Father’s Day
by
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Then all became silent once more, and Robin stared at the ice cubes in his water. This time, everyone noticed him. He looked up, surveying everyone. His eyes fell on Shelly. She looked so lovely in her deep forest green dress with her red curls softly cascading over her shoulders. He smiled at her, and then said out loud, “I have an announcement. Unfortunately, it’s not going to be a good one, but I have thought long and hard about this.” Everyone was riveted. They really had no clue what was coming. “I’ve decided to quit the business, or at least, the performing.”
Not a word.
“I mean, I can produce, or write, or—”“Teach?” Shelly asked surprisingly.
He looked at her with wonder. “Yes. I guess I could.”George got up, threw his napkin onto the table, and went outside to the patio.
“Excuse me,” Robin said to the ladies, and followed him out.Robin’s heart pounded as he walked up to George, who stood staring at the pool. He didn’t turn around, but knew Robin was there.
“Listen, I’m sorry, George. I know this is quite a shock to you, and I can’t blame you for being angry.”George shook his head. “Not as much shock as a realization of my fears.”
“What?”“I had a feeling you were going to do this. The way you’ve been acting lately—I saw it coming. I just couldn’t believe it.”
“Look… You have to understand… I’m feeling overwhelmed by all that has happened lately—”“You’re feeling overwhelmed?” George got up right into his face. “Let me tell you what is overwhelming: Eighty-four employees who depend on your success to get them a paycheck—that’s what—and that’s only the immediate staff; forty-five towns expecting us to show up and entertain them. Let’s see, an average of four thousand seats a city, well, that’s a lot of fans—”
“I know, I know! Jesus, do you think this is easy for me? Do you think I haven’t rolled those numbers in my head already? My wife nearly died, dammit! And now she’s pregnant with a child we had had no hope of ever having. Do you think I can leave her here and go on the road and concentrate on what I’m doing? I can imagine neither leaving her nor giving those 180,000 fans a half-ass concert because I can’t give them my all.”George was slightly taken aback by this. He had never seen Robin get this upset and definitely never heard him speak about something so passionately before. Could it be that Shelly had awoken a side to him that had lain dormant for years? He felt he needed to compromise. “All right. Can we meet in the middle on this? Is there no way you can at least do the tour? We’re talking three months, Robin. And I can have Debra call on Shelly every day to make sure she’s well.”
Robin looked at him with pitiful eyes. “You’re right. Yes. I’m being hasty, I know… God, George, you just don’t understand.” He sat down on a patio chair, his elbow on the table and his hand on his head. George began to feel sorry for his brother and tried to imagine what it would be like to lose Debra. The thought made him shudder, but it made him realize that Robin nearly did lose not only his wife, but a baby as well—Oh God, he thought. That’s it. They had already lost a baby. He hated himself for forgetting.He came over to him and put his hand on his shoulder. “Rob, look…if you really can’t do it, just say so. I understand.”
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About the Book
Life is no longer simple for the famous British rockers of the band, Ministers of Parliament. Once upon a time, the headlining Parker brothers lived lives of parties and excess. Now, they’ve settled down and gotten married. With a slew of sudden real-life dramatics, the theatrics of the stage seem less important.
Robin almost just lost his wife to an illness she picked up while on tour in Japan. Recovered from sickness, Shelly is told she’s pregnant, to Robin’s shock and awe. Meanwhile, his brother George struggles to keep his marriage to Debra intact, and their adventurous cousin Terry has found love with the exotic Rachel.
Decisions need to be made. Robin fears leaving Shelly for another tour, so retirement might be his only option—but what will that do to the rest of the band? George wonders if it’s even worth trying to salvage his relationship with Debra. Terry is haunted by a strange sense of impending doom where his love life is concerned. Will the Parker family find bliss, or will their decisions end in loss and pain?
About the Author
Ramona Michele Greene has been an artist and author since childhood. Her first book and prequel to this novel, How To Love a Superstar, has been sold worldwide to much acclaim. She lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband, Jeff, and two very silly but wonderful dogs.