Jack and his sister is about to explode, and I don’t want her to start crying.
Karen puts the beer down a little too hard in front of Jack, and it overflows. “Here,” she says. “All better now, Jackie?”
Jack’s face contorts as she says his nickname. It makes me chuckle a bit, but I hide my smile behind my sleeve.
“Thanks,” he mutters.
“You sure you can drink that?” she says, as he’s about to take a sip.
He looks up at her with a confused look. “Now what?”
“Well, seeing your accident and all.”
His pupils dilate, and my heart stops. Does she know?
How does she know?
“Don’t think you can hide that shit from me, Jack. I know all about your little swimming adventure at the bridge.” She slams her fists on the table. “I thought brothers were supposed to tell their sisters when they get in trouble. Instead, I had to hear it from ol’ Ben.”
Jack sighs. “Ben …” he groans.
“Don’t you get mad at him, now,” Karen says. “He’s not the one who forgot to mention that you were in the hospital, for crying out loud!”
“That’s my fault,” I say. When Karen directs her vicious eyes at me I back away, feeling like she’s about to jump at me and bite me in the throat.
“What? Amy, what are you—” Jack mutters.
I kick Jack’s leg, and he winces in anger, but at least he’s shut up now. I’ll lie for him if I have to. I’m really not in the mood for a fight, and I if I can stop those two from bitching at each other, I will.
“I forgot to call you, because of all the drama,” I say, clearing my throat. “I’m sorry.”
Karen taps her feet and sighs. “Well … I suppose it was a lot to handle for you on your own,” she says to me.
“I’m really sorry that I didn’t call,” I say.
“It’s all right. I understand.” Karen gives me a pat on the back, but it feels more like a giant slap to me.
“But you should know better.” Karen looks at Jack again, and he rolls his eyes.
“So, Amy, tell me why you’re here ,” she says, leaning on the table. It cracks under her weight. “Because I know for sure my brother would never come here of his own free will.”
“Oh … don’t start,” Jack says, groaning.
I ignore him. “Well, you said you wanted to hire me to play the piano, so I thought … why not tonight?”
“Ha!” she laughs. “ Great idea.” With one strong jerk, she hauls me up from my seat, and I whimper as she drags me away.
“Be careful!” Jack yells. “Don’t let her charms get to you.”
“Afraid I’m gonna steal her away from you, Jackie?” Karen taunts.
“Not a chance.” Jack leans back in the chair and puts up his big boy smile, as if he owns the place.
I don’t get what that was all about. Why would she steal me away? Unless he means … Oh … now I get it.
Jack waves at me from afar , and Madeline grins as I sit down on the stool. Karen just stands there with her elbow on the piano, waiting for me to start. She’s looking at me with those eyes that just shine from the idea that money will be flowing. As if I will be the one providing her that. Like my music is all that.
I gulp. I hope I can live up to her expectations. I want to make money, too. No other way to know than just try, so I take a deep breath and place my fingers on the keyboard.
All right, I can do this.
When I start playing, everyone in the room looks up. Their eyes zone in on me and watch me play. I’m starting out easy, playing a piano version of Drunk by Ed Sheeran. I’m thinking this lighthearted song might make them a little happier, especially Jack. Maybe it will make him forget about his relationship with his sister, which is for whatever reason very disturbing.
As I get further into the song, and fu rther into my head, the notes find their way out of my throat. Somehow I start singing, and it doesn’t bother me at all that there are all these people watching, including Jack. I know my musical abilities are on display right now, but
Karen puts the beer down a little too hard in front of Jack, and it overflows. “Here,” she says. “All better now, Jackie?”
Jack’s face contorts as she says his nickname. It makes me chuckle a bit, but I hide my smile behind my sleeve.
“Thanks,” he mutters.
“You sure you can drink that?” she says, as he’s about to take a sip.
He looks up at her with a confused look. “Now what?”
“Well, seeing your accident and all.”
His pupils dilate, and my heart stops. Does she know?
How does she know?
“Don’t think you can hide that shit from me, Jack. I know all about your little swimming adventure at the bridge.” She slams her fists on the table. “I thought brothers were supposed to tell their sisters when they get in trouble. Instead, I had to hear it from ol’ Ben.”
Jack sighs. “Ben …” he groans.
“Don’t you get mad at him, now,” Karen says. “He’s not the one who forgot to mention that you were in the hospital, for crying out loud!”
“That’s my fault,” I say. When Karen directs her vicious eyes at me I back away, feeling like she’s about to jump at me and bite me in the throat.
“What? Amy, what are you—” Jack mutters.
I kick Jack’s leg, and he winces in anger, but at least he’s shut up now. I’ll lie for him if I have to. I’m really not in the mood for a fight, and I if I can stop those two from bitching at each other, I will.
“I forgot to call you, because of all the drama,” I say, clearing my throat. “I’m sorry.”
Karen taps her feet and sighs. “Well … I suppose it was a lot to handle for you on your own,” she says to me.
“I’m really sorry that I didn’t call,” I say.
“It’s all right. I understand.” Karen gives me a pat on the back, but it feels more like a giant slap to me.
“But you should know better.” Karen looks at Jack again, and he rolls his eyes.
“So, Amy, tell me why you’re here ,” she says, leaning on the table. It cracks under her weight. “Because I know for sure my brother would never come here of his own free will.”
“Oh … don’t start,” Jack says, groaning.
I ignore him. “Well, you said you wanted to hire me to play the piano, so I thought … why not tonight?”
“Ha!” she laughs. “ Great idea.” With one strong jerk, she hauls me up from my seat, and I whimper as she drags me away.
“Be careful!” Jack yells. “Don’t let her charms get to you.”
“Afraid I’m gonna steal her away from you, Jackie?” Karen taunts.
“Not a chance.” Jack leans back in the chair and puts up his big boy smile, as if he owns the place.
I don’t get what that was all about. Why would she steal me away? Unless he means … Oh … now I get it.
Jack waves at me from afar , and Madeline grins as I sit down on the stool. Karen just stands there with her elbow on the piano, waiting for me to start. She’s looking at me with those eyes that just shine from the idea that money will be flowing. As if I will be the one providing her that. Like my music is all that.
I gulp. I hope I can live up to her expectations. I want to make money, too. No other way to know than just try, so I take a deep breath and place my fingers on the keyboard.
All right, I can do this.
When I start playing, everyone in the room looks up. Their eyes zone in on me and watch me play. I’m starting out easy, playing a piano version of Drunk by Ed Sheeran. I’m thinking this lighthearted song might make them a little happier, especially Jack. Maybe it will make him forget about his relationship with his sister, which is for whatever reason very disturbing.
As I get further into the song, and fu rther into my head, the notes find their way out of my throat. Somehow I start singing, and it doesn’t bother me at all that there are all these people watching, including Jack. I know my musical abilities are on display right now, but
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