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Henry slips into his harness easily, and I secure it before getting to my feet.
The walk back to our apartment is short. There are a lot of reasons why I loved this apartment. The three bestselling factors were that it’s dog-friendly, in the vicinity of campus, and has a dog park relatively close by, so Henry can get enough play time where he can just be a dog and not my eyes, even if it’s only for a few minutes.
As we come to a stop before the front door, I slide my hand into my pocket, pulling out a key, when I hear the soft notes of a guitar playing in the air. I suck in a breath, my whole body going still as I stand and listen. The dark, haunting melody is unfamiliar but so beautiful it makes my heart ache.
Who is playing that?
This is the first time I’ve heard anybody playing here, and I would have known because this is my third year living in this building. Usually, I was the one playing on my keyboard.
Did somebody new move in? I don’t think it’s anybody from my class. I’ve heard their stuff, and it’s nothing like this.
There were some good musicians here, but this was on a completely different level. This person, whoever it was, knew the pain. The song has an edge to it. It is raw and full of heartbreak that you could only produce if you felt it on your own.
Just as suddenly as the music starts, it dies down. I stand there and listen, hoping whoever is playing will continue to do so, but they never do.
Maybe it was just the radio?
Shaking my head, I let out a long breath and push open the door.
“Apartment, Henry.”
Climbing the stairs, we make our way to the second floor, and I unlock the apartment door. Taking Henry’s harness off, I make sure to wipe his paws and give him a treat when my phone chimes with a notification.
Together we make our way to the kitchen as I open the message.
Kate:
Listen to this, Emmett was putting Kaylee to bed.
Sliding my finger down, I tap at the attachment and lift the phone so I can hear my brother-in-law’s voice through the speaker better. Listening to Emmett use his baby voice when talking to his daughter was always priceless.
“Who’s Daddy’s little princess? You are, that’s right. You and your momma, my two beautiful girls.”
As I continue listening to Emmett murmur sweet nothings; that need to do something springs back to life.
A list, that’s what I need.
To put on paper all the things that I want to accomplish this year.
A bucket list of sorts, really.
People do those all the time, so why not me?
I refill Henry’s bowls with fresh water and food before sitting at the kitchen table. I reach for my brailler. The machine looks like a regular typewriter, but it’s adapted for blind people. Grabbing a clean paper from the stack next to it, I put it in the brailler and set everything up, my mind reeling with all the possibilities.
Fearless.
That’s what I want to be.
Fearless.
Like when I asked Emmett to take me riding. Kate almost had a heart attack, but I loved every second of it. I loved the feel of the horse underneath me. I loved the sun on my face and the bite of the wind on my cheeks, messing my hair. I loved the excitement that coursed through me when Emmett taught me how to make the horse go faster.
Where did that girl disappear?
My friends tried to get me to go with them to parties and games, but more often than not, I told them no.
More determined than ever, I start typing. My fingers fly over the keys, and I don’t let myself overthink it too much, so I don’t chicken out. Once I think I’m done, I pull the paper out of the machine and run my fingers over the sheet as I read out loud.
