“We’re not complaining,” the man said. “But it sounded like you had some live music going and we just wanted to say hello.”
“I’m so sorry,” Bella said, looking stricken.
“Nonsense, dear,” the lady told her. “It’snot that late yet, and you know we love music. Our granddaughter sent us that wonderful video of your boy. We thought maybe it was him.”
Bella glanced over her shoulder and Cash looked to Cody, who nodded.
“Do you want to come in?” Bella asked the couple. “That was Cody playing, and we have a visitor too.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” the lady said. “Is that who I think it is?”
“This is my dad, Mrs. Waters,” Cody said. “Dad, this is Mr. and Mrs. Waters.”
My dad…
Cash felt a wave of emotion so strong that it took all he had just to smile and nod to Mr. and Mrs. Waters. They introduced themselves all around, and Cash and Cody gave another performance of “City Boy Blues” for them.
After that Mr. Waters requested “Blue Suede Shoes” and he even took a turn with the harmonica while Cody sang and Cash played his son’s guitar.
“Well, we’d better let you get to it,” Mrs. Waters said, hoisting herself out of her chair. “But this was so much fun.”
“We’ll do it again sometime,” Cash told her, shaking Mr. Waters’s hand.
“It’s a school night,” Bella reminded Cody. “So you’ll have to get ready for bed too.”
She walked their guests to the door as Cash handed Cody back the guitar.
“Thanks for letting me play,” Cash said.
“Sure,” the boy said with a shrug and a shy half-smile.
“I’m going to talk with your aunt real fast after you head to bed,” Cash told him. “But thank you so much for letting me hang out a little. If it’s okay with you and with her, I’d like to see you again as soon as possible.”
“Sure,” Cody said. “Yeah. That would be good.”
There was another awkward second where Cash wasn’t sure how the kid would want to say goodbye. Cash held out his hand, but Cody went in for a real hug.
It was a quick one, but Cash relished the moment of having his son in his arms for the first time.
“See you soon,” Cody said as he let go.
“Definitely,” Cash told him.
As Cody headed back to his room, Cash realized that Bella had been watching them.
12
BELLA
Bella’s heart ached as she watched Cody and Cash embracing.
Tonight had gone so well. Every time things had been about to get awkward, something had happened, for better or for worse, to get them back on track.
And while they hadn’t quite seemed like father and son while they were chatting on the sofa, the minute the musical instruments were out it felt like they had been a family forever.
It was nicer than she’d expected. But hearing Cody introduce Cash as his father, and seeing him give him a hug at the end of the night scared her a little.
It’s good that he’s not afraid to open his heart,she reminded herself.It means that he feels safe, even after losing his mom and moving out here.
