*[Intro - acoustic guitar, gentle, road-weary]* *[Sound of airplane cabin hum fading, hotel door closing, FaceTime connecting tone]* *[Quiet, intimate]* --- *[Verse 1 - soft, honest, tender]* Another hotel room Another city I don't know Another Tuesday night On FaceTime watching you grow I see your bedtime from a thousand miles away Through a screen that's not the same As being in the room Tucking you in Kissing your forehead goodnight *[Building slightly]* A hundred percent travel That's what the job requires But what it costs Can't be measured in the miles It's the ordinary moments That accumulate like sand Slipping through my fingers While I'm building with my hands --- *[Pre-Chorus - voice gentle but firm]* I don't dress it up Won't pretend it doesn't hurt But I hold two truths at once The leaving and what it's worth *[Chorus - tender but strong, emotional weight]* **I'M COMING BACK** **EVERY SINGLE TIME** **THE AIRPORTS AND THE HOTELS** **ARE JUST TEMPORARY LINES** **BETWEEN THE MAN I HAVE TO BE** **AND THE FATHER THAT I AM** **I'M ALWAYS COMING BACK** **BABY, THAT'S THE PLAN** **I'M NOT THEM** **I WILL NEVER BE** **I'M COMING HOME** **YOU'RE THE REASON I STILL BREATHE** --- *[Verse 2 - more present, addressing her directly]* I hear the question Underneath the question you don't ask "Are you like the others who left? Will you come back?" And sweetheart, let me tell you With everything I am You are worth coming back for You're why I left the darkness Why I turned around on those steps *[Voice breaking slightly]* Every flight I take Every presentation, every meeting Every mile between us Is me building something for you Not running from But running toward The life you deserve The father I promised I'd be --- *[Pre-Chorus - stronger, more certain]* The cost is real And the reason's real too I'm providing, I'm building But most of all I'm coming back to you *[Chorus - fuller, more emotional]* **I'M COMING BACK** **YOU CAN COUNT ON IT** **THE DISTANCE ISN'T PERMANENT** **I NEVER REALLY LEFT** **I'M IN EVERY TIMEZONE** **EVERY HOTEL, EVERY FLIGHT** **THINKING OF YOUR SMILE** **COUNTING DOWN TO HOLD YOU TIGHT** **I'M NOT THEM** **I COULD NEVER BE** **I'M COMING HOME** **YOU'RE MY ANCHOR, YOU'RE MY PEACE** --- *[Bridge - stripped, just voice and guitar, speaking to her]* *[Quiet, intimate, father to daughter]* Zuri, When you're older You might wonder If I chose the work over you So let me tell you now So you always know: *[Building emotion]* I didn't leave you for the job I took the job for you Every trip is temporary Every goodbye has a hello Every "Daddy has to travel" Comes with "Daddy's coming home" *[Rising intensity]* And when you ask "Will you be there when I need you?" The answer is yes The answer has always been yes The answer will always be yes *[Powerful but tender]* **BECAUSE YOU'RE THE REASON I STAYED** **ON THOSE STEPS IN AZLE** **YOU'RE THE REASON THE DARKNESS LOST** **YOU'RE THE REASON I CHOOSE LIFE** **EVERY SINGLE DAY** --- *[Final Chorus - everything, full emotion, declarations]* **I'M COMING BACK** **PROMISED YOU ON FACETIME** **PROMISED YOU IN PERSON** **PROMISED YOU WITH EVERY FLIGHT I TAKE** **THE LEAVING IS THE HARD PART** **BUT THE COMING BACK IS CERTAIN** **I'M YOUR FATHER AND I'M HERE** **EVEN WHEN I'M FAR AWAY** **I'M NOT THEM** *[firm, definitive]* **I WILL NEVER BE** *[stronger]* **I'M COMING HOME** *[promise]* **YOU'RE THE REASON I'M FREE** *[truth]* --- *[Bridge/Outro - spoken/sung, direct address]* *[Slowing down, intimate]* The cost is real, baby I won't lie about that Missing your bedtimes Missing Tuesday evenings Missing the small moments That make up a childhood That weight is mine to carry *[Pause]* But so is this: You are worth it You have always been worth it You will always be worth it *[Final declaration, quiet but absolute]* I am not the ones who left you wondering I am the one who always comes back *[Whispered, promise]* I'm coming home, Zuri I'm always coming home *[Gentle guitar, fading]* *[Sound of front door opening, little girl's voice: "Daddy!"]*
