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"Hi."

You look up from your notebook.

Tyler is standing there in the sunlight, holding the neck of his ukulele tightly.

"I wrote a song," he says simply.

He remains standing as he strums down, then up, then down again. Then he stops.

"Could you..." Tyler twists his mouth, thinking. "Could you count for me?"

You look at him.

"I mean, I know you can't, but..." Tyler bites his lip. "Could you maybe, hold up your fingers or something? Count to three?"

You smile a little and hold up your index finger.

For the first time in a long time, Tyler smiles.

"Yeah. Like that." He nods. "Ok, count to three. Ready? Go."

You hold up one finger, then two, then three.

"Yeah yeah yeah!"

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