THE EDGE OF GREAT - Ivy and the Phantoms

II

I haven't realized that I was just staring at the partition for long minutes before I heard someone entering the garage. I thought it would probably be the guys but when I looked up, I saw Flynn's face, walking slowly towards me.

« I uhm ... I heard you play. » she just said before I looked down, kind of shy « Oh come on, I heard you sing a million times before, you can't play the shy card with me now. »

« It was one time. »

She rolled her eyes « Right, so you're gonna make me play the annoying best friend's advices card. »

« You don't have to ... »

« You have a freaking gift, Ivy. » she continued « Honestly, I would kill to have half of your talent. You took a break from music. It happens to the best of us. But you cannot just stop. You physically can't do that. You'll always have the need to play or sing. That's who you are. Music is just part of you. It's like you are alive again. » I laughed a bit, thinking about my conversation with the guys the day before « Can I at least ask what made you play again ? »

I gave her the partition « Found this song my mom wrote me. I never actually played it before. »

« Why now ? »

« I was so afraid to do it before. » I simply answered « Anything involving music reminds me of her. And then I woke up this morning, realizing that's why I should play it. » I looked at the notes « To keep her memory alive. »

She smiled, opening her arms « Come here. » I smiled back, standing up and hugging her « My girl's back. »

« More unstable than ever. »

She looked at me « That's not new. » I pushed her shoulder and she grabbed my hand to walk me outside the garage « I need you today. I literally have to organize this rally thing and I am so behind schedule. »

« You're taking care of the rally ? » I asked letting her out first. I was about to close the door when I saw the guys against it, smiling at me « Oh hey ! » Flynn turned around, frowning her eyebrows. I panicked for a second before I walked to her, feigning excitement to hid my weird behavior « Let's hustle ! »

She chuckled before walking in front of me. I turned around to wave them hello quickly.

« Don't worry ! » declared Reggie « We weren't listening. »

Luke kicked him so he would shut up and I giggled before leaving with Flynn, not wanting to appear even more crazy in front of anybody else. I got ready really quickly. We were about to go when I figured I was missing something.

« Shit, I must have forgot my keys in the garage yesterday. » I walked to the door « Wait for me by the car, I'll be quick. »

I was almost running to the garage when I heard my father's voice inside. I frowned my eyebrows and pressed my ear against the door.

« Ivy sang for the first time this morning. » he said « She hadn't done that in a year. You would've loved it. » He was ... talking to mom « She's such an amazing young woman. Every day she reminds me more and more of you. Oh and uhm ... I'm taking pictures for the real estates website. I don't really wanna move, but ... I guess it's what's best for all of us. » I heard him press on a note of the piano « There's so many memories here, of Ivy playing next to you, and ... » he chuckled « Carlos trying to sing with his missing two front teeth. » His voice was cracking « They grew up out here. »

I looked down. Hearing him say all of that felt wrong in a way. He wasn't talking to me, he was talking to her. It was between them two. I swallowed back the tears that were in my eyes and walked to Flynn's car. My father or brother will be here when I came back, I didn't really need those keys. When I entered her car, she figured something shook me up a bit.