Page 99 of Above All Else

“The Exodus.”

Her face washed white, and Frank sat straight. “Her or you?”

Carter gulped. “Me.”

“When?” Linda let loose a gasp. “Since when?” Frank put his hand on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring look. “It’s okay, Linda.”

They’re so much like us.

Frank, the reassuring, kind-hearted and caring husband.

Just like Carter.

“It’s over now. I took care of it, Mom.”

A tear dripped down her cheek as she buried her face in Frank’s chest. Her muted sobs filled the living room, the dishwasher sloshing through its cycle.

I leaned into Carter, and he tightened his arm around my shoulders, the somber mood filling my stomach with acid, twisting it and churning until it burned at the back of my throat.

Linda pulled back from Frank and sniffled, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Well, I think it’s time we call it a night,” she said, her voice feigning strength as she looked between me and Carter. “It’s been a long day.”

Frank nodded in agreement, setting his empty tumbler on the side table. “We’ll leave you two to get some rest.”

“Are you sure?” Carter stood, and Frank followed his wife to the door, helping her with her jacket. Her movements slowed as she stared at the wall.

“Carter, what’s this?”

She shrugged her jacket over her shoulders and stepped closer to the hall, her eyes squinting.

Carter shifted beside me, his arm tightening around my shoulders. “What is it what?”

Linda reached out and pulled the photograph tucked into the picture frame, her expression indecipherable as she turned back toward us.

My stomach somersaulted, and the air thickened. Pressure struck my temples.

Linda looked at Carter, then at me, her brow furrowing. “Where did you get this?”

My heart thudded in my chest as if a knife stuck in my rib cage. Carter’s hand slipped from my arm, his back stiffening as he walked toward his mother, then took the photo from her.

“It was in my parents’ things.” I stood and walked over, staring back at my best friend’s picture.

“Def Leppard?” Frank said, his forehead creasing.

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“The stage. I’ve been to a few in my lifetime. I would recognize it anywhere.” He rubbed his beard and pulled down on his chin. “She never listened to them, though. They were well before her time.”

“That’s what I thought. And I’d never listened to them either. But my dad said that she and I went to it.” I shrugged. “I have no recollection of it.”

“Strange,” Linda whispered with a sniffle. “She didn’t go with you.”

“What?” I gave her a quizzical stare, my head cocked to the side. “You knew? I’m so confused right now.”

“She said she was going with a new friend.” Linda shrugged. “I didn’t think anything of it. But she was so happy when she came home.”

“How old was she?” I hugged my chest. “She doesn’t look old enough to drive yet.”

Linda nodded. “She’d passed the test that day, and Frank was working late nights then, so I let her drive herself.”

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