The deafening roar from the crowd filled my ears, as it had done so many times before. I reached down, picked up my ear pieces lying across my shoulders, and placed one in each ear. As the stagehand passed me the mic, my pulse quickened. Standing on the platform beneath the stage, waiting for it to rise, my shoulders tightened. Fourteen years, performing on stages around the world hadn't banished my pre-show jitters. Nearly every time I took the stage, those familiar butterflies in the pit of my stomach, plagued me to the point of nausea at times. Rising up into the fog, I grip tightly to the mic. As the fog settled, the laser lights flashed green, orange, yellow, blue and purple beams across the dark arena, the dancing light show gradually …show more content…
Crossing the street, I could feel Texas in the air, it was a cool spring April day, the air was dry, and sweet with new spring foliage. Spring in Texas was favorite time of year. As we are saying our goodbyes, my nieces, Crista seven, and Carrie six are crying so hard it makes my heart ache. Sandra eyes filled with tears, gives me a big hug "I love you Ronda," she says, "I am so proud of you," as she reaches up, and brushes the hair from my eyes, like she had done so many times before. Sandra had stepped, in when my mother passed away, and I could not even begin to imagine, how I could have gotten through the years without her. For a young, new bride to take on, an extremely depressed ten year old, could not been have been easy for her, I know. She was my rock. My sweet little towhead nephew, Andrew only four, was trying so hard to be a big boy, helping carry a bag, that was larger than he was. I could see that he himself was almost in tears, but you know he was a big boy, and was not going to cry like his sisters. Setting the suitcase down, he runs, and wraps his sweet little arms around my neck …show more content…
Wiping the tears from his checks, I giving him a big hug and kiss on the nose “I love you, I will be home before school start, I promise” as I choke back the tears. I had always been there, and this was the first trip I had taken without them. Seeing how sad they were made my heart hurt. Tommy lifted my bags, handing them off to the attendant. He then takes me in his arm for that warm, loving hug I loved getting from him. He was so much like our father, strong, kind and loving. “It is going to be a long summer sweetie” he says. “You be good, and have a great summer” as he winks. “You know I will, you raised me right,” I give him a quick kiss on the check. He knew I was a good girl, and knew I would be safe with his friend Robert and his family. It was so hard to leave them. As I stand there looking, into the faces of my family, I loved so much, I could not get rid of this nagging feeling inside my stomach. What was I doing? I was only 17, should I be going, working in a city so far away. I could stay in Austin and work the summer here. The internship that Robert had offered, was exactly what I wanted, at least that is what I