Opus One

Chapter 24: Ballet en Cinq Mouvements

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I. Overture

Jer pulled his headphones off when he heard the phone.  He could almost tell from the ring that it wasn’t Richard’s father, so he started to get up to answer. 

“I’ll get it,” Richard said, moving quickly to the phone.  Jer put his headphones back on, but paused the CD player until he heard who it was.

“Hello?” Richard said.  “Hi Sandra!  Made it to your house?”

Jer smiled.  Richard’s tone brightened up considerably.  And why wouldn’t it?  If I was banging those two girls, I’d be happy to talk to them anytime. 

Jer decided to listen to the one-sided conversation.

“Eh, missing the two of you already...” Richard said.  “I went to dinner all alone.  It sucked.”  Richard glanced quickly at Jer, but Jer kept his eyes on his score, pretending not to have heard.  Earlier, Jer had asked Richard if he wanted to go to dinner, but he had glumly rejected the offer.  Sounds like he should have come out after all...

 “I know.  I’ll be all right.  I wish you were here, but you two will have fun.”  Richard sat heavily into his desk chair.

“Yeah, it will be interesting to meet her family, and see where she lives.  Someone told me she has a lot of money,” he said.

“What are you two doing tonight?” Richard asked them.

“Me too.  Not really in the mood to practice or do anything.”

“Sure, put her on.”

“Hi, Em,” Richard said cheerily.

“Wow, really?  Are they all relatives?” he asked.

Richard laughed.  “Sounds like my family.”

“You’ll be fine.”

Richard made a face.  “Um, ‘Sandra’?”

“I don’t know.”

“I don’t know, Emily!  Um... Pumpkin?”

“What?” he exclaimed.

“Sandrine?  Mm, I like that!”

Sandrine, Jer thought.  What is he talking about?

“I might have to use that,” Richard said.

“Okay.”

“Yeah.”

“Um, a little.”

“A few more days and then what?” Richard asked them.

“What are we going to do?”

“Don’t tell me that!”  Out of the corner of his eye, Jer could see Richard adjusting his position in his chair, as his voice grew a little more excited.

“Oh god...” Richard said quietly. 

“And...?” he exclaimed.

“Things?”

“Like what?”

“You two are such...”  Richard cast another glance at Jer, and then stopped.

“Um, nothing.”

“No.  I can’t...”

“Yeah.”

“Stop!”

Jer suppressed a grin.  What a couple of teases…

“Okay, have fun!”

“Bye.”

Richard hung up the phone, and shook his head with a smile.  Those girls..., he thought.

Jer pulled his headphones off.  “Who was it?” he asked. 

“Oh, just Emily and Sandra checking in,” Richard said, nonchalantly.

“Everything cool with them?”

“Yeah.  Sounds like they’re having a good time.”

“Nice.  When are they coming back?”

“Saturday night.”

“Are you going to be in the room much after that?” Jer asked.  It was more of a suggestion.

Richard frowned at him suspiciously.  “I don’t know, why?”

“Jenna’s roommate is back that night too.”

“Oh.  So you’re kicking me out?”

“No, but if you do have a place to stay...”

Richard laughed.  “Don’t worry, I’ll be out of your hair.”

“Hey, I know you’re going to be up in their room that night anyway, so...”

Richard chuckled.  “Yeah, it sounds that way.”

The phone rang again.

“It’s your Dad,” Jer said immediately.

Richard reached for the receiver and then paused.  Jer’s probably right.  Who else would be calling?  Richard didn’t answer.  Sure enough, after the answering machine kicked in, Vittorio’s voice came over the speaker in Italian.

“Hello, Riccardo.”  Vittorio paused for a very long moment.  “You made me very happy today.  Thank you.  Zia Maria and Mama liked it too.  I am so proud of you.  Have a good dinner with your teacher.  Call us when you can, my son.  Ciao, Riccardo.”

“What was that about?” Jer asked.

“Oh, nothing much,” Richard replied, glad that Jer didn’t understand Italian.

II. Vaganova

Richard checked himself in the mirror one last time.  Take off the jacket, he thought.  No, leave it.  It is Thanksgiving.  The tie was too much, though, so he removed it and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt. 

Irina hadn’t been much help when he asked how to dress.  “However you like,” she had said.  After sifting through his closet, and consulting with Sandra and Emily before they left, he had decided on a suit.

As he was on the verge of replacing his tie, he decided to quit the mirror and wait for Irina’s husband down in the lobby.  Otherwise he’d end up wearing something completely different.

The dorm was deserted.  Apart from Jer and a handful of others, everyone had gone away for the weekend.  Richard had his room to himself for the most part, since Jenna had stayed behind and her roommate hadn’t. 

As Richard sat on an easy chair looking out at the parking lot, he wondered what to expect at his teacher’s house.  He hadn’t asked if any of her other students would be there, but assumed that there would be some. 

Will I have to play something?  He didn’t know many of the other students in the studio yet.  He’d chatted with a few, but only superficially.  All the pianists in Mrs. Tertychnaya’s studio were invariably excellent.  One had recently won a major competition and was going to be performing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic the next fall.

A car pulled into the lot in front of the dorm, and Richard went outside.  Even if it was not Harvey, he was getting restless.  It was unseasonably warm out, Richard noted, and he adjusted his jacket.

A man in his late fifties got out of the passenger side of the car and immediately waved to Richard.  I guess that’s him, Richard thought.  He was dressed casually, and Richard wondered if he should ask about the suit. 

“Hello, Richard.  Harvey,” he said, extending his hand.

Richard shook it.  “Nice to meet you.”

“Hate to hurry you, but I have the food cooking back at the house.  It’s a bit of a drive, I’m afraid.  Shall we?”

“I’m ready,” Richard said.

Harvey headed to the car door he had exited from.  Richard looked into the windshield and saw no driver, and then realized the wheel was on the right.  Richard slid into the passenger seat.  “Neat car.  What is it?”

“Gordon Keeble.  Made in England in 1965.”

“Cool.”

“Nothing fancy, but it’s a nice little GT.”

“Do you collect cars?”

The Keeble’s engine fired up and Harvey guided it out of the lot. 

“Among other things, yes.  I am a collector,” Harvey said, grinning over at him.  “Hope you’re hungry!”

If Richard had guessed at what Irina and Harvey’s house looked like, he would have been wrong.  The first thing that struck him was the barn which served as a large, open garage.  Instead of horses, the modified pens each held an automobile in them.  The early afternoon sun came in through a series of skylights, casting a gleam on shiny fenders and headlights. 

“Wow,” Richard said quietly.

“One of my homes away from home,” Harvey said, chuckling.  “I’ll suggest postponing a tour until later, if you are interested.  For now, we should go inside so I can check on the meal.”

Richard glanced briefly at each car as they walked to the front doors of the barn.

“I’d love a tour later,” he said.

The house was large and classic in style, and Richard was glad he had worn a suit.  As they entered the foyer, he heard piano music being played.  Someone was playing the Chopin Opus 45 Prelude.  And beautifully…

Richard grew a little anxious, hoping the day would not be spent around the piano.  With his technique being rebuilt by Mrs. Tertychnaya, he was in an awkward place for demonstrating his abilities.

Harvey hummed along with the music for a moment. 

“Irina will be by the piano, of course,” he said quietly, as he led Richard into the house.  Besides an enticing aroma of food cooking, Richard noticed paintings on every part of the walls in the house.  It was like the art museum, but more dense in content.  Sculptures stood here and there on pedestals or end tables. 

In the living room, Richard saw two grand pianos interlocked, and was surprised to see Mrs. Tertychnaya playing one of them.  With her back to them, she didn’t hear their approach.  Harvey walked up behind her and reached his hand in to the keyboard to play a high note, just as she went to play it.

Harvey laughed when she grabbed his wrist and tried to play the rest of the phrase.  It didn’t work so well.

“Richard is here,” he said, when Irina stopped playing with a laugh.

“I know.  I saw you in the reflection.  Hello, Riccardo.”

“Hello.  Nice house,” he said, indicating the artwork.

Irina waved her arms, indicating the area around the pianos.  “This is my house.  Everything else is Harvey’s.”

Harvey chuckled.  “I must attend to lunch,” he suddenly said, checking his watch.  “Would you care for something to drink?”

Richard nodded.  “Sure.”

“Let’s adjourn to the kitchen, then,” Harvey said.  “We can talk there.”

The kitchen smelled incredible, a concentration of the aromas that permeated the rest of the house.  He could almost taste the food just by breathing. 

Hanging throughout the kitchen were dozens and dozens of wooden spoons of all shapes and sizes, including a six-foot long specimen perched above the arch door.

“You weren’t kidding when you said you collected things,” Richard said.

“Ah, yes. I suppose you noticed the spoons,” Harvey said.

Richard tried to suppress a laugh, but it came out a little.  How can one not notice!

“Yeah.  I don’t think I’ve seen that many spoons in one place.”

“I am a bit of an obsessive collector, a fact with which I’m sure Irina would agree with me.”

“I don’t know why he has so many,” Irina said, laughing.

“Do you use them?”

“Many of them,” Harvey said.  “That large one, not so often,” he added, pointing to the behemoth spoon.

“Are they rare spoons?  Collector spoons?” Richard asked, somewhat intrigued.

Harvey just laughed. 

“No, they are not,” Irina said.

“Well, if someone collects something, I suppose they are collector’s items,” Richard mused. 

Irina chuckled.  “It sounds like you have found a new friend, Harvey.  Or you taught him this act on the way here!”

Harvey put on a face of mock hurt as he stirred a pot with a wooden spoon.  “Nothing of the sort.  He simply appreciates the collection!”  He turned to Richard, holding aloft the spoon in his hand.  “All of these have a story.”

“Yet, that is the only one you use,” Irina said, pointing to the one in his hand.

Harvey looked at the spoon in his hand thoughtfully.  “Well, it is a good spoon.”

“And what’s the story behind that one?” Richard asked.  The amiable back-and-forth between his teacher and her husband presented a new side of Mrs. Tertychnaya Richard had not seen.

Harvey seemed momentarily flustered.  “I can’t recall,” he said vaguely.

“He bought it at a supermarket,” Irina said simply.

“Ah, but it was a gourmet supermarket,” Harvey said, recovering quickly.

Richard laughed, feeling more comfortable now. 

He heard the clicking of shoes in the hallway, and turned to see a striking black-haired woman enter the kitchen.  It’s Mrs. T., twenty years ago! Richard thought.  But with stronger features…  Following behind was a teenage girl, who bore more of a resemblance to Harvey.

“Come, girls.  This is Richard, one of my students,” Irina said.  “My daughters, Viktoriya and Nadia.  They will be joining us for dinner.”

Richard nodded, unsure whether to extend his hand.  Viktoriya smiled disarmingly and extended hers.  With his suit on, and her fine dark red dress, he felt like he should kiss her hand, not shake it.  He wasn’t that bold.

“Hello, Richard,” she said in perfect, crisp English.

“Hello.”

Nadia extended her hand as well and then went to stir the pot.

“I almost forgot I was getting drinks,” Harvey said.  “Viktoriya, Nadia, would you like some wine?”

“Yes, please,” they said.

“Richard?”

“Uh, sure, thanks.”  He figured that if Harvey had offered, there was no problem.  Besides, Nadia couldn’t be older than he was.

Harvey pulled five glasses from a hanging rack and then opened a bottle of red wine.  He poured some in each glass and then passed them out.

“Welcome,” he said, holding his glass up towards Richard.

Richard nodded and thanked them for having him.

“Well, since we’re all here,” Harvey said magnanimously, “I suggest we proceed to the dining table.”

Some hours later, Richard was fully sated.  The meal had been outstanding.  There had been no turkey and stuffing, but rather an assortment of recipes Harvey had collected from the countries he had visited (and there were many).  He could not remember having eaten so many tasty and different dishes all in one sitting.   

Nadia, the younger daughter, had left for a friend’s house shortly after dessert, but Viktoriya, Irina and Harvey had remained at the table and talked for a long time.

The more Richard got to know him, the more he liked Harvey.  There was an outward optimism to his person that was infectious, and yet he also spoke like a man of intensity and thought, so that his optimism was not unfounded.  At one point, Richard realized he had no idea what Harvey actually did.

“What is your work, Harvey?” Richard asked.  He had tried calling him Mr. Mitchell, but Harvey wouldn’t have it.

“My work?  Well…”  He seemed to stare off into space for a moment.  “I don’t know.  For sure, I collect spoons,” he began.  Everyone at the table laughed.  “But really, I don’t do all that much.  I collect things, paint a little, drive my cars… Cook.”

Richard nodded, still not sure what he did.

Viktoriya looked at him, her eyes bright.  “Richard, will you play the piano for us?”

Richard glanced at Irina.  “Now?”

“Please.  I’d love to hear you play,” Viktoriya pressed.

“Uh, well…  Okay.”  Richard sat for a moment, collecting his thoughts.  I wonder if this is really a good idea…

Irina stood up and smiled.  “Since you cooked, Harvey, I will clean up.  Please, enjoy Richard’s playing.”

She began to clear the table settings, so Richard got up and moved to the pianos, somewhat relieved.  He wasn’t sure he’d be all that great after all the food and wine, but not having Mrs. T. right there would lessen the pressure.

“Which piano should I play?” he asked.

“This one,” Harvey said, indicating the one Irina had been playing earlier.  “We can watch you play from the couch.”

Harvey and Viktoriya made themselves comfortable on the couch near the piano, while Richard adjusted the bench, wondering what to perform for them.

“Do you want to hear anything in particular?” Richard said, stalling.

“Oh, he takes requests!” Harvey said amiably to Viktoriya.  “Oiseax tristes?” he suggested.

Richard flinched and laughed nervously.  “Don’t know that one,” he admitted.  “Shouldn’t have asked for requests, I guess.”

“I was just giving you a difficult time of it,” Harvey said, laughing.  “Play what you like.”

“I’m sure it will be lovely,” Viktoriya added.

Richard suddenly felt very self-conscious at having the husband and daughter of one of the best pianists in the world sitting ten feet away, waiting for a private concert. 

Richard figured he’d start with the Liszt.  Usually, the technical brilliance of the piece more than overshadowed any mistakes, for the casual listener.  Then again, these are hardly casual listeners, Richard reminded himself, as he set his hands in position on the keys.

From the kitchen, Irina heard the opening octaves sound throughout the house.  She smiled, having guessed correctly which piece he would choose.  It was his comfort piece right now.  She had demanded the least changes in his technique for this piece, preferring to move to new material to unlock the new methods she was showing him.

Considering the situation, he was performing very well.  There was an urgency, and even a flair in the playing, that caught her attention.  She peeked out of the kitchen and caught Harvey’s eye.  He nodded, impressed.  Irina smiled back at him. 

 Richard became more immersed in the playing with each passing minute.  His posture changed as his body responded to the intensity of his concentration. 

Irina noticed Viktoriya watching Richard intently.  Her eyes took in his hands as they moved all across the keys.  Earlier, at lunch, she had spoken to Richard many times about music, which had surprised Irina somewhat.  Viktoriya had never shown more than an passing interest in playing piano, or in its methods.  Yet at the table she had been fascinated by discussing specific pieces of music with Richard.  Either she had been learning about piano repertoire, or something else was involved.

Irina wasn’t concerned.  Viktoriya was old enough to take care of herself.  If she found Richard interesting, then things would happen as they might.  One of the other piano faculty members at Wexford often said there was no faster way to loosen up creativity in music than to find a lover. 

Irina chuckled as she returned to the kitchen.  She was fairly certain Richard had two lovers already.  If Viktoriya…

Irina shrugged the thought aside.  Viktoriya was only here for a few days.  Irina had not invited Richard over to make a match with her daughter.  I’ve been letting Harvey talk too much, she thought, smiling.

Richard finished the piece, and the low, final chord resonated for what seemed like an hour.  Harvey and Viktoriya clapped heartily, and he turned to them, somewhat pleased.  He had played much better than he had expected. 

Viktoriya flashed him a winning smile, and Harvey nodded in appreciation.

“Excellent, Richard, truly excellent,” he said sincerely. 

“Yes, quite.  Will you play another?” Viktoriya asked.

Richard nodded.  “Sure.  This is a movement from Beethoven.”

Richard suddenly felt a surge of elation as he turned to the keys again.  He could sense that they weren’t just complimenting him out of politeness, but rather, they had really enjoyed his playing!

Richard calmed himself before beginning the opening theme.  The chords brought him back several months, to the Wexford practice room where he had played this piece for Sandra and Emily.  It was the first thing he had ever played for them, and he had discovered that night both the voices within the music and the love within his friends.  It seemed ages ago, and yet he could still remember every moment of that evening, from the sudden discovery of the phrasing of the piece to the ethereal night back in the girls’ room.

He wondered what the girls were up to.

For a moment, he forgot where he was, and then he caught sight of Irina sitting down beside Harvey on the couch.  He swept the memories from his mind, and returned to the music at his hands.  Feeling confident after the Liszt, he decided to try and play the piece with as much beauty as he could manage.

Sunset light was filtering in through the skylights of the barn when Harvey showed Richard the last automobile on the tour. 

“That’s a serious collection, Harvey,” Richard said.

“They’ve come and gone, throughout the years.  But it is fun to have these at my disposal.  Would you care for some tea?” Harvey asked, as they walked back along the automobiles.

“Tea?  Sure, I’ll have a cup.”

Harvey led him to the corner of the barn, where an old wooden table and some chairs rested on a rug in front of a small kitchen area.  A cupboard hung against the wall.  Harvey threw it open, revealing a multitude of jars and boxes, stacked along with various cups and pots.

“What do you like?” Harvey asked.  “I have all kinds of interesting teas.”

“I’m not much of a tea drinker, so I don’t know.”

“Hmm…” Harvey hummed as he looked at the teas.  “My choice, then?”

“Well, I’m up for something I’ve never had before,” Richard said, feeling adventurous.

“That’s the spirit,” Harvey said.  He selected a paper wrapped box from a shelf and set it on the table, and then took out two Chinese cups and a matching pot.

“Have a seat.  I’ll get the water going.”

Richard sat in a chair, finding it surprisingly comfortable for hardwood. 

“There will be some other guests coming to the house this evening,” Harvey said, as he lit a gas burner and set a kettle of water on it.  “You are welcome to stay.  But, if you would prefer to go back to the conservatory, I can take you after have we have our tea.”

“I don’t have any plans for the evening,” Richard said, “so I’d be happy to stay.”

“Excellent.  A couple of other students of Irina’s will be here.  Do you know Eric and Zhu-Ling?”

“I’ve met Eric,” Richard said.  “I don’t really know them, though.”

“Zhu-Ling goes by Julie.  Well, they will be here, and some friends of Irina’s and mine will be coming as well.”

Harvey came and sat as the water began to heat up.  He opened the box, revealing a block of dark, dry tea leaves.  One corner was missing.

“This is Puer tea, from China.  A wonderful and rare tea.  I’d guess you have not tried it before?”

Richard eyed the block of tea.  “No, I think it’s safe to say I haven’t.  I’ve never seen tea like that.”

“This was harvested and dried before you were born.  In fact, long before I was born.”

Harvey used a pick to remove some leaves from the corner of the block, and dropped them into the pot.  From the burner, the tea kettle began making noise.

“Where did you get this tea?”

“In China,” Harvey said, as he returned to the table with the kettle.  “This is my second block.  The first one took some coaxing, but now I have an in with the mother in the family, heh heh.”

Harvey poured the water into the pot and closed the lid.

“Now we wait a few minutes,” he said, smiling warmly.

Richard felt a wave of pleasure as he caught the aroma of the tea in the air.  He was completely at ease around Harvey.  There was something about the way Harvey lived which was so unfettered.  Richard could imagine him finding pleasure even in the hardest of times.

“So you never really said what you did for a living,” Richard said.

“Ah, but I did.  I am a collector.”

“Art?”

“Primarily, yes,” Harvey said.  “Have you been to the art museum?”

“Yes, during orientation we went.” 

“I was involved with acquiring a number of the pieces that you see there.”

“Really?”

“Yes.  Particularly in the contemporary wing.  Here,” Harvey said, pouring the tea into Richard’s cup, and then into his own.  “Best drunk as hot as you can stand it.”

Richard took the cup into his hand and breathed in the aroma.  It was earthy and thick.  It was still too hot, so he waited. 

Harvey took a sip of his.  “Ahh.  There’s an ancient Chinese poem about tea, about seven cups.  The poet describes the feelings he gets with each cup.  For me, this tea brings out those feelings.  Let the tea do its work.”

Richard put the teacup to his lips and drank.  The temperature was just bearable.  He swallowed it quickly before it burned his mouth, and then felt the hot liquid coat his insides as it traveled to his stomach. 

“That’s different,” Richard said.

Harvey chuckled.  “Not quite Earl Grey, no.”

“It tastes like… the earth.”

“Yes, like dirt, even!”

“Yeah, but it’s not bad.”

“The flavors will continue to change as we go,” Harvey said.  “Each cup also gets a little stronger.”

Richard and Harvey sat in silence as they finished their first cup.  There was an almost reverent feeling in the evening air, Richard thought. 

“Do you paint?” Richard asked.

“Yes, I dabble in it.”

“Do you have a studio in the house?”

“Yes, actually.  On the far end.  I can show you after we finish our tea.”

“Cool.  So how did you meet Mrs. Tertychnaya?”

“We met in Russia.  I was there to dig up some art pieces, and happened to meet her through that.  Thirty years ago, it was.”

“Was she touring all over the world by then?”

“No, not quite,” Harvey smiled.  “She was still in conservatory at the time.  But, she was already a fabulous pianist.  I’ll never forget the first time I heard her play for me in a practice room of the conservatory, shortly after we met.  The hairs on my arm still stand up when I think of it.”

Richard smiled, picturing a scene similar to his own first performance for Emily and Sandra. 

“There’s a power in playing music well, Richard.  That was excellent playing earlier.”

“Thanks,” Richard said.

“There’s nothing quite like it.  Unlike a painting, music moves through time, and therefore you can shape the listener as you go.  It is perhaps more like watching a sculptor at work, than seeing the final piece,” Harvey mused.  “And when you can do it well, people will be at your feet.”

Richard said nothing, and drank his tea.  He was feeling like the tea was cleansing his body.  Warm ripples of energy swept up and down his body and limbs.

“On to the next cup?” Harvey said, as he lifted the teapot.

“Sure,” Richard said.  “What happens after the seventh?”

Harvey smiled.  “You become immortal.”

Richard made his way to the bathroom, somewhat unsteadily.  The wine was thick in his head, and the noise of conversation still lingered in his ears as he closed the door and set his wine glass on the bathroom vanity.

After finishing the seventh cup of tea, Richard had felt refreshed, having journeyed through a series of states that made him wonder what was actually in the tea.  Then, immortality secured, Harvey and he had moved to the art studio. 

Richard knew that Harvey didn’t just dabble.  Even Richard’s untrained eye could appreciate the quality of the paintings.  Several of the canvases were of nude dark-haired women, and even though Richard was somewhat embarrassed to look at them, he also wondered if they were of Irina. 

The arrival of guests had interrupted the art studio tour.  The next several hours had passed in a blur of wine and music.  Richard often found himself at one of the pianos, sight reading music for two pianos with Eric or Julie, while the other guests watched.  Among those in attendance were the director of the art museum and her husband, as well as several musicians from the orchestra.  Eventually some twenty-five people were partying around the pianos as the musicians present took turns at the keys.  Even though the atmosphere was very festive and informal, Richard found that the wine helped take away the nerves from being among such prominent musicians and guests.

Now he wondered what seven glasses of wine brought.  A headache, he thought.

Richard splashed some water on his face, and then exited the bathroom.  Instead of returning to the boisterous living room, he wandered down the hallway, looking at the small paintings that hung on the walls. 

“Hello, Richard.”

Viktoriya was standing in the hallway behind him, with a wine glass in hand.  Richard eyed her for a moment, standing there in her dark red dress, and suddenly he realized who had been the subject of the paintings he had seen in Harvey’s studio.

“Hi.”

“Are you having fun?” she asked.

“Yeah, for sure.”

“You look a little worn out,” Viktoriya said, smiling slightly.

Richard shrugged.  “Too much playing.”

“It’s also very loud with all those people in the room.” 

“Yeah, I know what you mean!  I came back here for a little break.”

“Before you go show off again?” Viktoriya asked playfully.

“Show off?”  Richard raised a brow, laughing.  “Hardly.”

Viktoriya smiled warmly.  “I was going to get some air.  It is so warm outside, for November.  Will you join me?”

“Uh, well, okay.”

Viktoriya walked towards Richard, keeping her gaze and smile on him.  Richard tensed up for a second, wondering what she was doing, but then she walked past him. 

“Come this way.”

Richard followed, unable to keep his eyes off of Viktoriya walking before him.  Her legs… they were edible.  At the same time, he wondered what he was getting into.  He had hit it off with her at the dinner table, talking about music.  She also really enjoyed my playing, apparently!  Showing off?

Viktoriya turned the corner and then went out a side door of the house.  Richard stepped out onto a stone balcony overlooking a hillside garden below.  The starry night and bright moon lit the scene in a silvery glow.  It was classically romantic.

Richard wished he was there with Sandra and Emily.  He wondered what they were up to.  They might be looking at the moon right then, just as he was. 

“This is beautiful,” Richard said, gazing out at the night garden.  “Who keeps the garden up?”

“My mother.”

“Really?  I didn’t know she did anything other than play piano,” Richard said, laughing a little.

“It used to be that way.  But now she likes to tend to her garden as well.”

Richard tried to picture Irina out among the plants, but had a hard time of it. 

“This used to be all wild growth,” Viktoriya said.  “Then my mother tamed it.  I kind of liked it before, but this is nice too.”

“You grew up here?”

“Yes.  This house has been in my father’s family for a long time.”

“Do you like it better in New York?” Richard asked.

“No, not really.  Though it is exciting to live there.  There’s nothing like the city.”

“Yeah, that’s true.  But this is really nice,” Richard said.

“Someday I’ll come back.  When I retire,” Viktoriya said, laughing.  “My parents have many years ahead of them.  For now, I’ll stay where the job is.”

“You said you teach astronomy?”

“Yes, and I do research as well.”

“How do you like it?”

“I love it.”

“You must work at telescopes often.”

Viktoriya laughed.  “Hardly at all, to tell the truth.  I work in the theoretical area, mostly.  It is funny, since I got into astronomy by dreaming about the stars and looking through a telescope.  Now I rarely see one.  Even the stars are hard to see in New York.”

“No, you can’t see them very much from the city.  Do you miss this sky?” Richard asked, gesturing to the sparkling heavens.

Viktoriya was silent for a moment.  “I do.  I got my start here, you know.”

“Start?”

“My father acquired an antique telescope when I was really young, and installed it just around the hill there.”

“Really?”

“No, I made that all up.”

Richard laughed at her childlike retort.  It was the first thing that Viktoriya had said that wasn’t straight ahead.  Well, except the thing about showing off…

“Do you want to see it?” she asked.  “It’s really interesting.  We can walk through the gardens first.”

“Okay,” Richard said.

“Wait here, and I’ll get the keys,” Viktoriya said, and then slipped back into the house.

Richard looked out over the garden, wondering again what his friends were doing off at Sandra’s house.  He couldn’t wait until they returned.

Viktoriya returned quickly, holding an open bottle of wine.  “Some more wine?”

Richard held out his glass.

“This way,” Viktoriya said, after filling her glass as well.  She started down the steps.

Richard laughed as he started down behind her.

 “What’s so funny?” Viktoriya asked.

“Well, this will be like the fourth or fifth tour I’ve taken at your house.”

“It’s that kind of place, what with my father collecting everything he does.”

“When does he find time to work?”

Viktoriya chuckled.  “Work?”

“Yeah.  He said he worked with the art museum.”

“Well, he’s donated lots of art to the museum.”

“Oh.  I thought he was like a dealer or something.”

“No.”

“He doesn’t sell art?”

“No.  He’s never worked in his life!  He’s a philanthropist.”

“Oh.  I guess that makes sense now.  Well, he sure has fun doing it.”

“Yes, my father is a character.”

Richard and Viktoriya entered the garden and fell silent.  He felt like he had jumped into a timeless world.  The air was immediately cooler.  The plants around him shimmered in the night light, and seemed to reach out to him as they passed.  The chirping and singing of the insects, which on the balcony had seemed so distant, were now ever-present.

“Your mother did all this?” Richard asked quietly.

“Yes,” Viktoriya replied.

Eventually they emerged through a gap in the hedges on the far side of the garden.  After a short walk across the grassy slope, a domed building came into view.  Richard watched the two-story structure loom up as they approached. 

Viktoriya set the bottle of wine and her glass on the ground and then opened the door to the building.  She entered the pitch black doorway, and disappeared for a second.  Then the doorway turned faint red.

“Come in,” her voice said, supported by a slight echo.

Richard stepped through the doorway and gaped at the long telescope flying above him, illuminated by several red lamps around the inside of the room.

“I wasn’t quite picturing that, when you said a telescope!” Richard said.

Viktoriya was silent, also seeming to be transfixed by the instrument.

“I haven’t been in here in a long time,” she said, distantly.

They both stood there for a minute, taking in the surroundings.

“Does it still work?” Richard asked, at last.

“It should.”  She seemed to snap out of her trance, and then scanned some switches on the wall.  She flipped one of them, and Richard heard the whine of a motor.  A rectangle of stars began to open in the dome.  He felt a rush of adrenaline as he stood rooted to the floor, looking up at the sky pouring in through the opening.

After the dome door reached the zenith, the motor went silent.  Viktoriya flipped a few other switches, and then looked at Richard.  Even in the strange red light, Richard could see her eyes flashing.

“I guess you can’t know this, but I have so many memories in this place.  They’re all coming back right now.”

Richard didn’t know what to say, so he stayed silent.  Viktoriya’s professional manner had all but melted away, and her voice was suddenly young and emotional.

For a few moments, she simply looked at Richard, or perhaps past him.  Then she sighed deeply.

“Let’s look at the sky,” she said. 

Viktoriya pushed a set of wheeled stairs around from the far wall, and positioned it under the telescope.  Then she selected an object from a wooden box in a nearby cabinet.

“Eyepiece,” she explained, as she tossed her heels off and climbed up the stairs. 

Richard watched as she made adjustments to the eyepiece and focusing mechanisms, and moved the telescope slightly.

“Richard, push the stairs a little, from the front.”

Richard did so, keeping the movement slow so he wouldn’t upset her balance. Above him, Viktoriya swung the telescope to a new position.  Her deep red dress was even more so in the lighting, and her bare legs glowed faintly as she worked the instrument into place.

“There, that’s about right.”

Richard was surprised to see the gap in the dome moving to keep the telescope pointed through it.  Only a faint vibration betrayed the motors at work.

Viktoriya spent a few moments peering through the small telescope attached to the side of the large one, and making small movements.  She then checked through the large telescope. 

“Ahh, there it is.”

She flipped a handle on the side of the telescope, and then looked through the eyepiece for half a minute, adjusting some knobs.  Then she turned and looked down at Richard.

“Come up and look.”

Richard climbed the steps slowly, feeling unsteady from the strange lighting, or the wine.  He reached the step below the one Viktoriya was on, and she moved aside slightly so he could peer into the eyepiece.  He found himself having to press against her some to get a good angle.

“A star cluster,” she whispered.

Richard found the right spot to keep his eye, and a burst of hundreds of colored stars appeared before his eyes.  The sharpness of the stars, and their sheer number took his breath away.  It was not like anything he was expecting to see.

“Are all those stars really that close to each other?” he asked.

“Yes.  They’re all clumped together.  Can you imagine what it would be like to be in the center?”

Richard felt a chill run down his spine.  He pulled away from the eyepiece, and looked up into the sky through the gap in the dome.  There was no indication there of anything like he was seeing.

“That’s... awesome,” Richard whispered.

“Would you like to see more?” Viktoriya whispered back.

Richard realized he was still pressed against her, and moved back some.

“Another tour?” he said, smiling.

“Sure.”

“I’d love to.”

“Seven,” Viktoriya said, pointing.

A bright trail of light hung in the sky for a few moments before fading away into the night again.

She and Richard were lying side by side on a chaise-lounge in the garden, watching for meteors.  Viktoriya had procured some blankets from the telescope building before they had closed it down, and they were quite warm lying under them.

For several hours, Richard had pushed the ladder around while Viktoriya had selected objects in the sky to look at.  He felt like he had seen a new world.  The sight of several meteor trails flashing through the dome opening had eventually led to finding a place to watch the minor shower.

“Eight,” Richard added.

They had finished the last of the wine, and Richard was glad he was lying down and not climbing the steps to the telescope anymore.  A few times he had lost his balance and crashed into Viktoriya on the steps, amidst much laughter.  Now, he felt like he was floating through the ethereal sky.  Body and earth had faded away.

“Are you seeing someone?”  Her voice came gently next to his ear.

Richard’s head exploded with a thousand thoughts at once. 

“Yes,” he said.

“I’m only here for a few days, before I go back to New York.”

There was an implication in her voice that Richard didn’t miss, even in his state.  Richard felt completely uninhibited at that moment.

“You are very attractive, Viktoriya,” he said quietly.

She turned her body to face him, and draped a bare leg over him.  He knew she had removed her heels again.

“As are you, Richard,” she responded.  “But I understand.”

She ran a hand across his shirt, and then kissed him softly on the cheek.

“This has been a wonderful night,” she said.  “I’m glad you stayed.”

“Me too.”

For a long time they were still.  Richard saw several more meteors, but didn’t say anything.  For a while he felt as if he could feel the earth turning beneath him, bringing new stars into view as others shimmered away into the thick horizon.  He wished he could be with Emily and Sandra at that moment.  Then things faded away, and the last thing he sensed was Viktoriya’s even breathing beside him.

III. Taglioni

It was a brisk afternoon, so Vittorio pulled his scarf tight around his neck as he walked to the international arrivals terminal at JFK airport.  He was a little nervous, since he hadn’t told his sister that Richard would not be coming home for Thanksgiving.  Ever since her husband, Marco, had passed away, Maria had grown so much more sensitive to everything.  Vittorio was worried she would want to change her trip or cancel it altogether if she knew Richard was not going to be there. 

Better to get her here first, he thought.  Then I’ll break the news.

The terminal was crowded, and Vittorio fought his way through the maze of luggage and people to reach the waiting area where arriving passengers spilled out from the customs check.  To his surprise, Maria was already there, dressing in black and looking around anxiously.

“Maria!” he called as he approached. 

Maria looked relieved as she spotted him.  “Vittorio, how are you?”

Naturally, with Maria not speaking English, their conversation proceeded in Italian.

“Good, good,” Vittorio said, as he took her into a hug.  “Am I late?”

“No, we arrived early.”

“Early?  Unheard of!”  Vittorio laughed a little as he hefted her suitcases.  “Let’s go.  The car is not far.”

“Is Riccardo here yet?”

“No.  Riccardo... it looks like he won’t be able to come back this weekend.”

“Oh, why not?”

“He’s staying at the school because his piano teacher invited him to have dinner.”

“I’m sorry he will not be here,” Maria said.

“I think you will be able to see him before you go back.  It depends on his exams at college.”

“He must really be enjoying it at the school.”

“Yes, I think so.”

“I was looking forward to hearing him play.”

“It may be that he can come home before you leave.”

“I hope so,” Maria said, though her voice was flat.

“Why don’t you go sit with Maria?” Angelina asked Vittorio.

Vittorio looked at his wife with arched brow.  “She said she wanted to be alone for a while.  What do you want me to do?”

Angelina shrugged.  “Eh, I don’t know.  She came so far, just to sit on the couch and stare off into the air...”

“I know.  But she still thinks about Marco.”

“Yes, but... It’s been a few years now.  It seems unhealthy.”

“I’ve tried to talk to her for the last two days, but nothing.  I don’t know.  Tomorrow we have everyone coming, so I need to cook, now,” Vittorio said.

“She doesn’t want to help us?”

“No.”

Angelina sighed.  “Maybe the party tomorrow will help her.”

“Maybe,” Vittorio said glumly.

The sound of a truck engine made Vittorio look out the front window.

“Are you waiting for a package?” Vittorio asked his wife.

“No, not that I know of,” Angelina replied.

Vittorio wiped his hands on the dishtowel that hung from his belt, and went to the front door.  The deliveryman handed Vittorio a small, flat box and had him sign for it.

Vittorio frowned at the label, and then his face brightened.  “Angelina, look!  It’s something from Riccardo!”

He went back to the kitchen, holding the box out for her to see.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, open it!”

Vittorio took one of the knives and slit the tape.  Then he opened the box and pulled out a CD and a piece of paper.

“Ma, Pa e Zia: Happy Thanksgiving.  Riccardo,” Vittorio read.  “He was always a man of few words,” he added, as he checked on the back of the paper for more, chuckling.

“What’s the CD?” Angelina asked.

The case had a blank insert, but Richard’s handwriting was on the silver CD face itself. 

“I think it’s a CD of him playing!” Vittorio exclaimed. 

“Really?  But how did he make a CD?”  Angelina frowned at the handwriting.

“I don’t know.  He must have recorded it at the college.  Let’s go listen to it.”

Vittorio hurried to the living room.  “Maria, look here!  This came in the mail.  Now you can hear Riccardo playing!”

Maria looked up, confused.  Vittorio powered up the stereo and dropped the CD into the tray. 

Richard’s voice came over the speakers. 

“Hello, Zia, Ma, and Pa.  I’m sorry I couldn’t be home this weekend.  I made this recording of a few of the pieces I’m playing right now.  I hope you like it.”

“He still speaks Italian well,” Maria noted. 

“And why not?  We speak it with him,” Vittorio said.

“If he was at college, he would maybe lose some of it.”

“I don’t think so.  It’s his first language.  One never loses that,” Angelina said.

The first piece began.  Vittorio recognized it: it was a piece Richard had started working on last summer before he went away.  There was a new authority in his playing on the CD that was immediately obvious.

“This is Riccardo?” Maria asked after about thirty seconds of playing.

“Yes.”

“It’s really good!” she said, surprise in her voice.  “Bravo, Riccardo!”

It was really good.  Vittorio was, at first, too surprised and moved by the fact that Richard had sent a recording to even consider the quality of playing.  But as the piece progressed, he realized that he was listening to his own son, and he would be hard pressed to differentiate it from a professional recording.

Angelina took Vittorio’s hand as they sat on the couch, listening intently as Richard filled the room with piano music.  Maria had a smile on her face.

Vittorio felt the pride tightening his throat.  Richard’s development as a pianist – in only three months! – with his teacher’s guidance, was incredible.  Vittorio could still recognize the playing as Richard’s, but there was a whole new layer of sophistication apparent in the music.  Vittorio struggled in his mind to describe to himself what it was, but being untrained in music, he could only recognize the musicality.

The CD was overwhelming.  By the end of the piece, Vittorio’s eyes were wet. 

A second track started.  It was a movement of Beethoven, Vittorio recognized.  Again, he was struck by the beauty of the playing.  Only a few mistakes betrayed that it wasn’t a real album playing.

When the Beethoven piece finished, the three of them sat for a moment, waiting to see if there was a third selection.  The CD stopped.

“It’s finished,” Vittorio said quietly.

“How beautiful!” Maria exclaimed, clearly pleased and impressed.

“Yes, that was a good surprise,” Angelina said.  “Don’t you think, Vittorio?”

Vittorio was silent, and nodded. 

Angelina squeezed an arm around his shoulder, and then stood.  “I’m going to start making the pasta.”

“I’ll help you,” Maria said, following her sister-in-law into the kitchen.

Vittorio sat for a time on the couch, before he reached for the phone and dialed Richard’s number.  He wasn’t surprised to get the answering machine.

“Hello, Riccardo.”  Vittorio paused for a very long moment.  “You made me very happy today.  Thank you.  Zia Maria and Mama liked it too.  I am so proud of you.  Have a good dinner with your teacher.  Call us when you can, my son.  Ciao, Riccardo.”

Vittorio hung up the receiver, and then went to the stereo system and pressed the play button, and then the repeat button.  As Richard’s greeting began again, Vittorio smiled and went to the kitchen to help with the cooking.

“This is just like old times,” Vittorio said, as he chopped up the garlic and parsley.  The aroma mixed with the fragrance of fresh basil that already hung in the air.  Angelina and Maria were making the pasta, pressing the semolina mix through the metal hand-cranked machine.  The long sheets would then be cut into strips.

“Old times?” Angelina asked.

“It’s been many years since we all cooked together,” Vittorio said.

Maria began to speak, but Vittorio held up his hand.  “Wait...”

He listened for a few moments to the music.

“How I like that part!” he said ecstatically.

“Beautiful,” Maria agreed.  “How is it going for him, at college?”

“I think it is going well.  But he doesn’t call us very much, and when he does, he always seems to be in a hurry.”

“Such is youth,” Maria said, knowingly.

“Yes, that’s how it is,” Angelina agreed.

“When we were kids, we always had a thousand things to do as well,” Maria reminded them.

Vittorio laughed.  “And yet, we still talked with Mama and Papa every night.  It’s a different world now.”

“When we were his age, we were already courting our spouses!”

“Eh, I suppose that’s true,” Vittorio admitted. 

“Does Riccardo have a girlfriend?” Maria asked.

“Eh, I don’t know.  He’s mentioned a few friends who are girls.  But...  Sometimes I have to pull the information out of him, it seems.”  Vittorio laughed suddenly.  “His roommate is called ‘Chair’, which means chair in English.”

“What kind of name is that?” Maria said, laughing a little.

“Eh, I don’t know.”

“You probably misunderstood him,” said Angelina.

“No, I asked him twice!” Vittorio said.

“No one is called ‘Chair’.  That’s ridiculous!” Angelina dismissed.

“Really!” Maria agreed.  “You should see about a hearing aid for my brother, Angelina.”  Maria playfully nudged Vittorio in the ribs with her elbow, and gave him both a smile and a frown at the same time.

Vittorio poured the tomatoes from the jars into the pot, and stirred it with the wooden spoon.  He smiled to himself, happy to see that Maria had suddenly come out of her slump.  

After dinner, Maria and Angelina were out shopping for some last things for the big Thanksgiving meal.  Vittorio finished drying the last pot, and put it away in the cupboard.  The CD was still playing in the living room, for perhaps the fourth or fifth time.

Vittorio walked to the stereo and stood listening to the end of the second piece.  After it finished quietly, he turned off the stereo and went over to the grand piano in the corner. 

The house was suddenly very still.  The piano had not been opened since Richard left.  Vittorio couldn’t wait to hear his son playing live for him.  The CD was just a teaser.  His playing had improved so much...

Vittorio opened the lid of the piano, and sat on the bench.  He could imagine his fingers dancing over the keys, bringing out the most beautiful of melodies.  Complicated and exciting runs played in his head.  He could see it, now!  All he had to do was play, like Richard did…

He fingered a few awkward notes, unable to remember anything of what Richard had taught him over the years.  How Richard could play like that was completely beyond him.

Quietly closing the lid, he stood and went to the kitchen to fix himself an espresso. 

Perhaps when I retire, I’ll finally have the time to learn to play...

IV. Noverre

“He’s here!” Sandra said, looking out the window to the parking lot.  “Let’s go down.”

Richard hefted the suitcase with their clothing, and Sandra and Emily took up their backpacks with books.  Emily also had her horn case in hand.

“You really think we’re going to do any studying?” Emily asked, as she weighed the bag in her hand.

Sandra shrugged.  “We can at least pretend we will,” she offered.

As they rode down in the elevator, Richard was understandably quiet.

“We’ll call you when we get there,” Sandra said, putting a gentle hand on his arm.

“Okay.”

“We’ll miss you,” Emily added, giving him one last goodbye kiss.  They had said their real goodbyes in the room already.

“Me too.  I’ll be waiting for Saturday, that’s for sure,” he said.

“Us too.”

The elevator door slid open, and Sandra led them out to her father’s car.

“Hi Daddy!” she exclaimed, as she ran to her father.  They hugged for a moment before Sandra turned and introduced her friends.

“Hello, Mr. d’Arcy,” Emily said cheerily.  “Thanks for coming to get us.”

“No problem,” he said amicably.  “You can call me Robert,” he added.

Richard shook hands with him. 

“I hear you are an amazing pianist,” Robert said.

“Oh, who told you that?” Richard said, looking at Sandra.

“Yolande and I are looking forward to hearing you all play in April.”

“Good.  I think it will be a good recital.”

“Are you hungry?” Sandra asked her dad.

“No, I’m okay.  Looks like you are all ready to go?”

“Yes, this is it.”

“Well, give me a few more minutes to stretch the old legs here, and then we’ll be off.  It’s hot here too.  It was just about eighty degrees yesterday at the house,” Robert said.

“Yeah, heat wave or something,” Richard said.  “Well, it was nice meeting you.  I’m going to get back to my practicing.”  He waved to Robert, and then gave Sandra and Emily each a brief hug.  “Call me.”

“We will,” Sandra said.

Richard waved again, and then made his way back to the dorm entrance.

After loading up their bags in the trunk, Robert announced he was ready, so they got into the car.  Robert stifled a yawn as he stretched his arms out.

“You must have gotten up really early,” Emily observed.

“I’m used to it.”

“Do you want me to drive?” Sandra asked him.

“No, no, that’s all right.  Just keep me entertained with some stories from school!” he said.

“Oh, we can do that,” Emily said.

Sandra laughed.  “I haven’t told you about Dr. Dobra...”

Emily stepped out of the car, happy to be done with the long drive.  She felt bad for Sandra’s father, who had made double the journey.  He had insisted on doing the round-trip in one day.  The last two hours, however, Sandra had to take the wheel, as Robert was getting tired.

“Well, here we are,” Robert said.  “Thanks for driving, sweetie.”

“Thank you!  That was a long trip for you.”

“Wasn’t too bad.  We don’t need to do it again for a few days, at least.”

Sandra pouted, and then hugged her father.  “It’s good to be home,” she said, taking a deep breath.

Emily looked around at the farmhouse and surrounding land.  Everything was illuminated in the beautiful red light of the receding sun.  After the endless drone of the tires, the sudden quiet was paradise.  A few birds were singing their last songs for the evening, and occasionally the wind played harp through the bare tree branches.

“It is warm here,” she remarked to Sandra, who was busy getting out their bags from the trunk.

“Yeah, not too bad.”

“We’ve had a run of good weather for the last few days,” Robert said. “This is great weather for late November.”

The girls rejected Robert’s offer to carry the suitcase, and instead sent him ahead to alert Sandra’s Mom of their arrival, while Sandra pointed out landmarks on the property.

“You have a lot of cars,” Emily said with a laugh.

“Oh, no, these are all my relatives’ cars.  They’re here helping with the meal.”

“I didn’t know we were eating tonight.”

“We’re not.  But they come help make stuff the night before.  We have a big family.  Come on, let’s go inside and you can meet a few of them.”

“A few of them?” Emily whispered to Sandra when there was a break in the introductions.  The giant kitchen was a factory of cooks, women and men, working on different dishes. 

Sandra laughed.  “Do you remember anyone’s name?”

“No, not at all,” Emily admitted. 

“Heh heh, don’t worry; sometimes I don’t either.  Let’s put our stuff away,” Sandra said.

The two of them went deeper into the house.  The great room was occupied by a long row of tables, partially place set. 

“Damn.  You weren’t kidding.  How many people are coming to dinner tomorrow?”

“I don’t know.  Usually about thirty people come for the meal.”

“Thirty!” 

“A lot more come later for dessert and fun.”

“That’s a lot of dessert!”

“Half those people in the kitchen have just been making pies all day long.  From scratch.”

“Wow.  I guess my being here isn’t a big deal, then.”

Sandra stopped walking, and turned to Emily.  “Of course it is!  I’m really happy you are here.”

“It’s a bit overwhelming to see a table that big.”

“Don’t worry, usually by about midnight tomorrow night, everyone gets tired of each other and goes home.  It won’t be insane all weekend.”

“Okay.  I’m just not used to this kind of thing.”

Sandra smiled.  “I know.  We’ll have fun.”

Emily nodded as she followed Sandra into her room.

“So since there’s a bunch of people, you can sleep in my bed, and I’ll sleep on that cot there,” Sandra said.

“Well, I don’t mind the cot,” Emily said.

“I’ll take the cot.  My Mom won’t let me hear the end of it if I make you sleep in the cot.”

“Is it uncomfortable?”

“No, it’s nice actually.”

“Okay,” Emily said, with a shrug. 

“Let’s go see if my Mom is back from getting eggs.”

“Kind of funny, I’ve met ten people, and not your Mom yet.”

Mrs. d’Arcy was not in the kitchen, so Sandra and Emily went out behind the house and into the twilight.

“This is beautiful,” Emily said, looking around at the ruddy illuminated view of the land.

“It’s home,” Sandra said simply.

There was a light on in the henhouse, and Sandra and Emily caught Mrs. d’Arcy just as she was exiting with a bowl of eggs.  Over the noise from the hens, she must not have heard them approach, and jumped slightly when she turned and saw them right before her.

“Oh, Sandrine, you scared me!” she exclaimed, putting the bowl down on a nearby stump so she could hug her daughter.  “How are you?” 

“Great, Mom!  How are you?”

Mrs. d’Arcy pulled back, and smiled exasperatedly.  “You know how today is!”

“Yeah.  This is Emily, my roommate.”

Mrs. d’Arcy gave Emily a warm hug.  “A pleasure.  Sandrine has told me much about you!  How was your trip?”

Emily laughed.  “It was fine, thanks.  Sorry we took your husband away from the house today.  Looks like he was needed.”

“Robert?  No, he’s useless in the kitchen!  Though if I knew you had arrived, I would have had him get the eggs for me...”

“Can we help?” Emily asked.

“Oh, no, you are our special guests, so please relax and enjoy yourselves.”

“Are you sure...?”

“Yes, of course.  I’m sorry we can’t sit and have a quiet moment together tonight.  It may have to wait until after the meal tomorrow,” Mrs. d’Arcy said with an apologetic smile.

“Of course. Thanks for having me.”

“Any time, Emily.”  She sighed.  “I guess I better get back inside.  Someone has to keep everyone on task.”

She headed for the house.

“Mom?”

“Yes?”

“Do you... want these?”  Sandra held the bowl of eggs out.

“Oh...”  Mrs. d’Arcy burst out laughing.  “To think that was why I came out here!”

Sandra gave the bowl to her Mom, and this time she went to the house without incident.

“Your family is so nice,” Emily remarked after the porch door clacked shut.

“Thanks.”

“This is about as opposite as you can get to my family.”

“What would you do for Thanksgiving?”

Emily sniffed.  “Eat out.”

“That’s not bad.  Sometimes on the Friday morning after, when I’d spend hours cleaning dishes, I often wished we could have Thanksgiving at a restaurant.”

“I’d do dishes for three days to have this,” Emily said.  “Even though it’s a little scary being around so many people that know each other.”

Sandra pulled Emily into a hug.  “I’m really glad you’re here.  If you’re feeling overwhelmed, just give me a sign and we can go somewhere more quiet and hang out.”

“Thanks.  I wonder what Richard’s doing?”

“I don’t know.  We should call him, though,” Sandra said.

“Yeah, good idea.”

Sandra closed the door to her room, and Emily sat on the bed as she dialed.

“Hi Richard!” Sandra said. 

She sat down next to Emily.  “Yeah, we got here fine.  How are you?”

“Aw, I’m sorry.”  Sandra pouted at Richard’s words.  “Only a few days, and we’ll be back.”

“Your teacher’s house will be fun too.”

“Nice.  You’ll have to tell us all about it later.”

“I don’t know.  Probably just chilling out until we go to bed.”

“Want to say hi to Emily?” Sandra passed the phone to her.

“Hi!” Emily said cheerily.

“There’s like a thousand people here.”

“Yeah, it’s amazing.  Thirty people are coming for dinner tomorrow!”

“Not me.  It’s pretty different from how I grew up.”

“I know.  Everyone is super nice.  Hey, guess what Sandra’s Mom calls her.”

“No, silly.”

“Just guess.”

Emily burst out laughing. 

“What did he say?” Sandra asked. 

Emily whispered “Pumpkin” to Sandra, who also started laughing.

“No, no.  She calls her Sandrine,” Emily said to Richard.

“He likes it,” Emily said to Sandra.

“Here, you can talk to Sandrine.  Bye.”

Sandra took the phone from Emily.  “So you like that name, huh?”

“Does it turn you on?” Sandra said, her voice becoming immediately suggestive.

“A few more days, and then...”

“...and then we’ll be back.  We’re not leaving the room for twenty-four hours.”

“We’re going to go wild.  I’m already getting excited thinking about it.”

“I’m not teasing!  You better save up some energy.”

“We’re going to lock you in the room and...”  Sandra and Emily both giggled.

“And do things to you.”

“Yeah.”  More giggling.

“You’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Hmm?”

“Tell me.”

“Oh, is Jer there?”

“Well at least you have some company.  Something to distract you while you think of all the wild sex we’re going to have in a few days.”

“Be ready!  We’ll call you tomorrow.”

“We will.  Bye.”

Sandra turned off the phone.

“That was so mean,” Emily said.

“Too much?” Sandra asked her.

“No, I love it!  Poor boy...”

The two girls shared a laugh, and then headed towards the kitchen to brave the crowd.

Thanksgiving day was full of food and festivity.  As promised, over thirty guests were present for the meal.  The day passed quickly, first by helping the d’Arcys prepare for the meal, and then by enjoying it.

“Holy crap, I’m so full!” Emily exclaimed.  “And a little drunk, too!”

“Yeah, I had a little too much wine.”

Sandra and Emily had escaped to the bathroom in the midst of roaring conversation.

“I needed a little too much wine.  It’s loud out there!”

“How are you holding up?” Sandra asked her sincerely.

“All right.  It’s actually been a really fun day.”

“Good, I’m glad.”

After looking at each other for a moment, they pressed their lips together and kissed sweetly.

“Mmm...  I’ve missed that today,” Emily said.

“Me too.  I really wish Richard was here.  I feel a little bad leaving him out.”

“I know.”

“But at the same time, you feel really good,” Sandra said, running a hand down Emily’s back.

“Tingly...!”

There was a knock on the door.

“Busy!” they both said at the same time, and then looked at each other, eyes wide. 

“Sorry!” came the voice.  Boots clunked off along the wood floor.

“We could just be fixing our makeup,” Sandra offered by way of explanation.

“Yeah, makeup which we don’t really wear...”

The girls giggled.

“You know, if the cot gets uncomfortable tonight...” Emily said.

Sandra looked at her with flashing eyes.  “We’ve never done that, without Richard there,” she said shyly.

“Well, I don’t think he’s coming down tonight...”

Sandra was a little flushed.  “I want to go to my room with you right now.”

“Now?”

“I’m feeling so turned on.  I can’t wait until Saturday.”

“You think it’s safe?”

“Probably not.  My cousins go in there all the time without knocking.”

“We can lock the door.”

“That would never last.  They’d be knocking every minute,” Sandra said, her tone cooling down.  “I think we have to wait until tonight.”

There was another knock. 

“We’re almost done!” Sandra called out.  “Just finishing our makeup!”  They giggled slightly.

Whoever knocked didn’t answer, but stepped a few paces away to wait.

“I guess we have to get out of here,” Emily whispered.  “We’ll have fun tonight after everyone leaves.”

“If we’re still awake!” Sandra whispered back.

They kissed heatedly for a few moments, and then fixed their hair in the mirror.

“Ready?” Emily asked.

“I’m ready for anything!” Sandra said.

She opened the door, and stood rooted to the spot, in shock.

“I can’t believe he’s here!” Sandra said, as she chewed another bite of pie.

“Why not?  You said everyone comes to your party,” Emily mumbled.

“I know.  But I forgot about him.”

“So what?”

“I just wasn’t ready to see him all of the sudden.  I must have looked awful, all flushed and stupid.”

“You were fine.  He looked really happy to see you, too.”

“I guess.”

“He’s handsome, too.”

“Nah.  Richard’s much better looking.”

Emily smiled.  It was comparing apples and oranges.  Billy was a Midwesterner through and through, and didn’t bear any resemblance to Richard.  But both were really good looking, Emily had to admit.

“Well, here he comes again,” Emily said.

“You talk to him, so I don’t look so stupid,” Sandra said quickly.

“Oh, Sandra...”

Billy and a friend walked up to the girls, holding beers.  In the dark, Emily couldn’t make out his friend’s features under the hat he wore, but he was also tall and well built like Billy.

“Evening, ladies,” Billy said in his rich voice.

“Hi Billy,” Sandra said.

“You remember Kyle, right?” he said.

Sandra rolled her eyes.  She practically grew up with these two boys.  “No, I don’t think we’ve met.  Hi, I’m Sandra.”

“Oh, cut it out, Sandra,” Kyle said, playfully patting her hand aside.  The two guys turned their attention to Emily.

“I’m sorry, I forgot your name already,” Billy said to her.

“Um, I don’t think we really met when we escaped from the bathroom.  Emily.”

“Emily.” Billy nodded.  “This is my friend Kyle.”

“Hello Kyle.  I don’t think I know anyone named Kyle.”

Kyle tipped his hat.  “Well now you do.  Nice to meet you, Emily,” he said.  “And you too, Sandra.”

Sandra made a face at him.

Suddenly from the dirt clearing behind the house, people cheered.  Sandra’s Dad was carrying a torch towards the large pile of wood that had been assembled.  He touched the flames to the pile in a few places, and within moments the logs and palettes burst into light.  People stepped back away from the heat.

“Nice.  He spiked it with gas,” Kyle observed.  “Your dad always knows how to throw a party, Sandra.”

“What are you gals up to this weekend?” Billy asked.

“Just visiting the family, you know,” Sandra said vaguely.  “We’re leaving on Saturday.”

“Nice.  I didn’t know if you’d be coming back for Thanksgiving.”

There was some silence as the four of them watched the flames grow higher.  Sparks flew up into the night sky.

“Don’t the fire department come and get mad?” Emily said.

Sandra started laughing.  “Don’t?”

“What?”

“You said, ‘Don’t the fire department...’!”

“What?  No, I said ‘Doesn’t the fire department...’”

Sandra started laughing, and so did the two guys. 

“You said ‘don’t’,” Kyle agreed, almost apologetically.  “Here for a day, and already talkin’ like us here hicks.”

Emily laughed.  “I guess I did say ‘don’t’.  But seriously, doesn’t anyone get worried and call the fire department?”  Emily looked up at the twenty foot flames.

“They did call the fire department,” Kyle said.  “That guy over there with the moustache holding that pretty lady is the fire chief.”

“Oh.” Emily said.

“Police chief is over there,” Kyle added, pointing.

“It’s a good night to be naughty, then,” Emily said.  A moment later, as her words sunk in, she tried to amend them.  “I mean... since the cops are all here, and...  Like if you were going to do something bad.”

Kyle and Billy were trying to keep straight faces.

“Don’t mind her, she’s a little... tired,” Sandra said.  “Or drunk!” she then blurted out.

“Sandra!”

“I’m going to get another beer, either of you two girls like one?” Kyle asked.

“Sure,” Emily said.

Sandra considered for a moment, before also agreeing to one.

“Billy?”

Billy nodded, and finished his bottle in one long slug.

A couple of men standing near Kyle overheard the offer, and asked Kyle to grab a few for them.

“I only got two hands, boys.  I need some help.”

“I’ll go,” Emily offered, and before Sandra could say a word, Emily and Kyle were on their way to the ice barrel around the side of the house.

Sandra was alone with Billy.

“So you’re Sandra’s roommate?” Kyle asked.

“Yeah.”

“You play music too, then?”

“French horn.”

“Really?  I played that for about six months, then I had to quit.”

“Why?”

“My older brother tried to use my horn to do beer funnels.”

“Doesn’t work,” Emily said, not missing a beat.

Kyle laughed heartily.  “No, it don’t work too well.  My parents weren’t too happy.  They had to pay the school a bunch of money to replace the thing.  Never got another instrument.”

“Why?  Wasn’t it your brother’s fault if he was doing the funnels?”

“Yeah, but I was pouring the beer...”

Emily sniggered.  Kyle reached into the giant ice bucket and pulled out two beers, opening one and handing it to Emily. 

“Cheers!” he offered.

“Cheers!”

“So do you like it?” Kyle asked.

“”Playing horn?  Yeah.  There’s a billion flute players, and another billion violin players, and singers.  Not as may horn players.  But it’s not an outcast instrument like the bassoon, you know.”

“Outcast instrument?” Kyle chuckled.

“Well...”

“Does Sandra drive you crazy when she sings all day in your room?”

“No, not at all.”

“That’s good.  When we were growing up, she’d sing all the time!  I always thought it would be hard to live with her.”

“I guess I’m used to it.”

“Does she play the fiddle much up at school?”

“Fiddle?”

“Yeah.”

“No, I didn’t even know she played.”

“Really?  She’s real good.  I didn’t never care much for her singing, but she can play a fine fiddle.”

“You mean like a violin?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm.  Didn’t know.”

“Maybe she’ll play later.”

“Later?”

“There’s always music and dancing.”

As if on cue, a band started playing from the direction of the fire. 

“See?” Kyle said, smiling.  “Come on, let’s go see what’s going on.  Do you dance?”

“Um, not really.  Don’t we... need some beers?”

“Beers?  Oh, right, I forgot what we came for!”

Kyle dug into the icy water and grabbed a handful of bottles in his big grip. 

“Can I help?” Emily offered, reaching for one of the five he had dangling in his fingers.

“Naw, I got it.”

Emily smiled to herself, and followed Kyle back to the fire.

“I’m glad you came back this weekend,” Billy said.  “It’s good to see you again.”

“It’s good to see you too,” Sandra said. 

“How’s school?”

“Um, good, you know.  Learning a lot, playing music all the time.  It’s fun.”

“Emily seems nice.”

“She’s great.  I couldn’t have asked for a better roommate.  How’s school for you?”

“I’m getting by.  Some of it seems useless.  I don’t know why I need to take some of these stupid history classes, for what I want to do.”

Sandra laughed.  “Same here.  We have some music classes which are really hard, but don’t really help much with singing.”

“Hey, well, it’s part of the whole thing.  So they say, anyway,” Billy said.  “It’s good to see you.”

“You said that already,” Sandra reminded him.

“Oh yeah.  It’s true though.  You look great.  Really happy.”

“I am.  I’m doing what I love.”

Billy nodded.  “How come you didn’t never write to me?”

“Write?  I... I don’t know.  You know we broke things off before we left.”

Billy scuffed at the ground with his boot. 

“I don’t even have your address at school,” Sandra explained.

“Yeah, I know.  Still, it would’ve been nice to hear from you.  You could have sent something to my house.”

Sandra took a long breath.  “I’ve been busy.  I mean, I’m off doing my thing, and you’re doing yours.  We knew it would be like that.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Billy said quickly.

There was an awkward silence.  Sandra glanced around, hoping to see Emily and Kyle returning. 

“So have you – ” Billy began, but he was interrupted by some light applause and cheers. 

Big Ed had his bass out, and three or four others were unpacking guitars and fiddles from cases.  Robert had set up a single microphone and plugged it into an amplifier that sat on an old wooden chair.  The band gathered around it, spacing themselves so they could gain access to the amplification when singing or playing the lead.

Sandra took a deep breath.  She knew what this meant.  At least she wouldn’t have to suffer the silence with Billy much longer.

“Looks like they’re all still at it,” Billy remarked.

As the band launched into a shuffle, people began to clap and dance around the fire.  The flames illuminated all the dust that kicked up from boots, and the ruddy clouds that snaked in and around the dancers looked like bronze fog.  Sandra watched, feeling somewhat distant.  Where is Emily, she wondered?

At last, Emily and Kyle appeared from around the house, laughing about something.  As they approached, Sandra felt some concern.  Emily seemed to be walking a little unsteadily, and was leaning on Kyle a little too much.

After Kyle passed out his beers, including one for Sandra, she beckoned to Emily.

“I need to use the bathroom,” Sandra said.

“I’ll come with you,” Emily answered, catching the hint.

“We’ll be back in a moment.  Hold our beers?” Sandra asked Billy.  He complied, and Emily followed Sandra away from the ring of people towards the house.

Instead of going inside, Sandra walked around the side of the house to where it was quiet, and then off a little ways into a stand of trees nearby.  At last Sandra stopped, and turned to Emily.

“What are you doing?” Sandra asked.

“What?”

“You’re flirting with Kyle like crazy!”

“No way!”

“You were hanging all over him when you came back from getting the beers.”

Emily frowned.  “I am a little drunk,” she admitted.

“Do you want to go to sleep?”

“No, I’m having a good time,” Emily said.  “Are you okay?  You seem a little uptight.”

Sandra sighed.  “I...  I don’t know.”

Emily’s demeanor grew suddenly sober.  “What’s up?  Is it because of what happened last week?  Because…”

Sandra interrupted.  “No, no…  I’m sorry.”

“What is it?”

Another sigh.  “It’s really weird seeing Billy.”

“Why?”

“Why?  We went out for over two years.”

“But you broke up, I thought?”

“Well, yeah, but...”

“But?” Emily prodded.

“We still went through a lot,” Sandra said.

“Do you...  Hmm.  Why is it weird to see him?” Emily asked.

“He’s being all nice to me.”

“And that’s bad?” Emily asked.

“I didn’t really want to see him at all.”

Emily sat down and leaned back against a tree.  In the distance, applause roared as the band finished a song.  Sandra sat down next to her.  The moon withdrew behind some clouds, and the night suddenly felt cold.

“I haven’t really thought much about my old life in the last three months,” Sandra said.  “This is where I grew up.  These people have been in my life forever.  It’s good to be back, but also kind of strange.  I miss it, now that I’m here.  But I also miss Richard.  And I miss you, even though you’re here.  That’s sounds stupid, I know.”

“No, I know what you mean.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.  You’re different here,” Emily said.  “You are more like the person who came into my room last August in awe of the place.  The person who told everyone about chasing pigs at the orientation meeting.”

Sandra laughed slightly, but didn’t say anything.

“So you’re a little different.  Just go with the flow, Sandra.  Do you still love Billy?”

Sandra plucked a stem of grass and twirled it around her finger.

“No,” she said at last.

“No?”

“No, I don’t.”

“So what’s bothering you then?” Emily asked.

“I was afraid of what I would feel if I saw him.  When I saw him.”

“Afraid you’d want to get back together with him?”

“No.  Afraid we’d be finished.”

Emily sat in silence for a time.  “But you are, right?  You want to be?”

Sandra stood all at once.  “Yes, of course, of course.  It’s nothing like that, don’t worry.”

Emily shrugged.

“It’s just...”  Sandra sighed, unable to find the words.

Emily stood as well, and put a hand on her shoulder.  “You don’t have to tell me.”

“I don’t even know what I’m trying to say.”

“Maybe it will come to you later.”

Sandra turned to Emily, and pulled her into a hug.  “I’m sorry I got all snappy about Kyle.”

“Don’t worry about it.  I’m just toying with him.  Sometimes that’s what I do with guys.  I’m not going to make the same mistake I made with Joel.  Ever.”

Sandra stepped out of the hug, and gave Emily a smile.  “Well, don’t mess with him too bad...”

“I won’t.  Hey, what do we say if someone asks about boyfriends?”

“We’re  both taken,” Sandra said simply.

“Okay.”

“Simple as that.  And it’s true.”

“Wonder what he’s up to?” Emily said.

“Partying at his teacher’s house, probably.  Or maybe looking at the moon right now.”

Sandra and Emily turned their eyes to the white disc in the sky as it emerged from the clouds.  They both felt like they could see Richard for a moment, and then the feeling passed.

Emily suddenly laughed.  “What would Billy do if you told him you and I shared the same guy?  And that we were together too?”

“Emily!” Sandra warned.  “Don’t you dare!”

“Oh, I won’t, I was just wondering.  I wouldn’t.”

“That would spread like wildfire, in this town.”

“I bet.”

“But... The look on Billy’s face would be priceless!” Sandra added, with a laugh.

“Mmm.  So are you okay?”

Sandra nodded.  “Yeah.  I still can’t explain why I’m feeling a little sad.  I should be happy.”

“Well, be happy.  It’s getting cold out here in the trees.  Let’s go back and have a good time by the fire.  We can both go mess with those boys’ heads.”

Sandra laughed freely.

“Sandrine?”

Sandra’s mother’s voice echoed from the distance.  Sandra and Emily walked back towards the house. 

“Yes, Mom?”

Sandra’s mother turned to them.  “Oh, there you are.  Where were you?”

“Just talking.”

“Well, everyone wants you to play and sing a little.”

Sandra glanced at Emily, who grinned and imitated a fiddling motion.  Sandra frowned at her.

“Kyle told me,” Emily explained, broadening her grin.

“Oh.  Well, I’m a little tired...”

“Come on, Sandrine, I want to hear you play!” Emily said boisterously.

Sandra sighed.  “Okay, let me go find my fiddle.  I don’t even know where it is.”

“Dad already got it out for you.  It’s over by the band,” her Mom said.

Sandra sighed, and then started for the fire.  “You want to get your horn out?” she asked Emily, knowing it was absurd request.

Emily grimaced.  “Um, no, thank you.  I’m going to find Kyle and Billy, and we’ll watch you.”

“Okay.  Promise not to laugh.”

“I can’t make that promise!” Emily countered, laughing already.

Sandra just stuck her tongue out as they split up.  She watched Emily melt into the crowd, and then went over to where her fiddle case rested on a bench behind Big Ed, the bass player.

Even in the middle of a song, Ed leaned over to Sandra.  “How are you, sweetie?”

“Oh, I’m good, Ed.”

“School treating you well?”

“Yeah.  Very well.”

“Great.  Ready to rip on some tunes, I hope?”

Sandra laughed.  I haven’t touched this,” she said, holding out her fiddle, “in over three months.”

“Oh, you’ll be fine.  Wait a sec...”

Ed leaned back into the microphone to sing a harmony part in the chorus.  Sandra busied herself tuning her fiddle.  By the time the song ended, she was ready.  Or in tune, anyway.  As she greeted the other guys in the band, Ed stepped up to the microphone.

“Hey, thank you, thank you!” Ed’s voice boomed over the speaker as people clapped.  “Hope you’re having fun!”

Someone heckled him from the crowd, in jest.

“Well, if you’re not having fun yet, what are you waiting for, Kyle?  Look, there’s a pretty lady right there to your left.  Uh, make that my left.”

The crowd laughed.  Sandra glanced around and found Kyle.  Emily was standing right next to him, grinning a little embarrassedly. 

“Well, we have a guest who’s gonna play a few numbers with us.  None other than Sandra d’Arcy, daughter of our gracious host!”

The crowd went wild.  Sandra tried to sidled inconspicuously between the guitarist and the other fiddle player, but Ed pushed her gently to the front.  She gave a little wave as people whistled and cheered.

“What do you want to play?” Ed asked her.

“Um...”  Sandra considered for a moment.  Might as well dive right in, she thought.

“Roanoke.  Kind of peppy,” she announced.

Tim, the fiddle player, laughed.  “You’re gonna make this old man hurt!” he said.

“You’ll be fine, Tim.  You want the upper or lower part?”

“Neither?” he said, brows raised.

Sandra shook her head at him with a grin.  “Fine, I’ll play up.  Ready?”

“Well, sure.  Let ‘er rip...”

Sandra put the bow on the strings, and kicked the song off with four beats of rhythm.  From the corner of her eye, she could see the band looking at each other with grins at the very quick pace she chose. 

“Kind of peppy?” she heard one of them say with a chuckle.

“That’s what music school will do to ya,” another said.

Tim and her stood facing each other across from the microphone as they played the twin fiddle lines while the rest of the band bounced along behind them. 

Sandra smiled as she caught Emily grinning at her.  It wasn’t a tune to be distracted on, particularly being cold and three months out of practice, so Sandra focused on her fingers until Tim and her finished the first statement, and then whirled out of the way to make way for whoever was next. 

“Nice job!” Ed said to her as Andy the banjo player played his break.  “Out of practice my ass!”

Sandra shrugged, but couldn’t help smiling.  As she turned to the crowd again, people were dancing around the fire, energized by the music.  She saw Emily and Kyle stomping and jumping near the flames.  Every now and then he would twirl her around.  Sandra could tell from Emily’s look that she was really enjoying herself.  

Sandra felt relieved.  She had been slightly worried Emily would somehow look down on this music.  I should play them a waltz next, she thought mischievously.

Sandra spotted Billy on the edge of the crowd.  His eyes were on her, and he smiled when he saw her looking at him.  She smiled back.

“You next?” Ed asked.  Mike the mandolin player was finishing his turn.

Sandra leaned over to Tim.  “Together?”

“Naw.  I want to hear you go,” he said, deferring away from the microphone.

“Okay.”

Sandra edged into the microphone as Mike played his last notes.  She launched into a variation on the tune she had come up with.  Surprisingly, she still remembered it.  She almost got all the hard parts right, too. 

Somehow, a lot of the technique she had been learning at Wexford suddenly made sense on her fiddle too.  She could phrase things so much better, and build up the climax perfectly.  As she finished up her turn, Tim stepped in to join her for the last time through the tune.  People cheered loudly and danced as if in a frenzy as the single fiddle became twins.  Tim was grinning ear to ear, trying to keep up with the pace.

At last, they struck the last chord, and the people around the fire erupted.  It seemed as if the crowd had tripled in those four minutes of music.  Emily was right in front of the band, clapping enthusiastically.  Kyle was stomping right next to her, banging two beer bottles together.

Then Sandra saw her father and mother, standing with arms around each other’s waists.  They were smiling like everyone else. 

Suddenly, she knew what she was feeling.  She looked at Emily and smiled gently.  Emily’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she blew her a little kiss.  Sandra pursed her lips in a kiss back at her.

“Sandra, you should sing something,” Ed said into her ear.

Sandra nodded.  “Sure, but let’s play something else first.”

“What do you have in mind?”

Sandra glanced at Emily with a mischievous smile, and then turned to the band to announce the next song.

Emily hooted wildly as Kyle spun her around for what seemed like the hundredth time.  And this is only the first song, she thought. 

As Sandra tore into her solo, Emily had to pause for a moment to watch her, while standing in front of the band.  Kyle let her for a moment, before sweeping her along again.

When the song ended, Emily laughed as Kyle twirled her one last time.  They ended up where they started, right in front of Sandra, and Kyle grabbed their beers from the ground and banged them together as Emily cheered.  She had a new respect for Sandra.  She never knew of her ability to play the fiddle.

Suddenly, Sandra turned her eyes to Emily.  There was new light in them as she smiled.  She’s so beautiful!  And such a performer, Emily realized, as she heard what had to be over a hundred people stomping and clapping.  She seems to have snapped out of her earlier mood. 

Emily blew her a little kiss, which Sandra returned.  They kept their eyes locked on each other’s until Sandra was interrupted by Big Ed.

“I thought you didn’t dance,” Kyle said.

“I don’t,” Emily said, as she took a long swig of her beer, and finished it.  Kyle took her bottle and put them down.

“Well, I think you dance real good.  Want to go again?” he asked.

“Um... Okay, sure.”

I hope they don’t play a waltz, Emily thought.  She glanced at Sandra again.  A little smile crossed Sandra’s lips.

In a moment, the band started, and Emily laughed out loud.  She can read my mind!

“What?” Kyle asked, confused at her laugh.

“Oh, nothing.  Prepare to see how badly I can dance,” Emily announced.

Kyle pulled her close, but didn’t talk as they moved slowly around the fire. 

“She’s pretty good, huh?” Kyle said, catching Emily watching Sandra during a particularly sweet moment full of double stops and beauty.

“Yeah.  I never knew she could play.”

“She never took no real lessons on the fiddle, you know.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, she just learned it all from old Tim, there.”

“She’s way better than him,” Emily said, frowning.

“Hey, that’s my dad you’re talking about!”

“Oh!  Sorry!  I didn’t...”

Kyle laughed.  “I was just kidding.  I mean, he is my dad, but you’re right:  Sandra blows him away now.”

When the song ended, to more loud applause, Emily suddenly felt tired.  She just wanted to be with Sandra, now.

“Oh, I’m starting to fade,” she said to Kyle as he tried to pull her in for the next dance.

“No, come on!  Night’s just getting started!”

“Well, I need to at least sit this next one out.  My feet are killing me.”

“All right.  Let’s get some more beer,” Kyle said.

Emily shrugged and followed him out of the circle towards the cooler.  As long as Sandra is having fun up there, I might as well have some fun too.

Sandra sang a song, to the crowd’s great joy.  She was slightly sad to see Emily disappear with Kyle as she started to sing.  But she hears me sing all the time, Sandra thought.

After the song finished, Sandra dropped her fiddle to her side and stepped up to the microphone.

“Thanks!” she cried as she gave a little wave.  She was ready to go to bed.  The wine and beer, not to mention three intense months of school, had suddenly caught up with her.

“One more!  One more!” came the chants from the crowd.  Even the band joined in the calls for an encore.

As she stood there, awash in the moment, she realized that this wasn’t much different from what she was going to school for.  In some ways it was even more personal, since these were her friends, and not some anonymous audience.  Most everyone here knew her well, and the music meant that much more to them.

As she raised her fiddle to her chin again, the chanting turned into raucous cheers.  Without warning, she launched into a fiery instrumental.  The band quickly caught on, and before the third measure they were right with her.

The notes flew by, blending together at times.  Billy seemed two feet away, watching her intently.  Emily returned to the circle, looking flushed.  Sandra’s parents were dancing, whirling around, and around, and around...

“Are you okay?”  Emily’s voice echoed in her ears.

“What happened?” Sandra asked, as she realized she was inside the house sitting on the kitchen stool.  Her fiddle and bow were resting on the counter.  Emily came into focus; she was watching Sandra closely. 

“When you finished you just waved thanks and ran inside.”

“Oh.  I don’t know what happened.  I feel a little woozy.  I don’t even remember finishing the piece.”

“Tired,” Emily confirmed.

“Yeah.  I think so.”

“Me too.”

“I should say goodnight.”  Sandra stood, a bit unsteadily.  The crowd outside roared in laughter at something.  “Or maybe not...”

“Let’s just go to sleep.  Saying goodnight could take all night.”

“You’re right.  There are too many people out there.  Let me just tell my parents.”

Sandra went to the door, and was met by her Mom on the way in.

“Sandrine, that was great!”

“Thanks, Mom.  I’m really tired.  I think we’re going to sleep.”

“I understand.  I wish I could say we’ll be quiet soon, but...” She pointed back to the fire and shrugged.

“I know, don’t worry.  I’ll see you in the morning.  Love you.  Say goodnight to Dad for us.”  Sandra gave her Mom a hug.

“I would like to hear you play your French horn tomorrow,” Mrs. d’Arcy said to Emily as they also hugged briefly.

“Okay.  Thanks for the meal today, it was excellent.  I had a really good time.”

“You’re welcome.  Sleep well, girls!”

Emily followed Sandra into the bedroom.  Sandra locked the door, and leaned back against it.

“Whoa.  Long day.  Too much food, too much drink, and too much noise.”

“Yeah,” Emily agreed.  “I shouldn’t have had that last beer.”

Sandra laughed.  “Kyle’s idea, huh?”

“You guessed it.  It was either have another beer, or pass out by the fire.  I hit the wall after your waltz.”

Sandra looked at Emily with weary, but happy eyes.  “Let’s get to sleep.”

When they had changed, Emily laid down in Sandra’s bed.  Sandra got in next to her.

“Wow, this bed is smaller than I remember,” Sandra said.

“I can sleep on the cot,” Emily said gently.

Sandra murmured a negative, and then gave Emily a kiss.  “I’m glad you are here.”

“Me too.”

Sandra reached over and turned out the light, but stayed in bed with Emily.  The darkness seemed to amplify the noise from the party outside slightly.

“I wonder how Richard’s night went,” Sandra said.

“I was just thinking the same thing.  Seems like he should be here.”

“I know,” Sandra agreed.

“By the way, you never told me you played the violin.”

“Um, fiddle,” Sandra corrected.  “I’d never stand a chance against a violin player.”

“What are you talking about?  You play really well.  People were going crazy for you!”

“Eh, it’s a lot of energy and not much technique.”

“No, Sandra, you are good.  You just have it in you.”

“Well, I don’t know.  I never learned how to play right.  I hold the bow all weird, like the other fiddler does, since I learned from him.  Any classical violinist would laugh at me if they saw that.”

“You still play amazing.  I had chills during the waltz.  And no, it wasn’t because of Kyle!”

Sandra laughed.  “Did you leave him hanging?”

“Probably.  After you ran inside, I told him I needed to go see if you were okay.  He’s probably still out there waiting.”

“Billy too.  Poor guys.  I’ll bet they hang out until late, hoping we come back out.”

“Serves them right.  Kyle was getting a little fresh on our last beer run,” Emily remarked.

“Really?”

“Yeah, putting his arm around me, hugging me and shit.  A kiss was imminent, I think.”

“We need to tell them something.  Otherwise they’ll be pestering us all weekend like flies.”

“Well, I don’t mind hanging out with Kyle so much.  He’s cute, and a little funny.  As long as he keeps his lips to himself, I’m okay.”

Sandra was quiet for a while.  “I’m sorry about earlier,” she said at last.

“You mean before you played?”

“Yeah.  I was feeling sad.”

“Sad?  Why?”

“I figured it out when I was playing.”

“What?”

“This is what my life was.  Already it’s slipping away.”

“Slipping away?  Seemed pretty real to me, tonight,” Emily said.

“No.  You heard Big Ed, when I got up there.  I’m a special guest now.  ‘The One Who Returns from College,’ you know.”  Sandra sighed, and then continued.  “I have a new life now.  You leave this place for a few months, and you think, ‘I didn’t miss anything,’ but it’s not true.  Even though nothing really happens around here, everything is totally different.”

“I don’t really know what you mean,” Emily said.

“Things will never be the same again.  I’m not going to help my Dad out in the fields each harvest season.  I’m not going to cook with my Mom much anymore.  No more late nights at the bars playing music with those guys.  Now they make me stand up front, and be the star.”

“They didn’t before?  Somehow I doubt that.”

“Well, maybe, but it was different.  I was part of the community, you know?  Now I’ve moved on to other things.  Bigger things.  It used to be the regular thing we did.  Now, all of the sudden, it’s a big deal for me to play just a couple of songs with them.”

“What about Billy?”

“Billy.  Billy…  Yeah, that’s part of it.  He’s gone, too.  I don’t want to be his partner anymore.  But I was for a while, and that’ll never be again.”

“Nostalgia,” Emily remarked.

“Totally!” Sandra agreed.

“You’re only eighteen,” Emily said with a chuckle.

“I know, isn’t it terrible?” Sandra cried.

“I don’t have any nostalgia for my youth.  I’m so much happier now than I was in high school.”

“Hmm.  You’re right, though.  I’m happier too,” Sandra agreed.

They kissed gently a few times. 

“We should sleep,” Sandra said. 

“Yeah.  Much as I want to... you know.”

“Me too.  But I’m so tired!”

Emily stroked Sandra’s hair gently.  “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Sandra didn’t move, and in a few moments she was fast asleep in Emily’s arms.  Emily followed soon after, with dreams of dancing around the fire with Sandra.

The following evening, Sandra was not surprised when a knock on the door revealed a pair of familiar-looking guys.

“Good evening,” Kyle said, tipping his hat.

“Hi Kyle, Billy.  Come in, we just finished dinner a little while ago,” Sandra said.

“Actually, me and Billy was just going out for a drive.  We thought maybe you’d like to show Emily around your old stomping grounds, or something.”

Sandra turned to Emily, who shrugged, and then nodded.

“Give us a moment to get ready,” Sandra said. 

“We’ll wait out by the car.”

“Car?”  Sandra glanced out, and saw the white convertible.  It was Kyle’s father’s, and rarely would he let anyone drive it.  “Did you steal that from your dad?”

Kyle looked offended.  “No!  He let me borrow it.”

Sandra laughed at his reaction.  “We’ll be right out.”

In a few moments, Emily and Sandra were ready.  When they went out to the driveway, the two guys were leaning against the hood, trying to look very cool.

“They are so looking to hook up tonight,” Emily said to Sandra quietly.  “Too bad for them!”

Sandra just giggled and made a face at Emily.

Emily and Sandra sat together in the back seat before the guys could react.  After Billy got in the front seat somewhat reluctantly, Kyle pulled out of the drive and started down the country route. 

“Where are we headed?” Sandra asked Kyle, since he seemed to be driving with a destination in mind.

“We thought the lake,” he said simply.

Sandra rolled her eyes at Emily.  Emily frowned, and mouthed ‘What?’  Sandra made a kissing imitation. 

Emily laughed silently.  “What’s at the lake?” she asked the boys.

“Oh, just a nice place to see the sunset, hear the frogs... you know,” Kyle said innocently.

“Do people go there to make out?” Emily asked, just as innocently as Kyle.

Sandra opened her mouth in shock at Emily, who just smiled.

“Um...” Kyle paused, clearly off-balance.  “Sometimes.”

The ensuing silence was quite funny in the backseat.  Silently funny, but funny nonetheless.

Upon arrival at the lake, Kyle and Billy got out of the car.  Kyle was right.  It was a nice place to see the sunset, which was already in progress. 

After Emily’s comment, the guys seemed much less settled than they had been when they were leaning so perfectly against the car.  Sandra told Emily all about life in the area, while the guys picked at grass and chipped in an occasional anecdote.

It was getting dark when Kyle and Billy stood up to leave.  When they reached the car, Billy walked ahead and got in the backseat.  Sandra and Emily exchanged glances in the low light.  Emily jumped into the backseat next to Billy, and Sandra got in the front.  Kyle stood by the driver’s door, looking confused.

It was another unexpected move.  The girls tried admirably to keep a straight face as Billy suggested they switch places. 

“I want to catch up with Sandra,” he explained, trying to keep his voice even.

Emily couldn’t hold out any longer and started laughing.  “You guys are so funny!”

“What?” Kyle exclaimed.

“Trying to be all subtle.  You know, Sandra and I are spoken for!”

Billy sat up straight as if he had been shocked.  “What?”

“We have someone at school,” Emily said.

“You didn’t...  You didn’t tell me that,” he said to Sandra.

“You never asked.”

“But – But last night...” Billy stammered.

Sandra frowned.  “Last night what?”

“You blew me – ”  Billy suddenly paused as he considered something.

It was a very awkward place to pause, and Emily burst out laughing again.  Despite the darkness, Billy looked red-faced.

“I did what?” Sandra exclaimed. 

“You blew me a kiss, was what I was going to say!” Billy stammered.

Even Kyle was laughing now.  “Nice one, Billy!” he managed between fits.  Billy sunk his head into his hands and groaned. 

When things finally settled down, Sandra looked at him.  “I’m sorry, Billy, but I don’t remember blowing you any kisses.”

“When you were playing with the guys, I swear you did!”

Sandra thought for a moment, and then closed her eyes and smiled.  “Oh!  I was blowing a kiss to Emily.”

“What?  No...”

“You must have been right behind her.”

“No… Aw, shit…!  Now I’ve really made a mess of things.”  He opened his door and stepped out to pace around.  Sandra got out and went over to him. 

“I’m sorry,” she said.  “I wasn’t trying to fool you or anything.”

“I know.  I just...”

Sandra put an arm around him.  “Come on, let’s just hang out and have fun tonight.”

Billy sighed, and looked at her for a while.  He went back to the car and sat in the front seat.  Sandra offered to sit in the back with him, but he waved the suggestion off.

“We’ll just take you gals home,” Billy said.  “Get in and drive, Kyle.”

“Billy,” Sandra said gently.  “We can still hang out.”

“I don’t feel like hanging out now,” he said glumly.

“Oh.  This is my last night, though,” Sandra said.

There was a tense moment.  Emily could tell Sandra was suddenly feeling very bad about the way the evening had gone.

“Well,” Emily suddenly announced.  “I still want to have a good time.  I’ve never taken a swim in a country lake before.”

She opened her door, and got out before anyone answered.  “Anyone else want to swim?  It’s a warm night, luckily.”

Neither of the guys moved or spoke, but Sandra opened her door and got out as well.  After looking at each other for a moment in the rapidly fading light, they took their shirts and jeans off in silence.  They draped them on the doorframe of the convertible, and then started walking towards the lake.

“Come on, guys,” Emily called back.  “You’re not going to leave us here are you?”

The water was very cold, and for a moment Emily regretted the bold move.  Sandra shrieked as her legs protested from walking in a little too quickly.  Emily splashed her with a kick of water, causing more yells.  Sandra stiffened her body and turned her back to Emily as she tried to get away.

“Wuss,” Emily said, wading in up to her knees.

“Emily, the water’s freezing!”

“It is November!  What did you expect?”

“Don’t splash me, or you’re on the cot tonight!” Sandra teased.

“All right, all right.”  Emily lowered her voice.  “Do you think they’ll come in?”

“I don’t know.  Why the hell are we in the lake, anyway?”

“Just trying to make everyone feel better again,” Emily whispered.  “Here they come.”

Two shapes materialized out of the darkness.  The guys were in boxers, and when they stepped in, Emily heard sharp intakes of breath.

“Cold?” she called out.

“Not so bad,” Kyle managed through tensed teeth.

Emily laughed.  “Yeah right.  You look like you’re about to freeze.”

Kyle glanced at Emily, and then pushed his body forward into a shallow dive.  The ensuing splash caught Emily square across the middle.  For a moment she stopped breathing at the shock.  Then Kyle surfaced right beside her.

“Not so bad,” he repeated confidently, chuckling and swimming idly. 

Emily peered at him in the dark for a moment.  She scooped a handful of water at him.  “That was mean.”

“Hey, I’m already wet,” he said, ignoring the water she had thrown.  “Let’s see if there’s more than just talk from you.  You said you were going to go swimming and have fun.”

Emily could see his eyes flashing in the moonlight.  “So I did,” she admitted.

“Well?”

Emily smiled, and then held her nose shut and slipped under the water.  She resurfaced quickly and hooted loudly as she shook off the cold water.

Kyle laughed.  “Come with me.  The best fun to have at this lake is right over there,” he said, pointing.

“And where exactly are you going to take me?” Emily asked, wondering what Kyle was doing.

“Relax, nothing weird.  Just some rocks.”  He paused, and then added, “I know you’re taken.”

Emily looked at Sandra, who was just watching.  Billy was still only ankle deep, watching as well.  “If I’m not back in ten minutes, call out the dogs,” Emily said.

Sandra watched as Kyle swam along the shoreline with Emily beside him.  At one point, she heard Emily yell, “Damn, it’s cold!”

Billy had approached, and was standing quietly nearby.

“He’s crazy,” he said.  “They’re crazy.”

“You told Kyle to get us alone,” Sandra said, smiling.

“Maybe,” Billy said evasively.

“I know you, Billy.  You pulled the same stunt when we started going out.”

“I guess I’m getting predictable.”

“I’m freezing to death,” Sandra said suddenly.  “Do you want to go back to the car?”

“Yeah, let’s go.” 

Sandra could hear the relief in his voice, and smiled.

They ran back to the car, and quickly put on their clothes.  They were soon seated in the back.

“I’m sorry about earlier,” Sandra said.

“It’s my fault.”

“No, I should have told you last night about… being taken.”

“What’s he like?”

“My boyfriend?”  Sandra felt strange saying those words.  Richard is so much more than a boyfriend.

“Yeah.”

“He… plays piano.  I don’t know, what do you want to know?”

Billy sighed.  “Sorry, it’s none of my business.  Let’s talk about something else.”

“Okay,” Sandra said.

“You played really good, last night.”

“Thanks.”

There was some silence for a while.  Sandra heard Emily’s laugh from a distance, followed by a long whoop.  Then Kyle yelled.  Both sounds abruptly cut off.

“Sounds like they’re having fun,” Sandra said.

“Cold.  They’re crazy.”

Sandra shifted in her seat.  Emily’s laugh sounded out again as they sat in quiet.

“How’s school?” Sandra asked.

Billy didn’t answer at once.  “It’s all right.  Mostly, I miss you.”

Sandra murmured something indistinct.

“I was really glad when I heard you were coming back this weekend,” he continued.  “I know we broke things off last summer, but…”

“Things were going to change when we went to college,” Sandra said softly.  “And they did.”

“Yeah, they did.  I realized how much I loved you.  There’s no one like you at my school, Sandra.  I guess I was spoiled, growing up with you, and going out with you.”

“Billy, that’s very sweet, but I’m sure that – ”

“Naw, it’s the truth.  I should of kept you when I had you.”

“We both knew that wouldn’t have worked.”

“That’s what we said, yeah.  Somehow I talked myself out of having you.”

Sandra just sat silently.

“There’s no chance of you having me back, now,” Billy said. 

Sandra knew him well enough to recognize his offer.  “No, Billy.  I’m with someone else now.”

“Yeah, and he’s probably not dumb like me, so he won’t give you up.”

“We’re far apart, Billy.  It would never work.”

“I’d support your music.  I’d come with you.”

“What about your farm?” Sandra asked, surprised at the honesty in his voice.  “That’s your dream.”

“I thought that was my dream.  But it was only a dream because I was with you.  Even as we said we’d break things off and see how things went, I never knew what that really meant.  I was just a kid last summer, Sandra.  Everything felt so damn right when I was with you, that letting go of you even seemed right.  Man, after a month of college, though, the truth hit.  Hit hard.  My dream should have been being with you.  Once you left, everything I was riding high on… it seemed so empty all of a sudden.

“I guess I just always imagined you with me, Sandra,” Billy continued, his voice showing some emotion.  “Even as we said goodbye.  I never thought anyone else would come along and take you when I wasn’t looking.  I know, that’s stupid.  Stupid!”

“Billy, I never knew you felt like that,” Sandra said quietly.

“I didn’t know either,” Billy responded.

Sandra moved close to him and pulled him into a hug.  “I’ve missed you too.  Last night, I was looking at you, and I felt really sad that what we had is over.  I didn’t know that I’d missed you so much.  We had some really great times together.  Things I’ll remember forever.”

Sandra sighed at the memories.  “Last night I realized I was never going to live those things again.  I’ve chosen something very different to do.  And I’m taken now, and I’ve worked hard to be with them.  I can’t come back to who I was.  Everyone treats me different here, and it’s only been three months.”

Billy murmured.  “Yeah, seems like it only takes a couple of months to grow up around here.”

“Why didn’t you write me?”

“I didn’t have the guts.  You’re going places, Sandra.  You are amazing, in so many ways.  When I went to school, you were the standard I measured everybody with.  Nobody was close.  Then I realized what I’d given up, but too late.” 

“You could have written and told me.”

“Would it have made a difference?” Billy asked softly.

Sandra thought for moment.  “I don’t know,” she finally said.  “Maybe not.  I met Richard right away.”

“So that’s his name,” Billy said, his voice thoughtful now.  “I knew it was either too late, or I’d find you back here at Thanksgiving and sweep you away.”

“Was that your plan for tonight?” Sandra asked.

“Yeah,” Billy admitted.

“Well, in some small way, you have, Billy.  We may not be able to be together, but I’ll remember tonight for a long time.”

Emily ran and leaped out from the rocky outcropping.  Last time, she thought.  She was shivering too much.

Kyle was right behind her, and he heard his splash a moment after hers.  The shock of the cold water was no less than the first time they had jumped in.

“Okay,” she spluttered as she saw him surface in front of her.  “I need to get out.  I’m freezing, for real now!”

“Yeah, me too.  That was fun though,” Kyle said.  “Let’s go back to the shore.”

“That was fun, Kyle.  Thanks,” Emily said as they waded along the bottom of the rocky outcropping towards the pebbly area where they had entered the lake.

“I thought you might like it.”

“Or was it a ploy to get Sandra and Billy alone?” Emily said, amused.

“Of course not,” Kyle said evasively.

“I wonder if they stayed in to swim.”

“Doubt it.  You have to be crazy to swim in this water.”

“So you are saying I’m crazy?”

“Yeah.  But I like that in a woman.”

Emily laughed.  “You know Kyle, if I wasn’t with someone, I’d kiss you for that.”

“Well, that’s something, at least,” Kyle said, laughing with her.  “What’s your boyfriend like?”

“He’s cool.  Laid back.  He plays the piano.  You’d get along with him.  He’s done some crazy things, too.”

“Well, if he ever lets you down, come back for another swim.  I have some other nice spots around the lake I can show you.”

Emily laughed freely and splashed Kyle with some water.  “Dream on!  I’d be crazy to go off into a secluded lake with someone I hardly knew!”

“Funny, you just did,” Kyle said, missing the sarcasm.  “I think I’ve been a good boy, though.  Did I pull anything funny tonight?”

Emily laughed again.  “No, you didn’t.  You were the epitome of honor.”

“The what of honor?”

“Epitome?”

“That’s one of them there college words,” Kyle said, slipping into a heavy redneck accent. 

“Yeah, I guess it be,” Emily echoed. 

They stepped out onto the pebbles of the shore, laughing. 

“Looks like we’ve been abandoned,” Emily said.

“So can I have that kiss then?” Kyle asked nonchalantly.

Emily patted his arm twice, as she walked by him towards the car.  “Nice try Kyle.”

“It was worth a try,” he said from behind her.

“Enjoy the night while it lasts,” Emily said, giggling.

They walked briskly back to the car.  The air had gotten colder, and without the adrenaline of a fifteen foot jump, they were both shivering when they got there.  Emily saw Sandra leaning against Billy in the back of the convertible. 

“We’re back,” Kyle announced loudly, sounding a little too rehearsed.

Emily chuckled to herself as she hurried to get her clothes on, but didn’t say anything.

Eventually Kyle and Emily were situated in the front seat, and Kyle pulled out of the dirt lot.

“Where to?” Kyle asked, as he stopped at the end of the lake driveway to turn onto the main road.

“I’m ready to call it a night,” Billy said.  Emily noticed his voice was calm and quiet now, but not glum.

“We have an early start tomorrow,” Sandra agreed.  “Some sleep would be good.”

Kyle turned right, smiled at Emily, and turned on the radio.

Once Sandra and Emily had waved and safely entered the front door, Kyle pulled the car out of Sandra’s driveway, and turned towards Billy’s house.

“How’d it go with her?” Kyle asked.

Billy laughed a little.  “It didn’t.  She’s still gone.”

“Sorry, man.  That’s too bad.  You turning in early?”

“Nah… let’s go shoot some pool,”  Billy said distantly.  “Time to move on.”

“I hear you.”

Billy changed the radio station to something more upbeat.

“How about you?” he asked.

“I’ll play for a while.”

“Naw, man.  I meant any luck with Emily?”

“Nope.  She was really cool, but she wasn’t going to budge either.”

“Figures.  What would they see in us anyway…?  Sandra’s boyfriend plays piano, so they probably have so much more in common.”

“That’s funny.  Emily’s boyfriend plays the piano, too,” Kyle noted.

“Hmm…” Billy mused.

“What?”

“Maybe we should start taking piano lessons,” Billy said.

“Heh heh, there’s a funny thought.  Come on, man, let’s go have some fun.”  Kyle pressed the accelerator and they disappeared down the road.

V. Robbins

Seventy-nine hours and thirteen minutes after the girls left him, he saw them again.  He’d spent the previous hour watching the lot from his dorm window while he cleaned up his room. 

Sandra and Emily hopped out of the car, and glanced immediately up to Richard’s room.  He waved, but perhaps because of the early evening glare they didn’t react.  Sandra’s father helped them carry their things in from the car to the dorm.

Richard paced excitedly around the room.  He knew how difficult it would be to go up to their room with Sandra’s father there.  So he waited.

Five minutes passed, and Sandra’s father returned to his car and departed.  At the same time, his phone rang.

“Hello?” he answered.

“We’re back!” came the excited voices of the girls in chorus.

“I know.  I saw you pull in.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” Emily said, and hung up.

Richard slammed the phone down and ran down to their room.  Before he could even knock, the door opened and arms grabbed at him and pulled him in.

Lips were all over him, and someone kicked the door shut as their bodies fell to the bed.  It was amazing to feel them again after the long weekend apart. 

“We’re back!” Sandra said giddily, sitting up and looking at Richard.

“We missed you,” Emily said.

“Really missed you,” Sandra emphasized.

“I missed you too,” Richard agreed.

For a few moments, they all smiled and took in the sight of each other as if it had been three weeks apart, not three days.

“What are you going to do with me?” Richard asked innocently.  “If I recall, there was talk of being locked up in the room for the next twenty-four hours.”

Sandra smiled mischievously.  “Oh, you’re right.  I’d almost forgotten.”

“I didn’t,” Richard said, grinning.

“Well, there’s something we need to do first, and that’s take a shower.  Clean the road off of us.”

“And we can do things in the shower,” Emily said suggestively to Sandra.

“Mmm, that sounds like fun,” Sandra said. 

Richard raised a brow.  “Um…”

“You are coming too, of course,” Emily said.  “Heh heh, I said coming!”

Sandra giggled, and Emily started laughing.  Tickling ensued, and then Sandra and Emily grabbed their towels from their closet hooks and stood expectantly in the center of the room.

“Well?”

Richard got up quickly, wondering if this was for real.  “Which bathroom are we going to?”

“Our bathroom, of course,” Emily said.  “We outnumber you.”

“No one’s really here anyway,” Sandra said.

“Sounds like you had this all planned out,” Richard said. 

“Maybe,” Sandra said, grinning.

“Do you have an extra towel?”

“No, you’ll have to go without,” Emily said.

“Here,” Sandra said, handing Richard their towels.  “You can be like our pool boy.”

“Pool boy?” Richard said, holding the towels in front of him.

“Be good.”

“And get some rewards.”

Richard laughed.  “You two have been in the car too long.”

“I know.  We’re ready to stretch our legs,” Sandra said suggestively.

“Get a good workout,” Emily added.  The girls giggled, while Richard just grinned at them.

“God, I’m so excited!  Let’s go,” Sandra said suddenly, opening the door to the hallway.  “Come on, no one’s here.”

Richard followed them down the hall to the bathroom, carrying the towels.  Sandra entered the bathroom, peeked in, and then waved Emily and Richard in.  The bathroom was deserted.

Giggles surfaced again, as they piled into one of the shower units and closed the door.  Within the changing area in front of the shower itself, there was room enough to stand comfortably.  Richard hung the towels on the hooks and the three disrobed in an instant.  Sandra turned on the shower, and adjusted the temperature as Richard watched, taking in the sights he’d missed for the past three days.

The three of them slipped under the water.  Before Richard had even pulled the shower curtain closed, Sandra and Emily were all over him.  After kissing and feeling his body, they knelt down before him.  He knew things would go quickly, with the days of anticipation growing in him. 

Richard heard murmurs and saw smiles as the girls took turns on him.  It was like he was with them for the first time.  Richard closed his eyes, reveling in the pleasure he felt.

Suddenly, there was a bump and a squeak.  Sandra and Emily paused, and they all listened to footsteps in the bathroom.  The girls looked up at him, smiling, and Sandra put a finger to her lips. 

Richard felt his heart beating faster.  But unless they crouch down and peek under the stall door and shower curtain, there’s no worry…

The three of them remained still, waiting.  A toilet flushed after a few moments.  Then the sink went on, and off.  The footsteps got closer, and then there were some noises.  Finally, a second shower started up in the next stall.

Richard looked down at Sandra and Emily, wide-eyed.  Emily just shrugged, and put a finger to her lips.  Then she resumed what she had been doing when the intruder had entered the bathroom.

Richard leaned back against the shower wall, hoping he could stay quiet during the coming explosion. 

Sandra grinned as Emily put her lips around Richard again.  Richard would have to stay still and quiet, or betray his presence to their showering neighbor. 

Sandra watched them from inches away, taking in the detail of where their bodies intersected.  It was so… carnal.  She and Emily had decided to not fool around at her house, instead waiting until the three of them could be together again.  It had been a good decision.  She could almost feel Richard inside her now, as she watched him inside of Emily.

She reached down and touched Emily, triggering a murmur.  Emily’s eyelids fluttered in pleasure, and then she looked at Sandra as she slowly let Richard loose.

“Worth waiting?” Sandra whispered, ever so quietly.

Emily nodded, and then kissed Sandra deeply and passionately.  For a few moments, even Richard was forgotten as their tongues fought and sent sparks though their bodies.  When they came to earth again, they looked up to find Richard grinning.

Sandra turned her attention to him now, with vigor.  She still found pleasuring Richard orally a thrill, having never done so with Billy.  There were times, like now, when she felt so excited about it, that she wanted to swallow him whole.  She couldn’t, but she still tried, and knew how it drove Richard over the edge.  There was something so naughty about having him in her mouth when he exploded. 

For a moment, she wondered what the person in the next stall would do if she knew what they were doing here now.  Then she could feel Richard tensing up, and knew it was imminent. 

Emily watched as Richard turned rock hard and tried to grip the slick walls of the shower.  Right beside her, Sandra never let up as he went over the edge.  Richard’s face was twisted in agonized pleasure as he fought to stay silent, and Emily almost laughed.  Poor man…!

Sandra had to pull off and let Richard finish spurting into the shower.  Emily found it amusing to watch Sandra try to swallow it all.  Some days, she succeeded, but Richard was obviously over-excited today, and she had no hope.  Emily didn’t mind Sandra finishing Richard in this way; Emily didn’t much like the consistency.

Leaving Sandra to finish up, Emily stood and kissed Richard deeply.  He reacted slowly, still shaken from his orgasm.  She stretched up to his ear and whispered, “It’s good to be back.”

Richard just smiled and kissed her.

Having escaped the bathroom unnoticed, the trio retired to the room.  Sandra locked the door after entering last, and turned to Richard and Emily with a smoldering look in her eyes.

“I locked the door.”

Richard fell backwards onto her bed.  “Trapped with two wild creatures…”

“Oh no, your turn to work, boy,” Emily said, pulling him up.

Richard started to protest, but then Emily was disrobing before him.  Sandra adjusted the lights to something soft, and Richard was soon exploring Emily’s body with his mouth.  Gentle kisses on her tummy elicited a series of giggles and squirms.  After tickling her a little more, he swung her around and onto the bed, before settling in to return the favor she had given the shower.

Sandra knelt behind Richard, and massaged his shoulders as his head moved between Emily’s legs.

“We should be punishing you, really,” Sandra said playfully.

Richard momentarily stopped to answer.  “Punishing?”

“For sleeping with another woman, of course.”  She pulled his shirt up, and he straightened so she could remove it.

“Is that what I did?”

Sandra ran two fingers down his spine as he returned to Emily.  “That’s what you said on the phone.  Slept in a romantic garden with a foreign woman, under the stars.”

“Well… I guess that is the truth.  But I was dreaming about the two of you.”

Sandra laughed.  “Su-ure you were.  That’s a likely excuse.”

“No, it’s true.”

Sandra worked her hands harder into his back, feeling the muscles and structure of his body beneath the olive skin.  “What’s she like?”

“Viktoriya?  She was very… professional.”

“Professional?”

“Until we got to the telescope, she was really formal, in a way.”

“Then she jumped you?”

Richard laughed.  “She offered…  I think.”

“Really!”

“Said she was only in town for a few days.”

Sandra reached a hand around to his front.  “And you just blew her off?”

“Yup.  Not interested.”

“Not interested?  Then why are you getting hard?”

“Well, I have one beautiful woman in front of me, and another behind me.  Do I really need a third reason?”

Sandra laughed now.  “No, I suppose not.”

“Can you two talk later?” Emily said, with labored voice.  “Richard’s not so good at doing two things at once.”

Richard chuckled, and then was quiet.

“What does she look like?” Sandra asked.

“Sandra!” Emily blurted.

“Sorry.”

Sandra pressed her naked body against Richard’s back, rubbing herself up and down against him.  It was so good to touch him again.

“Maybe she’s in our pool of soul mates,” Sandra mused quietly. 

Emily was emitting some moans now, so Sandra moved to lay beside her on the bed, and kissed her.  As their tongues flitted against each other, Sandra felt pangs of excitement pulsing through her middle.  Richard had a finger in her now, but it wasn’t enough.  Nothing would be enough for the next few hours, she knew.  She hoped Richard was not tired.

Richard’s tongue joined theirs, and Emily began to move rhythmically.  Sandra smiled as the two of them stopped trying to kiss and just concentrated on breathing.  She looked down the length of Richard’s back, admiring Emily’s legs clenched around his waist.  She ran a hand down her smooth thigh, and then reached in to feel where Richard was entering Emily.  She’s clearly as excited as I am, Sandra thought, feeling the slick moisture.  She played with Emily for a while, listening as her friend became more and more desperate.  Sometimes, it took her some time to reach a release point. 

Finally, everything came together, and Emily tightened up and went silent, not even breathing.  Then she let out a burst of air and shook off the tension.  Her legs fell off of Richard’s back, and Richard withdrew.  Sandra kept her hand in place, still stroking her sensitive spot gently, while Richard watched from the center of the room.

“Wow, I really missed that,” Emily said heavily.  “Did you come?”

“No, not yet.  More?”

“In a bit.  Sandra’s obviously feeling feisty and needing some.”

Sandra glanced at Emily.  “Feisty?”

“It’s going to be a long night for you, I think,” Emily said to Richard, ignoring Sandra’s comment.

Richard shrugged.  “I’ll go as long as I can.”  He started to move over Sandra, but she turned around to lie on her tummy.

“I want to do it like this,” she said, wiggling her bottom at him.

Richard murmured something unintelligible, and then got on top of her.

“Tease me,” she said, wriggling against him.

Richard did, rubbing her here and there, and pressing his body against hers.  It felt heavenly, and the energy inside her began to concentrate.  Occasionally Richard would slip in and out, causing Sandra to whimper as a moment of ecstasy burst open and then closed. 

Sandra arched her body as she lifted herself onto her elbows and threw her head back.  She moaned when Richard pressed against her in return.  He kissed her stretched neck, sending a shower of tingles down her back.  Then Emily’s lips were on hers.  Then hands on her breasts…

Everything within her was tightening up, and Richard must have sensed it.  He had stopped teasing her, and she dropped back to the bed as he entered her.

“Oh… god…”

Richard slowly increased his rate, and soon Sandra was bouncing up and down on the bed as a wave of pleasure crashed across her body and carried her far from the room.  She could hear soft noises coming from her throat. 

“Don’t stop…”

Sandra lost track of how long Richard continued to pound her, but eventually his pace stuttered and he collapsed onto her back.

Sandra lay there for a long time, swimming in the vibrations that still shook her body.

At some point she came to, and realized Emily was on top of Richard.  She was moving up and down slowly, a pleased smile on her face. 

“I’m not allowed to move,” Richard explained, spotting Sandra as she rolled to her side and watched.

“Makes it easy on you,” Sandra said.  “Feels good, Em?”

Emily just closed her eyes and smiled more.

Emily found the second round extremely satisfying.  She loved being on top of Richard.  The angle was just right for him to hit a spot, and when she took it slow and shallow, like she was now, she could build up to a powerful orgasm.  She could tell Richard was dying to move his hips, or even touch her with his hands.  His eyes had a wild look that betrayed the calm he kept with his body.

“I met a guy, at Sandra’s,” Emily said, watching Richard.

Richard looked at her, saying nothing.

“I took off my clothes and went for a night swim with him.”

“That sounds like fun,” Richard said, evenly.  “Wish I’d been there.”

“Kyle.  Country boy.”  Emily’s words came a little more labored now, as she increased the pace of her up and down movements.

“And…?”

“Just telling you.  You told us about Viktoriya, so…  We jumped off some rocks into a lake.  Hey, don’t move!”

“Sorry.  Wasn’t it cold?”

“Freezing.  Mmm.  There…  No, don’t move.”

Richard put his hands back down.  Sandra grabbed them and pinned them down, giggling.

“Ooh, now I really can’t move,” Richard said, with mock effort.

“Thank you, Sandra.  Someone’s not behaving.”

“It’s hard not to touch you, when you look so good,” Richard said.

Emily smiled, and patted him on the cheek. 

“What happened after you jumped off the rocks?” Richard asked.

“Nothing else happened.  He wanted to kiss me, though.”

“And probably more,” Sandra added.

“Not interested?” Richard said, echoing his earlier statement.

“No.  I’m not doing that again.  Okay, move.”

Richard responded instantly, moving his hips to meet hers.  Now with him fully inside of her, the slow heat she had been building up suddenly took off.  Sandra let go of his hands and laid herself so that her head was right next to Richard’s.  For a moment Emily imagined she was riding Sandra instead.

“Shit, that feels good,” Emily whispered.

Soon her legs felt weak, and Emily let Richard do more and more of the moving.  This time, the orgasm came quick and easy.  She held her breath, and then it hit.  She fell down onto Richard’s chest, grasping at the bed sheets as she shuddered deeply, her head between his and Sandra’s faces.  Richard seemed to be lifting her into the air with each thrust. 

The feelings in her body moved to her head, and she found herself suddenly crying.  She moved a strand of damp hair from her mouth, and found Richard’s lips, and then Sandra’s.

“Oh, I love you.  I love you both…”

She kissed each of them passionately for a while, as Richard slowed down his movements. 

“That was amazing,” Richard whispered.

“The look on your face…” Sandra added.

Emily sighed.  “It’s so good to be together again.”

“Richard?”

Richard stirred, not sure if the voice had been real, or in his dreams.

“Mmm?”

“I thought you were sleeping,” Sandra said.

Richard tried to shift his body a little, but he was entangled in the limbs of the two girls.  They had passed out after another long lovemaking session where Richard had lost track of the things they had done.  The blue lights still shone from the ceiling, but no sunlight yet peeked in around the curtains.

“I might have been.”

“Me too,” Emily murmured.

“What time is it?” Sandra asked.

Emily moved a little and glanced at the clock.  “Looks like three thirty.”

Sandra pulled her leg free and then rolled on top of Richard.

“Oh, no.  I’m finished,” he protested.

“Are you now?”

“Definitely,” Richard said.

“I know.  I was just kidding,” Sandra said.  “Well, sort of kidding.”

“I’m done.”

“Actually,” Sandra said, getting up from the bed, “I need some water.  I have dry mouth from the wine.”

“Mm, me too,” Emily said.

Sandra poured out three waters, and they drank thirstily.  Richard and Emily straightened out the covers, and Sandra returned to the bed.

The cusp between wakefulness and dreams beckoned again.  Richard could tell Emily was already out again.  He heard Sandra’s voice call him again from a distance.

“Yeah?”

“I saw Billy when I was home,” she said.

“Cool,” Richard answered.  “How’d it go?”

“He said you were lucky to have me.”

“He is so right,” Richard said, managing a smile despite the sleepiness.

“But I also realized how lucky I am to have you and Emily.”

Richard kept smiling.  “I’m happy to hear that.  I love you.  We both do.”

“I know.  Billy loves me too.  He’d take me back in a second, I think.  But you two are the right ones for me.”

Richard reached a hand up and caressed her cheek, and she murmured peacefully.

“Sleep well, Richard.”

A soft kiss on his lips was the last thing he felt before sleep washed over him.

Forward to Chapter 25

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