lately.”
“Uh-huh,” AJ mused. “But what about Lauren?”
“Yeah, um, about her….I crashed at her house last night.”
AJ laughed. “Ah, my brother the player!”
“Whatever.” He then rose up from his chair. “I better go get ready.” He turned and surveyed AJ. “How about keeping what I just said to yourself?”
AJ crossed his arms over his chest. “Do you honestly think I’d want to stir up a hornet’s nest here by telling Lauren that you’re pining for some new chick?” He shook his head. “Nuh-uh, I happen to like the peaceful work environment I’ve got going on now.”
Zach rolled his eyes and muttered, “Yeah, yeah.”
I put my book away as he headed to the back of the shop. I was surprised to see quite a crowd gathering in the tables around the stage. I drew in a deep breath of anticipation as Zach returned with his guitar in his hand.
He strode confidently across the stage and situated himself on the stool in front of the microphone. The room erupted into applause. Zach’s face broke into a crooked grin. “Thank you, thank you. I appreciate my legion of fans coming out tonight to support me.”
“We love you, Zach!” someone shouted behind me.
Zach stared out over the hot lights of the stage toward the origin of the voice. When his eyes met mine, recognition flooded his face.
“For my first song tonight, I wanna do a cover from one of my favorite bands, Bon Jovi. Yeah, it’s a song from way back in the day, but it’s one my dad raised me on. Of course, I can’t do a good Bon Jovi cover without my own Richie Sambora. So AJ, come on up here!”
AJ’s smile widened. In his hesitation, Sarah nudged him. “Go on, honey.”
He trotted up on stage and sat down on a stool next to Zach. “What are we singing?” he asked, pulling a guitar into his lap.
“ Bed of Roses .”
“Good choice.” He looked back at the counter. “This one is for you, babe.”
Sarah smiled back at him. “I love you!” she called.
As Zach strummed the first few chords, he and the guitar became one. It was with the music he seemed most confident. All the pain, frustration, and anxiety seemed to flow out his fingertips. I knew it must be his saving grace in the dark times.
When he began singing, his velvety voice echoed through the room. I had been around enough music to know good when I heard it, and Zach was definitely good. He finished the song as applause and whistling erupted around coffeehouse. While several people in front of me stood up to give him a standing ovation, I quietly snuck out and headed home. He was safe again. Even more than that, he was happy. But my instincts told me it wouldn’t be long before trouble—bad trouble—loomed on the horizon again.
Chapter Five: ELIJAH
There was something about Abby’s mood on Thursday that made me uneasy. I’d been a guardian angel long enough to trust my instincts. Usually, whenever I experienced uneasy feelings, it meant something troubling loomed on the horizon. Because of that factor and sensing immense sadness threatened to overtake Abby, I decided to follow her home from cheerleading practice.
Even though I knew it would zap me of my physical strength, I appeared unseen and invisible in the corner of the garage next to a heap of sports equipment and camping gear as Abby pulled her car into its usual spot. She hopped out of the champagne colored Honda Accord, grabbing up her book bag and purse. She unlocked the garage door, and then punched in some numbers on the alarm code. I felt her chest tighten with apprehension when she realized the house was empty.
Something dark and enormous lunged at her, knocking her to the kitchen floor. Her scream echoed through the silence. I threw myself forward ready to transform in seen form and defend her. As soon as I saw the black Labrador Retriever’s red tongue lapping across her face, I felt foolish.
Abby laughed. “Atticus, you bad boy! You know you’re not supposed to
“Uh-huh,” AJ mused. “But what about Lauren?”
“Yeah, um, about her….I crashed at her house last night.”
AJ laughed. “Ah, my brother the player!”
“Whatever.” He then rose up from his chair. “I better go get ready.” He turned and surveyed AJ. “How about keeping what I just said to yourself?”
AJ crossed his arms over his chest. “Do you honestly think I’d want to stir up a hornet’s nest here by telling Lauren that you’re pining for some new chick?” He shook his head. “Nuh-uh, I happen to like the peaceful work environment I’ve got going on now.”
Zach rolled his eyes and muttered, “Yeah, yeah.”
I put my book away as he headed to the back of the shop. I was surprised to see quite a crowd gathering in the tables around the stage. I drew in a deep breath of anticipation as Zach returned with his guitar in his hand.
He strode confidently across the stage and situated himself on the stool in front of the microphone. The room erupted into applause. Zach’s face broke into a crooked grin. “Thank you, thank you. I appreciate my legion of fans coming out tonight to support me.”
“We love you, Zach!” someone shouted behind me.
Zach stared out over the hot lights of the stage toward the origin of the voice. When his eyes met mine, recognition flooded his face.
“For my first song tonight, I wanna do a cover from one of my favorite bands, Bon Jovi. Yeah, it’s a song from way back in the day, but it’s one my dad raised me on. Of course, I can’t do a good Bon Jovi cover without my own Richie Sambora. So AJ, come on up here!”
AJ’s smile widened. In his hesitation, Sarah nudged him. “Go on, honey.”
He trotted up on stage and sat down on a stool next to Zach. “What are we singing?” he asked, pulling a guitar into his lap.
“ Bed of Roses .”
“Good choice.” He looked back at the counter. “This one is for you, babe.”
Sarah smiled back at him. “I love you!” she called.
As Zach strummed the first few chords, he and the guitar became one. It was with the music he seemed most confident. All the pain, frustration, and anxiety seemed to flow out his fingertips. I knew it must be his saving grace in the dark times.
When he began singing, his velvety voice echoed through the room. I had been around enough music to know good when I heard it, and Zach was definitely good. He finished the song as applause and whistling erupted around coffeehouse. While several people in front of me stood up to give him a standing ovation, I quietly snuck out and headed home. He was safe again. Even more than that, he was happy. But my instincts told me it wouldn’t be long before trouble—bad trouble—loomed on the horizon again.
Chapter Five: ELIJAH
There was something about Abby’s mood on Thursday that made me uneasy. I’d been a guardian angel long enough to trust my instincts. Usually, whenever I experienced uneasy feelings, it meant something troubling loomed on the horizon. Because of that factor and sensing immense sadness threatened to overtake Abby, I decided to follow her home from cheerleading practice.
Even though I knew it would zap me of my physical strength, I appeared unseen and invisible in the corner of the garage next to a heap of sports equipment and camping gear as Abby pulled her car into its usual spot. She hopped out of the champagne colored Honda Accord, grabbing up her book bag and purse. She unlocked the garage door, and then punched in some numbers on the alarm code. I felt her chest tighten with apprehension when she realized the house was empty.
Something dark and enormous lunged at her, knocking her to the kitchen floor. Her scream echoed through the silence. I threw myself forward ready to transform in seen form and defend her. As soon as I saw the black Labrador Retriever’s red tongue lapping across her face, I felt foolish.
Abby laughed. “Atticus, you bad boy! You know you’re not supposed to
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