Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 104127 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104127 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Gideon crosses the space, coming toward me. I don’t move.
He doesn’t give me the cello. Instead, he places it beside me on the mattress, flicks the lock, and opens the case.
“It’s a beautiful instrument,” he says, admiring the craftsmanship while simultaneously ignoring the heaviness of the moment. Refusing to own up to his part in my agony.
I nod. My tongue feels heavy. I’m not sure what to say. What can I tell him that will make him give it to me and leave me in peace? “It’s all I have left of my brother. Of my family.”
We stare at each other for a moment, and I see the emotion cross over his features. The guilt that lies just beyond the surface.
Eventually, he looks away, breaking the thick silence lingering in the air. “Why the cello?”
Coward.
I want to call him out on it, but what’s the use? I can’t force him to own up to his part, and I wouldn’t want to, anyway. What good is an apology if it’s not sincere?
I shake off the thought, debating what to tell him. I go for the truth. This man sees through me, so there’s no point in lying.
“Music has always been a part of my life. As a child, I was always listening to different melodies. As I grew older, I learned to appreciate the beauty of classical music. The delicate harmony of the strings. It was like nothing I had ever heard before.”
My cheeks burn from the honesty and reverence in my voice. Music is like a religion to me, and when I get a chance to talk about it, I come alive. At this moment, I feel self-conscious.
“One day, I picked up a cello. Something about the way the bow glides across the strings and how the music flows through me. It was like I had finally found my voice.” I shrug like it’s no big deal when it’s actually everything. “Since then, music has been my passion. It’s something that I pour my heart and soul into. Music is always there for me. It’s my way of expressing myself, of communicating my feelings without words.”
His mouth hangs open slightly, and he just stares.
“What?” I ask, feeling insecure and far too warm under the weight of his stare.
“Can you play for me?”
My head jerks back, not having expected that. “I…I can’t.”
Gideon’s jaw tightens. “Please.” It looks like it’s hard for him to ask this, but it doesn’t matter if he begs; it won’t happen.
“No. You don’t understand. It’s not—I don’t play in front of people,” I admit on a sigh, feeling my cheeks warm further.
“Why?” He sounds truly puzzled when he asks.
I guess for a man like Gideon Byrne, nothing would be difficult. He couldn’t understand.
“Stage fright. I’ve never been able to.” I let out a harsh breath. “I used to be able to play for my brother.”
He crosses his arms over his chest, watching me closely. “What happened?”
I look down at the cello, not wanting to see Gideon when I say the next part. “He changed, and then he was gone. I haven’t been able to play in front of anyone since.”
Sadness hangs in the air like a dense fog. It’s oppressive and heavy, making it hard to breathe.
The room is still and silent, but my heart is pounding so loudly in my chest that it feels like it’s going to burst. The pain, the emptiness.
It was like a physical weight pressing down on me. I can feel every subtle movement, every tiny breath. It’s too much.
The moment is stretched out between us, growing more and more tense with each passing second. I can see the sadness in his eyes, but there’s also something else.
A resignation, maybe. Or acceptance. Like he’s finally come to terms with something that he’s been fighting for a long time. We just stand there, looking at each other, neither of us knowing what to say or do. Finally, he breaks the silence. “I’m sorry.”
It’s said so quietly I can almost trick myself into believing it was never said. But it was.
Before I can respond, he turns and walks out the door, leaving me alone with my cello.
I sit in silence for several minutes, thinking about what just transpired. A part of me has always needed to hear those words and thought I never would. It doesn’t change things, and it won’t bring my brother back, but it does offer a small sense of peace.
I pick up my cello and settle into position. My eyes close. I take a deep breath, and then I play.
The music washes over me, and as it does, my mind wanders to Gideon.
What is it about him? Why does he twist me up?
He’s always been somewhat of a mystery, but after spending more time with him, I’m quickly learning that there’s more to him than meets the eye.