"Ava, what are you doing?" Roger asked as he entered her backyard to find her crying in the corner of the back porch.

"My dad called." she said looking up at him as he sat next to her.

"What did he say?" he asked looking down at her.

"He wants to take me on tour with him this summer. He can't even take a day to come see me, but he wants me to go on tour with him from the summer." she said looking up at him. Her eye make up was smudged and her face was soaked with tears.

"Are you gonna go?" he asked looking down at her hoping her answer was no.

"I don't want to. But my mom said it's a great opportunity for me and my dad. He can't stand me up if I'm on tour with him." she said looking up at him.

"What do you think?" he asked putting his arms around her.

"I don't want to be away from you the whole summer." she said looking up at him as he wiped her tears from her face.

"But Ava, that's not what I asked you." he asked looking over at her.

"I know. I don't know what to do Roger. I mean, he's my dad and my mom has a point, but I don't want to be away from you all summer. I mean, it's the summer before senior year for you. We were gonna try to play some parties and stuff." she said looking up at him.

"Baby, if you wanna go on tour with your dad, I think you should do it." he said looking over at her.

"You won't hate me if I do?" she asked looking up at him.

"I could never hate you Ava. You're the love of my life." he whispered leaning in to kiss her.

"I wanna go Roger." she said looking up at him crying again.

"So go. Have fun." he smiled looking up at her wiping her tears with is hands. The fact that she was leaving for the summer was killing him inside, but he knew how important spending time with her father was.

"I love you Roger." she said wrapping her arms around his neck to hold him close.

"I love you too Avalon." he said holding back his own tears. "When do you leave?" he asked pulling back to look at her.

"Next week. After the last day of school. I'm gonna be gone until the middle of August." she said looking up at him. She could see the disappointment in his face. "I'm sorry Roger." she said looking up at him.

"Ava, don't you dare apologize for wanting to spend time with your dad. You need to spend time with him. I'll be OK. I'll miss you, but I'll be OK." he said wiping her face with his hands.

"I'm gonna miss you too Roger. I love you." she said leaning in to kiss him.

"I love you too Ava." he whispered taking her into his arms and holding her tight. He didn't want her to go. He didn't want to be without her, but he knew this was for the best. He knew she hadn't seen her father in over a year, but he remembered the disappointment that man had put her through the last time he was supposed to see her.

"Do you wanna do something tonight?" she asked looking up at him.

"Sure. Let me just go home and get changed. I'll pick you up at 6, OK?" he asked looking down at her.

"OK. I love you Roger." she said looking up at him.

"I love you too Ava." he said feigning a smile before leaning in to kiss her.

"I'll see you around 6." she said as they got up. Ava went into the house and Roger left to go home. As he walked home he couldn't help himself, he started to cry. The more he cried the faster he ran home. He needed to talk to his dad. When he entered the house he looked around.

"Dad, are you here?" he yelled looking around.

"Roger, what's the matter? Why are you yelling?" Mrs. Davis asked coming out of the kitchen.

"Where's dad? I have to talk to dad." he asked looking around.

"He's in the garage. What happened? Is it Ava? Is she OK?" she asked looking up at him.

"I just need to talk to dad." he said rushing to the garage. "Dad." he called out opening the garage door.

"Roger, what's the matter?" he asked looking over at Roger seeing that he was crying.

"It's Ava dad. She's leaving for the summer." he cried into his fathers shoulder.

"Where is she going?" he asked looking over at him.

"On tour with that idiot father of hers." he cried holding on to his fathers shirt.

"I'm sorry Roger. But he is her father. No matter how much you want to punch the guy in the face." he said as Roger looked over at him starting to laugh.

"Dad." he laughed looking over at him.

"What? I'm not allowed to want to punch that jackass in the face after what he did to her last time?" he asked laughing along.

"Go dad." Roger said looking over at him.

"But Roger, if this is what she wants I think this would be really good for her. She'll get to spend time with her father, which we both know she need." he said looking down at him.

"I know dad. But I really don't want her to leave. It's the summer before my senior year. I wanted to go crazy this summer." he said wiping his eyes.

"I know Roger. How long is she gonna be gone?" Mr. Davis asked looking over at him.

"She's leaving right after school lets out next week and she's gonna be gone until the middle of August." he said looking down.

"It'll be OK Roger. You'll see." he said hugging his son again.

"Thanks dad." he said looking over at him.

"Why don't you go get cleaned up and take your girl out for a special night." Mr. Davis suggested looking down at him.

"OK dad." he smiled going into the house and up to his room.

"Mom, do you think I'm making the right decision about going with dad this summer?" Ava asked looking over at her mother.

"Sweetie, this isn't something I decide for you. Do you want to spend the summer with your dad?" Ms. Parker asked looking down at her.

"Yeah, I do. But I don't want to spend the summer with Roger too. It's our first summer together." she said looking up at her.

"I know sweetie, but this is a great opportunity for you and your dad to get to know each other again." she said sitting on her bed.

"You're right. But I'm gonna miss Roger." she said looking over at her.

"I know Ava, but you and Roger could use a little time apart. You have been spending everyday together since you started dating." she said looking over at her.

"I thought you liked Roger?" she asked looking over at her.

"I do sweetie. I really do, but you're 16 and 17. Don't you think you two are too young to be as serious as you are?" she said playing with her hair.

"But mom, Roger and I love each other. It's the real thing mom." she said looking over at her.

"I know you're in love. I just think you two could use time away from each other." she said looking over at her.

"You're right. Thanks mom. I have to get ready for my date with Roger tonight." she smiled leaning over to hug her.

"OK sweetie." Ms. Parker said getting up from the bed and leaving the room.