"So what happened after you decided to stop being a hippie?" Jimmy prompted him.
Henry settled back in his chair. "Well, around that time I was beginning to get tired of always being on the road. I loved the adventure in my youth, but I started to miss not having a proper home - or neighbourhood, since I knew by then I wouldn't be getting married. I was just over thirty when I decided to quit being a roadie. My travels had taken me to North Carolina, and I knew I wanted to settle there. I was near the ocean which I loved, and it was near where I grew up but not too near - I knew I wouldn't want to go back and live in the Bible Belt. Besides, I hadn't seen my parents since leaving home," he added with a wry smile. "I quit my job as a roadie and rented a little apartment, doing odd jobs in the music business until I found something steady."
"How did you find something steady?" Felix wondered.
"What did you find?" Les asked him at the same time.
Henry smiled. "I was a music producer. And you know, it felt like I just fell into it. I had a few contacts from working with local musicians and music stores, and a nice group of young men who had formed a band ended up introducing me to a friend who worked for a local record executive. I went to see if he needed any odd jobs done, I ended up spending a lot of time in the recording booth - next thing you know, I was a record producer. I continued with that job for most of my life - almost until you boys came along.
"So I had a good job doing what I loved, helping people bring their rock music to the world, and I made a lot of friends who were also involved in music. I bought myself a nice little house eventually. I still travelled quite a lot, but for pleasure this time, not whenever a band needed me to tour with them. My life settled down - it was eventful, and interesting, not quiet, but very pleasant. Well, at least it was for many years - but then another tragedy came along."
Henry settled back in his chair. "Well, around that time I was beginning to get tired of always being on the road. I loved the adventure in my youth, but I started to miss not having a proper home - or neighbourhood, since I knew by then I wouldn't be getting married. I was just over thirty when I decided to quit being a roadie. My travels had taken me to North Carolina, and I knew I wanted to settle there. I was near the ocean which I loved, and it was near where I grew up but not too near - I knew I wouldn't want to go back and live in the Bible Belt. Besides, I hadn't seen my parents since leaving home," he added with a wry smile. "I quit my job as a roadie and rented a little apartment, doing odd jobs in the music business until I found something steady."
"How did you find something steady?" Felix wondered.
"What did you find?" Les asked him at the same time.
Henry smiled. "I was a music producer. And you know, it felt like I just fell into it. I had a few contacts from working with local musicians and music stores, and a nice group of young men who had formed a band ended up introducing me to a friend who worked for a local record executive. I went to see if he needed any odd jobs done, I ended up spending a lot of time in the recording booth - next thing you know, I was a record producer. I continued with that job for most of my life - almost until you boys came along.
"So I had a good job doing what I loved, helping people bring their rock music to the world, and I made a lot of friends who were also involved in music. I bought myself a nice little house eventually. I still travelled quite a lot, but for pleasure this time, not whenever a band needed me to tour with them. My life settled down - it was eventful, and interesting, not quiet, but very pleasant. Well, at least it was for many years - but then another tragedy came along."
A few hours later, Una and Everett were comfortably snuggled up together on the couch, sharing the last of Una's chocolates which lay in the open box between them, as the credits rolled on the movie.
"That was so good," murmured Una, her head resting on Everett's shoulder. "You know - I was looking forward to your plans, whatever they were going to be, but I was really hoping we'd be able to watch this."
Everett gave a small laugh and shook his head. "I wish I'd known. I could have saved myself all this trouble."
Una grinned. "This year, our Valentine's Day plans were on me," she said. "Next year I expect it to be your turn."
Everett felt a warm rush at the thought of next year, that Una was so certain they would be celebrating Valentine's Day together next year. But then... of course, Everett though. He wouldn't have considered anything different.
"I love you, Una," he said.
"I love you too, Everett," she said.
"That was so good," murmured Una, her head resting on Everett's shoulder. "You know - I was looking forward to your plans, whatever they were going to be, but I was really hoping we'd be able to watch this."
Everett gave a small laugh and shook his head. "I wish I'd known. I could have saved myself all this trouble."
Una grinned. "This year, our Valentine's Day plans were on me," she said. "Next year I expect it to be your turn."
Everett felt a warm rush at the thought of next year, that Una was so certain they would be celebrating Valentine's Day together next year. But then... of course, Everett though. He wouldn't have considered anything different.
"I love you, Una," he said.
"I love you too, Everett," she said.