Chapter 1
Beyond the Wind Music Snippet
Marie didn’t remember when it had first started, but the melody of the wind chimes was following her.
The song was easier to ignore indoors, where so many things needed doing. Laundry had to be folded, meals prepared, band-aids smoothed onto skinned knees, and soft, little-girl tears wiped away. But outside, where the wind chimes swayed hypnotically from the maple tree, the music surrounded Marie.
It followed her through every room in the house and into the yard—soft notes, tickling her ears, asking her to listen. She wouldn’t let herself. Listening meant acknowledging its presence. More than that, its power.
“Look out, Mommy!”
Bekah’s squeal pulled Marie to her feet. She glanced at her daughter in time to see the Frisbee sailing toward her face. Dropping back to her seat at the picnic table, she covered her head.
The Frisbee whizzed above her and hit the backyard fence. Marie blinked, unfolding herself. She patted her messy bun to make sure it wasn’t coming loose, then picked up the camera that sat beside her. She’d meant to get a few good pictures of the girls playing for her scrapbook, but she’d forgotten the camera was even there.
“Need to work on that aim, Bekah.” Tanner chuckled as he jogged past Marie to get the Frisbee. “Sorry, babe.”
“Yeah, Bekah, you almost cut off Mom’s head,” Addie said.
“I didn’t mean to!”
None of them seemed distracted by the music the way Marie was. They hardly even seemed to hear it.
Why didn’t they hear?
“I’m sorry, Mommy!” Bekah bounded toward her.
Marie stood again to receive her daughter’s hug, cautiously holding the camera away from herself as Bekah threw her arms around Marie’s waist. “I know you didn’t mean to. And look, my head’s still here.” She rapped her knuckles against her temple and made a hollow, clicking sound with her tongue. “See? Good as new.”
Bekah giggled.
“Play with us, Mom.” Addie squirmed in beside Bekah, vying for attention with a subtle pout. “You said this was family day.”
“You’re part of the family,” added Bekah.
“I am, aren’t I?” Marie glanced up at the tree. The breeze faded, and for once, the chimes were slowing. A chill crept over her skin. She waited for the wind to stir them again.
What are you doing? Don’t you want the music to go away?
If she really wanted the music to stop, all she had to do was take the wind chimes down. So why didn’t she?
Marie forced her thoughts away from the question. For the girls, she pasted a mischievous smile onto her face. “Okay, I’m in.” She set the camera on the picnic table and turned back to Addie and Bekah. “Let’s show Daddy how monkey-in-the-middle is done, shall we?”
“Yay!” Addie grabbed Bekah’s hands, and the two danced in a circle, Bekah struggling to keep up with her big sister. It was hard to believe Bekah would start school tomorrow. She still looked so little.
“Did I hear a challenge?” Tanner came up to them, Frisbee in hand.
“Mommy’s gonna make you stuck in the middle, Daddy!”
“Is that right?” Tanner dropped the Frisbee and slid his arms around Marie. “Mommy underestimates me.” Waggling his eyebrows flirtatiously, he stooped down for a kiss.
Marie pulled back before his lips reached her. “No kisses until you prove me wrong.” She smoothed the honey-blond locks that playfully framed his forehead. Thank goodness the girls had inherited those curls instead of her limp, mousy hair.
“Ah, so that’s how you want to play?” Tanner snatched up the Frisbee again, never one to turn down a little friendly competition. “Mommy’s the monkey, girls. Keep it away from her!”
The girls giggled and ran to catch Tanner’s throw.
Even without the chimes dancing, the echoes of music lingered, but Marie tried to focus on the game. She caught the Frisbee when Addie attempted a pass to Bekah, making her older daughter the new “monkey.” She laughed with the girls when Tanner pretended to trip so Addie could grab the fallen Frisbee from him. Yet underneath it all, another question slithered through her veins.
Was she going crazy?
Family day. You can’t think about this right now. Later, she’d talk to Tanner—if she could find a way to put it into words.
“It’s coming for you, Addie,” Marie called, winding up the Frisbee for a throw. As soon as Addie moved beyond Tanner’s reach, Marie let it fly, but she’d miscalculated. The Frisbee curved through the air and landed in the branches of the maple tree.
The leaves fluttered, and Marie’s heart joined them.