BEYOND THE LIGHTS «j.p.»

why you wanna fly

dallas, texas, 2004

Rain pelts against the windshield, the wipers slashing rapidly, and the night sky made even darker by the presence of lingering storm clouds. Daphne Carmichael, her long, silky hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, averts her eyes from the road and to the rear view mirror, her son, Rio's, face is illuminated by a passing street light.

Rio hums along to a song on the radio, harmonizing perfectly with the singer, causing a smile to spread across his mother's lips. She's always known how talented he is, and soon the whole world will now.

She pulls into an empty parking lot, getting out, she and Rio running through the rain and up to a shop. Beauty & Grace Salon. She opens the door, the bell dinging as she and Rio step inside.

"I'm sorry, but we're closed." A woman says, sweeping a pile of hair into a dustpan and then looking up at them. "Try back tomorrow."

"I'm Daphne." Daphne says, her accent thick, trying not to sound too desperate, but she was in dyer need of help. "This is my son, Rio."

"Nice to meet y'all." The woman says. "I'm Ebony. Like I said, we're closed, try back tomorrow."

Ebony dumps the hair into a trash can.

"He's singing in a talent competition tomorrow morning, and I don't know what the hell to do with his hair." Daphne says, looking at the messy mop of hair on top of her son's head. "Please. I have just enough money to get his hair cut. Please."

Ebony looks from Daphne, to Rio, who offers her a small smile.

"How old are you?" Ebony asks him.

"I'm ten." Rio says softly, looking down at the scuffed toes of his almost too small shoes. They were his favorite pair—his only pair.

"So you can sing?" Ebony asks.

Daphne nods, "He's an amazing—"

"I wasn't asking you." Ebony says. "I was asking Rio."

Rio nods his head sheepishly.

"Sing something for me then." Ebony says.

Rio looks at Ebony, then up to his mother, seeking permission. Daphne nods her head. "Go on. Sing for her. It'll be good practice."

Rio nods slowly, takes a deep breath, and then opens his mouth. "Why you wanna fly, blackbird?"

Ebony stares in awe as Rio continues to sing, his voice having much more confidence than he does, and it's much bigger than his body. She feels chill bumps raise on her arms as he finishes, blinking slowly.

"That was...amazing." Ebony says, looking to Daphne, who smiles at her.

"Please." Daphne says. "I've never really known how to take care of his hair. He got his father's, not mine."

"Come. Have a seat." Ebony says, patting a chair, which Rio sits down in. "Consider this your first lesson, Daphne."

Daphne smiles, and walks over to the chair, all three of them smiling in the mirror.