Chasing Empires

2.

One Friday afternoon, Zach drove from Raleigh to Greensboro to visit Joanne and their daughter, Helena, a day after the latter's birthday. He gave her books as gifts. Joanne often said Helena's interests were like those of his—books and music.

"Why didn't you come on my birthday, Daddy?" Helena asked, holding her dad's hands.

"Been busy, baby," Zach answered. He sat on the couch, taking his daughter's hands in his. 

"Mommy and Daddy Dan are also busy, all the time," Helena said as she sat beside her dad. She called her mom's current boyfriend Daddy Dan to distinguish him from Zach, her real dad.

"Parents have to be busy, to work hard, you know," Zach said, gliding his fingers through Helena's long brunette hair, "so we could have money to pay for your school and buy you what you need. Food, clothes, things you use in school, toys..."

"It must be hard to be an adult," Helena replied. "But if I would be a child forever, I won't have my own money."

Zach chuckled affectionately at the young girl's reply. He took her in his arm and kissed her forehead.

"Daddy, I want to learn how to sing and play the guitar at the same time, like you do."

"Really?"

"Yes. My teacher says I sing well, but I do not know how to play the guitar yet."

"Okay then. I'll teach you, every time I visit here."

"Yay! Thanks, Daddy." Helena kissed her dad's cheek, cringing with a chuckle at the touch of his stubble. "Daddy Dan bought me a small guitar, actually."

"Oh, that's good. Can I see it?"

Zach followed Helena into her room to see and get the guitar. As they walked back into the receiving area, Zach was checking if the strings were in tune. He also observed the wood that made up the instrument, checked if the strings were parallel with, and not too high above, the fretboard. He played a random instrumental, and thought it sounded good. He knew Dan did not play any musical instrument, but by the looks of it, either Dan was just lucky to have bought a good guitar for his soon-to-be-stepdaughter, or the guy in the music store where the guitar was sold was a helpful and effective salesman to have assisted Dan in buying such an instrument. The guitar's body was cherry red in color, its mahogany neck dark reddish-brown, highlighting the silver-colored frets, the white dots that marked some of the frets, and the nylon strings.

Father and daughter sat back on the couch. Zach then started teaching her how to play a song with chords easy enough for her. He patiently taught her the finger positions for every chord, and Helena would patiently try to stretch her fingers among the strings and frets encompassed by each chord, laughing when she made a mistake, saying, "Oops."

Joanne, who was waiting for that afternoon's snack, a homemade egg pie, to bake in the oven, turned to watch her former husband and their daughter as the latter had her first guitar lesson. When the two paused, Joanne told Zach—with a cordial smile—when he happened to glance at her: "I think you should come here more often."