"Take me home, county roads," Che sings, walking into the room.
"YOU KNOW THAT SONG?" I yelp with enthusiasm.
"I know it from TikTok," she answers.
"Take me home," she starts singing again and I join her.
Che seems to already know every song ever recorded because they're all used on TikTok.
We get in the car to go somewhere, music comes on the radio and Che immediately starts singing, regardless of the song, artist, genre or language.
"How do you know that song?" I ask her in disbelief.
"TikTok," she shrugs, singing away.
"Let's do it together," Sarah suggests from the sofa, so Che and I join her and we sing again.
Stiffly, with a bit of a wobble, I stand to retrieve my guitar hanging on the wall.
I haven't played in a long time.
The Epiphone's magically still in tune, my voice doesn't crack and croak and love is literally all around as we sing together.
Aside from our joyful noise, it's a peaceful and quiet night, suddenly a silent and holy one, for a few moments anyway.
"Do our song Daddy," she asks, breaking in the silence.
The grin on my face betrays the joyful eruption of emotions inside.
"Who's that I see walking in these woods?" I sing, hitting the chord on the guitar.
Che delightfully squeals.
"Why it's little Red Riding Hood."
"OHWOO!!!"
"Hey there Little Red Riding Hood
you sure are looking good," we sing as she impishly dances.
When we finish she collapses beside me with her head on my chest, Sarah's on the other side and we sing it once more, but quietly and with reverence, like a Hymn.
Take me home
Country Roads
To the place I belong
Home is where the heart is, they say, and we're very happy to here.
At the place where I belong.
