The Gathering by S L Dearing Page A

have to take all of them, Sara?   Can’t you just pick a few and throw the others back for the rest of us?”           
    Sara shook her head and grabbed her sister’s arm.
    “What are you talking about?”
    “I don't know.   I just really like him.”
    Sara moved her hand down Coeli’s arm and took her hand.   Coeli looked at her sister, her face starting to soften.
    “Who?” Sara asked.
    “Sam.”
    Sara’s shoulders relaxed and she squeezed her sister’s hand.
    “Oh Honey, all you had to do was tell me.   I’ll leave Sam Hearst alone.   You’re my sister.   No boy will ever be worth my sisters.   Besides, I’m not sure he likes me like that.”
    Coeli felt a tear run down her cheek, which she quickly wiped away, as Sara pulled her sister into a hug.
    “I’m sorry.   I don’t think he likes me either.”
    Sara pulled back and looked at Coeli.
    “I wouldn't be so sure.   All the way to the stage he was asking about you."
    Coeli felt her breathing grow short.
    "Really?"
    Sara looked over at Kaley, who was watching with interest.   Sara mouthed, " it's ok" and turned back to Coeli.
    "He asked about you, if you were seeing anyone, that kind of stuff.   And for future reference, try talking to me, Shay.   I love you.”
    “I love you too.   I'm sorry.”
    The sisters embraced and pulled apart to see their siblings watching them.   Kaley looked at both of them.
    “Are you two done?   Can we play now?”
    "I haven't practiced yet," cried Brandon.
    “Yeah, I have things to do,” piped up Brian.
    The other children turned and looked at him.
    “I do.”
Coeli picked up her fiddle and Sara and Brandon picked up their flutes.   Alisha was sitting at the piano.   The older twins were each playing percussion, the bodhran and bass drum.   Kaley picked up her guitar, Rebecca sat down with her hammered dulcimer and Brian sat with his uillean pipes.   James Tippen took his position and the children began to tune up.   After a moment, James raised his baton and the music erupted in the air and everyone turned as if drawn to the platform.   Many started dancing in the back as Lisa and Amanda began to step dance to the reel their siblings were playing.  
    Sam stood silently watching Coeli.  
    “Well, was it a wonderful as you thought?”
    Sam turned and looked at his friend.
    “No.”
    “What?”
“I didn't tell you, but when that thing hit us this morning, I didn't think about Sara, I thought about Coeli.   Now when I look at her, I get those same feelings I used to get when I looked at Sara.   I don't get it.   I thought Sara was the one.   Now… nothing.”
    “Well, maybe it’s been Coeli this whole time, but you weren't really ready.   Maybe you thought she was too young, I don't know, and you just transferred all your feelings to Sara until Coeli was older and you were ready.”
    “That’s deep.”
    Scott grinned.
    “So you’re not interested in Sara anymore?” Scott asked.
    “No.”
    “Do you mind if I, you know?”
    “You’re interested in Sara?”
    “Yeah.”
    “How long?”
    “A while.”
    Sam turned to look at him and frowned.
    “You never told me ‘cause of all my obsessing?   Just ‘cause I liked her?”
    “Yeah.”
    "I'm an asshole."
    "No you're not."
    “Yeah, I am.   If you can't tell me that you're into some girl just cause I like her…I'm an asshole."
    "Fine, you're an asshole."
    “Thanks.”
    “You're welcome. Can we move on now?   You go after Coeli and I'll go after Sara.”
    "But what if I don't know what I'm feeling?"
    "Maybe you’re gay."
Sam smiled and Scott shook his head and put out his hand, they shook hands and stood there watching the stage until Sam was grabbed by his mother and forced to dance with her.   Coeli looked over and saw him dancing.   She couldn’t help but smile, slightly guilty at her behavior, until she looked over again and saw that he was looking at her and smiling, blushing.   She then felt her face get