“One more thing,” Missy added. “Letty’s wearing her husband’s class ring. Family decision. I thought you’d like to know she got it back.” Then she smiled. I almost told her she should try it more often. I almost shook her hand. Hell, I almost hugged her, but she turned to leave, and I just stood there grinning.
Suddenly, Dylan played the opening flurry of notes to “She’s a Lady” and began to sing. The Bettys, the Larsens, Vera, and several other Hilltoppers stopped in their tracks upon hearing Letty’s favorite Tom Jones song and began dancing with one another at the back of the church. Letty’s family joined in, and soon what seemed like the entire population of Buffalo Falls belted out the chorus. “She’s a lady! Whoa, whoa, whoa, she’s a lady!”
Letty would have loved it. Maybe, in fact, she was clapping along that very moment from her dance party in the sky.
After the song wound down, Crash approached Mom. “Coriander, I can’t stop thinking about those brownies of yours. Oh. My. God. Listen, I have a Christmas party every year at the Beauty Saloon. There’s usually a hundred people there, and a lot of them are local business owners. I’m thinking: you, me, a bottle of wine, and some tacos. Then we brainstorm and come up with a menu. What do you say?”
Mom glanced at me with an expression I understood—things were looking up. “I think that sounds wonderful!” she said, squeezing Grub, who stood in front of her. He and I winked at each other.
Just then I spotted Rose, who waved and nodded toward the exit.
“Be right back,” I said.
Mom smiled, ruffled my hair, then returned to her conversation with Crash.
Around the side of the church lay a sprawling green lawn, recently mown. An arched trellis consumed by morning glories led to a cobblestoned clearing where Rose sat upon a stone bench. “Hey stranger,” she said.
“Hey,” I said softly, sitting beside her. I took her hand and pulled her into me. She leaned her head on my shoulder. That familiar feeling I’d been missing returned. I rubbed the back of her hand with my thumb while we sat in comfortable silence.
“How’s Grub doing?” she finally asked.
“He’s okay, but sad, too. He misses Blackjack and Hilltop, although Missy Stouffer just informed me she’d love to have us back, if you can believe it.”
Rose lifted her head from my chest. “That’s great, Zeus!”
“I know. It’ll be different without Letty there, but we’ll still have fun.” I squeezed her hand. “Maybe we can learn a new song for the Christmas party.”
She hesitated, then sat up straight to look at me. Something flickered in her eyes. Apprehension, maybe. “Zeus, I need to tell you something.”
My stomach clenched, though I tried to keep my expression open, inviting her next words. “What is it?”
Rose bit her lip. “My dad’s coming through with the money for school. I can go now. To New York.”
I stared back at her as a million thoughts raced through my mind.
“I haven’t said yes yet,” Rose said, her voice catching.
The whole summer flashed before my eyes—the Sunday surprises, Hilltop, Old Dump Road. Every conversation, every glance, every touch. All the time I’d spent thinking, wondering, daydreaming about Rose. My family. White light. All that I’d done—right, wrong, and everything in between.
And then I remembered the last thing Letty had told me: Remember the good stuff, kiddo. Nothing else matters.
I threw my arms around Rose. “You have to say yes!” I released her and held her by the shoulders. “This is your dream, this is what you’ve been waiting for!”
“I know it is,” Rose said, her eyes shiny with tears. “But what about you?”
“Me? I’ll roll up in the fetal position for a while until I find the will to live. It shouldn’t take long, maybe a few months.” I smiled. “I’ll be fine. You’ll be fine. You’ll be amazing. You have to go, Rose, you know you do. Seriously.”
She smiled big, bringing out the dimple below her lip. “You’re the best, Zeus. Seriously.”
In all honesty, I don’t remember what I said next. I don’t need to though. As far as memories go, it’s one of the good ones, and nothing else matters.
For the next two weeks, Rose and I spent every possible moment together. I helped her pack, and we read through all her books on New York City. Grub and I continued our volunteer visits to Hilltop. Blackjack slept a lot, but he still seemed to enjoy his comrade’s company at his bedside.
The night before Rose left for New York, we lay on a blanket at Old Dump Road holding hands and watching the stars.
“This was the best summer of my life,” Rose said.
“Mine, too. Sorry I screwed it up there at the end.”
“Oh, stop. What you did was very brave.” Rose kissed me. “You’re very brave.”
I squeezed her hand. “No, I’m not. There’s one thing I haven’t told you yet.”
Rose turned toward me. “So tell me.”
“Not now. But someday, Rose. I promise.”
Someday I’d tell her.
Someday I’d have the words.
THIRTY-FIVE
December 23
Dear Rose,
How’s the weather in the Big Apple? (And why do people call it that, anyway?) I bet your dad and family are glad to have you show them around the city for the holidays. You must be an expert tour guide by now.
As for Buffalo Falls, we got slammed with six inches of snow yesterday. I took Grub and his new friend, Foster, sledding down the big hill at the park. They rode bazooka, Nerf guns and all. Remember our afternoons there by the river?
I just got back from the Beauty Saloon, where World Peas Café catered a party. It’s funny how even though I was surrounded by people, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Mom got to debut her newest creation, All I Want for Christmas Is Tiramisu, and the band played Christmas songs. Crash gave us a whopping fifty dollars to play—our first paid gig! We’re actually getting pretty decent.
I think Crash has single-handedly saved Mom’s business with these catering jobs. I swear, that woman knows everyone in this town. Missy Stouffer even showed up to the party with her new boyfriend, Detective Van Reusch. They call me their criminal cupid, ha. In other small-town-romance news, Dylan’s new girlfriend, Kaylee, was there, and I invited your friend Tracie, whom Novie was crushing on all night, so Buffalo Falls may have another “cutest couple” soon. And Axl just upgraded to a brand-new five-string bass, which I’m pretty sure is a love affair all its own.
I still see your mom every weekday at Hilltop. I’m sure she told you that Blackjack was moved into hospice care last week. Grub stops in often and draws maps at his bedside, but Blackjack is rarely lucid anymore. He does seem comforted by Grub’s visits though. Grub’s made friends and is doing well, but he meets regularly with the school psychologist to help him process what happened last summer and understand Blackjack’s illness.
I spend my time at Hilltop with my new pal, Vera, playing Scrabble and checkers. Everyone misses your piano playing there, me most of all. Dylan and I bring our guitars sometimes, but we have big shoes to fill.
Anyway, I know I’m a little late, but I haven’t forgotten about my promise, the one thing I never told you: