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Authors: Melissa Francis

Tags: #Biography & Autobiography, #Personal Memoirs, #Entertainment & Performing Arts

Diary of a Stage Mother's Daughter: A Memoir (39 page)

BOOK: Diary of a Stage Mother's Daughter: A Memoir
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“Brancasaurus! And T. rex!” shouts Greyson, his unruly corkscrew curls bouncing with excitement. He has his father’s hearty laugh, wide toothy smile, and shining blue eyes, every bit the classic Gerber baby.
“Are those your favorite dinosaurs, little one?” Thompson asks his younger brother, always the caretaker, from the moment he jumps into Greyson’s crib each morning. They greet the new day together, laughing and chatting. He bends down and gives his brother a kiss on the cheek before patting his head. They are thick as thieves, though they look nothing alike. Thompson’s short dark hair and olive skin set off his ruby lips and blue eyes, which have flecks of my yellow in the iris. He’s movie star gorgeous already.
“And stegosaurus!” Greyson shouts, straining mightily against the belts in his stroller.
“Mama,” Thompson starts, right pointer finger raised straight up in the air for emphasis, “T. rex is a theropod. You can tell by his feet. And he’s a carnivore, which means he eats meat, like Greyson.”
“
Roar!
” Greyson yells on cue. Then he puts his feet on the floor and stands up, now wearing his lightweight travel stroller like a backpack. He looks like Godzilla.
“Whoa. You are getting strong,” Wray says, unclipping him and laughing. “Let’s go, boys!”
Thompson turns back to me, glowing. “Mom, can we go see the Creatures of Light next? They have alien stingers!”
“Whatever you want, my sweet.”
“I love you, Mommy,” he says, before running after his father and brother.
The texture and color of my love for all three of them has proven to me that I can love, even though I was not ultimately loved myself. It doesn’t matter what’s come before if I can let go and try to do better. That truth was an awakening. My own family is a new beginning.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
 
I
would like to thank Publishing Director Georgina Levitt and everyone at Weinstein Books, especially Editorial Director Amanda Murray; this work is a direct product of her tireless cheerleading, coaching, advice, and support. Thank you as well to Judy Hottensen for being among the first to see potential in this project, and to editor Maggie Crawford for contributing her energy and wisdom.
I’d also like to thank my agent, Mel Berger, who convinced me to climb this mountain and provided all the tools along the way to get to the top. A special thanks to Roger Ailes and my Fox colleagues for understanding what this project means to me and getting behind it.
I feel lucky to have my husband’s family in my life; they blindly supported this effort, having no idea what I might say about them. They are the kindest people I have ever known.
I’m eternally grateful to my dad, Anton Francis, who has been next to me on every step of this journey, through joy and despair, never leaving my side, always believing, and my sister, Tiffany, whom I will always love and never for a minute forget.
I can never adequately thank my beloved sons, Greyson and Thompson, for filling every day of my life with laughter, love, joy, and meaning. You are both gifts from God.
And most of all, I thank my husband, Wray, who is my everything.
Copyright © 2012 Melissa Francis
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in
any manner whatsoever without the written permission of the Publisher.
For information address
Weinstein Books, 250 West 57th Street, 15th Floor,
New York, NY 10107.
 
eISBN : 978-1-602-86175-6
 
BOOK: Diary of a Stage Mother's Daughter: A Memoir
2.98Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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