Page 77 of Forbidden Whispers
“I’m just saying what I’ve heard my dad say,” she shot back at him with a mischievous grin.
“Go play with your friends,” he said, turning her around and giving her a gentle push away from them.
She laughed and immediately disappeared into a group of chattering girls.
“Maggie!”
Maggie looked around at the sound of her name and spotted Jaime and Jack looking cozy, seated at a small table near the center of the patio. She waved and was about to walk over to say hello when Ben approached. “Hey, Mr. R.! I saved a table for you and your lady up front.”
Maggie saw the empty table for two with a handmade cardboard “RESERVED” sign sitting on it.
“That’s great! Thanks, Ben.” Noah led her to the table and then offered to get them drinks from inside. “Caramel latte?” he grinned down at her.
“Of course, but decaf this time.” She smiled back. “And extra whipped cream, please, since it’s my dessert.”
As he walked away, she considered how the energy she had observed in him earlier seemed to be growing more intense. She decided it was probably excitement over the upcoming performances of his students.
He returned to the table with their drinks and sat down. “I’m assuming you haven’t gotten a text or phone call from our friend yet?” Maggie asked in a low voice, taking a sip of her sweet, creamy drink.
“Not yet.” Noah looked worried. “You don’t think she’ll back out, do you?”
Maggie considered the idea, then said, “I don’t think so. I mean, maybe if it was totally up to her. But there’s no way Eric would go for it. And I think she values him and his ethics too much to go against him on this.”
“Good evening, everyone!”
They turned their attention to the platform where Olivia stood. “I want to thank you all so much for coming out for another one of our Summer Open Mic Nights. We’ve got some real fine talent lined up for you tonight along with plenty of coffees, teas, and baked treats to sustain you.”
A couple of young people whooped from the back of the crowd.
Olivia smiled and glanced down at the notes on her cell phone. “To start off the performances, we have Ben Newcastle. Take it away, Ben!”
There was enthusiastic applause as Ben took the stage. He performed a fun Hawaiian song using a ukulele, a folk song cover, and then a mellow ballad on guitar that he’d written.
Maggie couldn’t help but smile at the way Noah beamed with pride as the young man took his bow.
Following Ben were a guitarist and harmonica duo playing some rhythmic blues tunes, then a keyboardist, a jazz saxophone player, and an acapella rapper.
Noah had been right, Maggie was impressed with the level of talent on display. As the last performer left the stage, she turned to comment on this fact but found Noah holding his head in his hands. One of his legs was bouncing out a rapid staccato beneath the table. “Are you okay?” she asked.
His head shot up and his face held a guilty expression. “I’m fine, I’m fine, just...thinking,” he said.
“Please don’t worry about Valentina,” she said, assuming that was the problem. She lay a hand on his arm and he jerked slightly but didn’t pull away. “I’m sure she’ll do the right thing and it will all work out. In the meantime, we should do just as you suggested and make this a celebration. C’mon,” she lifted her mug of coffee as if to make a toast, “we solved the mystery!”
“We did.” He lifted his mug and clinked it against hers with a grin. But his smile faded when Ben once again took to the stage.
“Okay, everyone, we’re in for a special treat tonight. We have one final performer. And it’s our own Mr. R.!” Ben said, glancing down at Noah. “He has a special song he wants to perform to close us out for the night.” Ben began gesturing with his arms, encouraging the audience to clap. “Let’s hear it for Mr. R.!”
Maggie looked at Noah in surprise as the patio erupted with enthusiastic applause and shouts of praise.
“All right, Mr. R.!”
“Woohoo!”
“I didn’t realize you were going to perform!” Maggie said to him as he rose to his feet.
Noah didn’t reply but walked slowly forward and stepped up onto the platform. Ben handed him a guitar and Maggie watched as he climbed up onto the stool.
The sun had set, and now the sky was a backdrop of deep navy blue for the softly glowing crescent moon and prickles of emerging starlight. The perfume of night-blooming jasmine in pots around the patio floated on the air, adding a touch of enchantment to the ambiance.