Page 86 of You Found Me

The crowd sang “Happy Birthday” loud, mostly off-key, and filled with laughter. Della mouthed the words, but Ward noticed she didn’t sing out loud.

When the song finished, Mason blew out the candle to a chorus of “Make a wish.”

Ward watched his brother open gift after gift and realized just how much he’d missed.

It made him sick.

“It’s not too late,” Della murmured in his ear. “Talk to him.”

“He seem like he wanted a conversation to you?” He was pretty sure that was the last thing his brother wanted.

She put her chin on his shoulder. To an outside observer, it would look like the loving gesture of a girlfriend. “He wouldn’t be so hurt if he didn’t. Speaking from personal experience, it’ll take more than one try. First, he’ll want to tell you all the thingsyou’ve ever done wrong. Let him do that. After eighteen missed birthdays, he’s earned that much.”

“And that’ll fix things.”

“Like your dad said…it’s a good start.”

Her breath in his ear was getting distracting. “Maybe.”

“Oh…ours is next.” Della hopped up and down on her toes.

Anticipation made him straighten like a soldier ready for inspection. His brother would either be really happy or royally pissed off. Ward had no idea which.

Elyse held up the guitar case with a big smile. “I wonder what’s in this?”

Mason’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “Is that what it looks like?”

Elyse handed it to him. “Why don’t you open it and find out.”

“Who’s it from?” someone shouted.

“Hey, I recognize that case,” someone else said.

Mason leveraged the case on his knees and clicked it open. His jaw dropped.

“What is it?” someone shouted.

Mason looked up at Elyse. “This for real?”

She laughed. “Looks real to me.”

He lifted the guitar with careful fingers and held it gently. His hand caressed the strings with reverence. “It’s the latest Gibson Les Paul. Wow. They’re hard to get. This star cherry finish is slick!”

“Play it!” a girl said.

Emily, Ward thought. He was pretty sure she was the girl Mason had crushed on since the second grade.

“Who’s it from?” Grand asked.

“Mom and Dad,” Mason said with the firm tone of someone who thought he knew things.

“Nope,” Elyse held up her hands in denial. “Not us.”

Mason’s certainty shifted to confusion. “Then who? Aunt Martha?”

“Try reading the card,” Dad suggested.

Mason placed the guitar back in the case like it was a newborn baby, then closed the lid and reached for the small card tucked under the giant red bow.