CHAPTER 3: BEETHOVEN, HAIR, AND BEYOND

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 12:30 PM; Location: Sally's Boutique

At a salon called Sally's Boutique, 30-year-old Sally Brown was working on Mrs. Wilmhelm's hair. Mrs. Wilmhelm was her best client and the lady always requested Sally rather than her other employees to work on her hair. Sally was the owner of the salon. She followed in her and Charlie Brown's father's footstep and went into the hair-styling business. As she got older, she got better in school than she was when she was a little girl. She even started respecting Charlie even more than she did when they were younger; especially after he tore into Lucy that day in high school all those years ago. But her business and its success weren't the only reason she was happy. Sally had grown into quite the good-looking woman. Her blond hair now cascaded down by her shoulders but still curled at the ends. She had a nice slim figure, but still had curves in the right places. When she was in high school, she easily made the cheerleading squad.

She was also engaged to someone. Before she entered high school, she gave up her unrequited love for Linus, as she realized he would never date her. But after the aforementioned chewing out of Lucy from Charlie, Schroeder started noticing Sally and how nice she was. She respected Schroeder and his piano playing. She never bombarded him with "If we were married" scenarios that Lucy would with him. He also laid into Lucy telling her once and for all that they would never be together, and even if she wasn't a fat, disgusting, slovenly blob of a girl, her attitude and personality alone turned him off. It was that day he declared his love for his longtime friend's sister, Sally. And they've been together ever since. Charlie was happy for the two of them. And he and Schroeder had both severed ties with Lucy once and for all. And just a few day prior, he popped the question for her hand in marriage, to which she eagerly said yes.

Schroeder never gave up music or playing the piano. When he and Sally moved to Philadelphia after college, he landed a job as a music teacher at a local high school, and, even more exciting, regularly plays with the Philadelphia Orchestra. He kept in touch with nearly everyone, except, of course, Lucy. Everyone had written her off as a lost cause that was still living in the past and not moving forward. He did, however, keep in contact with Linus about what he was doing and even came to visit him when he was in the hospital. Sally even came with him to see her former crush and see how he was doing. While she didn't consider Linus her Sweet Babboo anymore, she still cared about him and considered him a close friend and almost like a second brother.

After Sally got done with Mrs. Wilmhelm's hair, she received a call from her parents back home. She went to the back to answer it.

"Hello? Mom?" she answered. "What's going on? Is everything okay with you and dad?"

"No everything's fine with us," said Mrs. Brown on the other end. "It's Lucy."

"I haven't heard that name in ages," said Sally. "What happened with Lucy?"

"She committed suicide, dear," Mrs. Brown said sadly.

"Oh my god! When did this happen?"

"Last night. She put a gun to her head and, well, you know."

"Wow. Does Charlie know?"

"He does, dear. He called your father this morning. Linus also texted him about it earlier this morning."

"Well, I'll let Schroeder know when I see him tonight. I'd call Linus to offer my condolences, but he and Lucy had a bad relationship and was estranged. Keep me posted about the funeral and when it is."

"I will, Sally. I'll talk to you later, dear. I love you."

"I love you, too, mom. Bye." And Sally hung up the phone.

Later that night at the townhouse she a Schroeder lived in, Sally cooked up some dinner for her and her fiancée. She was thinking about how she would break the news to him. He and Lucy had an acrimonious relationship at best. So, for sure there would be no love lost between him and Lucy, but how would he take her death, she wondered. Just then, she heard his car pull in.

Schroeder had grown quite tall. He also had plenty of good looks that all of the ladies wanted him, but he only had eyes for Sally, the love of his life. His job as a music teacher was rewarding and he didn't take it for granted. Plus, it didn't interfere with his gig with the orchestra. He walked in to a pleasant smell of steak and roasted potatoes and carrots with red wine. He immediately went over to his future wife.

"Hello, beautiful," he said, looking into her blue eyes.

"Hello yourself, handsome," she cooed. The two lovebirds kissed before settling in for dinner.

After eating Sally decided to tell Schroeder about Lucy. "Schroeder, mom called me today," she began.

"It wouldn't have to do with Lucy's death, would it?" he responded.

"You knew about it already?" Sally asked.

"Linus text me about it earlier today," Schroeder said. "He didn't say how she died, however."

"She shot herself in the head," said Sally.

"Whoa, really?"

"Yeah. Mom told me that she put a gun to her head and, well…"

"Yeah. So, any idea when the funeral is happening?"

"Not at the moment. Mom told me she'd let me know so we can fly out for it."

"Well, I don't know if I'll go or not, given the bad blood between myself and Lucy."

"If you do go, babe, you can finally get closure."

"Yeah, I guess. Tell you what, I'll think about it."

"Just don't think about it too long."

"Anyway, enough about Lucy. Other than that bit of news how was your day?" And the two continued to talk through the evening. Schroeder had a lot to think about because of his history with Lucy and how it ended.

NEXT CHAPTER: AN UNLIKELY REUNION