“Oh, I assumed it was one of those other two fellas.”
“I can assure you that is not my father, or his uncle,” said Eric pointing to Luke.They pushed past the guard and stood at the edge of the stage, watching as a little boys’ fingers flew across the keyboard.
Tailor and Alec stepped out of the shadows and held their fingers to their lips.
“That’s crazy good,” said Luke.“Is he one of the artists?”
“Look at him, Luke,” said Alec.“That boy is wearing rags.He’s got no shoes on his feet and he’s about as dirty as a little boy can be.”
“We need to speak to him,” said Cam.The men stepped forward and suddenly a little girl came running on stage.She gripped the boy’s arm and pulled him off the bench.
“Don’t hurt him!He didn’t do nothin’ wrong.He just wanted to see the piano.”
“Honey, we’re not going to hurt you or the boy,” said Alec.
The little boy stared up at him, his eyes wide with terror.Alec remembered that same look from his own son, Keith.He kneeled on front of him and stared at the boy.
“My name is Alec.”
The boy said nothing, turning to stare up at all the men surrounding him and the girl.Tailor decided he should kneel as well.He held out his hand and the boy jumped back.
“We won’t hurt you,” said Cam.
“He can’t hear you,” she said quietly.
“What?” frowned Luke.“How can he not hear but play like that?”
“I-I don’t know.It’s been that way for a few years now.We didn’t mean to touch the piano it just makes a sound like we’ve never heard before.”
“Sweetie, you can touch that piano all day long if it makes y’all happy,” said Alec.“But I’ve never in my life met a musician who is deaf.”
She shrugged her shoulders and her brother reached for the keys again, as if desperate to finish his playing.
“He can play,” said Luke.“It’s alright.I swear to you we will not hurt you or him.”
The girl turned the boy toward her and moved her fingers in front of her body, as if playing an air piano.He looked at the men and they all nodded, smiling at him.His face lit up as he took the seat on the bench again and his fingers started to move.
“What’s your name?” asked Luke.The girl appeared frightened at first, then just let out a long breath and shook her head.
“If you separate us, we’ll just run away again.”
“Honey, we don’t want to separate you, we want to help you if we can,” said Eric.“We were all in the military, soldiers and sailors once upon a time.Now we help people who need it.I think you need it.I can tell that your clothes are dirty, worn, torn in places and it doesn’t look as though you’ve had a good meal any time recently.”
The little girl sat down on the stage and the men all lowered themselves, some kneeling, some sitting to be at eye level with her.Tears silently fell down her cheeks as she shuddered with deep breaths.
“I’m so tired,” she croaked.
“Honey, what’s your name?” asked Luke.
“Sutton.That’s my brother, Pippen.We call him Pip.”
“We?” asked Hex.
“You swear you’re gonna help and not split us up?” she asked with dirt-streaked tears.
“I swear on a stack of bibles as tall as I am,” said Eric.
“There are four others.They’re back stage hiding right now.”
