“That’s true, I guess.” Savi plays a few chords, and Crystal marvels at the smooth vibrations that erupt into the silent room. “Though it’s never quiet in my house.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.” Savi sighs. “I just want everything to be how it was before.”

“Before what?”

“Before my dad died.”

“Oh, sweetie, I know. It’s so hard.”

“My mom was so much happier then.”

“Well, losing a husband can be really hard.”

“I keep trying to fix things to make her happy, but nothing works.”

Bec is silent, and something cracks inside Crystal.

“You know what would make her so happy?”

“What?” Savi asks.

“For you to be happy.”

“That doesn’t work either.”

“Hmm. Well, what do you think is making her the most unhappy?” Bec finally asks.

“That’s easy.”

Before Savi can answer, Crystal pokes her head into the room. “Savi, honey? Time to go.” Savi is curled up next to Bec, as though she’s going to hear a bedtime story. Bec stretches her legs and prepares to stand.

“But you said I could stay.”

“And you have. Now, it’s time to go.” She keeps her voice neutral so as not to be combative.

“Fine.” Savi grumbles and packs up her cello.

“See you soon?” Bec says.

“But I’m already here now.”

Bec laughs. “That’s true, but you don’t want to get in trouble.” She drops her voice to a mock whisper. Savi scowls at her mother and moves carefully down the stairs with her cello case.

“I’m going to be in for it during her teenage years, huh?”

Rebecca laughs. “Without a doubt.”

They say good-bye. Outside, Crystal loads Savi’s cello into the trunk, and her phone vibrates again. She hesitates, silences it once more, and gets in the car.

“Hungry?” she asks.

“Starved,” Savi answers.

She reverses onto the street and drives downtown.

“Why did you make me leave?” Savi says. “We don’t even have anything to do now. I could have played longer.”

“Well, because you’d already taken up a lot of Ms. Rebecca’s time, and I’m just trying to be sensitive since she has Jackson. And other lessons.”

Savi crosses her arms and pouts. “Jackson isn’t even like a real baby. He never cries.”

She shrugs. “Some babies are better than others.” As she says it, she backtracks. “I don’t mean better. Just less fussy.” On their drive, she points out a few new sights to Savi—the middle school and high school she’ll go to someday. While she talks, a thought worms into her mind, one she can’t seem to shake.

You can’t outrun the truth.

12

BEC

After they leave, I try to distract myself with house chores and emails. I have no more lessons for the day. I think about texting Jake, then decide against it. I’m not ready to open the door to the past. Not yet … maybe not ever.