Disclaimer:All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Song inspiration for this chapter is Wildflower by Skylark...melody by Doug Edwards and David Richardson, lyrics by David Richardson, 1972.

Chapter 22: And She Cries For She's A Lady...

He was so touched by her story he couldn't speak. His throat constricted and he swallowed hard at the knowledge of how difficult her life had been. Yesterday, he didn't know she existed. Today, he couldn't imagine the rest of his life without her. How was he going to be able to leave on that bus tomorrow? The thought of one endless city after another while his heart remained behind in Georgia left him forlorn. Her voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Edward, before we sing together, will you sing alone for me? I've never heard you sing".

She walked to the control panel and turned knobs expertly and he watched as her studio hummed to life.

"Just make yourself comfortable on that stool, there's a headset that you can adjust to size. The mic is ready to go whenever you are".

He did as she instructed, calming his nerves. He was more anxious to do well for her than for a TV audience of millions, or in front of thousands of screaming fans at the live shows.

He drew in a deep breath. "I've never done this one in front of anyone before, but the lyrics remind me of you. Here goes".

She's faced the hardest times you can imagine
And many times her eyes fought back the tears
And when her youthful world was about to fall in
Each time her slender shoulders
Bore the weight of all her fears
And a sorrow no one hears
Still rings in midnight silence
in her ears

Let her cry, for she's a lady
Let her dream, for she's a child
Let the rain fall down upon her
She's a free and gentle flower
growing wild

And if by chance that I should hold her
Let me hold her for a time
But it allowed just one possession
I would pick her from the garden to be mine...

When he sang, he felt the lyrics and the melody with his whole body. His eyes squinted shut, one hand reached out toward her, the other rested lightly over his abdomen. His lips were pursed kiss-like as he held his notes, and she watched his neck muscles flex as his beautiful tenor voice drew out every last drip of emotion from the song. He had the most controlled vibrato she had ever heard.

If only daddy had been here to listen to this.

She felt her tears, tears that flowed for the father she missed, for the man before her that she was losing her heart to, for this beautiful song that he had sung just for her.

Authors Note: If you're not familiar with the songs highlighted in this story, I hope you look them up for a listen.

We've still got a fair bit of angst to deal with in the next couple of chapters. Are you ready?