Whisper by Kathleen Lash

were to make it more subtle, treat your listeners like they had a brain?”
    “Excuse me?”
    “Do you understand the difference in meaning between assault and coercion?”
    “Sure.”
    “I don’t,” Billy said and Keith smiled. The conversation fascinated him. He could hardly wait for what she’d say next. Some of the lyrics were more than a little blunt. Actually, they were downright scary.
    “The word dead or death is an assault. The word afterlife gives the same general meaning in a less 83

    Kathleen Lash

    blunt manner. It forces a person to get the message, without beating them over the head.” Jade piped up. “And what the hell rhymes with afterlife? ”
    “Knife,” Whisper replied. The kitchen fell silent.
    Yeah, they could definitely use the word in the types of songs they wrote.
    “I get it!” Corey said suddenly. “ He went for death, with crystal meth, and then he fell, straight into hell. That’s too blunt. But how would you allude to something like that?”
    “Why is he killing himself?” she asked.
    “Does it matter?”
    Keith chuckled quietly. Let’s see her get out of this one.
    “Sure it does,” she replied. “If he’s some psycho meth-head that wants to die, that’s fine. But why is he in love with the drug?”
    “Again,” Corey asked, “does it matter?”
    “Yes. You’re telling this poor guy’s story, and we don’t even know why he’s so desperate. Give him history. I’ll be shocked when he dies, but I’d cry if I knew why.”
    “Fine. He had his leg blown off in a war. How’s that.” Legs seemed to be an issue with Corey lately.
    Poor kid.
    “What’s the story? A missing leg isn’t a reason to kill yourself.”
    “Sure it is. Probably happens a lot.”
    “Again, think about the higher concept. Why does it affect him? He doesn’t feel like a man anymore? He can’t support his family? His girlfriend left because she couldn’t handle his disability?”
    “I get it. Wife puked when she saw him. He couldn’t take it. Now what?”
    The kitchen fell silent and Keith reached over to get some water. He drank and placed the empty glass down silently, waiting for her answer.
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    Whisper

    “He came home from war, she hit the door.” Dishes rattled before something scraped a pot. “Half a leg, half a life, alone in hell, with no damn wife.
    Light the pipe, up the dose, peace is coming, getting close. The pipes redemption, a clouded brain, six stories down, would end the pain.” The kids started clapping before she hushed them.
    “I have to write that down,” Corey said.
    “Please don’t. You get my drift thought about a higher concept? You don’t necessarily need bigger words; you need a deeper meaning. And when you throw in the four letter words, make it for impact.”
    “How do you know this stuff, Whisper?”
    “I have ears. I listen to music. I read. Sometimes it’s what a person doesn’t say straight out that really communicates what’s going on.” The kids all started talking. Keith pondered her last statement. It described everything about her.
    Her compassion, ability with the kids and laughter surrounded them. It was blunt. The subtle flinch when he caught her unaware, the apologies when they got close the night he came home, were more subtle. She’d never said so, but she’d been hurt. Her and Heather both.
    The way she handled the kids, the house, and jumped right in to take care of him, showed one thing. Her knowledge of drugs and post-grunge music didn’t fit in with the rest. Smoking meth and linking it to redemption, also struck him. It applied to the story and rhymed, but she almost effortlessly blurted the words out. Had she been an addict? She seemed connected to the lifestyle.
    He’d need to be watchful of her and not get too close. Then again, maybe their play from the other night wouldn’t happen again. Damn, he hoped not.
    That mouth of hers and those warm little hands!
    God, she smelled so good. The pills could account for