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Cora tapped her own in imitation. If she’d noticed that, maybe
Thom had a chance at a summer kiss of his own. Charles
needed to decide whether he wanted to help his brother in that
regard.
Minnie sat next to Thom on the bench. “Play something!”
Thom’s feet worked the pedals and the first few notes of “All
Creatures of Our God and King” tumbled out, lifting along the
rafters and pushing aside the weight of dust and dim. Some
of the tightness left Charles’s chest. He did not know how to fix
the holes his absence would leave for Thom, but he hoped music
would help.
“Boring!” Minnie said. “Do you only know hymns?”
Grinning mischievously, Thom’s well-trained fingers transi-
tioned immediately into a ragtime piece. Not “Maple Leaf Rag,”
as none of them would ever again be able to hear that song without
dreadful associations, but another fast, rowdy, joyous tune.
Minnie squealed with delight, standing and twirling through
the church to the closed front door, where Arthur leaned in the
shadows. “Dance with me!”
The line between Cora’s brows appeared. “Perhaps this isn’t
appropriate for a church?”
Minnie spun by, dragging Arthur with her. Charles cursed his
lack of breath. The walk here had cost him already, though he
tried to hide it.
“Don’t be sour, Cora,” Minnie said. “How could God hate
anything that makes your heart feel like dancing?”
Charles nudged Cora with his shoulder, forcing her to look at
him as he gave her his most winning grin. He knew the full impact
of his large hazel eyes, as well as Cora’s proprietary desire to make
him happy. She shook her head and darted nervous glances back
