Live, Baby Girl

"Be careful, Baby, make sure to-"

"I know, take my medication, and wear my ID bracelet,"

"I know you think I'm over protective, Baby, but no matter how old you get I'm still going to see you as my little girl. Do you need anything?"

"I am a little low on funds, but you've already given me so much."

"Don't worry about it. Do you remember my promise to you?"

"Yes Daddy, you said that if I fought for my life, you'd help me fight for my dreams. And we are."

"Yes Maddie, we are."

~~~

Madeline fidgeted backstage, playing with her bracelet, and her guitar, then her hair, pulled back in pigtails which made her look fourteen.

"And tonight we have a sweet treat for you all, the stunning vocal talents of Miss Madeline Rose. There was a small smattering of aplause from around the smokey room, but most of the bar's patrons ignored her. She stepped up to the microphone.

"Well, hi, I'm Madelinr Rose from Nashville and I wanted to say, this whole show is dedicated to my daddy." Madeline settled back on the barstool and began.

"You were there when the going was good.

When I played Maid Marian to your Robin Hood.

When the world held no other man for me.

Back when I was three.

And when I headed off to school

and suddenly you weren't so cool

'cause there we other, cuter fish to fry

back when I was five.

You were there

when I got bubble gum in my hair

you were there

when I had tears to cry

and you were there

for all the special parts of life

You were there.

When the going started getting rough

and my outer shell wasn't tough enough

I had your shoulder as a safe place to lean

When I was fourteen

Now that I'm older, out on my own

I know that you'll never leave me alone

Even when someday I'm someone's wife.

for the rest of my life

You'll be there

when I'm all dressed up with flowers in my hair

You'll be there

When happy tears are all I cry

You'll be there

when I find the love of my whole life.

You'll be there."

There wasn't a dry eye in the audience. Madeline smiled through her happy tears. Then she sped things up with another home-written song she called, "Get ready world ('cause nothing's holdong me back!). She sang a few more of her own songs before taking requests, then she sang her own version of Tim McGraw's song, "Live like you were Dying"

She said: "I was only goin' on fourteen,

With a lot of life before me,

When a moment came that stopped me on a dime.

I spent most of the next days

Lookin' at the x-rays,

And talking 'bout the options and talkin’ bout sweet time."

I asked her when it sank in,

That this might really be the real end?

How’s it hit 'cha when you get that kind of news?

Mad, whatcha do?

And she said: "I went ice skating, I went super speed-dating,

I went all the way to London, then down to Timbuctu.

And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,

And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying."

And she said: "Some day, I hope you get the chance,

To live like you were dying."

He said "I was finally the daughter,

That appreciates her father.

And I became a friend a friend would like to have.

And all of a sudden all the fights,

Felt like they just weren't right,

And I spent whole days just talkin' to my Dad.

Well, I finally read the Good Book,

And I took a good long hard look,

At what I'd do if I could do it all again,

And then:

And she said: "I went ice skating, I went super speed-dating,

I went all the way to London, then down to Timbuctu.

And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,

And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying."

And she said: "Some day, I hope you get the chance,

To live like you were dying."

Like tomorrow was a gift,

And you got eternity,

To think about what you’d do with it.

And what did you do with it?

What can I do with it?

What would I do with it?

Ice Skating, I went super speed dating,

I went all the way to London, then down to Timbuctu.

And then I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,

And I watched an eagle as it was flying.

And he said: "Some day, I hope you get the chance,

To live like you were dying.

To live like you were dying.

To live like you were dying.

To live like you were dying.

To live like you were dying."

What Madeline didn't know was that one of the members of her audience was the country star's agent. He heard the re-write and loved it. Madeline signed the contract he placed before her then went to call her Dad.

~~~

"Daddy," she said, talking to his answering machine two years later. "I'm sending you some money, take Mom out for a nice dinner. I still can't believe it Daddy! We fought for my dreams, and we won! I love you more than anything in the world! and yes Daddy, I know I'm still your Baby Girl!"