December 30th. New Year's Eve eve and the day Ellen and Linda were leaving to spend the week at Ellen's mother's. So I was to be left with Brian and Angus and no females to talk about feminine things with. But that was okay since they invited us to a party this night before they left. And I'd have all afternoon to go shopping with them.

Too bad I was sicker than a dog.

I had caught a flu bug and spent my morning dry heaving in the bathroom. By late afternoon I was done throwing up but still felt like crap so I decided to skip the party. "That bites love," Linda said sitting on the edge of my bed.

"Yeah, but that shouldn't stop you two from having a good time," I said to them.

"Are you sure you can't come?" Ellen asked.

"Nah, I'd better rest."

"Alright, if you wanna join we'll be at the storage building down the road," Linda said.

"And we'll let you know of any cute guys," Ellen added with a playful smile.

"Have fun," I laughed. They left and I was alone with this big house all to myself. What was a poor girl to do? Play some Beatles records of course.

The boys told me a week prior that I could use their record player as long as I was responsible with it. Cliff had a couple Beatles albums he kept in his room so I searched there first. I found Help! and put it on.

While the song played, it dawned on me that as of that moment, George Harrison was still alive. It killed me to think he'd die soon and even more so that John Lennon was killed earlier that month.

Help me if you can I'm feelin' down

I wish I could John. I wish I could.

I walked slowly down the street toward the storage building Linda spoke about. I decided to pay a visit to the party I was missing and after putting the record away, I mustered up my strength and braved the heat outside. Though the nights were much cooler.

Fifties swing music filled the halls as people danced the night away. Everyone was so formal I suddenly felt embarrassed being in my Eeyore night shirt. Though one girl smiled and her friend thought it was cute so I thanked them for that.

It didn't feel too great being there among everyone without a familiar face so I began looking for my friends. A sea of people created quite a barrier and it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. The summer Australian heat and sweat was not helping my flu headache so I sat down at the bar stools and watched out for them. Someone tapped my shoulder and I turned to see an older guy smoking his cigarette, obviously a little tipsy.

"Whatcha doin' here?" he smiled. I didn't quite know how to answer him so I began with honesty.

"I'm just looking for my friends," I smiled secretly hoping my explanation was enough and he'd disappear.

"I could be your friend and you could find me," he flirted with a wink. Okay dude, not now. He wrapped an arm around me and played with my hair while his other hand set down his cigarette and rested on my thigh. I leaned away a little to tell him I wasn't interested but he flat out didn't care. Or didn't notice. "Ya' know, my place isn't far," he said quietly putting his face up to my ear. I figured someone out there would see my discomfort and pull him aside but no such luck. I was on my own. Panic rose in me like the first time I was here in Indiana. Losing my cool probably wasn't too accepted to do in a public place but it was hard resisting.

His hand rubbed my thigh and moved way too inward for my comfort. I leaned away again but he pulled me closer to him and began kissing my ear and cheek and, holy CRAP his breath stunk. I pushed him off using fear and adrenaline and he went farther away than I expected. Looking up I realized someone had pulled him away as I pushed him.

"I don't think she's interested buddy," he said politely but a little darkly. The drunk man glared at him.

"She didn't say nothin' about it."

"It's hard to speak when a creep gropes you up ain't it? Can't you see she's uninterested?" The man, who happened to be Angus, came over to me and led me away from him. "Come on, I've been looking for you everywhere," he said loud enough for Drunky to hear. Angus wrapped an arm around me and I thankfully wrapped both around his waist. "Little nervous, aren't we love?" he laughed.

"Thank you," I murmured still frightened by the whole thing.

"Anytime. So what brings you here anyway? I thought you were sick?"

"I was. I am! but, Linda and Ellen said if I ever felt up to it I could come so here I am."

"They did, did they?" he asked thoughtfully. "That was nice of them." I only nodded. "Nice dress by the way," he winked.

"Thanks Angus, I spent an hour picking it out," I smiled. "Too bad my shoes don't match."

"Or exist," he said looking at my bare feet. "But Cinderellas don't need shoes anyway do they?" I didn't answer, a little surprised by his remark. Instead I changed the subject.

"So you and the ladies having a good time?"

"We were till they ditched me. Went to get punch and never came back. I went to look for them and found you in the meantime. Sorry about that asshole by the way, people don't usually get that aggressive."

"Well I'm sorry you had to save me, I should have handled it better." Angus stopped walking and gave me a small frown.

"Don't be sorry." The music swelled around us and people were still dancing like crazy. Angus looked around the room for a while before grabbing my hand and pulling me somewhere quieter. "Come on, I want to talk to you."

He brought me over to a corner where the music wasn't so loud. "That's a bit better then," he said putting his hands in his pockets and rocking back and forth on his feet.

"You okay? A little nervous, aren't we love?" I smiled. He smiled back and stopped rocking. I could see in his eyes he had some big secret to tell me. Aching to get out but stressed about the consequences.

"There's something I have to tell you," he said, his smile turned to a worried glance. I nodded looking a bit concerned. He's never been too worried to talk to me before except in the seventies when-no. I refused to believe it. Angus adopted a pattern of opening his mouth to speak only to close it again. Only to eventually say, "There's something I have to tell you."

I nodded again slower ready to hear whatever forbidden secret he had to say. He stepped a little closer to me never taking his eyes off mine. A slow song interrupted the dance floor and soon enough people started pairing off. Angus snapped out of his thoughts and searched the atmosphere. "I-I'd better go," he said rushing off.

Angus stared into Hannah's green, brown, hazel, or whatever rainbow they were eyes. She looked almost concerned for him, and it bothered him that she should care about him. She shouldn't care, she should be with bigger and better things, not standing there with him, a married man. He was once again reminded of this as slower music overlapped the loud and fast as he stepped back from her. A married man should dance with his wife, not someone from his past. It doesn't work like that. Even if they didn't dance, being there together was-and he was about to admit his feelings for her too which was even worse. "I-I'd better go," he said and headed toward the exit, ignoring the calls of the man watching him by the door.

"It's alright Hannah, he's been walking away from me too," Bon said quietly.

Angus stopped outside and rounded the building. "Where the hell have you guys been?" Linda, Ellen, Brian, and some girl he found were having a smoke out front.

"We've been fuckin' around out here waitin' for you," said Brian. "Where have you been?"

"You all left to do your own things, I just waited for you inside."

"You okay honey? You seem a little upset," Ellen said putting an arm around him. He returned the gesture.

"'M alright, Hannah and I were talkin' and-Christ, she's still in there!" Angus left the group and ran back in the building.

"Hannah's here?" Brian asked. "Huh. Must be feelin' better."

"Did she make him upset though? 'Cause he's...kind of..."

"Who knows what that man's up to," Ellen laughed.

I stood there in the corner and watched him take off. Another one of his weird behavior episodes I guessed. That left me to search for Brian and the girls by myself. And hopefully not get groped up by anyone again. If I got too worked up, I'd probably hurt them, but never on purpose. Enough to cause a scene of embarrassment. In the end I decided to follow Angus and check on him first 'cause I knew him better than the others. But as soon as I walked toward the exit he came back and hurried over to me. "Come on," he said grabbing my hand pulling me along.

"Is everything okay?" I asked. He didn't answer either from no desire to or lack of volume. We arrived to the group and I'm guessing Brian's date around the corner.

"Hey," Ellen said smiling at us. "Ya' feelin' better?"

"Much better now, but this heat is killin' me."

"Ah lass, you've got us outdressed," Brian joked. We laughed with him and Angus only smiled.

"Well I had to pick something to match my healthy glow," I joked in return pointing at myself and making a face.

"Oh of course," Linda agreed playing along.

"Alright alright we'd better get home and out of the heat and you two," Angus pointed at Linda and Ellen. "have a plane to catch."

"Okay, let's hit the road," Brian said and quickly gave his date a goodbye. As soon as we got inside the house Angus and Ellen went upstairs to do God knows what and Linda went to shower. Brian and I sat on one of the couches.

"Angus better hurry up if Ellen's gonna see her mum," Brian said.

"Maybe that's why he was in such a hurry to get home," I laughed nervously. Suddenly uncomfortable at the realization.

"Hah, maybe. Do you know why he seemed upset?"

"Upset?"

"Yeah he sort of snapped at us when we were waitin' outside and he mentioned you and..." I shook my head. He has really been moody lately.

"Oh, no. He talked a bit, said he had something to tell me and then just up and left."

"Ohhh, I see," Brian nodded in thought.

"What?"

"Nothin'."

"You know something don't you?"

"No."

"What? What was that comment for then?"

"Nothin'."

"Brian!"

"I didn't say anything lass, I didn't mean anything by that," he laughed. I crossed my arms in suspician. We sat in silence for a while letting our minds wander. "If you don't mind my askin'," Brian said breaking the silence. "since you're from the future and all, I was wonderin' what it was like. Or will be like I should say." I hadn't the nerve to tell him about the tour in 2016 and retirement issues. Or anything in 2018 for that matter. So I began with the general stuff.

"Well for starters the music isn't as good. Some, not all."

"What's wrong with it?"

"Songs just don't have the same charm anymore, it's written by someone else, and the singer themselves can't always sing."

"How'd they get famous then?"

"Probably from a pretty face," I said. "Then they use machines to enhance their voices."

"That's a shame, even with rock and roll?"

"Not exactly, I can't say there's a whole lot of rock and roll bands left. Lots of punk, metal, or hip hop. That's usually around."

"What about phones? I hear Bon mentioned you tellin' him about transportable phones."

"Oh yeah." I smiled at the memory. "Well phones don't have to be plugged in anymore, you can play games, listen to music-"

"Listen to shitty music," Brian laughed. I smiled.

"-that, and not only call people but text them. Sort of like writing a letter, but there's no mailing system and they receive it within seconds."

"Jesus. Cars any different?" I figured he'd be interested in that.

"Not too much. A lot of them can be started by pushing a button and you don't need a key in the ignition."

"Wow. I'd uh-hate to ask you about this but how's the band going?"

"Well to tell you the truth ever since 2016 things have been-complicated."

"What do you mean? What happens?" Brian asked concerned.

"Uh-well let's just say there's a tour called 'Rock or Bust' and it definitely sticks true to its name." He nodded hesitantly.

"Does-does anybody else die?" Before I could answer Linda came downstairs hair wet and with a suitcase.

"This air is not good for wet hair but there's not much time. Where's Ellen? We need to leave soon."

"Maybe you should have made that more clear to them," Brian said. Linda looked at him confused and he pointed up the stairs.

"Oh gross," she said kind of mad. "Ellen come on, he's got two hands to use for the week, let up!" A loud thump came from upstairs and I held my breath, but I figured the bed couldn't make that much noise, and it wasn't continuous. But that only meant they were doing something quite extravagant instead. Or someone fell of the bed.

"Ang's takin' care of business," Brian smiled.

"Every damn night?" Linda asked.

"'T's what men do. Ask Hannah, she probably knows what he does."

"No-"

"You've never-" Linda started.

"No, he tried to but I didn't let him." Linda widened her eyes.

"Oh that's gotta hurt," Brian said. "That's a first too."

"Does Ellen know?"

"If she does I didn't tell her," I said with a shrug.

"I mean he wasn't married at the time," Brian stepped in.

"Yeah, probably wanted to be though," Linda said walking into the kitchen. I didn't bother to question anyone. After a while Ellen came downstairs with her suitcase.

"You waiting for me?" she asked Linda with a smile.

"For freaking a hundred hours. Where's Angus?"

"He probably fell asleep by now."

"Ha ha, asleep in the afterglow then," Brian laughed.

"Gross," Linda muttered picking up her suitcase and heading to the door.

"You both are just jealous," Ellen said following her outside.

"Yeah, goodbye house! Goodbye everyone inside!" Linda called closing the front door. I picked up my blanket on the couch and wrapped it around me as I headed for my bed.

Angus lay back on the bed listening to the downstairs conversation. He hadn't fallen asleep yet but he was exhausted. He glanced at the door as he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. They were small and quiet and headed towards a guest bedroom on the opposite end of the hall. Hannah's footsteps. Angus sighed and rolled over, his back facing the wall as he heard the bedroom door close.