Two days after the incident in Cody’s mini studio, he phoned me. He said that he was elected as one of many nominees of the competition. I was so glad hearing about it. He also told me to sing again as he would have a live performance in front of the judges as the further selection on Friday.
From Monday to Thursday, he kept coming over my house to teach me German after we went back from campus. My brain was filled with all those German grammars, new vocabularies, and even slangs. It was only four days, and I became like an advanced learner. I couldn’t be happier about it.
Mom came into my room. It was four thirty in the afternoon. I was getting myself ready before Cody picked me up at five.
“Which one do you think best, Mom?” I asked her who was standing beside me, as reflected in the mirror.
“This one,” she pointed at a soft green long-sleeved blouse. “It made you look bright.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I put the other blouse I was holding onto the bed and took off the hanger from the green one Mom just chose. I took off the shirt I was wearing and put on the green blouse.
Mom smiled. “Where will you have your performance?” she asked.
“At the Colorado Convention Center,” I answered while I was putting on some makeup on my face.
Mom took a comb and helped me brush my hair. “What do you want to do with your hair?” she asked again.
“To make it simple, just a ponytail,” I responded.
Mom helped me tie my hair. “Done,” she said as she finished.
“Thank you, Mommy,” I also finished my makeup. I put all the makeup into a little purse and cleaned the table beside my standing mirror.
“Cassy,” Mom said.
“Yes?” I turned to her.
“I miss your dad,” she said it. She sounded weak in her tone.
“Me too,” I approached and held her hands. “But let’s just pray to God. He will have His way for us. And His way is perfect for us.” I remembered the song again which encouraged me so much.
Mom nodded and smiled in agreement.
My phone rang. “It must be Cody,” I grabbed my it and read a message from him. “Mom, he’s down there.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Mom said.
I grabbed my small purse which only had my phone and some bucks in it. We then walked down the stairs to the front door. Cody was there standing and waiting.
“Hey, Cody, take care of my daughter well,” Mom told him and he nodded then she turned her sight to me. “You, girl, be a good girlfriend of his.”
I gave her a wry smile as I heard she mentioned me as Cody’s girlfriend again. “Okay,” I sounded like whispered.
“I promise you, Mrs. Lance, that she will be safe,” Cody said.
Mom chuckled. “Hope I can be called as Mrs. Lance again,” there was a bitter pain heard in her statement.
“You will. Soon,” he sounded very convincing.
“Amen to that,” she smiled. “Go now. Don’t be late.” She urged us.
“Bye, Mom!” I waved at her while Cody and I hopped into his car.
Cody and I entered one of the biggest convention halls in Colorado. It was really big. The last time I came here was when my rich friend in high school held her birthday party there. Still, it amazed me of how big the size and how beautiful the interior design was.
We headed towards one of the halls, Wells Fargo Theatre. There were so many people gathered but only half of the theatre’s seats were occupied. It was because the nominees were limited. Most of them had their musical instruments besides them. They looked so expert. We walked past some participants and sat at the third row which was not too full of people.
Fifteen minutes after we found our comfortable seats, the lights shining grew dim. Then the spotlight coming from behind us lit up the stage. Somebody appeared. It was the host, and he was.. someone I knew.
“Cody,” I touched his arm.
“Yeah?” he turned to me.
“Welcome to the Selection of Cover Song Competition 2013,” the host declared.
“The host,”
“Yeah? What is it with the host?”
“He’s my dad,” I told him with a louder volume, trying to beat the noise of the backsound while he -- the host, my dad -- was talking.
“Your dad?” he sounded as surprised as I did at the moment. “It is good then.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know if I can continue this,” I told him.
“But why? We can’t go back,” he told me. “Please don’t.”
I turned my face to him. “I am trembling now. And I don’t know why,” my hands felt so cold and trembled a bit. “I don’t know if I can go on.”
“Cassidy,” he looked into my eyes and held my hands. “This is a good sign. You have to be there to show him that you are here. This is your chance. Use it.”
I thought about what he said. He was right. I could use this chance to show my dad that I wanted him to go back into the family again. To me and Mom. It was just, I was too afraid to do this. I wasn't even sure if I could stand still up there on the stage.
“Now calm down and relax,” he told me. “We still have long enough time as I got almost the last turn. Okay, Cassy?”
I nodded then turned my face to the stage again.
“Please welcome, the first contestant, Darian Moseley,” I was paying attention to my dad, the host who called a guy to come to the stage. Claps were heard all over the room as he stood in front of the people.
I paid no attention to the first contestant, second contestant, third, fourth, twelveth, eighteenth and so on and so forth. My attention was only to my dad. Why, I missed him, but I was afraid to face him. In my mind, there were questions such as if he would recognize me since it had been ten years after he left, or if I would be able to stand there while he was looking at me, or if he would want even to see my face. I was so afraid to bear unwanted things to happen.
“Cassy,” Cody woke me up from musing all the time.
“What?” I asked.
“It’s our turn,” his answer made me startled.
“What?”
“Come on, get up and go to the stage now,” he grabbed my hand when I didn’t do what he said and pulled me to walk past some people on the row, heading to the stage.
I saw him. I was looking at his face. I became closer and closer to him. Cody and I reached the stage and we’re standing in front of the people.
“Hello boy and girl,” my dad greeted.
“Hello,” Cody replied with the microphone given to him.
I only smiled at him hesitatingly. He smiled back at me. Then I knew, he didn’t recognize who I was. I, Cassidy Marie Lance, his daughter.
“Time is yours,” Dad left us on the stage.
I turned to the audience just like Cody did.
“Hello guys and the honorable judges,” he greeted. “It’s an honor for me to be standing here and elected as one of the nominees. Well, as you know that I didn’t make this cover myself, but with the help of a friend of mine. She’s Cass—”
I grabbed the microphone from him. “Well,” I cut him from mentioning my name. He only smiled when I did it, “you must want to know what we did was real. The recording I mean. Sorry for the little sobbing you heard at the end of the song and thank you for still having elected his work. Now, we present you the same song Have Your Way by Britt Nicole. Make yourself comfortable and enjoy it.”
Cody and I sat on the chairs provided, similar to the ones he had. I put the microphone on the stand and braced myself. I promised myself I would be tough here to sing this song while my dad was listening to me.
Cody played the classical guitar of his and I sang. I sang with all my heart. All my focus was on God. I prayed through the song I was singing. I hoped that Dad would come back. I hoped God made Dad, Mom and me reunited, as we used to.
My eyes glanced to the audience and coincidently saw Mom was sitting in the last row of the seats together with Cody’s parents. My heart was beating fast.
She is here? I talked inside my heart while I was still singing. Dad is here too? So, God, does it mean—
Tears were falling now. “Have..Your..way,” I finished the song.
//IAOBG//
ns 15.158.61.12da2
