Page 80 of Touch the Sky

Shel covers her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide, like she’s not sure if she’s allowed to laugh.

“But you know what?” I continue. “I kept playing, and I have a lot of fun with it, even though I am not amazing.”

Shel nods, holding out for half a second before a snort makes her cheeks balloon out behind her hand.

“Do you still sound like a dying cat?”

“Ben là!” I say, waving her question off. “I never sounded like a dying cat. That girl was being dramatic.”

Shel squints like she doesn’t quite trust me, but she lets it slide.

“Okay, so, if I keep playing, maybe you could show me some things?” she asks. “I know where to put my fingers. I just can’t figure out the whole strumming thing.”

I give her an understanding nod. “Strumming is a bi?—”

I cut myself off before I can say something that is definitely on the forbidden words list.

“It is hard,” I correct. “Strumming is hard. I will show you a few things.”

She claps her hands and beams at me, the guitar jostling in her lap.

“Yay! Can we do it today?”

I didn’t think I could feel even more relieved to have the afternoon free, but the way her whole face lights up when I nod makes me want to shout one of the prayers of thanks printed on the kitschy knickknacksMamanis always filling the house with.

“Well, first we need to re-string you,” I say. “We can go do that now, and maybe we will have time for a quick lesson before you go to your friend’s house.”

Shel slings the guitar strap over her shoulder and jumps to her feet.

“Oh, right. I forgot I’m going to see Ali today. What time is it?”

I pull my phone out of my pocket and turn the screen on.

“Almost one.” I let out a whistle. “Damn. I mean, darn. We should get up to the house. Your mom will be here soon to drive you.”

Shel scampers off towards the doorway, but before she heads down the stairs, she comes rushing back over to throw her arms around my waist. The guitar thumps against her back and nearly slides off her shoulder, but she doesn’t let go.

“Thank you, Jacinthe,” she mumbles into my jacket.

More molten gold drips into my heart.

I hold her tight.

“Any time,chérie.”

She steps out of the hug and skips off towards the door like she hasn’t just left my whole world spinning.

Chapter 18

Tess

Ionly just have time to dash back down from the hayloft before Shel can appear at the top of the stairs and catch me eavesdropping.

Technically, I’m not sure it counts as eavesdropping. It feels like my parental right to listen in after getting home from work early, coming down to the barnyard to find my kid, and hearing her crying up in the hayloft.

Then again, the time to announce myself was probably when I heard Jacinthe’s voice as I was climbing up the staircase.

I didn’t, though. As soon as I realized the two of them were talking about Baron, I slowed to a crawl and crouched beside the doorway so I could hear as much as possible.