Page 41 of Missed Exit

Greta knocks, and I yell, “It’s open.” I’ve told her over and over again she doesn’t have to knock.

Her hair is up in a clip to keep it off her neck in this heat, but there are a few stray pieces stuck to her forehead. She left to go run errands while I was mowing the grass this morning. She’s probably hoping I have something new to play for her.

“I haven’t made much headway.”

“Does working with your hands ever help unlock your musical genius?”

“What did you break?”

“I started doing laundry before I left this morning, but the warning light on my dryer came on. It sayscheck vent.I always clean the lint screen, and the dryer hasn’t been moved, so I don’t know why there would suddenly be a problem with the vent, but I stopped using it, just in case. I’d call the landlord, but we both know—”

“He’ll take days to get back to you. The hose is probably loose. I’ll come look at it.”

She stares at the open composition book on my coffee table and bites her bottom lip. “I should probably tell you something.”

“Do I need to sit back down for this?”

“No. I don’t think so. But I’ve written some new lyrics.”

“That’s great. When I said I wanted us to collaborate more, I didn’t mean you shouldn’t write on your own at all anymore. I’ll take a look at the dryer, and then you can show me your new verses. I just made some tea. You want a glass?”

“No. I’ve had too much caffeine today already.”

“Well, if I’d known you were at the coffee shop, I would’ve known to expect new lyrics.”

“I can’t help it. That place is like magic.”

“You’re the magic, Greta. That place just has cake.”

“Magic cake.”

Her dryer hose has not only come loose, it’s crimped and split. This thing is probably older than her car. Cheap part, easy fix. No need to go through our unreliable landlord for this.

“I’m going to get you a new dryer hose. Do you want to go to dinner when I’m done installing it?”

“Or we could order pizza and eat here while I share the new song with you.”

“It’s a whole song?”

“Maybe.”

“I’ll take that as a yes, so yes to pizza.” Looking at fresh lyrics might loosen me up.

The hardest part of replacing the hose is moving the dryer away from the wall and squeezing into the tight space to work. Her warning light’s back off, and her clothes are tumbling again. Time to grab a shower and clear my head for her new song.

“So, what’s this new song about?” I ask as we pull our first slices from the box.

“Well, you know how Derringer opened up about his family over dinner? About how he feels about the way they do business?”

“He alluded to some things, yeah.”

“Right. And those things kept coming back to me.”

“You wrote this song with him in mind?”

“Yeah, but I’d never want him to feel like I’m trying to put words in his mouth, you know? He inspired it, but I’m not trying to tell his story. And I know I could’ve gotten it totally wrong and he may hate it, but—”

“Let me see it.”

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