MOZART STARTED YOUNG

Much to Sam's surprise, barely three months after starting kindergarten, Jake decided he wanted to take piano lessons.

Now this wasn't just a whim out of the blue. It had something to do with his first crush, or at least that's what his father had decided. You see, Jake's young student teacher, Ms. Cooper, played the piano. She played for the children everyday. Jake told his parents she played "the most beautiful music in the whole world".

Music lessons weren't a bad thing. Just something Jack and Sam never recalled from their own childhoods, so a little foreign. But Mozart started young, right?

So just before Thanksgiving, Jake started piano lessons. Not one to be left behind in anything, Grace insisted that she go too. Jake wasn't thrilled with the idea of his sister honing in on his new found endeavor. It became a little less special if she was learning to play at the same time. After all he'd been hoping for some special attention of his own.

But after awhile, Jake became used to Grace accompanying him to lessons at Midvale Music. More often than not, Jack was the designated driver for these outings and was the one who sat patiently through the lessons -- or at least semi-patiently. Jack had never waited patiently for much of anything in his entire lifetime. How he'd start now he didn't know.

After about 4 lessons, Grace decided she'd rather be home playing baseball during her free time. But Jake, well he seemed to have some natural musical ability. This led his teacher, Mrs. Cucci to enthuse about the little boy's potential.

"General O'Neill, I'm so pleased to teach Jake. He seems to have talent and loves to play. I'll bet he practices regularly."

In fact, the O'Neills had purchased a second hand upright once it was clear Jake was actually interested in lessons. Faithfully, nearly twenty minutes a day, without having to be reminded, Jake could be found practicing his piano lesson for the next week.

His first recital was after only twelve weeks of lessons. His featured piece was the ever present Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Jack and Sam heard this piece over and over and over again for weeks. It seemed the whole family was humming the melody in their sleep. Still, as with most parents, the O'Neills took pride in Jake's accomplishment. To Jack's way of thinking, his son played the piece perfectly, if he did say so himself.

Despite his love of music, especially opera, Jack O'Neill had never been to a piano recital for small children. Sam had some experience having attended one where her niece played several years ago. But nothing prepared the two for the nervous feeling they got as their firstborn embarked on his debut performance. You would have thought the boy was launching into outer space for the first time!

"What if he forgets what to do, Sam? He's only been playing three months," Jack stated, already starting to show more anxiety than when he was trapped in front of Ba'al.

"Then Mrs. Cucci will help him out," Sam reasoned logically. "She'll be sitting right next to the younger kids as they play their pieces. She'll cue him if he forgets or has stage fright. It'll be okay, Jack. He's excited; now don't spoil it for him."

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Ten minutes into the recital, Mrs. Cucci took center stage to announce the next student and his chosen piece.

"Next we'll hear from my newest student, Jake O'Neill. He's been taking lessons for only three months, but in that time he has shown great promise and has practiced very hard. This afternoon, he'll play an arrangement of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star".

As Jake sat at the piano, Sam noticed for the first time how his feet didn't yet reach the pedals. He looked so small up there. But he also looked pretty darned confident. A real O'Neill, she thought. As he began to play the familiar tune, it was clear that he knew what he was doing and had not forgotten a thing. From the seat next to her, Sam could hear her husband breathe a sigh of relief as the end of the song as they knew it approached.

As Jack prepared to cheer, Mrs. Cucci indicated that Jake would continue. Jake and his teacher proceeded to play a duet of a slightly different and more difficult arrangement. Though it seemed forever, because Jack was so nervous for Jake, the little boy's entire performance lasted less than five minutes and ended to a rousing set of applause, led of course by his proud parents.

As Jake bowed to the audience, he caught the proud smiles on his parents' faces and beamed back at them. Like the children before him, he then left the stage and returned to sit with his parents.

"Great job, slugger," Jack said, clapping him on the back.

"You were wonderful, Jake," Sam added, her eyes a bit misty.

"Okay. Let's go home and celebrate," Jack said, really relieved it was over.

"No, we can't go Daddy," Jake stated emphatically. "We have to listen to the rest of the class. Mrs. Cucci said it wouldn't be polite to leave until everyone was finished."

Just then the next student began to play and Jake firmly held his finger up in front of his mouth and shushed his father, looking just a bit sheepish as he did so. "We have to be quiet, Dad," he said softly. Then Jake took his own advice and turned to listen attentively to the music.

Almost immediately, Jack turned to Sam and asked, "The rest of the class? There must be twenty more kids on this program."

"Looks that way, Jack. Better get used to it, I think this is the first of many recitals," she whispered. "If you're good, there's cake when we get home," she added, squeezing his hand and giving him the glorious smile that promised so much more.

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A/N: Hope you liked this little piece. Had to cite Mrs. Cucci; she's my piano teacher.