Free Playing My Love by Angela Peach

look that was passing between us, it wasn't just me feeling this.  It was a look of mutual, deep, soulful attraction.  She started nodding slightly again, as if affirming something to herself before she looked away.
      "I don't think it would be right for me to accept this, Alison.  I'm really not sure how much time I'll have left over from my studies to be able to give you guitar lessons."
      I understood the meaning behind her carefully chosen words, and I was just as careful with mine.  
      "Darcy, not everything is as black and white as it seems.  No, I won't ever leave Gray and yes, he does make me happy.  But things don't always go according to plan.  Nobody knows what tomorrow will bring."  In an inexplicably bold move for me, I reached out and took her hand in mine, catching her by surprise.  "I do know that I really would like to see you again, and that I would also very much like for us to get to know each other better…as friends."  I was trying to ignore the little flip-flops my stomach was doing as our hands squeezed together softly.  "So, I'm more than happy to take whatever lessons you're able to offer."
      "Get to know each other better?"
      "Yes."
      She swallowed hard.
      "Okay."
      "Then, if the lessons don't work out after a few months, at least we tried, right?"
      I knew I was confusing her, and although I too was incredibly confused, I also felt a strange clarity.  Her brown eyes bore into mine, searching for more answers, but getting none.
      "So we're okay for the lessons?"  I asked hopefully.  The intensity in the car was incredible and the fact that we were still holding hands added to it.
      "Yes .  We're okay for the lessons"  she replied and I breathed a sigh of relief.
      "Thank you.  So if you call me when you can fit me in around your classes, we'll work out some times?"
      "Sure."
      "Great."  I looked at the clock on the dash.  "I guess I should make a move.  I told Gray I wouldn't be long.  He's plucking a pheasant for dinner"  I added unnecessarily.  Darcy looked slightly puzzled at my random statement, but then withdrew her hand from mine and stroked the steering wheel.
      "Thank you , Alison.  Thank you doesn't even begin to convey how grateful I truly am, but it's a start.  And I promise, I am going to give you the best goddam guitar lessons ever.  In fact, next year you'll probably take me on a cruise round the Bahamas in exchange for more!"
      "Ah, i nflation?  Of course!"
      "Absolutely!  I'm very good , as you know, and you'll be receiving exclusive one on one lessons!"
      We both seemed to welcome the return of our light-hearted banter, easily and comfortably back to teasing one another.
      "I want to be as good as Jimmy Hendrix by the end of the year or it's a cruise to the Isle of Wight for the next lot of lessons!"
      "Ooh, I've never been there!"
      We laughed, then said our goodbyes before hugging across the handbrake.  Darcy promised to look after Billy and call me when she had her timetable, then I got out and walked to my new jeep.
      I felt her eyes watch me all the way, and I felt them leave when I drove off.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
                                                                        6
                                                    Free Therapy
     
      I saw Darcy twice the following week for guitar lessons.  The first time was more of a guitar buying trip into town where we finally got to order our long overdue steaks, and on the second, she brought over a lot of manuals and sheet music for me to keep before showing me how to hold the guitar properly.  I could tell it wasn't going to be as easy as she made it look after just fifteen minutes of trying to bend and relax my stiff, unyielding fingers around the neck.
      "It's okay,