Music Monday

Today was G's birthday.  For the past three years, K and G have celebrated his birthday with a sushi dinner, just the two of them.  This year they persuaded me to join them.  I don't like sushi, but the restaurant they go to does offer some cooked items.

I was glad that I agreed to go.  It is always good to spend time with K and, because we arrived in the city a half an hour before we were supposed to meet for dinner, she asked us if we'd like to see the office where she works.  We were able to meet a few of her coworkers and get a feel for the environment that has been K's work home for the last year. 

Dinner was delicious.  I had no idea that my husband and daughter were capable of consuming so much sushi.  I guess when it's "all you can eat", you don't want to walk away from the table wishing you'd ordered another spicy tuna roll.  : ) 

Before we headed home we briefly stopped off at K's apartment.  I thought the evening had gone well and I was encouraged that K seemed better emotionally than any time we'd been together since KC broke up with her.  Foolishly, optimistically, I allowed myself to hope that maybe she was beginning to move on and put some of the heartbreak and sadness (too trivial a word to adequately describe the pain she has experienced) behind her.

G had already gotten in the car and started the engine.  K and I were standing on the sidewalk.  She glanced at her daddy, patiently waiting for me to climb in the car, and her eyes filled with tears.  And in an instant, I realized how wrong I had been to hope, and my heart broke for her.

How could KC break up with my beautiful daughter?  How could he look into her clear, green eyes and tell her that he didn't want to be in a relationship with her -- that he loved her, but that he couldn't continue to date her?

At that moment, with her eyes glistening and tears rolling down the all too familiar tracks they've traced on her cheeks, I don't think my daughter has ever looked more vulnerable or more beautiful.  How could KC, if he truly loves K as he claims, how could he hurt her as deeply as he has?  His decision and actions are completely unfathomable to me.

As I stood on the sidewalk with K, this song* flashed through my mind.  Although the lyrics aren't a perfect fit (no infidelity was involved), the plaintive melody and repeated phrase "sad eyes" characterize my precious daughter perfectly. 

   * I looked at a lot of YouTube videos before I settled for this one -- and I definitely mean settled -- most of the videos were really hokey, with cheesy images, or even worse, almost pornographic ones.  Ugh.  In the end I decided a spinning 45 was the most inoffensive.  After all, it's really the music that matters.