A Jazzful Heart

Chapter 1: Sadie learns about Jazz

A soft knock came at my door.  I was surprised to hear the knock to be honest, but then I heard my stepbrother's voice.

"Sadie," he said in his gravely voice as soft as he could, I was still so scared after Pa tried to hit me, "It's me Ian, come on Sadie, I know you're in there!"

I quietly went to my purple painted door, the only thing I could paint in this awful place, I loved purple and it was the only thing that kept me happy most of the day.  I looked through my little peephole through my door.  Ian stood there, with his left hazel brown eye looking black and blue.  I guess Pa hit him after he missed me.

His sandy brown hair was messy and his freckles were still prominent as I stared through the glass peephole.

"Come on, Sadie, I know you are awake, I can hear you cryin'!"  Ian was getting impatient, but I didn't care, I was just too scared.

He raised his left hand to the peep hole.  "Look, I even got you a present Sadie!" 

He showed an album with a pretty lady on the front.  She was dressed real pretty with a great hat.  

"You can play this later Sadie, come on, I know it will cheer you up, it's the latest craze Sadie, honest, I just want to make it up to you!  Pa, well, you know he can lose his temper real quick and well, I didn't mean to throw another punch, but man I tell you, I was just protecting you!"  

I sighed and opened up my door.  My hand went automatically to the album.  I smiled shyly and took the album from him.

"Okay, okay, but don't think I'm still not scared." I said meekly.

"I know Sadie, and I'm real sorry, but the guy wouldn't lay off.  He just kept on sayin' mean stuff and it was about you, and well, I guess I got Pa's temper, you know me."  He smiled.  

I couldn't help but gawk at his bruised left eye.  I wanted to help Ian, he was my family.  It was messed up, but I wanted to help him.

"Don't touch it!" he cringed, "It still hurts!"

"Let me get some ice at least," I said softly, I really did want to help him.

"Nah, you'll wake Pa up and he just fell asleep.  I'll get some ice later. Here, take the album, I got it for you, I figured you would like it."  Ian's big hands met my small ones. "You have to get yourself out of this place Sadie, it's not safe for you here any more."

"I have no place else to go, Ian, I have no money either."  I said almost getting ready to cry again.

"Now, don't go cryin' again Sadie, come on, let me get my record player up in this room for you, I think you're old enough to work it now."  Ian winked at me.

"Old enough?  Shoot, I'm almost 18 years old Ian!  I think I know how to work a record player!"  I was getting mad now.

He patted my head, my hair it must have been a mess.  I hated my auburn red hair that was all curly and I needed to tame it but tonight, well, I just woke up and I must have looked like a bird was sitting in it for a bit.

"I know, I was only teasing you!" Ian smiled and winked again.  "I have another present for you Sadie, I know you're old enough now for this too."

He pulled out a box and handed it to me.

"This was from your ma."  Ian smiled and with a very soft voice, "She was real kind to me and Sean when we were little and I found this after she died."  

"What is it?" I asked with interest, but tried to keep calm.

"It's your mom's first engagement ring to your real daddy Sadie. It might be worth some money."  Ian smiled again so big I could see his missing three teeth in his mouth, something he wasn't proud of showing anyone, not even to me.

"Wow, do you know how much it's worth?"  I was just so impressed by this ring, it was so shiny and silver and pretty.  It looked like it had a wedding bell right on both sides of the ring.  The diamond, shaped like a heart.

"Sorry Sadie, I just don't know, but I figured you were old enough to have it now, your Ma would have wanted this ring to be yours." He smiled, "Maybe you can go to the Church and see if there's another place for you to go."

"Saint Charles is nice, or at least I heard it was." I smiled remembering when we went there for Church on Easter Sunday.  Pa might be a terrible drunk, but he still wanted to go to Church.  Something about being forgiven.  I remember the pretty organ music there too.  It couldn't hurt to try right?

_-----------------------------------

A/N - okay - not too bad for Chapter 1, I'm trying to make this flow nicely.  I didn't want Ian coming off as a jerk even though he's her stepbrother.  I'll try to update again on Wednesday.  I hope you are enjoying the story and don't forget to vote and leave comments.  I'll do my best to answer you!