THE RECORD SHOP ⋆ 𝗱𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝗵𝗹

twenty three

JUNE 11, 1991. OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON.

THE BOYS ARE on tour until June 20th and Dave told Evie she should start moving stuff in while he's away. The only problem is that she still needs to talk to John about this. Evie and her Dad are on shift together at the record shop today and she decides the best time to bring it would be now. Evie spins around on the chair behind counter while John restocks the aisles.

"Hey dad, can I talk to you about something?" Evie asks.

"Sure kiddo," John smiles, pausing his job and giving his full attention to Evie.

"I've been meaning to ask you for a while-" Evie starts.

"You want to move to Seattle," John states, knowing his daughter better than anyone.

Evie sighs, "Am I that transparent?"

"No, I just knew it would happen sooner or later," John shakes his head and smiles knowingly, continuing to stock the records.

"So, what do you think about it? Me moving to Seattle," she prompts a response.

"I think it's what you want and if it'll make you happy, I support it," John tells his daughter.

"I'll obviously still come down to work, like I've been doing," she assures him.

"Okay Eves," he nods.

"You don't want me to go," she says quietly, reading her father's behaviour.

"It's not that I don't want you to go Evie, I just don't want you to be all alone in Seattle while Dave is away for months," John explains.

"Why is that a problem? Oliver lives on his own in Seattle, you never worry about him."

"You're different Eves," he says.

"Why? Because I can't handle being on my own because I'm so fragile?" Evie says pointedly.

"That's not what I mean," John sighs.

"Then what do you mean?"

"I just worry about you. I want to know you're being taken care of kiddo," he says.

"It's no one's job to take care of me, not yours, or Dave's. I can take care of myself, I'm twenty years old," Evie states.

"Okay," John says finally.

"Okay?" She questions.

"I trust you, and I trust Dave. I think you should go," John says.

"You mean that?" Evie asks.

"I do. I'm just a Dad, of course I'm going to be upset about you moving out, but I really think it will be good for you Eves," he tells her.

"Okay then," she nods.

John wasn't immediately supportive like she had hoped, but she can understand where he is coming from. Of course, he would be upset about Evie moving out, it's only natural for a parent to feel that way.

That night when Evie gets home from work, she heads to her room, looking around at the memories imbedded within the four walls. She notices her yearly height marked on the door frame and the photos littering the wall, the pink paint stain on her carpet when she made Mia a painting for her 10th birthday. This room is everything to Evie, it is where she has spent her whole life, but the prospect of moving on isn't all that terrifying. Maybe a change is what she needs. Along with all the good memories this room holds it also represents an abundance of bad memories, a loss of childlike innocence, grief, and sickness. Leaving it behind might be a big step forward in growing from all that has hurt her.

The next day, Evie has no work or plans so she decides to sort through her belongings and decide what things she will start moving over to Seattle. Soon Evie is putting together a pile of things on her desk to take. She fills a cardboard box with these items, some clothes, books, art supplies and records. Feeling satisfied with this small number of belongings she has filled a box with, she sets it down in her passenger seat and begins the drive to Seattle.

Unlocking the door feels like she's just been given the keys to her new apartment, which in a way she has. For the first time, she's not just entering Dave's place, this is where she is going to be living now too. By means of 'christening' the place as half hers now she puts on one of her favourite records, Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. While belting the words that are permanently burnt into her memory, she twirls through the space finding places for her things. She hangs some clothes in the wardrobe, places her record crate next to Dave's and finds an empty drawer for her art supplies. With no bookshelf, she lets her few favourite books rest on top of each other on the bedside table.

Mid-way through the chorus of Lady Stardust, the phone rings. Evie makes for the record player, lifting the needle before picking it up.

"Hello, Evie speaking," she answers.

"Evie, darling it's Ginny. Dave told me if I wanted to reach you, you just might be in Seattle and to call his landline," the sweetest voice of Virginia Grohl sings through the other end.

"Ginny, hi! Yes, I'm here. So, I take it Dave told you about my moving in?" Evie asks, happy to be speaking with Virginia again, for the first time since she had met her back last month.

"Yes, he did, I think it's wonderful dear," she tells, and Evie lets out a small breath of relief, once again Virginia's stamp of approval makes her feel ten times better.

"Well I'm glad you think so. I'm really excited about it," Evie says.

"David is too. I got to speak with him earlier today shortly and he told me to try calling to check if you were here," she informs her.

"Oh really? So, you're checking up on the place for him then?" Evie laughs at the idea of Dave sending his mother on a mission to check if she had been moving things into the apartment.

"Yes, I am, don't tell him I told you, I think it was meant to be a more secretive operation," Virginia explains, making Evie laugh again.

"Oh, it's so nice to speak to you Ginny, I'm already eager to come back to Springfield to visit you guys," Evie says.

"You're welcome here anytime dear, you wouldn't even have to bring David with you," she jokes.

"Oh, maybe I'll take you up on that offer if this living situation doesn't work out," Evie says playfully, making Virginia laugh which pleases her to hear.

"Well I doubt that you two will have any problems with each other, but if you do, you know where to go," Virginia offers.

"I hope not, but thank you," Evie says.

"Alright dear, well I'll let you go back to settling in. You just call me if you need anything," Virginia tells her.

"Thanks Ginny, I will. Bye now."

"Bye-bye."

Evie places the phone back on the receiver with a smile on her face. She feels so lucky to have bonded and formed a relationship with Ginny with so much ease. She walks through the apartment, neglecting to put the needle back onto the record and deciding to take a moment to breathe in the silence. It's happening. She is moving to Seattle to live with the man she loves and has gotten an internship at her dream job. Her two New Year's resolutions can be crossed off.