Back to Me (Book Three ✓)

fifty

Of course.

Maggie whines and I hold out a finger as patiently as I can. She's a good girl, I remind myself, just a little moody because of stage fright.

When I'd realized I'd given birth to a baby girl, I saw a lifetime of having a ready-made best friend, a mini-me to do everything with.

As it turns out, I'm chopped liver compared to Maggie's daddy. She will follow him everywhere, already making him proud with the music she chooses in the car and the sassy little attitude she exudes at all times.

Not that I'm complaining - I quite love watching their friendship grow as she does.

I see Beau pick up from across the auditorium.

"How's my favorite girl doing?"

"I take it you don't mean me." I exhale, rubbing my hand over Maggie's back as she clings to my leg. The instructors are beginning to line the children up and Maggie grips me even tighter. "She's freaking out, can you come calm her down?"

"Parker still isn't here-"

"Ask Nadine to do it. They're about to start and I'm losing circulation in my leg here, Beau."

"Understood, I'll be right there."

I hang up as soon as he's agreed, doing my best to nudge Maggie in the direction of the other kids in line.

Hardly a moment passes before Beau is behind me, a hand on the small of my back for a brief second before he kneels down and peels Maggie's limbs from me. Now that he's here, she lets go rather quickly, throwing her arms around his neck and clinging for her life.

"There's my pretty girl." His smile is so proud as he forces space between them, spinning her around and admiring her dress. "What's the matter, baby?"

"I'm scared." She stills, her giggle fading as she reaches up to twirl a strand of her bangs, a nervous habit we're struggling to break.

Gently, Beau pulls her fingers from her hair, holding them in his hand instead. "What're you scared of?"

"Being up there." Her voice wobbles as she points out to the stage and Beau follows her finger with his eyes.

"You know, Daddy was sometimes scared to be up there, too." Beau doesn't flinch as Maggie's violin teacher, Miss Coraline, tells us Maggie needs to get into line.

"Really?" Maggie mumbles, pouting up at her dad.

I recall the Beau Lewis I used to watch thrashing his head on stage, smashing guitars and throwing things at the crowd.

No, scared is probably not the right word, but for the moment, it will do.

"Really." He nods. "But you don't have to be, okay? I'll tell you why, Mags. When you're up there on stage, playing your violin, I want you to look out and find me. It'll be just like when you practice at home with Daddy, okay? It's just you, and me, and fu-" Beau clears his throat, plastering an innocent grin on his face. "Forget everyone else, okay? Just you and me, and forget about everyone else out there."

Hanging onto Beau's every word, Maggie nods her head, her dirty-blonde bangs now framing her face, and looks from us and to where Miss Coraline is waiting in line. A bit impatiently, if I'm honest. I raise a warning brow at the teacher, before bending over to give Maggie a final, break-a-leg squeeze.

"Go on, baby." I nudge her forward to her spot behind a lanky redheaded boy. "We'll all be watching. And after, we'll eat lots and lots of Auntie Nay's cake, okay?"