Page 113 of Forever and Ever

“How have they been treating you?” Dad asks, giving the smallest inch, and I’m relieved to hear it.

“Good. It’s not like you think.”

It might be, actually, but I don’t need to throw gasoline on this fire, especially when he has nothing to worry about. I hold my own on tour, and he forgets that I’m fully capable of doing so.

“It’s just, you had one year left—”

“I know.” This conversation has only had one result in the past year, and that’s one giant circle that leaves us both irritated. “But music is my dream. Remember?”

He nods, although he doesn’t look happy about it.

“You remember that summer you set up the stage for me in the backyard?” I say, and it breaks his façade for a second. “I spent the entire summer out there singing at the top of my lungs. I’m sure the neighbors loved it.”

Dad’s frown cracks and the smallest smile crosses his lips. “You sung beautifully, if they didn’t love it, then that’s on them.”

I smile. “I know you’re not happy with me dropping out of school, but you have to understand, I’m doing what I’m meant to. If anything, all this…” I wave to the hospital room… “is a reminder. I’m not going to waste my time doing things that don’t make me happy. Monica didn’t when she started writing books, and I won’t either.”

“My daughters.” He sighs. “Always such free spirits.”

I tip my head and we look at each other. Even if we might always be on opposite sides of the fence, for the first time in a year, it feels like we’re seeing the other side, and I’m hopeful about that.

“That summer I built you the stage in the backyard, your mom and I would sit out on the back porch until it got dark listening to you sing.” Dad rubs the back of my hand with his thumb. “You were begging to be free up there, in your own world. And even if your sister spent years giving me a headache worrying about her and Carson, I knew you were the daughter that was really going to test me.”

I scrunch my face because there really is no arguing. Testing my parents might as well have been my favorite hobby as a teenager. The moment they told me to do anything, I did the exact opposite.

“I’m sorry.”

He shakes his head. “You wouldn’t be my Mercedes if you didn’t.”

Dad looks down at my arm and probably notices I’ve filled it with a few more tattoos since the last time I was in town.

“Those are new.” His eyes fall on the tattoo of a mirror with the reflection of a drooping rose in it.

“You hate it.”

He tips his head to the side and then smiles. “I don’t understand it.”

That makes me laugh, and a cautious smile climbs his face. I rest my other hand over his and we squeeze each other’s fingers. I forgot how good it feels to be home until this moment, where my family is once again a place I belong.

“Thank you for being here.”

Dad pats my head. “Mercedes, I will go to the ends of the earth for you and your sister. Even if it will destroy me.”

That makes me smile.

“Now…” Dad sits up a little bit taller, still not letting go of one of my hands. “Tell me about this Noah. How terribly are you torturing him?”

“Hey,he’sthe rock star. You’re not worried about me?” I cross my arms over my chest.

“I know my daughter too well.” He smirks.

I roll my eyes but don’t argue because there’s really no point when I know Noah’s actually the sweetheart out of the two of us.

“It seems like he takes care of you.” Dad’s face relaxes and I finally feel the tension between us melting away. “I may not like his little band, but I can’t fault him for being good to my daughter.”

“First of all, hislittle bandis the number one rock band in the world.” I lift an eyebrow at him. “And second, you’re right, I should probably torture him a little less.”

Dad leans in with a smile. “Oh no, you feel free to torture him a little. Remind him what he’s working for.”

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