Page 18 of Throw Away the Key
“They passed away, within about a year of each other—my grandfather first. It was maybe six months after this photo was taken—my college graduation.” Her grandfather stood tall and strong, his eyes shielded with wire-rimmed glasses. He cupped one side of Sadie’s face and was turned slightly, kissing hertemple. “He was strong as an ox until he started to have heart problems, but he was well into his seventies by that time. Too set in his ways to change.” She leaned forward, resting her hands along the back of the couch, her shoulders drooping slightly.
Emma started to reach out to her and thought better of it.Maybe she doesn’t like to be touched.She turned away from the photo. “I'm really sorry. Do you have siblings?”
Sadie shook her head, “Nah, but I've got a good group of friends who pour into me and vice-versa. Most of them I’ve known since high school.”
“Solid friends are a blessing.” Emma thumbed through the covers of some of the albums. There were all kinds of musical genres, and Emma wondered whether they were arranged in any sort of system. “You have quite a collection here.”
“Yeah, I keep telling myself I need to stop buying more, but it's a habit,” Sadie moved closer and ran her fingertips over the edges of several worn covers fondly.
“That's how Zora is with books. She literally owns a bookstore and still can't help but buy new books. She has this ever growing collection—her ‘to be read’ pile,” Emma laughed lightly.
“Yeah, I get that. I think I buy according to my mood.”
“What were you listening to most recently?” Emma's chin jutted toward the record player.
“Uh, Billie Holiday.”
“Ooh, do you mind if we play that?”
“Sure.” Sadie moved to turn on the player and start the record from the beginning.
“Which one is this?” Emma asked.
“An Evening With Billie Holiday,” Sadie replied.
AsStormy Weatherbegan to play, Emma smiled wide. “Oh, this is one of my favorites.” She continued searching the albums,admiring the collection and humming along with Billie as she crooned.
“You have a nice voice,” Sadie watched her quietly, her umber eyes trained on Emma who immediately stopped.
The rasp in Sadie’s voice sent heat climbing to Emma’s cheeks. “Thanks. Um, is it okay if I sit down?”
“Sure, of course. You're gonna be here a while, so you might as well get comfortable.”
Emma sat on the couch. “I should have asked you when I came in if you prefer for people to take their shoes off. I picked up the habit when I lived with Z.”
Sadie pointed to her bare feet. “I usually do.” She grabbed the baker's box and a couple of paper towels and set them on the coffee table. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Sure.” Emma slipped off her shoes and moved them off to the side as she pointed and flexed her feet, a happy sigh escaping her lips.
“I have water, tea… some wine,” she glanced at Emma curiously, the air in the room becoming electrically charged more and more with each look.
Emma’s mouth watered.How would she react if I said wine?“What kind of tea do you have?”
Sadie broke eye contact to peer into her cupboard. “Chamomile, green, Earl Grey, and chai.”
“Earl Grey would be perfect if you have a little bit of milk or cream.”
Sadie gave her a sideways glance. “Is oat milk okay?”
“Yes, thank you.”
She put on the kettle and returned to sit with Emma on the couch.
Emma wanted to know everything. “So are you from DC?”
Sadie nodded. “Born and raised. I've never lived anywhere else.”
“Do you travel a lot?”
