Page 18 of Heartstring

I start to relax a little. The rain outside doesn’t stop, so I take my phone out to message Kay.

Dad: Hey, honey. I’m stuck in the rain. Are you okay?

Kay: Yes, Daaaad. I’m at my friend’s house. She has a poster of HoF in her room #eyeroll

Dad: She clearly has good taste in music.

Kay: #puke #killmenow #bigheadmuch

Dad: I’ll see you tonight. You know the rules.

Kay: Duh

The guilt I feel for having “rules” in the first place can be crippling at times, but I have to remember what happens when the press knows about your life. They intrude and don’t care who they hurt. I decided to be in the public eye when the band started getting attention, but Kay didn’t. One day she can decide if she wants the world to know who she is.

For now, I’m just glad she seems to have made at least one friend at her new school.

I tune back into the conversation around the table.

“He’s not been himself lately, has he?” Sandra asks.

“Bless him. He works so hard,” Marie says.

“He hasn’t been the same since the playground incident.”

“What do you mean?” Geoff asks.

Marie leans forward. “Didn’t you see? As soon as the mayor said he was the new owner of the playground, he went as white as a piece of paper.”

Geoff scoffs. “I wouldn’t want that responsibility. All he does for this community is enough already.”

They all nod their agreement.

“Does anyone know his birthday?” Toby asks. “Maybe we can put something together for him.”

“You mean a surprise party?”

“Yeah, I’m sure between all of us, we can save up to get a cake, and this place has an old sound system in the back somewhere. I saw it once,” Geoff says.

“What do you say…new friend?” Geoff asks, looking at me.

“John. Call me John,” I say. It’s not a lie. No one knows my real middle name.

“Okay, John. Are you in with us? Or have you just come for the free food?”

“Free food?”

Once again, they stare at me like I’m missing something.

Sandra holds out her hand over the table to hold my hand, and I let her. This is the weirdest experience of my life, and I’ve had my share of weird experiences.

“It’s okay, John. You don’t need to be embarrassed in front of us. We’ve all been there. The first time is the hardest, but soon enough, you’ll make friends. You already know us. It’s a start.”

“I don’t know—” I start.

“Pride stays out the door, man. We’re all here for a hot meal,” Toby says.

I shake my head.