After his wife Melody's unexpected death, James is left to care for his four young daughters alone. Rose, who was one of Melody's dearest friends, tries to help keep the shattered family together.
Rose walks into the center of the room, announcing the end of the tumbling class. Her attempts to get the attention of her young gymnasts go unheard, though. The group of four and five year olds is having entirely too much fun to even notice her. She claps her hands together and says, "Alright you lot! It's time to stretch. You've done such a great job today, I think you've earned a surprise, don't you?" She flashes a sticker that she has hidden in her left palm, and it's enough to send the little girls scampering to the center of the mat for stretching time. Parents amble along behind, smiling in amusement at their antics and looking relieved that it's almost time to go home.
Rose sits down with the group of children and they stretch together, reaching their fingers up to the sky and wiggling their fingers, then reaching for their toes. As she watches them, she thinks of how different her life is from what it was five years ago. Five years ago, she was an Olympic Gymnast vying for a gold medal. She could do a back handspring with the best of them. Now here she is sitting in front of a group of little girls who watch her with awe, dreaming of the day when they can be an Olympic star, too. Rose loves what she does, and wouldn't trade it for anything, but sometimes she misses competing with an ache she can't describe. She misses the excitement, the butterflies in her stomach, the screaming of the crowd when she gets the routine she's worked so hard on just perfect.
The class comes to an end and Rose walks around setting up the room for her beginning gymnastics class the next morning. She looks up when she hears "Wosie!" and sees a little girl running across the room, blonde ponytail flying out behind her.
"Minnie-Jennie!" Rose says, and scoops the little girl up into a hug. "How are you today?" Her best friend Melody walks in not far behind, one child on her hip, one attached to her pant leg, and another following, looking a bit sullen.
"Hello, Rose!" Melody says, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. They've been best friends since grade school, and she's more like a sister to Rose than a friend. "We were in the neighborhood so we thought we'd stop by and-Jennie, get out of that box! Those stickers aren't for you!" She brushes her curly blonde hair out of her face, looking exasperated.
"Oh Mels, you know I don't mind," Rose says in amusement. She loves Melody's children like they are her own, and she'd do anything for them. "I was just finishing up in here before I lock up for the night."
"You're still coming over for dinner tonight, yeah?" Melody says hopefully. "I've got a sitter for the kids and everything. Getting to spend the evening with grownups is the ultimate birthday wish come true!"
"Of course I'll be there!" Rose says, holding out her arms and taking Sarah off Melody's hip before leading them out of the room and locking the door. "I wouldn't miss it for the world." She smiles, secretly knowing that the "dinner" is really a surprise party for Melody's 30th birthday. Rose and James have been planning it for weeks, and it's going to be perfect.
Rose locks up the building after Melody and the kids leave, then heads home to get ready for the evening. She debates between slightly casual and a sundress, and then decides on the dress. It's a deep shade of midnight blue, and one of her favorites. Rose doesn't get many chances to dress up much these days, so she wants to take advantage of the opportunity.
Her boyfriend Mickey is sitting on the couch staring at the sports channel when she walks through the living room. "Why aren't you ready yet? We have to leave soon," she says in surprise. He's known Melody for years too, so it's only right that he's there to help her celebrate.
"Championship game is on tonight," he says, not moving his eyes from the television. Rose sighs in annoyance. They've been together for two years now, and she knows when he gets like this, there's no use trying to argue with him. He won't budge from that couch until the game is over, except maybe to grab another beer. So she'll go alone again, and make up some excuse for her plus one not being there.
When Rose arrives, Melody's husband James comes out of the house to greet her and gives her a quick hug. "You look pretty tonight," he says, taking the bags the shopping bags full of food and decorations that she's got in her hands. Rose considers James as much of a friend as she does Melody, but for some reason when she hears him say that, she blushes a little. Thankfully he doesn't seem to notice and he leads her inside, where for once there's not a stray toy or Sippy cup in sight.
"Melody's at her yoga class tonight," James says as he puts the cookies she brought on a plate. "She didn't want to go at first, but I told her that she should go and enjoy herself, since it's her birthday."
While James chatters on, Rose studies the photographs in the hallway, the ones she's passed a million times, but never really stopped to look at. The wooden frames hold images of Melody and James's four children at various ages; a professional photograph of their wedding day; James holding their first child Susie as a newborn. Rose feels a sudden unexpected twinge of envy that surprises her. She tries to imagine her and Mickey in these photos instead of Melody and James, and for some odd reason, she finds she can't.
James comes out of the kitchen with the plate of cookies in hand and sees her studying the photographs. "It's been a crazy ride," he says, laughing. "I wouldn't trade it for anything, though."
Rose follows him out into the backyard, which has been transformed from the usual playground into a far more grownup setting. Lights have been strung up through the trees, bathing the yard in a soft, romantic light. There are several tables holding food, cake, and gifts. Music plays merrily in the background. "This is amazing," Rose says in awe. "Melody is so lucky to have you." James gives her a wide grin, showing his teeth. She swears he's blushing a little, but the light is dim and she can't be sure.
There are already a few people present, including James's family. Rose chats with his sister Donna, a red-haired spitfire who works as a temp in Chiswick. More people begin to arrive, filling up the yard and chatting merrily with each other. Rose checks her watch and sees that it's nearly 7:00. Melody should be arriving any minute now. James flits around the yard, putting last minute touches on things and talking with friends and family members. She smiles in amusement at his excitement, and thinks it's kind of cute.
After a half-hour though, the guests are starting to get a little restless. Melody still hasn't arrived, which is unusual, because she is always exactly on time for everything. Rose hopes that she didn't get a flat tire or a dead battery. James approaches her, looking a little concerned. "Have you heard from Melody?" he asks. "She should be home by now."
Rose frowns slightly, thinking that it's odd that she's not back yet when she knew they were supposed to all have dinner together tonight. Ever since their school days, Melody has always been the hyper-organized one who shows up early to everything. She hopes that her friend isn't stuck somewhere with a flat tire or a dead battery. Realizing she's been clutching her mobile tightly in her hand for the past few minutes, she looks at it again for any missed calls or texts. "Nothing," she says. "I wouldn't worry too much. Maybe she's just giving someone a ride home from the yoga studio. You know how she is, yeah? Willing to give the shirt off her back to someone who needs it."
James' features relax a little, because he knows it's true. Melody is one of the kindest and most giving people they know. "Yeah," he says. "I suppose you're right." He grabs an empty platter off the table and heads inside to refill it with more food. "I'll be right back," he says over his shoulder. Rose hears the sound of the doorbell through the screen door and smiles, thinking maybe Melody lost her house key. She might be hyper-organized, but if there's one thing her friend is bad about forgetting or losing, it's her keys. She's been known to lock herself out of the house more than once.
Then Rose hears the sound of a plate shattering on the tile floor and she knows. She knows.