Follow the Sun by Liz Locke

Author:Liz Locke [Locke, Liz]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-06-06T00:00:00+00:00

January 15th, 1967

Casa Kimball

Formentera, Spain

Dear Daddy,

I’m sorry my letters have been so sparse; Tex and I have been… busy.

But don’t think I’ve forgotten you— that’s almost impossible to do here.

I see you

In this house, that has always been my home

In the strings of your guitar, like an unwritten poem

Love,

Caroline

FIFTEEN

OVER THE FOLLOWING weeks, Tex and I settled into a relaxed routine on the island. It was fun to spoil someone else for a change, to find a sense of accomplishment in ordinary tasks like making supper or picking up socks from the bedroom floor. Not that Tex needed to be taken care of— he’d been out on his own far longer than I had— but he let me serve him runny eggs and overcooked vegetables like they were the most exceptional meals he’d ever had. I even sent Valentina away after her second visit; I wanted to prove that I could make this house a home, and not just with my money.

Finally opening the case to Daddy’s guitar was a big moment, one that I conquered with Tex by my side. The instrument felt heavy and awkward at first, but once I got it tuned and started to strum, an incredible sense of rightness washed over me, as though my hands were meant to grip it and never let go.

“Hey, that sounds pretty good,” Tex said from the kitchen table. He’d found an old jigsaw puzzle in the closet and was currently assembling a conquistador’s ship crossing a violent sea. “Is it weird with the extra strings?”

“A little,” I replied, picking out some chords on the frets. “I looked for Daddy’s old instructional album, but I couldn’t find it with the others next to the hi-fi. It’d be nice to brush up on the basics again.”

“Did you check the third bedroom?”

“Yeah. No dice.”

“Would it be in the shed outside? Didn’t you say he mostly used that for his studio?”

My fingers stilled. I hadn’t ventured in there yet, and the very idea made my palms sweat.

“I guess it might be. He had another record player in there. I used to listen to music while he painted.”

“Maybe it’s finally time to check it out. I’ve been itchin’ to see what photo equipment he may have left behind. Do you want me to get Gerhard, see if he’ll go in with us?” Tex got up from the table and came to sit beside me on the arm of the couch. He stroked my hair, his thumb brushing my neck. It was a comforting gesture, but even his touch wasn’t enough to lessen my anxiety over what we were about to do.

“Okay.” I exhaled. “Take the scooter. I’ll run down to the basement and get a couple bottles of wine. We’ll need them.”

He kissed the side of my forehead and stood up, walking to the bedroom to retrieve his shoes. As much as I wanted that box in my head to stay closed, I knew it couldn’t anymore. Mother’s secret had cracked it open, and light was starting to trickle in.

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