Page 97 of Strum Me

Or should I find out, once and for all, what he really wants?

I take out my phone and bring up his name.

I know it was you. Don’t even try to deny it. What do you want?

I press Send. And sit. And wait.

***

“Emily, how nice to hear from you.” His voice over the phone makes me slide my hands over my arms, brushing away imaginary creepy crawlies.

“Don’t give me that bullshit. I know it was you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Sending the police to check up on Ben, that was low. Even for you, Silas.”

“I don’t know what you mean. Must be a great big misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding, my ass!”

“Oh no, sweetheart. I’ve always read your ass just as you’d intended.”

“You better stop with all this, Silas. I don’t know what you’re planning, but it’s got to stop.”

“Look. I don’t know what you’re talking about, okay? But anyway, since you called. Have you given any more thought to coming to work for my band?”

His question completely blindsides me and I don’t even have a response. Why on earth would I have thought about it? I’d made it clear that I had no interest in coming to write for him whatsoever at the Snow Festival.

“Can I take that silence as something promising?”

“You can take it as me trying to adopt the motto of ‘If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.’”

“My my, I don’t remember you being so feisty. Maybe traveling with a rock band has had a bad effect on you.”

“I can only imagine what would happen to my potty mouth if I were traveling with you.”

“Look, relax. I didn’t call to fight. I called to offer the job to you again. Have you been reading the write-ups about the Snow Festival? Hardly anyone mentioned us. The ones who did, though, loved our set, but we need more exposure. We don’t just want you to write up silly little columns for us; we want you to head our PR team.”

“I don’t know the first thing about PR, Silas.” Not that it matters.

“You know how to put us in a good light, get our name out there. I’m seeing how you did it for the Rock Chamber Boys. Now you can do it for us, from the ground up.”

“They were already Grammy-winning artists, Silas. I know I don’t need to remind you.” I can’t help rubbing in.

“And this time next year, so will we. If what I have in mind goes as I planned.”

“Does that include Ben?”

“Back to that? You know, you’re so short-minded. The more successful I am, the better it is for him. Have you ever thought of that? And anyway, maybe you should remember that if it weren’t for me you wouldn’t even have a Ben. So don’t be so ungrateful. I gave you the one person you love most in the world.”

I shouldn’t have brought Ben up. Just the thought of Silas having anything to do with him makes my heart twist. “Are you threatening me again?”

“I never did, my dear. Just a friendly reminder is all. Anyway, gotta go. Have a think again about what I’m offering. A good, long, smart think.”

He hangs up the phone and I listen to the beeping tone until it finally turns off.

I push myself up off the bed and creep into Ben’s room. He’s sound asleep, curled up around his Iron Man toy, his broken arm stretched out in front of him. I pull the blankets he’s kicked off up over him and sit there watching him. Watching my sweet little monkey. Thinking back on all the joy he’s brought me, all the love, all the laughter. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him.

I never thought that that would be tested, though. I just knew that when it came down to it, the only thing that would matter would be what was best for him.

He stirs as I press a kiss to his forehead. He pulls his toy in closer, then falls back into his slumber, free from worry. Safe. Loved.

And I vow to protect him. Always.