When the Music Ends (The Winter Rose Chronicles) by Simone Beaudelaire Read Free Book Online Page A

The
next day at work, Sean decided to ask his dad for advice. He didn’t want
to give away too much, but he felt a little out of his depth with this serious,
passionate relationship. His feelings for Erin were becoming alarmingly
powerful at a speed he had never anticipated. It was nice but a little
daunting.
                "Dad,
can I ask you something?" he said as the two of them unloaded hardwood
flooring from the back of a royal blue Murphy Construction and Renovation
pickup, and carried it through the gaping doorway of the 125 year old Victorian
they were renovating. It was quite cold, but working so hard, the men more than
compensated for it. They handed the wood to the guys inside so they could begin
repairing the water-damaged floor, and headed back out to the truck.
                "Yes,
Sean, what’s on your mind?"
                "Do
you think it’s wrong for me to be dating someone…younger?"
                "You’re
not very old yourself. How much younger?"
                "Eighteen."
                "Are
you sure she’s actually eighteen and not lying to you?"
                "Yes.
There’s no question about that."
                "Well
then," Roger said in his slow, thoughtful voice, rubbing his hands
together to warm them, "it kind of depends on the girl. A lot of eighteen
year olds are immature and silly, and don’t really make good girlfriends
for someone who is an adult. I think it’s possible there may be
exceptions to that."
                "Oh
yes, she’s much more mature than her age would suggest."
                "I
imagine. Otherwise I doubt you would be interested. Are you already
dating?"
                "Yes."
                "Care
to elaborate?"
                "Not
really."
    Roger gave his son a look, but Sean refused to comment further.
                "Fine.
Just be careful with her. Be sure you plan to take your time and let this move
slowly. Sometimes these young girls think they’re ready for more than
they are. Don’t let her give up her life in favor of a romance."
                "Of
course not."
                They
gathered up another armful of boards and headed in again.

***Chapter 7***
     
                The
next four weeks passed unpleasantly for Sheridan and Erin. School was brutal,
what with all the nasty individuals who felt compelled to make Sheridan even more miserable than she already was. Erin staunchly supported her friend, and
shielded her as much as she could, which made her a target as well. Actually,
if the situation hadn’t been so tragic, it might have been funny. People
were teasing Erin for being a prude, not knowing that she had sex more often
than any of them, and enjoyed it more. After all, her boyfriend knew what he
was doing.
                Finally,
the day arrived for her audition for the conservatory. She headed to one of the
band hall practice rooms and met with the recruiter, a delicate looking woman
whose face had been shaped by years blowing into a double reed. Inside the
whitewashed little box of a room, barely large enough to hold two plastic
chairs and a music stand, Erin shook the hand of the recruiter and then turned
her attention to assembling her oboe, her double reed dangling from the corner
of her mouth. When it was appropriately moistened, she fitted it into the
instrument. She was surprisingly calm, despite the momentousness of the moment.
So much was happening in her life that she literally didn’t have any
extra energy to devote to feeling scared, so her hands were steady, her voice
cool and confident. It wasn’t ego. She simply didn’t care whether
she was accepted to this school or not. Either outcome was an answer. Her only
goal was, as always, to play her best. After several minutes talking about Erin’s musical goals and the course of study the school offered, the