One Small Step | ✔

Talk About Souls

I'm at Dara's studio,
this time playing
chords on the guitar
absently.

I've been here for 
about an hour when
Ambrose and Tate
show up.

Dara brings them into the 
room and stares at my
oldest brother with
wide eyes.

"Can you please
get Tally to sing?
Pretty please?
She never does for me!"

Tate grins at me,
"Lulu, I haven't heard you sing
in ages either. 
Please?"

I wrinkle my nose and
Ambrose chuckles.
"It's three against one,
Tally."

"You never said you wanted to!"
I exclaim.
He rolls his eyes.
"Well I do."

I harrumph 
but I look at them and say,
"Song requests?"
They all shrug.

"What was Carina's favourite song?"
Ambrose ventures to ask.
Carina was obsessed with boy bands,
something I never bothered with.

Tate and I both frown and simulataneously
say. "No. No One Direction."
Dara laughs.
"Agreed."

"Why don't you hit shuffle
on your phone? The first song
is what you'll sing."
Dara suggests.

I do as she suggests
and it's 
"When the Darkness Comes"
by Colbie Callait.

I begin in a soft voice,
pulling up the lyrics
and the chords
online.

I get to the chorus
and as I sing, 
surprise courses
through me.

I stumble for a moment
because suddenly
I feel more connected to this
song than I've ever been.

I finish the song and
realize I'm trembling.
Ambrose and Tate 
are frozen, silent.

Dara is clapping and smiling widely.
But my brothers heard Carina's
voice in there too.
I can see it on their faces.

"Wow. You weren't lying when you said
your sister can sing."
Dara remarks.
Ambrose nods robotically.

"Did you ever take lessons?"
she asks me.
I shake my head numbly.
Carina and I searched up videos and self-taught.

"What do you think about working here?
Tally? Seriously, I could use 
someone who has music in their
soul."

I blink at Dara,
confused,
and realize her words are completely 
sincere.

"What do you mean,
music in my soul?"
I say.
She smiles.

"It's a saying.
You're completely into your music,
you connect with it, until the
music and your soul are no longer that different."

Her smile widens to a grin,
"It's saying you make music
from your soul.
Soul music.

"It's rare
but it's what we need here.
Music heals the soul,
but only if it comes from the soul."

I nod in understanding.
"So what do you say, Tally?
Do you want to work here?
Please?" she begs.

"Okay." I reply.
"Great!" she enthuses. "We can work
out a schedule now and
I can pay you $15 an hour. Sound good?"

"Yes, thank you!" I answer.
"Hey, D, do you want to have
dinner at ours tonight?"
Ambrose asks.

"Only if you cook."
Dara says flirtatiously.
Behind her, Tate pretends
to gag. Ambrose glares at him.

"Course," Ambrose says.
So now he's resorted to 
one word answers?
That esclated fast.