Leland started his morning shower with his arms above his head, palms pressed flat against the tile above the faucet handle. Hot water sprayed his head and back, cascading down his lean torso and legs toward the gurgling drain at his feet. He lost track of how long he’d been standing in the steady stream, only knew that the water soothed his body and mind. He felt numb inside, a hollow shell nearly void of emotion, unable to process the truth Sid had conveyed to him. This time, no lyrics came to mind; no melody sad enough to follow him along his uncharted path.

He wanted someone to lean on. A partner who knew him better than he knew himself. Someone who could help him make sense of where his life was headed. “You want some company?” he heard Nicole ask outside the bathroom. Before he could answer, he found her naked in the water beside him with a washcloth in her hand. “It’s tight in here,” he complained, hoping she would dismiss herself and leave him to his solitary burden.

“Tight works for me. I’ll wash your back.”

“I’m good.”

Nicole poured shower gel on the wet washcloth and lathered Leland’s shoulders. “I couldn’t sleep.”

Leland dipped his head in the faucet stream when Nicole’s touch awakened his senses. “Me neither.”

“What did Sid have to say last night?”

“Not much.”

Nicole washed Leland’s lower back at the point right above his firm buttocks. “You’ll feel better if you talk about it.”

“I don’t feel like talking right now.”

“Then turn around so I can wash your front.”

Leland maneuvered to let the shower spray his backside. “I can’t do this,” he said when Nicole touched his penis.

“Not all of you agrees.”

Leland cupped her breast and kissed her, an impulsive reaction to a stimulating moment. But this time, he experienced nothing beyond his involuntary physical response. “I’m sorry.” He parried her hand and opened the sliding stall door to grab a towel from the rack beside the shower. Steam covered the vanity mirror above the sink.

“What’s the problem?”

Leland dried himself with a towel. “I’m not in the mood.”

“I thought you’d be happy to see me.”

“I have a lot on my mind.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means what it means. Paula’s trying to take Abby from me. My record label kicked me to the curb. Sid thinks I’ll never play a gig in Nashville again.” He put his jeans on and slipped a clean shirt over his head.

Nicole stopped the shower and got out to wrap a towel around herself. “What about your record deal?”

“My contract’s been terminated. There is no record deal.”

“They can’t do that.”

“They already have.”

“Then sign with someone else.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“You’ve paid your dues.”

“The record label owns the band. I was only along for the ride.”

“Then talk to Sid.”

“I already have.” Leland opened the bathroom door to let the steam escape. “He’s dropping me too.”

“He can’t do that!” Nicole draped her towel over the rack and slipped her bra and panties on. “What are you going to do?”

“Fight for custody of Abby.”

“What about your record deal?”

“I don’t care.”

“You can’t just throw your life away.”

“I’m not throwing anything away.”

“Then fight for this, Leland. No one’s going to hand you a better deal unless you get out there and press for it. If Sid won’t help you, then find an agent who will.”

“When the time is right.”

Nicole followed him around the bedroom and put her clothes on. “The time is now! You’ll never be happy swinging a hammer for ten bucks an hour.”

“Twelve-fifty. Plus overtime when I can get it.”

“You can barely make rent.”

“I’ll figure it out.”

Nicole snatched her bracelet from the dresser. “So that’s your master plan? Spend the rest of your life playing dirty honky-tonks for free pretzels and beer while some lowlife singer steals your slot with the band.”

“It was never my band to begin with.”

“You’re right,” Nicole said in a sarcastic tone. “I forgot. You gave it away when you blew your shot on a song you weren’t supposed to sing. And don’t tell me you wrote it for me.”

“I never said I did,” Leland replied, immune to Nicole’s mean-spirited response.

“You’re still in love with her.”

“What do you want me to say? Life isn’t some fairytale. You and I live on two different sides of the coin.”

Nicole grabbed her purse. “What happened to the man I used to know?”

“You don’t have to leave.”

“But you don’t want me to stay…”

Leland heard the front door slam. Instead of chasing Nicole, he retreated to his room and picked up his guitar. He played a melody to an instrumental piece he’d written while he ventured through the house to hear the way the notes sounded when they bounced off different walls. Eventually, he stopped outside Abby’s room to listen for signs of movement. “Are you up?” he asked through the door. He tried the knob and felt it turn in his hand. “It’s almost time,” he said before he entered her room and rested the guitar at the foot of her bed.

“I’m not going to camp today,” Abby mumbled with her face in her pillow. Across the room, her orange tabby stretched inside the open dresser drawer.

Leland leaned over the edge of the bed. “I have to be at work in a hour.”

Abby rolled over and brought her covers to her chin. “Why can’t I stay home with Nicole?”

“Nicole had to leave.”

“When is she coming back?”

“I’m not sure.”

“I heard you arguing with her.”

“I thought you were sleeping.”

Abby’s expression went solemn. “Why is Mom trying to take me away from you?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Is it true?”

“No one’s going to take you away from me.”

“Promise?”

Leland hesitated for a moment. “Promise.” He left the room and returned with a long cardboard tube. He opened one end and extracted a poster. “Check this out,” he said, unrolling the glossy photo of Taylor Swift on stage in concert. He smiled at Abby’s reaction when she read the autograph in the corner.

Abby hugged her arm around him and squeezed. “I thought you forgot!”

“I wanted to surprise you.”

“Thank you! You’re the best dad in the world!”