Find Wonder In All Things (32 page)

“And I think you just made my point for me.” Laurel returned his smile, but a prickle on the back of her neck made her turn toward James. She felt a jolt of emotion roll off him, as he stared — no, almost glared — at her. She turned back to Eric and boldly pressed on.

“A man is much quicker to call the cause a lost one, pack up his life and start over. A woman will continue to love, even when all hope of her love being returned is gone.”

Just then, Eddie, the owner of The Loft, stepped up to introduce the next singer on the open-mike list. Laurel wasn’t sure whether she was disappointed or relieved at the distraction, but his next words surprised her so much that she never got the chance to figure it out.

“Hey you all, we’ve got some talent here tonight all the way from California, and word is that he can play a mean guitar and sing a little too. We’ve heard him here at The Loft before, but it was a loooong time ago, so let’s give a warm welcome back to — James Marshall.”

A couple of hoots and polite applause rose from the audience, and James stood, looking like he was at a loss. A little urging from his friends and a nudge from Gary sent him up to the stage. He picked up the guitar sitting there, played a few chords, and noodled up and down the scale, deep in thought. Then he looked up. “I was going to suggest a little Motown . . . ”

Somebody let out a ‘woo-hoo!’ from the back, and James chuckled. “But . . . instead of an oldie but a goodie, how about one I wrote instead?”

Several people nodded, and someone hollered out, “Go for it!”

“I wrote the music a long time ago. It took a while, but over the last couple of weeks I finally found the lyrics in my head.” James’s low voice rumbled into the mike. “This is for Laurel.”

Laurel’s heart stopped and then began to pound so loudly she thought everyone could hear it, even over the ‘woo-woo’s’ and ‘hubba-hubba’s’ of the crowd.

The guitar hummed out the rhythm of an introduction, and her mouth ran dry when she recognized the melody from a far-off winter’s evening spent in a dilapidated, old cabin up the road.

James pinned Laurel with a stare, took a deep breath, and sang:

Tell me it’s not too late.
I can’t perceive my fate.
Here I stand, agony, hope intertwined.
Will I be yours till the end of all time?

He closed his eyes then, and the longing and pain spilled out onto the audience, as if he was trying to purge it from his own soul.

I must speak, knowing that I’ve been unfair to you.
You pierced my soul with yours long, long ago.

Laurel realized the entire table was staring at her. Susan and Gary exchanged one of those looks that couples use to communicate without talking. Eric’s eyebrows shot almost up to his hairline, but she couldn’t say anything to him; she couldn’t even give them all a reassuring smile.

You brought me here to your side,
Right where I belong.
You kept my heart safe with you all these years.

Tell me that you still care.
Answer my ardent prayer.
We had a love so rare,
A life we meant to share.
Give me a look, a word.
Can’t you see? Don’t you know?
I’ve found real wonder in you.

Listen to the music:
http://karenmcox.merytonpress.com/find-wonder-in-all-things/