The house lights rose – as much as they could in the already illuminated space – just as Eleanor was already standing. The patter of rain against the concrete step could be heard through the open door, though she noted that it had been stronger during the performance than now.
“We should bolt,” Eleanor said to Dania and Gwen, still seated. Gwen might not have even heard, her gaze fixed intently on the author’s note.
“Hey,” Eleanor repeated, tapping Gwen’s shoulder.
“What?”
“Why did you buy a ukulele if you couldn’t play it?”
“I’ve always wanted to learn,” Gwen admitted, shifting to the much easier C chord. “It was only $20, it was on sale. It’s not the world’s best ukulele ––”
She shifted into F, followed by A-minor, but the latter chord had a rogue note stuck into it. Gwen held out the uke to observe her fingers.
“I see that” Eleanor commented.
“That was me,” Gwen said, referring to the note. “Maybe if I can curve my thumb around under the neck…”
The Hanslick Girls 