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  Jimmy went through the basics, not good, but not terrible, then I reached for his guitar and he released it to me, “Now, watch, this is what can be done with what you just did. Hey! Eyes on the fretboard, not me.” I started with the progression he did, then I threw down some of my most intricate progressions. I handed the guitar back to the stunned boy who held it like it was on fire, just as Mrs. W walked in.

  She winked at me. “I see you have met one of my other students Jimmy. I hope she gave a little inspiration for you to practice a little more religiously.” Apparently he still couldn't speak and just nodded, still looking between me and his guitar. Mrs. W looked at me. “Thank you Miss Harris, I'll see you when Jimmy is done with his lesson.” “Yes Mrs. Wellington.” Damn, that was both fun and funny.

  I trudged out to see Bella sitting behind the front desk with an amused smile on her face. I shook my head. “You do know that she has some sort of evil book with all these 'shock value' schemes in them don't you?” She nodded, “Yes of course, she uses it to prop up the corner of this desk.”

  Then pushed back in the chair and stood then ran around the desk and grabbed my hand dragging me backwards toward the back sound-room with a pleading look. “Since you are getting roped into doing favors today, can you do one for me? Pleeeeease?” she continued with a pouty lower lip, eyes locking mine in a knee weakening gaze. My God! Not fair! I cry foul! I was lost in those eyes, she pretty much owned me at that point, I just nodded. She bumped the door open with her backside, still dragging me while walking backwards. “Would you... sing, for me? I want to 'hear' YOU, not a recording.”

  Wait, goddess says what? I nodded again and she looked like she had just won the lottery. She ran to the cabinet beside the sound console, unlocked it with a key hanging around her neck, then loaded a tape from it into the reel to reel player. She hit play and dragged a chair over to a speaker and pulled me down into the chair, sitting herself on the speaker, as piano music filled the room.

  I recognized it immediately as one of my own, but the modulations and tone had an almost ethereal quality to them. She stared into my eyes like a giddy schoolgirl as I started to sing. She reached up with both hands tentatively toward my face asking permission with her expression. I smiled and she placed her hands on either side of my face as I continued, knowing this is how she 'heard' her mother.

  The music dipped and pulsed creating intriguing harmonies and reverberations with my voice. This pianist was amazing. It was like the arrangement was tailored specifically to harmonize my voice, it was hard to believe it was my own music. I was in heaven, feeling the warmth of her hands, inhaling her scent as I sang. I could feel my music in a new way.

  Then she closed her eyes, this angel looked at peace. Suddenly the harmonies grew into something larger than themselves as another instrument chimed in. It almost didn't register that it was Bella humming as I sang. It matched point and counter point to my melodies as the song wound down, then I could feel her hot breath on my face.

  I opened my eyes, not even remembering closing them. Her blue eyes were darker than before, electric, holding my brown, our lips inches apart, our breathing ragged. I moved forward slightly and she matched me, our lips connecting, her body pushing into mine.

  I couldn't tell where I ended and she began as she sucked in my lower lip nibbling then her tongue lightly played with my upper. It felt like we were breathing our lives into each other, I was getting hot in all the right places. Then she pulled away, gasping for air and blushing profusely, leaving me gasping, wanting more.

  She smiled demurely at me. “Thank you M, recordings don't do justice to your 'true' voice.” She bashfully looked down and shuffled off to the tape deck leaving my body tingling in shock from the kiss. I was still not coherent enough for speech.

  She retrieved her tape and locked it away. Then that beautiful woman stopped a pace away from me as if she were scared, and put her hand out for me to take. A pleading look on her face. I grabbed it and she dragged me back out to the waiting room and we sat. Anabella kept a distance between us though she never released my hand. Almost as though she feared I would run away if she released it.

  “I'm sorry.” she whispered, “I got carried away.” She locked eyes with me searching for an idea as to what I was thinking “Your singing was so right, and you looked so beautiful the way you let it flow through you. Please don't hate me.” I smiled, letting myself drift still almost feeling her lips on mine “Please, never apologize to me, and how could I ever be mad at you? The kiss was perfect. It was the second greatest moment of my life so far. Next to having June.”

  She got a little serious and timid. “Please don't tell Sarina I kissed you. I... I've never told anyone that I've ever thought about kissing another girl before. I don't want to disappoint her. This can never happen again.” She paused and added almost silently, “But I'm glad it was with you.”

  Never again? It felt like I was punched in the gut. I looked at her and took a quick deep breath and exhaled it “No one will know it happened unless you want them to. I don't know how you did it to me, but just so you know, if you ever want that life, I'm pretty much yours already. Then I can help you break it to her if you need the support, on your time table, if ever. If you need to discuss it, I'm always here, it is an important thing, a scary thing.” She nodded and wiped a tear from her cheek.

  She giggled suddenly, almost snorting, her hand covering her lips. The sound of a puppy and kitten having a death-match cuddle-fest would pale in comparison. “What?” I almost laughed out at her sudden mirth. She playfully slapped my arm. “My first kiss.” She stated like it was THE quintessential “Duh” moment, “and I had to wait almost nineteen years for it.”

  We just sat there for the rest of the hour in un-speaking silence, just happily soaking in our closeness. Then the door to room two opened and Jimmy wandered out followed by Mrs. W. He slowed as he passed me then turned, “I'm sorry Miss Harris, but could I please get your autograph? Noneofmyfriendswilleverbelieveme.” he spat out as he held out a pen and some paper in his shaking hand. I think his head was about to explode. Boom, squish! Brainz!

  “Jimmy!” Mrs. Wellington snapped. I held up my hand. “No, it's alright. I have an idea.” I reached out for his guitar case and he handed it over like he was in a trance. I took out his guitar and walked to the desk and grabbed a Sharpie, then wrote, “Jimmy, thanks for jamming with me. Your friend, Mandy Harris” on the guitar and handed it to him. “Now they gotta believe ya.”

  He held it out from his body like it might burst into flame any second, then sort of wandered off dragging his case behind him repeating, “Omygod Omygod Omygod.” When the door closed we all laughed so hard we cried. Mrs. W slapped my hand. “Mandy, you evil child. I think you broke the poor boy.”

  Once I could speak again I asked the blue eyed wonder “So, who was the pianist in that recording you played me? It was amazing.” Ana blushed a little and interrupted Mrs. W before she could speak “Nobody special.” Mrs. Wellington shot her an accusatory glance.

  We spent the rest of the morning chatting and laughing between classes until noon rolled around. It came too quickly, I was having the time of my life. Though a small pang of regret still tugged at my gut.

  My phone rang, I checked the caller ID, seeing it was the record label again, I rejected the call muttering, “They just don't get the message that I'm done.” Mrs. W looked at me questioningly. I sighed. “The damn record label or my old manager calls at least once a day trying to get me to come back.”

  Bella put on a fierce face, well it was sexy, but as fierce as she could get. “They'll have to come through me to get to you. Unless they have banana cream pie that is, banana cream pie is fighting dirty, it's soooo yummy.”

  “A girl has to have her priorities.” I snorted, turning to my old mentor. “It has been heaven getting together again, and I hope you don't mind if I haunt the place frequently.” She moved close and gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “You are a
lways welcome here; you are like the hyper daughter that I never had.” With an extra squeeze, she pressed a key into my hand.

  Simultaneously Bella and I proffered our elbows to each other uttering, “Shall we?” in unison. We laughed and she grabbed my arm with both hands giggling out, “We shall!” as I drug her out the door. “To Dave's!” her voice chimed out.

  Chapter 6 – The Other Task

  During the consumption of one of the best tuna melts I have ever experienced, we chatted. It was punctuated with innocent flirts and laughs that just tore at my insides. Didn't Bella know what she was doing to me? It hurt so much knowing it couldn't go any farther than the fleeting touches and gazes. But I wouldn't push it, even though I could still feel her lips on mine. But I was happy to pay the price if it meant getting to spend more time with her.

  It struck me as funny, I drank to wash away the feelings, any feeling. Now I was happy to endure these new painful feelings, just to be with the woman I've fallen in love with. What? Shit! I don't mean that. Do I? I'm Mandy Harris, I don't love. Wait, wake up idiot, she's speaking to you! “Hmm?”

  “You must rent space there in la la land, I thought I lost you again!” she laughed. “Ham was asking if you wanted dessert. I ordered pie,” she scrunched into her seat hugging her herself rocking back and forth, “banana cream pie!” Whoa! Holy crap, how does she do that!? Just when you think she couldn't be any more adorable, she pulls this out of her bag of tricks. I reassert, evil! Evil I say!

  “Ummm... yeah. I'll have a slice of apple please, if you got it, Ham.” I say to him without breaking eye contact with Bella's crystal blue sources of joy, a dreamy feeling being conveyed through them. Is she doing this on purpose? I glanced at Dave and smiled. He had nothing but humor written on his face as he looked back and forth between Bella and I, biting his tongue. He looked to be holding back a laugh as he said “You got it.” Then he stopped signing and leaned down to whisper in my ear to address my fascination, “I know right? Those sisters are a force of nature.”

  Anabella started yelling at us in mirth, “Hey! Foul! I cry foul! No whispering!” Dave looked at her shaking his head in amusement, which was a good look on his chiseled features. “I was just telling Mandy that we should withhold your pie, and watch the withdrawal.” He winked at her and I actually snorted at the sad puppy dog eyes that suddenly appeared on her face. “Fine, pie coming up.” He laughed, his shoulders sloping in defeat.

  I watched him wander off behind the counter to slice up some pie. I turned back to Anabella and we engaged in a battle with our eyes, trying to get the other to laugh. Only to be startled by Dave materializing moments later with the fruity offerings, setting them down in front of us, then winking at us as he handed us each a fork.

  Dave and I turned toward the door, Bella following our gaze as the bell tinkled. One of the rubbernecking boys from yesterday walked in, looking back toward our booth. His face was creased with a mixture of anxiety and excitement beneath his shaggy curly blonde hair as he walked up to the register instead of proceeding back.

  Dave wiped his hands on the towel that he had slung over his shoulder and gave us a reassuring look as he turned back to the boy, and walked back up to the front to speak with him. After a few seconds of them speaking back and forth in hushed tones that I couldn't make out, and them casting glances back toward us every few seconds, Anabella stifled a laugh.

  I turned to her and looked a question at her and she said “He's so cute. He's almost begging Dave to let him ask you for an autograph. Something about you... and favorite... and since he was ten.”

  I couldn't help but smile at her entertainment, and her ability to read lips from here. Note to self, sweep the perimeter for nearby temptress redheads before speaking about her to anyone. This put me in an even better mood, and I grabbed a pen from my purse and scribbled, “Thanks for the lunch. Mandy Harris” onto a napkin and handed it to her. Nudging my eyes toward the boy.

  She looked at the napkin then at me with mischief on her face as she stood. I watched every curve of her body, the feminine sway of her hips as she walked up to the boy and said something to him. Then she handed him the napkin and leaned down slightly to kiss the boy on the cheek. She then gave a wink to Dave and wandered back to sit down and held her breath as we both watched the kid.

  The boy looked back and forth between the napkin, Anabella, and myself. He touched his cheek and wandered out the door, bumping into the frame, but navigated past it the second time. The door closed then Bella snorted and exhaled, leaving a trail of chiming laughter as it went. Her snort eliciting one of my own as we looked at each other again.

  “What did you say to him?” I eyeballed the giggling queen of the pixies across from me, as she picked up her fork and started loading it with pie. A deliciously evil look crossed her face. “I just thanked him for being a gentleman and not interrupting our meal. I thought he was going to die when I kissed his cheek.” I picked up my fork and started in on my pie as well.

  I shook my head incredulously. “Such a blatant tease! And to a poor unsuspecting boy. You do know he'll never wash his cheek again don't you? That just can't be sanitary.” She stuck her tongue out at me then slowly took a bite of her pie, closing her eyes, and savoring it. I think I dropped my fork, I can't be sure, my body was flush with heat. Thinking shunted to emergency power! Oh yeah, breathe!

  She looked at me with an innocent “what?” look. I growled at her, “I rest my case! Tease!” We laughed and I retrieved my fork and we finished our slices of delectable pie. Dave appeared like a ninja as we grabbed our purses to leave, how the hell does he time things that well? We scooted out of OUR booth and he bear hugged us both as we gave our farewells.

  We started walking back toward to the car with Bella on my arm. I again admired how this block had been reclaimed, and how charming the cobblestone sidewalk was. I caught myself hoping that this urban renewal would expand to the block Harmony was on.

  I turned to Bella and I asked, “So where to? Sar said you had another task today.” Her eyes brightened. “Only my favorite time of the week. We can walk, it's not far.” She looked a plea at me. I smiled. “Shall we?” “We shall!” I'm pretty sure that is now our “thing”. Hey, don't judge. Why is my mind babbling again?

  We turned on our heels and wandered back past Dave's. Then two short blocks later, honestly I could walk beside this pixie all day, we walked up to a charming public library, its facade made it look like an old New England style library. We entered the large oak doors with the huge brass handles and she turned around and playfully grabbed both of my hands and dragged me way to the back by the children's books. Glancing backwards as she navigated toward our mysterious destination, her shoes clacking on the white marble floors.

  Bella was smiling a mischievous secret the whole way. I could tell she was excited to share this with me. Her excitement was contagious as I felt my own anticipation rising.

  In the far corner of the library, we came to a bunch of bean bag chairs filled with boys and girls that looked to be various ages from toddler to about five or six. They were all arranged in a semi-circle facing a short little table with four little chairs that were obviously made for kids. I could see parents hovering in the nearby aisles, making a bad effort of pretending to be looking at books when the whole world knew they were just keeping an eye on their kids.

  The backdrop for this nook was a huge multipanned window below the cathedral ceiling of the library. The fluted columns just gave more ambiance to the setting. I could see how this could feel almost like a magical area for the children, with all the brightly colored shelves and the dinosaur rug under the sitting area.

  It was like someone hit a power switch somewhere in the universe as Anabella dragged me into the middle of the group of quietly waiting, fidgety children, and to the table. Upon seeing us, they erupted suddenly, jumping up with smiles and screams, and running up to us. At least three of them attached themselves to Anabella's legs, hugging her. I could hear
lots of little voices all around welcoming “Miss Ana” and “Who's that pretty lady.” and plenty of giggles to go around.

  “Okay. Okay. Okay.” Anabella laughed. “Come on bumblebees, lets take our seats.” They all ran and jumped into their beanbag chairs and turned to face her. The area went silent. “Hello my bumblebees, welcome to story time.” She made a single gesture that almost looked like a salute, and all the kids did the same. I'm assuming it was “hello”.

  “We have a special guest today. I'd like you all to say hello to Miss Mandy Fay. She'll be helping out today.” She knows my middle name? She's full of surprises. A chorus of “Hello Miss Mandy,” in the key of cute, sang out. All the children made that motion again. “Hello, children.” I responded mimicking the sign, “I'm happy to be here.”

  They all turned their attention back to Anabella as she spoke. “Before we read 'The Bird in the Hat' let's see how you are doing on your homework.” They all nodded and murmured.

  She made sure everyone was looking then she said “Thank you” and signed it. They all responded “Thank you” and signed it. Next was, “You're welcome”. Then “Please.” I did them as well. The last one was “Okay”.

  “Very good my bumblebees. Now the new one for this week is 'love'.” She signed it. We all said “Love” and mimicked the action. Anabella radiated nothing but pride for the children. “Okay! Let's hear a story now shall we? She sat at one of the tiny chairs at the table, grabbing my arm and pulling me down into one as well. Damn these things are small.

  She grabbed a book off the top of the little stack on the table. As she opened it, a little girl who couldn't have been more than three or four, in a darling frilled dress, her blonde hair tied up in a ponytail, wandered over and climbed into Bella's lap. “Hi peanut.” She kissed the top of the girl's head and started reading.