Nikki only stayed for a few more days. I went to a clinic to get my stitches out, then we decided that it was time for her to go home. Her parents said Everette was starting to get fussy and hard to calm down with Nikki away. They came out with Everette for the show and I was able to spend some time with them before they all headed home. Nikki was going to spend a day or two with them before flying back to Tulsa. I was glad she wasn’t going to be alone right away.

Leaves were on the ground when we finally rolled into Tulsa. We had about a week until Thanksgiving and then another week at home before we went back on the road for a few more tour dates, then we were home for the rest of the year, and hopefully quite a bit of time beyond that.

“I didn’t realize that you wouldn’t have any time at home to rest before we have to go back to Dallas. Do you want me to see about pushing your surgery back?” Nikki leaned over my shoulder to read the schedule breakdown from Bex.

Yeah, how about to never. I knew I wouldn’t get away with that answer, so I let out a long breath while I thought of a more appropriate response. “No, I think I just want to get it over with. Living with the dread of it is getting exhausting. I’m forgetting lyrics and missing chords more than usual.”

“Are you still having pain in your arm when you play?”

“Just a little toward the end of shows. Maybe this surgery will correct that, too.”

“I hope so. You shouldn’t have to be in pain to make a living.”

“Life is pain, highness.” The Princess Bride quote made her smile.

“As you wish,” she replied with another quote from the film.