“Um.” I looked around them. “I’m one of the volunteers from UW.”
The one picked up a clipboard. “Name.”
“S-saylor.”
“Last name?”
I froze, literally forgetting my last name, then one of them pointed at something on the clipboard and nodded.
“Go on in.” They moved to the side and let me pass. I pulled my cell phone from my back pocket for them to hold at the front desk, and completed my usual sign in.
Once everything was said and done I was fifteen minutes late.
I ran through the doors and nearly collided with Gabe.
He gripped my shoulders and steadied me. “You’re late.”
“I know,” I huffed. “Traffic was horrible, and then two huge guys stopped me outside the building. Did something happen? Why is there more security than normal?” I vaguely remembered the conversation Gabe had on the phone when our kiss happened. I mean, I’d noticed that more security had been added over the past four weeks but two goons in front? Really? Had he said something about more security in front of the building? To be honest, I’d been so shocked about the kiss that his entire conversation fell on deaf ears. Now I wished I could remember it.
Gabe removed his hands and shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe some of the residents are trying to escape.”
“It’s not like we don’t try,” Old Man Peterson grumbled, shuffling up next to us.
Gabe gave the old man a high five and pointed at his retreating form as he used his walker to make his way across the floor. “My point exactly.”
I rolled my eyes and walked by Gabe to the front of the room.
“Sorry I’m late, everyone!”
They quieted down and took their seats.
“Today I thought it would be fun to break out into groups and write our own scales. When you’re done, you can either hum the song to me or you can use your instrument to play the notes. We’re just going to work with the major scale today, so use any four notes you want, but only four. We don’t want to make it too difficult. I have examples on the worksheets — oh, and please make your notes colorful. If you use an F or a G make sure it’s always the same color as the previous F and G. Any questions?”
They never had questions.
Probably because they never actually followed directions, but hey that was fine, at least they were enjoying themselves.
For the next hour, I made my way around the group tables and offered my assistance, but I stayed away from Princess.
Gabe was with her, hovered over the piece of paper while she instructed him on what to do.
Ha, and he thought I was bossy.
I had nothing on that girl. She knew exactly what she wanted and why.
“No, Park! I want you to use the same note again! It needs to be pink!”
I watched them interact, watched how he patted her hand every once in a while, or how he adjusted her chair so he was closer, or even wiped some of the spit from her mouth.
I’d already suspected there was something more.
I wanted to ask him, because I was beginning to wonder if she was his sister or some other family member. It was the only logical explanation as to why he would not only volunteer but be the only person who was with Princess the most. Then, on the other hand, Lisa somehow had to fit into the picture. I just didn’t know how. Ugh, I was giving myself a headache.
“Sorry.” He laughed and tapped her nose with the pink crayon. “So what notes do you want?”
“I want—” She started coughing wildly.
Gabe shot to his feet. “Get it out, Princess, that’s right, just cough it up.”