Chapter 2
Deacons mind flashes back to his home a few short hours ago, before his world shifted on its axis yet again. He opened the door to see Rayna's eldest daughter standing on his porch, still in her school clothes, a cab idling at the curb. The scene in front of him didn't make sense and he struggled to process it.
What could be going on? Did something happen with Rayna? Is Maddie pissed they're going to the CMAs together? Rayna mentioned she'd talked to the girls about them being together. She'd told him they were still getting used to the idea but they didn't seem to be against them dating each other. He'd never been a teenage girl himself but his sister's teenage mood swings are still fresh in his head. In fact, all of the time he'd spent hiding out from Beverly lent him plenty of time to practice guitar.
"Hey what're you doing here? You ok?" He checks again to confirm if she is indeed alone.
"I think," Maddie pauses
"What is it?"
The words catch in her throat but she reminds herself that she came here for the truth and she is determined to get it. She blurts out the rest before she can change her mind, before her impulsive teenage brain can fully process the consequences. "I think that you might be my father."
She looks pained. "What?"
The scene before him feels surreal. Deacon remains frozen, his years with Rayna flashing through his head like a movie screen, numbers, timelines...she's 13...he was in rehab…
"I...um...let me go take care of your cab and we'll talk about this. Ok?"
She's still standing on the porch when Deacon walks back up the path. He's surprised she hasn't gone on inside. He escorts her in to the living room and grabs them each a bottle of water, his throat suddenly feeling very dry.
"Sweetheart, I'm pretty confused here. Why do you think I might be your dad?"
Maddie hands him a piece of paper, a lab report. It did, in fact, state that Theodore Conrad was not her father.
"This says my dad is not my dad. I found it in a box in my mom's closet."
"Did she give this to you?" Deacon asks, trying to get more facts from her.
She shakes her head. "No. I was snooping. They've both been acting so strange, and I heard my dad got a restraining order so you couldn't see us. That didn't make any sense, and it didn't make sense that he was so upset when you came to dinner. So...now it does. And neither of them can play guitar," she adds. "Neither can Daphne. I know that doesn't seem like such a big deal but..."
He sees the pleading in her eyes. She looks so lost, as lost as he feels. He moves over to sit next to her and takes her hand in both of his.
"I don't honestly have an answer for you, but I promise you I will find out. I promise you that. Do you trust me?" He doesn't know what else to tell her.
She nods.
"So I'm gonna take you home, and when I get to the arena I'm gonna talk to your mom. Do you think you'll be okay for a few hours?"
They're both quiet on the drive to take Maddie home but before she heads into the house he reminds her of his promise, and she gives him a small smile.