Rock and Roll Never Forgets (The Rock and Roll Trilogy) by Barbara Stewart

’ s a good idea. It could get wild if he is here, the media and all.”
    Knowing her real fear, Roddy spoke. “ Beth, it ’ s not what you think.”
    “ How do you know what I think?” she asked sharply .
    “ A sleepy sounding female voice answers the phone in Andy ’ s room, and your suspicion is that he was with her, that ’ s what I think you think.” He knew she was hurting inside .
    She turned to look at him. Roddy was her friend too. She’d grown to trust and love him. “ Yes, that ’ s what I think,” she admitted .
    “ That ’ s not how it was.” Roddy said; “Will you let me explain?” 
    They turned back toward the house and started walking. He took her hand again. “ Talk,” she told him, knowing he would be honest.
    “ They needed to let loose. There was a party. Andy doesn’t usually get into that, and you know it. It ended up in his room. The hours and their schedule, they just needed to let go. Dane had some girls there to party with. It was late and people had passed out here and there to sleep,” he explained.
    “The girl who answered was just there, if you had asked for him she ’ d have handed him the phone. She wasn ’ t with Andy. She was with Dane, another one of his flings. She just answered a ringing phone.” 
    Roddy’s explanation wasn’t like he was scolding her for over-reacting, and his words didn ’ t come across like he was defending Andy. He was stating the facts. Beth listened, but still felt unsure, uneasy. In her mind she had already planned for this to happen. This new way of life wasn’t really something she ever imagined for herself .
    “ I don ’ t know Roddy,” she hesitated. “I just don’t know.” They walked a little further, in silence. He put his arm around her shoulder again, but said nothing to push or persuade.
    “ I ’ ll be home tonight,” she said, finally. “I ’ ll answer the phone.” As he hugged her, she realized how much he meant to her, and she felt very thankful that he was part of her life. When they returned, Roddy went in and Beth introduced him to everyone. He expressed his sympathy, hugged Beth again, and left.
    At 10:40 that night the phone rang, she expected it. Beth figured it was Andy. She stood, straight and strong and picked up the phone, believing there could n’t be tears left, but she had to fight to hold them back. Her mind wandered all evening. She tried to think and plan how the conversation would go, over and over in her mind. She felt so insecure, not believing she was really capable of handling that kind of lifestyle with him.
    It wasn’t Andy. It was Phyllis Stevens .
    “ Oh, darlin ’ , I am so sorry about your Nana. Andy called me a while ago and told me. Is there anything I can do?”
    She was so surprised to hear Phyllis’s voice that emotions she wasn’t prepared for overwhelmed her. The tears came in a flood.
    “ It means so much to me that you called.” Sobbing she said, “ I ’ m sorry.”
    “ Oh Beth, no ‘sorry’, I know what happened. Andy told me. I know this is all so different for you. It ’ s difficult. It ’ s been that way for me as well.” She began to explain, her voice motherly and soothing.
    “ My home is under constant watch. It ’ s not just media, it’s curious fans who have discovered his roots. A friend comes by, a strange car is in my driveway, and they think maybe it’s Andy and they camp out across the street only to find one of my friends slipping out after coffee or cards. I wonder sometimes if I will ever get used to it.”
    She paused and Beth blew her nose. “ Beth, Andy loves you. That ’ s not easy for him,” she said. “He is a loner. Listen to him before you make any kind of decisions. Let him talk to you. Let him tell you what he needs to tell you. And you tell him what you need to tell him.”
    Beth cried even harder at Phyllis’ words. There was a knock at the door. “ Hang on,” she told Phyllis. Putting the phone down, again blowing her