“What kind of cake do you like?”
“I don’t know.” Luke shrugged. “I guess chocolate is pretty good.” He picked up a box of cake mix from the shelf. It wasn’t chocolate, but rainbow chip. Lyric observed as an amused smile touched his face. “This one’s pretty celebratory.”
“Okay.” Lyric put a box of the rainbow chip mix in the cart. “What about soda?”
She and Luke continued through the grocery store, slowly going through Lyric’s list of birthday party essentials. She wanted to do this with him for two reasons. One, because it was the best way to make sure he liked everything she got. More importantly though, she had to show him that she didn’t see him any differently after learning the truth about his living situation.
“How old are you turning?” She asked as they perused the party supplies isle. She contemplated getting one of those trick candles that never goes out. Or maybe a singing one.
“Seventeen.” Luke picked out magenta balloons and green and blue streamers.
“No kidding?” Lyric laughed. She added two twelve packs of candles to the cart. “That means I’m exactly one day older than you.”
Luke gave her a weak smile. It punched her in the gut. Had Melody said the same thing to him once upon a time? Was all this just going to remind him of her?
Luke’s expression suddenly changed to one of surprise. He looked down at the contents of the shopping cart. “We forgot frosting.” Before Lyric could react, he was running off, presumably to get some.
“Wait!” Lyric fought to get the cart turned around. They had already gotten so much stuff that it was heavy enough to require real effort.
“Lyric?”
Lyric looked up at her name. At the other end of the isle, Marina Wolfe was pushing a cart toward her. Her expression was a mixture of joy, sorrow, and love. It made Lyric a little uncomfortable.
“How have you been?” Marina took in the contents of Lyric’s shopping cart. “Getting ready for Friday, I see.” Even though she tried to laugh, grief filled her expression.
“Uh, it’s actually for Luke.” Lyric forced a smile.
“Luke?” There was no sign of recognition in Marina’s voice. “Is he a friend of yours?”
“He was a friend of Melody’s.” Lyric reminded her.
But Marina shook her head slowly. “Melody didn’t have many friends. I don’t remember her ever mentioning the name Luke.”
“Oh.” Maybe he was a secret friend. If Melody didn’t get along with her parents, it was no surprise that she wouldn’t tell them about someone like Luke.
“Lyric?” Marina was looking at her hopefully. “I know things didn’t go well last time you visited. I was hoping, maybe, we could try again? Allen and I really would love to get to know you.”
“Um…” Lyric scanned the shelves so that she didn’t have to look at Marina. “I’ll have to check with my parents first.” She spotted rainbow sprinkles and added them to the cart. “But I’ll tell them it’s something I’d like.”
She realized that she wasn’t lying. Part of her did want to get to know her biological parents. Even if it was just curiosity about what they did to Melody, she wanted to know what they were like. How much of her was because of their genetics?
Relief flooded over Marina. “Thank you.” She checked her watch. “I should get going. I have a private lesson to teach at four, and two other stops to make before then.” She waved as she retreated the way she had come. “I hope to see you soon.”
Lyric waved too.
“What were you two talking about?” Luke suddenly appeared again. He dropped two containers of chocolate frosting into the cart.
“Nothing much.” She straightened the cart and they continued to weave between the isles.
“You never said how you knew the Wolfes.” Luke observed.
Lyric hesitated. Part of her wanted to tell him, because she trusted him not to look at her differently. But he had also known Melody, and it was her secret too, even if she hadn’t known. What if telling Luke made him think of Melody differently?
No. She didn’t want her friendship with Luke to center around a secret. He should know. Plus, she already knew one of his secrets, so wasn’t it only fair?
“They’re my biological parents.” She began.
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