Page 41
Even though the words were only a small comfort in hindsight, they meant a lot to Leaf. It was reassuring to know that José was on his side, a true friend he could count on.
Wednesday
17
–––––
Morning Mood
Quietly, Leaf slipped into his dark room and retrieved the electric guitar from under the bed. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, the instrument resting on his lap, he tapped with his fingers over the frets. With his right hand, he muted the strings, ensuring no sound escaped outside.
As his fingers moved faster and faster, sliding up and down the neck and distorting the strings, he leaned closer to the guitar, losing himself in the soft notes. They calmed him and took his mind to a different place. With his eyes closed, he swayed to the music. Everything around him disappeared, and even the nasty pain in his left hand felt good.
The door to the room burst open, and Leaf jerked in shock. A hand grabbed him by the arm and yanked him up. The guitar clattered to the ground as he was shoved against the doorframe, hitting his head. Leaf tried to ignore the pain and touched his split lip.
“Didn’t I tell you to stop that!” his father yelled. “Look at me when I’m talking to you!”
Dazed, Leaf looked up, his heart racing. Everything around him was shrouded in thick fog. Even his father appeared blurred.
“You want your guitar?” His father snatched the instrument by the neck and struck Leaf with it. “I’ll give you your guitar!”
Half-conscious, Leaf collapsed and endured the blows until the neck broke from the rest of the guitar.
“I should have done this to your mother when she was pregnant with you!
“Please,” Leaf gasped. “Stop!”
Like a madman, the father punched him in the face.
When Leaf regained consciousness, he was lying in the bathroom. His head throbbed as the father lifted him up by the collar. That’s it, he thought. Over and done.
Then suddenly the doorbell rang.
“Don’t you move, understood?”
Trembling, Leaf crawled into the corner. It was dark, and he could hear voices coming from the front door.
“Hello, Bob.”
“Hi, Dave.”
“Sorry to disturb you, but the neighbors complained about the noise. Is everything alright with you guys?”
“Of course, everything’s fine.”
Silence.
“Are you home alone?”
“Yes. I might have been watching TV a bit too loudly.”
“Where’s your boy?”
“With friends.”
Silence.
“Take it down a notch. Okay?”
