Chapter 31

As was usually the case with stores around the holidays, the mall seemingly changed overnight, shucking the autumn atmosphere of deep orange and dark brown colors, faux fall leaves, and warm homey scents in favor of cheerful reds and greens, fake snow, and aromas that conjured forth images of crisp winter air, sleigh rides, and hot chocolate.

Non-denominational Christmas music featuring Santa Claus and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer played over speakers positioned high in the domed rafters, just loud enough to be heard over the din of hundreds of holiday shoppers, but not so loud that it prevented people from having conversations as they moseyed from store to store.

All around us the smells of freshly brewed coffee, cinnamon rolls, and toast almonds beckoned us to abandon our straightforward path and venture over to the vendors stationed in the middle of the aisles, tempting us to stop and buy a treat or try a free sample of their wares. We had just barely started shopping and already my stomach was growling with anticipation.

"So, how did your Thanksgiving with Eddie go?" I asked Maddie as we slowly meandered our way toward her store. "Were the two of you able to come to an understanding and make up?"

"Yes," Maddie replied, and to my surprise, she actually looked humbled. "We did a lot of talking that night. He apologized for patronizing me, saying that he should have told me instead of letting me assume he was a vegetarian, and I told him I was sorry for just assuming that he was and getting angry when I found out otherwise. He made me realize that I've kinda been monopolizing the relationship and that I haven't really taken the time to get to know him on a deeper level…you know, beyond what I wanted to see."

"Wow, that's great!"

"It was. We stayed up all night and talked into the early morning hours, asking each other questions, figuring out what plans we had for the future, both together and as individuals." She cast me a sly, evil grin. "And the make-up sex wasn't bad, either. Let's just say I'm glad you turned me down about going shopping yesterday."

I laughed.

"How 'bout you? Have you talked to Jake yet?"

"No." I shook my head. "I'm taking the cowardly way out and waiting until Monday."

"Really?" Maddie stopped walking and turned to face me; her arms folded sternly across her chest. "You're going to wait until you're at work? Isn't that just the type of stuff you wanted to avoid?"

"Well, I'm not going to break up with him over the phone. That's just mean. I want to do it in person, but I also don't want to invite him over or go out somewhere and risk having him think it's another date, only to drop the bomb on him. This way, if I wait 'til after work, I can tell him and then go right home."

"Oh. So, in other words, you mean run away?"

"Yes."

Maddie laughed and shook her head in a 'what am I going to do with you' kind of way.

The two of us continued on, lazily winding our way down the promenade, taking in the sights and sounds as we went. We stopped to look at perfume and lotions, swung by a candle shop, and got lost for twenty minutes in a shoe store, where Maddie bought a pair of white fur-lined knee-high boots.

While the purpose of this shopping trip was supposed to be to buy something to make me feel better, I had a hard time focusing on myself. This was the season of giving, after all. I had friends I needed to buy gifts for, a trip back to Paris to plan, and the perfect present to find for Erik. Everywhere we went, I found myself constantly scanning my surroundings to see if there was something special that jumped out at me.

"You've gotten awfully quiet," Maddie commented when we sat down to eat lunch at the food court.

"Oh, sorry," I replied, stabbing at a piece of orange chicken. "I've been thinking about what I'd like to do for you and Rochelle for Christmas. Is there anything in particular you want or need?"

Maddie put her index finger against her cheek and chewed on her lip thoughtfully. "Hmm…I'd love a new scarf to wear when Eddie and I go to the cabin in the Rockies for that week between Christmas and New Year's. Something that matches the new boots I just bought."

"Okay. That's easy enough. What are you getting Rochelle?"

"Oh! You're going to love this! I put together this really cute outfit her for. It's a subtle green and white plaid skirt and a ribbed cream-colored long-sleeve mock turtleneck. I've got it in the backroom over at work. Thought I'd pick it up today while we were there. If you're looking for ideas on what to get her, a gold necklace and matching earring set would be perfect with it."

"All right. Thanks!"

Maddie always had such a keen eye when it came to clothing and what paired well together. I loved seeing what she came up with.

We finished eating and made our way across the aisle to the department store where she worked. Unlike the rest of the mall, which tended to feel smaller and darker, Maddie's store was bright and wide-open. The white linoleum floors had been polished to perfection and bright white light bounced off the gold and glass cases of jewelry and makeup situated in the very center of everything. Escalators bordered each side, one going up and another going down. Fancy red and gold bows had been fastened to everything, but rather than make it look gaudy or cluttered, the decorations made the store appear even more luxurious than it already was.

Thank God Maddie was letting me use her discount, or I would never be able to afford to shop here.

While Maddie ran to the back stockroom to grab the outfit she'd selected for Rochelle, I browsed the jewelry counter to see if I could find something to go with it that was within my budget. I settled on a yellow gold necklace composed of several dainty rings that were joined together side-by-side and a pair of gold drop hoop earrings. I also used the moment alone to select a pretty white, brown, and gray patterned scarf for Maddie. It felt kind of silly to buy her something from her own store using her discount, but I also knew Maddie had discerning tastes and usually bought the majority of her clothing from here, so I figured it was a safe bet.

Maddie had left instructions with the woman behind the counter to use her discount, so I paid for my purchases and sauntered over to the makeup counter to window shop while I waited for her to return.

The sound of something metal dragging across the floor caught my attention and I pivoted around to see a man in a tuxedo moving the red velvet ropes and brass posts that cordoned off a gorgeous black grand piano nestled between the two escalators. He then took a seat on the bench and flipped open a book of sheet music. Moments later, the soft notes of O Holy Night tinkled through the air.

As I watched him play, losing himself in the music, my thoughts inexorably turned to Erik. Was this how he would have looked when he played? Eyes closed, head tilted slightly to the side, body swaying in time with the music.

I gasped.

That's it! I suddenly knew what I could get him!

Quickly shuffling my bags from one hand to the other, I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and searched for the nearest music store. I was delighted to learn there was one not too far from here. My heart was beating so fast I could feel it in my throat. Of course, I wouldn't be able to buy him a grand piano, but I might be able to get him an electric keyboard. The purchase would dip into the money I had put away for our trip back to Paris, but I didn't care. It was worth it. He was worth it.

Shaking my hand anxiously, I silently pleaded with Maddie to hurry back so that we could wrap up our day and I could head over to the music shop on my way home.

XXX

The first thing that struck me when I walked through the doors of my local music store was not the sound of an electric guitar being tuned or the high pitched, almost brittle sound of someone repeatedly smashing the hi-hat cymbal on a drum set, but the thick, heady scent of resin and wood.

Electric guitars of all shapes, sizes, and colors lined the back wall from the floor to the ceiling and amps of equally varying sizes and features cluttered the floor in between. To my immediate left was the drum section where a boy about five or six was banging away on a TAMA drum set while his dad was busy looking at drumheads.

The large glass door to the acoustic guitar room opened a little farther down the way and I was immediately hit with the rich smell of wood again. In the distance, someone plugged an electric guitar into an amp and shakily played the first few notes of Smoke on the Water. Shortly after that, a man in his early twenties with long wavy blonde hair hooked up a Gibson Les Paul and shredded his way through Van Halen's Eruption and the poor kid playing the Deep Purple song unplugged and slunk away from the amp with his tail between his legs.

"Can I help you find something?" a pretty girl with short blue spikey hair, nose ring, and gauged ears asked.

"Hi. Yes. I'm looking to buy a keyboard," I told her.

"Okay, cool. Follow me."

I followed her as she led me off to the right and through another set of glass doors similar to the ones for the acoustic room. Once there, she called to a middle-aged gentleman who was currently fixing a mess of wires that connected several different keyboards displayed on racks mounted to the wall.

"Hey. This lady here needs a keyboard. Can you help her?" she announced.

The man turned to look at us and nodded. "Yeah, sure."

Honestly, the dude looked like he belonged in a Harley dealership rather than a music store. He had a graying mullet and wore a black leather motorcycle vest complete with metal conchos, faded blue jean shirt, light blue Wranglers, and black snakeskin cowboy boots. His fingers were adorned with silver rings, and he wore a silver cuff with three huge turquois stones on his left wrist.

"Do you know what kind of a keyboard you're looking for?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I have no idea. It's a Christmas present for a friend."

"Hmm. Okay. Is your friend a beginner or a seasoned player?"

"Definitely a seasoned player. He's used to playing a real piano," I added.

"Ah. So, we'll definitely want to look at something that has weighted keys then."

"Why?"

"Weighted keys feel like real piano keys. Here," he motioned for me to join him. "Press these keys here."

I walked over to him and did as I was told.

"And now try the keys on this one."

"Oh my god!" I exclaimed. "These keys make the keys on the first one I tried feel super fake. Like all plastic and flimsy." I pressed the keys on the second keyboard again. "I can't believe what a difference there is!"

"Exactly. And since you said your friend has been playing a long time, I'm willing to bet they'd want the full 88-key spread."

"Whatever gets me the closest to a real piano that's within my budget."

"What is your budget?"

I shrugged again. "I don't know…a couple hundred dollars, maybe."

He rubbed his goateed chin thoughtfully. "Hmm…I can get you a nice Yamaha for around four-fifty. It has everything you asked for."

Four-hundred-and-fifty dollars! I sucked in my breath.

"I don't know…."

That would definitely make a sizeable dent in my Paris fund.

"I'll throw in a keyboard stand and bench," he said.

Damn. I hadn't even thought of those. I felt like such a noob.

"Deal." I reached out and shook his hand.

"Awesome! Wait here and I'll go grab one in a box."

He disappeared through the double glass doors, leaving me all alone in the keyboard room. With nothing else to do, I fingered the weighted keys on the display model again and quietly mulled over my decision.

Four-hundred-and-fifty dollars was a hell of a lot of money to spend. I was taking a big risk, not knowing if Erik would even like something like this. I guess if he didn't, I could always return it and get my money back….

Then there was Paris. Here I had been so good at saving every spare cent I could to get Erik back to Paris in hopes of reuniting him with Christine Daaé, only to blow a considerable chunk of it on an impulsive purchase like this. Was I being selfish? Would Erik appreciate my gesture as much if he knew my decision was keeping him separated from his one true love for a little bit longer?

Before I could answer that question the salesman returned, waving at me through the glass double doors for me to follow him. Exiting back into the main area of the store, I saw that he had pushed a cart with a large nondescript box on it next to one of the cash registers on the right-hand side. On top of the big box was a smaller box, which I assumed contained the keyboard stand and bench.

"Do you need to get anything else before I ring you up?" he asked as I approached. "Sheet music, sustain pedals, headphones…?"

"Oh, uhh…." I'd totally forgotten about sheet music. I didn't know if Erik was the type of person that memorized every piece he played, but I'd hate to guess wrong and leave him with an instrument and nothing to play on it. "I'll need some sheet music and probably one of those pedal things."

"Can do. I'll run back and grab the pedals. You can browse our sheet music selection over there." He pointed to the large black case of books stationed closer to the guitar section. "Everything is divided up by instrument, so you should be able to find what you need easily enough."

I nodded and made my way over there while he ran in the back to find the sustain pedals. I was surprised at the amount of sheet music that covered songs by modern artists and bands, especially in the guitar and bass sections. Fortunately for me, they still had quite a collection of classical music as well. I selected a couple of books featuring the more famous and well-known composers, and on a last-minute whim I grabbed a book of blank sheet music. If I knew Erik, he would be happier composing his own stuff, and this gave him the opportunity to write down what he came up with.

Tucking the books under my arm, I walked back to the cash register and set them on the glass counter. The sustain pedals set me back another hundred dollars, but I resisted the urge to back out. They were necessary to create the most authentic piano experience, and I wanted Erik to have as close to the real thing as I could manage.

Besides, I told myself, if I spent some of the money I needed to get back to Paris, that just meant he'd have to stay with me a little while longer. And was that really a bad thing?

With that thought in mind, I gleefully handed the salesman my debit card, completed my purchase, and led him out to the parking lot so he could help me load everything into the back of my Jeep.

A/N: Betcha can't guess what job I had in my late teens/early twenties lol. Floyd, it's been 20 years since we worked together but I still think about you every now and then, and I hope you're doing well.