Bonus Epilogue
Bennett
Five Years Later
Our small group of Maven’s biggest fan club members waited for her in the concert hall lobby. Penny followed Aria as she toddled around while I was locked in on her four-year-old brother, Tommy. That kid could find trouble quicker than anyone I knew, besides his mama.
When he attempted to climb a pole intended for roping off lines, he made it a few inches up before sliding back down with a hard thump on his backside. He winced and looked in my direction.
“You’re okay.” I dusted off his navy pants and tried to tame his sandy brown hair for the tenth time.
When it came to appearance, he was a good mix between Maven and me, whereas Aria was my little twin with her dark brown hair and more olive skin.
Though she had Maven’s big green eyes, which made saying no to her one of life’s greatest challenges. How I loved them both!
Tommy glanced over his shoulder to where Uncle Carson stood, talking to Sharon, Cassandra, and my parents.
He hurried toward his uncle, reaching up one of his pudgy little hands for another fruity Tic Tac.
Carson dropped one into the palm of his hand, sending me an apologetic smile.
I’m pretty sure that kid had cleaned out his uncle’s whole Tic Tac supply during the length of one concert.
In hindsight, I probably should have found someone to watch them, but being that Penny was our usual babysitter and she’d insisted on coming, I’d brought the kids along.
Besides, I knew Maven enjoyed exposing the kids to the arts early, even if it meant half of the concert would be spent in the lobby.
To see Maven play, it was worth the sacrifice.
After some convincing, I’d talked Maven into joining a community orchestra in Burlington.
Between her full-time-mom life, occasionally performing at weddings and events, a handful of private violin students—Penny being among her most accomplished—and producing some of her own violin recordings, one night a week and a few concerts a year had turned out to be the perfect level of commitment.
She also was the go-to sub for the new high school orchestra teacher. So, needless to say, her life was full.
“Mommy!” Tommy said, causing all of us to glance toward the doors that led backstage. Maven set down her violin case just in time for Tommy to throw himself into her arms. “I ate Tic Tacs.”
She smiled, taking my breath away with her beauty. “Did you?”
“Two full packages, if I had to guess.” I grabbed her violin case and placed a kiss on her cheek. “But it kept him quiet.”
“It’s a good thing your uncle is a dentist,” she said to Tommy, sending Carson a pointed grin.
Carson laughed.
I wrapped an arm around her waist. “You did amazing, by the way.”
“Thank you.” She leaned her head into me when her gaze caught on Aria, who held the flowers I’d brought for Maven.
Tommy had picked them out, confident Mom would like the bright collection of blooms in pink, purple, and blue with a little teddy bear toy stuffed into the side.
With the way she smiled, I think he was actually right. “What pretty flowers.”
“I picked them,” Tommy said.
She gave him a little squeeze. “Thank you.”
Carrying a bouquet was a difficult task for an almost two-year-old, but after a near fall that Penny helped avoid, Aria made it to her mom. Maven squatted down, setting Tommy on the floor, but instead of Aria handing her mom the flowers, she dropped them and climbed into Maven’s outstretched arms.
Penny laughed and grabbed the discarded bouquet, handing it to Maven. “For you.”
“Thank you, Pen.” Maven stood again and wrapped her niece in a side hug before she took the flowers and her gaze shifted to all the others. “And thank you all for coming.”
“We wouldn’t have missed it,” my dad said.
Hearing Grandpa’s voice, Aria reached for him.
When he took her, she nuzzled into him with sleep-heavy eyes, sticking her thumb in her mouth while my mom rubbed her back.
Between Grandma, Grandpa, Nana, Carson, Penny, and Cassandra, these kids of ours could never decide who they wanted to be with most, so it was a constant game of musical people.
“Emma was bummed she couldn’t make it,” Carson said to Maven when she greeted him. “She really wanted to be here.”
“I know.” Maven smiled at her brother. “But there will be plenty more concerts to attend.”
“Yes, please,” Cassandra said, giving Maven a hug. “It was such a wonderful concert.”
She gave a contented sigh. “It was so fun performing with an orchestra again. I’ve missed it.”
Sharon and my mom both congratulated Maven on her performance and sang the orchestra’s praises. After several more minutes of everyone standing around chatting, Tommy had discovered the elevator.
“Should we head out?” I asked before one of us got stuck riding the elevator up and down for the next quarter of an hour.
“I saw an ice cream parlor around the corner,” Cassandra said. “My treat?”
Nods were already bouncing around the group, and Tommy gave a loud, “I want ice cream!”
Maven laughed. “This group will never say no to ice cream.”
I picked up Tommy, securing him before the doors opened.
“Maven!” The French accent was oddly familiar, and though I’d not heard it in years, it instantly threw me back in time, bringing with it a slight uneasy feeling.
“Jean-Paul!” Maven smiled, genuinely pleased to see him. “What are you doing here?”
The tall, lean man looked almost identical to how I remembered him, but with more gray streaking through his black hair. “The director is a dear friend of mine. To my surprise, when I showed up today, you were in the orchestra. It felt serendipitous.”
Serendipitous? What did he mean by that?
Maven smiled. “Well, it’s so good to see you after all of these years.”
Jean-Paul glanced around our group. He gave me a brief nod, then his gaze paused on our kids. “Are these two little ones yours?”
Maven nodded. “Tommy here is our oldest, and that’s Aria,” she said, gesturing to our nap-refusing daughter.
“It looks like you have your hands full.” Jean-Paul’s smile thinned in a way that had me standing a little taller. “I had hoped I might…” His words trailed off, his gaze sweeping our group again.
“Here,” my mom said, reaching for Tommy. “Why don’t we head to the ice cream shop, and you and Maven can meet us over there when you’re done talking with this gentleman?”
Reluctantly, I handed Tommy over, watching the group as they made their way out the doors.
“I’m sorry to keep you.” Jean-Paul appeared genuinely apologetic.
“I’ll get right to the point. I know from our most recent email exchange that you aren’t looking for any opportunities, but I was just speaking to the music director of the New York Philharmonic.
He was lamenting about having lost out on adding you to their ranks and was wondering if you’d be willing to be on their substitute list. Besides practicing on your own, you’d only need to rehearse with them the week preceding a performance and then stay through the duration of the concert series—so the whole commitment would be two weeks typically.
” He paused. “I know it’s always been a dream of yours—to play for the New York Philharmonic—and I was thinking this would be the perfect opportunity to accomplish it. ”
“How many substitutes are on the list?” I asked.
“Per instrument, usually three to five, so she’d likely only ever sub a few times a year.”
Before I could even start to think through logistics, Maven was shaking her head.
“Jean-Paul, I’m honored by the offer. I really am.
And maybe one day, if it’s still an opportunity open to me, I’d consider it; but for now, I really want to focus on my family.
I want to soak in every moment with my babies while they’re little and spend every opportunity I can get with my husband. ”
Jean-Paul pulled in a deep breath but then gave a nod of acceptance. “Well, if the time ever comes that you decide you would like to pursue the opportunity or something similar, please reach out.”
“I will.” She lifted on her toes, wrapping her arms around his neck to hug him. “It was so good to see you.”
Her gesture clearly surprised him, but he was soon smiling and returning her embrace. “Congratulations to you both on your beautiful family.” He turned toward me and shook my hand.
I found my smile coming more easily than I’d thought possible. “Thanks.”
Once Jean-Paul had walked away, I grabbed the violin case and took hold of Maven’s hand, the two of us stepping outside into the crisp fall air. “That’s quite the opportunity you just passed up.” I glanced over at her. “If there’s any part of you that wants to take it, I will fully support you.”
“I know you would, but right now, I’m perfectly happy.”
I stopped walking and faced her. “But just because you’re happy doesn’t mean you couldn’t be happier.
Playing in the New York Philharmonic has always been your dream.
Even if it isn’t the main one anymore. And the commitment would be a portion of what it would be if you were just in the orchestra.
Plus, we have such a great support system here in Autumn Ridge—”
“Bennett Walker,” she said, quieting me instantly. “I’m allowed to change my dreams.” Her expression held no indecision or regret.
“You’re sure?”
“I’m positive.” She paused, a small grin pulling at her lips. “Besides, we’re going to be plenty busy with the new baby.”
I stared at her, a smile slowly making its way onto my lips. “You’re pregnant?”
She gave an excited nod. “You know I wouldn’t tease you about something like this.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, I set down the violin case and lifted her up, spinning her around and making her giggle in delight.
When I finally set her down, I stared into the big green eyes of the woman I would do anything for.
“Mrs. Walker, how is it that life with you just keeps getting better and better?”
“I guess we’ll have to chalk it up to what happens when we’re living our dream.” She gave a little smirk. “Though, as perfectly happy as I am, I do wonder what some ice cream might do to my overall contentment levels.”
I laughed. “Is there anything else I can do to contribute to your overall contentment levels?”
Maven pursed her lips, sending my gaze straight to them. “I wouldn’t say no to a kiss.”
She didn’t have to ask me twice. I slid my arms around my wife’s waist and kissed her like no one was watching.
Thank you for reading Resisting the Fall!