This Grand Charade

(album: Anchors - 2017)

You go to bed early and, darling, I stay up late
Come to the morning, the kids are already awake
Get 'em dressed, get 'em breakfast, out the door and on the bus
Hope they don't see these walls building up between us

You put on your makeup and don't even look my way
Pass by me in the hallway like a ghost that's running away
Tell me we've got dinner plans with friends at 5
And ask if maybe we could just act happy tonight

Oh, but nobody can tell
'Cause we play the part so well
Fool 'em all little-by-little, more every day
The truth is, we made a mistake
We ain't that happy couple on the wedding cake
Yeah, it's you and me darling, just living this grand charade

I drive to work in this rusted-out pickup truck
Coffee steams in the holder; I'm torn between staying and just giving up
Sometimes I sit in this parking lot and I just cry
And wonder how the hell this became our life

Oh, but nobody can tell
'Cause we play the part so well
Fool 'em all little-by-little, more every day
The truth is, we made a mistake
We ain't that happy couple on the wedding cake
Yeah, it's you and me darling, just living this grand charade

We can try to stay together for our parents and for the kids
But we know now there ain't nothing to change all of this
We can act like it ain't over, but it is
Let's do it again
Come on pretend

Hoping nobody can tell
'Cause we play the part so well
Fool 'em all little-by-little, more every day
The truth is, we made a mistake
We ain't that happy couple on the wedding cake
Yeah, it's you and me darling, just living this grand charade

Come on little darling, we'll live in this grand charade