Satie's first year with the Cristof family was very exciting for the boy.
For the first time in his life, he went to school and took piano lessons.
The boy was beginning to start over, and was enjoying life with his new
family. The seven-year-old boy was growing up fast. One day, while
practicing his scales, his new parents entered the room to talk to him.
"Satie, we have an important announcement to make." Robert said, sitting near the piano.
"Yes?" Satie responded, still playing.
"In a few days, you are going to be presented to the court as Gabriel Saturn Cristof." Amelia stated with a proud look on her face.
"I thought I already was a Cristof." Satie asked, stopping to look at his mother and father.
"That's what we wanted to talk to you about. We couldn't put you under our name until a year later. Soon, it will be that time, and you will legally be our son. After the court visit, we'll be going to church to have you baptized." Robert answered.
Satie shrugged, which was a typical response for the boy. His parent noticed that he liked to keep to himself and was unusually quiet in social areas. Finally, the day at court came. Satie was dressed in his best, and so were his parents. The judge signed a few papers, looked sternly at the boy, and announced his name to the members of court. There was a short round of applause, and the Cristof family left for the church. The carriage ride was quiet, with Satie staring out of the tiny window. The beautiful scenery of the French countryside rolled by, with trees and flowers dotting the fields. The local vineyards were just beside the fields, the vines heavy with grapes.
*At the church
"Would Monsieur and Madame Cristof please come forward with their son." The priest beckoned from his pulpit. As the family walked toward the baptismal font, and priest stepped down to greet them.
"God has truly blessed the lives of these two people with a son of their own. They come before God and his people to be baptized in his name. Would the child please step forward?"
Satie nervously stepped forward, unsure of what was happening. The pontiff asked Satie the usual questions, and soon Satie felt cold drops of water on his head.
"I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
Satie stepped back with his parents. To his surprise, his father stepped towards the priest, also to be baptized. Then, his mother did the same.
The priest, with a serious look on his face, turned to the congregation when the ceremony was over.
"May I present, to this congregation, three new members of the family of God: Robert Abraham Philip Cristof, Amelia Marie Charlotte Blanc Cristof, and Gabriel Augustus Saturn Cristof."
After the entire thing was done, Robert and Amelia invited their friends and relations to a party at their estate. It was a beautiful early-summer afternoon, and there were many things to do. While Robert and Amelia socialized outside, Satie retired to the study, where his piano sat. It was a beautiful piano, painted ebony. The ivory keys were smooth and familiar, and Satie loved to run his hands over them. He sat on the cushioned seat and began to make up a song. It was slow and melodic, yet beautiful and soft. The notes blended together so wonderfully, and Satie dived into the world of music and played his heart out. He played for hours, never stopping. He played every song he knew and made up ones of his own. The notes were in his head, and when he closed his eyes, he could see them clearly. His parents found him, playing away.
"Robert, I'm very concerned about Satie. He doesn't want to socialize with anyone, and he spends all his time on the piano." Amelia said, concerned.
And so, with the note of concern, Satie's life would change dramatically.
*A Few Months later
It was Satie's eighth birthday party. He had not wanted one, but his parents insisted on throwing it for him. All the children whose parents were friends of the Cristofs were invited. They screamed and shouted, throwing cake and cookies all over everything. Satie just sat in his chair, quietly looking around; his hands folded in his lap.
"Amelia, I don't think it's working." Robert confided, shaking his head.
"Satie, we have an important announcement to make." Robert said, sitting near the piano.
"Yes?" Satie responded, still playing.
"In a few days, you are going to be presented to the court as Gabriel Saturn Cristof." Amelia stated with a proud look on her face.
"I thought I already was a Cristof." Satie asked, stopping to look at his mother and father.
"That's what we wanted to talk to you about. We couldn't put you under our name until a year later. Soon, it will be that time, and you will legally be our son. After the court visit, we'll be going to church to have you baptized." Robert answered.
Satie shrugged, which was a typical response for the boy. His parent noticed that he liked to keep to himself and was unusually quiet in social areas. Finally, the day at court came. Satie was dressed in his best, and so were his parents. The judge signed a few papers, looked sternly at the boy, and announced his name to the members of court. There was a short round of applause, and the Cristof family left for the church. The carriage ride was quiet, with Satie staring out of the tiny window. The beautiful scenery of the French countryside rolled by, with trees and flowers dotting the fields. The local vineyards were just beside the fields, the vines heavy with grapes.
*At the church
"Would Monsieur and Madame Cristof please come forward with their son." The priest beckoned from his pulpit. As the family walked toward the baptismal font, and priest stepped down to greet them.
"God has truly blessed the lives of these two people with a son of their own. They come before God and his people to be baptized in his name. Would the child please step forward?"
Satie nervously stepped forward, unsure of what was happening. The pontiff asked Satie the usual questions, and soon Satie felt cold drops of water on his head.
"I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
Satie stepped back with his parents. To his surprise, his father stepped towards the priest, also to be baptized. Then, his mother did the same.
The priest, with a serious look on his face, turned to the congregation when the ceremony was over.
"May I present, to this congregation, three new members of the family of God: Robert Abraham Philip Cristof, Amelia Marie Charlotte Blanc Cristof, and Gabriel Augustus Saturn Cristof."
After the entire thing was done, Robert and Amelia invited their friends and relations to a party at their estate. It was a beautiful early-summer afternoon, and there were many things to do. While Robert and Amelia socialized outside, Satie retired to the study, where his piano sat. It was a beautiful piano, painted ebony. The ivory keys were smooth and familiar, and Satie loved to run his hands over them. He sat on the cushioned seat and began to make up a song. It was slow and melodic, yet beautiful and soft. The notes blended together so wonderfully, and Satie dived into the world of music and played his heart out. He played for hours, never stopping. He played every song he knew and made up ones of his own. The notes were in his head, and when he closed his eyes, he could see them clearly. His parents found him, playing away.
"Robert, I'm very concerned about Satie. He doesn't want to socialize with anyone, and he spends all his time on the piano." Amelia said, concerned.
And so, with the note of concern, Satie's life would change dramatically.
*A Few Months later
It was Satie's eighth birthday party. He had not wanted one, but his parents insisted on throwing it for him. All the children whose parents were friends of the Cristofs were invited. They screamed and shouted, throwing cake and cookies all over everything. Satie just sat in his chair, quietly looking around; his hands folded in his lap.
"Amelia, I don't think it's working." Robert confided, shaking his head.
