Shelby's Song

We've packed her little weekend bag and it sits by the door It's time to face the moment now that we've tried to ignore When he rings the doorbell, she'll have to go And like every other Sunday night, I'm dealt the crushing blow Through streaming tears down our cheeks, I hold her, oh, so tight Her father hurries her along, says he ain't got all night They leave and she keeps waving from her car seat I start to count the days 'til I have her next week Shelby don't care who's right or wrong Her life is a chess game, she's always the pawn Guess her dad will never learn His daughter doesn't know which way to turn He lies about me with a laugh Then Shelby's left with the aftermath It cuts me like a dagger when he's as cold as ice When she asks me, "Mama, why can't daddy play nice?" Shelby's getting older, next month she starts fifth grade I wonder if she's old enough to see through his charade Her daddy tries to buy her love with the things I can't afford I waitress double shifts just to drive this beat up Ford Shelby don't care who's right or wrong Her life is a chess game, she's always the pawn Guess her dad will never learn His daughter doesn't know which way to turn He lies about me with a laugh Then Shelby's left with the aftermath It cuts me like a dagger when he's as cold as ice When she asks me with tears in her eyes For years we've played by his rules It's been a long hard climb Now standing in her cap and gown It's finally our time After years of pain and sorrow and being beaten down Shelby lives at home with me attending college here in town No clock now on our time, it was worth the sacrifice To hear the words that I was a hero in her eyes Shelby never cared who was right or wrong The chess games over and she's not a pawn Guess her dad has finally learned Now the tables, they have turned It's no lie that he doesn't laugh 'Cause now he's left with the aftermath The dagger cuts deep, Shelby was the price 'Cause he was her daddy and he didn't play nice Didn't play nice