grasp. “In fact, yes, that’s part of what I’m
worried about.”
For some reason, Olivia’s words echoed in Rose’s mind. That’s
part of what I’m worried about . Rose could swear she’d voiced that same
concern before about someone she cared for, suspecting motives Rose knew to be
above suspicion.
Just as Rose was about to open the door, Olivia started
climbing the stairs.
Rose lowered her voice to a whisper. “Where are you
going?”
Olivia didn’t stop or look back. “I’m tired, dear. I
suspect I got up too early this morning.”
Rose waited until Olivia was out of sight. She took a
deep breath, forced herself to smile and opened the door.
“I hope we’re not late,” Nikki said. “Henry kept going
through boxes trying to find things.”
“Not just things,” Henry said. “I still haven’t found my
record collection. The movers must not have marked the box.”
Nikki rolled her eyes. “I’m sure we’ll be okay for
another day or two.”
“Not totally in agreement on that point.” Henry
mock-rolled his eyes in return.
Rose laughed, already glad she’d invited them over. They
were exactly what she needed right now. “I have tons of records. I don’t mind
at all if you’d like to borrow some.”
Rose led them into the family room, where she kept her
records stacked next to the stereo. She chose some and brought them over to
coffee table. “Have a seat. How about these? They’re some of my favorites.”
Henry and Nikki sat next to each other and Rose sat
across from them. She watched their faces as they looked at the album covers.
“Wow, Elvis Presley,” Nikki said.
Henry read the next label. “The Dave Clark Five.”
Rose couldn’t tell from his expression if he’d heard of
them before but she didn’t think so.
Nikki flipped the next record over. “Herman’s Hermits,”
she said. “I remember them.”
Rose giggled. “What do you mean? They’re new.”
Both Henry and Nikki looked up simultaneously.
“I remember reading about them,” Nikki said. “I saw an
article in…I forget. Where was that Henry?”
He looked at her and shrugged.
“I bet it was in Tiger Beat,” Rose said. “At least,
that’s where I heard of them.”
Nikki’s eyes lit up. “Yes! I think that was it.”
“These are great,” Henry said. “Do you have any Beatles?”
“Oh, sure! Hang on. How did that happen?” Rose got the
records from where she’d left them on top of the stereo cabinet. The fact was,
she’d left them there on purpose. Now, she felt bad about it. Henry and Nikki
were welcome to borrow them, she reminded herself. After all, they were going
to be friends. She just knew it.
Rose sat down again and passed the records across the
table.
“Check these out,” Henry said, glancing at Nikki. “These
are awesome.”
Rose giggled again. Awesome . She liked the way
they talked. They seemed so different. She needed different right now.
Henry looked up from the album cover. “We couldn’t
possibly borrow these. I bet you’ve had them a long time.”
Rose cocked her head. “Their new one just came out last
month.”
“Oh, sure,” Henry said. “When did you get the first one?
I mean, was it recently?”
Rose thought back to when she’d gotten the first Beatles record.
She’s bought it at Woolworth’s. It had been raining that day, cold and windy.
She remembered it clearly. She’d been excited about it. At the same time, it
felt like so long ago. Like something that had happened when she’d been a
child.
“Don’t mind Henry,” Nikki said. “He can be really nosy
sometimes.” She nudged Henry with her elbow and turned to him. “What does it
matter when Rose got them?”
“Just curious.” Henry smiled at Rose. “Can we really
borrow one of these? That would be great.”
Suddenly, Rose wanted to say no. Now, the album felt like
something she’d had all her life—a precious possession linking her back to some
distant time.
“We’ll find yours by
worried about.”
For some reason, Olivia’s words echoed in Rose’s mind. That’s
part of what I’m worried about . Rose could swear she’d voiced that same
concern before about someone she cared for, suspecting motives Rose knew to be
above suspicion.
Just as Rose was about to open the door, Olivia started
climbing the stairs.
Rose lowered her voice to a whisper. “Where are you
going?”
Olivia didn’t stop or look back. “I’m tired, dear. I
suspect I got up too early this morning.”
Rose waited until Olivia was out of sight. She took a
deep breath, forced herself to smile and opened the door.
“I hope we’re not late,” Nikki said. “Henry kept going
through boxes trying to find things.”
“Not just things,” Henry said. “I still haven’t found my
record collection. The movers must not have marked the box.”
Nikki rolled her eyes. “I’m sure we’ll be okay for
another day or two.”
“Not totally in agreement on that point.” Henry
mock-rolled his eyes in return.
Rose laughed, already glad she’d invited them over. They
were exactly what she needed right now. “I have tons of records. I don’t mind
at all if you’d like to borrow some.”
Rose led them into the family room, where she kept her
records stacked next to the stereo. She chose some and brought them over to
coffee table. “Have a seat. How about these? They’re some of my favorites.”
Henry and Nikki sat next to each other and Rose sat
across from them. She watched their faces as they looked at the album covers.
“Wow, Elvis Presley,” Nikki said.
Henry read the next label. “The Dave Clark Five.”
Rose couldn’t tell from his expression if he’d heard of
them before but she didn’t think so.
Nikki flipped the next record over. “Herman’s Hermits,”
she said. “I remember them.”
Rose giggled. “What do you mean? They’re new.”
Both Henry and Nikki looked up simultaneously.
“I remember reading about them,” Nikki said. “I saw an
article in…I forget. Where was that Henry?”
He looked at her and shrugged.
“I bet it was in Tiger Beat,” Rose said. “At least,
that’s where I heard of them.”
Nikki’s eyes lit up. “Yes! I think that was it.”
“These are great,” Henry said. “Do you have any Beatles?”
“Oh, sure! Hang on. How did that happen?” Rose got the
records from where she’d left them on top of the stereo cabinet. The fact was,
she’d left them there on purpose. Now, she felt bad about it. Henry and Nikki
were welcome to borrow them, she reminded herself. After all, they were going
to be friends. She just knew it.
Rose sat down again and passed the records across the
table.
“Check these out,” Henry said, glancing at Nikki. “These
are awesome.”
Rose giggled again. Awesome . She liked the way
they talked. They seemed so different. She needed different right now.
Henry looked up from the album cover. “We couldn’t
possibly borrow these. I bet you’ve had them a long time.”
Rose cocked her head. “Their new one just came out last
month.”
“Oh, sure,” Henry said. “When did you get the first one?
I mean, was it recently?”
Rose thought back to when she’d gotten the first Beatles record.
She’s bought it at Woolworth’s. It had been raining that day, cold and windy.
She remembered it clearly. She’d been excited about it. At the same time, it
felt like so long ago. Like something that had happened when she’d been a
child.
“Don’t mind Henry,” Nikki said. “He can be really nosy
sometimes.” She nudged Henry with her elbow and turned to him. “What does it
matter when Rose got them?”
“Just curious.” Henry smiled at Rose. “Can we really
borrow one of these? That would be great.”
Suddenly, Rose wanted to say no. Now, the album felt like
something she’d had all her life—a precious possession linking her back to some
distant time.
“We’ll find yours by
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