Remember Me? (Book 1) COMPLETED

Something New

Erland disappeared upstairs to get ready, and I finally forced myself to get up and help Matthew clean the dishes.

I offered to take over, and Matthew thanked me before heading to his room. About fifteen minutes later, when I was putting the last plate in the dishwasher, both him and my brother appeared. Erland was dressed in black slacks, a white button-down, and his hair was slicked back in a wave. Matthew was similarly dressed, but for a red tie that seemed to bring the auburn out of his dark hair.

"We'll see you later, Kat," Erland said, waving as he passed to the foyer.

Matthew placed a small paper on the counter. "Here's a flyer for the service if you want to come," he said, flashing me a smile before following Erland.

I nodded. Dimly, I heard Erland bickering about getting to drive the car, then the front door closed, an engine turned over, and their red backlights disappeared down the driveway.

The house was empty, like before, only now darkness creeped at the edges. I settled into the couch and opened the manuscript I had been assigned as the clock ticked on the wall. I read the same sentence four times before I tossed the manuscript on the coffee table and stood. Restlessness itched in my bones. I couldn't stay here.

I got up, brushed my hair and put on make-up, grabbed the flyer, and picked up the keys to the Jeep.

The GPS was simple enough to follow and soon, I had arrived at the quaint church building. It shared the same parking lot as a large craft store, but since it was closed, only two dozen cars or so remained. Music reached my ears as I got out of the car and started toward the church.

The usher at the door greeted me, but that didn't still the butterflies eating at my insides. At long last, I spotted Matthew a few rows from the front, standing and clapping to the worship song. Ducking my head, I moved forward and stepped beside him.

He glanced over at me, face lighting up. "You made it."

"I finished work," I said. "And I was bored."

He smiled. "It's nice that you're here. There's someone who's been wanting to meet you."

I flushed but my reply was cut off by the start of a new song. The musicians had moved off the stage, replaced by four teens. One of them, the only girl, had short black hair and an expression so full of joy that I didn't recognize her at first. Bella, Nick's housekeeper's daughter.

The other teens took their places at the piano, guitar, and bass, and when Bella opened her mouth, the whole church hushed. Her voice was gentle, like a pealing bell, and her face so serene as she sang about what God did for his people.

By the stage, I caught a glimpse of Erland. He had stood, phone in hand, to record the performance. And when it ended, he shot Bella a thumbs-up and a wink.

The teens were replaced by the pastor, but I wasn't really listening anymore. The beauty of the words Bella had sung rang in my head, sparking an idea.

Wayward used to be a bookstore, then it moved to be a publishing house out of necessity. What if we could capture new markets? Expand? Become a big name somewhere other than the publishing industry?

Wayward could publish teen work: songs, stories, poems, and more. What if we paired with high schools to produce a literary magazine for the community of Millard County? What if we helped musical teens hone their talent and perform in front of the community?

My mind whirred, turning this new idea over and over so that I didn't realize the sermon was over until everyone had stood and Matthew tapped on my shoulder.