Things a Man Oughta Know Pt. 03

Emma giggled and looked Seth.

"Don't worry baby, I'll be right there with you. What do you say?"

Emma got a determined look on her face. "Let's do it!"

Seth nodded. "That's my girl. Let's do it."

**********

Lainey and the rest of the band went back out on stage, to thunderous applause. Seth helped Emma get ready, while the equipment guys made sure her mandolin was tuned and wired up.

"Just like at home baby. Close your eyes if it's easier. And remember, I'm right there."

"Ok Daddy, I'm ready."

**********

Meanwhile, Lainey was firing up the audience.

"Hello, Nashville! It sure is good to be back!"

Roaring from the crowd.

"We have somethin' special tonight, y'all. As you know, our regular bass player couldn't tour with us. He's gonna be ok, but he's still healin' up. We were lucky to get Mr. Seth Broderick to step in."

"I just found out the other day that Seth's not the only musician in his family. And we just had to bring her out here to meet y'all. Please give a big ol' Nashville welcome to Miss Emma Broderick!"

Seth and Emma walked out to the middle of the stage, holding hands. Emma just stared at the crowd, looking at all the lights and listening to the applause.

The audience saw Seth kneel down and whisper in his daughter's ear. They saw Emma nod back at him, then they watched as Seth took a step back, and the stage lights went out.

A single white spotlight illuminated Emma. "She looks so tiny," Seth thought. He flashed back to her as a baby, seeing her smile and reach for him.

Lainey nodded, and Seth said, "Whenever you're ready, honey."

There was complete silence in the audience as Emma took a deep breath and then began to play. The drums joined in, and then Seth. Then Lainey started to sing.

Emma wasn't ready to change it up on the fly, so they played it as written. So about three and a half minutes later, the song ended as it had begun, with Emma playing by herself, illumined by that single spotlight.

As the last note faded, and the spot slowly went dark, there was a moment of profound silence. Then the crowd erupted. The stage lights came back up full as Seth knelt down and Emma ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. The audience roared even louder.

Seth picked her up and walked over to Lainey. He set Emma down, and Lainey hugged her just as tightly. Then as Emma stood between them, Seth and Lainey each took one of her hands, and raised them high.

The cheers went on.

**********

A while later, most of the band had gone home. Emma was sound asleep, curled up in Seth's lap. Lainey was still there with them, slowly sipping a glass of bourbon.

Seth said simply, "Thank you. She will remember this for the rest of her life."

Lainey smiled. "She's a very special girl. And she has a very special daddy." She got up, kissed Seth gently on the cheek, gave him a long look, both sad and tender, and left the room.

Seth sat there for a very long time, holding his daughter, staring out into the night.

**********

Six weeks later

Seth's phone rang. "Hello?"

He didn't hear anything for a second.

"Hello?"

Then he heard, "Hey, Seth."

There was no mistaking that Louisiana drawl.

"Lainey? Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me. How are you?"

"I'm okay, are you alright?"

He heard a long shaky breath. "No, not really."

"What's wrong, Lain? What can I do?"

"Can you come get me?" She sounded like she was starting to cry.

"Where are you? I'm on my way."

**********

A little while later, they were sitting in Seth's kitchen. Seth had coffee, and Lainey had a mug of tea with honey and a generous shot of brandy in it. She looked like she needed it.

"Want to tell me about it?"

She shifted in her chair, looking down.

"It's okay, we can just sit, if you'd rather."

She nodded. Seth moved his chair next to hers, and held out his hand. She grasped it, leaned her head against his shoulder, and they just sat in silence.

After a while, she looked around. "Where's Emma?" she asked.

"At her Nana's. She's taking her shopping for some new clothes. She's sprouted up since the show."

Lainey smiled. Looking down, she wrapped both hands around her mug. "You remember I told you I had some things to settle."

She glanced at him, and he nodded.

"Well, I figured I owed it to him to see if there was anything left."

Seth just nodded again.

She sighed. "Well, it got pretty clear, pretty quick, that things had changed between us. At least for me. I tried to tell him we were done, but he didn't take it very well. He kept comin' around and comin' around. I told him as many ways as I know how, but he just wouldn't listen."

She took another shaky breath. "Finally, he did it one time too many. He was yellin' and carryin' on outside my house, and the neighbors called the police. I had to file a restrainin' order against him this mornin'. I didn't know what else to do. And I didn't trust myself drivin', I was too upset." She squeezed his hand. "Thank you for comin'."

He nodded. "Any time. And I'm not gonna lie, it means the world that you felt you could reach out to me."

She smiled at him tentatively.

"Lainey, I'm so sorry you had to go through that... do you think he finally understands? Even with a restraining order, I'd hate to see him try to come after you again."

"Yeah, when I pointed that shotgun at him, I think he finally got it," she laughed shakily.

"Damn!" Seth said. "Remind me to never piss you off!"

She laughed again. "I don't think you have to worry about that. You're a good man, cowboy."

Taking her hands, Seth smiled and said, "Lainey, you can call me 'cowboy' all you want. I kinda like it, to be honest. But I'm from Pennsylvania for goodness' sake."

She smirked at him.

"That being said," he continued, "I'm here now. Here in Nashville, and here right in front of you. I'm happy with my life here. At this precise moment, I'm very happy here." He smiled at her.

"And as someone pretty special once wrote, if you really love a woman, you don't let her go." He got up and knelt by her chair, still holding her hands in his.

"Do you want me to let you go?" he whispered.

She stared at him, wide-eyed. Then shook her head. "No," she replied, even more softly.

His eyes lit up. "That makes me happier than you can know."

She teared up a little, her lips trembling. "Me too."

He moved a tiny bit closer and asked, "Ms. Wilson, may I kiss you?"

She continued to watch him, then a brilliant smile slowly crept across her face. She nodded. "I think I'd like that."

**********

Maybe now the intro to Part 1 will make a little bit more sense. ;)

Thank you for reading!