第24部分(第1/7 頁)

We'd　heard　this　song；　“Candle　Ice；”　pouring　out　of　my　brothers'　bedroom　at　least　a　million

times；　so　we　were　used　to　it。　But　I　looked　over　at　my

mom；　worried　that　she　might　be　embarrassed　by　the　distorting　guitars　and　the　gritty　lyrics。

This　was　definitely　not　caviar　music。

She　seemed　a　little　uncertain；　but　in　a　happy　way。　She　was　sharing　secret　smiles　with　my

father；　and　honestly；　I　think　she　even　giggled。　My　dad

was　looking　amused；　although　he　was　very　reserved　about　it；　and　it　took　me　until　the　end　of

the　song　to　realize　that　he　was　proud。　Proud　that　this

noise　came　from　his　boys。

That　surprised　me。　Dad　has　never　been　real　big　on　any　rendition　of　my　brothers'　band；

although　he's　never　really　criticized　it　either。　But　then　Mr。

Loski　started　grilling　Matt　and　Mike　about　how　they'd　afforded　to　record　their　own　music；　and

they　explained　about　working　and　saving　and

shopping　for　good　deals　on　equipment；　and　that's　when　I　realized　why　my　father　was　proud。

My　brothers　were　feeling　pretty　good；　too；　you　could　tell。　And　it　was　no　wonder；　with　the　way

Lyta　was　carrying　on　about　how　great　“Candle

Ice”　was。　She　was　positively　gushing；　which　seemed　very　odd；　ing　from　Lyta。

As　I　looked　around；　it　struck　me　that　we　were　having　dinner　with　a　group　of　strangers。　We'd

lived　across　the　street　for　years；　but　I　didn't　know

these　people　at　all。　Lyta　did　know　how　to　smile。　Mr。　Loski　was　clean　and　smooth　on　the

outside；　but　there　was　a　distinct　whiff　of　something　rotten

buried　just　beneath　the　surface。　And　the　ever…efficient　Mrs。　Loski　seemed　flustered；　almost

hyper。　Was　it　having　us　over　that　was　making　her

nervous？

The