Rock Me Gently by HK Carlton

but he’d always thought someday he’d publish them for someone else to record. He’d never really thought about it until now, with the sunlight streaming through the stained glass windows, that maybe it had all been a gift. His talent, the way that the melodies and harmonies and lyrics had just poured from him.
    As the music ended they sat and there was a reading, some announcements and another hymn. They stood and again she handed him the book. He listened to her for a moment. She had a nice voice. He liked it. He let it wash over him. She’d sound good with him, he thought. He didn’t even realize that he’d started to hum until she looked up at him and gave him a smile. Again, he read the music instead of reading along with the words. He could feel the organ vibrating through his chest, making him feel things that he hadn’t in a long time.
    They sat again and listened to the service. The choir rose and began to sing. Jason let the music in and he realized he had missed it. How could he have let himself turn from it so completely? It had always been so much a part of him. He totally missed the sermon thinking about everything. His mind was a whirl. Where was his guitar even? Had he even brought it from his parents’ house? It had to be at home. He’d given up most of his guitars. Actually just left them on the bus and walked away from them. He’d kept the one he’d played MSG with and the acoustic that he’d had for as long as he could remember. All beat to hell as it was, it was probably his most prized possession. It meant more to him than the Bugatti—all the cars, the house, the money. It reminded him of simpler times.
    Lainey reached over and twined her fingers into his. “Are you all right?” she whispered leaning in so that he could hear her.
    He squeezed her hand and pulled it onto his thigh. He nodded, before regarding their entwined hands. She’d reached out to him. That was something.
    The offering plate came around and Lainey put five bucks on the plate then passed it to Jason, probably expecting that he’d just pass it along. But he tossed a twenty in it.
    Jason reluctantly let go of her hand as they stood to sing the last hymn. It was a song that was familiar to him, he didn’t even know from where. He finally allowed himself to read the lyrics and he let the words form on his lips. He took a deep breath and he sang the first words he’d sung in over six years. Softly at first, louder as his confidence in himself and the words grew. 
    Lainey looked up at him with surprise. She stopped singing and her mouth dropped open. The deep rich timbre of his voice went straight through her. The congregation finished the hymn, the minister boomed his benediction, and Lainey didn’t remember a thing from the moment Jason had started to harmonize.
    Jason took hold of Lainey’s hand again as they filed out slowly, following the crowd. The minister stood at the door greeting the parishioners by name.
    “Lainey. It’s good to see you again.”
    “And you, Reverend.” 
    “You are becoming a regular. Soon I will begin to badger you to become a member. And I see you’ve brought a friend this time.”
    Jason presented his hand. “Jase Westlake, good to meet you, Reverend. I enjoyed the sermon.”
    The minister wrapped both hands around Jason’s and shook his hand with enthusiasm. “Jase. It’s good to meet you. Westlake? Westlake. We had some Westlakes as members at one time. What were their given names? Oh, well, anyway, I hope we’ll see you again.”
    Jason gave him a non-committal nod, wrapping his arm around Lainey’s back, coaxing her out.
    “Please feel welcome to join us for coffee and fellowship.”
    The pressure on her back increased, propelling her forward.
    As they walked out into the sunshine, Jason pulled his sunglasses from his shirt and slid them into place. Taking Lainey’s hand again, he steered her toward the car, which now had a crowd of