Page 12 of Sing Me Home
Most of the concertgoers were singing along—impressive since I was just starting and had only dropped this song two months ago. Everyone with the last name Dupree and Bishop swayed side to side, belting the words. My cousins couldn’t be missed—wearing matching crop tops with my name bedazzled in pink rhinestones on the front. All five of them: Theo, James, Griffin, Liam, and Bowen.
My nostrils flared, trying not to laugh. They kazoo'd along with the melody. With actual kazoos.
“Marry me, Cash!” Griffin screamed.
Theo cupped his hands like a megaphone. “I drove six states just to breathe the same air as you!”
Bowen rounded it out with, “I’m pregnant with your baby!”
I hardened my expression and narrowed my eyes at my aunts and uncles, sending a silent message to shut their adult sons up. But each one of them just shrugged and grinned.
Sorry, Aunt Christy mouthed but she laughed harder than any of them.
My cousins’ catcalling was horrid. But nothing topped my mom’s parents, who’d flown in from Orlando just for the evening, wearing custom Mickey ears. Nana’s were vinyl records with a black and white bow, while Pop-Pop’s were acoustic guitars—and they sang every lyric like backup singers.
While Randy, my lead guitarist, ripped his guitar solo, I tapped my earpiece. “Dad, where are Mom and Addie?”
The earpiece clicked. “They just arrived. They got held up in traffic.” Which meant they’d missed all but the very last of my songs.
From the moment I walked on stage, I’d heard whispers in the air.Proposal, engagement, ring. True to her word, Millie had hyped up the crowd around her.
Granny Dupree looked the opposite of hyped. She glared Millie down like an angry bull and I couldn’t have loved my grandmother more than I did at that moment.
My cousins started kazooing again.
I shook my head and looked away, just in time to sing above their terrible cacophony.
You left me standing in second place,
Chased your future without a trace.
Came back tanned, wearing his last name?—
It’s hard to love you when it still feels the same.
Right behind my family, Millie screamed, “Cass-Cass! Wave!” Oh, that nickname. Thank goodness we were over. Her right hand was videoing, and her left arm was wrapped around the neck of one of her sorority sisters.
I ignored the request and focused on my song. I gripped the microphone, closed my eyes, and put every bit of emotion I could into the final words.
It was hard to love you, but I did it anyway,
Even when you ran, even when you strayed.
I should hate you, but I never will,
I’d take you back if you wanted me still.
I strummed the final chord and the audience roared. I tapped the earpiece. “Nice job, boys,” I said to the band Dad and I had put together.
“Great set, Cash.”
“They loved it.”
“Just stellar.”
“Couldn’t have done it without you guys.” I released the button so I could speak to the fans. “Thank you! It’s great to be here!” I waved to the sea of faces. “Alright, folks, I know y’all are excited to see a country music legend!” At that, they went insane. “We’ve got a real treat tonight. A man who has sold out arenas, topped charts, and somehow managed to make cowboy boots look formal. He’s a legend. A star. A household name. At least in our household.”
The stage shook beneath my feet as they stomped their excitement.
