A Rebel's Mantra by Sapna Srinivasan

Author:Sapna Srinivasan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance
ISBN: 9781957748146
Publisher: Tule Publishing Group, LLC
Published: 2022-03-18T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

“Did you get laid this weekend? You look so zen all of a sudden,” Sharon asked, peering at Laila as the latter stacked CDs up in the Used Records section of the Blue Moon.

Laila pursed her dry lips. Considering she’d spent the entire night contemplating her feelings for Hari without being able to sleep a wink and woken up with Ringo Starr playing percussion on her sinuses, it was ironic Sharon thought she looked zen. “No, didn’t get laid. And I’m light-years away from zen considering Mark Horn just turned down my second demo.”

“What?” Sharon cried, reaching to rub Laila’s back. “That really sucks. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, thanks.” She sighed and checked her watch. “I should probably head out. I don’t want to keep the kids at Eastside waiting,” she said, tiredly stacking the last of the CDs.

“Looks like you’re really invested in this whole volunteering stuff, huh?” Sharon said as she followed Laila over to the guitar section.

“It’s been great actually,” Laila said, unhooking two miniature rhythm guitars off the wall.

“Whoa, what’re you doing? I just hung those up,” Sharon protested.

But Laila grabbed the guitars anyway and walked over to her handbag behind the counter, which she swung across her body before turning to Sharon. “I’m leaving now, but I’ll be back to cover the store late afternoon and I can close tonight,” she said and started to walk off.

“Wait—wait a minute, you can’t just take those!” Sharon cried, pointing to the two mini guitars Laila was holding by the neck.

“Relax, I’ll bring them back.”

“B—What if someone wants to buy them?”

Laila shrugged. “Well, they can’t.”

“What about updating the inventory? This isn’t a freakin’ lending library.”

But by then Laila had exited the store, the door swinging shut behind her.

*

“WO-AOW,” Taylor cried as her fingers gently traced the rim of the mini guitar.

“Can I hold it, too?” asked Ian, who was sitting beside Taylor.

“Of course, kiddo. Let’s give Taylor a few more minutes with the guitar, and then you can have a turn,” Laila said with a smile.

They were on the rug, as always, sitting in a circle with Laila holding her guitar while the kids took turns holding the minis. She watched them, their eyes lighting up and their smiles in full bloom as they strummed and played with the strings.

Macy was the last one to go. She kept putting off her turn to hold the instrument and instead curled up into Laila. The latter instinctively wrapped her arm around her. “If you don’t want to, you don’t have to, Macy,” Laila said with an assuring smile.

Macy remained quiet, but when all the kids had had a turn holding the instrument, she looked up meekly at Laila. “I’m ready for my turn now,” she said, shyly.

“Okay,” Laila said, pulling up the mini guitar for Macy to hold. She appeared hesitant at first but then reached her hand out to touch it. “Take your time,” Laila said in a calm voice.

It took a few minutes, but eventually, Macy did hold the guitar, cradling it in her arms with a beautiful smile on her face.

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