Sequel: A Christmas to Remember ›
My Way Home Is Through You
Problem Girl
As Ray neared the bus, Bob stepped outside, blocking his entrance. Ray stopped short, puzzled.
"Bob?"
"What the hell's going on, Ray?" Bob asked, crossing his arms.
"Nothing," Ray replied. "I needed some air."
Bob leaned forward and breathed in. "Have you been drinking?"
"I had two beers, that's all," Ray said defensively.
"So you leave your little girl alone to go out for beer?" Bob stared incredulously at him.
"I- No!" Ray said. "That wasn't the intent, at least."
"Then what was?"
"I needed some air," Ray repeated stubbornly. Bob glared at him for a moment.
"Do you have any idea what you've done to her?"
Ray's heart fell. "Anna? Is she okay?"
"No, she's not," Bob growled. "She's been crying for an hour. Not even Frank has been able to calm her down."
Ray felt as though he'd been punched. "I- I just thought-"
"You didn't think, Ray," Bob cut him off. "You didn't think about how she would feel to wake up and find out you were gone. You didn't think how much it would hurt her if you broke a promise. You didn't think about how she remembers her mom leaving and never coming back. You-"
"All right!" Ray shouted. "I get it. I do, Bob. I fucked up. Royally." He ran his fingers through his hair as if to clear his head. "God knows, I understand that. But I'm not perfect, damn it. And I'm here now."
"Well, thank God for that," snarled Bob. "You better get in there, she's pretty fucking upset."
Pushing past the drummer, Ray entered the bus to find absolute silence. His bandmates gazed up at him with looks of worry and anger.
And there on the couch was the person he most wanted to see. Anna lay with her head on Frank's thigh and her thumb in her mouth, clutching her doll as though it were a lifeline. Her tear-stained face stared blankly at the floor as Ray knelt beside her.
Reaching out to smooth back her hair, he said, "Hey baby, I'm here. I'm back."
Anna pulled away from his touch and turned to face the back of the couch. In that instant, Ray felt his heart break .
Oh, Jesus, what have I done?
"Bob?"
"What the hell's going on, Ray?" Bob asked, crossing his arms.
"Nothing," Ray replied. "I needed some air."
Bob leaned forward and breathed in. "Have you been drinking?"
"I had two beers, that's all," Ray said defensively.
"So you leave your little girl alone to go out for beer?" Bob stared incredulously at him.
"I- No!" Ray said. "That wasn't the intent, at least."
"Then what was?"
"I needed some air," Ray repeated stubbornly. Bob glared at him for a moment.
"Do you have any idea what you've done to her?"
Ray's heart fell. "Anna? Is she okay?"
"No, she's not," Bob growled. "She's been crying for an hour. Not even Frank has been able to calm her down."
Ray felt as though he'd been punched. "I- I just thought-"
"You didn't think, Ray," Bob cut him off. "You didn't think about how she would feel to wake up and find out you were gone. You didn't think how much it would hurt her if you broke a promise. You didn't think about how she remembers her mom leaving and never coming back. You-"
"All right!" Ray shouted. "I get it. I do, Bob. I fucked up. Royally." He ran his fingers through his hair as if to clear his head. "God knows, I understand that. But I'm not perfect, damn it. And I'm here now."
"Well, thank God for that," snarled Bob. "You better get in there, she's pretty fucking upset."
Pushing past the drummer, Ray entered the bus to find absolute silence. His bandmates gazed up at him with looks of worry and anger.
And there on the couch was the person he most wanted to see. Anna lay with her head on Frank's thigh and her thumb in her mouth, clutching her doll as though it were a lifeline. Her tear-stained face stared blankly at the floor as Ray knelt beside her.
Reaching out to smooth back her hair, he said, "Hey baby, I'm here. I'm back."
Anna pulled away from his touch and turned to face the back of the couch. In that instant, Ray felt his heart break .
Oh, Jesus, what have I done?