My heart squeezes at that, so naturally, I tell a joke. “But I really just joined Battle of the Bands to flirt…”
But apparently, Achi’s very determined to make me cry.
“You don’t sing anymore, Niks.”
I shrug, pretending like it’s no big deal that she noticed.
“You used to sing everywhere. Every single car ride, in the mornings I’d hear you from the shower. I remember you singing when I went with you for your first day of kindergarten. It felt so quiet when you stopped.” She sighs and shakes her head. “It was hard for me sometimes since music was your thing with Pa… but I should’ve done something when you quit Trumpets…”
“Ach, that wasn’t your job.”
“But I’m your big sister.” Achi’s voice trembles. “I’m supposed to look out for you.”
A beat passes, then I hear Achi say, “You’re my only shobe.”
Her words are making me tear up while she’s fixated on her damn binder. I wrap my arms around her, but she recoils from my grasp.
“I think you’re a star too,” I tell her.
“Ew?” she says, squirming and acting like she doesn’t feel the same way.
“Can you stand still so I can hug you?”
“This is disgusting,” she mutters.
“Agree.” I try again.
While I convince her to stay still long enough for an awkward embrace, I jump at the sight of a giant mouth under her desk.
“Did you behead someone?!”
I steer clear when Achi grabs the box with what looks like giant dentures inside. “It’s a teeth cake,” she says.
“Awhat?”
“Uncle Derrick’s sister makes cakes.” She lets out a heavy sigh. “She made this for the wedding. Apparently, it’s a special dental theme for her brother.”
Even if I wasn’t trying to stop this wedding from happening, I still think this cake should be banned from any celebration. It is offensive to everything Ma stands for—as a baker, and generally, as a person with eyesight!
Dr. Derrick’s sister could’ve at least made this a cute little cartoon cake. Who would want to eat dessert that actually looks like someone’s gums?!
“This is the third cake she’s baked,” Achi adds. “The others had icing that looked like tooth decay.”
Putting that image far out of my head. “Did Ma see them too?”
“Yeah, I’ve been helping her think of ways to let Uncle Derrick’s sister down gently.”
I turn the cake around so its head isn’t staring directly at me.
“I’ve also been meaning to ask you about song choices,” Achi mentions. “I started a playlist with songs that Ma might like, but I think we need more upbeat stuff. I only remembered how much Ma loved ‘Always Be My Baby’ when your band sang it.”
“Did you know that’s how Pa asked Ma to prom?”
Achi laughs. “You know, for a moment, I thought I even heard Pa’s voice while you were up there,” she says so casually as if her words didn’t just changeeverything.
My whole body’s already buzzing when I’m trying to figure out if I heard my sister correctly.
“I listened back to Pa singing in the video, and it’s fascinating how the mind works!” Achi says. “Some studies actually saythat one in ten people will experience hearing voices at some point in their life.”
