“I’ll take that as a huge compliment. Truth is, I had Liam while I was in high school.” She pursed her lips but then smiled. “The best thing that came out of that marriage was Liam.”
“So how did you end up down here?” asked Jack.
“Got tired of the rat race in D.C. I’d made really good money and invested it well. We came down to Charleston one summer, took a drive, happened on Channing, and fell in love with it.” She glanced keenly at Jack. “When I talked to Charles Pinckney, he told me about his sister leaving you the Palace. It’s a great old place. Never been inside, but I’ve always loved that lighthouse.”
“Yeah, it’s pretty cool,” said Mikki, looking at her dad.
“My wife grew up in that house,” said Jack.
“Charles told me about that too.” She paused and added solemnly, “And I’m very sorry for your loss.”
“Thanks,” said Jack quietly.
Jenna stood and reassumed a cheery air. “Well, do you want to see the mad musician’s space?”
Mikki jumped up. “Absolutely.”
Mikki could see at a glance that it was set up as a recording studio, albeit on a tight budget. To her expert eye, the soundboard, mixing devices, mikes, and the like were old and looked jury-rigged. She knew because she and her band had done the very same thing. New equipment was far too expensive. A piano keyboard was against one wall; a bass guitar sat in a stand in a corner. A banjo and a fiddle hung on hooks on the wall.
And yet there were no sheets of music. No songbooks.
“Where’s Liam?” Mikki asked. “I thought you said he’d be here.”
“He’s on his way. He was taking some inventory at the restaurant. What will you be next year, a junior?”
“Yeah.”
“Liam too. He goes to Channing High. Only high school in town.”
“He’s a big kid,” said Jack. “Does he play ball?”
Jenna smiled and shook her head. “He’s a good athlete, but this” — she pointed at the room — “this is where his heart is.”
Mikki slid over to the bass guitar. “Do you think he’d mind?”
“Go for it.”
Mikki strapped the guitar on, placed her fingers, and started to play.
“Wow,” said Jenna. “That’s really good.”
She started to take off the guitar, but a voice said, “Play those last two chords again.”
They all turned to see Liam standing in the doorway. He had on wire-rimmed glasses and a T-shirt that said SAVE THE PLANET, CUZ I STILL LIVE HERE.
“Liam, I didn’t hear you come in,” said his mother. “Everything okay at the Little Bit?”
“A place for everything, and everything in its place.” He looked at Mikki again. “So knock those last two chords out.”
Surprised, but pleased at his request, she did so. The sound rocked the room again.
He walked over to her and placed her index finger on the guitar neck in a slightly different spot. “Try that; it’ll give the sound more depth,” he said.
Her grin disappeared, and she flushed angrily. “I know how to place my fingers. I’ve been playing since I was eight.”
He seemed unfazed by her hostility. “So let me hear it now.”
“Fine, whatever.” She checked the new position of her index finger and played the chord. Her eyes displayed her amazement. The sound was far richer. She looked at him with new respect. “How did you figure that one out?”
He held up his hand. His fingers were amazingly long and the tips heavily calloused. “Anatomical.”
“What?”
“The fingertip has different strength points on the surface. Once you understand where they are and place your fingers accordingly, the tightness on the strings is increased. Gives a fuller sound because there’s less vibration coming off the neck.”
“You worked that out on your own?”
“Nope. I’m not that smart. Read about it in a article in Rolling Stone,” he said. “So what’s your name?”
“Mikki Armstrong. That’s my dad.”
Jack and Liam shook hands.
“Mr. Armstrong is here to see if he can save my hearing,” said Jenna.
Jack said, “Just call me Jack.”
Liam grinned. “Think you can help Mom out? I don’t want her going deaf on me. But then again, that might have its advantages.”
Jenna smacked him lightly on the arm. “Don’t make me put you over my knee at your age.”
Jack surveyed the room and then went around the space knocking on the walls. “Drywall on two-by-four studs set at standard width.” He reached up and tapped the low ceiling at regular intervals. “Same here. Yeah, I can handle it if the hardware store has what I need.”
Jenna looked impressed. “When can you start?”
“Soon as I get materials. I’ll work up an estimate so you know how big a hit your pocketbook will take.”
Mikki blurted out, “My dad is great at this stuff. He can build anything.”
Jenna smiled. “I believe it.”
Mikki eyed the room. “Liam, where’s your music?”
He tapped his head. “All up here.”
“But what about new pieces? You need sheet music to learn them.”
“I can’t read music. I play by ear.”
“Are you kidding?”
He grinned. “Want to test me?”
She looked down at the bass guitar she was still holding. When she saw what it was, she exclaimed, “This is a Gibson EB-3 from the late sixties. Jack Bruce from Cream played one. It’s vintage. How’d you score it?”
“EBay. Saved up two summers for it. Got a great deal. It’s box is so smooth, and the sound is so pure. I think it’s the best four-string ever made.”
Jenna looked at Jack. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t speak this language. You want some coffee while our kids talk shop?”
Jack hesitated, but after a pleading look from Mikki he said, “Sure.”
After they left, Mikki said, “Okay, Mr. Play-by-Ear, here’s your test.” She played a minute-long piece of a song she’d recently composed. She handed him the Gibson.
“Okay, go for it.”
He strapped on the bass, set his fingers, and played back her song, note for perfect note.
Mikki exclaimed, “You’re like Mozart only on percussion and bass. Ever been in a band?”
He scoffed. “There are no bands in Channing.”
“Who’re your favs?”
“Hendrix, AC/DC, Zeppelin, Plant, Aerosmith, to name a few.”
“Omigod, they’re like my top five of all time.”
Liam picked up his drumsticks. “Want to score a few sets?”
She strapped the bass back on. “I’m dying to try out my new fingertip strength points.”
27
Jenna and Jack were sitting out on her rear deck with their mugs of coffee when the music started up. The deck flooring really did appear to vibrate.
“Now do you see why I need the soundproofing?” she asked, covering her ears.
Jack nodded and laughed. “Yeah. I get it. We finally had to get Mikki to start practicing at another kid’s house back in Cleveland. Even with that I’m not sure I can hear out of my right ear.”
“The long-suffering parents of musical prodigies. Want to carry our coffee down to the beach? My head is already hurting.”
They strolled along the sand together. It was well after eight but still light outside. A jogger passed them heading in the opposite direction, and an elderly couple were throwing tennis balls to a chubby black Lab. As the dog ran after a ball, the man and woman held hands and walked along.
Jenna eyed them and said, “That’s how it’s supposed to turn out.”
Jack glanced at her. “What?”
She pointed at the couple. “Life. Marriage. Growing old together. Someone to hold hands with.” She smiled. “A fat dog to throw balls to.”