Description
Cedra Tyler’s dream of becoming a songwriter in Nashville was put on hold due to her mother’s failing health. When the time came for Cedra to start her journey, she left her home in south Alabama with a heavy heart.
Arriving at Ma Bentley’s boarding house, meeting her housemates, also fledgling musicians, she feels the warmth she was missing since leaving home.
Her housemates realize Cedra’s talent as a song writer and begin to gel as a group. The pain and loss she had experienced added a layer of emotion and longing in her lyrics unusual for someone of her age.
They form a band, The Bentley’s, named after Ma who is much more than a landlord to them all. Cedra falls for bandmate Juliet, and that inspires her creativity even more.
Will The Bentley’s achieve their dream of making it big in Music City? Has Cedra found her forever in the arms of Juliet?
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Hank Tyler closed the hood on the beat-up pick-up truck his daughter had saved for two years to buy.
“You are good to go, Cedra,” he said, wiping his hands on an oily rag. She wasn’t the prettiest truck, but she was well made. He felt the tears welling in his eyes as he looked at the young woman before him.
“Thanks, Daddy,” he heard her call out as she climbed in behind the wheel.
“She’s not much to look at, but she’s reliable and should get you to Nashville,” he said with a grin.
Cedra returned his smile. “That’s all I can ask; the rest is up to me.”
“I will pray for you every night. Call me as often as you can,” he said with tears blurring his eyes. “Follow your heart and your dream.” He patted the side of the truck.
“I will, Daddy,” she promised.
†
Cedra saw the emotion building in her father’s face and knew she had to go before she changed her mind.
“I love you,” she said as she cranked the truck.
“I love you, too.”
Cedra put the truck in gear and pressed the gas pedal as she slowly pulled down the drive. She looked in her rearview mirror and watched her father wave as she drove away. When she reached the hard road, she turned right. Looking back at the only home she had ever known, Cedra honked her horn and waved a final goodbye to her father with tears flowing down her cheeks.
†
“Good luck Cedra,” Hank said to himself. He watched as his only child drove away in pursuit of her dreams, and turned to make his way slowly back into the empty house. He sat down in his favorite chair and looked at the photograph of his beloved wife, Melinda, who had passed away a year ago. She had suffered a debilitating stroke just after Cedra had graduated from high school, and the two of them had provided her care until she suffered another massive stroke and died.
“Watch over our baby girl,” he whispered to the face smiling back at him from the frame.
For almost a year now, he and his daughter had continued aimlessly until one night a month ago, he sat her down for a talk.
“I know you have big dreams of going to Nashville and breaking into country music,” he told her. “Now that your mother has gone, I think it is time that you pursue those dreams.”
Cedra had immediately replied, “But Daddy, who will be here to take care of you and the house?”
“I’m fifty years old, and I think I can take care of myself and keep the house from falling around me. I appreciate your sticking around to help with your mom, but now it’s time you move on.”
Cedra once more had started to protest, and Hank cut her off. “I’m not kicking you out, but you were born to follow your dreams, and I fully expect to hear you on the radio someday.”
Hank had breathed a sigh of relief when she smiled and nodded her agreement and then walked back to the kitchen to finish preparing their dinner. Hank could imagine Cedra going to bed that night with a million thoughts running through her head.
“You’re going to do just fine, Baby Girl,” Hank had whispered and turned off his bedside lamp.
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