Page 13 of Sweet Music
“Believe it or not, your brother still forgets from time to time,” Mom confided with a smile.
Tripp was the wildest Lawrence brother, and also the one with the biggest appetite. After a day of working the farm, he had always been happy to just follow his nose back to the kitchen, tracking his muddy, straw-coated boots all the way. It was to remind him to take them off that the family had started the tradition of yelling outshoesanytime they heard the front door open.
“I’ve got a big surprise,” Mom called out as they stepped in the front door and kicked their boots onto the tray.
As they headed down the hall toward the kitchen, Cash couldn’t help noticing some additions to the photos his grandparents had always kept on the wall.
All the old ones from when they were kids were still there, but now there were plenty more too, with his nieces and nephews, and some young women he’d only seen online. In the most recent one, a woman with big blue eyes and long blonde hair held Elizabeth, West’s little girl, while a girl who looked like a younger version of the first one stood beside them, laughing.
“That’s Dulcie,” Mom said softly. “And her little sister, Delphine, our sweet princesses. Goodness, but we have so many new people for you to meet. How long are you staying?”
He wasn’t sure, but before he had a chance to answer, his father exploded out of the kitchen to embrace him.
“Charles Cash?”he bellowed. “You’re home.”
“Hey, Dad,” Cash said, hugging his dad tightly, and cursing himself for letting so much time pass since his last visit.
In the music business, it seemed like so many artists were just a flash in the pan. He’d spent a lot of time telling himself he had to make hay while the sun was still kind enough to shine in his direction. But the weeks had somehow turned to years, and so many of the real things he was missing out on were right here at home.
“What brings you home, boy?” Dad asked, leaving one arm around him as they headed into the kitchen.
Tripp stood by the stove, peeling potatoes into the trash can. His eyes met Cash’s and Cash could tell instantly that his brother knew exactly why he was here.
Mom and Dad might not be on social media, but the rest of the world was.
“Cash,” Tripp said, putting down the potato and peeler and heading over to embrace him. “Good to see you, brother.”
“You too,” Cash told him, meaning it.
“I was going to grab some more wood for the fire,” Tripp said. “Want to help?”
“Oh, Tripp, your brother just got here, sweetheart,” Mom said. “I’m sure he just wants to settle in first.”
“No, no,” Cash said. “I’d love to. I guess I have some chores to make up.”
That tickled Dad, who chuckled hard while Mom watched him fondly.
The love those two shared was everything Cash had always wanted in his life. His heart achedto share the love that bubbled out through his music but had no other place to go.
Not since…
“Come on,” Tripp said. “Let’s go.”
“I’ll just set this here,” Cash said, leaning the guitar in the corner before he followed his brother back to the front door.
To his credit, Tripp didn’t say a word as they pulled on their boots and coats. He waited until they were back outside and halfway to the wood pile before he finally spoke.
“Well, is he yours?” Tripp asked gruffly as they came around the side of the house.
“I don’t know,” Cash said honestly. “But I think so.”
Tripp just nodded and kept walking.
“Listen,” Cash said, stopping in his tracks. “I need your help.”
Tripp turned to him, his eyes flashing with an uncharacteristic anger.
“Do you know who the kid is?” Cash asked, shame coursing through him that he didn’t know himself. “Do you know who his mother is?”
