The Bluest of Eyes

Chapter one

”Don’t beat yourself up over this. You know you’re talented, honey.” Christine Harper comforted her daughter as they sat down in the red Chevrolet Traverse.

It didn’t seem to help much – the young blonde sat quietly, floundering slightly with her seatbelt as she buckled up.

“Kenzie…” Her mother started, looking at her daughter in the adjacent seat, and replaced the ensuing pep talk with a sigh. She knew there was nothing she could say that would make things better. Having been a mother for twenty two years, she knew that certain things were better left unsaid and that it was easier to let her daughter come to peace with it in her own pace.

Christine turned the key in the ignition and began the fifteen minute long car ride home; one which would most likely be driven in complete silence. Silence didn’t sit well with the mother of four; she had grown up in a big, lively family and had raised three kids within an age span of two years. She was used to a constant commotion and couldn’t stand silence for a longer period of time. Five minutes seemed to be her soft spot, so she reached out her right hand and turned on the radio which started playing their default country station. The final seconds of a song faded out, and a man started speaking.

“That was Colton Arden with his smash hit ‘Love you twice as much’. Austin is going crazy with Colton fever as American Idol is visiting the city for auditions this week. As you all know, Colton won the con-“

Kenzie turned it off.

“I can’t believe I blew it,” the first words to escape the mouth of the 19 year old since they had sat down in the car were words of disappointment. “I have dreamt of this all my life and I finally work up the courage to do it, and I make a complete fool out of myself,” the blonde continued with a groan.

She had gone to audition for American Idol, and despite the reassurance of how she’d easily sail through to the next step, she had left the jury with a lump in her throat and ‘You’re not ready yet’ echoing in her head. It was almost an out of body experience, and she hadn’t realized that her dream had been ripped to pieces and stomped on until they were walking back to the car. Once the realization hit her, she had been on the verge of tears and having a breakdown, but she had kept it all bottled up. Having her mother witness her reaction would have made the failure more tangible. If she kept up a cool front, she could always shrug it off later and pretend that it didn’t faze her. In reality, she was highly upset and planned on never leaving her room again once they got back home.

“This is so embarrassing!” she exclaimed and leaned back with closed eyes. “Grandma is going to call tonight and ask how it went, my friends are going to text me and ask me if I’ll still have time with them now that I’m on my way to fame, and you know that Portia is going to have a field day with this," she opened her eyes and looked at her mother who was keeping her eyes on the road while glancing over at her daughter in distress every now and then.

“Portia is not going to say anything. Grandma is going to be proud of you regardless, and I’m sure your friends will find a way to blame that Caldwell guy.”

“Cowell, mom,” Kenzie corrected her mother’s failed attempt to sound interested in the televised talent show. “And he’s not even on the show anymore, you know. I didn’t even make it past the initial jury. I didn’t even get to see the celebrities,” her tone grew increasingly frustrated and with every word uttered it seemed like Kenzie made the situation seem worse than it actually was.

“Honey, I’m sorry. This doesn’t change the fact that you are very talented. God must have something else in store for you and I’m not going to let you sulk over this. You need to pick yourself up and dust yourself off. Your moment will come.”

“You sound exactly like grandma.”

“I do not tolerate swearing in this car.”

They laughed, and Kenzie allowed herself to smile. Her mother was right – she couldn’t sit around and mope for the rest of her life. It had put a damper on her mood, simply because she had her heart set on making her big dream come true. Just because she let her inexperience get the best of her one time didn’t mean that she wasn’t ever going to make it.

“Thanks, mom.”

“That’s what I’m here for. And, for what it’s worth, you’re my American Idol.”

Kenzie chuckled and rolled her eyes. “That sounds so cheesy.”

Fifteen minutes had passed in no time, and the car pulled up on the driveway outside the Harper manor. Three figures were standing in the kitchen, nervously awaiting the arrival of the superstar in the making. Kenzie’s heart dropped and she took a deep breath as her mother turned off the engine.

“You’ll be fine. They’re going to tell you exactly what I’ve said, and you’re going to embrace the support, because deep down you know we’re right.”

Kenzie nodded, unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car. The twosome walked up to the door, her mother’s arm wrapped around her shoulders in a supporting gesture. Inside her father and her two younger siblings were waiting with big smiles on their faces and frito pie waiting to be served, not knowing the disappointing news that awaited.