Twisted Roots (DeBeers 3)

"Thanks for what you did today. Hannah. I won't let you down. We'll make beautiful music together."

"Okay," I said.

"Good night." he said in a soft, small voice,

"Good night."

When I lowered my head to my pillow, I couldn't help but think about Mommy's warnings and concerns. But Heyden's face, his eyes, his kisses and touch rode like a wave over the memory of her voice and her warnings.

She just doesn't understand; I thought. She doesn't understand, or she wouldn't be as worried as she is. In time she will see, especially the first time she hears us singing. together. Those thoughts were so soothing and wonderful. I had no trouble falling asleep.

I couldn't wait to get up and ready for school the next morning. Mommy let me take her car again. Miguel was going to drive her to and from the hospital for the next day or so. I knew he wanted to be with her every possible second, and especially when she was with little Claude. He had rearranged his schedule to make it all possible.

When I arrived at school. Heyden was there to greet me. He was very excited.

"I was up late thinking of songs we could do together. Not all mine, of course, but there are a number of great tunes that I'm sure we would sound great doing. Hannah. Here's a partial list," he said, offering it to me, "Can you find time after school today? There's no problem practicing at my house. My mother is at work. and Elisha hangs out with her girlfriends most afternoons."

"For a while, I guess." I said. As soon as things settle down with my new brother. I'll have you over to Joya del Mar." I told him.

He smiled, but his eyes were full of doubt. "Yeah, right." he said.

If my girlfriends were talking about me before, they were absolute chatterboxes after they saw how intimately Heyden and I were in the school corridor. He kissed me before hurrying off to his first class. Like a fuse lit with gossip, the subject of my relationship with Heyden singed its way down the halls,

through the classrooms, and finally exploded in the cafeteria. The chattering sounded more like tiny firecrackers. We ignored the eyes that followed us to our table and continued to talk about our singing together.

That afternoon and the following three. Heyden and I worked on our music together at his home. Most of the time I stayed for two hours, Occasionally I would sense his eyes on me and not the music and words of our songs, and when I turned to him, the look in his face stole my breath away,

"What?" I asked. stopping.

He put the guitar down slowly and closed his eyes. Seemingly holding his breath for a moment.

"Every once in a while." he said. "I have to reassure myself that this is really happening, that it's not some fantasy of mine.

"I confess I felt that way before I got up the nerve to approach you," he continued. "I had been watching and dreaming about you. Hannah."

His wards and his expression made me blush.

"Well, if we're into confessions. I have to say I stole a glance or two at you as Heyden Reynolds."

'Did you? Must have been when I felt the warmest in that place. Okay, here's a second confession." he announced,

"I feel like a Catholic priest." I said, and he laughed. Then he grew serious again,

"'When I first proposed we sing together. I did it more out of a desire to be with you, to have you next to me, than out of my love of music."

"Why, Heyden Reynolds." I declared with my hands on my hips in mock indignation, "I thought you said I had the best voice in the school."

"You do. but..." I laughed at him and he pushed me playfully onto his bed. I braced myself back on my hands and looked up at him.

'Hannah," he said, as if he co

uld express all he felt just by saying my name.

He approached me and leaned over to kiss me. After he did, he started to undo the buttons of my bodice. I continued to lean back on my hands, looking down at his fingers as they undid my dress and gently brought it out to my shoulders. He slipped his hands in and around my back and kissed me again. I didn't move, and he unfastened my bra and kissed my stiffened nipples and nudged my breasts gently with his face, moaning softly with pleasure.

Feeling a wonderful weakness take over my body. I let myself fall back on the bed. I didn't open my eyes until he had taken off my clothes and then his own. My heart pounded harder and faster at the sounds of his shirt and pants being tossed to the side. I heard him rip the envelope of his protection, and then I opened my eyes and looked into his.

"Just tell me to stop. Hannah. and I will." he said.