I'll Be

Chapter Sixteen: The Way He Is

I walked back outside with Bailey, seeing Sawyer, my dad, Baylor and Tia Ana grabbing chairs. Jessi, her boyfriend Felix, Jules and Caia were already seated, while others were either standing, or finding the stones we used to dig out the pit for the late-night bonfire.

            Sawyer watched me, and as we sat down beside each other, I willed myself not to reach for him.

            “All set there, Ted?” Dad asked, and I watched Baylor take a seat beside me, guitar in hand.

            Everyone began to quiet down. Baylor looked at me, “Get those fingers warm while I ask your new admirer some questions, girl.” I blushed, listening while Baylor spoke to Sawyer, “You know, she wasn’t really the type to bring boys around here when she was younger. All through high school, stayed pretty low-key. I’m pretty sure the only person she would’ve said anything about boys to was Lou and her little friends.”

            Liv smiled, “You got that right. Would’ve bullied it out of her, either way.”

            “Heard you saying you played.” He nodded his head toward Sawyer while asking Bree “He any good?”

            She nodded, “The best.”

            “Really?” Baylor raised his eyebrows, and Sawyer smiled, head down “Better than you, Teddy Bear?”

            I eagerly nodded, strumming “Much.” I could see Sawyer shake his head in protest, but I knew he was just being nice. He wasn’t just well-practiced; he’d been blessed.

            “Let’s see now.” Baylor cleared his throat, “Play us something then, Teddy. Or would you like me to go first?”

            I smiled, “Go ahead, Uncle B.”

            He nodded, “Fair enough. You know Eagles, Sawyer?”

            “Yes, sir.” Sawyer replied, and he began plucking the notes to Hotel California without a second thought.

            If you thought that we were impressed, you should have seen my family.

            Mom gasped, “Good night.”

            “By God.” Dad laughed in surprise, “The boy’s not even trying.”

            “Regalo de Dios.” Tia Ana whispered. A gift of God.

            Baylor stared at Sawyer, awestruck. They continued to play, and I could hear my dad begin to sing.

            On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair

Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air

Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light

My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim

I had to stop for the night

There she stood in the doorway;

I heard the mission bell

And I was thinking to myself,

"This could be Heaven or this could be Hell"

Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way

There were voices down the corridor,