Azaria kneeled by the foot of her bed later that night. Brantley was walking by, on the way to his room, and couldn't help but overhear. "Dear Lord... I truely believe that you gave me the strength to let Brantley adopt me. And I thank you for that. Lord, give me the strength to move on. From the abandonment of my parents. Help me to stop wondering about the what ifs. I should be thinking of what's to come with Brantley. I know he's trying, I can see that, I just wonder if he sees how hard I'm trying. Help me to feel like I'm doing the right thing. Thank you for hearing my prayer Lord... Amen." She stood and sat in bed. She laid down and covered herself with the blanket. She started playing Native American Flute music on her phone and slowly drifted off to sleep.

She woke the next morning and walked into the kitchen. She was wearing a white tank top and pink shorts with kisses on them. She also had on her sparkly silver slippers. "Hey Azaria. How did you sleep?"

"Good. The bed is really comfortable. It's like I sink right into it!"

He giggled. "I'm glad you like the bed. And Azaria, you know I know you're trying, right?"

"Yeah. I know."

"And you know I'm grateful that you're here, right?"

"Brantley, did you listen to me pray?"

"Yeah, and I'm sorry. I was just walking by and..."

"No, it's fine. I'm not mad at you for listening. You have to know what I'm thinking somehow." She sits down to a meal that Brantley cooked. He made a huge breakfast. Eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, home fries, hash browns and fruit salad. "Wow Brantley, this looks amazing! How long did it take you to cook all this? And how much dishes do I have to do now?" He laughed and pointed to the empty sink. "You already did the dishes!"

"Yeah, I stay busy. Boredom usually leads to me doing stupid things like riding a tractor after one too many."

"Well then keep doing dishes. I don't want to lose my dad today." She took a bite of eggs, then coughed them out and stared at him. "I-I-Im sorry... I-I didn't mean to..." She was cut off by Brantley's smile through teary eyes. She jumped into his arms and hugged him, laughing.

"You know you just broke two of your rules..."

"And I'm about to break a third. I love you Dad." She smiled and she hugged him again.

They finished breakfast and she ran up the stairs to her room. She got dressed in a pair of light blue denim shorts and a white crop top with a denim jacket. She wore tan cowgirl boots and a blue bandana with her long blonde hair in two French braids. She did her makeup and walked back downstairs to Brantley.

"Wow, you look nice. But do you mind putting a longer shirt on?"

"Not gonna happen dad..."

"Please..."

"No..."

"Damn teenage girls..."

She burst out laughing and as she did the doorbell rang. "Coming!" She opened the door to see Chris Young. "AAAAHHH!!! IT'S CHRIS FREAKING YOUNG!!! OMG!!! AAAAHHH!!!"

He smiled, as did Brantley. "Hey man. What are you doing here?"

"I just had to meet your little girl. She's not that little though... You look twenty!"

"Awe... Thanks!"

"Yeah, that's all the makeup and the crop top she tricked me into buying her. She told me it only looked that small..."

Chris giggled as he pat Brantley on the shoulder. "It'll get easier man. Soon you'll realize, you're never gonna win."

Brantley sighed. "Where's Xandra?"

"She's in the car. I promised her I'd take her for a manicure and pedicure. Hey, is it alright if I treat Azaria to one too? I think her and Xandra will be great friends."

"What do you think Azaria?" Brantley asked.

"Yeah! Thanks Chris!"

Just then a pretty girl about a year older than her walked up. "Hi Brantley. Dad, you almost ready?"

A/N

😎😉😋😜

"Hi Xandra. This is Azaria."

"Hi! Cute outfit! I have those same shorts!"

"Thanks!"

"Xandra, Azaria's gonna come with us."

"Yes! A friend! I don't have friends! Only Kane, but he doesn't count."

Xandra motioned for Azaria to follow her. Azaria followed her and got in the bed of Chris's truck. Chris had some good ol' Merle Haggard blasting and the girls sang along.

"Tonight the bottle let me down

And let your memory come around

The one true friend I thought I'd found

Tonight the bottle let me down" Azaria sang beautifully.

"I've always had a bottle I could turn to

And lately I've been turning every day

But wine don't take effect the way it used to

And I'm hurting in old familiar ways" Xandra sang just as beautifully.

The girls smiled and jumped out the truck as Chris came to a stop. They ran towards the nail salon. "Could you two wait for me?"