Until We're Together Again
Disclaimer: Clock Tower is not mine…yet.
Chapter Two: I'll Be Alright
20 July
My lessons are coming along nicely, and I can play the beginning of "Fantasy Impromptu" almost perfectly! But I'm worried about Daddy…He's been a little distant lately, always lost in thought and often seems worried. I wonder if it is because of the war everyone is talking about. I'm sure everything is fine, but I do hope he cheers up soon. Meanwhile, I've got to keep practising.
William Norton sighed, hanging up his hat. Even though he had gotten home earlier than normal, it had still been an exhausting, stressful day, and he was not looking forward to telling May the news. He headed into the backroom and started up the stairs to May's room, stopping when a faint melody drifted to his ears.
She must be practising. The tailor smiled at his daughter's devotion to her playing. He went back downstairs and opened the door to the den.
As he had suspected, May sat at the piano, so absorbed in her playing that she did not even seem to notice as he entered the room. She wore her favorite outfit-a plaid jumper over a long-sleeved, pink wool shirt, with blackish knee-socks and shoes. Her pigtails were tied this time with pink ribbons.
Shutting the door quietly behind him, William slowly made his way over to her. How would he tell her? How would she react? The very thought of making her cry was heartbreaking. His darling May meant everything to him…
The caring father gently placed his hands on his daughter's shoulders, causing her to stop playing and turn. Seeing that it was him, her face lit up.
"Daddy, you're home early!"
Unable to watch as that happy expression would fall, he let his hands fall from her shoulders and trudged past her. She turned in her seat, eyes following him. "May, I've got something to tell you…" He paused, sitting down in a chair in the middle of the warmly-lit room. "Daddy's going off…to war…"
May stood, her face confused. "War?" she repeated.
"I hate the thought of leaving you all alone." He gave her a sad glance, before looking away in shame. "I feel dreadful."
To his surprise, the twelve-year-old smiled. "I'll be alright." She ran over to him and clasped his hands. "But what about you? You'll be sad and miss me while you're at war, won't you?"
"Of course." he replied, pulling her into his lap. "You're the most precious thing to me in the entire world."
"Daddy, don't forget, the Piano Concours is on Christmas Eve. The winner will have their performance aired on the radio." May wrapped her arms around him. "I'll practise really hard, so you can hear me when you're out in the war."
William looked down, shocked by how wonderful his daughter was being about all this. "That would be wonderful." He looked up at her smiling face. "The competition will be fierce, but if you go to your lessons and practice properly, I'm sure you can do it." He put his hand on her shoulder reassuringly.
"I've already chosen the piece I'm going to play-listen." She rummaged around in his jacket pocket and pulled out his gold pocket watch and pressing the button on top. The lid popped open, and a beautiful melody started to play. "You told me this watch was a present from Mummy when you got married. I'll play this in the Concours, so you can think of me and her, then it will be like we're all together again!" She handed the watch back to him and got up, hurrying over to the piano. Sitting down, she started to play it.
Tears in his eyes, William stood and watched his daughter. Thinking of his late wife and his beloved daughter, he glanced down at the watch. How he missed his wife…and how he would miss his May…He clasped his pocket watch tightly in both hands.
May made a mistake and chuckled looking back at him. "I've still got a lot of work to do but Mr. Phillips says I'm doing wonderfully!"
William walked over and placed his hand on her shoulder, smiling down at her with misty eyes. She smiled back and started to play again, from the beginning. The father and daughter spend the rest of the night like this…
Together.