Read Playing by Heart for Free Online Page A

swept his arm to encompass the office—“before her. Don’t make the same mistake, Miss Bowman.”
    â€œBut the Donally—”
    â€œYou do what needs to be done and leave the rest in God’s hands. And mine.” He patted my shoulders, compassion in his eyes. “I’ll do all I can to sway the committee to put your scholarship on hold, but you must go to your sister.”

    â€œLula?” Jewel stood on the porch of her house Saturday morning, hair unbrushed, skin sallow, arms tight across her middle, as if holding herself together. My chest ached at the sight.
    It hadn’t been easy to resign from my position and pack my trunk. My heart felt shredded, like a piece of silk beneath unwieldy scissors. But seeing my sister now, I knew I’d chosen correctly.
    Her tired eyes strayed to the valise in my hand, then jumped back to my face. Relief spread over her features as she hurried down the steps and met me in the yard. She threw her arms around me, pulled me close.
    â€œI knew you’d come.” Her whisper in my ear birthed tears in my eyes. I shook them away, unwilling to let her see. She pulled back, smiled. But the corner of her mouth trembled. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell y’all earlier. I thought—” She sighed and rubbed a finger across her forehead. “I guess I thought I could handle all of it alone. But I can’t.”
    We made our way arm in arm up the steps. Inside, Trula and Inez dropped their dolls and ran to me, pressing their small bodies into mine, gazing up at me with rapturous faces. Russell toddled in a circle around his sisters, clapping his pudgy hands. My eyes skimmed over the room. No JC. I raised an eyebrow at Jewel. She winced and sat in the wide leather armchair near the piano—Davy’s chair—hands writhing in her lap. “Girls, take your brother outside and push him on the swing.”
    They protested a moment but then did as she bade.
    â€œHe’s always at the livery.”
    I nodded. “It reminds him of his daddy.”
    Jewel sighed. “I suppose so. Mr. Timmons has been gracious to let him run about the place pretending he’s useful, as Davy used to. But one day JC’ll have to understand that he has no right to be there anymore.”
    â€œYou sold it?”
    Jewel nodded. “But Davy owed more money than I’d thought. There wasn’t much left to live on. Janice and Don are coming today to discuss ‘my financial situation.’” She hesitated. “They don’t know about the baby yet.”
    I blew out a long breath. My hand grazed the top of the piano. Dust came away on my fingers. I tried to rub them clean on the floor as I knelt next to the chair Jewel occupied, but they came away dirtier than before. Already things were further out of hand than I’d imagined.
    I clasped Jewel’s hand in my clean one. “We’ll figure things out. Together.”
    She nodded, then leaned her head back and closed her eyes—almost as if Davy’s chair were his arms wrapped around her once more.

    Don settled at the dining room table less than an hour later. “I don’t have time to dawdle, so let’s get right to it.” I set a glass of cold water in front of him. He drank half in one gulp.
    Janice pressed her cheek to Jewel’s, then mine. “We didn’t expect you here,” she told me.
    I just smiled. Let her wonder. For now.
    Don pulled some papers from a leather bag and spread them out on the table. “From what I see, Jewel, if you sell the motorcar and the house, you and the children ought to be able to sustain yourselves for a year or two.”
    Jewel stared at the table. Janice and Don stared at Jewel.
    â€œWhat?” Don barked. “You didn’t think you could simply go on as you are, did you?”
    Jewel shook her head but didn’t look up.
    â€œNow, Don, this has all happened so fast. She needs