* David Franco as Daniel
~ Emma loved the light in Daniel's apartment. The large floor to ceiling windows let in natural light all day and held a fantastic view of the park.
The irony of such a view in the apartment of a blind man, was a good natured joke with their peers. World famous classical musicians came to London just for the chance to play next to her fiancé and get to know the man behind the supposed genius.
She looked over her plain, uninteresting face. Her whole life she had this face. She had no natural beauty. She was average hight and build. She wasn't graced with good hair or skin. Her figure wasn't her best feature either. Her breasts were too small compared to her hips. Or, so she always feared.
However, none of that mattered to Daniel. He had a way of making her feel beautiful. She wasn't sure how he did it, it was one of his mysteries.
She had been only eighteen when she came to London. A scholarship student trying out for a chair in a new private orchestra. Daniel had been the quite, unassuming man behind the exquisite grand piano.
He sat quietly listening to the instructor give direction. Explaining what was expected. She had no idea who he was until his fingers began to dance across the keys.
She gasped at the fluid nature of his playing and missed her mark.
Daniel, had been less than kind with his remarks about that.
"We jump in at the break. Am I right?" he barked at the room in general. He was so young, he looked barely out of high school and he seemed to have command of the whole room.
"Lets take it from the top!" the instructor shouted at the group.
This time, Emma hit her mark. Her ten years of playing the violin paying off. Her fingers barely able to keep up with him.
"Better." Daniel had snapped. "Next!" he shouted.
She was excused and nearly burst into tears as she left the audition.
"Daniel Castus." one girl whispered out in the hall.
"The grandson of the composer, what was his name?" another youth said.
"Albert Castus. He was really famous."
"My mother had all his albums."
"He's so young! I can't believe he's got his own orchestra." said another girl.
"That's not the half of it. You know he's blind, right?"
Emma left the audition. She had tried, and failed miserably. She couldn't compete with these people. This was for serious students of music. Not just a hobby that would help them get into a good school.
She was shocked she had gotten a call back notice. Her next audition going much better.
She had knocked on the door to the music room and heard the blind genius shout to come in.
"Name?" he demanded.
"Emma Lewis." she said with a shaky breath.
His fingers touched a watch face on his wrist. He didn't look at the time, he felt the raised numbers of brail.
"Thank you for being on time." he said cooly.
She wanted to say something, but couldn't. She was looking at him. He could be considered handsome. His hair was the color of dark honey and his face was cleanly shaven. Not a trace of stubble from an electric razor. Did he do that himself? No, it was far more likely that he went to a barber and got his face professionally shaven.
He glanced at his eyes. He couldn't see, so what was the harm? He kept them half closed. His ears giving her attention and not his sightless eyes. She caught a glimpse of deadness under the lids. Of milky whiteness where there should have been color.
What color should his eyes have been? Green? Blue?
No, based on his olive coloring, brown would have been more likely.
"Are you done staring?" he asked. His voice sharp and breaking the stillness.
She jumped and realized he had somehow caught her.
"I'm sorry." she stuttered.
"Don't worry about it. It's always good to let them gawk. Get it out of the way." he said. His voice was not amused.
"It's just that, I've never met anyone who was blind. Let alone a performer. Well, one who could play as well as you do."
"Yes, yes. I'm an inspiration." Daniel said cooly. He didn't seem amused by that either. He turned back to his piano and his long fingers effortlessly hit keys that created a melody.
"Your place in my performances will be to bring out certain sections of harmony. I've attained a grant to start touring and try to change classical music. Try to find it's audience again." he explained. "No one likes classical music and those that say they do, are liars. My job, is to prepare new songs, and hopefully new audiences for it. Do you understand?" he asked.
"Ambitious." she said simply.
"Yes." he agreed. "Your resume said that you've only studied the violin for a decade. Why did you start so late?"
"Parents couldn't afford to send me to music lessons. I got a scholarship." she explained. She was failing. He was going to laugh at her and tell her to leave.
"How many hours are you willing to devote to this endeavor?" he asked.
"I'm willing to put off school for it, so all of them." she answered.
He seemed skeptical.
"Most of us train eight hours a day. Eight hours a day happily. You might find it a bit difficult if you're only used to a few hours a week." he said. "Maybe this isn't for you."
"We can certainly try." she said pitifully. "I'm sure there are others out there who are much more experienced."
"Oh yes, loads more." he barked. "Trouble is, they are too ridged. Too set in their ways and bad habits. This is new territory here. I can't have a fleet of classical musicians who are unwilling to learn new things."
"I'm willing to devote as much time as you need." she said at last. The idea of a new style of music was thrilling, and she wanted to please him.
"We shall see." he sighed. "Now, I'm going to start playing a piece, I want to test your instincts. Jump in when you feel you need to, but do not over power me."
His orders were clear and almost cold.
He stomach felt ready to flip.
He played beautifully. Notes floated up low and easy. Like breathing. She recognize a melody, heard it repeat itself and on the third bridge, joined him. Her music making his stronger.
She had never had sex in her life, but this was the closet thing she had ever come to making love. It was beautiful.
When they stopped, she was crying softly.
"Come back tomorrow." Daniel said. He didn't tell her she had done well. Didn't turn his head to face her.
"Send in the next person on your way out." he ordered.
~ For weeks it was like that. Finally, she was accepted into his exclusive group. She was among raw, untapped talent. Young people who were in rock bands before this. A woman who played the harp in a restaurant to pay the bills, and two young guitarists who were handsome and far too flirtatious.
It was a dream. A beautiful dream of wild music with no rules. Daniel's style was classic, yet unique. She could imagine dancers on stage when he played. But also snow falling in desolate lands. Of tragic and joyful wonders with each new melody.
No lyrics, no catch. Just raw emotion being recorded.
~ Over the next few months, Emma got to know the others in their group. The rocker boys flirted with her shamelessly, and she thought she caught a look of anger on Daniel's face at that.
Once when they were walking to the bus stop, he used public transport easily, he asked her about it.
"They like you." he said stiffly.
"No." she laughed. "They just like to show off. They like all the girls to look at them."
"So you're not dating them?" he asked.
"No." she said. "I'm too busy spending all my time with you."
She had meant it as a joke, but he looked angry again.
She had gotten used to his dark moods. He looked like someone who thought too much. Who's mind was always working. She often teased him about it. A thing no one else in the group dared to do.
For whatever reason, he let her talk to him as though they were equals.
He made little excuses to keep her later than the others. Often ordering take out for the both of them. He was very pleasant when he wanted to be. When they was alone.
"Tell me about your family." he asked.
"In America. Divorced. I have a half sister from my dad's first marriage. A half brother from my mother's third. Modern families." she shrugged.
"Must have been hard." he said.
"Well, I never really got to know my half siblings. I was raised an only child by my grandmother. What about you?"
"Two sisters." he admitted. One older, one younger. Also a brother. We were born a year apart, so we're very close."
"That's good." Emma said. She wondered what it was like to have a big family. "What do they do?"
"My older sister Darcy, used to dance in the New York ballet. Even spent some time in the Russian company."
"Wow!" Emma said. "So she's a professional?"
"Very much so." he said soberly.
~ It was clear he liked her. Clear he was jealous of the other men in the company. He would shout at everyone but her. He ignored her while the others were around, and wanted her all to himself when they were alone.
She was flattered by the attention. He was a brilliant man. Maybe a little anti social, but still brilliant. When he wanted to take her to bed, it was written clearly on his face.
He was terrible at hiding things from her. He had many mysteries, but his feeling for her were not one of them. She was touched that he was so god to her. That he was humble in the way he spoke to her. Like she had all the power in the world.
Then, there was the way he touched her, the way he made her feel was unlike anything she had ever felt before.
He had never seen her face. Never seen how awkward she looked in out of fashion clothes, but his touch made her beautiful. Like cinderella being enchanted before the ball. She bloomed with each caress and kiss.
His apartment was a world of darkness. He never turned on lights and maneuvered around his home with ease. He knew where everything was and could cook for himself. She even discovered that he shaved himself with a strait razor each morning. His sightless eyes half closed while his hands guided the sharp razor.
"I won't cut myself." he teased. She had been standing in the doorway of the bathroom watching him shave himself in the dark. "I never do."
"I can't believe you can do that." Emma said fearfully.
"I was born blind. My parents had me enrolled at a special school before I could even walk." he said simply.
"Piano to?" she asked.
"My grandfather taught me how to play. Took me on tour with him and everything. After that, I was hooked." he explained.
He was in a much better mood now that she was sleeping with him. He woke happier and more content than she had ever remembered him being. His music improved and he was nicer to the other players.
Emma wondered about his childhood. It must have been difficult to have a son born blind. How had they managed with other other children in the house?
She had yet to meet his parents then and Daniel hardly'[ spoke of them, or his childhood.
~ After a year and a half, he had asked her to marry him. He had given her a simple diamond ring because he was afraid a large stone would harm her playing.
"I guess I can marry you." she sighed. A happiness stirring inside her at the idea of being with this man forever.
Of his large hands running over her body forever. His calloused fingers tickling her skin when she got dressed in the morning. How he could always tell when she had fancy new under ware on. His hands exploring her body with curiosity and depth that it took her breath away.
She had no means of comparison, but she wondered if sighted men made love as well as Daniel did.
~ Emma tired to put on lipstick and failed at it. It was too red. What was she thinking? Her freckles stuck out too much and she should have had a professional select her colors. Nothing went with her copper colored hair. Her dress didn't fit right, and her makeup would never work.
She heard her fiancé come in the living room. Funny to think of him like that. Their black cat, Nox, meowing for attention at his feet.
The cat had been a gift to him. He had always liked cats, but never had one in his life. Apparently his parents were strictly opposed to the idea.
She had wondered why he didn't have a seeing eye dog. A companion to help him through the maze of London. She had only asked once, and Daniel very quickly, and bitterly told her he didn't like dogs.
Nox was clingy and needy but a sweet cat. He liked attention and would curl up in bed with Daniel. Her fiancé rubbing his hand over the soft black fur.
"Are we ready?" Daniel asked.
"As I'll ever be." Emma said sadly.
"Don't worry, you'll be fine." he told her.
"I'm meeting your mother for the first time. You said so yourself, you're the one she doted on." Emma told him.
His mother was going to hate her. She had never seen pictures of the woman, Daniel had no need, but she could imagine her as a ridged person. Someone who had to be strong and protective of her blind son. A fearful, tall matriarch with steely eyes.
"That's only because I was the cute one." he explained.
Emma rolled her eyes.
What if his mother hated her? What if she felt that she wasn't good enough for her son? Emma wiped off the lipstick and put on Chapstick instead.
"Alright, I'm ready." she said bravely.
Daniel took her hand, shouldered his bag and kissed her forehead.
"Don't worry. It's just a short trip to Paris. We'll be home on Monday. She'll love you." he said.