Если я останусь

           AsI’dshuffledout,thatsamejudgehadtoldmethatithadbeenalongtimesincetheschoolhad"seenanOregoncountrygirl."ProfessorChristiehadtakenthattomeanaguaranteedacceptance.Iwasn’tsosurethatwastrue.AndIwasn’t100percentsurethatIwantedittobetrue.JustlikewithShootingStar’smeteoricrise,myadmissiontoJuilliard—ifithappens—willcreatecertaincomplications,or,moreaccurately,wouldcompoundthecomplicationsthathavealreadycroppedupinthelastfewmonths.

           "Ineedmorecoffee.Anyoneelse?"Momasks,hoveringovermewiththeancientpercolator.

           Isniffthecoffee,therich,black,oilyFrenchroastweallprefer.Thesmellaloneperksmeup."I’mponderinggoingbacktobed,"Isay."Mycello’satschool,soIcan’tevenpractice."

           "Notpractice?Fortwenty-fourhours?Bestill,mybrokenheart,"Momsays.Thoughshehasacquiredatasteforclassicalmusicovertheyears—"it’slikelearningtoappreciateastinkycheese"—she’sbeenanot-always-delightedcaptiveaudienceformanyofmymarathonrehearsals.

           Ihearacrashandaboomcomingfromupstairs.Teddyispoundingonhisdrumkit.ItusedtobelongtoDad.Backwhenhe’dplayeddrumsinabig-in-our-town,unknown-anywhere-elseband,backwhenhe’dworkedatarecordstore.

           DadgrinsatTeddy’snoise,andseeingthat,Ifeelafamiliarpang.Iknowit’ssillybutIhavealwayswonderedifDadisdisappointedthatIdidn’tbecomearockchick.I’dmeantto.