Page 65 of Melody

“I like it.”

“You know I hate that album.”

“Don’t start,” Linda warned, looking directly at Kyle.

Melody was beginning to feel like maybe she didn’t want to eat, but she tried to remind herself that not all families had beenlike hers. She took a bite of the mashed potatoes and said, “The food is so good. Thank you again for having me.”

“You’re welcome. I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

Cassie said, “Have you tried the salad yet?”

“No. I will.” And, as promised, she did while Kyle poured wine into everyone’s glasses. Melody said, “It’s delicious. Thank you, Cassie.”

“Yeah, it’s good,” Kyle said. “I was surpris—” He stopped himself and reiterated, “It’s good.”

“I know what you were gonna say, a-hole.”

“Watch it, Cassandra,” Linda said. “Please just eat.”

Everyone grew silent and Melody’s body and even her internal organs seemed to tense up in response. The only sounds for several minutes were the scraping of utensils on plates and the music.

By the time the song changed, Kyle asked, “How’s school going, Cass?”

“It’s not. I’m on break till the middle of January.”

“Yeah, I know, but how’d you do?”

“I did okay. My grades were so-so and a couple of classes were boring, but I did make it into the nursing program.”

Kyle said, “I thought you were already in it.”

“No. Ihopedso, but you never know until you actually apply for admission.”

“Well, good job.”

Linda said, “Don’t be sarcastic, Kyle.”

“I’mnot. I was being serious.”

Linda shot him a look and didn’t appear to buy it, but she didn’t say anything else. Cassie, for her part, seemed unfazed. She said, “What do you do, Melody?”

“Oh, uh…you mean for work?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m a bartender at Tequilaville. That’s how Kyle and I met.”

Linda said, “I thought we talked about this, Kyle. Frequenting bars enough to get to know the bartender and ask her out for a date isn’t the best idea.”

Melody wanted to crawl under the table. Something had their mother in a bad mood and it seemed that they couldn’t say anything without setting her off. What had seemed perfectly innocent had triggered her.

There was no mistaking the simmering anger in Kyle’s voice. “The bandplaysthere, mom. We entertain people. I’m not there to get drunk.” As if to emphasize his words, he held out a hand to his still-full wine glass.

“And when are you going to givethatup? You’re not going to make a living playing music in a bar.”

“We actuallyaremaking money. Not when we play at The Apothecary, but Tequilaville’s paying—and we’re probably gonna be touring with another band next spring to bigger places where we’ll earn evenmoremoney. Everybody’s gotta start somewhere.”

“Hmm.” Linda’s brow softened slightly but she didn’t say anything else.

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