When The Canary Sings

Regular Lemonade

First Person: Becca Blue:

Mamaw opened the door for me, and whispered welcome home. Everything was the same as I had left it.

The only difference was there was a boy with a golden head of curls standing in the middle of our living room. He was strumming a mandolin. I walked up to him.

"Why don't I know you?" I ask, and he jumped around, almost dropping the mandolin. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya." I smiled, looking up.

"Hey," He said, relaxing a bit. "William Green Jones, I've been helping your Mamaw." He said, sticking out his free hand. I took it and shook it. "You can call me Will."

"Becca Blue, call me Becca," I smiled, "real names Rebecca, but ain't a soul around who calls me that." I whispered with a smile. "William Green," I echoed, "That name, it's from a song isn't it?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's from a song called Barbry Ellen, an old song." He said, gently setting his mandolin down. "I've seen you sing it."

"I knew it. There's been plenty 'o' songs about a girl named Rebecca, but how 'bout Becca?" I laughed.

"We can make one," he smiled, "I like to write, and sing. But I couldn't get a big crowd like you." I looked him up and down, his clothes were covered in soot, like he was working in the mines, but he was definitely too young.

"How old are you?" I asked.

"Almost fourteen." He said. Mamaw was in the kitchen silently giggling to herself. She was cooking something as we spoke.

"Why are you covered in soot?" I asked, a small smile on my face.

"I'm a sweeper, all I do is sweep the soot off the streets, only for more to come back in the next hour. Pointless job, really." He said, and I laughed. I ran my finger down his arm, letting the soot smudge on my finger. I then wiped it on my cheeks.

"Now I'm home." I smiled, he picked up his hand and wiped it on the sleeve of my white shirt.

"Even better," he laughed. I smiled.

That night, Mamaw made roasted chicken to celebrate. William, Mamaw and I all ate at the table, and talked. I told him that tomorrow he'd have to help us move what little things we had into my new home in Victor's Village.

After dinner, I went into my room to get changed. Will waited downstairs with Mamaw.

I changed into a blue dress with white polka dots. It had a collar, and it buttoned up from my waist. It had puffy sleeves that stopped at the crook of my elbows. I let Mamaw roll my hair, and then tie it into two low pigtails. She tied two of my mama's old ribbons into my hair, and sent us off.

I think that this is the prettiest I have ever looked, at home, soot on my face, and an old dress on.

I grabbed my guitar and Will grabbed his mandolin and we both left the house.

"Mind if we take a pit stop?" I asked as we walked past Victor's Village, "there's someone I wanna invite."

"Let's go." He said, and both of us walked into Victor's Village. We walked down the street until we reached Haymitch's house.

"Let's hope he's not already passed out drunk." I said, and he laughed. I banged on his door as loud as I could. "Haymitch!" I called, "Haymitch! It's Becca!" I yelled, Will stood there laughing.

Suddenly, Haymitch opened the door. He looked down at us confused, but then his eyes fell on me.

"Who's this?" He slurred, already drunk.