“I’m serious.”

“That’s fine, my lovely, but Young Buddy here’s shipping out Saturday morning.”

Helena looked at Leo straight on again. The neon light made her cheeks seem smooth, younger than they were. The wide red headband holding her hair so high appeared brown. “The military?”

Leo nodded yes.

“Drafted?”

“No,” Jim said. “He volunteered.”

Helena looked at Leo like he was some kind of zoo animal she’d seen once before but that was long ago. She raised her ice cream to her mouth, then lowered it. “All the more reason, you two.”

“Not in this town, sweetie.”

“Why not?”

They were quiet a moment.

Leo wiped his lips. “Because this isn’t even a cardboard town, it’s paper. Pretty soon I’ll be playing in an oak town over in Europe.”

“What did that boy just say?”

“He said it all, is what.” Ryder shook his head and bit into his ice cream. Helena looked at Jim. Jim’s hand was resting gently on the back of Leo’s neck. He squeezed once and let go.

‘She’s right,” Jim said.

“She’ll be the only audience, too, Jimmy. Lest you forget, we don’t play any Pat Boone.”

“You’re underestimating these people, honey.”

“I doubt it.”

Jim wiped ice cream off his mustache. He turned to Leo. “Be good for you, get you ready.”

Leo looked past Helena and Ryder at the dim white of the gazebo through the trees on Thompson Green. He shrugged. “Okay with me.”

“Aw hell.”

Helena pinched Ryder’s cheek and gently shook it. “Don’t be scared, skinny. I’ll be along for the ride.”

“Short ride. We only got three days.”

“Friday night?” Jim said.

Leo nodded. He looked up again at Beatrice’s windows and saw Allie carrying a tray of empty glasses past the booths. Ryder mentioned that the Am Vets boys had signs up two weeks in advance. Helena said she’d be happy to make up flyers to hang around town. “How shall I bill you?”

“I’ll think something up.”

“No, skinny. I mean what will you call yourselves? You need a name.”

Leo swallowed the last of his cone. “The Blues Bandits.”

Ryder laughed. “Everyone’ll expect to get robbed.”

“No they won’t,” Helena said.

“How ’bout the Heywood Trio, Young Buddy?”

“Nah.”

“He’s right,” Jim said. “Sounds like folk.”

“What, then?”

“I like Leo’s.” Helena gathered the wadded napkins off the table and went to throw them into the barrel near the door.

“Katie Faye’s Band.” Jim looked off toward the street and the Fremont Theater lights. “How’s that?”

“They’ll expect a lady singer, Jimmy.”

“Good,” Jim said. “They’ll stick it out for the whole gig waiting for her to show up.” He looked at Leo.

“Sure.”

Helena sat back down and Ryder put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close. “Looks like we got our name.”

38