In the Shadows

Cora tapped her own in imitation. If she’d noticed that, maybe

Thom had a chance at a summer kiss of his own. Charles

needed to decide whether he wanted to help his brother in that

regard.

Minnie sat next to Thom on the bench. “Play something!”

Thom’s feet worked the pedals and the first few notes of “All

Creatures of Our God and King” tumbled out, lifting along the

rafters and pushing aside the weight of dust and dim. Some

of the tightness left Charles’s chest. He did not know how to fix

the holes his absence would leave for Thom, but he hoped music

would help.

“Boring!” Minnie said. “Do you only know hymns?”

Grinning mischievously, Thom’s well-trained fingers transi-

tioned immediately into a ragtime piece. Not “Maple Leaf Rag,”

as none of them would ever again be able to hear that song without

dreadful associations, but another fast, rowdy, joyous tune.

Minnie squealed with delight, standing and twirling through

the church to the closed front door, where Arthur leaned in the

shadows. “Dance with me!”

The line between Cora’s brows appeared. “Perhaps this isn’t

appropriate for a church?”

Minnie spun by, dragging Arthur with her. Charles cursed his

lack of breath. The walk here had cost him already, though he

tried to hide it.

“Don’t be sour, Cora,” Minnie said. “How could God hate

anything that makes your heart feel like dancing?”

Charles nudged Cora with his shoulder, forcing her to look at

him as he gave her his most winning grin. He knew the full impact

of his large hazel eyes, as well as Cora’s proprietary desire to make

him happy. She shook her head and darted nervous glances back