The Intuitives(34)

“All of those, really,” Daniel admitted. “But I don’t sing much.”

“Ha! Don’t listen to him, Ammu. He sings plenty,” Rush interjected, grinning wickedly.

“Oh?” Ammu asked. “So, Daniel, you have shared your talent with your new friends already? How wonderful!”

“Oh, he shared it all right,” Rush said. “Shared and shared and shared, didn’t he, Sketch?” Roman giggled on cue. “Heck, Mister Stayin’ Alive over here won’t stop singing.”

“That is quite enough now, Mr….” Ammu held up one hand, but he did not yet know Rush’s name.

“Knock it off, Rush,” Mackenzie said at the same time, glaring at him over Roman’s head.

“He’s ‘Mr. Hunt’ in your file,” Sam offered.

“My name is ‘Rush,’” Rush snapped at Sam.

“Yeah, yeah,” Sam said, rolling her eyes. “I just said ‘in the file.’ He’s trying to figure out which one you are, genius.”

“Please, children. That is enough,” Ammu said, interjecting again.

“We’re not children,” Sam muttered under her breath.

“Listen to me, please,” Ammu continued. “I know you have only just met each other, but it is critical that you try to get along. You will be working very closely together this summer. Very closely. Although I do not wish our meetings to be formal, I would ask nonetheless that you not interrupt each other, that you respect one another, no matter how you might be feeling in the moment. Daniel, please continue. Tell me about your musical ability.”

Daniel didn’t say anything, looking first at Rush and then down at his hands in embarrassment. At least Rush hadn’t said anything about the love songs, but still, he was mortified. As the pause dragged on, Kaitlyn reached out and placed one hesitant hand on his knee for encouragement. Daniel looked up in surprise and then smiled just a little. She patted his knee and withdrew her hand, but it had been what he needed.

“I have perfect pitch,” he said quietly, looking back down at his hands. “If you play me any note, I can tell you what it is, just from hearing it. I like a lot of instruments, but guitars are my favorite. And I do sing a little, but I really don’t like singing in front of people.” He glanced over at Rush, still embarrassed. “I just get carried away sometimes.”

“I’d like to hear you sing,” Kaitlyn said quietly, and she smiled at him, which made him blush.

“As would I,” Ammu agreed. “But if you are more comfortable, Daniel, we can start, perhaps, with some guitar music? If you brought such an instrument with you?”

Daniel nodded.

“Excellent! Then will you please bring it to our afternoon session? I would love to hear you play and perhaps engage in some simple exercises.”

“OK,” Daniel agreed, but inside he was horrified. Kaitlyn was smiling at him, and Daniel wasn’t sure whether that made him feel better or worse. There was a part of him that wouldn’t mind playing for her, at least a little, but not like this, not in front of everyone, especially not with Rush and Sam watching.

“Very well, then. Thank you, Daniel.” Ammu turned toward Roman and smiled. “I take it, then, that you are Roman Jackson.”

“My name is Sketch,” he said immediately, and Rush smirked just a little.

“Oh? I apologize. Roman is the nickname listed in your file.”

“It’s new,” Roman said proudly. “It’s my gamer tag. Cause I can draw.”

“I see!” Ammu smiled gently. “And what do you like to draw?”

“Just stuff,” Roman said cautiously. “People, mostly.”

“That is very interesting. Would you consider that to be your special talent, do you think?”

“I don’t know,” Roman answered, shrugging a little.

“You’re good, man. He said don’t be modest. Tell him.” Rush shoved Roman lightly in the shoulder, and Roman grinned up at him shyly.

“I’m good, I guess,” Roman said.

“He’s really good,” Rush offered, and Roman beamed with pride.

“Well, if that is the case, then I would like very much to see your work. Would you draw something for me?” He picked up another yellow pad and pen and handed them toward Roman, but Roman hesitated, not taking them. He was afraid Ammu would ask him to draw someone here in the room, and he didn’t want them to know how he saw them, not even the good stuff.

“Um, I’m really better with pencils,” he said quietly.

“You should bring him your pad this afternoon,” Rush told him.

“Oh? Do you have a sketching book here with you?” Ammu asked.

“Yeah. It’s upstairs,” Roman responded, grateful for a way out of Ammu’s initial request.

“And would you be willing to bring it to me this afternoon? Along with some pencils, perhaps?”

“Sure,” Roman agreed. That last bit didn’t sound promising, but at least now he would have until the afternoon to figure out how to handle things.

“Wonderful!” Ammu said, smiling warmly, and then he turned his attention to Sam.

“So, then. You must be Samantha Prescott, yes?”

“That’s right,” Sam said. She was already dreading this conversation.