Boomerang

Author's note: this is the 2nd effort in my new universe of stories. This one features Fairleigh from Not for the innocent, and the next will feature as the main character the songwriter Marty. Enjoy.

*****

Braden sat in his living room, with his family and his girlfriend Fairleigh's family, watching her sing on TV. She made it to the final two contestant stage on the nation's number one talent show.

The band's last notes played, and her voice rose higher and more powerful than he'd ever heard her sing before. He knew she nailed it, and it was only a formality for the judges to choose her.

"Oh, my God!" her sister Korrie shouted. "She did it! She's gonna win!"

Braden watched the excitement travel throughout the room and briefly wondered what would happen if she did win. Previous winners of the show were sent on tours and released records. Some were the most successful people in the music business. Would Fairleigh become rich and famous and leave him behind?

Suddenly, he was getting his back patted. High fives and fist bumps were flying. Then the commercial break ended.

Each of the judges in turn gushed over her and her performance. The curmudgeon of the judges called her the most talented singer to ever grace a stage in his presence. The audience at the studio and in his house erupted in cheers and shouts.

Fairleigh's mother Avery shouted, "Quiet! They brought the other guy out. They're going to choose the winner."

Everyone stared at the television holding hands, willing the judges to pick their daughter, sister, girlfriend. They begged God to bless her with fame and fortune.

The dandy looking announcer shouted, "And the winner is..."

Braden never even heard her name called. The house became bedlam. On television, Fairleigh was in a shower of confetti and tears fell down her cheeks. Her name flashed on the screen as that year's winner.

Hugs were shared. Tears were shed. No one but Braden wondered what would happen next. It had been months since Fairleigh surprised him with her announcement that she'd auditioned at a local casting call, and it was finally over.

"Some surprise," he thought as the show ended with her crying into her hands, then waving to the camera as if she were waving to them. "Where do we go from here?"

*****

Braden was awoken by his phone ringing at 2am.

"Hello," he grumbled.

"Baby, did you watch? Did you see I won?" Fairleigh shouted into the phone.

"Yeah, I left you a message and texted three times."

"Sorry, I didn't see them. It's been ridiculous here. I've been doing interviews and met with some record company people. They want to sign me to a contract and do a tour. They're telling me I'm going to be famous."

He could hear the excitement in her voice.

"I'm happy for you, baby. When are you coming home?"

"I don't know. I have to meet with the label on Thursday, and I've got to meet with managers and lawyers tomorrow." Then she screamed. "I did it! I really won. I'm going to be famous, Braden."

He sighed, "I love you, baby. I'm so happy for you."

"For us, Braden. This is going to be huge for us."

He lied, "Sure, honey, for us."

"Oh! There's someone at the door. I ordered some food, ugh, I feel like I haven't eaten in days. I got to go. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Okay, keep me in the loop. I love you."

"Love you, bye."

She ended the call and he wondered when he would talk to her again. Sleep didn't come easy after that.

The next morning, Braden was working on the latest issue his boss dropped on his desk when one of his coworkers shouted, "Braden, come to the break room quick!"

He groaned and walked down the rows of cubicles to see what the fuss was about. He hoped it wasn't another birthday cake. He worried he wouldn't get all of his work done quickly enough to get out on time.

"Look, Fairleigh's on the Today show," someone shouted. They'd all been following her progress on the show and were just as excited as her family that someone they knew was going to be famous.

He looked at the television and someone turned up the volume.

"Yeah," Fairleigh smiled. "Everyone's super excited about it back home. I've been getting texts and calls since the show aired."

"Didn't read mine," Braden sighed. He did smile at how excited she was and how great she looked on TV.

He was patted on the back by his boss. "This is fantastic, Braden. Your life is going to change now, young man."

"Yeah, kinda figured that," Braden sighed before seeing Fairleigh's bright smile as the show went to commercial.

He walked passed his coworkers to return to work.

*****

Three weeks later, there was a knock on his door. He opened it and was hit by a whirling Fairleigh bursting into him.

"I missed you so much, Braden," she shrieked as she hugged him. She didn't notice he didn't hug back.

"What brings you by, Fairleigh?"

"What do you mean? I'm home. Well, I'm home for a few days before I go to Nashville, but I'm home."

She let up on her grip, and he slid out of her arms.

As he walked into his living room, he asked, "No, I asked what brought you by? I mean, you haven't answered any of my calls, nor have you responded to my texts. I know you're reading texts and are taking calls; I've spoken to your parents."

"Braden, you need to understand. I'm so busy right now, I don't have time to call or text everyone who..."

"You don't have time to call or text your boyfriend, yet you've texted and spoken to your parents, your sister, your friends, and everyone else? I was cast aside."

"Braden, no. It's not like that."

"It is like that, Fairleigh."

She turned her face to look away. He wondered if it was shame or remorse, he couldn't tell. Then he saw her look at the small box on his coffee table.

"What's in the box, Braden?"

A tear fell down her cheek, and she had a bright smile cross her lips. It wouldn't be there for long.

"That's an engagement ring," he said quietly.

She realized something was drastically wrong.

"Braden?"

He leaned over and picked up the box. He looked at it reverently and slid it into his pocket.

"I was going to give that to you when you got home from the talent show."

"I'm here," she whispered as tears ran down her cheeks. She knew what he meant. He said, 'was going to.'

"No, Fairleigh. You're in my house but you're not here. I'm too small for you now. You've already moved on to bigger and better things."

The gravity of the moment hit her hard, and she shook with sobs, "Please don't do this."

"I'm sorry. I really am. I loved you more than life, but you moved on. You left me three weeks ago. You just didn't have the decency to tell me."

She stood, knowing he was right. She was afraid to talk to him in case he asked her to come home. She knew she needed the freedom to be a star. She refused to admit it to herself before that moment, but she knew he was right.

He continued, "I love you so much, I will not be the chain around your neck keeping you from being the star you're destined to be. Go be that star, Fairleigh. Go shine your light on the world."

She ran to him and hugged him, desperate to find a way to have both him and her dreams.

"Goodbye, Fairleigh. Don't forget me when you're on top of the world."

She walked out of his house and stopped on his porch. As soon as the door closed behind her, she fell to her knees and sobbed.

*****

Ten-year-old Cassidy Jackson walked away from her mother's grave holding her father's hand. Her mother died from cancer a year to the day before.

"Daddy, why do good people die?" she asked.

Her father, Braden, answered, "I don't know for sure, but why would God want to have bad people in Heaven with him? I guess he just takes the good ones when he needs new angels."

Braden had been struggling to carry on without his wife. She picked him up and put his pieces back together after he ended it with Fairleigh. She loved him from afar while he was with Fairleigh, and after the break-up wasted no time in swooping in and nursing him back to romantic health.

It didn't take long for him to fall completely in love with her. Within two years, they fell in love, married, and had Cassidy.

Cassidy sat and linked her phone to the radio when Braden turned the car on. She put on her favorite playlist, and the first song that played was one Braden knew all too well and hated to hear. It was Fairleigh's first hit.

"Can we go to the Fairleigh concert on Saturday, Daddy?"

He smiled and lied, "I'm sure it's sold out, princess. Maybe we can go next time if I find out about it early enough."

Cassidy was a smart child. Braden would often say too smart.

She answered, "Daddy, do you know there's people selling their tickets on the internet?"

He sighed and lied, "No, I didn't know that."

She smiled and looked at his eyes in the rearview mirror.

"Yep. When you Google 'Fairleigh concert tickets,' all kinds of places that sell tickets popped up. Even if the show is sold out you can still get some."

"I'm sure they're super expensive though, honey. Fairleigh's a big star."

"How much is expensive, Daddy?"

He laughed, "If you have to ask, you can't afford it. Now, how about we go to visit Grandma and Grandpa? Maybe, they'll want to get some ice cream."

"Okay," she relented.

Little did he know, she wasn't giving up on the idea of going to the concert. She smiled as she typed on her phone.

*****

Fairleigh, once again, scrolled through her prized pictures. She always opened that album of pictures of her and Braden when she missed him. And every time, she fought the urge to call him.

She was kept in the loop on his life thanks to her mother who was still close with Braden's mother. Fairleigh knew about his marriage, the birth of his child, and sadly the death of his wife.

She almost left her tour to fly home to comfort the lost love of her life at his lowest time. She again died inside at the thought of her deepest love being in pain. Yet she did what she always did, she stayed away. It was what he wanted.

Her driver pulled onto the driveway of her childhood home. She always stayed with her parents when she played in her hometown. She missed her parents and her old life, but she missed nothing more than Braden.

Avery met her daughter on the porch and hugged her tightly. Fairleigh was always emotional when she came home, and Avery wondered if one day her daughter would ever get over Braden.

"Hey, honey," Avery whispered as Fairleigh turned back into the young naïve girl who left to find fame.

"Hi, Mama."

"Are you hungry? I made stuffed cabbage."

Fairleigh sniffled back some tears and said, "I'm always hungry for your stuffed cabbage."

They walked into the house and before she could sit, Fairleigh's phone rang.

"I'm at home, Kelly. I don't want to be bothered," she spat at her assistant.

"I'm sorry, but I figured you'd want to hear this as soon as possible."

"What is it?"

"We just got an email in the fan box from a child in your hometown. She said her mother died and her dad can't afford tickets. I figured they could be your special fans tomorrow."

In every city she played, Fairleigh called up a few fans onto stage with her and told their special story. Sometimes it was a couple who got engaged at her show, sometimes it was an elderly person's first concert, there were all sorts of stories, and her fans loved it. There was an email box set up just for those stories.

"You can handle it, right?" Fairleigh asked annoyed. All she wanted to do was be comforted by her mother.

"Yeah, but this is different. Her name is Cassidy Jackson. Her father is..."

"Braden," Fairleigh whispered and ended the call.

"Mom," she called out. "I thought you said Braden was doing well."

"He is, Honey. Well, besides his wife dying last year. He has that lovely daughter, a beautiful house, he's fine."

"Cassidy just sent an email to my special fans mailbox. She said her father can't afford tickets to my show."

"Well, they are expensive. I told you that before."

"Mother, the promoters control that."

Avery laughed, "Whatever. So, leave some tickets for them at the window."

"I wish it were that simple," Fairleigh cried.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Mom, Braden's daughter wants to go to my concert, right? He knows I'd give him tickets if he wanted. He obviously didn't tell her he knew me, and by not reaching out for tickets for his little girl, he's still upset with me."

"Hold on," Avery picked up her phone and made a call.

"Hi, Sandy. Yes, she just got home. A little homesick as usual, but we have a problem. Cassidy sent an email to her about Braden not being able to afford tickets for the show."

Fairleigh watched as Avery listened to Braden's mother talk. She wondered what her mother was doing.

Avery said, "Really? I think that's a great idea. I'm suddenly very hungry for some rocky road, myself."

She ended the call and looked at Fairleigh.

"Honey, let's go for some ice cream."

"Mother, what did you do?"

"Don't worry about it, baby. Let me handle everything."

*****

Avery and Fairleigh walked into the empty ice cream shop and Fairleigh breathed a sigh of relief. She had feared walking in and seeing Braden. She didn't think her heart could take that pain.

"Earth to Fairleigh?" Avery said, snapping her out of her thoughts. She was thinking about when she and Braden used to share banana splits there and fight over the cherry.

"Sorry, I'll have a banana split."

A moment later, the starstruck cashier asked, "Can I get a picture? I'm your biggest fan. Ever since the talent show."

"Sure," Fairleigh said with her usual smile.

After the photo snapped, the bell on the door rang as someone entered. Then, the scream of a little girl pierced the ears of everyone within a mile.

"Fairleigh! Oh, my God! It's Fairleigh!"

Cassidy ran up and hugged her favorite singer. Fairleigh though, couldn't take her eyes off of the man standing in the doorway.

"Braden," she whispered.

She'd recognize him anywhere. Still as handsome as ever. He had slightly lighter hair than in the pictures she obsessed over. He was slightly thicker in the waist but still him. The only man for her in the world

"You know my daddy?" Cassidy shrieked.

She looked down at the little girl, then knelt to be at eye level.

"Yes, I knew your daddy once upon a time."

"Did you know my mommy? She died."

"No, honey. I wish I had met her. I heard she was a wonderful woman who loved you and your daddy very much."

She kissed Cassidy on the forehead and said, "But listen. I was just told about a little girl who's daddy couldn't afford tickets to my concert tomorrow."

Cassidy's eyes lit up, "You read my email."

"Yep," Fairleigh lied. She looked at Braden with a determined look and said, "I've got tickets with your name on them. Do you think you can find some friends to bring along?"

Cassidy screamed and started shouting names of her friends to take to along.

"Whoa," Fairleigh laughed.

Braden finally woke from his shock and said, "Cassidy, hang on. What's she talking about."

Cassidy slunk back and said, "She has an email box for fans to send stories in and try to get on stage at her concerts. I figured it was worth a shot when you said no to the expensive tickets."

Braden sighed, "I think I need to take your phone away."

Avery cut in to save Cassidy, "Hello, Braden. It's lovely to see you. Hello, Sandy."

Braden shook his head and said, "So, that's what the phone call was, huh, Mom?"

She shrugged and went to order her ice cream.

Fairleigh looked at Cassidy and took her hand, "Would you like to join me?"

Cassidy nodded and said, "Grandma, can I have a banana split too?"

"Let's split mine," Fairleigh interjected. "Your dad and I used to split them all the time."

"What! No way!"

Fairleigh laughed and said, "Yeah, your dad and I were great friends before I was famous. I love him very much."

Everyone in the room noticed she said love in the present tense. Only Avery saw Cassidy's sly smile.

"How did you meet my daddy?" Cassidy asked as they shared the banana split. Braden sat behind Fairleigh not willing to reconnect with his old love at that moment.

Fairleigh smiled, "We were friends in school. When we got home after college we reconnected."

Cassidy smiled and went for the cherry. Fairleigh blocked her spoon and tried to pull the prize to her side of the sundae.

"Nuh, uh," Cassidy challenged.

"It's mine," Fairleigh answered with raised eyebrows.

"Did you date my dad?"

Fairleigh pulled back, and Cassidy wasted no time stealing the cherry and smiling at her foe.

Out of nowhere, Braden said, "I think it's time to get going."

"Da-addy!" she whined. "Can't I finish my sundae, please."

Sandy intervened, "Braden, she's having ice cream with her favorite singer. Let her have this moment. A million girls would kill to be her right now."

Braden was hit by a sudden flash of fatherly guilt. He knew Fairleigh was her favorite. She was his departed wife's favorite too. His wife understood why he never liked to talk about Fairleigh and didn't resent her husband keeping his relationship secret from Cassidy. Now, it was biting him back.

He could have been a legendary father if he had just swallowed his feelings and reached out to Fairleigh so she could meet his daughter. Instead, he kept his relationship with the singer secret because he couldn't stop loving her, and his wife deserved all of his love.

He caved, "Okay, okay. Finish your sundae. I'll be outside."

Fairleigh said, "Braden, no. I don't want to take away your time with your daughter."

He grunted, "Too late."

He tossed the half of his banana split that Cassidy would've eaten in the trash and walked outside. There were benches where he could sit and watch inside the shop.

"Why did daddy get mad? What did I do?"

Sandy said, "You didn't do anything, baby. Your dad was just surprised to see Fairleigh again and didn't take it well."

"Why? Why didn't he ever tell me he knew her?"

"Mom?" Fairleigh asked.

"It's his story to tell, Sweetie."

Fairleigh rolled her eyes and went into diva mode.

"Well, I'm tired of being his secret."

She stood and rushed to the door. Cassidy picked up the sundae and followed her out. When she opened the door she was shocked to see Fairleigh grab her dad by the shirt, pull him into her, and kiss him.

Cassidy smiled as she ate a scoop of ice cream and watched her father's shocked eyes as Fairleigh kissed him. When he pushed her back, Fairleigh breathlessly smiled.

"What the hell are you doing?" he shouted.

"Serving you notice that I'm not letting you go again."

She turned and looked at Cassidy.

"I have a box at the concert for my family and friends. You are now one of them."

She looked at Avery who was smiling along with Sandy.

"Mom, how many seats are left?"

"Ten."

"Okay, Cassidy. You can bring your dad and eight friends to my concert tomorrow."

She looked at Braden, who stood there shocked.

"And you. You tell your daughter our story. Don't leave anything out because we had a love. A beautiful love and I don't regret one moment of it, except the last dozen years of being without you."

She dropped to one knee and hugged Cassidy.

"Cassidy, it was lovely to meet you. Thank you for sending me that email."

She hugged Sandy and said, "It was nice to see you again, Sandy. Thank you for bringing them."

Braden watched still frozen in shock as she walked away leaving Avery to follow after her.

Sandy patted Braden on the shoulder and said, "I think she still loves you, dear."

He looked at her as if she were crazy, and Cassidy giggled.

*****

Braden and nine ten-year-old girls walked up to the will call window and asked for their tickets. The lady in the booth called someone and the next thing he knew, they were being escorted through the bowels of the arena to the backstage area.