Facing the Music

Prompt: Music is as taboo as explicit materials. You find a musical instrument in your kid's room.

"I'm home," She tried to call out, but failed to pull any strength into her words, her voice coming out weak. Her mind buzzing with questions and the stress only weighed her down the more her thoughts took her hours back to what took place at her job. She leaned her back against the door after closing it and she let out a sigh. If only the tiredness was just as easy as exhaling  breaths. She took in a couple of more breaths to calm her mind down but her thoughts kept racing the consequences and what might happen if someone knew what she had done. 

She shook her head as she forced herself off the door and dragged her numb body through her house. Her eyes open only to land on the sizeable framed picture of Jesus Christ hung at the wall next to the stairs infront of, just inches away from the table that was set underneath with a vase on it.

Her thoughts raced faster as she looked away from the picture and the stress began eating her heart. She hoped for any distraction that would take her mind, and that's when she heard it. A bright sound, ever so faint, rang her ears before it faded. She listened quietly. And sure enough the sound rang again. Confused, she lead the stairs - step by step slowly, her attention finally caught away by something else. Her eyebrows knitted in confusion as she looked upwards, eyes moving from one corner to another as if searching for the sound.

Her feet followed the sound until she reached a room door. Her daughter's room door. She stood facing the beige door, thoughts suspened by disbelief and shock. It was now loud enough that she can no longer deny the sounds she heard coming through that door, or justify them as a mishearing or taking them as a sick scenario her worn-out mind was now making up. She stood and her palm enclosed losely around the knobe, listening carefully. Bright sounds of what sounded like piano keys were being played was what she heard and Sarah couldn't help but frown a bit more when noting how good and well-practiced those sounded to her. She has been doing this for a long while...

She stood there, conflicted: should she open the door, see for herself and confront her daughter? Or just wait until her husband comes home and discuss it with him? She thought over it for a minute and concluded that at that moment Sarah didn't quite feel comfortable carrying out the former, things were already abnormally awkward and tense lately with her daughter, Jas. So she saw it wiser and best to walk away and leave this for a later, calmer discussion with her husband next to her, (and hopefully less-awkward) as she pictured it.

"'Cause if you want to keep me, you gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, got to love me harder!"

But the logic she had surmised was quickly overthrown by a sudden irritation the singing provoked, only for instinct to take place and she swung open the door with such force.

"And if you-" Jas stopped mid-sentence as her attention was caught by the door being thrown open. Colours drained from her face as she registered the horror that just took place. She was caught. By her mom.

Oh dear.

Crap, this isn't ending well.

Jas saw her mother standing at the door way, revulsion drawn on her face and her mouth agap and silence prevailed.

Sarah's mind couldn't form any words, the scene before her very eyes  just didn't click: sweet, little Jas sat at the front edge of her purple bed, hands frozen in the act over the black digital piano that was set in its stand infront of her as her widened eyes stared back.

"Jasmella Augustus Verga, what in the name of heavens do you think you're doing, young lady?" Said Sarah sternly as she slowly crossed her arms over her chest, with a newfound strength that leaked through her tone.

"Mom, I... I.. I was just-" Poor Jas stuttered, still confused and shocked by what's going on. Her mother's wide eyes and frown only intimidated her more.

"Oh, I know, I know exactly what you were just doing. And I can't believe this! After all the hard work and efforts and time that your father and I have dedicated into educating you morally and religiously - to secure your mind and make sure you see and know what's right from what's wrong. To, to make sure your don't abuse the dignity that you - is this how you repay us? This is the outcome of all that we have done for you?!"

"Mom, but I... I didn't hurt anyone! And everyone plays and sing songs mom, just why can't I have a little fun too?!" Jas found the courage to say.

"Well, they weren't raised by us!" Sara raised her voice a little higher. "And I know this is not what we taught you! "

"Oh for Christ's sake, mom! Would you please stop all this "we didn't raise you like that" crap - you do this all the time! You seriously think I have got no idea what you were doing last night with all that singing?!"

Sarah's eyes widened. "Wh-What? I... I didn't, I don't...  What are you talking about?"

"No need to deny it, mom. If you really don't want people to know of your hypocritical acts, well, then maybe, maybe you should try locking the door next time. That might actually help reduce all the noise with that little guitar-thing of yours that you happen to play every - single - goddamn night!" Said Jas.

Sarah couldn't help but remember the windows she left open last night as she worked on her own song on her ukelele.

"But you're 15!"

"*Exactly!*"

"Don't you dare raise that voice at me and talk back to me-" Sarah couldn't believe her ears.

"I'm not, mom! You keep-"

"I don't wanna hear anything from you right now, Jas! I just don't have the- the energy to put up with you now, okay; so just save it all for when your father comes home tonight, young lady. 'Cause I'm just, I'm just done, okay? I'm *done* with your attitude towards me - I can't take it anymore, yeah? So you just wait," she said pointing at her, "you just wait here until your dad comes home tonight and deals with you. We'll see how that goes."

Jas then saw her mother turn on her heels and left through door, taking a left turn. She still couldn't believe this was happening to her and wished if she can undo all, alas. She didn't know what was going to happen later on and thinking of it only dreaded her. She lowered her head down, her hands covering her face and eyes.

"Oh, my God. This can't be happening..."

(To be continued...)

Author's Note

I know it sounds a bit rushed, well that's because it is. The beginning was the last part I wrote so by then I just wanted to finish it already. Idk, not my greatest work but I hope it's notmessed up. Thoughts?

Reviews

[Dana Stevens]

This story is amazing. You are gracefully compelling in your work.

[Virtual Phun]

Oh, thank you!

[Dana Stevens]

Yeah, of course. Keep writing. Keep on doing what you love to do. Then everything will be wonderful for you along the way.