Strings

Chapter 17 - Family

“Somebody brought Marie’s car home. That’s good.

I was going to talk to you about us picking it up.

” He turned the truck off and looked at Grace.

“Gotta mask up. Remember, Tina works at a daycare center, so she interacts with kids and parents all day. Marie schooled her on masks and gloves early on.”

Grace had noticed almost every house in the neighborhood had a deck, and Russell’s did, too.

She could see a big grill out there. Robby opened the front storm door, then unlocked the wooden door with a key on his ring.

Inside was neater than Grace expected with boys, maybe because they weren’t here as much as usual.

“Guy is the nine-year-old and Danny is six, right? And your sister is Tina and she’s thirty-one. ”

“Yes. And a piece of work.”

“You didn’t mention that.” Grace looked through the storm door.

“Something like you. You two will either hate each other or agree on everything.”

“Well, we’re about to find out. They’re turning in. God, those boys must adore you — they opened the doors before the car came to a stop.” She turned to him with wide eyes. “I know nothing about kids, Robby.” She was suddenly nervous.

He stepped closer. “You’ll be fine.” Then, the storm door was flung open, and the boys — both masked — tackled Robby, who pretended to fall and wrestled with them on the floor. Grace looked on in wonder.

Tina appeared in the doorway, masked, and shook her head.

She was Grace’s size with long, shiny brown hair, and like Robby, an angular face, not unattractive but not softened like Marie’s.

She was wearing tight jeans with a long-sleeved, red t-shirt, and turquoise sneakers.

She looked at Grace. “Grace, right? You haven’t spent much time around kids, have you?

I guess I shoulda known. Wouldn’t be Robby’s style. ”

“Hi. No, I’ve not been around kids much and didn’t grow up with siblings. This is amazing.” She looked at the floor where things were slowly winding down amid bursts of laughter from Robby’s tickling.

“Well, take note, if you’re thinking of a future with Robby. He likes kids, but he also likes women.”

“Wait a minute, Tina.” Robby stopped tickling and lifted the boys off him. He stood up, towering over Tina. The boys stood up too and noticed Grace.

“Every word I said is true, and you know it.” Before Robby could respond, Tina looked at Grace. “Take the boys in the kitchen and give ‘em a snack. I have a bone to pick with my brother.”

Grace looked at Tina, who looked right back at her, then at Robby, who was looking at Tina with a look she’d never seen before.

Then she looked at the boys, who were looking at her with curiosity.

She chose the boys. “Let’s get a snack.” Danny walked over to Grace with a serious expression and took her hand.

Grace went with him without hesitation and without looking back.

“I’m Grace,” she said as the boys climbed onto bar stools around the kitchen island that was just like Robby’s, only bigger.

“I’m Guy.”

“Nice to meet you Guy.”

“And this is my little brother, Danny. We’re named after our grandfathers. We can just bump elbows.” Grace leaned across the counter, and they did. Then, Guy said, “Can we take off our masks? To eat?”

The boys looked expectantly at Grace. What should she say?

“Yes . . . while you’re eating. What’s your usual snack?

” Grace wondered if they were paying as much attention as she was to the escalating voices in the living area.

Robby and Tina had moved out of sight, but the floor plan was open.

She’d already heard Tina say, “She’s not only my friend, she’s one of us.

Not some French actress. Or Southern belle. ”

“Sometimes we have Rice Krispies Treats. Aunt Bella made some. In the bread box.” Guy pointed to a faded yellow metal breadbox. Grace had not seen one since she was the boys’ age. One of her grandmothers had one. Her heart melted. She pulled the door down.

“There they are.” Guy smiled and Danny shoved his fist in the air.

“Plates?” Grace looked at Guy.

“Paper towels. With extras.” He pointed at a roll hanging under the cabinets behind Grace.

She ripped off four, one at a time, and handed them to Danny to dispense.

She was glad the treats were in foil, so she could make as much noise as possible to cover the noise coming from the living room. “And what to drink?” she said loudly.

“Milk,” said Danny, getting down from his stool.

Grace looked at Guy with her eyebrows raised. He nodded. Danny backed away from the refrigerator lugging an almost full half-gallon jug of milk. Grace stepped over quickly and took it, saying, “Thank you so much. Wow. This is heavy. You must be really strong.”

Danny looked at Grace and replied solemnly, “I am.”

“Glasses?”

“Up there.” Guy pointed to a cabinet.

Grace turned around, opened the cabinet, and took out two plastic cups, which she held out for approval.

She got nods and poured the milk carefully, remembering the many times as a child when she’d poured milk too fast into her own plastic cup, toppling the cup and spilling the milk. Her mother had never liked messes.

The boys had two treats each. She tried to keep talking to cover the heated conversation in the other room. She heard Robby say, “She used me as much as I used her. I don’t owe her a thing.”

“So what do y’all want to do next?”

“What does that mean?” said Danny.

Grace gave him a blank look.

“He means ‘y’all’,” Guy said.

“Ohhhh.” Grace nodded. “Where I come from, we say that instead of ‘you guys.’ What do you guys want to do next?” They were finishing their milk.

“Uncle Robby is teaching us guitar,” Danny said. “He brought us one from the studio. Wanna see it?”

“Yes. I’d like that very much. Let’s clean up. Y’all crumple the paper towels so no crumbs get on the floor, then put them in the trash.” Her mother hated crumbs. “I’ll rinse the cups. You guys put your masks back on. Then let’s go see your guitar.”

As Grace herded the boys around the corner, she heard Tina say, “You’ve been gone too long. You don’t belong anymore, and she sure doesn’t.” That last statement echoed in Grace’s head, a familiar, unwelcome reminder of home.

She and the boys were on the floor, the boys taking turns showing her the chords Robby had taught them, when she glanced at the door.

He was standing there. He’d aged. He walked in, sat down cross-legged on the floor, and lifted both Danny and the guitar into his lap.

His left hand began fretting while Danny’s right strummed.

They were playing, ‘You Are My Sunshine.’” Guy looked over at Grace.

“Uncle Robby’s teaching us this, but he says we need a smaller guitar. He’s gonna find us one.”

“Let’s sing the chorus for Grace while Danny plays.”

“Which part is the chorus?” Guy asked.

“The part that starts,” and Robby sang, “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Ready?” He looked at Guy, who nodded. “Ready, Danny?” he watched the top of Danny’s head bob. They sang, while Danny strummed and Robby fretted,

You are my sunshine

My only sunshine

You make me happy

When skies are gray

You'll never know, dear

How much I love you

Please don't take my sunshine away

with Robby shifting his gaze to Grace from time to time. When they finished, Grace clapped, then they heard a man’s deep voice in the living room.

“Daddy!” Guy jumped up and ran out the door.

Danny struggled to get out of Robby’s lap.

Robby lifted the guitar high over his head, and Danny scrambled up and ran out of the room.

Robby took a deep breath and stood up. He offered Grace his free hand.

She took it and stood up. He placed the guitar in the stand in the corner, saying, “That’s Russell.

He’ll have news about Marie. Do you want to go out there? ”

“Yes.” Robby reached for her hand, and she took his and pulled him into a hug. He came willingly and they held each other.

When they stood apart, Robby said, “I’m glad you’re here,” and gave her a quick kiss.

They went hand in hand toward the voices.

As they came into the room, the voices ceased.

Grace saw Tina glance at their hands. Russell looked at Grace and started towards her, but stopped when Danny ran over, grabbed Grace’s hand from Robby, and pulled her to stand in front of Russell.

“This is Grace,” Danny said seriously. “She gave us a snack and says ‘y’all.’ It means you guys. ”

“Boozhoo, Grace. Pleased to meet you.”

Danny looked up at Grace, still holding her hand. “That means, Hi.”

Grace looked down at him. “Thank you.” Then she looked at Russell. “Nice to meet you too, Russell. Your sons have made me feel welcomed.”

“Glad to hear that. They’re good boys.”

Robby asked, “How’s Marie?”

Russell was a big man. Not as tall as Robby, but a big and solid. Grace could see kind, brown eyes in a rounder face. His hair was pulled back in a single braid, like Robby’s.

“I got to talk to her and—,” his voice broke. He glanced at Danny and Guy.

Grace looked at Russell and broke in, “Maybe the boys could take me for a walk? Show me around the neighborhood?”

Russell looked at Grace. “Yes . . . yes. I’m sure they’d do that, wouldn’t you?” He looked from one boy to the other. They both nodded.

Grace looked down at Danny, who had never let go of her hand.

“Can we start with the deck? I saw it when we drove up. Decks are my favorite, and yours has that big grill.” They turned, Guy joined them, and they went toward the kitchen door that led out to the deck.

“Look at the benches! My mother’s dock has those. They’re handy, don’t you think?”

“Daddy built this,” Guy said.

“Very cool.”

The door closed.

********

“Nice,” Russell said, nodding and looking towards the door, then at Robby.

“Yes. Now tell me about Marie.” He didn’t even glance at Tina.