Chapter 13
Jeanie dressed conservatively for
the awards. A little black dress and pearls. She looked in the mirror one last
time and chuckled, “Well, I’m sure no Leighanne…” She loved to tease Kevin
about Leighanne and her “conservative” approach to dressing especially at the
award shows. Jeanie always got the last word. “Well, tell Brian to cover up her
tits before she visits our church…she’s liable to give Brother Baker a
coronary…” Kevin would respond by giving her “the look.” Unfortunately for him,
Jeanie had become quite adept at staring him back down and forcing him to
laugh.
She looked at her reflection.
Nothing going on there…no massive sex appeal…nothing…just Jeanie in a black
dress. “Well…guess this is as good as it gets…maybe I ought to check into
buying me some boobs when I get home…” she laughed. “Screw it…Madison doesn’t
care…”
There was a knock on the door. She
took a deep breath and tried to pull her courage together as she let Hunter in.
“You’re beautiful…” Hunter smiled
and handed her a bouquet of red roses.
“Oh my gosh, Hunter! Come in…this
is so sweet. What’s this for?”
“Sorta for luck for tonight, but
mostly ‘cause I think you deserve it… I sorta figured it’s been a while since
you got roses…”
She stared down at the carpet,
certain if she looked at him that he would be able to read the truth in her
eyes. The truth…that she couldn’t remember the last time Kevin brought her
flowers.
“Thank you…” she said softly. “I
mean that…” He kissed her hand. “I know you do. Now…” he opened the door for
her. “Pretty woman…there’s a big ol black limo downstairs with our name on it.
Let’s go…”
* * *
“Kev! Hey, it’s on!” The guys
gathered around the small television. The show had been on for almost two
hours. They’d been taking turns running back and forth trying to catch a
glimpse of Jeanie.
As the show returned from
commercial break, the camera panned the audience.
“There! There…” Brian pointed.
“See?” They all leaned in. “Whose the guy?”
Kevin couldn’t believe it. What
was Hunter doing there? He understood her to say one of them would show up, him
or her. He watched them whispering and Hunter kiss the back of her hand then
resting her hand on his leg. He refused to let go.
Nick walked out.
“What’s his problem tonight? I
swear he’s on drugs…”
“What’s the song?” A.J. asked.
Kevin’s face flushed with
embarrassment. If his life depended on it, he couldn't remember what the
nominated song was.
Brian rescued him, “One More
Week.” It’s a good cry-in-your-beer ballad:
One more week and
I’ll be all right
One more week and I’ll be okay
Just tell me you still love me and you’ve forgiven me today
I learned a hard and lonely lesson
I cheated, I was wrong
One more week of lovin you
One more week …alone…
The other guys stared at him. Now
it was Brian’s turn to blush. “Well, Jeanie and I are working on a few things…”
Kevin just shook his head.
“Shhh…guys,” Howie said. “This is
it…”
“The CMA for Song of the Year goes
to...”
“One More Week,” Hunter Maguire
and Jeanie Kirkpatrick, songwriters…”
“I’ll be damned…she did it again…”
Kevin sat back in amazement…
Everyone was yelling and laughing.
Nick rushed back in…
“This is getting embarrassing…”
Kevin laughed.
“Man, did you ever think of
collaborating with your own wife?” A.J. slapped him on the back. Kevin just sat
there. It had never occurred to him… He watched intently as Hunter stood up and
held his hand out to Jeanie. He gently guided her toward the podium, his large
hand resting comfortably on her lower back. After a quick thank you, he
introduced her.
“I’m gonna let this beautiful
woman finish up…she’s a helluva lot better with words than me…” Jeanie blushed.
Kevin could only imagine the enormous angst she must be feeling. Jeanie was the
most self-deprecatory person he’d ever known. It was almost impossible to
compliment her…she’d joke her way out of everything.
She went through the list…she had
it memorized…the record label, radio, producers, musicians. “Good girl,” he
mumbled.
Finally, she ended her speech
with, “Jess, be good! Madi, Mommy loves you…Kevin…One More Week, baby…I love
you. Thank you all!” She smiled as Hunter hugged and kissed her.
Kevin sat transfixed by her image
on television. None of the guys knew what to say. What did that mean? one
more week, baby.
Brian was mentally running through
every lyric in the song. He softly whispered, “Maybe she meant the last verse,
By 3 a.m. I cry
myself to sleep
Nothin’s gonna take your place, I need you holding me
All that’s left is an empty bed, guilt and tears and pain
I can’t take one more week without your love again…
One more week.**
Nick left the room again.
* * *
“Bye bye.” Madi murmured as
Tiffany lifted her into her car seat and strapped her in.
“That’s right, princess. We’re
going bye bye.” Tiffany was shaking as she tossed her suitcase in the back
seat.
“Bye bye,” Madi repeated.
“Ugh, yes, bye bye.” She didn’t
think Lupe would ever go to sleep. She’d put a sleeping pill in her tea at
dinner…still it took a good two hours before she was really out. Thankfully,
Jessie was gone.
“Bye, bye.”
“Here…” Tiffany shoved a fruit
roll-up at her. Madi smiled. “That’ll shut you up for a while…” As she backed
the car out of the drive way she muttered, “Say one last bye-bye, princess…it’s
gonna be a long time before you ever see Mommy or Daddy again…”
“Momma? Bye bye…” Madi waved her
fruit roll-up, “Bye bye…”
* * * * *
**"One
More Week" (c)1999 djriley