Free Face the Music by Andrea K. Robbins

times before coming to a stop against the curb.  “We never knew our dad.  He ran off before Emily was born.  I was barely out of diapers, so I have no memories of him.”
    “And your mom?”
    A painful pressure filled my chest.  “She passed away about three years ago.”
    I could feel his eyes on me as he waited for me to say something more, but I remained silent.  Mom’s death wasn’t high on my list of conversation topics.  Chris must have understood because he didn’t ask for details .
    “I’m sorry,” he said.
    Molly broke away from my hand and ran for a swing.  “Chris, will you push me?” she called over her shoulder.
    “Of course I will!”  His expression brightened as he chased after her .  “How high?” 
    “As high as the sky!” she cheered.   “Higher…higher!”  She yelled with each push. 
    I sat on the swing next to hers and watched as the two played.  It warmed my heart to see her so happy.  When Molly was satisfied with Chris’s pushing , I looked up at him and poked out my lower lip.  “Will you push me?” 
    A gust of wind rustled the branches overhead.  “Alright.”  He grabbed my swing and pulled.  “How high?”  Not waiting for an answer, he let go of the chains and gave me a hefty push, launching me forward in a rush of air.
    I leaned into the swing, arching my head back and pushing my legs out in front of me.  I closed my eyes as the breeze whipped through my hair and leaned forward when the swing started to descend.  He pushed me again.  “Okay,” I giggled breathlessly as the swing flew up.  “That’s high enough!”
    We were outside for about an hour before the wind started to really blow.  The swings twisted around their chains, and the flag whipped about its pole.  Dark clouds rolled in from the west.  I gave up on my hair and twisted the band around it .
    “Burr, I’m cold , Allie!” Molly said, wrapping her arms across her chest.
    I pulled the hood of her jacket up over her head.  “Okay.  Let’s go in.  What do you want for dinner?”
    “Blueberry oatmeal and popcorn.”  She answered as though it were a perfectly normal suggestion.
    Chris and I looked at each other and burst out laughing.  After catching his breath, he knelt down on one knee so that he was eye- level with her.  “That’s quite a combination, and it sounds absolutely delicious, but how about if I take you and your aunt out for pizza instead?”
    “Pizza!” yelled Molly, clapping her hands and jumping up and down.
    “ You don’t have to do that, ” I said.
    “I want to,” he said, looking up at me.  “There’s a good place a few blocks down.”
    The restaurant was war m and smelled of dough.  We ate mostly in silence, and after we finished, I glanced at my watch.  It was a little after seven.  “Don’t you h ave to get back for rehearsal?”
    He frowned.  “Yeah .  But how about I walk you two back home first?”
    Molly and I put our coats on and waited for him outside while he paid .  Fluffy , white flakes fell from the sky, dusting the sidewalk and trees with tiny crystals of ice.
    It was only a minute before Chris came out.  He stomped his feet and rubbed his hands together.  “Wow, it got cold!”  He picked up Molly and pressed her against his chest, wrapping the front of his coat around her.
    For half of a second I was jealous of my young niece. 
    The wind was sharp.  W e walked in silence towards my building.  “Thanks for dinner,” I finally said when we rounded my corner.
    “Sure!  Thanks for letting me barge in on your family time.  It really means a lot.”  His voice was soft as he glanced down at Molly.  “Sometimes I feel like I’m all alone here.” 
    “You, alone?”  I laughed at the thought.  “You’re always surrounded by people.  How can you possibly feel alone?”
    “They’re just people, nobody important.  I miss my people, you know?”  He shook his head and adjusted his coat, covering