and began to sweep instead.
“ I t’ s been a long time . ” Rose spoke softly as she poured the brown liquid into the glass.
“ You look good Rosy. Ho w’ ve you been ? ”
“ I am well . ”
“ Did Trina sing ? ”
“ Yes. Would you like me to tell her yo u’ re here ? ”
“ No , ” he said quickly. He downed the whiskey in the glass .“ How is she ? ”
“ Do you want the truth or are you here to ease your conscience ? ” Her words were soft and even but they even made Matt flinch and he had no idea what was going on.
“ What do want me to say Rose? That I am sorry? It wo n’ t change anything, I ca n’ t take it back . ”
“ No Jonathan, I do n’ t want you to say yo u’ re sorry. I just want you to see that yo u’ re not the only one who hurts. Yo u’ re not the only one who lost her, not the only one who misses her . ” The man reached out and touched Ros e’ s cheek and Matt felt his chest tighten.
“ Ros y … you look ridiculous as a blond , ” he said softly and she laughed. “ Is Izzy still around ? ”
“ Yeah he is the same as always . ”
“ How is the um m … Do you stil l…? ”
“ Yes. Clay is good. Would you like to see him ? ”
“ No , ” he said forcefully and Rose leaned back in her chair. They were quiet for a few moments. Then Rose stood and walked to the stage and picked up a guitar off its stand.
“ Will you play for me ? ”
“ I ca n’ t play anymore. I lost the gift . ”
“ You ca n’ t lose a gift . ” She sat down beside him again still holding the guitar.
“ I disagree, I lost several at once . ” He stood up he reached out and touched her face one more time .“ Take care of yourself kid . ” Rose closed her eyes she heard him walk away as the tears slipped out from under her lids.
“ You need another handkerchief ? ” She opened her eyes and smiled up at him.
“ No . ”
“ Are you sure? I have a dozen . ” She laughed at that. She pulled the one he had already given her from her sleeve and waved it at him. He smiled and sat down in the recently vacated chair.
“ You want to talk about it ? ”
“ You do n’ t want to hear it. I t’ s a long sad story . ”
“ Most of them are . ” He encouraged but she just sat there. Finally she took a deep breath and stared at the vacant stage.
“There used to be three of them. Katrina and Pamela would sing and Jonathan played for them. They were good, so good it made your chest ache just to listen to them. Pam and I were friends the moment I met her it was… preordained.” She half laughed and wiped away a tear. Jonathan is or was Pam’s brother. They were… the only family I had.” She dabbed her eyes with the handkerchief as more tears escaped. Jonathan and Katrina were in love, as in love as two people could be. Then…” She hesitated and he saw her swallow as the memory played in her eyes. “Jonathan and Pam had a fight, a falling out I guess you could say. Then she died.” More tears ran out of her eyes but she didn’t bother to wipe them away. “He wouldn’t have stayed mad and she wasn’t mad at him… but they never had a chance to make up. She died and everything fell apart. It was like a three legged stool missing a leg. Jonathan was so guilt ridden he blamed himself for Pam’s death and he left. He broke Katrina’s heart. She has never been the same. None of us have ever been the same.” Her voice faded to a whisper and Matt ached for her. He ached for the pain she was feeling because he knew it all too well. He reached out and picked up the guitar she had left against the table. He began to strum the strings with his thumb. After a moment his fingers found the chords and began to form the sound of a recognizable tune. Rose leaned on the table and propped her head up with her hand. When he finished the song he looked up and found her eyes on him.
“ That was beautiful. I did n’ t know you played . ”
“ I t’ s been a long time,
“ I t’ s been a long time . ” Rose spoke softly as she poured the brown liquid into the glass.
“ You look good Rosy. Ho w’ ve you been ? ”
“ I am well . ”
“ Did Trina sing ? ”
“ Yes. Would you like me to tell her yo u’ re here ? ”
“ No , ” he said quickly. He downed the whiskey in the glass .“ How is she ? ”
“ Do you want the truth or are you here to ease your conscience ? ” Her words were soft and even but they even made Matt flinch and he had no idea what was going on.
“ What do want me to say Rose? That I am sorry? It wo n’ t change anything, I ca n’ t take it back . ”
“ No Jonathan, I do n’ t want you to say yo u’ re sorry. I just want you to see that yo u’ re not the only one who hurts. Yo u’ re not the only one who lost her, not the only one who misses her . ” The man reached out and touched Ros e’ s cheek and Matt felt his chest tighten.
“ Ros y … you look ridiculous as a blond , ” he said softly and she laughed. “ Is Izzy still around ? ”
“ Yeah he is the same as always . ”
“ How is the um m … Do you stil l…? ”
“ Yes. Clay is good. Would you like to see him ? ”
“ No , ” he said forcefully and Rose leaned back in her chair. They were quiet for a few moments. Then Rose stood and walked to the stage and picked up a guitar off its stand.
“ Will you play for me ? ”
“ I ca n’ t play anymore. I lost the gift . ”
“ You ca n’ t lose a gift . ” She sat down beside him again still holding the guitar.
“ I disagree, I lost several at once . ” He stood up he reached out and touched her face one more time .“ Take care of yourself kid . ” Rose closed her eyes she heard him walk away as the tears slipped out from under her lids.
“ You need another handkerchief ? ” She opened her eyes and smiled up at him.
“ No . ”
“ Are you sure? I have a dozen . ” She laughed at that. She pulled the one he had already given her from her sleeve and waved it at him. He smiled and sat down in the recently vacated chair.
“ You want to talk about it ? ”
“ You do n’ t want to hear it. I t’ s a long sad story . ”
“ Most of them are . ” He encouraged but she just sat there. Finally she took a deep breath and stared at the vacant stage.
“There used to be three of them. Katrina and Pamela would sing and Jonathan played for them. They were good, so good it made your chest ache just to listen to them. Pam and I were friends the moment I met her it was… preordained.” She half laughed and wiped away a tear. Jonathan is or was Pam’s brother. They were… the only family I had.” She dabbed her eyes with the handkerchief as more tears escaped. Jonathan and Katrina were in love, as in love as two people could be. Then…” She hesitated and he saw her swallow as the memory played in her eyes. “Jonathan and Pam had a fight, a falling out I guess you could say. Then she died.” More tears ran out of her eyes but she didn’t bother to wipe them away. “He wouldn’t have stayed mad and she wasn’t mad at him… but they never had a chance to make up. She died and everything fell apart. It was like a three legged stool missing a leg. Jonathan was so guilt ridden he blamed himself for Pam’s death and he left. He broke Katrina’s heart. She has never been the same. None of us have ever been the same.” Her voice faded to a whisper and Matt ached for her. He ached for the pain she was feeling because he knew it all too well. He reached out and picked up the guitar she had left against the table. He began to strum the strings with his thumb. After a moment his fingers found the chords and began to form the sound of a recognizable tune. Rose leaned on the table and propped her head up with her hand. When he finished the song he looked up and found her eyes on him.
“ That was beautiful. I did n’ t know you played . ”
“ I t’ s been a long time,
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