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they arrived at the amphitheater five minutes later, and sutton led them down the center aisle and into a row a few rows closer than she and taylor had sat the other day. no one was on stage, but the black piano and four music stands were sitting in the same places as they were the day before. “ah, well, we’re kind of early,” sutton said as she sat next to taylor and Ike and noticed the empty stage. several more people trickled in after them and steadily filled in the empty benches. “there are a lot more people here today, though.” taylor leaned his feet against the top of the bench in front of them and nodded. “i guess the word gets around fast when there’s good talent,” “mmm hmm,” sutton agreed. “you think? look at you and your brothers,” she smiled. he grinned and replied, “yea, i suppose so.” he said as he slumped down further into the bench, suddenly weary of being in public with both of his brothers. usually when they were in tulsa, their hometown, they were bothered seldom, which both surprised him and his brothers, but made him thankful. “you ready for sutton saturday?” sutton grinned, as she poked him with her elbow. “what are we going to do?” “yea, taylor. what are you guys going to do?” ike asked. taylor reached across sutton and jabbed ike in his arm, and sutton grabbed taylor’s arm. “no fighting, you two,” she grinned. “yeah, anyway,” taylor smiled. “look, there she is,” she suddenly said and everyone looked up to the stage. renese came walking out from the side of the stage, and her orchestra quartet followed her and took their places. she stood center stage and looked out to the crowd and waved, and spotted taylor and sutton. she smiled at them and waved, and walked over to her piano. “she noticed us,” sutton said quietly and looked over to taylor. renese quickly adjusted her microphone and rested her right foot atop one of the pedals. “hello everyone, good afternoon. i see a few familiar faces in the crowd today, could it be that i already have fans? well, welcome, my name is renese, and i will be playing some songs for you today. i hope you enjoy,” the audience politely clapped and leaned back into their seats to listen to the music. she followed the same set that she had the day before, and played close to fifteen songs. after several songs, sutton nudged isaac’s shoulder and he nodded at her, approvingly as his eyes stayed fixated to the stage. after an hour had passed, renese ended her set, and the amphitheater erupted in applause. isaac, taylor, zac and sutton quickly jumped to their feet and clapped as taylor commented, “it sounded even better today than it did the other day.” sutton agreed and looked over to zac and Isaac. “did you like her?” “yes, that was so awesome,” ike grinned as zac agreed. “thanks for brining us. she definitely has talent.” \\ after the concert, the group made their way back home, sluggishly. they had stopped to talk to renese again who was surprised to see sutton and taylor there again, but was happy to meet his brothers. after they chatted with her for several minutes, she was summoned backstage by one of the members of the orchestra and autton quickly led them out of the amphitheater. they began walking slowly home, the weather had turned overcast and looked like it was about to rain though no one was in a hurry to get home. “can someone give me a piggy back ride again?” zac whined as he leaned against sutton. “not me, ike will though,” “sutton!” isaac whined, and looked at zac’s puppy dog face. “fine,” he said and zac hopped on his back. taylor and sutton staggered behind and scuffed along the pavement in a pleasing silence. a few sprinkles poured down from the sky as they neared the elementary school where Isaac and zac plopped themselves down on the swings. “its starting to rain guys,” sutton stood near zac and looked up to the sky as the sprinkles increased. “don’t worry, i don’t think you’ll melt,” taylor said as he sat next to zac on a swing. “but you better not go on the swings.” “shut up, you,” she laughed and pushed him in the shoulder. “hey, please. can you push me?” taylor quickly asked. sutton silently moved behind him and began pushing him as he and his brothers tried to see who could swing higher, swing faster. “hey sutt, that’s no fair,” zac whined. sutton rolled her eyes and pushed taylor in the back with one hand and zac with the other until the rain started coming down steadily and softly. she stopped. “guys, we really should get home. its starting to rain harder now and i’m getting soaked.” taylor leaned back in his swing and shook his long blond hair. “come on sutt, its not lightening or anything.” sutton grabbed taylor by the shoulders and pushed him forward and laughed, “fine, fine.” she stopped pushing taylor and stood up in the swing next to him as all three boys looked over to her with concerned looks on their faces. “uhh, no sutt,” zac laughed. “you better get down from there.” “i’m just kidding,” she laughed and plopped into the swing and began pumping her legs in and out as the rain poured over them. after a few minutes of swinging, isaac hopped into the sand and stood in front of his brothers and sutton as he looked at his watch. “you know we really should get home. they are going to be wondering where we are and we’re really all soaked.” everyone reluctantly hopped off their swings and began running out of the school and through the streets towards home. “you know we probably are going to be in trouble for getting all wet,” sutton called as she tried to keep up with them. “no we won’t, don’t worry,” taylor called from ahead of her and then stopped so she could catch up. “does your knee hurt?” he asked as isaac and zac continued running. “kind of, yeah,” she smiled weakly and pressed her knee. “i think my bandage fell off since my jeans got so soaked from the rain.” “want to stop and fix it?” “no,” sutton began to jog again towards home as taylor followed. “i can fix it when we get home.” “you’re so tough,” taylor grinned as they caught up to isaac and zac, waiting to cross the street. when they finally reached home, they ran into the garage and kicked off their shoes and socks, and wrung out their wet tee shirts and hair. sutton sat down on the cold garage door floor as the boys stood around her and dried off with old garage towels. she pulled up her pants leg and pulled off her soggy bandage and threw it in the trash can as zac dropped a dry towel on her head. “thanks,” she smirked and dried her face and arms, and followed the boys inside the house and quickly up the stairs, unnoticed. |