Sweet Carol

by Shanae Johnson

  Prince wrapped her up in his arms as he sipped at her lips. Ari’s dangling hands were caught between them. Her palms pressed against his heart. She felt the organ quicken at her touch, like a ballad remixed to play in a dance club.

  Ari had been in Prince’s arms before. He’d been an unexpected shelter from sound feedback. Then a warm sanctuary from a storm. Now, he was the only refuge she sought, would likely ever seek.

  The Christmas caroling died down until all she could hear was the soft sound of his sigh. The world went quiet as the feel of his heartbeats reverberated through her palms and pulsed in her ears. Nothing else pierced her senses but this man.

  The feeling came back into her hands and the sound to her ears when Prince began to pull away. She reached out to him, catching the lapels of his shirt. Ari pulled at him, but Prince didn’t budge. He covered his hands with hers and chuckled. His laughter wasn’t the only merriment she heard.

  More chuckles, some giggles, a couple of ewws, and a few indignant clucks of tongues sounded all around her. Everyone in the shop was looking at her. Pointing at her. Shaking their heads or laughing at her.

  The scene brought Ari back to the time when she was on the stage ten years ago. She'd stood in silence as eyes stared at her. She’d missed the note. It had been a hard one to reach, but she’d insisted on trying for it. She nailed it most of the time in rehearsal, but there were times when it fell flat in her throat. On stage at the gala ten years ago had been one of those times. And then all she’d heard was this chuckle. Just like she was hearing now.

  But Ari looked at the man who’d laughed her off the stage. The cold, white terror wasn’t there. Prince’s smile was soft. His laugh was light. He looked at her with adoration mixed with amusement.

  He chuckled again, and it flooded her body with the most delicious warmth, like hot chocolate chasing after a warm sugar cookie just out of the oven. Ari couldn't remember why that first chuckle all those years ago had affected her so? With his chuckle today, she wanted to ignore everyone around them and sing at the top of her lungs that she was falling for this man.

  "I think we should probably go," Prince said. "We're causing a scene."

  Ari wanted to go, but not because everyone was staring at them. She wanted to go so that she could be alone with Prince. She wanted to press her lips to his again without an audience.

  She ducked her head into Prince's side as they gathered their ornaments and headed for the door. She could still hear him chuckling as they walked out of Coastal Creations. But that chuckle was a delight now. She wanted to hear it every day of her life.

  Ari lifted her head to see Prince looking down at her. His gaze landed on her mouth. She was about to get her wish. He was going to kiss her again. She didn’t care that there were people walking the street.

  Let them look. Let them stare. Let them point or even chuckle at the two of them. Let them—

  "What do we have here?"

  Prince frowned, as though he hadn't heard the words of the intruder. But Ari could tell he'd heard the tone. Or maybe he’d sensed the dark cloud crashing around them

  Ursula Spade stood blocking their path on the sidewalk. She was dressed today in purple and black fringe. The strips flapping at the end of her skirt made Ari think of octopus tentacles. Ari had the urge to step back. But then Prince pulled her into his side. His arm was strong and sure around her waist.

  “What? Are you slumming, Prince?”

  “No, I’m taking my girl out on the town. If you’ll excuse us, I owe my sweet a cookie.”

  Prince pointed at Sweet Caroline’s where people were gathered inside to sample holiday cookies. He took a step toward the shop, bringing Ari along with him as she was attached to his hip. Ari had forgotten how to use her legs. She felt like she was floating beside this man.

  Ursula wasn’t done. She stepped in front of them, darkening the sidewalk as she did so. “You’re serious? You’re dating Clams Up Carol?”

  It had been years since Ari had heard that name. Mainly because Ursula was the only one who used it. The girl had loved tormenting Ari all throughout school, long after Prince had left for good.

  “Well, I suppose that makes sense since you’re deaf, and she doesn’t speak,” Ursula went on when neither of them took the bait. “You two are perfect for each other.”

  Ari wished for a witty comeback to enter her mind. Whenever she was made fun of, which was only by this woman, she did clam up. She’d put her head down and walked away.

  But she didn’t have to do that any longer. She’d found her voice. She would tell Ursula off.

  “Yeah,” Prince grinned down at Ari. “We are. She is. Ari is perfect.”

  And just like that, she was tongue-tied. The man had done it again. With just a few words, he’d rendered her mute with just a look.

  She could’ve spoken, but she had no words for that woman. She couldn’t even remember her name. Prince’s gaze was once again all Ari could see. She only had words for him.

  At that moment, Ari knew she was never going to clam up again. She felt like she could sing in the middle of the street at the top of her lungs. And she wanted to prove it.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  "This was your idea, wasn't it!"

  Prince's head jerked back at Adelle’s accusation. Her voice was shrill, high-pitched enough he was sure the stray dogs outside heard it. So his hearing aid had picked her up loud and clear.

  "No, it was my idea," said Ari, coming up to Prince's side.

  She hadn’t been far from his side all day, but he had noticed she’d been a bit distracted as they sat in Sweet Caroline’s eating Christmas cookies. She’d barely sipped at her hot chocolate when they’d stopped by the Chocolate Emporium on the last stop of their date. That’s when she’d told him her bright idea.

  Prince didn't think Ari’s plan was a good idea, either. But Ari's chin was lifted in determination. With her head tilted up, her face looked like a perfectly shaped heart. Her cheeks were flushed pink with her halo of red hair framing her face like a Valentine. Cupid himself couldn’t have denied such a beauty.

  Ari wrapped her fingers around his. He knew then and there that no matter what this woman chose to do, he'd stand by her. He’d step in front of her. He’d take on the fire of her sisters if that’s what Ari commanded him to do.

  “You’re not doing this,” Adelle demanded.

  Prince looked around the bar for any sharp objects. All he caught sight of was a dirty dishrag and a lemon peeler. He didn’t put it past Adelle to figure out a way to wield both as possible weapons.

  "It's already done," said Ari. "I've already signed up. I'm going to sing at this year’s gala."

  "Sweetie,” said Alanna, her voice laced with care and reason, “you remember what happened last time you were on that stage?”

  Alanna glanced over at Prince. Adelle glared at him. Ari gazed up at him. There wasn’t a flicker of fear or regret in her blue eyes.

  "Of course, I remember," said Ari. "I've thought about it every day for the last ten years."

  Prince let out a low sigh. He wished he hadn't heard that last tidbit. But he had. Just the idea of hurting this woman made him sick to his gut. He’d done it without lifting a finger. He’d done it with a careless glance and thoughtless laugh.

  Ari's fingers were on his chin. She gently tugged until he faced her. "I'm not that little girl anymore. I've got my voice back. Part of that is because of you. I want to show you all that I’m past it."

  "I don't need you to prove anything to me, Ari,” he said. “I think you're perfect the way you are."

  Her smile warmed his heart. He wanted to kiss her again. He wanted to kiss her always. But they weren't alone. Not that they’d been alone back in Coastal Creations. But Prince was sure this particular audience would cast him out to sea if he manhandled the treasure before him.

  "I don't like this idea, Ariana,” said Alanna. “But I'll be there to support you. And so will she."

  Adell
e rolled her eyes. She crossed her hands over her chest. But in the end, she let out a puff of air. “Of course, I’ll support you. I’m your family. It doesn't mean I'll have to like it."

  Ari let go of Prince’s hand and went to her sisters. They enfolded each other in a hug, each with an arm around the other’s back. Prince hung back and stared. He wasn't used to this kind of affection in families. He'd never been hugged by his father. At some point in his childhood, his mother had stopped embracing him. Likely when he’d begun to favor his father in looks.

  Alanna looked up then. She frowned at Prince. "What are you doing over there? This is a group hug."

  Prince pointed to his chest. His brows raised in question. They wanted him in the mix?

  "Yeah, you. Get in here."

  He walked the floorboards on sea legs to join them. Ari's hand on his back was a balm. Alanna’s hand was foreign but welcome. Adelle rolled her eyes, but she didn’t reach for any weapons. So, he supposed that was a show of affection.

  The girls squeezed tighter. Prince allowed himself to get lost in the shared embrace. He could get used to this. He could get used to all of it. Having a family, having people have his back. He hadn't experienced that since the service. But he’d left that life behind.

  A memory shook loose while the women held onto him. He’d seen this group hug before. But there had been a different man in the midst.

  Mr. Carol was a larger than life man. Tall and barrel-chested like Prince’s dad. But the perpetual smile on the man’s face set him apart from Lt. Prince. Mr. Carol had embraced his family in a group hug before Ari had taken the stage that year. Prince remembered looking at the family as though they were a cartoon, a caricature of life.

  Earlier that evening, he’d been sitting on the bathroom floor with his mother, trying to bandage a cut to her cheek below the black eye his father had given her.

  “It’s okay,” Vanessa Prince had said. “It was an accident. I’m fine.”

  The two of them hadn’t spoken any more about it. They never did. Prince didn’t offer his mother any comfort. He simply dressed the wound. Soon as he’d finished, his father had darkened the doorway. Lt. Prince had demanded dinner. His mother rose and went to the kitchen, as though nothing had happened. That was the way in the Prince household.

  Prince had left out before dinner was on the table. He’d met up with Jett and Ursula looking for trouble. The only thing happening in Indigo Bay that night was the gala.

  After the family hug, Ariana had taken the stage. The beauty that rang clear in her voice irked something inside him. That girl was loved, she’d likely never known pain or disappointment, and it showed in her voice. Prince was antsy to get out of his seat. He couldn’t stomach another moment of the unattainable images her voice brought to his mind.

  He was glaring at her from his seat. He saw the moment he caught her eye. She’d fumbled on the note, and the dream of a perfect world she’d been painting with her voice went silent. Because it wasn’t real. It would never be real. He’d snorted into the silence, fueling the discomfort that everyone around him was experiencing. Then he’d outright laughed, because that feeling, that uncertainty, that anxiety of not knowing what would happen in the next moment, that was the reality of this world.

  The mayor had pulled him aside and given him a tongue lashing for his behavior. Prince had ignored it. His gaze had stayed fixed on the family as they’d embraced the little songstress. A group hug to soothe her hurts.

  The memory assaulted him like a PTSD episode. He shuddered from the impact of the flashback buried deep in his consciousness now coming to light.

  “You okay?” Ari gazed up at him, complete trust and adoration in her eyes.

  All these years later, she still hadn’t been touched by any true tragedy. Nothing other than him. But he would never hurt this woman again. Not with a look, or words, or a laugh. He would be her biggest fan, her loudest cheerleader, her protector against anyone who dared to make her frown. For now and always.

  “I’m fine,” Prince said to her, still in the cocoon of the familial embrace. “And you’re going to be brilliant up there.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The week had gone by in a flurry. It was the happiest of Ariana’s life. Each morning, Prince arrived at her house to walk her to work. He'd stay for breakfast then disappear during the day to work on his boat. He'd return just before her shift ended, and then they would spend the evening together.

  They'd walk along the beach and listen to the waves crashing. They'd sit out on the deck of his boat and watch the sunset. A few times, they stayed at her house and had family dinner.

  Alanna welcomed Prince into the fold without missing a step. Adelle always made certain he could see her from the kitchen sharpening her knives. But she left the knives in the kitchen and didn’t bring them to the dinner table. So… progress.

  After dinner, she’d go down to the studio in the basement and practice the song she planned to sing at the gala. Prince would always accompany her. Adelle was there often as well.

  Ari had selected the same ballad she’d chosen as a kid. With the creeks and croaks of adolescence gone, she was able to hit the high notes of the song each time. She was ready.

  Although seven days later, on the night of the gala, there was a tickle in her throat. Her neck felt sore. Her shoulders heavy.

  Ari's fingers shook as she entered the mansion where the gala was being held. The town’s bed and breakfast was done up in forest green with silver and red accents. White lights fell like snowflakes all around the room.

  In a corner of the room, was a small display for the local pet shop, Happy Paws, which was the recipient of this year’s gala. Violet Montgomery chatted up Ms. Lucille. Violet held the leash to a mangy looking dog who couldn’t take his eyes off of Princess who was held in Ms. Lucille’s arms and looking down her nose at the poor dog with no tags.

  "I can't wait to hear your song, Ari." Mayor Strickland stood before her, squeezing Ari’s hands. It didn’t appear she felt them trembling. Mayor Strickland gave Prince a wary glance. She nodded at him and then moved on.

  More people wished Ari luck and the traditional breaking of limbs. Ari nodded at them all, not wanting to waste any of her voice. More people had been coming up to her this week, trying to engage her in conversation.

  The fear of losing her voice was no longer there. She spoke to a few of the town folk each day. Never a lot of words. Simply because she didn't have that much to share. Her world revolved around her sisters, the restaurant, and now Prince.

  Prince walked beside her. His hand found and wrapped around hers. The moment he did, the trembling stopped.

  "Say the word, and we can go home, Ari."

  That wasn't from Prince. It was from Adelle. She was walking on the other side of Ari. Adelle wasn't holding her hand, and so she could see it shaking.

  Ari had practiced this song every day the last week. She could hit every note. She knew every word. She was ready.

  As they came near to the raised platform at the end of the room, Prince pulled her into his arms. Ari inhaled his scent; saltwater and strength. "I know you need to do this.”

  “I do,” she said directly into his ear.

  “I'll be right here in the front row,” he said. “I’ll also be cheering the loudest when you nail it.”

  Ari grinned at that. She pulled away from him, feeling empowered. Prince planted a light kiss on her lips, and, just with that light touch, Ari was ready to sing an opera.

  Mayor Strickland climbed the one step up the platform to announce Ari. As Ari prepared to take that single step up, her fingers began to tremble again. She clasped her hands together to stop them.

  There was a tug to her other hand. It was Prince. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Just sing to me," he whispered in her ear. With another press to her temple, he let her go.

  Ari climbed the step. Hands still clasped together. She looked out at all the faces she knew. They were
all friendly. No one expected her to fail. This was her town, her community. These were the people who had known her all her life. When she'd decided she wouldn't talk any longer, no one had forced her to try. Even now, no one forced her to greet them. They all accepted her the way she was. She could do this.

  The sounds of the recorded piece began to play. Ari counted the notes before it was her time to come in. She closed her eyes. She took a deep breath. On a shaky exhale, the first lyric passed through her lips… and the note struck the perfect chord.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Prince was lost in the sound of her voice. He had been in raptures all week while she'd practiced with him. Her voice had grown stronger and stronger each time. He didn't want to live his life without her voice ringing through his ears.

  Not only because it was the only thing ringing clear in his ears. Not because whenever she sang, whenever she spoke, whenever she was near, the other ringing stopped. Because it was no longer about his ears. It was about his heart.

  Eric Prince was in love with Ariana Carol.

  He decided then that he would go back to therapy. He would do whatever the doctors said to hold onto the auditory abilities he still had. He would try any new technique. The thought of losing Ari's voice was not a life he wanted to live. He would fight for his hearing, right after he let her know that she had his heart.

  Upon that raised platform, Ari was beautiful, a vision as she belted out the notes. Her lips trembled as she held a high note. Those were lips he'd tasted every day. He was jealous of the song. He wanted to make her tremble that way. And he would. Prince couldn't wait to press Ari to him after this song.

  He’d told her to sing to him. Was she thinking of him now? Her eyes were closed. Her head thrown back as she belted out the lyrics.

  Finally, her eyes opened. But they didn't land on him. They landed on something past him. Her note faltered.

  From the corner of his eye, Prince spied the reason. Ursula. Unlike everyone else in the crowd, Ursula scowled at Ari. Prince had seen that scowl many a time. She’d aimed her scowl at Ari the last time they'd all been in this room. He’d been right there beside her, an accomplice in the act.