Page 75 of Strings

My heart aches in my chest, not only for these kids but for the man I thought I had figured out. I wonder what my childhood might have been like if I’d had a place like this and a man like Sebastian in it.

“He cares about them. It’s not just about the music. I wonder sometimes where these kids would be without him.” She shudders. “Makes me feel sick.”

She walks away from me and picks up a small garbage can. Each child places their cup and napkin inside as she passes. As I gaze about the room, I see a young girl with ratty hair picking at her cookie. Ms. Joe bends down to speak to her for a moment. She helps the girl wrap the cookie in a napkin and covers for the girl while she stuffs it in her pocket.

I feel my eyes well up. That little girl could have been me twenty years ago, except I didn’t have a place like this where I could go. I had a closet.

“Are you alright?” Sebastian places his hand along the small of my back. His eyes narrow as he gazes at me.

“Yeah. Um, I should go and let you get back to them. Thank you for the tour. I’m sorry if I interrupted anything.”

“You didn’t. I’m glad you stopped by. Do you have to leave?”

“I should.” I don’t want him to see me emotional, so I rack my brain, trying to come up with a reason why I can’t be around him. “I promised my friend Stella that I’d hang out with her tonight.”

Sebastian glances around. “Is she here? Did she drive you?”

“No. I took the…” I catch myself right before I say bus. It’s too late. He’s already upset.

“You took what?” His eyebrows furrow. He already knows the answer and I can see he’s not happy about it.

“Sebastian, it’s fine.”

“No. It’s not fine. It’s bad. Did you take the bus here by yourself?”

“I’m a grown-ass woman, Sebastian. I do a lot of things by myself.”

“Talia, no. This isn’t a great part of town. Let me drive you home.”

“I’ll be fine. Stop worrying.”

“Call your friend Stella and tell her you’ll be a little late. We just need to run through one more song and then I can—”

I place my hand on his arm. “I promise I’ll be careful. I don’t want to hear another word about it.” I turn and start walking toward the door when I hear him shout.

“Hey, kids. Who wants Ms. Pearson to stay and listen to us play?”

“Me!”

“Me!”

“I do!”

The voices continue. I turn toward him and visibly sigh.

“Ms. Pearson, how can you say no to these little faces?” Sebastian holds Leticia’s chin in his hands and she pouts.

He whispers in her ear.

She immediately speaks. “Please stay, Ms.…” She gazes up at him and Sebastian places his hand next to her ear and whispers again. “Ms. Pearson. You’ll make Mr.… I mean me, so sad if you go.” She frowns like my leaving would break her heart.

He opens his arms outward and shrugs. “The kids really want you to hear them play. You don’t want to disappoint the kids, do you?”

I want to be mad at him for using the kids to get what he wants, but I can’t because the truth is, I find everything he does lately to be endearing and I hate that he’s getting to me. “Okay, I’ll stay!”

Leticia takes me by the hand and leads me back to the instrument room. Sebastian follows with his crew. He’s good in more ways than one.

Maybe we’re not that different after all.