IshouldhavefessedtoTessatthestart,butwhoknowswhenlovebegins?Twotraryimpulsespulledatme.Ididnotwanttoscareherawaywiththegelingstory,yetIlooentrustallmysecretstoher.Butitwasasifademonshadowedmeeverywhereandclampedshutmymouthtoholdih.Shegavememanyopportuoopeandtellher,andIcamecloseowice,buteachtimeIhesitatedandstopped.

    OnLaborDaywewereatthebaseballstadiumiy,watgthehometeamtakeonChicago.Iwasdistractedbytheenemyrusedbase.

    "So,whatstheplanforTheCoverboys?"

    "Plan?lan?"

    "Youreallyshouldrecordanalbum.Yourethatgood."Sheattackedahotdogthickwithrelish.Ourpitcherstruckouttheirbatter,aoutawhoop.Tesslovedthegame,andIeforhersake.

    "Whatkindofalbum?Coversofotherpeoplessongs?Doyoureallythinkanybodywouldbuyacopywhentheyhavetheinal?"

    "Yht,"shesaidbetweenbites."Maybeyoucoulddosomethingnewanddifferent.Writeyourownsongs."

    "Tess,thesongswesihekindofsongsIwouldwrite."

    "Okay,ifyoucouldwriteanymusitheworld,whatkindwouldyouwrite?"

    Ituroher.ShehadaspeckofrelishattheerofhermouththatIwishedtonibbleaway."Idwriteyouasymphony,ifIcould."

    Outflickedhertooherlips."Whatsstoppingyou,Henry?

    Idloveasymphonyofmyown."

    "MaybeifIhadstayedseriousaboutpiano,orifIhadfinishedmusicschool."

    "Whatsstoppingyoingbacktocollege?"

    Nothingatall.Thetwinshadfinishedhighschoolandwerew.MymothercertainlydidhefewdollarsIb