...
...
Everytime I happen to turn my head
I catch your eye.
For several nights, you keep appearing in my dreams
All night long, how you torment me.
-Take My Hand
...
Musa recalled yesterday night's events in her mind. After thanking Kale again, and begging him not to tell anyone, she had tried to fall asleep next to Rhythm, but she was too stressed. She couldn't stop thinking about Riven, and how he'd shown up like that. It must have really hurt his pride that he saw her with another man, and Musa couldn't help but think that perhaps he had changed. Maybe he wasn't as proud and confident of himself as he was before. Nevertheless, she woke up this morning to huge bags under her eyes, and had gone to work looking more tired than ever. She couldn't play her beloved guitar without messing up, and so the day seemed to go from low to worse. Now that it was her break, she sat on a couch in the recording room, watching one of her artists recording a song, and talking to Layla.
"Honey, you're pretty heartless too. You know that look Riven had on his face when he saw me giving your address to him?"
"Lay, he has a fiancée! What am I supposed to do? And how was I supposed to know that Kale is his brother-in-law?" Musa propped the cell phone between her shoulder and her cheek while telling Layla the whole story. After chewing her out, and finding out that it was Layla who'd given Riven her address (and her key, too, that idiot!) she still didn't feel at ease. She'd wanted to see him for so long, but she had Rhythm now-surely Riven wouldn't take the news of having a son calmly. "I just don't think it's a good idea for both Rhythm and Riven. I think we're better off like we are now. Besides, we used to get into tons of fights back then. I doubt that anything will change in the future."
"Are you sure about that?" Layla asked.
"Positive."
"Good. Because Riven's going to your studio."
"WHAT?"
"You said you didn't have any more feelings for him, so I'm sure you can control yourself for the next couple of hours. Bye!" Layla said, hanging up on her. Musa's eyes widened as she yelled into the phone, and threw it on the couch. "Dang!" She cried out in nervousness. Just the thought of him coming made her on edge, and she panicked, remembering how tired and worn out she'd looked this morning. Making a mad dash to the bathroom, she quickly checked her outfit and her hair. Straightening her shirt, making sure her black jeans had no wrinkles, she ran her fingers through her hair before remembering that she'd left Rhythm in the recording studio. Running back, she asked the recording crew if they'd seen him, but he'd wandered off, just like last time.
Not again, Musa thought in exasperation.
"Hey little buddy. Where's your mom?"
Pop. Pop.
Clang.
Riven looked at the little boy who was playing with the vending machine. His fingers pressed at the buttons with amusement, while he stuck his hand into the change box, trying to feel for coins. His eyes were widened, like a doe's, but when he frowned, they looked like Riven's. He couldn't help but feel like this boy was a spitting image of him-when he was a child, he looked exactly like him. Feeling nostalgic, he smiled at the child and brushed his hair tenderly. "You hungry, kiddo?" He asked, and the boy nodded. Grinning, Riven picked him up in one arm and put some coins into the machine. "Choose one." The boy pointed to a package of cookies, and as Riven pressed the button, he lowered him and let him take the snack.
"What's your name?"
"Rhythm. Rhythm Melody."
Riven almost laughed. Was this mother trying to ward off her son's future social life? With a name like that, what if the boy turned out to be terrible in music? He would end up contradicting himself! Grinning, he realized that the boy's first name sounded nearly like his. "Does your mom work here?" He asked, wondering if that was the reason why he was left alone in such a big office area. The boy nodded, and Riven laughed at his cuteness. "What's your mom's name?" He asked him, as the boy nibbled on his cookies. "Mommy," the boy replied straightforwardly, and Riven chuckled.
"Rhythm!"
Suddenly, someone grabbed him from Riven's arms, and Riven's eyes widened.
"Oh, mommy is so sorry, baby. Come here. I'm so sorry-" The woman said, hugging him tightly. Burying her face into her child's neck, she hugged him tighter. "I'm really sorry, Kale, that you had to do this again-I'm such a terrible mother, I keep losing him. Thanks for always helping us out, I'm already editing your demo tape," the woman said, looking up, before she froze.
"And so we meet again," Riven said, crossing his arms.
