"Claire, how did you manage to cook all these?" Jill exclaimed as her eyes went over all the colorful meals and cookies placed on table,
"That's nothing, Jill. I once had to babysit a dozen kids in kindergarten, and for that I had to get each one a cookie. Some demanded even more!"
"Well, you've got so many undiscovered assets to date."
"I don't think anyone's a dark horse as much as you, are they?"
"I don't know what you're referring to." The corner of Jill's lips stretched to a sly smile.
"Oh come ON!" Claire crossed her arms in utter disbelief, "everyone knows how courteous Chris gets when he's around you! Is it your magic or something else is going on?"
"Oh Claire, stop zooming in on me!" she paused, folding her arms. "Honestly, it's just that Chris and I have been partners for quite a long time. It's why we can fully understand the circumstances and what the other one might be going through. That's all."
"I see. So nothing going on then?" Claire sighed, proceeding to sift a new pack of flour to bake fresh new cookies.
"No," she said in a rather stern tone, biting her lips for an ephemeral second, "nothing really."
"I think your mind is still crowded." Claire said as if she had just remembered something crucial about Jill. Then, she paced toward the other side of the kitchen, getting herself occupied with some other things. "By the way, the piano's right there. In the far end of the hall," Claire motioned with her index finger, with her back to Jill.
"The piano?" Jill asked with a touch of surprise on her face. She really wanted to ask why they kept a piano in their house. Not that it was a crime, but who would play it? Claire? Cause on their mission to Spencer's house Chris had ordered Jill to do it, revealing that he would rather spend his time on the shooting part of the puzzle. As much as she had wanted to, she didn't ask about that.
"Yeah, I know you're a pro. It'll also help your mood swings." Claire turned with her hands on her sides in a confident gesture, "it would be great if you played for us tonight!" her voice sparkled wildly.
"Claire, I haven't touched the keys for a decade. How can I possibly do such a thing? Not after…" she silenced herself, her lips twisting into a tight line with discontent.
"Oh Valentine, you remember how to aim and gun spooky zombies down with deadly accuracy, now playing the piano is a big deal?" Her eyebrow arched from surprise.
"I know but…"
"Just go ahead! I KNOW you wanna try." Claire insisted with her iron will.
Jill didn't know how to explain to her. Sure, things were going back to normal ever since the hellish events of Kijuju; even her skin was regaining its natural warm pigmentation, and her strands of hair were now glistening with their previous dark brown stark beauty. Nevertheless, her mind was still riddled with plot holes, black spots, forgotten memories. Logic would suggest the aftermath of the experiments and all the malevolent things she had undergone wouldn't fade away all at once. All the sonatas she had played with passion, all the joy, none came to her.
She made her way to the piano, her fingertips brushing the dusty keys without any pressure.
A song, a song came to her. It was one of those she had particularly enjoyed while mastering her skills:
House of the Rising Sun
She stroke a key twice with hesitation, before her other hand came along. Then there was the second note, the third, the forth and her deft slender fingers slid along the keys with a surge of power, dancing on the piano with bold assertion as the notes came to her, syncing herself with the complex rhythm in the most proficient of ways. Notes went higher up in space, caused little sparrows to flap their wings wildly, and sprinkled a shimmering quality of existence on all surroundings. All the chords mingled with dazing saturation, for a split second she forgot everything around her. The song came to a magnificent end, her hands rested immobile on the last few keys as it came to a beautiful fading melody. She sensed a presence behind her, a strong one, and a kind of presence only she was able to recognize so distinctly. It had been a while since the person had been waiting.
"Chris," she said under her soft lips, without turning around.
"You play superbly. I never had the time to tell you that."
A slight chuckle escaped her throat as she turned to land her trained eyes on Chris.
"So, what's up?"
"Nothing much. We were just compiling the official reports. Shouldn't take long." In two short strides, he was at the long piano stool, settling himself near Jill.
"How are things here? Everything okay?"
"I guess so."
"How's the planning? Claire sorts everything out, eh?"
"Oh, definitely." Jill turned around a bit, resting her forearm on the edge of the piano to get a better view, "your sister's a hell of a party-planner."
Chris contained a tiny chuckle, "Well, since childhood, Claire's been our social butterfly. Guess I was the only isolated freak all the time."
"Isolated?" Jill asked to recapitulate.
"Um, yeah, kinda..."
"Well, you don't seem like that to me." Jill said as she stood up from the stool. After a moment, Chris stood up as well.
"Dunno, maybe you worked on my social skills?" Chris asked playfully as a bright smile landed on Jill's lips.
"Maybe, regarding you were a caveman when you were first enrolled by the S.T.A.R.S ,"
Chris exploded into a boisterous laughter,
"That seems to be true!"