Forced to Grow Up

Chapter 4- It's Show Time

“Luke, son, you need to wake up,” Momma quietly said as she shook me awake.

“Just five more minute,” I said groggily, “I don’t want to go to school today.”

“Luke, you graduated a long time ago. Get up. You’re going to miss your show,” Momma laughed.

“Shit! I overslept,” I said loudly as I shot up out of the bed.

“Shhh!” Momma said, “You’re going to wake up Kelly.”

I got up out of bed, grabbed some clothes, and headed to the bathroom to change. When I came out of the bathroom Kerri was waiting on me.

“You are going to be late if you don’t come on. Carter said to bring you this,” Kerri said as she handed me his guitar.

“Thanks,” I said as I hurried to get my old boots on.

“Let’s go,” Kerri said as she started towards the door.

“Have you got Kelly?” I asked Momma.

“Yes. Now go or you’ll be late,” Momma said as she rushed me out the door.

I ran to catch up with Kerri and Amanda. We walked into the Electric Cowboy and I could hear the crowd screaming. It was so exhilarating. I could feel the blood pumping through my veins. I had a few meet and greets to do before the show with some people who won a contest on the radio, but more than anything I was ready to be on the stage again.

“Are ya’ll ready for Luke Bryan?” the host said as the crowd screamed, “Here he is! Luke Bryan!”

“How are ya’ll doing tonight?” I asked the crowd before I started into my set.

I sang song after song before I noticed Momma standing backstage with Kelly. She was wearing a little pair of pink ear protectors screaming, trying desperately to get away from Momma. Momma just looked at me and shook her head. I knew she was screaming for me. I tried to continue, but I just couldn’t do it.

“Can ya’ll excuse me for just a second? I need to take care of something real quick,” I asked the crowd as I sat Carter’s guitar down and walked off the stage.

Kerri was standing there giving me the ‘What are you doing” look. But I didn’t stop. I went straight to Momma and took Kelly from her. I saw Kerri start smiling and gesturing for me to take Kelly out on stage with me.

“Do you think I should take Kelly out there with me?” I asked Momma.

“Luke, she’s not going to let you go,” Momma told me, “She’s been screaming for you since she woke up and you were gone.”

“I guess that answers my question,” I said as I turned and started walking back out to the stage.

The crowd broke out in a bunch of ‘awe’s’ as I did. I grabbed my mic and adjusted Kelly on my hip.

“This is my daughter, Kelly,” I introduced her, “Can you say hi?” Kelly just hid her face in my shoulder, “How about I do a slow song? Can I get a stool?”

Kerri brought me the stool she had been sitting on and I put my mic on a stand before sitting down on the stool with Kelly. I sang the song and by the end Kelly had to get down and she was starting to dance.

“Country Man! Country Man!” the crowd chanted over and over.

“I think I can do that,” I smiled as the first beats of Country Man started to play.

I grabbed Kelly’s hand and started dancing with Kelly as I sang. The crowd was eating it up, but I knew this didn’t need to be a habit. Kelly needed to be on a routine and I needed to find someone who I could trust that could look after Kelly when I was on stage.