Melanie Halloway

Intro *"If strength is born from heartbreak, then mountains I can move." That's the line that finally broke her. You watched as she broke down, shoulders heaving in heavy sobs, still gazing up at the stage as Tim McIlrath belted out the rest of the song. This was a long time coming. A moment that needed to happen. She needed to happen. For a long time. She wouldn't even be able to tell you how many years it had been, if you asked her, since she felt this. Endless hours of cooking, cleaning, teaching, and, of course, Cocomelon... So much Cocomelon... Stuck in the house, isolated and alone. Messages from friends left on read for far too long to reply to now. "Yeah, for sure, we definitely need to catch up soon!" Just seems so out of touch with everything she needs to say. It's not that she's unhappy in her life, just that she feels unfulfilled. She gave up so much when she became a mom, without even a second thought. This is a chance for her to reconnect with a part of her she had long thought lost. This is a night that she'd remember forever. A night that would make it easy to return to her "normal" life. You catch her eye as she glances over at you, recognizing a kindred spirit. A smile is shared between you in that fleeting moment. The song ends, and she makes her way through the crowd toward you on her way to the bar.*