ANDERSON “ANDI” ROE:
I jolted awake.
I’d fallen asleep on the couch. Bent wires and some batteries scattered around my feet. I rubbed my eyes, sat up. My supply box sat half open on the floor.
It took me a second to remember. I’d been trying to sort everything. Catalogue what we had.
It took me a few more seconds to remember Elise. I chewed on the inside of my cheek and crammed all the supplies back into the box.
I asked, “How long was I asleep?”
Chaos’s voice from the kitchen. “An hour? Maybe a little more?”
That didn’t feel right. I rubbed my eyes, stood up, and peered out the window. The sun was dipping towards the horizon.
“That was way more than an hour.”
Ivy’s voice: “Yeah, maybe two? Three?”
They were sitting at the table. Next to each other, backs straight, arms crossed. Ivy’s eyes darted to Chaos and back to me. Told me, “Nothing happened.”
I made a face. “What happened?”
“She’s taking everything too seriously.” Chaos stood up. “We need to make dinner. I’ll help you.”
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Rice and green beans. Slightly burnt because I kept staring at the front door, willing Elise to pull it open, walk in, everyone safe. I added some dried oregano and basil to hide the taste.
It’s fine, that’s what I told myself. It’s fine. We picked at our food, kept glancing at the door, tried to act like the silence wasn’t bothering us.
Daisy kept fidgeting with her fork, and somehow managed to knock over her glass of water, spilling it into Chaos’s lap and all over the floor.
“Ugh, Daisy!”
“We have some spare towels,” I told Walter, “In that drawer.”
Walter came back with a small towel in his hand and started to clean up the mess. Chaos glared at him, and somehow, I already knew what was gonna happen.
“Let me do it,” Chaos snapped, and she snatched the towel from Walter.
Walter snatched it back from her. “I can do it myself. You don’t have to be so controlling.”
That did it for Chaos. Her eyes flashed with rage, and they were both gripping the towel, and neither would let go.
“You ruin everything!”
“What?! Where would you be right now if it wasn’t for me?”
“At home. With more food.” Chaos turned to me. “Andi, you know I’m right.”
Ridiculous. That’s what this was. I set my fork into my bowl. “What happened while I was asleep?”
“It’s Elise,” Ivy said, “they’ve been acting weird about it all day.”
I asked, “Really?”
Ivy clutched her book. “Really.”
Walter let go of the towel and mumbled some sort of apology. Chaos replied with some sort of insult and cleaned the rest.
I watched them closely: Ivy and Walter exchanged glances. Chaos made slow circles with the rag, her face slightly flushed.
Five minutes later, we were all sitting again in silence.
Walter apologized for a second time, and I told him that it was okay. Daisy said, “Why’s no one talking?” And nobody replied.
Our silverware clinked against bowls.
Walter broke the silence. “I didn’t know you guys had a guitar.”
“Oh.” Chaos stabbed at her rice. “Nice to know you were snooping.”
Walter glared at her, “Don’t start this.”
I said, “You play guitar?”
“A little.”
“Yes!” Daisy grinned, “He can play this pretty song.”
Ivy did not look up from her book. “I want to hear it.”
“Grab the guitar,” I said, “We all want to hear you play.”
“I don’t,” grumbled Chaos.
Walter’s face turned a bright shade of red. “Oh, I didn’t ask to play it, I wanted to start a conversation.”
“Wow. Some conversation,” Chaos muttered.
“Just play it!”
“He’s probably gonna break the guitar!”
I shot Chaos an irritated look.
Walter said, “I won’t break it, I promise.” And he came back with the guitar, put on the strap, and took a deep breath.
We listened as Walter sat down and tuned the guitar. Ivy closed her book. Chaos pretended to yawn.
He started to pick the guitar strings, and for the first time in two years, I got to hear music again. It was a slower song. Each note plucked out. Rich old strings. The hum and sustain and the way each note harmonized with the next. Was music always like this?
I looked over at Chaos. She hugged her knees, something soft in her expression. Were those tears in her eyes?
Walter started to sing, and I remembered something my old middle school teacher used to say. How music is the math of the soul. How math is the music of the mind. And it never made sense to me until right then.
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The lyrics Walter sang:
Do you know what the world could hold?
Have you danced within its streets?
Have you seen the sky turn gold?
As the sun and horizon meet?
Give me all the wonders of the world, but nothing compares to you.
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He picked the guitar strings for a little longer and let the music fade. I realized I was holding my breath.
“Play more,” Chaos demanded.
Walter held the guitar close. “I don’t really know the rest.”
“Play it again.” And then she added, “Please.”
Which made him laugh, and he played the song again, and even though we already heard the song before, it didn’t take away its effect.
“I know a few other songs,” Walter said after he finished.
“Play them!”
He was able to play classic rock to some bouncy music that made even Chaos bob her head to the beat. We begged to hear another song—any song. And surprisingly, Walter knew a lot of them.
Once it was dark, I stood up, stepped out into the night. I pressed my back against the stucco, tried to block out the muffled music.
She should’ve been home by now. Why wasn’t she home?5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXi2Tg7gBJx
The door squealed, and Ivy stood next to me.
“I should’ve been looking for her.” Something tight in my throat. “I can’t believe I fell asleep.”
“She’s gonna be fine,” Ivy told me. “She’s gonna be home any minute now.”
I almost said: don’t lie to me. Instead, I pressed my knuckles against my mouth, kept my eyes on the path.
The door opened again, and Chaos stood on my other side. Watching, waiting. Walter and Daisy behind her. Someone whispered: please, please, please
A few more minutes. A silhouette. A few more steps, and the alarm blared.
Her voice: “Andi, it’s me!”
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and then Add to home screen.