Her gut churned, recognition eluding her once again. She just had to know Monica. Everything about her seemed familiar.
Maybe a little too familiar.
Mr. Larson pointed toward the large embedded set of small shelves off to his left. “For the new students, over there, off to my left is the new music rack. Everyone’s music will be in those folders. Each student has a folder so you can make notes, doodles, or maybe even ideas for a secret love note.” He paused and smiled as the class giggled. “You may take your folders home for extra practice, but you do need to bring it back the next day. I'd recommend either taking pictures of it on your phone or tablet or making copies to take home instead. Let’s make this a good year, and let’s get started. Everyone grab your folders.”
The choir got their folders en masse, returning to their seats and looking through their music selections. Lillian glanced through, but an unsettled motion on her right drew her attention. Erica shuffled through her folder but looked uneasy.
“Great,” she said with a sigh.
“What is it?” Chloe asked, leaning forward to look around Lillian.
“I don’t know which part I’m supposed to learn. I have both the alto and tenor parts.”
“I’d ask after class.”
Lillian glanced at both of them as they spoke. “Sing the one you’re comfortable with.”
“How many female tenors are there?” Erica asked. “I’m going to be a laughing stock.”
“You’re not a tenor,” she countered. “You’re a contralto. There’s nothing wrong with that. And you’re in good company with Judy Garland, Rosemary Clooney, Cass Elliot, and many others.”
“Really?” Chloe asked. “I’ve never heard of contra-alto.”
“Contralto,” Lillian corrected with a smile. “It’s a combination of both those words.”
“I bet there’s nobody recent,” Erica countered, closing her folder and deflating in her seat.
Lillian turned around and smiled. “There’s Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Pink, and Lady Gaga. If you like country or folk, there’s Shelby Lynne, Reba, Jennifer Nettles, or Shania Twain.”
Erica looked at her dumbfounded. “Really? Pink?”
“Reba?” Chloe asked, equally as surprised.
“Yep.”
Chloe turned to face both of them. “How do you know all that, Lillian?”
“I love music and read a lot about it,” she said. “I’ll listen to practically anything. I also love to sing and play guitar. Although I can play the piano, I gave it up six years ago.”
Lillian paused as she tried to gauge their faces. “Wait, that was bragging. I’m sorry.”
“You’re just fine,” Chloe told her, luring out a smile. “You sound like an awesome person. You should meet Monica.”
“You mean the girl at the piano now?” she clarified.
“Yeah, I think you’d get along great with her.”
“What’s her last name?”
Chloe looked confused as she stared back at her. “Readdie.”
Lillian’s mind ground to a halt. Monica Readdie. That was why she looked so familiar. It was just her luck. Of all the places she and her aunt could've moved to, they had to be in the same town as Monica Readdie. Lillian and Monica had a history, and it was confrontational at best. Perhaps reintroducing herself to Monica wasn't a good idea.
“You should try out for pianist next year,” Erica suggested. “Monica graduates in May, so Mr. Larson will be looking for someone new to take over next year.”
Lillian snapped back from her thoughts and returned her attention to Erica. “I’ll think about it.”
Mr. Larson called the room to order, and they began rehearsing for their first performance in a couple of months. He kept it simple, sending them through warmup drills and easier pieces they've known for years.
Lillian took in the sound of so many voices joining together, but she focused more on Monica. She was amazed at how the piano sang as Monica played. The upright piano blocked her view of Monica’s hands and fingers, and they sounded more graceful now than six years ago.
The bell rang, and everyone got up to leave. Lillian stood as well and gathered her things to leave before Chloe could get to her.
“Hey, come with us and meet Monica,” Chloe said, as if on cue.
“Maybe another time,” she said, hoping if she dodged it enough, Chloe would eventually forget about it. “I'm still learning where everything is and don't want to be late for my next class.”
“I understand. Maybe in a week or so? When you're more settled in.”
“Sounds great!”
Lillian watched the room clear out and waited. Her stomach was in knots. A sense of dread radiated from her core. Without realizing it, she was clutching her books to her chest. After Monica left with Chloe and Erica, Lillian shuffled her feet as she lumbered over to Mr. Larson with her gaze on the floor a few feet in front of her.
“What did you think, Lillian?” he asked with a welcoming smile.
“I'm going to like this group,” she replied, hoping to hide her uneasiness and forcing a smile of her own. “I'd also be interested in trying out for pianist for next year.”
He gave her a quizzical gaze. “Not this year?”
The question made her pause. Her coerced smile faded into a stoic straight line. The last thing she wanted to do was compete for Monica’s chair, especially if she was right about who Monica was. That would rekindle the adversarial relationship they had, especially after the controversial recital six years earlier. The thought made her stomach flip. She was the new girl in town, and she didn’t want to ruffle any feathers.
“No. Monica is really good, and it seems like she's pretty popular with everyone. I don't want to step on any toes.”
“Okay. How about after school sometime this week?”
“What day?”
“Tomorrow?”
She nodded and adjusted her folders and books in her arms. “Great! I'll be in after school tomorrow.”
“See you then!” Mr. Larson told her. “Have a good day.”
“You too, Mr. Larson,” she said, her mind already detached and lost in thought.
“Is everything okay?” he asked, seeming to sense her internal struggles.
While she exhaled and shrugged, Lillian looked at her choir director, who also just happened to be her older cousin. “Kevin, do you know if Monica is the same one from the Parkersburg recital? I know you were there too.”
His sigh sent a shiver down her spine. “Yes, she is.”
“Great,” she whispered, her eyes focusing back on the floor. “Are you going to tell her it’s me if I tried out?”
Mr. Larson put a hand on her shoulder. “Lillian, you’re not the same person you were back then. You’ve been through so much and come a long way since that day. You have an opportunity to show Monica who Lillian Starr is today. I know she was angry about what happened, but deep down, Monica has a heart of gold. She may remember you, but it won’t take her long to see who you’ve become since.”
She felt herself deflating from the inside out. If Monica remembered her, she’d have no chance at a social life. At least, not one that included several friends.
He pulled her in for a hug that helped her calm down. “It’ll be okay, Lillian. Just give her a chance.”
“Okay,” she said, forcing herself upright. “Thanks.”
Lillian walked out of the room, her emotions pulling her apart on the inside.
CHAPTER TWO
Monica parked her car in the street and turned the ignition off. Kendra flew out her door and into the house. Following Kendra with her gaze, Monica gathered her things and went in as well. She searched the house and found Kendra lying on her bed, her body curled into a protective ball.
“Hey,” she said as she entered the pink room and sat next to her sister, concern flooding her expression and thoughts. “What’s up?”
“Nothing,” Kendra said. “I’m fine.”
Although she’d only known Kendra for three years, Monica knew when she was trying to hide things. Kendra usually opened up right away. This wasn’t usual for her. Whatever was on Kendra’s mind, it had to be significant. Monica just wished she knew what it was.
“Did something happen at school?” she asked.
“No,” Kendra said.
“Someone picking on you?”
“No.”
“Did we make you mad this morning talking about senior year?”
“No.”
Monica began feeling frustrated with Kendra’s single word answers. “Are you mad at me?”
Kendra sighed. “No.”
Monica resisted the temptation to shake her head in frustration. She paused to refocus her thoughts and consider other options. A few moments later, she noticed that one topic had gone awhile without any mention at all. “Is it your birth family?”
This time, Kendra shook her head. Monica wanted to clasp her hands around Kendra’s neck and force the information out of her.
“Then what is it, sweetie?” Monica asked, hoping she was hiding how frustrated she was.
“It’s nothing,” Kendra said. “I’m okay.”
Monica stared at her sister, wishing she’d open up. She knew full well that something ate away at Kendra, and it probably wouldn’t be very long until she broke down. Monica wanted to help but knew she couldn’t as long as Kendra wouldn’t give her any answers. She thought of another possibility and decided to give it a try.
“Do you miss Tricia?”
“Yeah,” Kendra said. “It isn’t the same without her.”
Monica wrapped her arms around Kendra. “I know. I miss her too. We can go see her sometime if you’d like.”
Kendra shrugged. “We’ll see.”
“The girls and I are going shopping for Erica tonight,” Monica said. “Would you like to come with us?”
Kendra sighed and shook her head again. “No, I just want to be alone.”
The combination of sadness and despair in Kendra’s voice was unmistakable. Monica leaned in and hugged her tight. “Kendra, are you sure everything is okay?”
Kendra answered with another shrug. “It will be.”
Monica’s heart broke watching Kendra fight off tears. She gave her a long, tight hug. “Please, talk to me.”
Again, Kendra shook her head; her eyes welled with tears. “Not now. Please, not now.”
Monica’s arms squeezed Kendra tighter. “I love you, sis. I’ll be here when you want to talk.”
“Whatever,” Kendra whispered.
With one last squeeze, Monica got up and left the bedroom. Kendra’s behavior confused her. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out something was on her mind. She never gave one-word answers, even when she first came home with them. If anyone asked her anything, Kendra would always go into a mini-speech as an answer.
And what was with Kendra saying “whatever?” Did she honestly think Monica would blow her off if she needed anything? Both she and Tricia bent over backward to make sure Kendra knew they were there for her no matter what. Monica was at a loss with what to think but knew one thing for sure.
Something was wrong with Kendra.
A purple and gray backpack hit the white tile kitchen floor with a thud. Lillian sighed and stared at the bag’s purple zipper pulls. Rather than think about what could be coming with Monica, she sat at the table and started homework. Most days, diverting her mind would calm her down. Today, it didn't work. She couldn't stop thinking about Monica and what happened six years ago.
Her aunt wasn't due home for another three hours, leaving her to fend for herself. She put a skillet on the stove and fried up some bacon for BLTs. Taking a seat at the table, she sighed and forced herself to eat her two sandwiches and chips.
Lillian thought she was well past that day. She hadn't encountered anyone affected by those horrific events. Her heart was just getting around to wanting to play again. It ached to touch the keys after so long. Once again, she cursed her luck. They had to be in the same town as one of the three affected pianists from her final competition. Even worse, that person had to be Monica.
Taking her second sandwich, Lillian’s stomach churned, nausea rolled through her in waves. She fought her overwhelming urge to bring up her first sandwich. Her hands latched onto the sides of the table so she wouldn’t fall over.
The horror, shame, and embarrassment of that recital flooded her soul. Not a single detail was left out. Lillian remembered the disgrace she felt when the judges declared the winner. The looks of disdain on many faces who knew just as well as she did that she didn't deserve to win. She made mistakes during her piece—subtle, but mistakes nonetheless. Monica’s performance, however, was flawless—but she didn't even place.
It was all Lillian’s fault. When she overheard the conversation, she wanted to tell someone. Her fear of her parents kept her at bay and quiet. She knew the true winner was Monica, but she didn't say or do anything. The image of Monica crying in her parents’ arms still burned in her mind. She knew what she needed to do, but she didn't do it. Six years later, that knowledge made her so sick that she ran to the bathroom and emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet bowl.
Lillian sat on the bathroom floor and cried. There was no way Monica would forgive her. If she were in Monica’s position, she'd still be in a rage to this day. Chloe said the two of them would get along great. But if Monica still remembered, it wouldn't be long before the school ran rampant with the truth about the new girl. Lillian Starr was a cheater.
Her thoughts shifted to the moment that changed her life on May 25, 2008. She was in the back seat of her parents’ car heading home from the recital. Her piano bag was on the floor, containing the trophy she wanted to throw out the window. From the front seat, her parents praised her for doing such a good job and beating Monica. Lillian remembered how much her stomach churned in protest.
Outside the car, the pitch-black sky unleashed a torrent of wind, rain, and hail. In the back seat, Lillian refused to stay quiet. She told her parents that she didn’t want to play the piano anymore. Her parents immediately started yelling and screaming at her, demanding that she continued, especially now that Monica embarrassed herself at the recital by not even placing.
But Lillian only repeated her statement. Her parents turned and resumed their verbal tirade. To show his disapproval, her dad reached into the back seat and began smacking at her legs. Lillian curled herself into a ball in the back seat, trying to shield herself from her dad’s wild blows.
Within moments, Lillian felt the car do something odd. It wiggled just enough for her to notice. She could no longer hear her parents’ screams, even though she saw them yelling and screaming. The sound of the wind and rain outside drowned them out. She looked out the window to see what was going on, but could only see water slamming against the glass.
It happened without warning.
The windshield and both front windows shattered a split-second before the car took to the air like a jet taking off from an airport. The force pinned Lillian back into her seat. Her parents’ attention went from her to a road that was no longer there.
Seconds later, Lillian felt weightless as though she was on a rollercoaster that shot up a steep hill and started going down the other side. She closed her eyes, hoping her dad’s faith in his car was not misplaced.
Once again, Lillian was pinned back against her seat when the car rocketed forward. Her screams joined in with her parents. The remaining glass in the car shattered around her. Fear gripped every part of her body, inside and out.
The next thing she remembered was waking up in a hospital room with her Aunt Judy sitting beside her. Lillian wanted to know where her parents were, asking her aunt about them several times. Two days later, Aunt Judy caved and told her that a tornado struck their car, picked it up and threw it into a ditch a half-mile away. The impact killed her parents instantly and put her in a coma for two weeks.
While in
the hospital, DHS put Lillian with Judy so she’d be with family. A few days after the family read the wills, DHS made the placement permanent per the wishes of Lillian’s mother that Judith Starr gained custody of Lillian.
When lawyers revealed that Naomi Barrington changed her will the day before the accident, the Barrington family went after Judy Starr for custody. The Barringtons’ claim of Judy Starr being a habitual drug and alcohol junkie were disproven by the absence of police records and years of medical records proving she’d been clean her entire life. The judge not only ruled that Naomi’s will stood but also granted Judy the restraining order she wanted against the entire Barrington family.
To Lillian, Aunt Judy was a total stranger. She'd only seen old pictures of her aunt before she was even born. Lillian knew she had an aunt, but all she knew about her was what her parents told her. They said that Judy had been addicted to drugs and alcohol since college and broke off all contact with the family with no reasons given. But Judy didn't look like an addict. She looked quite the opposite, a responsible businesswoman. She had short, brown hair and looked athletic. Lillian guessed her to be her mom’s height, putting Aunt Judy at 5’6”.
The next month was strange for Lillian, watching her aunt and getting to know her. She started warming up and accepted Judy as her parent a few months after coming out of her coma.
As she got to know who Judy Starr was, Lillian's grief for her parents transformed into unbridled hatred and relief. Without them in her life anymore, she outright refused to play the piano. No more recitals. She wouldn't have to face the other three kids again, especially Monica. Lillian hated that she was associated with her parents.
After a year of anger issues, counseling revealed what she hated the most was having her parents’ last name and her mother’s middle name. Judy took action and adopted her, changing her name from Lillian Anastasia Barrington to Lillian Grace Starr. She was Judy’s only child, and they grew close as many mothers and daughters do.
The muscles in her arms, legs, and back involuntarily jerked hard, causing the back of her head to hit the side of the bathtub and bringing her back to the present. She rubbed her aching head and checked the time. Her eyes widened when she saw that she’d been lost in her thoughts for the last hour. Lillian certainly didn't want to spend the evening on the bathroom floor, so she got up to find solace the only way she knew how.
Duet (Readdie Family Book 1) Page 2
