Chapter Twenty
Amira woke to the sound of Fred playing the piano. She’d heard it over the past week, as she’d drifted in and out of sleep, but today, instead of pulling the covers over her head and hiding from the world, she decided to rise. She rubbed her eyes and went to the mirror, horrified at the state of her hair and complexion, her eyes red-rimmed and her skin blotchy in a way she’d never seen it before. She spent the next few minutes washing her face and brushing her long hair out until it resembled something presentable, before putting on her robe and walking out into the sitting room.
When he saw her, Fred stopped playing immediately.
‘Please, don’t stop on my behalf,’ she said.
He nodded and resumed, and instead of walking past him as she’d always done previously, Amira slid on to the seat beside him and watched his long, tapered fingers as they danced across the keys. It was truly something extraordinary to watch.
She had no concept of time as she watched and listened, but when he finally finished, his fingers hovering over the now silent keys, she instinctively dropped her head to his shoulder.
‘Thank you,’ she whispered.
Fred nodded and placed his fingers over hers for a moment. ‘Can I make you a coffee?’
She didn’t reply, and they sat there together for some time before he finally cleared his throat and stood, offering her his hand.
‘Coffee it is then,’ he said, helping her to her feet and guiding her into the kitchen.
They silently made coffee together, as if they’d been doing such a thing all their lives, but it wasn’t until Fred turned to her, his cup in hand, that he spoke again.
‘We have to keep putting one foot in front of the other, Amira,’ he said. ‘Because I refuse to believe that the best is behind us.’
As tears streamed down her cheeks, she shuffled closer to Fred, forcing herself to sip her coffee as his words played over and over in her mind. Because he was right, they did have to believe that things would get better, otherwise what did they ever have to look forward to?
‘I have rehearsals this afternoon for my next concert, and they’ll continue on most afternoons for the next week or so,’ Fred said. ‘Will you be alright without me for a few hours?’
She nodded and he turned to her, his eyes catching hers, as if he wasn’t convinced.
‘Each day will get a little easier,’ he said, his smile kind. ‘I promise.’