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TEN

Lula

I can’t believe this is real.

I’m sore but walking on clouds. After our time at Scotch’s place, another round of filthy fun, we showered because he said he had another surprise for me.

We drove in the new old Cadillac and it felt like a dream. Scotch took me to a recording studio called the Velvet Hammer which everyone knows is the place in Detroit if you are serious about your music.

He knew the owner and the sound guys and I spent the next three hours recording my own songs. They had a bass player a drummer and an acoustic guitarist. By the end, we had one perfect track down and they said they were going to have me back so I could record a full album.

Scotch wanted to take me house shopping after that, telling me he couldn’t have me coming there, “Not with all these other dicks around. I need you someplace I don’t want to kill someone every time they look at you.”

Sweet, in a psycho kind of way.

But I really needed to get back to dad, so I promised he could come over and meet him and I’d make dinner. This is all feeling too good to be true but maybe it’s just my time. I’ve paid my dues and it’s my shot at grabbing that brass ring.

So much has happened so fast, I keep pinching myself to make sure I’m not going to wake up.

“Dad!” I call down the hall. “Do you need help?”

He steps out of his bedroom wearing a suit and tie and tears spring to my eyes.

“I think I got it. My tie crooked?” he asks, wiggling the knot, looking unsure.

“It’s perfect.”

When I told him I invited someone to dinner, he said he had the feeling something was up and if I was bringing someone home, he had to be something special.

But he was going to put him through his paces anyway.

My TikToks are going mad, especially the last one I did early this morning of Shallow that I sang on karaoke at the club. It’s up to a million views.

One. Million.

I even showed my dad who was so proud, he watched it about fifty times before I took my phone back and showed him how to watch it on his computer.

I’m putting the mozzarella on top of the lasagne before sliding it into the oven as Dad comes in and sits back down to watch it some more.

“Dad. Enough.”

“No.” He shakes his head. “I can’t. I want to show the world.”

“Well, a lot of people are watching it on TikTok.”

“Where else can people see it?”

I shrug, wiping my hand down the worn yellow towel. “Depends. People can share it I guess if they want. On Facebook, or wherever. Not many people do that, but, that’s okay. I’m just happy today. I just want to be happy today.”

“I want you happy too, princess. More than you know.”

“That’s the first video I’ve ever shown my face. I guess that was the missing piece.”

“Of course! That face is priceless.”

“Thanks, Dad.” I lean down and kiss his cheek as he starts the video again. “I’m going to go hop in the shower. Scotch will be here in an hour.”