The concert

Beautiful concert tonight. It goes well until it doesn't.

As I sit back stage waiting for the concert to begin, I'm staring at the ring I've been waiting weeks to give my girlfriend. I've known since the day I met her that I would marry her.

Hi. My name is Raelyn Carter, though in the music world my name is Rae Steele. I am one of the top musicians in the country. Put an instrument in my hand and I'll play any song you want to hear.

Today I'm 17 years old. So far in my life, I grew up in a Southern Christian home. I graduated high school at the age of 14 and I finished my musical performance degree 5 months ago. My family includes an 11 year old sister Chyler, as well as my three best friends Kieran, Nikalina, Floriana, and best of all, my future wifey Kahlan Williams. You thought I meant blood family? Wrong! My mom died 6 years ago in a car accident. She was hit by a drunk driver. My sperm donor AKA my dad became a drunk after my mom died. To deal with his anger he hits my sister, though he never does it when I'm home. He only does it when he's drunk, or mad about mom dying, or just to make himself feel better.

Back to me now. Tomorrow I turn 18. I've talked to my lawyers and they say I can file papers to have Chyler released into my custody, it'll be an easy win, but right now I have a concert to perform. I put the ring in my pocket and unpack my instrument. I know that in the crowd somewhere is my new family the one I've built. I made a deal with the conductor of the symphony to get my family in the front row seats to the performance. We'll see how tonight goes.

The lights dim in the concert hall the audience starts clapping as the curtain is raised. As the conductor gets introduced more clapping ensues. I sit back stage for the first half just watching the performance. It's music from different movies like Jurassic Park, Gladiator, Titanic, and even Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffany's. I'm Blown Away. After the intermission the real music begins they bring out the conductor again and the first violin hands him a microphone.

“Now introducing, Rae Steele.”

To say that the Crowd Goes Wild would be an understatement. As I walk out, instrument in hand, everyone is on their feet. I spot my family up front. Floriana and Nikalina give me the traditional middle finger before every performance. Kieran is trying not to cry at the as the proud mama bear he is he manages to hold it together. Then I see her. Kahlan. Jaw floored as she stares cause damn if I don't look fantastic in this dress. She has Chyler on her hip holding her tight so she won't make a run for me. And as I take another look at my family, I know I'm ready. The crowd quiets, Orchestra set, and then we begin Ravel's Bolero.

As the snare drum starts its Rhythm that it will play for the next 16 minutes, I'm not thinking about my drunken abusive father. As the flutes play their opening line, I'm not going to focus on the drunk driver that killed my mother. No! As I begin my solo, I look at my family again. The one I built around me and thinking how happy I'm going to be someday but it is not this day.

Karma is not my friend. Why? You may ask that. Because today my father comes stumbling into the concert hall drunk again and shouting.

“You can't take my child from me!”

He goes on to say,

“A dyke like you can never have a family!”

He keeps yelling so loud that the whole concert comes to a legitimate screeching halt as bows scrape across strings of the violins. My father continues to shout obscenities across the auditorium.

“You'll never get custody of my daughter you b***h!”

Security is already making a move on him, but before they get a chance Kieran, Nika, and Flo, are already blocking him from getting any closer to Chyler or me. Kahlan is standing now too with my baby sister hiding behind her legs. Dad is still shouting but Kahlan has had enough. She stalks toward him while Chyler runs to me on stage hiding behind me, she whispers,

“Please don't let him take me!”

Over and over again like a mantra. I make a silent prayer that only my father is going to go to jail tonight. Kahlan's made her way over to him and starts returning fire.

“Shut up, you homophobic a*****e!”

The entire Hall go silent, including my father. It's eerily quiet as she then continues.

“She has just as much of a right to Chyler as you do. That's her sister. And tomorrow, she's going to fight for custody.”

At this point my father doesn't want to hear any more. He pulls a pistol out of the back of his trousers and is ready to shoot down anyone just to get to Chyler. You hear a collective gasp from all of those nearby who can see. Security keeps moving in as my friends start to back up. All but Kahlan.

She stares him down and the next moment will seal my fate for the rest of my life. Kahlan jumps. She knocks the gun to the floor and punches my father in the nose. Security finally gets to him and they have him in handcuffs before anyone else can make a move.

I grabbed Chyler in my arms and run off the stage straight to my family. I make sure each one is okay. Kieran first because he's closest. Nikalina and then Floriana flick me off again to tell me they're fine. I set Chyler down and reach for Kahlan. She's already in my arms before I can blink. I have to reassure myself that she's safe and I hold her close. Before she can speak, I'm down on one knee in front of her, I don't even have the ring out yet and Chyler is already dancing around the walkway celebrating like she's just won the lottery. I barely get the chance to utter words will you marry me and Kahlan is already saying yes repeatedly. The audience cheers as my fiance, (God it feels good to say that,) lifts me from the ground and kisses me solid. She stops when we can't breathe anymore and our little family is making fun of us. Chyler runs into our legs and hugs us, but she hits our knees and knocks us all to the floor giggling like fools.

Looking back on it now, that moment did seal my fate. I saved my sister from my drunk father, I solidified my family, and best of all, I got engaged to the woman of my dreams. Now as I stand at the altar waiting for Kahlan to come down the aisle, I'm smiling like an idiot. I see my family as small as it is with a small ceremony to match. Kieran is my best man. Nikalina and Floriana are bridesmaids and little Chyler is our precious flower girl. I'm not sure what my mom saw for my future when she gave birth to me, but as I look at Kahlan's face as she walks toward me, I can only hope that Mama would be proud.