Chapter 10

“Joey, whatever your dad did or said to you, I hope you know that you proved him wrong. You are not a joke. Anyone—man or woman—would be proud to have you as a partner in life, and musicians and fans alike kiss the ground you walk on. Be proud of that. Don’t let your dad—or me—destroy that. It’s okay to let someone in. It’s the only way you’ll learn how to trust again. Not everyone is going to hurt you, or betray your trust, which is so precious. I’m really sorry I did that to you.”

I closed the door behind me and went to my car to make the long drive home.

* * * *

The next Saturday night, I played another wedding gig where the color scheme was pink and yellow. It reminded me of sherbet ice cream. I had been asked to wear white, thankfully. The happy couple, Manfred and Amanda Petrovich, was currently doing the samba very badly, and they were having the time of their lives.