Read When the Music Ends (The Winter Rose Chronicles) for Free Online Page A

him
since. Neither one seemed terribly interested in the rape, which made Erin angry. How she could be descended from two such selfish people, she couldn’t
imagine. Once again she chafed at being unable simply to walk away from both of
them and take care of herself. She had a job, playing in the symphony
orchestra, but it was a small and ill-funded group, and the pittance she
earned, while sufficient for her teenage needs of car insurance and spending
money, would not be anywhere near enough to live on.
                In
the late evening, most nights, Sean would call her. Listening to his deep
soothing voice helped her. He had been very serious about their relationship,
but it was difficult to spend any time together because she was so busy, and
because it was hard to find places to get together where they didn’t risk
running into someone they knew.
                On
Friday, Valerie James told her daughter that she was going out for the weekend
again. It was a huge relief and Erin had never been so happy to see her
mother’s silver convertible disappear down the road.
                Sean
had just gotten home from work when he received the call that Erin’s
mother was gone again. Erin offered to make him some dinner at her place. He
told her he would be there as soon as he finished showering and changed
clothes. He also packed a little bag, knowing both of them would be eager to
spend the night together, if not the whole weekend.
                Erin was in the kitchen when he arrived, toasting ham and cheese sandwiches under the
broiler, while a pot of soup bubbled on the stove. Sean kissed her cheek and
she turned, sliding her arms around his neck for a tight hug. He could see she
had been crying again. Her eyes were red and puffy, and a faint trace of
mascara ran down her face.
                "What’s
wrong, baby?"
                She
sniffled. "Danny’s going back to school on Monday. I wish she
didn’t have to. Everyone knows what happened. Jake’s stupid friends
blabbed. They’re making it sound like her fault. It’s horrible. I
don’t know how she’s going to handle it."
                Sean
shook his head, devastation crossing his handsome features. "It’s
so unfair. I would have thought, in a new millennium, that people would stop
blaming rape on the victims."
                "I
guess whoever’s less popular will take the blame. That’s how high
school works. I hate it!" Her voice was fierce but unsteady, and she
leaned her head against his shoulder. "I hate it so much."
                His
arms tightened around her. "I know. Just try to stick it out and finish
as best you can. Don’t let this destroy your dreams. You have to finish
well, Erin."
                "I
know that. It just really sucks."
                "It
does." He squeezed her comfortingly and then noticed a tell-tale aroma. Grabbing
a red and gold oven mitt decorated with a rooster from its hook above the stove,
he rescued the sandwiches from under the broiler, moments before they could
blacken.
                "Sorry,"
Erin said, scrubbing at her eyes.
                "Hey,
they’re fine. No worries." He set the hot baking sheet on a trivet
on the black Corian countertop next to the stove. Opening the gleaming mahogany
cabinets he searched until he found a little cutting board in the shape of a
pig. He pulled a knife from the block and sliced pickles and tomatoes for the
sandwiches while Erin finished stirring the soup and poured it into mugs.
                He
watched her while she worked. Sean was pleasantly surprised at how well this
relationship was working out. Erin took their love affair seriously without the
cloying clinginess younger girls sometimes foisted on their boyfriends. For his
part, he was hoping as time passed to find a balance between sex and
conversation so that she would know she was desired both