Abby

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

Dennis plugged in his amp and then plugged in his guitar. He saw a truck out of the corner of his eye. He looked up while he tuned by ear. Someone was moving into the neighbor's house. He tried not to be creepy, but he was bored. He saw a teenage boy and his parent's get out of the truck. They talked, staring at the house. His mother hugged him, and then they opened the truck and started bringing boxes in the house. He probably should offer to help, but he was spying as it was. Too bad they didn't have a daughter. Though he was pretty sick of the girl thing. He just wanted to play guitar. The boy was a jock for sure. Preppy. They wouldn't have anything in common.

...

She heard it the first night they were there. It was still light out, even though it was nearly eight, since it was mid-July. Windows open, it was as if the breeze was delivering the music. She paused from unpacking the box in front of her and soaked it in. A smile played on her lips as she remembered when Abby had played.

Dennis was just screwing around, waiting for Grant. He was already an hour late, but he was chasing some new girl, so Dennis let it go. He was toying around with some new music. It was slower, more like jam music than rock. He stepped out of the garage as much as he could while hooked up to the amp. It was a perfect summer night. He looked towards the neighbor's house. They'd just moved in yesterday. He hoped they knew this was a normal night here, the music. He really hoped they were cool. He absentmindedly glanced around their yard, noticing a few lights on. And then he saw her. The owner of the house he assumed. The one he'd seen hug the teenage jock. His mom's age. She was staring at him while he played. She leaned against the side of the house, standing on the back deck that looked out towards his house. She saw him stare but continued to watch and listen. He had an audience. He played for another fifteen minutes or so, pretending he didn't know she was there. And then Grant came up behind him. Finally.

"Dude, what are you playing?" He asked, taking a seat at the drum set and immediately banging out a solo. Dennis gave him a look, and then looked back to his audience. She was gone.

...

When Aaron had turned on the shower, and Jason had sat down in the kitchen for a late dinner, Jennie sat across from him.

"I love this kitchen." She began. "I love having the island to eat at instead of just a dining room." He smiled, genuinely. They were all settling in very well. They were happy. "Do you think this is all too good to be true?" She asked. "The price was lower than we thought. The house doesn't have any memories yet, but I like the physical space better. It's bigger, but in a small town. But also a recognized sports school for Aaron. My commute is shorter." She stopped short. They both dared to smile contently after a long day. "The neighbor's boy plays guitar." She added with a twinkle in her eye. "He sings too. Not bad at all." Jason held her eyes, her smile and his. He did miss the music. He couldn't stand Aaron's hip-hop. But he loved Abby's rock. As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it." She offered. They were still too new to have friends, visitors.

"Hello." She said, opening the door. A woman and the guitar-playing-boy-next-door stood on the doorstep. She had a sweet smile and was dressed in scrubs. He looked sheepishly at the ground, and then at Jennie.

"Hi, sorry to bother you so late. But we saw the lights on." The stranger in scrubs said.

"It's fine. My husband and son just walked in any way." The stranger in scrubs elbowed the guitar-playing-boy-next-door.

"I apologize for the guitar and the drums. So late at night." He said respectfully, but clearly under force. She smiled at him and laughed.

"No worries." Jennie said. God bless this neighborhood if that's all that worried them. "I was enjoying it, you have a nice voice." She added. He grinned.