Page 47 of Everything All at Once

“What a memory! Eight years later... Of course I still have it. It’s at my house, though. I can call my girlfriend and have her bring it over. She’s home now.”

“Oh, she doesn’t need to do that. I can wait until you close up, maybe?”

“It’s really no problem. She was going to meet me hereanyway. I’ll give her a call.”

“Thanks, Leonard. I’ll wait outside.”

“Anything for Professor Reaves,” he responded.

I joined Abe and Em in the back of the store. They were silently browsing bins next to each other, serious looks on their faces.

“His girlfriend is bringing the book. I’m going to get some air,” I said. Abe grunted in reply. Em shrugged.

I made my way through the store and out the door. Remembering what Abe said about concerts in the back, I walked around the building to see a tiny raised platform and a dozen or so folding chairs spread in a loose semicircle around it. I wondered if Leonard owned the store or only worked here. I wondered whose dream it had been to open a record store in the middle of nowhere, to hold concerts where only a few people could attend.

“I saw Conor Oberst here,” a voice said behind me—Sam, sitting on a folding chair, admiring the stage. “It doesn’t look like much now, but they turn on all these fairy lights and there are candles and everyone is so happy to be here. It’s like you’re watching something really special.”

“I can’t picture it,” I said, sitting next to him.

“It’s one of those things. You have to see it for yourself. But the shows are never announced more than an hour or two in advance, so there’s a little bit of luck to it. You have to be in the right place at the right time.”

“It sounds really nice.”

“It was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen a lot.”

“There aren’t a lot of concert venues near me.”

“This one is worth the trip,” he said. Then he looked at me like he’d forgotten I was there. “Hi, Lottie.”

“Hi, Sam. How have you been?”

“I’ve been good,” he said. “What brings you here? One of your aunt’s letters?”

“I have to pick up a book from the guy who works here. I guess she let him borrow it and never got it back.”

“What book?”

“I don’t know yet. It’s at his house; his girlfriend is going to bring it.”

“There you are!” Em said before I could respond. She and Abe carried record-shaped blue plastic bags. When she saw Sam, she waved. “Oh, hi. I’m Em. Please pretend this is the first time you’ve met me.”

“I’m Abe. Lottie’s brother.” They shook hands.

“Em, do you even have a record player?” I asked.

“I think my dad left one somewhere in the basement.”

Abe climbed up on the stage and looked around. “Huh,” he said.

“What?” I asked.

“It looks totally different during the day.” He hopped down and sat down on the edge of the stage. Em joined him, and they started comparing purchases.

Sam found a stick and drew a tic-tac-toe board in the dirt. We drew ten straight matches, and then I saw Leonard walking toward us. He had a book in his hand.

“Told you it wouldn’t be long,” he said, handing it to me. “Well, I guess it actually has been a long time. Eight years and ten minutes, give or take.”

I took the book without looking at it. “Thanks. I know this would have meant a lot to my aunt.”