If Tomorrow Never Comes

VOLUME ONE: IF TOMORROW COMES, PART 1 Ten years ago "I love you," I said as I hugged my father goodbye. My Volkswagen Bug was loaded down-so much so that the back end was sagging, even though my father had added more air to the rear shocks. "Take care of yourself," he breathed into my hair as he held me to his chest. Then, he pulled back to look into my eyes. "Promise me that you'll write." "My God, James," my mother replied, smiling. "She's just going to Nashville; not to the Moon." "Dad, if you had a cell phone, then you could text me any time you like." On second thought, maybe it was a good thing that he didn't. I had been a singer and musician my whole life, having started off singing and playing in the church choir, then had graduated to different local venues. I just couldn't wait to start this new chapter of my life in Nashville. "You know it's not too late for you to change your mind. You can always go to college." Mom wiped a tear away from her eye and then pulled me in for a hug. "Mom, we've been through this. I want to wait a few years." I let out an exasperated sigh. "I've waited my whole life for this, and if I wait too long, it'll be too late." "Honey, you're only eighteen." Mom stroked my sun-streaked blonde hair. "You have your whole life ahead of you-" "Maggie, let her go," Dad said, rescuing me. Mom turned around to glare at him when he added, "Now who's holding on too tightly?" Mom laughed, looking at me one more time as tears welled up in her eyes. "Alyssa, remember: You can always come home any time you like." "I know, Mom," I said, taking a deep breath. "But if you don't stop, you're going to make me cry, too." "Come on, sweetheart." Dad pulling Mom away, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. "We have to let her go." My mother and father were so in love. I made gagging noises at their public displays of affection, but I secretly hoped that one day I would find someone to love like that, though they would be hard to live up to. They had the perfect relationship; always so patient and caring toward one another. Over my whole life, I had never remembered them utter a cross word to one another. "Hey, sis." Greer pulled me in for a hug. "Don't forget to write," she said sarcastically with a grin over her shoulder to our father. He rolled his eyes, swaying Mom back and forth, with his arms still wrapped around her shoulders. Then Greer pulled me in to whisper in my ear, "Don't behave yourself. Have some fun." I laughed, pushing away. She had the same long, sun-streaked hair that I did, but she was a little shorter than me, even though she was only a year younger. She was fun, perky, and I could tell her anything. We often talked until the wee hours of the night. I'll miss our nightly chats when she'd sneak into my room. We'd sit up for hours on end talking or eating Oreos and milk. Once, we had polished off a whole gallon of milk and a package of cookies in one sitting, even though neither of us had gained an ounce. Mom blew a gasket the next morning when she found out, but it was worth it. I loved Greer dearly. "Hey! Maybe you can come visit me" "Not until she graduates from high school," Dad interjected as Mom smiled. "Dad, come on!" Greer complained. "Not even during Spring Break?" "Nope." "Now who's being over protective?" Mom said, laughing. Dad tickled her, and she squealed with delight. "I'm going to miss you, Greer," I said, pulling her in for one last, quick hug. "Take care of yourself, and don't forget to study!" Greer was a bit of a party girl, so I didn't need to remind her to have fun. I had been just the opposite, despite our similar looks. She always reminded me to have more fun, and I always reminded her not to have too much fun. I worried that she might go a little wild without me there to reel her in. But she was smart, and I knew that she would make the right decisions. Greer rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, Alyssa. Maybe I can sweet talk Dad into letting me visit before I go back to school." "Don't bet on it," Dad said behind us. Greer smiled, and then gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Well, get out of here before I start crying, too. Love you, sis." "Love you, too," I said, then waved to everyone as I slid into my VW, threw it into gear, and pulled out, leaving my family behind. I watched them waving in the rearview mirror as I drove down the road toward I-95, headed to Nashville, Tennessee. I had grown up in West Palm Beach, Florida, but had always dreamed of trying my luck in Nashville. From the way Dad acted today, you would have thought that he was the one who didn't want me to go, but, actually, he had been the one to save me from Mom. After I had told her my plans of moving to Nashville, she was determined not to let me go. But it was Dad who had finally talked her into it, telling her to let me spread my wings. My father was a great singer and had always regretted not trying his hand in Nashville. He didn't want me to make the same mistake. Mom still wasn't happy about letting me go alone, but had finally relented. Now on I-95, I finally felt free.