I have no connection with any part of the Nashville Television series.

This is a pure figment of my imagination as there is very little information available concerning this situation. It is pretty much being created as I go. Basically, have a new idea, write something about it. There is no plan so I have no idea how long or how many chapters it will be. The only guideline is: when I exhaust my ideas then I will write an ending. I will make an excuse right at this point if the writing becomes verbose or vague. I do not have an editor and I am hopeless at the job. Fiction is an unfamiliar medium. I'm just doing this for a little fun.

The Reconciliation of Avery and Juliette.

Managing the Issues.

Chapter 4.

The Confrontation.

It was early morning. The sun had not lost its pink dawn tinge and he was still in their bed. He was propped on his elbow admiring the sleeping woman beside him. Her quiet breathing, her golden hair splayed across her pillow, her arm across his ribcage she was his vision of perfection. In reality she may not have won a Miss Universe competition; she did lack that statuesque height. She was really tiny, but he was small as well so they complimented each other. Yes, she was 'his' Miss Universe and he would choose her ahead of any of those artificial, willowy, pretenders. If Rayna James was the queen of country, this adorable creature beside him was certainly the princess.

He was so proud and thankful. This time, he was confident they had really found each other. Their love and relationship was put under the severest of trials and had emerged as a true and stronger lifetime partnership. Nothing would ever shake their trust and faith in each other. In a few weeks they would marry and their devotion would be confirmed forever.

He lowered his hand to the swell of her abdomen, the result of their love growing within her. When he placed his hand there she smiled even as she slept. This was a miracle they had made between them and she was visual proof of this wonder.

He brushed a lock of hair away from her eyes and she stirred at his touch. She squirmed under the covers, stretching and making little sounds of satisfaction. "Hey you," she said.

"Hi beautiful," he said and leaned across kissing her with tender affection.

"Now that's the only way to wake up," she said and reciprocated the kiss by moving her free hand behind his neck and pulling him down to her.

He moved his arm behind her neck and lay back with her head resting on his shoulder.

"I think we should stay here all day," she said putting her free arm around him again and drawing herself against the full length of his body.

I'd love to but I reckon I'll have to go into the office. I've been away for a couple of days, so I'd better go in and make sure someone hasn't caused a wreck."

"That's not fair," Juliette pouted jokingly, pretending a bout of the sulks.

"Hey, I need you there as well. We have some personal items we need to take care of."

"Oh, yes. Of course we do. You want to see Rayna about the house."

"That's right and we want to get Glenn and Emily working on the wedding. We also need to sound Rayna out on that as well. She might have some bright suggestions. Then I suppose we can pack for our ordeal in Natchez. We only have two days before that little gem of delight."

"You really don't want to go do you?"

"You'd better believe it. It'd rather have my teeth pulled. This is going to be the toughest thing I have ever done in my life. I only hope the years have mellowed my father somewhat."

"If it's that difficult we won't go."

"Yes we will. You're carrying the first grandchild in the family. This family must unite. You and the baby must have a family. My mother, brother and sister will want the baby. My mother, brother and sister will want you. I'm not going to allow that bombastic, domineering, tyrant to continue this crap. We are having it out and I won't quit until he relents. He must, this has gone on for too long now."

"What's the problem between the two of you?" Juliette asked.

"He hates my guts. I'll tell you about it later. Right now let's get into work."

They went directly to his office, "Morning Helen. Anything happening?" Helen was his secretary and the most efficient person he had ever known. No matter what was happening in the entire company Helen had a finger on it.

"Good morning Avery. Juliette," Helen said. "Lovely to see you, you look great. Rayna asked if she could see you when you got in. Mick is doing the contract for that new Clint guy and wants to know how much you want to pay him as a signing on fee."

"Hmm, I think Twenty thousand," Avery said. "The guy is pretty green and raw. We'll need to send him for some coaching before we can use him. I suppose the bars in the mid-west aren't that encouraging of a quality skill."

"Ok. I'll let him know. That's about all, oh something you might want to have a look at during the day. I know Gunner is having some trouble mixing some stuff for Evan. He might be able to use some help."

"Alright I'll have a look at that later. Could you please ask Glenn and Emily if they can come in around lunch; we need a meeting with them?"

Rayna needing them was a piece of good timing. "Morning Rayna, you wanted to see us? That's going to work well, we need to see you."

"I see, you seem pretty keen," Rayna said. "Perhaps you'd better go first."

"Ok," Avery said. "Now, hold onto your hat. We're getting married four weeks from Saturday and I can tell you we are deliriously happy about it."

"That is absolutely fantastic news." Rayna sprung out of her chair and enthusiastically congratulated them both. "Highway 65's first wedding. Where are you getting married?"

"The West End United Methodist church. It's all set for three in the afternoon," Juliette said. "I wanted to ask you if you would be my matron of honor?"

"Of course I will, I'd love to. So now I'd better give you my news because this no doubt will work in well with your news. Avery we want to give you a raise. Well it's not so much a raise as such but it's a normal way of recognizing outstanding results by executives. My sister and I are delighted with what you have done for us. We also know that an executive with your skills could earn much more with a large corporation. Unfortunately we are not a conglomerate. Our company has limitations but we want to recognize you and do everything we can to keep you in the Highway 65 family. We are transferring a ten percent share holding to you as a measure of our gratitude."

"Rayna, thank you. I'm deeply honored but you never need worry about my loyalty. My main motivation for doing what I do is not money. You will never lose me while I have a say in it. My wife is here. My dearest friends are here. I'm grateful to the people here. Just about everyone, one way or the other, has stood by me in some pretty awkward times. I will never leave. My goal is for this place to go from success to success. It has given me everything I could ask for." He had been holding Juliette's hand since they came in the office and he gave it a gentle squeeze.

"However, there is something I wanted to ask. Juliette has decided to sell her house rather than us live there. Frankly the place has some sad memories for her and we want to start our marriage completely fresh and new. Just Avery and Juliette stuff if you know what I mean."

"Makes perfect sense," Rayna said. "It's a great idea."

"That's what we wanted to talk to you about. We'll need to buy something else and we thought that maybe the executors of your father's estate may wish to liquidate his house. If that's the case we would like to look at the possibility of buying it."

"Now," Rayna said. "That's a very interesting proposition. The executors made that comment just the other day. The house is part of the estate inventory and as such must be sold. However you have given me an interesting idea. There are only two beneficiaries to my father's estate. Myself and my sister Tandy. I know she would like the estate settled as soon as possible. She is only a junior partner in Highway 65 so her income is limited. The good part is, each of us will get many hundreds of millions of dollars when this estate goes through. The house has the potential to hold that up. Can you leave this with me for an hour or so? I need to make a couple of calls."

"Ok," Avery said. "We need to get to the church and finalize the wedding booking. We are also having a meeting with Glenn and Emily about organizing the wedding. We want to do this really right."

"Good idea," Rayna said. "When you come back it might be worth all of us looking into that. I'd like to be involved as well."

They went down to the studio to help Gunnar with his problem. Scarlett was there and while Avery helped Gunnar, Juliette announced the wedding. Gunner was genuinely surprised and delighted when Avery invited him to be groomsman.

"Perhaps this is something you two should think about as well," Avery said. Scarlett blushed. "Perhaps Gunner, Scarlett has already been thinking about it."

Helen had organized the meeting with Glenn and Emily. As it worked out Avery and Juliette had a couple of hours leeway before the meeting.

"We have time to get to the church and complete the arrangements there," Avery said. "I'd also like to see the Minister and apologize that we need to go to Natchez this weekend but we'll see him next week. I want to keep in sweet with him; he does have some friends and influence in high places."

Juliette hit his arm, "Stop it. Behave yourself."

"All I need now is Deacon for my best man."

"He's bound to be floating around somewhere. That shouldn't be difficult," Juliette said.

They met Deacon when they returned to the Highway 65 offices. His delight with their news was obvious. He happily accepted Avery's invitation.

"I have never been as excited and overjoyed. Avery, you are making this the most memorable time of my life. I never thought this would ever happen for me. Over the last couple of days you have turned me into a different person," Juliette said.

"Hey, I'm never going to forget it either. This is for us."

Rayna was talking to Helen when they returned. "I was just looking for you two. We need a little privacy I have a proposition for you."

"Ok," Avery said. "My office should be good enough."

"Now," Rayna explained, "I've spoken to Tandy about this and she agrees with me. I have checked with the executors and they say this is will work and allow for a very quick distribution of the estate. We want to sell daddy's house to you. You get the whole lot, estate, furniture, crockery, cutlery even the bed linen. What you keep, what you change, that's up to you." This is all in. We don't want the hassle. I mean the house is neither here nor there as far as we're concerned. In fact it's better for us if it's 'there' and we never have to worry about it again. Since it's in the inventory it represents value and must be sold. Now in arriving at the final price we did take into consideration both of your contributions particularly when the company was struggling. So we have established that we must ask two thousand dollars for the house."

Avery did a double take. He looked at Juliette. She stared back at him with her mouth open. For a noticeable time he said nothing. Finally he stammered, "Rayna, we couldn't possibly pay that for the house; it's not right."

"Well, I'm sorry Avery but the price is not negotiable. It's not getting any cheaper. But if you're guilty because you think the price is too low; forget it. I promise you we can afford it. Besides this way we are compensating you for what we can afford to pay you and what you are worth to us. Believe me Avery, this is really a shrewd business investment. So, what do you reckon?"

Avery looked at Juliette, "are you happy with that?" She nodded enthusiastically.

"Ok," Avery said. "Sold." Reaching into his jacket pocket he said, "Will you take a check?"

"Sure," Rayna said, "here's the keys. As of now it's yours. The contracts and titles will be ready tomorrow."

Avery slumped back in his chair still uncertain of what just happened.

Emily and Glenn arrived and Avery called them into his office. "This'll be easier," he said to Rayna. "We're all together. We only need to go over this stuff once. Please take a seat Glenn, Emily. Juliette would like to fill you in with the latest news."

Helen, being her usual efficient self, bought in a tray of sandwiches she organized. Avery did ask for a lunch time meeting. No sense in anyone going hungry, she reasoned.

Juliette was beaming, "I am so happy to tell you this. It is something I have dreamed about. Avery and I are getting married four weeks from Saturday. Emily, will you please be my bridesmaid?"

Glenn stood and hugged her, "I am so happy for you baby girl. It's something I've wanted for you for so long. Now it's finally happening."

"Well Glenn, you don't get away that easily," Avery said shaking his hand. "Would you do Juliette the honor of giving her away?"

Glenn smiled proudly, "It would be my pleasure."

Emily as well, "I am so happy for you. You are both meant for each other. I would love to be your bridesmaid."

"So, now to the main business," Avery said, "the reason we got you here is because we wanted to discuss how this wedding should be organized. The service will be in the West End United Methodist Church. Now I only have a general idea of what I would like to happen but this may not be practical. Of course there are many alternatives that may be a lot better. These are only my rough thoughts. I'll freely admit, organizing these types of functions is not really my thing. Juliette may want to get involved. She is good at the big show stuff."

"Well, give us your ideas," Glenn said. "We'll see what we can work out and get back to you."

"First up we don't have a reception venue at this point so you would need to get onto that. After the wedding, I'd like the big motorcade through the city. I'd like to fill LP field with Juliette's fans, for free. I'd like closed circuit television from the service and reception to LP field so the fans can share the party. If we could organize some sort of show for LP field as well that would be great. Give something back to the fans. I would like this to be remembered. I don't know how this would go but I would like every fan to get a piece of cake. Obviously, we would need extra wedding cakes as well as the main one. Basically I would like this to be the biggest wedding extravaganza Nashville has ever seen."

"Well that gives us a place to start," Glenn said. "We'll see how we go. Do your want to set a budget limit?"

"Not at this stage let's just see how it washes out."

"I'd like to be involved. I could have a few contacts we can use for some of this," Rayna said.

"I'm in too," Juliette said and then apologized to Avery. "I guess I might not be around as much for the next few weeks."

"You're coming with me this weekend so I can wear it. After all it's for the best cause…us. You should enjoy it."

"I know you'll make me proud," Avery said to Juliette and gave her a quick kiss. "However right now we have something of the utmost urgency to take care of."

"I know," Juliette said. "We need to pack for the weekend."

"Yes, we need to that as well but my fiancé is getting an engagement ring. That's the highest priority."

"You're engaged and you don't have a ring?" Rayna asked in a tone of disbelief.

"There's been a lot happening is a very short space of time but that omission will be rectified right now," Avery smiled.

He was sparing no expense on Juliette's ring. Juliette actually wanted to pay for the ring herself but he was having none of that. "I can provide for my wife. Your money is no good here." He said.

The ring she had her heart set on was actually priced beyond his savings. 'What the hell,' he thought. 'What are credit cards for? Besides I have royalties coming plus a ten percent Highway 65 dividend due. I'll clear the card then.'

Back at her house he poured them both a glass of Burgundy. They raised their glasses and chinked them together. "Here's to today and to us forever." Avery said. He sat on the couch.

Juliette sat in his lap. She held him around the neck and buried her head into his shoulder. "I have never been so happy. I never dreamed I could feel like this. I never dreamed this would ever happen to me. You have turned me into a new and better person," she said, her voice was slightly muffled by the angle her head was on.

"You nearly have it right," Avery said moving her head and kissing her tenderly. "What you really should have said is, 'We are a better person'. I believe we are meant to be. We illuminate each other, we are a combined destiny. To borrow from Aristotle, the total sum of us together is so much greater than us individually. We are a team and combined we can overcome anything. I believe this in my soul. We need each other, we are meant for each other. Call it what you want, destiny, fate, written in the stars, the will of God. I don't know its name. I just know that it is. In the same manner as the universe is. It can't be touched but it's certainly there."

"You are so clever. Where did you learn this stuff?"

"I'm just speaking the truth, sweetheart."

"I like that name, sweetheart," Juliette said.

"Do you now. I was having a toss up between that and princess."

"Yes! I like that one as well."

"Well, just to let you into a secret, you know how Rayna promotes herself as the queen of country?"

"Yes." Juliette said. "Do you want to promote me as the princess of country?"

"You hit it in one. Queen sounds a little old and staid. But Princess…."

"Sounds young and fresh. You really are clever."

"Well, just keep it up your sleeve. We'll use it after the baby," Avery said.

"Well we sure achieved a lot today," Avery sounded satisfied. "Definitely got the wheels humming. Tomorrow we'll need to take care of the realtor getting this place on the market. When would you like to move into the new place?"

"Next week. There'll be a fair bit to organize there. We're going to need servants with a place that size. We might get Bo to look into that tomorrow."

"I love it," Avery said. "It's all go, go, go, here. There's so much to look forward to."

"Today has been the happiest day of my life. I can see why Rayna values you such a lot. There is so much action around you," Juliette said. "But can I ask you something I really need to know; especially as I will be mixed up in it in a few hours. I'd like to be forewarned."

"You want to know about this business between my father and me?"

"Yes, provided you are ok with telling me."

"Ok. Well, it goes back a long way. Some of it I can do something about. Some is beyond my control. First up, I have never even mentioned this to anyone, but I am a sort of odd man out in my family. For instance, I'm much better academically than anyone else in the family. They were barely able to finish high school. That's the first strange thing. I'm a straight honors student. No member of my family can play a musical instrument. They can't even hold a note singing. I find music very natural."

"That's the understatement of the year. You're a musical freak."

"I always had this feeling that I didn't fit in. My brother and sister were both treated what you would call normally. But I was always treated differently and I felt out of place because of it. I became conscious that my father really disliked me. Any chance he got to punish me he took. I really had a most unhappy childhood. Even bringing home excellent school results didn't help. I was just ridiculed for them. I asked my mother once why my father disliked me and why he bullied and picked on me. Her only answer was 'I was different'. That was it. That was all I got so I just suffered but I swore when I could get out I would."

"My mother and father were married when she became pregnant with my brother, Colin. In those days an unwed mother was an embarrassment to her family. Usually, those concerned got married. A few years later they had my sister Susan. Then there was me. Remember I told you once you can't help where you were born or who you have as a family. We have more in common than you realized. Both our childhoods have similarities."

"I won a full academic scholarship to Ole Miss. I wanted to go for music but my father wouldn't allow me enroll unless I got a business degree. So that's what I did."

"I basically taught myself music in the beginning from books I got at school. My father had an absolute hatred of music. He didn't just dislike it he was obsessed with his aversion to it. Obviously we clashed over this very frequently. He always thought I was insolent, defiant and rebellious. Me? I just wanted to do what I loved."

"Well, to cut a long story short. I went off to University and as part of my gear I took my old Gibson guitar. After I settled in I managed to get a couple of gigs in the area playing in a café and a bar. It worked out good for me, one job paid about fifty bucks a night and the other was forty bucks a night. Along with the pittance my father sent me I got by pretty well. I went to the music faculty and met a guy who was a great guitarist and another guy who was a fantastic pianist. I couldn't enroll there but I got these guys to give me lessons on the side. I kept those up for four years. Each lesson cost me twenty bucks. I started to get pretty handy and they even gave me lessons in songwriting. I often wonder how good I could have become if I'd gone there fulltime."

"In my last year about six months before I was due to graduate I had a once in a lifetime chance for a guy like me. This fraternity kid, money no object, wants to throw a party. His problem is he's broke but he needs to buy some dope. He's trying to sell this guitar for a thousand dollars but he's getting no takers. He comes to me, 'Hey Barkley,' he says. 'You play guitar do you want to buy my Martin?' I tell him I don't have a thousand. 'How much have you got?' he asks. I tell him all I've got is seven hundred but I need to keep a hundred to tide me over till I get my next check. He thinks a bit and takes the six hundred off me. I thought 'Well it's a Martin. Six hundred has to be cheap'. I opened the case and I nearly collapsed. It's a 1957 00-17. It has to be worth three grand if it's worth a razoo. It was an absolutely beautiful guitar. The Gibson disappeared into the closet. That became my pride and joy. I never dreamed I could own a guitar like that."

"Anyway my father had my life planned for me. I would graduate and run his businesses which was absolutely a crap, boring job. The businesses were so regular we knew what the figures would be from one year to the next. I mean the job was so boring my father didn't even want it. So he palms it off on me. It basically consisted of collecting the money and putting it in the bank. He had to vet all payments so I was virtually his slave. We argued all the time. I was just wasting my life."

"My biggest mistake I know, looking back, was playing the guitar. I used to play every chance I got. In my room, on the porch anywhere, and my father hated it. I got myself a Saturday night gig in Natchez playing in the best restaurant. It paid one hundred dollars a night. I was king of the world. However my father found out and banned me from playing. He said I was not going to waste my life on that rubbish. That night my mom and I are watching television when my father takes an axe to my Martin. He came inside and dropped the neck in three pieces in my lap. The strings were still on the machine heads. His only comment, 'try playing that."

Juliette started crying.

"I was shattered. I couldn't believe what he had done. I couldn't speak. I just went up to my room, packed my clothes in a bag, grabbed the Gibson, got in my truck and never went back. My last memory is my father and mother screaming at each other and my father yelling I was nothing, would never amount to anything and I was a complete failure."

"Scarlett was my girlfriend. I went and stayed at her place that night and when I told her I was leaving she came with me. We went to New Orleans first up then just from here to there until we wound up in Nashville. You more or less know it all from there."

Juliette sat up straight in Avery's lap. "Wait here. I'll be right back."

She returned a few minutes later with a guitar case. " I just remembered I have this. I did think it was good enough for Deacon at one point but he wouldn't take it. He said it was too good for him. It's not to good for you. You deserve an instrument of this class. I want you to have this. Please don't refuse me. You have given me so much. If I can repay you in some small way I'll be very happy. Whenever you play this; think of us."

He opened the case. Inside was a 1968 Martin D45. "Juliette," was all he could say. Then after a long pause, "this guitar will be with me forever. I will treasure it always. I truly love you so much." He lay the guitar back in it's case, took her in his arms and embraced her with all the feeling in his heart.

"I suppose you do know what this is worth," he said when they parted. "I don't want you to think it's just any old guitar."

"I know," she said. "It's somewhere between forty and fifty thousand dollars."

"I love you so much and I love your generosity."

"The agenda isn't too full today," Avery said checking his Friday to do list. "We need to be here at ten for the realtor. Then we can go into the office and finalize the house. I reckon I'd like to go and have a look at the new place as well. I'd like to have something for us to talk about during the trip. Perhaps we might even leave this afternoon and get there tonight. We may need the extra time. I'll ring and let them know."

"I've just had a thought. I'm going to take some photographs of your house, the new house and the Highway 65 offices. I may need a plan 'B' for my father. It wouldn't hurt to have something to fall back on. These might be handy for some extra leverage because I know he's not going to be easy."

The Realtor gave Juliette a pleasant surprise. The expected price would realize Juliette a profit of half a million dollars in just one year.

However their new house left them awestruck. Avery had no idea houses like this existed. This was a three story mansion comprising ten bedrooms and twelve bathrooms. The house area was almost twenty five thousand square feet, with four acres of gardens. It had every conceivable luxury including its own theatre and English billiard room with an imported twelve foot English table.

They sat in one of the sitting rooms and just absorbed the ambiance of the property. "You know," Avery said. "I don't want you getting the wrong idea here and I don't want to sound like I'm getting ahead of myself. However, I think if we decided we wanted to raise more than one child here we would have the room."

"You think so do you? Well just so happens that idea appeals to me as well but let's get number one out the way first."

"No wonder they thought selling this would hold up the estate going through.' Avery said. "I don't reckon there'd be much change out of ten million for this place. Buyers in that end of the market aren't exactly falling out of the woodwork."

"There's something else we mustn't forget to allow for," he said. "A staff to maintain all this," he waved an arm over the general area. "At the very least we'll need a cook, a gardener and a couple of cleaning maids. Depending on your plans we may need a nanny as well. I'm assuming you'll want to continue working. I expect we'll continue to write and play together. I dare say you'll want me as your producer as well."

"Yes to all of that. I want the best partner I can find and we both know that's you. I want you exclusively. You'd better let Rayna know that."

"Well, you know what they say," Avery laughed. "You're the doctor, I only work here." Then he added, "I defer to the boss."

The trip to Natchez became more exciting the further they went. It was not the prospect of Natchez. That would be difficult. No, what they were so enthusiastic about was their future together and the plans that were falling into place. Dreams were being created here and dreams were coming true.

They arrived just before dinner. Avery's father met them on the front porch. "You have a damned audacity turning up here after all this time. I would have thought you'd be too ashamed."

"For god's sake dad, can't you at least wait until we're in the door," Avery chipped.

"Who's this then?" Avery's father gestured towards Juliette.

"Let's get inside," Avery said. "We'll go through the formalities with everyone if it's all the same to you."

"Everyone," Avery said addressing the family. "This is Juliette. Juliette this is my father, Frank, my mother Elaine, my brother Colin and my sister Susan. Just to fill everyone in…"

"Just a minute," Frank said. "I know who you are. You're my son's meal ticket. You're Juliette Barnes. What are you bringing her into our house for? She's all over the papers. "She's a…"

"That's enough right there." Avery attacked him. "You will not say another word. You don't have any idea what you're talking about. If you think what you read in the papers is true then you're as stupid as the liars and idiots what write them. Everything you read about her is a manipulated lie. They attack her because she has a high profile and by degrading her they sell papers to fools like you who buy them. You will not talk like that about her. She is my fiancée, we are getting married in four weeks and just to give you all our news she is carrying the family's first grandchild. She is a part of this family and I demand she is respected as such."

"I must clear something up here if I may," Juliette said. "I am not your son's meal ticket. He's my meal ticket. I could never have achieved what I have without him. I love and admire him with all my heart."

Frank just grunted.

Elaine went to Juliette and embraced her. "You are welcome as part of this family my dear. My son's choice is our choice. Our first grandchild. Thank you with all my heart. This is wonderful news."

"Colin and Susan both embraced Juliette as well."

"She's pregnant and you're not married?" Frank sounded somewhat disgusted.

"Shut it for Pete's sake dad," Avery said. "We're extremely proud and we're looking forward to our baby."

"Besides," Colin said. "Everyone knows mom was four months pregnant with me when you married."

"Watch your mouth," Frank snapped. Colin cowered back in his chair.

"Come on," Elaine said. "Let's have dinner."

The meal was spent on Avery catching up on the latest news. Colin was doing the job his father had intended for Avery. It seemed Colin was born to do this job. Basically he was in charge of everything but running nothing. Frank had control of any important issues except the day to day operation. As Avery had observed, Frank avoided the boredom; that was Colin's domain. But Colin enjoyed the position. He had just the right measure of intelligence to excel at the job.

Avery actually said little during the meal. He didn't have to. Juliette was painting him in the most glowing terms. "Do you know," Juliette said, "Avery is Highway 65's CEO and under him the company just received a Nashville Chamber of Commerce award as the fastest growing company in Nashville. Avery was voted Executive of the Year. He is so respected not only in his own company but in the wider community. The community work he does; Charity Fund raisers he organizes. He is amazing."

"Yeah," Frank said, "he wasn't good enough to do that here. But his brother handles it well. I guess that means Colin would be a big hit in Nashville as well."

That was when Avery became involved. "You never stop do you Dad. You can never let it alone. You just have to keep digging. Keep aggravating the issue. Keep needling and punishing me. You've been doing it all my life. That's why this family has this huge split through it. You just won't stop. Well I'm here to fix it now, this weekend. You and me, we are going to sort out whatever this crap is that's eating you. Why you have made my life a misery since I was a little kid. Now we fix it or finish it.

"Why? You ask me? I have never once seen respect in you. Even now I see defiance in your eyes. I see rebellion. No matter what I asked you fought me at every turn. You could have had Colin's job but you turned your back on it."

'Yes, that was your trouble. You planned out my life and then expected me to live it. I had plans of my own. I didn't want Colin's job. I didn't want to study business at Ole Miss. I wanted to study music. But that didn't fit your plan for me. My life's love was music and you forbid me to follow it. Even playing music in my room was forbidden. Then you destroyed my prized guitar. You knew what you were doing but you still went ahead. That was the cruelest thing that has ever been done to me. I knew then, you didn't have a heart, at least where I was concerned. No, you had a rock in your chest and there was no hope for me and you. That's why I left."

"You were wasting your life. There's no future in music. It's a fool's pursuit. It just leads to drugs, dope and drunkenness. I wanted to protect you from all that."

"You say you saw defiance and insolence in my eyes. What you saw was independence, a dream to achieve. There was no insolence there. You were determined I live my life as you designed it. When I refused you punished me the worst way you could think of. Have you changed father? Have you mellowed? It's been years now. Can we be a normal father and son?"

"Can you ask my forgiveness?" Frank said. "Will you come back to Natchez and do what you were meant to do? Do that and I can forgive you. Continue to defy me and you are lost to me."

"I'm begging you," Avery pleaded. "We are getting married in four weeks. We want you all there. We want all my relations there. No-one will come while we have this conflict. It makes them too uncomfortable. What of your grandchild. We want to come down here so they know their grandparents. We want you to visit us. If this isn't resolved that will never happen and that will be tragic."

Juliette held Avery's hand trying to show support. She could see now why he had avoided coming here. She could see he was close to defeat. He had hope his father would see reason but it was not going to happen. She could see he was resigning himself to losing his family and that meant the only family Juliette would ever have as well.

"Mr. Barkley," Juliette said. "I want you to look at something. The house in this photograph; this is Avery's home in Nashville. He owns it outright. It's worth about ten million dollars. It needs a staff of five to run it. This is where we are going to live. The office in this photograph is Avery's office at Highway 65. Look at the awards all over the walls. He is one of the most successful executives in our industry and you want him to turn his back on that?"

"You can be quiet woman. I have even less respect for you than I do for him."

That immediately fired Avery's anger. "What is it with you? There is something seriously wrong here. This has got to the point of being ridiculous. I'm missing something. Something here is not adding up. What is it? There is something else at work here." He was desperate. He had tears on his cheeks. His anguish affected Juliette as well. Again she took his hand and held it to her breast.

Suddenly Elaine interjected. "This has gone on long enough Frank. Are you going to tell him or will I? We are coming clean with this right now. I miss my son. I want him back. I want my daughter in law. I want my grandchild. This finishes now."

Frank glared at her. "You're not bringing that up. We agreed years ago that would never be mentioned. Do not add further disgrace to us. You will be quiet!" At the end he was virtually shouting.

This was completely unexpected. Avery was at first confused and then he realized the core of this family issue was some dark, buried, shameful secret. His father was seething, his mother stood defiantly in front of him. His father raised his hand. "No! Stop! Dad! No!" Colin and Avery shouted together. Avery lunged, forcing himself between his father and mother.

His father's shoulders slumped. This was about to be revealed. He had to resign himself to it. Hidden for years, now they would all know his shame. "I'm not staying to listen to this," he said. "I'm disgusted with you Elaine." He walked out the door.

Elaine looked at Avery. "You want to know why? Why your life has been like it has? Why your father punished you as he did? I'll tell you although I don't know what good it will do you. I have no idea how this can be resolved. But I'll at least tell you so your mind can rest easy."

"Long before I met your father, in my senior year in high school I had a boyfriend. His name was Mark Holbrook. Today he is one of the leading cardiac experts in the country. Back in High school he was the school's top student. He returned honors for everything. He was also a very talented musician. He was not just my boyfriend, we had become extremely close. We were lovers and very active as well. However we were very careful even in those days."

"We graduated from high school and he received a medical scholarship to Columbia. Of course we didn't see a lot of each other. However he had his family in Natchez so he did come back here periodically. Whenever he came back we would always spend time together and always we fell back into our old habits, if you know what I mean."

"I started seeing your father in between his visits and before long I became pregnant with Colin and married your father. In those days that's what was done in the event of a pregnancy outside marriage. Eighteen months later Susan came along."

I would still see Mark whenever he came home but our sexual activity stopped since I was married. To see him I would sneak out of an evening on some pretext or other. Eventually your father became suspicious and followed me. This caused a lot of strife naturally."

"Since we had been found out we had to sever all contact. I snuck out one last time to see Mark and say goodbye. It was a very emotional time for both of us. It became so intense we fell on the ground and made love. Unfortunately we had no protection but that didn't stop us. That night I became pregnant with you Avery."

"Your father of course knew Mark was in Natchez and when it was obvious I was pregnant he made me do a paternity test. This of course confirmed Frank was not your father. In those days abortions were virtually impossible to get unless there was a health threat. However even though the idea was suggested I just flatly refused. You would be carried through to full term."

"Your father wanted to divorce me however he found out that if I was divorced Mark would marry me and take you as well Avery. Frank would need to raise Colin and Susan. I could not leave two of my children and I think to punish me in any case your father refused a divorce. That is why he hates you Avery. Looking at you reminds him of that. I don't know what you can do with that but at least you know."

Avery was very quiet. He looked at Juliette remembering how they had been in a similar position and how they had overcome their conflict. He took her hand and gently kissed it. He would be forever grateful for the woman she is. He loved her dearly.

He stood and went outside looking for his father. Frank was sitting in a chair on the front porch, sitting in the dark. The sounds of the night were everywhere. Avery sat in the other empty chair on the porch and bent forward resting his elbows on his knees. For a long while they said nothing.

Eventually, to ease the obvious tension, Avery just said, "Dad."

"Well?" Frank replied.

"There is nothing I can do Dad. I'm sorry for what happened. I'm sorry I was the result of what happened. We came here today in the hope these differences between us could be resolved. I can see why everything has been like it has. This is the worst possible result for me. I cannot resolve this. But I want you to know one thing. No matter what happened, as far as I am concerned, you are my father. Biological or not, that is of no consequence. Really in the overall scheme of things what mom did and she did it when she was young and foolish, doesn't matter. It never broke us apart because there is strength in this family. We have skeletons in the closet, like just about everyone, but we are still us. A family and you are my father. For all the anger I felt for you for all those years of torment I now understand and I forgive you. I love you Dad and I wish we could be together. All I can hope is somewhere, at sometime you can find forgiveness as well."

"We'll leave first thing in the morning but know that you are all welcome with us at anytime and we will still regard you all as our family."

The drive back to Nashville was a little somber. For the early part of trip they rehashed the events of the previous night. "Hopefully," Juliette said, "They can find a solution. We are so lucky to have a love like we do."

Later they discussed moving houses, items to keep, what to discard. It was a much brighter atmosphere but the mood of the previous evening still hung over Avery. It would take time to adjust to this.

It was a week later and the wedding planning was becoming very involved. What seemed initially to Avery as a relatively straight forward exercise had pitfalls everywhere. Teddy had arranged for LP field but that was the easy part. The wedding would need to be advertised so the fans knew about it. Then the fans would need to be organized. They decided admission would be by ticket. Then the ticket agency had to be organized and they wanted to charge a ticketing fee. That would need to be allowed for if the fans were to get in for free. There was far more in this than he thought. He was meeting with Juliette, Glenn and Emily over these very matters when Helen interrupted.

"Avery. There's a Mr. and Mrs. Barkley here to see you if you are free."

To say Avery was surprised was an understatement. "Send them in thank you Helen. Glenn, Emily could you give us a moment?"

"This is so impressive son," his father said entering his office. He went directly to Avery and embraced him. He immediately took Juliette in his arms, "Juliette, I am so pleased you're here as well." They shared similar embraces with his mother.

"It's so good to see you both. We won't hold you up son but I wanted to let you know I took your advice. You were right. Forgiveness fixes everything. We are all good now, all of us. We will be coming to the wedding. Also, we were hoping we could get together tonight to see if there were any others from Natchez you would like here."

Both Juliette and Avery gave him a huge smile. "That would be fantastic Dad. If you come past here at about four Juliette can show you where we live. I'll ring the cook and let him know there will be two more for dinner."