The next morning I slowly walk into the family room, rubbing my eyes. I see a bouquet of Gerber daisies on the counter so I walk over to them and smell them just as the front door to the apartment opens.

"Hey snowball," daddy says.

"Hey," I say, not even glancing at him because I'm still looking at the flowers.

"Read the card," he leans down and tells me. "We're dying to find out who they're from."

I roll my eyes. "I'm sure you know who they're from."

I finally look up at him and notice he just came back from the gym.

"Have a good work-out?"

"Yep," he says dabbing his forehead with a towel. "You're mother's still in bed, I'm guessing. When I left Cody and Ashleigh were in his room playing video games, and you weren't up yet so I decided to go work off some of this energy."

I nod and I pick up the card. Slowly I pull out the card and open it. Daddy's standing right behind me so I turn a little so he can't read the card.

He notices my smile. "Must be good. But if he's writing you things that I can't read then I need to have a talk to him…" he kids.

"Daddy, it's not like that. It's just personal."

"I know, sweetie, I'm kidding you. You want some eggs?" he asks as he heads toward the hallway that leads to the bedrooms.

"Sure."

"Okay, I'll be right back."

He disappears down the hall and I look at the clock.

11:30

I walk over and pick up the phone and dial Brad's cell phone number. He picks up after the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey…"

"Hi beautiful. How are you feeling on this magical day?" he asks.

"I feel very good," I giggle. "Thank you for the flowers."

"You're very welcome. Are you nervous?"

"Not yet."

"Good. There's no need to be nervous…you're going to be awesome."

"Thanks."

"So, how did last night go?"

"Last night?" I ask as I sit down on the edge of the couch.

Daddy passes through on the way to the kitchen with Ashleigh following him. She stops by me and kisses my cheek and then proceeds into the kitchen.

"Yeah, with all of your family. Did they keep you up late at night with their singing?" he chuckles.

"Oh…no, no singing. Just lots of fun."

"I bet."

"I got good news last night…"

"Tell me."

"I'm going to headline my very own tour in the fall."

There's silence.

"Brad?"

"That's…that's great sweetie, I'm so proud of you."

I could hear the hesitation in his voice.

"But?"

"What? There is not but…"

"Brad, why did you hold back just now?"

I start twirling a strand of my hair around one of my fingers.

"I didn't mean to…there were just a lot of things my mind had to process. I'm just worried that I won't…"

"You won't be there," I finish softly.

"Yeah. I mean I know you won't need me but I've felt better this whole time because I could be there for you…"

"I'll always need you…"

Did I just say that?

"Oh God Adriana…this is so difficult for me."

I could hear the pain in his voice.

"What is?" I ask as I lean back onto the couch.

"Leaving you…now leaving a new tour with you…"

"But you're making the best decision for your career. I can't hold you back from that."

I bite my lower lip so that I don't loose it at any moment.

"I keep telling myself that."

"Adriana…you're eggs are ready," daddy says quietly from behind me.

I nod and lean forward a bit.

"I've got to go. Daddy made breakfast. I'll try to call you one more time before I have to get ready but I have no idea what anyone has planned around here."

He laughs. "I'm sure you won't be bored. Don't worry if you can't call. I'll see you at Radio City Music Hall."

"Yep…can you believe it?" I ask in a giddy tone.

"I might have to pinch myself."

I can hear the smile in his voice.

I laugh. "Bye."

"Bye."

We hang up and I make my way to the kitchen.

"Are you going to marry Brad?" Ashleigh asks as I sit down next to her at the breakfast bar.

"What? What makes you think that?"

I notice the color from daddy's face has drained.

She shrugs. "I don't know…he keeps sending you flowers and stuff. Mama says that daddy used to send her flowers all the time and they're married."

"Oh if only it were that easy," daddy chuckled.

"Well no, we're not getting married. I'm way too young for that."

"Exactly," daddy agrees.

"Besides, I hope he gets me something better than flowers if he wants to marry me," I kid before I take a bite of eggs.

Daddy laughs and then sighs. "Oh, so much like your mom."

"What's so much like me?" mama asks as she shuffles in the room. She walks over to us and leans on the counter.

"Your daughter."

"Which one?" she smiles.

"Well both of them but at that moment in particular, Adriana."

She leans over and gives us both a kiss on the cheek.

"I'll take that as a compliment," she says winking at us.

Daddy walks over and puts a plate of bacon on the counter in front of us.

"You want some eggs?" he asks mama as he gives her a quick swat on the butt.

"Sounds good. This has been the first time in weeks that the smell of eggs hasn't made me nauseous. Maybe I'm over the morning sickness."

"I hope so," I say.

"I saw the flowers…" mama smiles at me.

I lower my head a little and nod.

"I called Brad to thank him for the flowers…and I told him about the tour."

"Was he excited for you?"

I shrug. "He was…but he wasn't."

Mama reaches over and takes on of my hands so I look up at her.

"He's going to miss the fact that you're on tour and he's not there."

I nod.

"How are you going to be about that?"

I see daddy glancing over at us.

"I'll be okay. It's going to be weird…and I'll miss him, but…"

"You'll be so busy, baby," daddy says as he sets a plate in front of mama.

"Yeah. I hope so."

"Do I smell eggs?" Cody asks as he marches into the room.

"Yes…you want some?" daddy asks, turning back toward the skillet.

"Yes, please."

"Good…here's the spatula," he says handing Cody the utensil.

Ashleigh and I laugh at Cody's face.

"I don't know what to do with this," he says.

"Justin…" mama warns.

"Oh all right. But stand here and watch a real man make eggs."

"Oh God," mama rolls her eyes.

"How do you like her hair? This way…" Melanie, the hairdresser holds up my hair for Ashleigh to see.

"Or this way…" she says as she lets it fall and pulls back a different part of it.

"I like it the first way," Ashleigh says.

"Ana?"

"I like it the first way too," I agree.

I hear the doorbell ring and Ashleigh jumps down from the chair and leaves the room.

"She's full of energy isn't she?" Melanie asks.

"And then some…"

I hear voices in the hallway and Ashleigh comes running back in and jumps back up on the seat next to me.

"Who was it?" I ask.

"Aunt Kristen."

"Is there something wrong?"

She shrugs. "I don't think so. She told mama she wanted to stop by quickly before she and Uncle JC went to dinner or something."

"Oh okay."

Just as Melanie finishes my hair Aunt Kristen walks into the room.

"Beautiful," she says.

"Thanks. They did all the work," I say waving my arms in the direction of the two other people.

"We have a beautiful subject to work with," Melanie says as she starts gathering her things.

"Thanks guys," I say as the makeup person and Melanie leave the room.

I sigh and look at myself in the mirror. "It is amazing…a few minutes ago I looked like a normal, tired sixteen year old…now look at me."

"You look like you're ready for the VMA's," Aunt Kristen says leaning over my shoulder to look at my reflection in the mirror.

"I guess I have to be," I chuckle.

"Well, I just wanted to wish you good luck. JC and I are going to dinner before we make our way to Radio City."

"Okay, have fun. I'll see you there."

She leaves the room and I take a deep breath.

"Time to get dressed."

The doorbell rings again and in a couple of minutes, mama knocks on the door.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course."

"Who's at the door mama?" Ashleigh asks.

"It's Tony. Uncle Lance and Aunt Joy are on their way up too. Come on Ash, we need to get ready."

"Okay," she says hopping down.

"We'll be back," mama tells me.

As we sit in the limo I stare out the window, watching all of the people that are lined up on the sidewalks.

"Wow," Ashleigh says.

"There's so many people," Cody agrees.

Mama rubs her hand up and down my back. Maybe she sees that I'm shaking now.

When the limo stops everyone starts to pile out except mama and me.

"Just take a deep breath and smile. You'll be okay once you get out there," she nods towards the door that's open.

I turn to look at her. When she sees my face she takes it in both hands.

"Oh sweetie. It's going to be great. Don't be nervous."

The look in her eye helps to calm me down a little.

"I feel like I'm going to throw up," I say.

"You look like it too. Deep breaths," she says.

"Brit?" daddy says sticking his head inside the door.

She takes deep breaths with me as she holds up a finger to him to give her a minute. Her other hand is holding one of mine.

She smiles at me. "There, see…you're getting some color back. You feel better?"

I try to smile. "A little. Did you ever get this way?"

"Yes…at my first VMA appearance," she giggles. "I felt exactly the same way."

She places her cheek next to mine and whispers, "Come on, let's go."

I nod.

We scoot out of the limo as daddy grabs her hand and helps her out of the car.

"She okay?" I hear him whisper to her.

She nods as he leans down to help me out.

"I'm fine," I say to daddy.

He smiles at me which only makes my smile grow.

As we make our way down the red carpet, everything becomes a blur. It feels like we stop and talk to just about everyone that's there. I don't even remember half of my answers anymore.

There's a couple of times where we stop to have our picture taken by photographers. Some of them want me by myself, some of them want mama and daddy by themselves or with me. We try to satisfy everyone. I look down and Ashleigh's got a death grip on my hand.

"Having fun?" I ask, looking down at her.

"Yeah. Do we get to see Rick?"

"Rick? Oh, the VJ? I don't know, I don't think he does interviews for this thing."

"Oh darn."

I laugh. "Why?"

"I wanted to meet him…he's cute."

"Well I'm sure he'll be here so we can meet him inside."

"Okay," she smiles.

We stop at a reporter from one of the entertainment shows.

"Ana, how are you feeling?" she asks.

"I'm very excited. This is a big night for me."

"It is a big night. You're not only performing but you're nominated too. Would you like to win one of the awards over the other's?"

"Hmmm, I haven't really thought about it. Viewer's Choice would be neat because the fans vote on it. It shows their support."

"You can add that next to your father's collection."

"Yes," I laugh.

"You two must be so proud," the woman says pointing the microphone in my parent's direction.

"Of course we are," mama answers.

"Have you gotten to see her performance yet?"

Mama shakes her head. "No, we missed the rehearsals so we're looking forward to seeing it tonight."

"Do you get any advice from your parents since they've been through this before?"

"About the show or in just in general?" I ask.

"Either."

"Well yes, of course. The cool thing about them is that they usually just tell me stories about different things they've had happen to them or have gone through. They don't really push their advice on me, you know? I look at what happened to them and learn from it."

"Good answer," the woman tells me.

"Thanks," I shrug. "It's the truth," I chuckle.

"What about your other children…do they show signs of wanting to be in the business?"

This time daddy leans forward a little.

"We're a very dramatic family," he laughs. "No seriously we don't push them into doing anything but they've both have shown signs of being interested in different types of art…Cody does really well in the plays at school and Ashleigh is a beautiful artist."

"Really?" she asks looking down at Ash, who's still holding onto my hand.

"She's very good," I say.

"So we encourage our children…just like our parents' encouraged us," daddy says draping his arm around mama's waist.

"Well have fun all of you and good luck, Ana."

"Thank you," we all say as we make our way down the carpet again.

Finally we make it into the venue. More people stop us on the way to our seats to say hi to mama and daddy or to wish me luck.

We take our seats…Aunt Kristen and Uncle JC are already in our row. Uncle Lance and Aunt Joy sit directly behind me and Uncle Chris, Aunt Dani, Uncle Joey and Aunt Kelly are supposed to be sitting next to them.

"Here we are again," daddy says as he glances at Uncle Lance and Uncle JC. "It always feels like old times coming to these."

Uncle JC nods in agreement.

"But now we're starting new memories," daddy says looking at me and smiling.

I smile back as I lean back into my chair.