A ring of a different kind

Dumpling looked at the time. Eight-thirty. She looked at the screen on her cellphone. Linda M's blonde braids fell over her shoulders. She picked up. "Well good morning to you. I hope you're still in bed. Which ... is where I am."

"Hi! Did you have a good time?" Linda sounded uncommonly drowsy, and happy.

"Good time. Yes, Stan just left so yes, I did."

"I mean the party you goose. Was it as much fun as it felt to me. Sixty, and I feel ... God, I feel amazing." A background sound, music filled in the space behind her friend's voice. Radio.

"Oh yes, the party was a total hit. And closing on a Monday! No collateral damage, or riot reports from the local police? Scone withdrawals." Dumpling slid back under the covers and plumped the pillow under her shoulders. "I couldn't help but notice how Shine can really keep a beat. I mean the girl needs a drum kit!"

Silence on the other end of the cellphone. But the music in the background was clearer now, not so much louder, but pitch perfect. "Linda? You there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Can you hear that voice in the background?"

"I was wondering about that, what station is that. Nice pipes. Sweet voice."

"It's Shine!" The silence shifted from that end to Dumpling's. "Your Shine. Our Shine. Shine's singing!"

"Yes, Shine sings. I mean, it's the first time I've heard her sing. Just this morning while we were snuggling in bed these sounds, vocalizations started coming. Her eyes were still shut."

"A - MAZING Grace." Dumpling was nodding synced with the sounds that were Shine's song which were not words as a human might call 'words' ... they were sounds.

"I was hoping to catch Stan before he left. Had a couple questions for him. About deaf or hard of hearing musicians he might know about. Music in general. Sounds in general. Sounds plants make." Linda was bubbling over the top.

"Whoooaa, Mama Linda. Slow that horse down girl. Stan's just out the door and probably in the gardens by now. Market starts at 1 so there's ..." She knew Stan's habits, but wasn't sure Linda did, so she reserved his privacy. "He'll be selling at the Market today, maybe you could catch him there?"

Linda hadn't thought about the Monday Market. Since she was always baking on Mondays this was a new thing, a new thing other people did on a Monday in the Summer. "Great idea. Should I call him and let him know we're coming down?"

"No need. The man's a natural with people and food plants. Just be willing to stick around and make time for his chatting folks up." Dumpling thought of all the women who were attracted to Moon Light Farm Produce when Stan Costa was there. "How about I join you and Shine. What time you thinking about?"

The women decided on two o'clock giving Stan the first hour, which was always the busiest, to do his magic storytelling. Linda signed the plan, Shine bee bopped her head liking the sound of this day. Her song took on the sounds of bees, bees making honey.