The Song Books (Ghost Bird)

Love Me Tender

Sang pushed her finger against her bottom lip staring at the paper in front of her. All nine of her boys were now in on 'the plan' but she knew that not all of them were completely on board. My 52 and my Honey specifically, so now I just have to explain. Explain how I feel, that I want us to stay together.

 Summer was in full swing almost a year after they had met and begun their year of survival at Ashley Waters and as the boys took on smaller jobs they began to see each other less during the day but were mostly together at night.

Sang opened her mouth and tried again, tried to go up the vocal practice scale that Mr. Blackbourne had given her to try periodically. She had been at it every day since New Years. Her boys were so musically inclined and they all enjoyed it so much that she thought if she could sing to them, tell them how she felt with someone else's words and her voice that maybe it wouldn't be so hard. But once again she reached the middle of the scale and the sound of silence told her what she had suspected for a while. Her voice was permanently damaged.

Maybe I could write it down? In books that were just for them, and I could figure out how to get the songs to play and they could read what I wrote for them.

Acquiring the 9 colored leather bound journals had taken all of the money in her tip jar and begging a ride to the mall from Erica for 'girl reasons'. Sang had also found a calligraphy set so that she could practice writing the song lyrics that would go with what she wanted to say to each of her boys.

Looking up at the pictures of her boys around her she focused on Meanie's face. Those bright crystalline eyes and is his strong jaw. She knew how little he valued himself when compared to his brothers. She wanted to say so much to him. Tell him how she felt, how she saw him, how much she needed him, all of them.

Dear Meanie,

I've been trying so hard to show you how I feel about you. I don't know what you see in me. You held my hand when we were trapped together in the dark. You sang to me in your sleep after you had been hurt. I need you...

Sang scratched out the last few words with her pen. She wanted to tell her boys what they meant to her but she didn't want to pressure them either. Sang found herself humming the last song that Gabriel had been singing in his sleep. Sang sat up abruptly the lyrics for the song, the ones she could remember running through her head. Staring at her Meanies face in front of her she smiled, a smile that would make Gabriel say she was going to get into trouble.

Sang stared at her phone after texting Mr. Blackbourne waiting on a response. She had sent it to him 30 seconds ago and still hadn't had a response. How was she supposed to handle the pressure?

Sang: Mr. Blackbourne, I need some time alone with everyone individually.

One minute twenty-eight seconds later. Sang jumped when the phone went off. Nervously she tapped on the icon.

Mr. Blackbourne: I understand. May I ask when you will be needing this time?

Sang: This weekend? Is that too soon?

Mr. Blackbourne: That will be fine. Is Saturday evening acceptable? Dr. Green has managed an evening off. I can move some side jobs around and ensure that everyone has time available this week with you.

Sang: Yes that is perfect. Thank you for your help. I also need to see you just the two of us. Could you make that possible?

Mr. Blackbourne: I will do my utmost to ensure that you have the time you requested.

Sang sat at the table by Nathan's pool, the South Carolina sun keeping her warm despite the light breeze. Her boys were all out on different missions as she had planned and now, while dinner was in the crock pot she was attempting to complete her own crazy idea. It had all seemed so easy in its inception but saying what she wanted and making sure that they knew it was from her heart was turning out to be harder than she had origionaly thought.