One song followed another, with a few words to the crowd in between. She sang her lungs and her heart out, and it felt so amazing. At the end of her set, she paused to grab a bottle of water and take a few long sips, and she changed guitars.
“This is a brand-new song and no one has heard it yet. I wrote it a few months ago, and it’s about finally getting to have everything you’ve ever dreamed of. I didn’t know at the time that it would all actually come true, but it has.”
She turned to lock eyes with Brock standing off-stage, trying to let him know the song was for him. She didn’t want to tell the world yet. Right now what they had was all theirs. He smiled at her and she felt again how ridiculously handsome he was, her Daddy. Hers.
“How could I have known,” she sang, “everything I needed to reach Heaven was right here in front of me.”
By the time she got to the chorus she was fighting back tears, but they were joyful tears. When the song was over the crowd was going crazy, and she had to wipe a stray tear from her cheek, but she was smiling, her entire being flooded with happiness.
She waved to the crowd as she left the stage, and Brock picked her up and spun her around and around while she laughed before Kierra pulled her from Brock’s arms to hug her tight.
“You were so good, Sis! Oh my gawd! And that last song… you made me cry!”
Kyra couldn’t wipe the smile from her face, and by the time her twin let her go and she was back in Brock’s strong arms again, the fireworks started. Silver, blue and red sparks shot into the sky, and the crowd was cheering again. She turned to her Rock, laughing, happier than she’d ever been in her life. He lifted her off her feet and kissed her, and she melted against him, sinking into his kiss.
“Happy Fourth, my baby,” he said.
“Happy Fourth, my Daddy,” she answered.
“I know your sister is here, but I am gonna need you later, babygirl, if you’re not too tired.”
“You mean I get my punishment for the glitter tattoo tonight?” she teased.
“Oh damn. I’d forgotten all about it. Ky, you are definitely going to pay for that.”
“I can’t wait,” she sassed, but meaning it.
“But no, no punishment tonight; not right after a show. I know performing depletes you, so I’m going to take very good care of you tonight. Plenty of liquids, plus food and rest. Tomorrow, though? Yeah, tomorrow you are going to have one very sore butt.”
“Okay. As long as I get cuddles tonight, too.”
“All the cuddles, babygirl. I’m so proud of you. What you did out there tonight, what you do every time you’re on stage and with every song you write. That song tonight…”
“It was yours, you know. Don’t you, Daddy?”
He smiled, and she’d never seen his face with so much softness in it. “Yeah, I did. I felt it all the way down to my bones. You are my amazing girl, Ky.”
He bent to kiss her as the sky exploded with sparkling colors, and with the crowd’s cries of wonder in the background. It sort of felt to Kyra like they were cheering for them, but of course, that was all in her mind. But it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she had the best Daddy in the entire world.
They stood at the edge of the stage watching the firework show, and he kept his arms around her until it was time for the grand finale. Showers of glitter shot through the dark sky: red, silver and blue, plus gold and green, purple and pink. It seemed like the perfect way to cap off the day, Fourth of July or not.
When it was over and the crowd started to drift away from the stage, Kierra said, “Oh, I’m tired! This was such a big, exciting day. Do you mind if I go to bed, Ky? Or do you need me?”
“Of course you can go to bed, silly!” Kyra hugged her tight. “I’m so glad you were here for this.”
“Me, too!”
“We’ll see you tomorrow for breakfast?”
“Yep! Want me to come to your room? Or meet in the cafe?”
“Why don’t you come to our room, Kierra?” Brock said. “Your sister is going to be a little worn out after tonight, plus there are a lot of extra guests here for the July Fourth celebration, and she’ll definitely be recognized everywhere she goes now.”
“You trying to be the boss of me again, Rocky?”
“Yeah, I am. Someone has to.”
“But it’s not gonna be you!” Kierra sing-songed.