chapter 23

All during the day we worked hard to decorate the hospital for the children. The children enjoyed the company of my friends and followed them around. It was heartwarming to see them all so happy and excited with no worries at all.

“Belle is going to serve the treats she brought and the children want to know what piece you will be playing for them today.” Rai told me as we set up the plates where the children would be eating.

“I don’t know what to play actually” I told Rai honestly as I ranked my brain for a piece I could play and that the children would love.

“Why don’t you do The Swan or Le Cygne, as it is supposed to be pronounced” Belle suggested as she came up behind Rai with the delicious food she had brought.

“The duet” I asked her as I tried to remember the whole Le Cygne.

“Yeah, it’s that very same one” Belle confirms with a bounce in her step from excitement.

“I would but I have never played that piece and I don’t have someone to do the duet with me” I told Belle as the children began to come into the room.

“I think you can do the piece and I know who can be your partner” without another word Belle dashed away towards some unknown destination.

“Where do you think she is going?” I asked Rai as we both watched Belle dash out of the room.

“No Idea” Rai answered in indifference as she went back to setting up for the children’s lunch.

I was left to ponder over what Belle had on store for me.

“Adel”

A nurse came behind me and looked really worried and saddened. I knew her as Annie’s nurse and the fact that she was worried made my chest constrict.

“What’s wrong?” I asked her with a terrible feeling in my chest that seemed to nearly crush my heart.

“It’s Annie, she has lost her sight partly and the doctor had to tell her that she will lose her sight completely soon. Now she doesn’t want to come out of her room.” The nurse was worried and it was evident in her tone.

It broke my heart to know that she had heard the doctor say such words. The doctor treating Annie had already told me there was a small chance the treatment would work. I had held on to the small margin of hope but it seems Annie would not be the lucky few to make it. There was a stinging behind my eyes as I thought about Annie and how it was unfair for her to have lived for such a short amount of time. Annie had many dream and now she wouldn’t be able to achieve any of them.

“Annie” I knocked softly on the room labeled ‘Annie’ and then entered. I entered the sky blue colored room and found Annie with the covers over her.

“Annie, it’s me, Adel” I told her as I sat down at the end of her bed. Once she realized who had come into her room, she shot up in her bed. Tears were running down her cheeks and her eyes were puffy from crying for a while no doubt. She was squinting as if trying to focus her sight but it was no use, she could probably only see my shadow.

When she couldn’t see any clearer tears began to fall from her eyes once again. The tears I was holding back suddenly began to cascade down my face.

“Come here” I opened my arms to her and pulled her into my lap once I had my arms around her. She cried into my chest as her small, childish hands clutched my shirt and I began to rock back and forth.

We stayed in her room for a long time before I finally got the strength to talk to her about what was going on.

“Annie, sweetheart, don’t be sad anymore” I said as I soothed her and patted down her curls. She sat up straight and looked at me with a question on her face. I knew she wanted to know why I thought she shouldn’t be sad.

“This is just something that will slow you down for a little while. I know you can do it because you are a fighter and you won’t quit. If you can’t see it doesn’t mean you can’t play. Even if you can’t hear; you will still be able to play as well as Beethoven.” Annie looked at me with hope in her slowly forming smile. My words had such an impact on her that I was afraid of saying the wrong thing.

“Remember what I always say. You don’t play music with your senses but with your heart.” her smile grew in volumes as she registered the words I was saying to her. These were the words my mother had told me when I had begun to play.

“Now dry those tears and come with me.” I told her as I looked around for the outfit she would wear for today. Then I spotted a dress that I knew all too well. There at the end of the bed was a beautiful yellow dress that looked like a miniature version of Belle’s dress from Beauty and the Beast. It was so familiar to me because it was the dress I wore to my first concert recital.
The children rarely got new clothes so Father Charles and I had decided to donate some that we got from the people at the church. I had donated my old clothes as well and most of it had gone to Annie.

“Did you pick this one out?” I asked Annie as I held up the dress to show her and she nodded her head enthusiastically.

“Do you want to know a secret?” I asked her as I helped her put the dress on. The dress fit her perfectly and though it was old, it still seemed to emit a glow. Annie nodded her head in excitement in answer to my question.

“This was my dress and I wore it for my first concert recital” There was pride in my voice as I told her of my history with the dress.

“I’m proud to see that someone I care about has it” I told her and held out my arms to carry her out to join the others. I felt as if I was carrying something precious and having her in my arms filled my heart with warmth. As I walked down the hall with Annie in my arms I realized how easily I took on the role of a motherly figure. What would it feel like to hold a child that was my own flesh and blood?

“There you are” Belle exclaimed as I walked into the room where all the children were eating their treat.

“I was helping my little virtuoso get ready” I said and slowly walked towards the front of the room where the piano was.

“Well I have great news” Belle said as she pulled Sarah along behind her with a triumphant smile on her face.

“Really” I asked her with specialism as she came to a stop in front of me.

“Sarah has agreed to play the duet with you” Belle said with an enthusiasm that could only come from someone who had not heard this piece in a long time.

“Okay but first I want to play something with little Annie here” I looked down at Annie who had a shocked expression on her face. I knew she would be nervous at the thought of playing in front of a crowd but she would be great. Belle and Sarah smiled and nodded as I walked away from them and towards the piano.

I had always felt like I was complete when I played but I never thought about doing something more like teaching someone. Annie had showed her skill by playing the piano I had brought while no one was looking. I was shocked when she could play Beethoven’s 9th symphony flawlessly. Since then I had been helping her improve her skills and now I decided it was time she played in front of a crowd.

“Don’t worry I’ll be here the whole time” I reassure her as I sat down at the piano and sat her next to me. She was positively frightened and it made me remember my first concert recital when I was six years old.

“We are going to do Le Cygne and Sarah over here is going to join us with her violin.” I explained to Annie and made her look at me as if we were practicing alone. As a child I had pretended I was alone so I wouldn’t get hit by a serious case of stage fright.

“Do you want to start in D minor?” Sarah came up and asked while she was warming up.

“No, let’s keep it to the original” I told her and looked to Annie to see her staring intently at the piano keys.

“Okay, we’ll let the children settle down and we will begin” Belle said as she looked at me and Sarah to see if we were ready to start.

“Yes ma'am” I said as if I was talking to a general and she stuck out her tongue at me. I laughed and stuck my tongue back at her. She walked away and I turned back to Annie who was still nervous.

“I’ll grab a quick drink before we start, okay?” Sarah asked as she put her violin slowly and carefully back in its case.

“Don’t be nervous Annie, we are going to play beautifully you just have to forget you are in front of a crowd. Pretend we are alone and if it helps you can close your eyes. The keys and sounds are the same even with your eyes closed.” I told her and closed my eyes with my hands on the piano to play a small melody. Then I opened my eyes and smiled as I realized I was still as good as I was when I was younger. I had thought that I had lost my talent after so many years of not playing.

“See Annie I just played that melody with my eyes closed.” I told her and took her hands to place them on the piano keys. She obeyed and closed her eyes then copied the same melody I had just played. Once she had done that a smile spread across her face and shown like a ray of sunshine.

“We’re ready” I said just as Sarah came back and took her violin.