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By Elise MacFarlane

Debra and Danica were from two different worlds with the same goalto be famous singers one day. When a chance meeting brought the two together, they embarked on a journey that led to friendship and success. Just as they began realizing their dreams, tragedy rocked their worlds.

Will tragedy and heartbreak keep their dream just out of reach, or will they achieve their hearts desire?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 13, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524501891

Elise MacFarlane

no ata

Book preview

Copyright © 2017 by Elise MacFarlane.

ISBN:      Softcover      978-1-5245-0188-4

                eBook            978-1-5245-0189-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 02/10/2017

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Contents

1. - Debra

2. - Danica

3. - Debra

4. - Danica

5. - Debra

6. - Danica

7. - Debra

8. - Danica

9. - Debra

10. - Danica

11. - Debra

12. - Danica

13. - Debra

14. - Danica

15. - Debra

16. - Danica

17. - Debra

18. - Danica

19. - Debra

20. - Danica

21. - Debra

22. - Danica

23. - Debra

24. - Danica

25. - Debra

26. - Danica

27. - Debra

28. - Danica

29. - Debra

30. - Danica

31. - Debra

32. - Danica

33. - Debra

34. - Danica

35. - ‘Three Months Later’ Debra

36. - Danica

37. - Debra

38. - Danica

39. - Debra

40. - Danica

41. - Debra

42. - Danica

43. - Two Weeks Later Debra

44. - Debra

45. - Danica

46. - Debra

47. - One Month Later Danica

48. - Debra

49. - Danica

50. - Debra

51. - Danica

52. - Debra

53. - Danica

54. - Debra

55. - Danica

56. - Debra

57. - Danica

58. - Debra

59. - Danica

60. - Debra

61. - Danica

62. - Debra

63. - Epologue Danica

64. - Debra

Debra

I walked into the kitchen being lured by the scent of my mother’s cooking. I realized it was one of my favorite meals-chicken and dumplings. When I didn’t see David (my mother’s boyfriend) seated at the table I knew something was up. Stephanie! Where is your sister? my mother asked me. Suddenly she came bouncing downstairs and plopped down in the seat next to me. Stephanie is four years younger than I am and quite often a pain in the butt. It smells good-where’s David? Precisely my question. Oh, he has to work-plus I want to spend time with my daughters? Is that a crime? After we blessed the food my mother looked at us, her hazel eyes dancing. People always tell me how much I look like my mother. I guess I can see it-we both have hazel eyes and long curly brown hair. My grandfather is from Belize and that’s where my mother gets her eyes and hair texture from. I’m a bit taller than she is, so is Stephanie, she’s tall like my father. I have some great news! I’m going to be a real estate broker! My sister and I knew how long and hard my mother worked to accomplish this.

My name is Debra Angela Dobbins but my friends call me Debbie. I’m a high school sophomore-(almost junior) and I have a boyfriend named Tim who is a senior at my school. We love each other and have a great relationship. I also love singing and have a singing group at school. We plan on being famous one day and we perform at talent shows and malls. My mother, sister and I live in a small two bedroom house in-oftentimes-a less than safe neighborhood. My parents divorced a few years ago and my mother couldn’t afford to pay the mortgage on the house after my dad left. She had to get two jobs to make ends meet so she worked in a salon on the weekends and as a secretary during the week because my father wasn’t giving her any money for Stephanie and I. Things were pretty tight for a while but now my mother saved up to buy her own salon and she is running a pretty successful business. She has always dreamed big and encouraged us to do the same. That is why she took classes to become a real estate broker. Of course, now I have to share a bedroom with my little sister. I have tried to make my side of the room as Debbie-esque as possible. Lots of posters and my collection of cassette tapes. Debra did you hear me? I asked you to come to the salon with me tomorrow, said my mother. Sure, I mumbled. I guess you need me to shampoo heads. Little did I know….

Danica

Dani are you hungry? Your mother called and said that she would be late. That is Carolyn our housekeeper. She also does the cooking and cleaning and acts as my nanny. That is what she has been from birth, till well, now I guess. I’m not shocked that my mother is not at home-she rarely is. Not hungry. I have a lot of homework to do, I call out. All of a sudden Carolyn appears in my doorway. I made your favorite-shrimp scampi in white wine sauce. Plus you need to eat something. I walked downstairs and began to make my plate and try to take it upstairs. Carolyn stretched out her hand in front of me. You know you cannot eat upstairs, she said looking very annoyed. Danica, how many times have I told you not to eat upstairs? I knew better. I just thought it was worth a shot. I sat down alone at the kitchen table. As sad as it sounds this was not abnormal. My mother would often leave without a moment’s notice and Carolyn would be home to give me dinner. I finished and Carolyn took my plate. I heard the front door open and my mother walked into the kitchen. She had a huge smile on her face. Oh Danica, I am so glad you’re home! I have something to tell you. Oh, great, I thought. Is she going to tell me she’s shipping me off to boarding school? That seems harsh, but I’ve never felt that I fit into to my mother’s lifestyle. She likes to travel-well more importantly behind my father. Then she said with her eyes dancing,I met a lady with a daughter about your age and she told me that she was having some problems in school. I thought maybe you guys can meet sometime. I knew all too well what my mother was up to. Since I started high school I’ve had a difficult time making friends. I had always kept to myself because I look different than the other kids. My mother is Japanese and moved to the states when she was a teenager after she met my father. She was a successful model and he spotted her on the runway in Milan. Now it seems that my mother has the American dream-a big house in California, a housekeeper, and the child. Only problem is, her Prince Charming is never home. He is a very successful businessman and he and my older brother Kenneth-a son he had from a previous marriage-are always making deals. I do get to see my father and brother when they fly home from business. It’s really just been pretty much my mother and myself my whole life. I am a cheerleader at my high school and had been enrolled in gymnastics so that made me an asset to the team. What my mother doesn’t know is that I was miserable the entire time. I never told her the other cheerleaders made fun of me. Actually, I got bullied a lot at school.

Debra

I got up early the next morning in a very good mood. I was happy for my mother and I had also written a new song for my singing group in school. We started singing in the last year and entering local contests. We did pretty well and people in the neighborhood knew who we were. It was exciting because we dreamed of being a famous girl group one day. I was the lead singer and one of the girls had a family member who worked at a record company. I gave my mother a tight hug and congratulated her as I walked out the door. During lunch time, the girls and I sat in our usual seat and I was super excited to show them what I had written. Just then Stacy, one of the girls in the group who sang second lead said she had amazing news. There was a chance that her cousin could get us in to talk to a record label executive. Everyone’s eyes got as big as saucers. Wow Stacy are you serious? This could be our big break! Well, it’s not a surefire thing but it’s a start. A great start I thought. Only one thing, I think it would be better if I sang lead. What why!? I exclaimed. It’s my cousin, and he would be doing this as a favor. So what does that have to do with anything? Calm down Debbie, isn’t the most important thing that we get to see a record executive? I guess, I muttered. I think this is Stacy’s way pushing me out. I joined the group last and she didn’t see why I was lead singer. Truth be told, Stacy’s voice is very pretty but mine is stronger. I began singing in the church choir when I was very young. My mother has a phenomenal voice and she always sang lead parts. As I got older, I began to lead the church choir and I guess this is why I was so excited about having my own group. Don’t get me wrong, the other girls in the group can sing too but I often write the songs. The bell rang and we were headed up the class. The rest of the day went by pretty quickly, until I realized I had to meet my mom after school. I wanted the chance to meet up with the other girls after school to discuss the new song. When I got to the salon, I headed for the shampoo bowls. My mother motioned for me to come towards her. She was standing next to a tall beautiful Asian woman (probably the one with the quiet daughter) and introduced us. This is my oldest daughter Debra, my mom said, she is a sophomore at one of the neighborhood high schools. Oh, and so beautiful, the lady said. Hello Debra, the woman said in a hint of an accent, you are my daughter Danica’s age. My name is Ann and I wanted you and Danica to meet each other. She should be pulling up any second. Just then, a girl about my height walked into the door. She had her head down and then Ann abruptly said, Danica pick your head up. I wanted to introduce you to Veronica and her daughter. Hello, she said shyly. Hi, I said enthusiastically. I noticed that Danica had long black hair like her mother, and dark brown eyes. Well, Ann said, why don’t we let the two of you get acquainted. I figured that maybe Danica and I could go off for ice cream and get to know one another. As soon as we walked out the door Danica asked me if my mother was the manager there. I told her that my mother owned that shop. She looked surprised for a moment but then said her mother always gets things wrong. So what do you like to do for fun? I asked. Well, she said pausing, I really like to sing. My eyes got as big as saucers. She looked embarrassed and then I said looking at her smiling, I love to sing too. I even have a singing group at school. Really? she asked. Really, I said. We are hoping to get discovered one day. One of the girls in the group has a relative who works in a record company. Oh, that is so exciting! she exclaimed. So what kind of music do you like to sing? I asked. Oh all kinds, she said. What kind of music does your group sing? Mainly R&B, I answered. Just then, Danica noticed the time and thought we should leave. I looked at my watch and agreed.

Danica

As we rode home, all I could think about was that there was another girl my age that loved singing. She even had her own singing group! Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted by my mother. Danica did you hear me? I said did you have a lot of homework tonight. No, I did most of it at lunch. I wanted to apologize; I really thought you would like Debra and that you all have a lot in common. Before my mother could finish I interjected. No mom you’re fine. I really like Debbie and we have a lot in common. Our driver pulled up in our driveway and I quickly hopped out and made a mad dash to my room. When I got upstairs I pulled out all my old records. Just then, Carolyn, called me down for dinner. I started to tell her I wasn’t hungry but my stomach said I needed to eat. After we finished dinner the phone rang. Danica it is for you! Carolyn called out. I was certain it had something to do with cheerleading practice but then an unfamiliar voice was on the other end of the line. Danica? Hi it’s me Debra…..

Debra

I hated to admit it, but I’m glad my mother convinced me to go to the shop. Well, not exactly convinced me but told me. In any event, I really liked Danica. I could tell by her speaking voice she probably had a very strong singing voice. I would love to hear her sing if she wasn’t too shy to do it. I had a very strong feeling that she wouldn’t be. Hi, it’s Debra, I said. My mom gave me your phone number, I hope that’s okay. Oh no it’s fine, she said excitedly. I was hoping to talk to you again. Yeah, I was really hoping we could get together and sing. Oh any time, Danica said. As a matter of fact my sister-in-law has a recording studio she tinkers around in from time to time. She loves to sing too and she allows me to record some of my tracks there. This is great news! So your sister in law works for a record company? Not quite, Danica said. It seemed as though she was holding something back so I didn’t wanna push. All I cared about was having access to a recording studio. Well, um, maybe we can get together soon? Absolutely I said. After we got off of the phone I glided into the kitchen with a big goofy smile on my face. What are you grinning about? my mother asked. Oh, I just spoke to Danica and she told me that her sister-in-law has access to a recording studio.

I was super excited when I got to school the next morning. I couldn’t wait to talk to the other girls and tell them about our luck. The first person I saw was Adrian, a girl had known since the second grade. I ran up to her excitedly trying to tell about our good news. To my surprise, she seemed less than enthusiastic. I just assumed that she had something on her mind and figured I would tell the girls during lunch. After the lunch bell rang, I hurried into the cafeteria too excited to eat. I rushed over to our table where Larissa and Adrian were sitting down. I have the most exciting news! I met a girl yesterday who has access to a recording studio! Just then Stacy sat down at the table. I’m sorry I’m late guys, I had to finish my geometry quiz. I heard you all talking about a record studio. Is there something I should know? I didn’t like Stacy’s tone but I didn’t let that show. Actually, there is, I said. I met a girl in my mother’s salon who has access to a record studio. Stacy rolled her eyes skyward. "Debbie I told you I had that part handled. Why are you trying to sabotage this? I mean, I tell you that my cousin works