Athena's Daughter Read Free

sweet man, but sometimes she would swear
he just didn’t think. “Maybe having the table right by the door
isn’t the best place for it. It’ll cause a logjam and we’ll end up
with a bunch of pushing and shoving. Besides, if we put it here in
the back, people will have to walk past all these tempting records
before they reach the band. Might result in some extra sales.”
    Rondall’s sweet, friendly face went blank.
“Didn’t think of that.”
    Laughing, Athena patted him on the arm.
“That’s what you hired me to do. Let’s scare up Wally and Buckshot
and have them move this table.”
    While two of the teenage boys employed
part-time at the store wrestled the table to the back by the cash
register, Athena double checked their inventory of Wolf’s albums.
After the table was set up, she got the boys to stack the albums
behind it while she moved the folding chairs where the band would
sit. Then she rushed around making sure there were enough pens for
autographs and making sure those pens had ink.
    All these activities were designed to keep
her mind off the fact that Wolf would be arriving in mere moments,
but it didn’t work. Despite her feverish running around, she kept
glancing at the clock, her heart pounding a little harder with each
tick of the hands.
    “Man, I can’t wait to meet those guys.”
Buckshot’s voice intruded on her agitated thoughts. “They’re my
favorite band.”
    She had to smile at his enthusiasm. He,
Wally, Jeremy and Casey were some of the best employees she’d ever
had, and she was glad their hard work would be rewarded by getting
to meet one of the hottest rock bands on the charts. To be honest,
she was a little surprised Rondall managed to get such a big act to
appear at their little store.
    Sometimes he seemed overwhelmed by the
younger clientele they attracted since Athena became manager. He’d
been alarmed when she’d made wholesale changes to their stock,
weeding out the albums by Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra and
replacing them with Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones
and the other hot bands of the day. It disgruntled the regular
customers, too – both of them – but once the kids discovered it,
there was no turning back. Rondall’s objections disappeared when he
saw the increased revenue generated by their younger patrons, and
now Stax of Wax was one of the hottest record stores in the Memphis
area. But, still; to get someone as popular as Wolf to do a signing
was a definite coup. She didn’t know how he swung it and she was
afraid to ask.
    Activity at the back door caught her
attention and her nerves tied themselves up in knots when she saw
Paul Taylor stroll into the store with Rondall. The charismatic
lead singer of Wolf was followed closely by the bass player and the
band’s drummer. Both Robin Brown and Ian Bennett had an air of
bored indifference, and glanced around the store with a complete
lack of interest.
    Athena slipped quietly into the next aisle,
trying to avoid notice. She knew she couldn’t stay hidden all day,
but she hoped to put off the inevitable as long as she could.
Rondall, unaware of her reluctance to show herself, turned and
surveyed the store.
    “I want you to meet our store manager. I know
she was just here.”
    Athena scrunched down and pretended to
straighten a selection of Three Dog Night albums in the bin nearest
her. A surreptitious glance showed her Rondall hadn’t given up as
he rose on tiptoe to try to see over the displays.
    “Where’d she….Oh, there she is!” Smiling, he
beckoned her forward, and she went on leaden feet. “Guys, this
is…”
    “Athena!” Paul’s shocked voice interrupted
Rondall’s introductions. “Jesus Christ, it is you!” Ignoring the
looks of amazement on the faces of Rondall and the store’s
employees, he rushed forward and enveloped her in a bone crushing
hug.
    “Hey, Paul,” she choked out as unexpected
tears stung her eyes. “It’s so good to see you again.”
    He leaned back