Chicago is cold. Really cold. I may have grown up in Ohio, but I never liked cold weather. I dreaded the entire winter months. So why I now live in California and decide to tour during the winter is beyond me. The tour kicked off just over two months ago and it has been dream worthy. I love being up on that stage every night. The first couple shows I was really nervous but it was worth every moment of it.

We spent Thanksgiving in New York City with the entire crew. We arranged to have a Thanksgiving feast for everyone. Madison Square Garden had been turned into a stage and a dinner party. If we couldn't be with our family's it was nice to spend it with our second family. 

Justin and Steve has become this unit from the moment we started touring. It makes me want to hurl a little bit. I was however amazed that Steve was even content with someone I was with, it was a total shock. Today is no different. We are in Chicago and I would really like to maybe see some sights despite the cold, but they have made plans to do other things. I think Kia and I lost our other halves to each other.

Kia is shaking her head. "I love that they get along, but damn it's like they are together now."

"I know right?"

            This Chicago date was the last one in the states for a while. We will spend the next three weeks overseas. Then finally be home for Christmas then be in New York City for New Years Eve.

            Kia and I enter the Atwood café to have lunch and it didn't work out as well as I thought it was going to. Everyone is the café is staring. There is press outside the windows and I can't even enjoy my hot vanilla cappuccino that I had been craving all morning.

"How do you deal with this every day?" Kia asks in a very low voice.

"I don't know how to deal with it really. Normally they are following Justin and he guides me into what I need to do. They must assume he is going to be coming here as well."

"Mel, you do realize they are following you now, not just Justin."

"No, they are looking to get a shot of Justin doing something he shouldn't be doing."

She is laughing at me. "No, Mel... you are the celebrity now. They are following you."

"That's silly."I am staring at the menu as if has changed in the last ten minutes I have been looking at it.

"Well it may be but that's what is going on. You are the celebrity now."

"When did that happen?" I am laughing at her. The whole idea that I was this ‘celebrity' was just silliness.

"The moment you stepped onto that plane... ever since you decided to fall in love with Justin, became this amazing fashion designer, and oh yea have a number one single off an album that is coming out shortly."

"I still can't believe my song was number one. That's crazy." I had to sort of change the subject.

"It wasn't just number one. It was number one for eight weeks. That's a damn good accomplishment."

"It's not number one now." I put on the frown face.

"Shut up. It's like number three now. You haven't fallen off the charts. Plus your album comes out in a month. You have no worries..."

"Oh I have a lot of worries... trust me a lot of worries."

"You need to not worry about all of this. Have you seen the response you are getting from all the fans at the shows?"

"All those people pay to come see Justin. I know that and it's ok."

"You don't see how great you are, do you? You never have but you really should give yourself more credit. Every show I see more and more fans there to see you."

            I was quiet and I put my head down, she kept talking. "This is really happening Mel. It really is."

"Anyways..." I have to change the subject. I don't want to talk about that anymore. I whisper very low at her "Did I tell you Justin said he wanted to marry me?" The smile grows bigger and bigger across my face.

"I'm not surprised."

"WHAT?" That was really loud. Everyone has turned to look at us. Crap. "Why are you not surprised?"

She whispers again, "Come on now, that man is going to marry you one day. I am actually more surprised he hasn't proposed yet."

‘Really, I didn't think we were ready to actually be talking about getting married. We have only ... "

She interrupts me "I don't want to hear you have only been together for a couple months... blah blah blah. Don't give me that crap. It's just a matter of time before he does propose. He does know that the gang has to give him permission, right?"

"I'm sure he is aware of that."

"He better. If he proposes without asking us first he is going to be in some serious trouble."

"Great... chasing away the one person that might ever marry me."

"He isn't going anywhere." She is overly confident in my relationship with Justin.

"Have you spoken to Stacy?" I have the tears in my eyes just thinking about her.

"No, I haven't. I can't believe she is acting like this." Kia is rolling her eyes.

"I just don't understand how she can be so mad at me because I offered her husband the job of his dreams."

"We have known her a long time, so we should have assumed that she would act childish about this. Seriously she hasn't even come out on the road once to see Mike. From my understanding she told him that if he didn't quit the tour she was going to file for divorce. Mike even thought about it, saying that he doesn't want to lose his wife over playing music but he decided that his wife needs to accept his choices and support him. That's part of being married."

"She is being really selfish about all of this. I have called her so many times and she just won't return a single phone call." I lower my head and think, how could she do this? "I guess I will never understand her outlook. I understand that a long distance a marriage is difficult but there are many chances for her to see him. Maybe this is what she wants."

            We return to the hotel and there is still no sign of Justin or Steve. I hope whatever they are doing it doesn't get them into trouble. I don't trust those two together; two pranksters shouldn't be allowed to play together. We are walking through the lobby and I see someone I recognize but with Lonnie standing nearly a foot behind me I don't stop I just get on the elevator. "Did you just see who that was? I was that person was looking directly at me" I ask Kia but she isn't sure. She didn't see anyone.

            We arrive in my room and the boys are not in there either. What could they be doing here in Chicago? This was our one day off before the show tomorrow then a flight to London. I wanted to spend some time with Justin, alone. When my hotel phone rings the first thought was the boys have done something and I have to know go bail them out. But Lonnie answers the phone and says, "Melissa, Chris on the phone for you."

"Chris? My guitarist Chris?"

"No, He says it's Chris Daughtry."

"WHAT?" My eyes are huge and in shock. I thought that was him downstairs.

Kia blurts very quickly from behind me, "Answer the phone, answer it!"

I wasn't sure I could speak. This was seriously Chris Daughtry? The mega superstar who sells out arenas or any venue they play at? He is seriously calling my room? Why?

"Mel, answer the phone!!"

            Wow I snapped back into reality and picked up the phone.
"Hello."

"Melissa? Hi this is Chris... Chris Daughtry."

"Hi." It's all I could speak clearly.

"I saw you downstairs. I didn't know you were staying in the same hotel as us. That's pretty cool."

 "I thought I saw you downstairs, but I wasn't sure. And I honestly didn't think you would be looking at me as if you knew me so I thought it was someone else." Ok stupid calm yourself down.

"It was me. I thought it was you but your security guy is pretty big and I didn't want to mess with him."

I breathe finally and speak more words now, "That's Justin's security guy."

"Oh, I didn't see Justin." He sounds surprised that Justin would be with me.

"Well that's because he and my best friend are M.I.A."

"Should Justin Timberlake be alone on the streets of Chicago? I could totally see him getting mobbed or something."

"He isn't alone, Shawn his other security guard is with him."

"Oh I see he needs two."

"We all are not as special as him..." I start laughing because if anyone really knew Justin that would think he was special.

"So anyways the reason I am calling... We have a show tonight and I was wondering if you would like to come and join me on stage for a song?"

"I'm sorry what?" I must have been hearing things.

"I would like you to join me on stage tonight, maybe do ‘Tennessee Line'?"

"You're serious?"

"Of course I am."

"Tell me when I will be there." How could I not drop and run.

"How's six? We can sound check you then rehearse the song a little. Do you already know the lyrics?"

"Oh yes. That is by far my favorite song you have ever recorded."

"Wow, I chose the right song then. See you at six?"

"See you then."

            What the hell just happened? I think I just got an invite from Chris mother fuckin' Daughtry to sing on stage with him. I start jumping up and down as if I gotten the news that I won the lottery.

Where is Justin? I want to share this moment with him. I call his phone but there was no answer. Forty five minutes later he calls me, I feel like I am losing him. It really has nothing to do with him hanging out with Steve, it's just a feeling I can't shake. I guess maybe it's because I could really see myself being with him forever or it's that very idea that is scaring the hell out of me.

"Hey babe. Everything ok?"

"Everything is... fine."

"That doesn't sound to convincing? Are you ok?"

"I just miss you... and I got some really great news today and I wanted you to be there to celebrate with me." We both got quiet for a moment. "I just miss you."

"I am so sorry. I didn't realize that me being away was a problem for you? I thought you were happy to spend time with your best friend. Is Kia not there now?"

"It's not that. I... I'm just having a selfish moment. I'm sorry this isn't your fault."

"It is. I am on my way back to the hotel. I will be there in ten minutes. Then you can tell me your exciting news."

            He seemed so different. He was speaking short sentences to get me off the phone. You would think the way I felt, it was as if we were on two separate tours and not together every single day. Did he seriously think I was ok with him not being around as much? He had to know that is not what I wanted. Maybe I was being selfish? Maybe this has nothing to do with him. Maybe I have lost one of my very best friends, someone who was supposed to stand next to me through everything, and I just needed him more now, I wasn't sure.

            He comes through the door with a big smile on his face and was anxious to know what this news was but I wasn't so excited about it all anymore. I felt my heart aching and there was nothing I could do to fix it. This is the man that told me he wanted to marry me? Had I changed and he changed his mind? Was this something I was over reacting about? I wasn't too sure of anything right at this moment.

I pick up the phone and dial room service, "Can I get a bottle of 901 Tequila sent to the penthouse please?"

He looked at me, as if he knew I was upset. "Drinking already? I thought you said you had good news."

"I did. But it isn't so exciting anymore. I need a drink."

"Mel?" He walks over to me and wraps his arms around me. "I love you." He kisses the top of my head.

I start to cry, "Do you? Because right now at this moment that sounded pretty empty."

"I'm sorry but what is going on? Did I miss something?"

"I don't know, I don't know anything anymore." I turn and walk into the bedroom area when the doorbell rings. He answered the door and got the bottle of 901 that I was waiting on.

He walks into the bedroom and is holding the bottle in his hand. "You are not getting this until you tell me what is wrong, why you are drinking tequila at three in the afternoon and what this news was that you were so excited about that I obviously have ruined by not being here."

"I have lost one my best friends because I chose to have her husband join my band. This was someone that was always supposed to be there for me, someone that I trusted my life with."

"Mel, I am not going anywhere. I love you. The choices that Stacy has made are something she is going to have to deal with but I am not Stacy. I am not going anywhere."

"Why does this always happen to me? Am I always going to run when I think you are going to leave?"

He reaches for my hands, "I will never leave, so we don't have to worry about that. You have had people in your past and in your present that seem to hurt you. I haven't really asked about any of it because I know how much it hurts to talk about it sometimes but I think it's time to let go of the past, don't let it affect you daily life now. There is a reason that those people are not in your life anymore."

"She is supposed to be my best friend."

"Yea she is. So why hasn't she called you? Why is she being selfish about this whole situation?"

"I don't know. I should have made a different choice with Mike."

"No, you made the right choice with Mike. He was the perfect choice for the band. This thing with her has nothing to do with you. It is her insecurities. Yea the fact that he is on the road and it is for your band makes you part of it but this is something wrong with her. You have done nothing wrong. Now, enough about her... What is this news that was so great earlier?"

"I love you, do you know that?"

"I do."

"Chris Daughtry is staying in this hotel today..."

He cocks his head sideways, "Should I be worried that you are going to run off and marry him?"

"Yes... Yes you should. I finally found a guy to marry me." I am laughing then continue, "He wants me to join him on stage tonight at his show. He wants me to sing with him!"

"Oh my god that is great news for you. He is an amazing musician. I am so happy for you!"

"You don't seem so excited."

"You are going to join one of the biggest rock bands in the world onstage tonight. That's pretty fucking awesome!"

"I'm a little nervous, that was the reason for the 901."

"Well then I think we should have some shots. What time do you have to be there?"

"Six."

"Mel..." He lifts my chin up so that I am looking him into the eyes, "I love you. We will spend a lot more alone time together, I promise. I really thought you wanted to spend time with Kia."

"I love Kia and I love spending time with her it's not that... it's just sometimes I want to lie in bed with you and do nothing. Or well do whatever comes to our minds but I want to spend some time with just you."

            Rehearsal is always a great time, and this one was no exception. Once I started singing with the band, I felt comfortable. JP was totally making fun of me the entire time. He kept saying that I was singing to loud, I was overpowering his bass and needed to calm myself. They were a great group of guys to be around. Chris isn't so much of a perfectionist, which I thought he was going to be. It was like smooth sailing through rehearsals.

            I found out that Chris's daughter had rearranged her visiting time with him because she wanted to see my show in Chicago. And this would be the only way she could see the show. After everything that happened today, I think this really made my day. She was excited to see me... not her dad... not even Justin Timberlake, I was on cloud nine.

            Walking out as the surprise guest at a rock concert was a little intimidating. These people could very easily boo me right off that stage. And as I walked out there to do the opening line I feel that quiver in my stomach that makes me know that I am about to do something big. The music starts, the extended beginning threw off most people then Chris introduced me, "Ladies and Gentleman, the amazing Melissa Roberts." I stepped out onto the stage and begin the first verse. The crowd was quiet. "I open my lungs, to breathe in forgiveness in love... Haunting me now, reminders of how I used to be... And on down the road the troubles are sure to follow... Looking out the window the hell if I know where I will go so I'll just keep on driving..." The crowd is completely quiet still. I was scared at this point. Then out of nowhere they started singing along.

"On my way to L.A... looking into the rearview, as the roads fade away... Sworn off my past... First and last bad call that I ever made... Tell me how to make right, every wrong turn that I've learned so this can all end tonight... Tennessee line just changed my mind... It's my heart I'll follow this time..."

            After finishing the song I say, "Thank you. Tonight this song means more to me than it ever has before. More than ever..." I realized that I was holding on to the past and that all those mistakes or horrible things that have happened to me I couldn't let them go. I continued to carry them with me and now there was someone that has come into my life and changed everything. He was my Tennessee Line.