Part 49 (1/2)

now, five years from now. It makes the idea of growing older pleasant

somehow.”

”Rock stars don't get old.” He frowned, and for the first time Bev heard

a trace of sarcasm, or was it disillusionment, in his voice. ”They

could start playing Vegas in white suits.”

”Not you, Bri.” She tightened her arm around his waist. ”Ten years from

now, you'll still be on top.”

”Yeah. Well, if I ever buy a white suit with sequins, kick me in the

a.s.s.”

”With the greatest pleasure.” She kissed him, lifting a hand to his

cheek to soothe as she might with one of the children. ”Let's put Emma

down.”

”I want to do right by them, Bev.” s.h.i.+fting Emma, he started down the

hall to her room. ”By them, and you.”

”You are doing right.”

”The world's so tucked up. I used to think if we made it, really made

it, people would listen to what we had to say. That it would make a

difference. Now I don't know.”

”What's wrong, Bri?”

”I don't know.” He laid Emma down, wis.h.i.+ng he could put his

finger on the reason for the restless dissatisfaction he'd begun to

feel. ”A couple of years ago, when things really started to break for

us, I thought it was fab. All those girls screaming, our pictures in

all the mags, our music on every radio.”

”It's what you wanted.”

”It was, is. I don't know. How can they hear what we're trying to say,