by Lexi Wilson
“Yeah, that’s true. The piano was just not cool enough for him. You should’ve seen his face when I tried to get him to learn the violin and cello,” I said, and I laughed at the memory. I shook my head. “Nah, just guitar for him.”
“It’s okay, we’ll find someone. We’ll just have to do our best to teach them ourselves right now. Oh, here comes Mindy.”
Moments later, the kids started to roll in. We all had our own rooms to teach in, but every now and again I could hear music coming from other rooms when my room went silent. I had a nice bunch of kids this time around, two of them I had already taught before and two were brand new. After the class I was going to see if anyone wanted to sign up for some one-on-one sessions, which were by far my favorite way of teaching kids. It was so much easier to connect with kids when they weren’t worried about the people around them, and I always found that they improved much quicker this way. Although, having four kids in a class was small enough for me to make a difference too, so I was happy about that. We would more than likely get some more sign-ups as the term went on, but in a way, I hoped it would stay at four. I would rather teach more classes with fewer kids in each than shove them all in one class.
I spent some time teaching them the basics and then asked them to spend the next half hour practicing.
“Don’t worry about the sound of the others around you. This is about you and your instrument. Even if you have to practice the same bit over and over again, it’s okay. Practice makes perfect. Remember that nobody is good from the start. Everyone has to start somewhere. One day you’ll look back on this moment and you’ll be surprised at how far you have come. Most of all, have fun. Life is already too serious as it is.”
As the kids played, I made my way around the room and helped them out. Then, I let them work on their own for a while and stood by the window looking out so that they didn’t feel the pressure of me watching them. As I gazed out the window I noticed an old, beat-up car drive by. It was a small enough town for me to realize I had never seen it before, and I wondered if it was someone moving in or just passing through. But I didn’t dwell on it too long. I had four kids to teach guitar to, and they needed my attention. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought that the town was small enough for me to know that I had never seen the car before. Small towns like this often drove people crazy, but I found comfort in knowing that I was part of such a community. Looking at the kids in the class now, I knew that this was one of the reasons why I loved it here. We all helped one another, and that was something you just didn’t get in big city living.
Chapter 2
Kaylee
I had been driving for a long time, and I was getting tired. I had never been much of a driver in the first place, and I felt exhausted from the time out on the road. I also had no idea where I even was at the moment, but as I stopped to take a break I knew that I was a long way from home. The town seemed different than what I was used to, and a sense of calm seemed to mingle through the air. It was hard to explain why I felt so at ease in the town, but as I rolled down the window to let in some fresh air, I realized I could breathe for the first time. Maybe it was simply because the town was so opposite to where I had come from, or maybe I was just so happy to take a break. Either way, I was happy to be here. Although, the longer I sat there the more I realized why I felt so relieved. It was because Bill would never think of ever looking for me in this place. No, relieved wasn’t the right word. I felt safe.
“Safe.”
I said the word out loud and smiled. I had not felt safe in a very long time, and boy, did it feel good. I only hoped that my gut feeling about this place was right. It wasn’t the first town that I had passed through, but it was the first town that I had felt so secure in. I’d ignored my gut instincts before and they had gotten me in a lot of trouble. This time, I was going to listen to what my heart and my head were telling me. I looked back at my daughter, who was fast asleep in the back seat, and smiled.
“This is our new home for a while,” I said to her.
She didn’t stir, but I wasn’t surprised. Allie tended to sleep through most things. It was the one thing I had always been grateful for. We’d been through a lot of things, but I had somehow managed to shelter her from most of it. She was only 3 years old, but she picked up on a lot more than I realized sometimes. So, I’d always been very careful. Of course, no matter how much I tried I was sure that she knew a lot more than she showed me. Even at 3, she was very protective over me and possibly the sweetest child I’d ever met. Maybe I was biased, but I was sure I had gotten lucky with her. I watched her now, and my heart felt full. Allie was so beautiful that she sometimes took my breath away. When she was sleeping, I became convinced that she was an angel who had been sent to Earth to save me. I always thought I was the one trying to protect her, but I knew it was really the other way around.
Now that I had decided to stay in this town I had a few things I needed to figure out. The most important thing that I needed to do was to find a job, because without a job I was not going to be able to find a place to live. For now, Allie and I were going to have to sleep in the car, but we had already been doing that for the past few days so I knew that we could do it. I hoped it wouldn’t be for much longer, though. I needed to find a few places where I could use a public shower and bathroom facilities, just to keep us looking somewhat presentable until we had our own place. It wasn’t ideal, but we didn’t have much choice. Also, it was better than the alternative. The alternative would’ve been to stick it out with Bill, and there was no way I was going to do that.
I spotted a diner down the road, so I drove a bit closer and parked my car up front. I didn’t want to wake Allie, but I also didn’t want to leave her in the car, so I slowly scooped her out and breathed a sigh of relief as she carried on sleeping. The diner was relatively quiet, and it reminded me of one of those small-town diners you often saw in movies and on TV shows. It had a nice feel to it, and I could imagine it to be the sort of place I would go to often if I lived here. I looked around and smiled. I locked eyes with the woman at the counter, who smiled broadly back at me.
“Your daughter?” she asked when I came forward.
I nodded. “Yeah, she can sleep through anything.”
The woman sighed. “I wish I was more like that. My mother told me I used to be the same when I was a baby, but sadly, those days have come and gone. I’m lucky if I get a few hours each night now. I don’t know why, but I can just never sleep like I used to anymore.”
“Tell me about it,” I agreed with her.
“So, what can I get for you?” she asked.
I scanned the menu, looking for something I could afford. The money that I had squirreled away was slowly starting to run out, but there was no way I was going to let my daughter go hungry. I was hungry too, but I was sure I could push through a little while longer. “Uh, could I just get a toasted cheese and tomato please?”
“Just the one?” she asked.
“Uh, yeah, my daughter is obsessed with all things cheese,” I said. “We’ve been driving for ages, so she’ll be starving when she wakes.”
She smiled. “A girl after my own heart. You’re in luck, though,” she said. “We have a special on at the moment. It’s buy one get one free on all our toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches. Also, we make damn fine food here, and it would be a shame for you not to try some.”
I knew that the woman was lying, and even though I should feel ashamed I was too hungry and grateful to care. I could feel the tears forcing their way to my eyes and I tried to push them away.
“Oh, thank you,” I said. “I guess I came on a lucky day.”
“You sure did,” she said. “I’m Susan, by the way.”
I smiled. “I’m Kaylee.”
I paid and then waited while Susan went to place the order. While I waited, I looked around the room, smiling at the people sitting around. Everyone seemed relaxed and nobody seemed stressed or in a hurry to get somewhere. I wasn’t
used to this, and I liked it. A man across the room, wearing a brown beret, smiled at me, and I smiled back, then he carried on reading his newspaper. It was a friendly smile rather than a flirty one, which took me by surprise. I was so used to a certain class of men now that I almost didn’t believe anyone who seemed not to have a motive. I had obviously been hanging out with the wrong crowd. I was once again reminded that my gut feeling was usually right, which meant that this town might be one I should stay in for a while.
I turned my attention to a noticeboard and looked at all the advertisements pinned on it. Some were clearly outdated, but one caught my eye, and I wondered if it was still valid. When Susan came back I went to ask her.
“I saw an advertisement on the noticeboard. Someone looking for a music teacher. Know anything about that?”
Susan nodded. “Why yes, that’s for Jaxon and Lisa. They run a music school down the road. Lovely people. They’re looking for a piano teacher as far as I know. Why? Is that something you might be interested in?”
I smiled. “Well, I guess it could be.”
“You’re a piano player?”
“I…well, I’ve played before. Not in a while though, but I’ve played.” Truth be told I hadn’t played piano in years and I had certainly never taught it to anyone, but I was willing to do any job to make money. Also, I missed playing.
“Does that mean you plan on staying here for a while?”
“I think so,” I said. “It seems like a lovely little town.”
Susan grinned. It was almost as if I had complimented her directly rather than her town. I liked that. It said a lot about Susan, but it also said a lot about the town itself. I couldn’t remember ever feeling like that about a place that I had lived in. “Oh, yes,” she said. “It’s a great place.”
“Would you mind giving me directions to the school?”
“Oh, you can just go straight to Jaxon’s house. They won’t be at the school now, but I’m sure Jaxon will be home now. You can’t miss it. It’s on this street, number 24.”
I nodded. “Oh, so close? Great, thank you so much.”
“Oh, your sandwiches are ready,” she said as she handed me a bag.
“Thank you so much, again. I really appreciate the extra one.”
“Oh, we had a special on, remember?” she said as she winked at me. “Now, you do me a favor and come back sometime when your daughter is awake. I’d like to meet the pretty girl. Okay?”
I smiled. “Of course, I’ll definitely come back.”
“Good luck with the job.”
“Thank you!”
I got back into the car, and the moment I put Allie back into her seat she woke up.
“Hi, Mommy,” she said with bright eyes. It always amazed me how she could go from being fast asleep to being so wide awake. I needed about an hour and at least two strong coffees to do that, but it happened naturally for her.
“Hi, darling,” I said. “Are you hungry?”
“Starving.”
“Good. Then you’re in luck. I have your favorite sandwich here,” I said as I held up the bag.
I looked inside and gasped. The two sandwiches weren’t the only two things inside. Susan had put in two chocolate chip muffins in the bag too. I wanted to go back in and thank her, but I knew I would cry. I was going to have to find a way to make it up to her. I must’ve looked very hungry to her. I handed Allie her sandwich while I tucked into my own. I’m sure that there wasn’t anything special about it, but at that moment, I was so hungry that it felt like I was eating at a five-star restaurant. I devoured it within minutes and then eagerly reached for the muffin. I broke it in half and handed half to Allie. I would save the other one for later. Then, once we had finished our meal, I made my way over to the house that Susan had mentioned. I was feeling stronger now from the food and more determined than ever. I found the house and got out with Allie. I put her on my hip and walked straight up to the door. Allie didn’t ask me where we were going. I had taken her to so many places that she now she went along with whatever I did. I was so grateful that she made my life so much easier. If I had a child that constantly cried and bickered with me I wasn’t sure what I would’ve done by now. The house was big, and as I looked up I wondered what it must be like to have a place like this. I hoped I wasn’t disturbing him and his family, but I knocked before I had a chance to stop myself.
The man that opened the door was not what I expected. He looked to be only a few years older than me, with red hair, freckles, and the kindest eyes I had ever seen in my life. He wasn’t devastatingly good-looking or even classically good-looking, but there was something about him. Something pleasant. He was cute. I was so used to Bill’s dark eyes that this took me by surprise.
“Hi, can I help you?” he said as he looked at me in surprise.
“Uh, I’m looking for Jaxon,” I said. I didn’t know his surname, but I didn’t think there would be many Jaxons around. It was an interesting name.
“That’s me. Do I know you?” he asked.
“I hear you’re looking for a piano teacher,” I said. I figured I wasn’t going to mess around. I was there for a reason, and I was not going to leave without getting the job.
“Yes, that’s right. How did you find out about it?” he asked.
“I was just over at the diner and I saw your pamphlet. Susan told me where to find you. Sorry, I hope you don’t mind me coming to your house like this.”
“No, of course not. So, you’re coming for the job? That’s great. Yes, we’re still looking for someone. Are you coming to try out for the job?” he asked.
I shook my head. “I’m not coming to try out for the job. I’m coming to get the job.” I couldn’t believe it when the words came out of my mouth. I had always been shy, and I had never marched in and demanded a job from someone before. Things had changed, though. I wasn’t just fighting for my life, but I was fighting for my daughter’s life too. I was not leaving this town without getting a job. I was unsure about a lot of things, but that was one thing I was completely certain about.
Chapter 3
Jaxon
I stared at the skinny girl in front of me in surprise. This was a small town, and I wasn’t used to seeing new people. I couldn’t quite figure the woman out, either. She was very pretty, with brown hair and big brown eyes, but she looked like she could do with a decent meal. I was from a family of food lovers, and my first instinct was the need to put some meat on her bones. I couldn’t quite figure out her age, but I decided she was probably a few years younger than me. She was the sort of person who looked young and old at the same time. As if she had a very young-looking exterior but she’d been through more than most people her age. She didn’t look carefree, that was for sure, and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her even though I had no idea what she had gone through or who she really was. She also looked very tired and a little on the panicked side, and it didn’t take me long to realize that she was running from something. I could tell by the way her eyes kept darting around that she wasn’t entirely comfortable with what she was asking me. But she was asking anyway, and I couldn’t fault her determination. The little girl on her hip was looking at me with great curiosity, her big eyes assessing me. I wondered how I came across to a girl her age. The girl was obviously her daughter, and incredibly cute.
“Hi,” I said to the girl. “I’m Jaxon. What’s your name?”
The girl looked at her mother, who nodded, before turning back to me. I wondered if she had been told not to speak to strangers without her mother’s consent. It was a good rule to have, and it was obviously working. The girl seemed to have a lot of respect for her mother.
“I’m Allie,” she said shyly. “I had toasted cheese and tomato.”
I chuckled. “You did? Well, that’s my favorite meal in the whole world.”
“Mine too!” she said happily, and I knew that in that instant she had decided that she liked me. If only it was as easy to please adults this way.
I lo
oked back at her mother. “She’s gorgeous.”
The woman smiled. “Thank you. I think so too. I’m Kaylee, by the way. Sorry for being so abrupt. I realize now I probably didn’t come across as the friendliest person. I…I just really need a job.”
“And I really need a piano player,” I said.
“So, I can have the job?” she asked in surprise.
I laughed. “Sure, why not? Why don’t you start out as soon as you can and we’ll see how it goes? We won’t sign any contracts until we’re both sure it’s what we want. But I’m honestly more than happy for you to come and try it out.”
“Oh, wow, I wasn’t expecting that.”
“You weren’t expecting me to say yes?” I asked.
She laughed, and in that moment, she looked even younger. I got the feeling that she didn’t laugh a lot, and even little Allie looked at her in surprise. “Oh, I was hoping you’d say yes, and I was fully prepared to stand here until you did. I guess I just thought it was going to be a lot harder than it was. Thank goodness I decided to go into Susan’s and get that sandwich. I never would have known about the job then.”
“You believe in serendipity?” I asked. It was a strange question to ask someone I had only just met, but I suddenly didn’t want her to go. She intrigued me. Although, a lot of that could have something to do with the fact that I wasn’t used to new people in town. Either way, it was rather nice to see a pretty face.
She laughed at my question. “Oh, definitely not.”
“You don’t?”
She shook her head. “No. Life is all about the choices we make and living with the consequences.” As she said it, I noticed a strange look cross her face, but she blinked it away almost as soon as it arrived. “Anyway, thank you so much for agreeing to give me a chance. I promise I won’t let you down. I’ll see you tomorrow. Where do I go?”
