Only once in your life you find someone
Who will turn your world around
Pick you up when you're feeling down
Now nothing can change what you mean to me
There's a lot that I could say
But just hold me now
Cause our love will light the way
Baby you're all that I want
When you're lying here in my arms
I'm finding it hard to believe
We're in heaven
And love is all that I need
And I found there in your heart
It isn't too hard to see,
We're in heaven
-'Heaven', Candlelight version, DJ Sammy
Disclaimer: Me? Never
AN: Sort of a follow up of "A Prayer for the Sleeper", but you know, it kinda stands alone. I don't play the piano myself, so, you know… The song up the top is really beautiful, however, if you ever get the chance…
By the way, thanks to who everyone who read APFTS. I seriously didn't expect that big of a response, so I was totally blown! Thanks guys, you'll probably hear from me, because I'm in a reviewing mood…
Candlelit Piano
Andy bought a piano.
Yeah, you read that right. A piano. Okay, so I'm the not most musically inclined in this house. I thought that mum had conned him into it. She's always banging on about how I should take something like an out-of-school activity, and knowing her…
But, I was wrong.
The piano was sitting in the living room, all polished and shinny when I walked in from a shopping trip with CeeCee. Andy was standing by it, grinning madly as Doc-David-tinkled away. "Do you like it, Suze?" He asked. Andy that is, not David. David was too busy playing away on the black and white keys to notice I was there. "Um," I said, "Yeah, its cool"
Later, after we had dinner (Lemon and basil Chicken served with garden salad rolls), Dopey-Brad, I mean-tried killing it. The piano that is, not dinner. I wasn't surprised (come on, we're talking about Dopey), but then Sleepy-Jake, Jake, I mean Jake-kicked him off, sat down, and had a go. It was pretty good. Like Doc, Sleepy knew how to work those keys. I figured that their mother taught them, because Dopey became all sulky and eventually left. Andy watched his son leave, face blank, then he turned to me, smiling. "I don't play it myself, but this piano is for all of us, Suze. Would you like me to arrange lessons?" Mum was giving me that 'do this or else' look, so, sighing, I said, "Sure"
I so did not need piano lessons on top of shifter lessons, but I figured if anything, it should give me a good excuse to dodge Paul every now and then.
So anyway, after that little family interlude, I ducked up to my room and sunk down on my bed. Jesse…
I could have sworn he'd been here the other night. Alright, so maybe that'd been my dream. You know, the whole, 'Jesse's-mine-forever' thing where my Latino Lovely and I got married. I'm not kidding, it was all there! Jesse, Jesse, Jesse… I could totally see it: a white house, with stables because I knew he'd like the idea of horses. And it over looked the sea, so we could just sit on the porch and watch the waves. Our bedroom faced where the sun set, and it had a window seat, so I could just lay there in bed and love the way the light made him all shadows, with his eyes all dark and glow-ly. I had white linen, silk sheets, and a rose garden. And then… and then, just before I woke up, there was Jesse, standing in the door frame, leaning against it, smiling at me with so much love that my heart flipped.
I laid there, in bed, wondering where he was, and dreaming about my dream.
Querida.
Someone had called me that last night, I know it.
Querida.
My eyes drifted close, and I thought I could hear the piano, playing a sad, haunting song. Piano… our kids were going to learn how to play the piano, and my youngest, a little girl with dark, pretty eyes and crisp black curls, would be the best at it…
Querida.
Slowly, my eyes flickered open. Hang on… the piano was still going. Frowning, I stood up and padded out of my bedroom and down the stairs. There was a soft glow coming from the living room, so I readied myself. What if this was one of Paul's boyfriends, come to do his dirty work again? God, I hated that freak-
I stopped. It was a ghost alright, but not one of Paul's.
Jesse sat on the smooth bench, his long tanned fingers dancing across the keys. The song he'd been playing seemed louder, softer, and sadder up close, and I gulped. He must have heard me (damn super ghost senses), because he suddenly slammed down on the keys and spun in his seat, blinking at me. "Susannah," He said in surprise. "I did not realize that I had awoken you" He stood as if to go so I stopped him by placing a hand on his arm. I saw him tense, so I took it away quickly. I thought declaring your love was meant to make things easier?
"Where did you learn to play?" I asked, sitting down on the bench and looking over the keys. Jesse shifted uncomfortably, then, sat down beside me. "My mother" He replied softly. I glanced away. Why did everyone seem to learn these things from their mums?
"Do you know how to play?" I glanced back at Jesse to see that his eyes were as dark as always. Even though his slight glow illuminated the piano, his face was all shadows. "No" I answered when I remembered how to breathe. "I don't. Andy's got lessons lined up, though"
He nodded in understanding, his eyes going to the music sheet propped up by the bars. "Would you like to learn, Susannah?"
I licked my lips, then remembering that I'd have to get some more lip balm, I managed to pull off my answer in a cool voice. "Sure"
As Jesse ran through what I supposed were the basics, I couldn't help but think of my dream. Just the thought of Jesse, teaching our daughter the very same things…
"No, no, Susannah" His soft voice broke through my thoughts, and suddenly he was standing behind me, his hands on top of mine. "It's this key here that you should be playing"
He gently brought them down, and the piano gave a slight sound. Slowly, with Jesse guiding my clumsy fingers, we let note after note pour out, joining them up to make the same melody that I had followed down the stairs. I was enjoying this lesson; Jesse's warmth was all around me, and for one moment, I could just forget about everything…
Stopping just as suddenly as he first had, Jesse began trembling. "What's wrong?" I felt surprised. I hadn't creeped him out with my morning breath, had I? Turning slightly, I looked up at his face. His eyes were looking at everything but me and I felt my heart sink. Oh no…
"Susannah," Jesse breathed. Then his eyes flicked to me and my heart stopped. His dark, beautiful, sad eyes were shinning at me with so much passion that I would have taken a step back if I'd been standing. "Susannah, you have no idea how much I have prayed for a moment to-" His lips were so achingly close, and judging by the way he had paused to gulp, I think he noticed as well. "Susannah, I-"
"Suze, what the hell are you doing?"
I snapped around to Dopey, scowling as Jesse dejectedly sighed and dematerialized. Scowling at Dopey, that is, not Jesse. "I was trying to be alone, Brad" I hissed.
My dope of a step-brother frowned, and looked around the room. "Where is he?" He demanded.
"Where's who?" Jesse… We just never had the right time, did we?
Dopey frowned even harder, and stepped up to the piano. "You know, that guy you've been sneaking in here. He was the one playing the piano, wasn't he?"
No duh, Einstein.
"You're nuts," I declared. "I was here by myself, trying out some… musical stuff"
Oh yeah, I'm in the zone!
Brad glared at me, then looked down at the piano, his face softening. "My mum played" He said quietly. "She tried teaching me, but I never got it"
Instead of saying "That's probably because you were too busy being a jerk" I just settled for, "Well, you don't have to beat yourself up over it. Mums are great for loving us even if we disappoint them" All this from personal experience, Bradley.
"Yeah, well…" Dopey trailed off, glancing over at me, then back to the piano. "Do you mind if I just stay here, alone?"
I rolled my eyes, but got up from the seat anyway. "Sure, it's all yours"
He nodded "Thanks. By the way-" I glared daggers at him. Say it, Brad. Just dare. "That guy of yours plays good"
I scowled and bolted before the temptation to sucker punch him became too strong.
As I walked up the stairs, I could hear him pressing a few of the keys down, and I sighed, hoping that I had something to block my ears with. Still, at least he was trying…
Settling down into my pillows, I let my eyes close. I was almost asleep when I heard the slight sound of someone trying not to make any noise, then a hushed, "You did the right thing, Querida.."
But I was probably dreaming, anyway.