Page:Jay Little - Maybe—Tomorrow.pdf/155

 to stretch out on, the traverse-drawn damask drapes they used to hide behind, still graced the windows. There was the porcelain base table lamp that she had knocked over years past, the time she had run after Gaylord.

Looking at its beauty now, she sighed, glad it had been saved by the heavy carpet. The mahogany radio combination, its doors standing ajar, was new. So was a small antique chair, its seat and back covered with an expensive hand woven tapestry. But the rug, bulky and beautiful, covering most of the polished parquet floor with its oriental design, was like an old friend that had cushioned her many falls. There was the coffee table she and Gaylord had set their china dishes on. In their place now was a cut glass vase, holding some tired red roses, looking like wrinkled faces that had lost their youth.

"Make yourself at home, Joy. I'll get us a coke," said Gaylord. He started for the kitchen, stopped and asked, "Sure you don't want a dish of strawberries and cream?"

"Just a coke, please … Sure looks familiar in here. Where's Mrs. Le Claire?"

"Mother and Dad went to the oil field this morning. Won't be back until late. Dad wanted me to go but I told him a litde white lie. Said I had a date."

"Have you?" asked Joy, walking over to the piano and hitting the ivory keys.

"No. I just didn't want to go." He started for the kitchen again.

"How about a tune?" he cried at her.

"Can't, darn it," she yelled back.

She was left alone. Alone, among memories … It had been a long time since she had been here … Yes, a very long time. It looked different. She couldn't understand why; the same furniture was still there but, there was something about it that was different. Leaving the piano, she walked to the radio and turned it on.

Gaylord entered the room with cokes. "Here we are," he said, handing her one.

"Thanks." She took the paper wrapped bottle. "I was trying to get some music," she explained.

"Nothing on that thing but hillbilly stuff. I've got some wonderful records." He stopped short as the love duet from "Tristan and 145