Mum was at the door when they walked up to the house.

"Mum meet Julie Miller."

"Welcome. Come in out of the cold. Timothy dear, take Julie's coat."

"Mrs. Turner, it is nice to meet you. Thank you for having me as your guest," Julie said.

"Please it's me that should be thanking you. We made assumptions about Tim's schedule. If you hadn't agreed to come, he would have moped all weekend."

"Mum!"

##

Tim looked stricken, but Julie smiled. She was thrilled that he wanted to spend time with her.

"Julie, Julie…"

Teddy flung himself at her. She wrapped her arms around the boy.

From upstairs, she heard a man's voice. "Angela, you've been packing all afternoon. You'll be home after breakfast. Come now. Mum can't be late for work."

Tim caught her eye and then rolled his. Julie couldn't imagine her father allowing her to sleep at Kate's house, he didn't believe in frivolous behavior.

Angela appeared loaded down with far more than she needed for a one night stay. Perhaps even more belongings than Julie had brought with her, when she left home.

"Oh Julie, you're here and I'm leaving," Angela said disappointed.

"Another time then," she appeased the young teen.

"Tim, I'll properly meet your friend later, but for now mum needs to be at work. Teddy listen to Tim," Patrick said.

Julie was surprised to see that Tim's father was much older than her own dad. He was certainly much older than his wife.

Shelagh kissed Teddy and said, "Mind your brother. Tim, there's a cottage pie keeping warm in the oven. Make sure you let it cool down before you serve it Goodbye then."

Mrs. Turner looked at her with warm blue eyes and smiled.

After they left, a hush fell over the house and Julie said to Tim, "She was really a nun?"

"Sister Bernadette. Come in. I'll show you."

They entered the sitting room and Julie looked around. The room was tidy, but comfortable. It was not formal or stuffy, like she had imagined when she first saw the size of the house. Still when she turned to see the kitchen her eyes widened, "Oh my!"

Did I just say that out loud?

She stood pointing at the large modern kitchen. "It's beautiful!"

Tim shrugged and said, "It's a kitchen."

"If I had grown up with a kitchen like that I wouldn't have minded all the cooking and washing up that I did."

"You saw Mrs. Walker's kitchen. This is not nearly as nice."

"Yes, but you're a regular family, but they are like nobility."

Tim took her hand and squeezed it. "Come on then, I was going to show you, Mum the nun."

Tim opened the doors on a sideboard and removed a big box.

"Tim, why are you looking in there?" Teddy asked.

"I'm just going to show Julie some old photographs."

The boy sighed, but he sat between Julie and Tim. Once they started he was as interested as Julie.

"Mum looked pretty didn't she, Tim?"

Looking at the wedding photo, her eyes fell to the groom. He was very handsome and glancing at Tim, she decided he looked like his father. Just without the Brylcreem look, she was glad those days were gone.

"Tim, what do you call those again?"

"They're calipers."

Julie looked at Tim. He was looking down clearly uncomfortable. Then he looked up, making eye contact, she simply said, "Tim."

He smiled and said, "I forgot about those horrible things. I had polio, but I am fully recovered. I was one of the lucky ones." He dug through the box and said, "Here."

She took the picture of him, about the same age as Teddy with a tiny nun. It was hard to see her face, but she wore the same glasses as the bride from the wedding photo. They looked happy with lots of people around.

"That was the Summer Fete, just before we won the three legged race. We raced together about five years after and I should have gave it a go with Dad. By then our height difference proved to be a disadvantage. Still the winners deserved to have a happy day."

Julie saw a shadow cast over him. She took his hand and he squeezed it. "There really are a lot of memories in this box," he said with a smile back on her face.

They looked at baby pictures. He showed her a picture of him with a stout nun.

"That's Sister Evangelina. She was the midwife who delivered me."

"Oh Evangelina is such a beautiful name. Did she choose it?"

"I suppose so. They all chose names…"

"Why does Mum always say, Sister Evanleena would say this or that?"

"It's Evangelina, Teddy, and Mum does that because she was very wise and Mum likes to remember her… Here this was my third birthday, I think."

Julie studied the photograph for a long time. His father was younger and smiling. His mother, the woman she knew had taught him piano, looked happy too. It was sad to think of that happy little family, yet this new family seemed wonderful too.

"She's pretty. Were her eyes blue like yours?"

"Yes"

Tim's blue eyes were gazing at hers. Their moment was suddenly interrupted.

"This is boring. I'm hungry."

"I'll see to the cottage pie. Teddy lay the table for four. Dad will eat eventually."

Julie followed him into the kitchen. "Can I help?"

"I'll just let this cool a bit. Come on."

Julie followed Tim and he sat down in front of the piano.

"I hardly ever play anymore."

"You played for me."

"I did. Here sit next to me."

She sat right next to him on the narrow bench. She watched as his long fingers seemed to move on their own accord and created beautiful music. She could carry a tune, but never had the opportunity to play an instrument.

Tim instructed her to put her hand on the piano keys just so. He began playing a simple, yet beautiful piece of music. Then he put his right hand on hers and pressed so she was playing a bit of the song. She looked at him and smiled.

Playing together felt special. His hand on hers felt warm which radiated up her arm.

It feels like we're a couple, she thought.

"What is that song?"

"Heart and Soul. I can teach you to play that part. We can play together."

She thought, she may like that. "Alright. Do you play any other instruments?"

He smiled, as if she knew his secret.

"I haven't played the violin in years. I tried the bassoon, but it was a disaster."

"I'm not certain that I know what a bassoon is."

"It's big and awful."

"Why did you take it up?" she asked. His neck was red and it was creeping into his cheeks. Laughing and, as she would with her youngest brother, she tickled his side. "Tell me," she teased.

Tim quickly responded by stopping her laughter with his mouth. Unfortunately for him the minute, he released her lips, she looked in his eyes and said, "Please tell me."

Rolling his eyes and sighing, he said, "I was trying to get noticed by a girl."

Surprised by his answer, she asked, "Did it work?"

"Not really."

"Well it worked for me," she smiled.

"Did it?" he asked with his lips hardly eight centimeters from hers

Feeling the blush rise to her cheeks, she whispered, "Yes, it…"

"Tim, when are we going to eat?" Teddy asked.

Both abruptly moved their heads apart.

"What were you doing?" Teddy asked.

"Nothing." Tim's voice showed frustration.

"Were you kissing?" Teddy asked.

"I was thanking Tim for being so nice. Here… " Julie walked over to Teddy and said, "Thank you for being my friend."

Then she kissed the boy on his forehead and he responded by throwing his arms around her. Julie's eyes met Tim's and he looked pleased with her affection for his little brother.

"Come on then. Let's tuck in," Tim said.

As they sat together and ate, Teddy dominated the conversation.

Julie asked him, "Do you play the piano?"

"No, Tim had taught Angela, but she isn't as good. She is begging Tim to teach her guitar."

"Guitar?" Julie asked Tim surprised.

"I took up guitar when I went away. I like music. Plus I can play songs from the radio."

"I'd like to hear you. What can you play?"

"Nothing with too many chords. I'm working on American Pie"

"Oh, I love that song! A long long time ago
I can still remember how that music used to make me smile…"

##

She had a sweet voice and she made Tim smile.

She continued, "And I knew if I had my chance that I could make those people dance and maybe they'd be happy for a while…"

Tim was certainly happy. He felt very lucky to be spending the evening with Julie even with Teddy.

"Angela has that forty-five," Ted said as he jumped up. Tim took the plates and was just starting washing up when he heard the familiar music.

Julie asked for a tea towel and helped dry the plates.

Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die...

"Not this again… rolling stones, jesters, Marx and music dying. This song never ends."

Tim rolled his eyes at Julie who suppressed a giggle during his father's tirade. His father had been losing the music battle since Tim went to see the Rolling Stones in nineteen-sixty-three.

The house was suddenly quiet and Tim said, "Dad, there is a warm plate for you."

"Oh thank you, Tim."

"Sit down. I hear that both my son's have taken a fancy to you."

"Dad!"

Julie put her hand on Tim's and said, "It's okay. Dr. Turner, what would you like to know?"