Page 2 of Songbird
“Harper!”I shouted her name into the air, but there is no reply.Where is she?My thoughts are jumbled and chaotic; why isn’t she answering me?Suddenly, my eyes fall upon the hole in the windshield, and I remember something flying past me.I peer through the shattered glass, trying to make sense of the flickering car lights on the hillside.
That’s when I see the blood.
CHAPTERTWO
18 Years Later
Bayleigh
“This is it,kid.This is your last chance.Do the show or you’re out.”Brendon’s voice thunders through the speaker of the phone.
The call ends abruptly, and I am left staring at the cell, fighting the urge to toss it against the wall and walk away from all of this.I look around at my apartment and all the awards and trophies I’ve earned over the years and wonder if it’s really worth it.
Sure, I’m not a big deal in Nashville anymore, like I was a decade ago.At the peak of my career, I was performing in sold-out arenas around the world.How dare my manager threaten me like this?
“It can’t be that bad.”I turn to my assistant, Kelly, who wears a grim expression.
“Actually, it is.”
I can’t pinpoint when Kelly, who is in her twenties, joined my team.But I know she’s endured a lot of hardship while working for me.Most assistants would have quit under the pressure, and many have over the years.
My life has been a wild ride, full of highs and lows.There have been men, alcohol, and drugs that constantly tempt me.Right now, I could really use a drink, or at least a cigarette, to calm my nerves.
“Damn it,” I curse under my breath, running my hands over my forehead and across my scalp.My hair used to be full and curly, but now it is brittle and thin despite using products that promise to repair damaged strands.It serves as a constant reminder of the mistakes I have made by neglecting my own well-being.
“So, if I don’t do this stupid show, my manager and the record company will drop me!Are you serious?It’s absurd.I was the one who built up that damn label.Without me, they wouldn’t even exist.”
“It’s only one show and probably a photo op.”Kelly grips the back of the lounge chair, perhaps for protection should I start throwing things at her.
It wouldn’t be the first time.
“But of all places!Why does it have to be there?”My stomach tenses at the mere thought of that town.
Sweetgum Valley.
“I haven’t been back in eighteen years.Besides, I doubt they would even want me there.”
“Are you kidding?That town has milked being the birthplace of the famous country music singer, Bayleigh Gilmore.It’s doubled in size since you left.”
“That’s probably for the view.”I remember the picturesque landscape of rolling hills and wooded parks.The town is known for its beautiful maple trees, poplars, and, of course, the vibrant sweetgum trees that give it its name.In fall, those trees put on a breathtaking show before shedding their leaves, creating a carpet of red and burgundy on the streets.
Pretty as it may be, it’s not worth the pain it would cause me to return.
“I have too many bad memories of that place.”The memories of my parents shouting at me—blaming me for the accident and telling me they would never forgive me.
Not that I could ever forgive myself.That one small moment, which altered not only my life but also the lives of all my family, is something I can never forgive myself for.
For a fleeting moment, I allow my thoughts to wander back to the days in Sweetgum Valley before the accident, when everything had been so perfect.
When I had ...him.
The warmth of the sun enveloped us as we lay on the grass together in a meadow on his ranch.He traced a yellow flower over my face, causing me to laugh and revel in the soft sensation of its petals against my skin.His presence, along with the raw smell of earth and his own unique scent, drew me towards him like a magnet.I couldn’t resist touching him; his shoulders were broad and muscular from playing football, his hair long and kissed by the sun, and his eyes deep brown pools.Looking at his beautiful face made me want to trust him completely, rely on him for everything, and surrender myself to him.He always made me feel safe when he was near.
The sudden, piercing scream shatters the memory and jolts me back to reality.That was the last sound I heard before everything changed.The cry of a pure, untainted soul.The cry of terror without restraint.
I sink into the soft cushions of the couch, allowing myself to be enveloped by its comfort.My eyes burn with tears and I press my palms against them, trying to block out the pain.How much longer will this torture continue?Will I be haunted for the rest of my life?Maybe it would be better to just end it.
I have attempted it multiple times.With alcohol, pills, and even a knife.But no matter how determined I’ve been, my attempts have always been unsuccessful.
