A commercial break came on, and I got up to fix myself a glass of Pepsi. As I was heading back to the couch, the doorbell rang. I sighed and sat down my glass on the coffee table, then went to answer the door.
Quinn was standing there, head turned politely to the side a bit. I saw Danielle hurriedly walking across my yard and into the Hansons' yard. I reached up and tugged on my ponytail. "Hi, Quinn."
"Hey! Peet? Is that you?" she asked.
"It's me," I said. "Come in?"
"Sure," she said. She held out her arm to me, and I took it a bit bewilderedly. She walked inside, and I shut the door with my foot.
"I know you probably think I'm rude or something for not calling first, but I needed someone to hang around with besides my sister. I called Meredith but she wasn't home, so I thought I might just pop in over here instead. Is she here?" she asked.
"No," I replied. I guided her to the couch and told her to sit down. She did. "She went shopping with her aunt today, I think."
"Oh," Quinn said. "So, what have you been up to?"
"Sleeping," I replied. "You?"
"I've been trying to figure out how to get down the stairs in our house this morning without somebody helping me," she said. "I'm sick of being led around like a baby. I also figured out how to get to your house."
"How?" I asked.
"I counted my steps. 5 steps from the front door, 3 stairs - watch out for those, 61 steps to the edge of the street. Listen. Cross quickly - 46 steps to the sidewalk. Turn left, and it's another 569 steps to your front walk. 52 steps to the stairs, 4 stairs, 6 steps to your front door."
"Wow," I said. "How did you remember all of that?"
She shrugged. "I'm used to it. I count everything I do," she explained. "Kind of the same way you rely on the things you see to remember your way. It comes naturally to you, and this comes naturally to me."
"Have you been blind all your life?" I asked.
"Nope," she said. "I had a brain tumor when I was really little. They removed it and it hasn't come back, but it took my site along with it. I haven't been able to see for 11 years."
"Isn't that strange, though? Not being able to see?"
She grinned. "When you've been like this for nearly as long as you can remember, it's not such a big deal. I used to get upset about it, but I don't anymore. Not worth the upset."
"Is there any chance you'll ever be able to see again?" I asked.
She shook her head no. "Not now, there isn't. If by some chance they come up with a miracle surgery or drug, maybe I'll be able to see someday. Until then, I'm just going to have to deal with counting my steps and listening really closely to everything."
"Do you like music?" I asked.
"Definitely," she said. "Do you?"
"I like it on my radio," I told her. She grinned. Her smile was broad and full of straight, white teeth.
"Who's your favorite group?" she asked.
"Currently? Um... Matchbox 20, I guess," I told her. She nodded.
"They're good," she said. "Anybody else?"
"There's lots of bands," I said. "That's just the only one that sticks out in my mind."
She nodded, and twisted a lock of red hair around her finger. "Are you watching Days?"
"Yup," I replied, looking at the screen.
"Ooooh!" she squealed. "I love this show!"
I smiled, even though she couldn't see it. I guess it was easy to forget that she was blind at times. She acted like a regular teenage girl. "Don't you just HATE Carly?"
"Hate her?" Quinn asked, her face scrunching up. "I despise her. I loathe her. I want to rip out her hair and tell her to get a clue. Who does she think she's kidding with her goody-good act?"
"Someone should slap her," I agreed.
We got quiet and finished watching the show. Shortly after, there was another knock on the door. I ran to get it.
"Hi," I said. "Whatcha need?"
He looked at me, smiling. His dark blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and the front part was curling up. "Hey, Peet. Long time, no see!"
"Hey, Isaac," I said, as he patted me on the shoulder.
"I'm here to tell Quinn that Taylor is taking Danielle out for lunch, so she can't walk her home," he said. "She also mentioned something about a doctor's appointment..."
"Do you want me to get her?" I asked.
He nodded. "Please."
"Quinn!" I called, walking back to the living room. I took her arm. "Danielle went out with Taylor for lunch, so she's not gonna be able to walk home with you. Do you have a doctor's appointment this afternoon?"
"Oh, yeah," Quinn said, as though she were reminding herself. "I do. At 2 o'clock."
When we got to the door, Isaac was trying to do his best to look preoccupied. He was shuffling back and forth on my porch. "Ike," I said, startling him, "Stop pacing."
He turned abruptly and smiled. "Hey."
"Hi," she said. "Who are you?"
"I'm Isaac," he said. "Taylor's brother."
"Ooooh," she replied. "Did you say he took her out to lunch?"
"Yup," Isaac replied. "She said that someone would need to walk you back home, because you were going to the doctor soon."
"I am," she confirmed. "I've got to head back, actually, now."
"Oh," I said. "Um... I would volunteer to take you home, but I'm really not up to walking down the street in my PJs."
Isaac and Quinn chuckled. I rolled my eyes at them and said, "So I guess this means Isaac is the lucky guy who gets to take Quinn home."
Isaac looked at Quinn, and his cheeks blushed red. "I guess so."
"Bye, Peetree," Quinn said to me as she gave Isaac her arm.
"Bye," I said. I watched them walk up to the sidewalk, and then turned and went inside.
"Danielle said you guys were from Chicago," Isaac said, attempting to make conversation. He was almost nervous, standing this close to a girl as pretty as Quinn. "How'd you like it?"
"I didn't," she said. "I never really could enjoy it or anything. It was so busy out on the streets that I couldn't go out without somebody else with me. It sucked."
"Yeah," he said. He knew the feeling. He couldn't go walking down the streets of a big city without a bodyguard or parent on his heels. Everywhere was the possibility of a crazy fan or of a psycho person.
"Your voice sounds familiar," Quinn suddenly chimed. "Have I spoken to you before?"
"No," he replied.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Yup," he said. "Maybe you've heard someone like me."
She shrugged. "Maybe. You've lived in Tulsa all of your life?"
"Pretty much," he said. "Our dad's job took us overseas for a couple of years, but no big deal."
"Oh," she said. "I heard that around here there's a really good band called Admiral Twin. They opened up at a concert I went to earlier this summer for a band called Hanson. I think they're from around here, too."
"They are," Isaac replied. "Admiral Twin is really good."
"Garth Brooks is from around here too, isn't he?" Quinn asked.
"Sure is," Isaac replied.
"That is so cool," she said. "Are there a lot of indie-type bands around here that are good?"
"Tons of them," he told her. "Oh, watch your step. We're going over the curb."
"Thanks," she said. "Are you in a band?"
"Yeah," he replied, cheeks flushing red again. "You could say that."
"You've got a very nice voice," she said. "You sing, right?"
"That, too," he said. "I also play the..."
"Guitar," she finished for him. She nodded. "I can tell by your hand."
Isaac was confused for a moment. Then he realized that he was holding her hand. His cheeks blazed crimson again. "Sorry," he mumbled.
"It's okay," she told him, giving his hand a squeeze. "I kinda like it."
Isaac smiled, relieved. A small laugh escaped his lips. "I like it, too," he said. She smiled back at him. It hit Isaac then that they were on her front porch. He'd never even told her when they'd come to the curb. Maybe she'd already known...
"Isaac Hanson," she said to herself. "That's why your voice is so familiar. Of course. I just now connected your last name to your first name. You're in the band Hanson. Now I feel stupid..."
His brow furrowed.
"Don't worry," she said. "I'm not gonna do anything crazy. I just thought I should tell you that I like your music. I would probably say you were cute or something like lots of other fans, but I can't see you, so I can't say that."
It got quiet for a minute. "You're really nice, Isaac," she told him, disentangling her hand from his. "Maybe we could do something together some time."
"Maybe," he said, his heart skipping a beat at her suggestion.
"So long, farewell," she said, waving as she felt for the doorknob.
"See you, later," Isaac said. She turned her face in his direction. Her green eyes were focused just a little above his left shoulder.
"Hear you around," she said, smiling. Isaac nodded and grinned.
"Bye," he said, turning and walking down the front walk. Quinn turned as well, and went inside.
