Part 18 (1/2)

plant more roses, though. Don't you?”

Emma's lip poked out a little as she moved her shoulders.

”We had a lovely garden when I was a girl,” Bev continued desperately.

”I used to love to go out in the summer with a book and listen to

the bees hum. Sometimes I wouldn't read at all, but just dream. It's

funny, the first time I heard Brian's voice, I was in the garden.”

”Did he live with you?”

She had Emma's attention now, Bev thought. It only took a mention of

Brian's name. ”No. It was over the radio. It was their first

single-'Shadowland.” It went .... ”At night, midnight, when shadows

hug the moon.”' Bev started the tune in her soft lilt, then stopped when

Emma picked it up in a clear, surprisingly strong alto.

”'And the land is hot and still, breathless I wait for you.”' ”Yes,

that's the one.” Without realizing it, Bev reached out to stroke Emma's

hair. ”I felt he was singing it just for me. I'm sure every girl did.”

Emma said nothing for a moment, remembering how her mother had played it

over and over on the record player, drinking and weeping while the words

had echoed around the flat. ”Did you like him because he sang the

song?”

”Yes. But after I met him, I liked him much more.”

”Why did he go away?”

”His music, his work.” Bev glanced down to see Emma's big eyes s.h.i.+ny

with tears. Here was kins.h.i.+p, where she hadn't wanted or expected it.

”Oh, Emma, I miss him too, but he'll be home in a few weeks.”

”What if he doesn't come back?”

It was foolish, but Bev sometimes woke with that same awful fear in the