Torn Between Two

Chapter Nine

The next day, she spent most of the day with her music producer friend going over the music and the lyrics for the song and how it should be sung. She hugged him and went home. Soon it was Friday night, Alex got Ashley settled on a couch and sat with her. Melanie and Kyle sat together. Brian and Nick sat in chairs beside each other as they watched Jessica prepare to sing her song.

"Is this another song she wrote?" Brian asked.

"Yes, what the song is about, really happened as well," Melanie said. Ashley nodded.

"I wish she would have told us about the songs," Nick said.

"Maybe she rather tell you through the songs rather than tell you," Ashley said. Brian and Nick sat back. Jessica got onstage.

"Thank you, I hope you like this song, I wrote this song for a special someone in my heart who is no longer with us," Jessica said.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Well she seemed all right by dawns early light
Though she looked a little worried and weak
She tried to pretend he wasn't drinkin' again
But daddy left the proof on her cheek
And I was only eight years old that summer
And I always seemed to bein the way
So I took myself down to the fair in town
On Independence Day

Well word gets around in a small, small town
They said he was a dangerous man
But mama was proud and she stood her ground
She knew she was on the losin' end
Some folks whispered and some folks talked
But everybody looked the other way
And when time ran out there was no one about
On Independence Day

Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing
Let the whole world know that today is a day of reckoning
Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong
Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay it's Independence Day

Well she lit up the sky that fourth of July
By the time that the firemen come
They just putout the flames, and took down some names
And sent me to the county home
Now I ain't sayin' it's right or it's wrong
But maybe it's the only way
Talk about your revolution
It's Independence Day

Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing
Let the whole world know that today is a day of reckoning
Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong
Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay it's Independence Day
Roll the stone away
It's Independence day

(Song: Independence Day by Martina McBride)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jessica stepped off the stage as everyone stood and applauded. Brian and Nick got up and hugged her. They all left and went home to the girls' house.

"That song was about your parents?" Brian asked.

"Yes," Jessica said.

"It was for your mom?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, I miss her, I don't miss my father," Jessica said.

"Jess, did he ever hurt you?" Nick asked.

"No, my mom took it for me, she wouldn't let him touch me," Jessica said.

"She spent most of the time at mine or Melanie's houses, sometimes stayed a week at times, when they sent her to the home, my parents got guardianship of her a week later," Ashley said.

"Then a couple months later, my parents adopted her," Melanie said.

"So you guys are sisters," Alex said.

"We pretty much were before then anyways, my parents couldn't have any more kids after me, so I was an only child, when they adopted Jess, I was excited and happy about having a sister who was my best friend," Melanie said. Jessica smiled and hugged her.