Better Than Nothing: Part 3 of On the Edge Series

Chapter 3

"Can't say that anymore; Viv's been our MVP for two years straight."

I felt a smile spread across my face. "Viv is the ballplayer." I spoke to myself as I set the picture down.

"How are you, Lil?" The afternoon had softened Tim or, at the very least, prepared him.

"Good, how are you?" I asked, cutting off the 'Timmy' I had wanted to throw in with an awkward halt.

"It's Timmy, Lil; call me Timmy."

"How are you, Timmy?" I felt the tears prick my eyes.

"I'm good, Lilipop." He pulled me in for a hug, a real full-body Timmy hug. As he encased me in his frame, I realized I hadn't had a proper hug in ten years either. Men in the Northeast don't hug like a Midwest men. A Midwestern hug is heavy and lingers. I missed them.

"Tess said you called Mary," he added as he pulled away.

"Yeah, we have dinner plans."

"She will not be happy with this," he teased as he poked my stomach. "Did you lose weight?"

"I'm down a few. It's been a hectic couple of weeks," I acknowledged.

Tim suspiciously eyed me but didn't prod.

"How was Billy after I left?" If words could wince, my words winced.

"Oh, he was fine. He spent a little time laying down some drum tracks. You're nothing if not good for business."

"Did you ask him about the records?"

"No, but I stared at them all afternoon. Are you sure there from Billy?"

"They must be. I know they aren't from my dad, and Billy is the only one that knows me well enough to send them."

"What was the first one?" Tim pulled the vinyl carrying case from the floor and flicked it open.

"Rubber Soul," I answered.

"Hmm," Tim sunk to the floor and fanned the albums out across the floor. He looked like the boy I knew years ago that intently focused on loading an old jukebox.

"Do you remember the full order?" His tone was absent as he puzzled over the titles.

"This year was I'm Your Puppet," I slumped down next to him.

"A single, what about before that?"

"Exile on Main St., you want me just to tell you the full order?"

"Yep," Tim's mind was whirring over the puzzle before him.

"Ok, so it's I'm Your Puppet, Exile on Main St., Stand By Me, Rubber Ball, I Put a Spell on You, Monster Mash, Freewheelin', Must Be Santa, and Rubber Soul." I laid them in order as I spoke.

"So, it's not a bad collection."

"Yep." It was an obvious pattern.

"But didn't you have most of these?"

"Yeah, that's not the point. It's like a greeting card. They're all saying something."

"Of course, but this doesn't feel like Billy. Are you sure it's not your dad? Did you ask him?"

"No," my voice creaked, "but I know it's not him."

Tim's eyes flickered to mine but didn't press. "Rubber Ball, man; it just doesn't fit with the rest of them. But..."

"It was in the jukebox, in the section for Viv and Jackson," I pointed out.

"Yeah, it was a favorite of Viv's for years. She used to twirl around singing bouncy bouncy like a maniac. It was adorable." Tim continued to gaze at the single as he recalled the memory.