by Arthurs, Nia
“And that’s great. You can go out and be a teacher. I’m good. There’s nothing to feel bad about.”
“You’re so talented, James. When you sing, I get goosebumps. The world deserves to feel that, to hear that.”
“My dad and I didn’t agree on much but he was right when he said music was a dead-end career. I’m not staking both our lives on a dream as flimsy as that.”
“But—”
“Enough,” he said in a gentle, weary voice. “I’m gonna take a shower.”
I frowned and watched him disappear down the hall.
My stomach twisted into knots. I understood the burden of responsibility that James felt. It was the same pressure I put on myself when my dad was struggling with gambling. But I didn’t want him to struggle alone. We were in this together.
Pushing my plate away, I rose from the table and walked determinedly to his guitar. My fingers slipped around the neck and I tightened my grip as I carefully removed the instrument from the stand. It was heavier than I expected. I’d never held a guitar in my life.
Awkwardly, I waddled with the guitar in my arms and stepped into our bedroom.
James turned when he heard me. “Mon, I’m sorry for—” His brown eyes landed on the guitar. “Why do you have that?”
“James, my super hot hubby…” I strummed a bunch of strings that produced a sound close to a cat’s angry howl and croaked, “Oh how I love thee. Your voice is like honneeey!” Another strum. “Green leaves on a tree…”
James leaped forward and grabbed the guitar. “Okay, that’s enough. I don’t want our neighbors to call the cops.”
“Ouch. Was I that bad?”
He grinned.
“Look,” I wrapped my arms around his neck and stared deeply into his eyes, “Obviously, I can’t live your dream for you so out of the two of us, it has to be you.”
“I’ll think about it.” He gave me a kiss. “But please never do that again.”
I laughed. “You’ve got a deal.”
Chapter 2
James
“Babe, we’re gonna be late for school!” Monique yelled from the living room. “What are you doing?”
“I’m almost ready.” I ran my fingers through my hair and grabbed my bag from the corner. My footsteps thudded against the floor as I ran into the living room and faced my wife.
She gave me the stink eye. “This is why I tried to wake you up at six. You always take forever to get ready.”
“What are you talking about?” I checked my watch. “We have fifteen minutes.”
“And it takes ten minutes to get there, which means I’ll only have five to spare before class starts.”
I smothered my laughter by clamping my lips together. Only Monique would freak out over something like this. “Are you going to keep scolding me or can we leave?”
“You’re so annoying,” she mumbled and stalked to the door.
“Love you too.”
Monique flung her curly hair over her shoulder.
I followed her into the hallway. After locking up, I trudged down the stairs.
We were fortunate enough to find a building close to Pine Hill High, but I had to sell my car to afford the security deposit. Our ‘new’ secondhand model waited in the parking lot. It was purchased from a dealership with a questionable reputation, but at least the car ran. That was all I needed.
Monique didn’t wait for me to hold the door open for her. She slid in and frantically gestured for me to hurry. I jogged around the hood and smoothly entered the driver’s seat. The door creaked as I slammed it shut.
A phone buzzed.
I focused on the road and asked, “Is it yours or mine?”
“Mine,” Monique said. She straightened her shoulders and answered, “Hey, Harley.” I tilted my head and listened to the one-sided conversation. “No, I’m good. James is driving me. Yeah. No, don’t wait. I’m going straight to class so I’ll see you at lunch.” Monique peeked at me from the corner of her eye. “I, uh, have something important to tell you then.”
There was a pause.
I glanced over at Monique. She chewed on a fingernail. Two deep grooves appeared between her eyebrows. My gaze wandered to her jean-clad leg. It was tapping on the floor, moving faster than the jackhammer I used at work.
“See you then.” Monique hung up.
I smirked. “Are you that nervous about telling Angie and Harley we’re married?”
“I’m not nervous.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Okay, fine.” She let out a huge breath. “I’m terrified. I know Angie will be supportive but Harley…”
“He’ll disown you?”
“He’s my best friend. I don’t want to lose him.”
A few months ago, hearing those words would’ve upset me. But Monique was my wife. I was no longer insecure about her relationship with Harley. Even though he and I didn’t see eye-to-eye, I understood their connection. “
Do you want me to talk to him then? You know I don’t care.”
“No way. If he hears it from you…” She shuddered. “That’ll make it worse.”
“Worse how?” I saw Monique’s worried frown and gave in. “Fine. I’ll keep quiet even if he says something stupid.”
She blinked. “Wait, you’re not eating lunch with me, are you?”
“Who else would I eat with?”
Monique shook her head. “You can’t! Just having you there will make things worse.”
“Um… ouch.”
“I didn’t mean it like that.” She massaged the bridge of her nose. “Can you figure something else out? Just for today? It’ll be better if I break the news to Harley alone.”
“I don’t know. Now I’m kinda hurt.”
Monique leaned over and pressed a kiss to my cheek. In a sultry whisper, she said, “I’ll make it up to you tonight. Promise.”
I straightened. “How about you and Harley have lunch all week?”
She laughed. “You are something else.”
I parked behind the school building and turned to her. “Hey.”
Monique glanced at me, her beautiful brown eyes searching mine. She played with the wedding band on her finger, a symptom of her nerves. “James, I’m late.”
“This will only take a minute.” I held her hands to calm their fidgeting and gently ran my thumb over the ring. “No matter what Harley or anyone says, I don’t regret marrying you. I never will.”
She smiled. “I love you.”
I pressed quick kiss to her lips and climbed out of the car. Monique waved at me and took off, disappearing through the school doors.
I took my time striding in.
The hallways were packed and chatter filled the air like a swarm of approaching bees. I slapped hands with friends I hadn’t seen all summer and greeted the girls who giggled and smiled at me.
A few tried to reach out and grope my waist for hugs. I smoothly pushed them away and nodded in return, making sure to keep my distance. My past had caused enough trouble. From now on, I wasn’t doing anything that could be misconstrued.
“James!” A familiar face popped out of the crowd. “How was your summer?”
“Baz.” I offered my hand and he took it, slapping me on the back. Baz’s dark skin glistened like silk. His eyes were two huge marbles in his head. Apart from a sprouting of hair around his upper lip, he looked the same.
Baz adjusted his beanie and pointed to my hair. “You going for the Uncle Jessie from Full House vibe?”
“Nah.” I ran my fingers through the straight locks. “I didn’t have time to get it cut before school started.”
“You were too busy touring, huh?”
I shook my head. “I dropped the music gigs.”
“Why?” He sounded horrified. Reminded me of Monique when I told her I was giving up music so I could better provide for us.
“I’ve got bigger fish to fry, you know?”
“That’s bull, man. You’re too good to quit.
” He stepped closer and glanced around before whispering, “Is this about what happened before summer break?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You got kicked out of the house,” Baz listed quietly. “Then you broke up with Monique and kissed Cassandra Phillips and turned into a terrible person for about a week before you got the sense knocked into you.”
“I don’t remember it quite like that…”
“Are you having more problems at home? Is that why you’re giving up?”
“Everything’s good. I swear.”
He looked unconvinced. “If you say so.”
The bell rang.
Baz glanced up. “I should head out.”
“Yeah.” We clasped hands and bumped shoulders. I chucked my chin toward the hallway. “I’ll see you later.”
“You should head down to the basement for lunch.”
“What about Eric?” I asked.
“He graduated in June, remember? The basement is missing one player.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Cool. See yah, man.” Baz left.
I walked in the opposite direction.
After everything I’d been through this year, lounging in a classroom while the teacher prattled on about polynomials felt especially futile. After my parents kicked me out, I worked several jobs to make ends meet. Not one gig required solving complicated math equations.
This is excruciating.
Somehow, I kept my eyes open.
When classes were over, I texted Monique to check in.
She responded immediately.
MONIQUE: Heading over to see Angie and Harley now. Wish me luck.
JAMES: You got this.
Pocketing my phone, I grabbed my bag and headed to the arts building. Baz’s invitation was tempting, especially now that Eric was out of the picture. Plus, it had been a while since I’d jammed with anyone.
My fault. Lately, I was way too busy to pursue music.
Baz was the second person who’d scolded me about dropping my dream.
I raised my hands and stared at my fingers as I walked. It had been months since I’d touched a guitar. My callouses had probably gone soft by now.
Deep down, I did miss music.
It was my only escape after years of violence and anger. Whenever Dad came home in a rage, he’d leave nothing but pain in his wake. I’d pull out my guitar and sing. Mom would listen to me from the next room. The music soothed both our souls and filled our broken house with quiet, hopeful songs.
Music was a part of me. Maybe it was time for that to change.
I strolled down the stairs that led to ‘the basement’—which was really the school’s forgotten music room. The door creaked when I pushed it open. My eyes wandered over the bright posters on the walls, the neatly arranged chairs and the instruments that gleamed in the harsh overhead lights.
I remembered when this place was a dump filled with dust and broken instruments.
Alex really had turned the place around.
“Never thought I’d see the day you’d voluntarily walk in here,” a voice said.
I spun.
Alex strode toward me. He wore a black shirt, jeans and sneakers. Dark brown eyes landed on me and held. He had a thin face, a sharp nose and plump lips. Every time we met, I struggled to find the family resemblance. Alex looked nothing like me so I could only assume he took after his mother.
He stopped a couple feet away and smiled. “Hello, brother. Long time no see.”
I bristled. Alex didn’t call me ‘brother’ because he cared about me. It was annoying to hear, which explained why he kept bringing it up.
Alex started teaching music at Pine Hill late last year, but we met earlier than that—in a club down by the docks. At the time, I had no idea who he was. He knew me though. And he flirted with Monique to piss me off.
A few weeks later, Alex showed up at my dad’s business party and threw a bomb at my mother and me.
Darius was his father.
It tore my family up.
Drove Mom to do… horrible things.
I hated him for his part in the destruction of my family—and for flirting with Monique when they first met—but now we had a grudging acquaintance. At the end of the day, Alex was a guy who gave up everything to find his father and got nothing but disappointment in the end.
In a way, I kind of pitied him.
“How was you summer?” Alex asked.
I eyed him suspiciously. “Why?”
“I’m just trying to make conversation.”
“The last time we spoke, you weren’t this pleasant.”
Which was understandable.
A few months ago, I betrayed him. Alex was hunting my mother for endangering Lauren’s life and setting her bookstore on fire. I tipped Mom off so she could save her skin and Alex found out.
I ended up with a split lip, but what happened after almost cost my life.
“Things change.”
“What’s changed?” I demanded.
He looked at the ceiling thoughtfully. “Lauren reminded me that family is family, whether we like it or not. So I figured we could start over.”
“Not interested.”
He smiled confidently. “I’m going to gain your trust one way or the other.”
“Why?”
“Because I want you to tell me who ordered that thug to set Pandora’s on fire.”
I snorted. “It’s not a good idea to give your evil plan away.”
“We’ll see. I have faith that the truth will come to light.”
The door creaked.
Footsteps rushed into the room.
Duncan and Baz entered the room.
When Duncan saw me, he sprinted forward, jumped on my back and held me in a head brace. “Dude, where have you been? It’s like you dropped off the face of the earth.”
“Get off, man. You’re heavy.”
Alex laughed as Duncan planted his feet on the floor and released me. “Come on, boys. Let’s make some music.”
I grabbed a guitar. “Challenge accepted.”
Alex arched an eyebrow. He knew exactly what I meant.
You can try all you want, but I’ll never betray my mother.
* * *
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