Blackbird by Larry Duplechan

Author:Larry Duplechan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
ISBN: 9781551522029
Publisher: Arsenal Pulp Press
Published: 2010-10-07T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

As it turned out, it was a waste of energy worrying about Cherie. Come Monday morning, she annexed herself to my right arm as usual, as if nothing had happened, nothing had changed. Which made me a little nervous at first. It was like some two-bit Tarzan movie where one explorer says to another one, “It’s quiet – too quiet.” I tried to hold up my half of the conversation with Efrem while waiting for the other shoe to drop, when Cherie said, “I’ve been thinking.”

“Oh?”

“Why don’t you and Todd do ‘Blackbird’ for the Spring Recital?

As an interlude number, I mean.”

Which was not the worst of ideas. After all, “Blackbird” was one of my favorite songs, and modesty aside, I did a pretty fair job of it.

Besides which, it was a good opportunity to help Todd feel – well, included, y’know? Frankly, he’d been so awfully tight with Leslie for so awfully long that I’m not sure if he had many friends worth the title, other than her.

When Todd arrived, I flagged him over and he hurried (as much as Todd ever hurries).

“How’s it goin’,” he said.

“Missed you in church yesterday,” I said.

“Yeah,” Efrem said, making what was for him a valiant attempt at being pleasant.

“I wasn’t feeling well.” Todd inspected the toes of his boots.

“Better now?”

“Pretty much.”

“Good. You know, we were just talking about you. And I was thinking” – Cherie pinched me on the arm – “that is, Cherie suggested that perhaps we – you and I, that is … that we could maybe do ‘Blackbird’ for the Spring Recital. What do you think?”

“Well.…”

“It’s a real good song for me, and you do the accompaniment so well.” I wasn’t about to take no for an answer.

“But I’m not even in choir.”

“I don’t think Mr. Elmgreen will have any problem with that. Do you, Cherie?”

“Of course not.”

“Of course not. Well? Would you do that for me? Please?”

“Okay. Sure.” Todd smiled, really smiled, treating me to a nice shot of his dimples. He’s got one on each cheek, and believe me, boys and girls, a guy could fall into them.

“Great. Mr. Elmgreen’s gonna use this Friday’s rehearsal as sort of an audition time for the interludes. Can you make it?”

“Sure. I got study hall fourth period.”

“Then it’s a deal. In fact, why don’t we run through it now.”

“Do we have time?”

“Sure.”

Todd unpacked his Ovation, gave her a quick tuning, and we did the song. When we were done, Todd had that look on, and I knew he was thinking about Leslie.

“Any word from her?”

“No.”

“You’ll hear. Soon.” A flimsy excuse for a pep talk, but it was the best I could do. Cherie leaned forward and, without letting go of my arm with her left hand, reached out with her right and stroked Todd’s hair just one long, slow stroke, letting her hand rest softly against Todd’s head for a short moment. And we were all very quiet for a minute, the four of us.

Finally, I said, “So Todd, when

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