they got to the door, he stopped.

"Hey, it's okay for us to have fun and it's okay for us to be sad. You know that, right?"

The girls both nodded and they headed into the hotel.

Daphne finished getting ready for bed, then headed back into the suite's living room. She could see the light was still on in Deacon's room, so she tapped on the door.

"C'mon in," he said.

She walked in to find him lying on the bed, on top of the bedspread, his feet bare, but still dressed from earlier.

"Are you really okay, Dad?" she asked as she sat down on the end of the bed. "I don't...I don't really see you cry anymore."

Deacon nodded. "I'm okay, sweet girl. I don't know...I'm just missing your mom today. Some days are harder than others."

Daphne nodded. "For me too."

"You want me to come tuck you in?" he asked.

She shook her head, stood up and gave him a kiss. "No, but I can tuck you in, if you want."

Deacon laughed and shooed her off to bed. "Sleep well. Tomorrow will be more adventures."

He changed into his pajamas and pulled back the covers on the bed. Every night without her, the bed felt so empty. He rolled onto his side, reached to turn out the light and let his mind drift as he did every night.

A good day with the girls, Ray. You should have seen them at that concert tonight. I wouldn't have predicted that they'd be so retro to be into a band that was popular before they were born, but they had a good time. We're trying to make our new memories, but I wish you were here.

I wish you were here.

He finished his daily thoughts for her and rolled onto his back, his eyes fixed on the ceiling and waited for the sleep to come.

Tomorrow would be another day of adventure and memories.

Thanks for the lovely notes on the first chapter, glad y'all are enjoying this idea of a story. As always, it's a great pleasure to hear what you think. - RW