In the kitchen I cleaned the plates from dinner. I put two pumps of soap on the sponge (Annie says that that’s too much) and I cleaned each surface twice before rinsing. I sang as I cleaned, whatever song came into my head. I started with Valarie by Amy Winehouse which became a Fall Out Boy song which somehow became Amazing Grace. Amazing Grace was what was in my head when Cheryl came in to help.
“Oh what a lovely tune!” Cheryl exclaimed. “Let’s sing it together.”
We started from the top. Her soprano voice reverberated off of the stone kitchen walls. I shyly sang out in a lower voice to compliment her. Cheryl bustled around the kitchen pinching my elbows and directing me where to put the pots and pans. She kept on singing while she did this and I began to sing louder to match her.
“T’was grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace, my fears relieved.”
When the song was finished Cheryl clapped excitedly.
“How wonderful! Let’s sing another.”
I didn’t know any more hymns but she insisted I try anyway. She sang on and I hummed the verses and chimed in on the choruses once I caught the words. Annie and Aidan watched us from the doorway as we held church service in a 5×5 kitchen.
“Do they sing these songs in South Africa?”
“Of course dear! Do you know the 23rd psalm?”
“Yes of course.”
“This is how we sing it in Afrikaans.”
Cheryl grabbed my arm tightly, snuggled in to my side and began to sing again. I stood awkwardly and looked into Cheryl’s eyes as she sang the entire song 3 inches away from my face. Annie and Aidan grinned out of the corner of my eye. Cheryl meanwhile squeezed tighter and sang sweetly a psalm I knew every word to in a language I didn’t understand.
“That’s how we sing it in South Africa.”
“It’s beautiful, thank you.”
“Yes dear. Would you all like some coffee?”
It was almost eleven so we turned Cheryl down. Cheryl told us that coffee would make us ready to sleep.
“I’m pretty sure that’s not true.” Said Annie, but Cheryl paid her no mind. She only started singing again as the last plate found it’s home.