CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
(chapter title - Falling Rain: Songs of my Childhood)

Roger sighed and stepped onto the stage at the Kennedy Club a month later. He hadn't performed in over a year and this was the first time that he would be singing his songs from his new album - Falling Rain: Songs of my Childhood. He was excited and anxious about that night - for one thing, it was the first time that he would be performing in over a year - that's pretty damn long if you think about it.

"Roger!" Crystal's voice called out from backstage. He turned around to see Crystal carrying their month old daughter, Angel. She had inherited her mom's strawberry blond hair and her dad's green eyes.

"Hey girls!" Roger greeted them, kissing Crystal and smiling at Angel. She was dressed in a light pink dress and black dress shoes. He gently took Angel out of Crystal's arms and held her for a bit.

"Five minutes, Davis!" Lanna, the stage manager, called.

"Okay Lanna!" Roger called back in a mocking tone, causing Crystal to giggle. Five minutes later, Lanna returned.

"You're on, Davis." she told him.

"I know, Lanna." He kissed Crystal and Angel before grabbing his guitar and heading out to the stage. Crystal carried Angel to where Jules and John were seated towards the front of the stage. She sat down next to Jules and placed Angel on her lap.

Roger came onto the stage, smiling and carrying his guitar. He sat down upon the stool and spoke into the mike.

"What's up New York? I'm Roger Davis and I just want to say thank you all for coming. It's my first time performing in like…forever! I want to thank my beautiful wife, Crystal and my month old daughter, Angel, for believing in me. I would also like to thank my other daughter, Jules, and my best friend, Mark, for never giving up on me. And to the rest of my wonderful family - YOU ROCK!" Roger made a peace sign with his left index and middle fingers. Crystal was so happy to see Roger so excited. A few tables away, she heard the whirring of Mark's camera.

"Well, I have a wonderful show for all of you tonight. I would like to open my show with a song I wrote when I was a freshman in high school and it's called Falling Rain." Roger strummed a gentle chord and sang a slow and rhythmic melody that sounded like the rain was falling outside.

After he finished Falling Rain, he sang three songs in a row - Life is a Highway, Pomp and Circumstance and Once Upon A December.

"All right ladies and gentlemen, I'm gonna take a short break, but don't worry, the show's not over yet. I still have six amazing songs to sing for you. Peace out." with that, Roger went off stage and to the break room to get a glass of water and to relax before going back on.

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"Hey everyone! I'm back!" Roger announced a few minutes later. The audience applauded as Roger sat down upon the stool and strummed his guitar. He opened the second act with two of his favorite songs, Here I Am and Dancing Through Life.

"Here's my next song, For Good. I wrote this song after going through my withdrawal from drugs. I thought that my life would be changed for good after I quit. I remember my dad saying to me as a youngster, 'Roger.' he said. 'Never lose sight of your dreams. Whenever a door closes, another one opens. Remember that.' Without further ado, here's For Good." he played a gentle melody on his guitar.

"…Because I knew you
I have been changed
For good.
" he sang, strumming his guitar one final time. There was a burst of applause from the audience. Roger smiled and looked into the audience. He spotted John, Jules, Crystal, Angel and the rest of his family gathered around the tiny tables all around the club. He even spotted Mark filming the whole thing from where he was sitting.

"Okay folks, I only have three more songs to sing and then I'm outta here." Groans came from the audience. "But." Roger held up his hands for silence. "I will be signing my album, Falling Rain: Songs of my Childhood along the back wall of the club, so I'll meet you over there after the show." He smiled and strummed a little bit of Musetta's Waltz on his guitar while he talked about the next song he was going to sing.

"This next song, Sound the Bugle, I wrote when my mom died when I was in eighth grade. She died of a heart attack, so my brother and I took that rather hard. I thought that if I wrote Sound the Bugle, it would make me a happier person. But I was wrong. So very wrong, but I won't bore you with the story. Here's Sound the Bugle." he played a very mellow tune on his guitar and sang in a very grave voice. After he finished, there was scattered applause, but not from the tables where his family was sitting - they cheered the loudest. He sighed and told the back stories of his next two songs, Life Support and I'm Still Here. He was so happy to be performing again and he was sure glad that people loved his music, no matter what generation they were.

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After the show, Roger posed for pictures, talked with fans and signed CDs. He was thrilled to be talking with his fans, especially the younger generation. He was signing a CD for a girl about twelve when he looked up and saw his entire family surrounding the table where he was signing his new CDs.

"Hey guys." He greeted them, his voice slightly hoarse.

"May I have your autograph?" Caitlyn asked, rushing up to Roger, clutching one of his CDs in her hand. Destiny let out a laugh as Roger pulled out a permanent marker and smiled at her.

"What's your name, sweetie?" Roger asked in a teasing tone.

"Caitlyn Cohen." Caitlyn told him, handing him the CD.

"To Caitlyn love Roger. Peace." he signed, handing her back the CD. He handed it back to her and ruffled her hair. He signed the rest of his family's CDs. By the time he was done, his hand felt like it was going to fall off, but he was happy to do anything for his fans, family and loved ones.