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“No, you have to sing the song,’ TJ said.
Trey had no idea what he was talking about. “What song?” He looked at Hugh, who shrugged slightly. They’d all visited for several minutes before TJ’s restlessness had prompted Hugh to take him out on the farm for an hour while Beth finished up their Sunday afternoon meal.
Though Trey had eaten already, he’d stayed, and he’d eaten a little of the rabbit stew Beth had put together. She was an excellent cook, and Trey had marveled at her nervousness to serve him her food. By the end of the meal, though, she’d relaxed.
Her father had cleaned up the kitchen for her while she and Trey sat on the couch and she told him about Hugh and Sally, her brother and sister, both of whom lived right here in Dreamsville. Both married. Both with children.
Hugh’s wife had taken their two kids to visit her parents for the weekend, so he’d come alone. Sally was a bit of a black sheep, and according to Beth, she hadn’t known how to relate to Beth after Danny had died.
“That’s not true,” her dad had said, coming into the conversation near the end of it.
“It is true,” Beth said. “She said it right to my face.”
“She still comes around the house.”
“That’s because she’s not living the life you want.”
Confusion had riddled Trey’s mind too, and it manifested itself right on Clyde’s face. “What does that mean, hon?”
“It means Sally feels guilty coming here. She has the wonderful, doting husband, and the three kids, and she knows I want that too.” She looked back and forth between Trey and her father. “She doesn’t know what to say to me. She doesn’t like coming, because she thinks I’ll feel bad.”
“Do you feel bad?” Trey had asked, and one look at Beth’s face had answered that question.
“No,” she said with her voice, but her eyes had said yes.
About that time, TJ and Hugh had returned, and TJ had gotten a new game he wanted to play. Beth had gotten up, still talking with her dad about Sally, and they’d gone into the kitchen to make coffee.
“Thereisa song, silly,” TJ said, bringing Trey back to the game. “It goes, Got my wish, got my wish, now I get to guess another fish.”
Trey laughed, because there was no way that was true. “Do I have to sing it just like that?” he asked. “Holding out that last word like that?”
“Yes,” TJ said, and he was dead serious.
“All right,” Trey said, “But I’ll warn you, I’m not a great singer.” He cleared his throat and hoped Beth’s attention would stay way across the room. “”Got my wish, got my wish, now I get to guess anotherfiiiiish.” The last word turned into a chuckle that Trey could not contain.
TJ laughed too, and Hugh’s laughter covered both of them.
“What’s so funny over here?” Beth asked.
“Trey singed a funny song,” TJ said, still giggling.
“It’s sang, baby,” Beth said. “Treysanga funny song.”
“Trey sang a funny song.”
She smiled at him and pushed his hair off his forehead. “Your hair is getting long, Teej. We should go see Miss Anna.”
“Okay,” her son said, clearly disinterested in a haircut. “Who’s turn is it?”
“Mine,” Beth said. “I need to borrow Trey for a little bit.” She flicked a nervous glance in his direction. “Hugh?”
“I’ll take his hand,” Hugh said, lifting TJ off his lap and putting him on the ground. “Me and you will play.”
Trey set his cards down and got to his feet, his heartbeat doing a strange dance in his chest. All he could think about was Beth’s stipulation, and his mouth and throat turned to sand. Could he kiss her?
Today?
He hadn’t come over here with that in mind, though he supposed kissing Beth was always on his mind.
