Chapter 32
The Letter and Voice of an Angel
Tino hummed quietly to himself as he sat in the family's home, deaf to the world surrounding him. His father merely looked on with quiet affection. Before it would have been a sharp rebuke and a command to return to work, but this time the boy's tune was for work. His new schoolwork at the conservatory of music was demanding but a grand new adventure for the whole family.
The piece they heard was a duet, for voice and piano. The young man continued to excel in his instrument despite no formal training. The music just flowed from his head to his fingertips. His mother insisted it was really from his heart. Whatever the source was, the melody was beautiful and uplifted the weary soul.
"Who's going to sing with you, Tino?" Claudia, his little sister beamed as she floated around the tiny room. Today she was a ballerina, performing in front of a large crowd at the American Ballet Theatre.
The boy shrugged his shoulders, "A girl from England. They say she's a prodigy."
Just like you, mijo, his father thought with pride. Hearing his son play, how wrong was he to deny his child his passion!
It took a considerable effort to fly in a young girl from across the world, but both music schools were willing to take the risk. The two performers were from impoverished districts and each school hoped to generate revenue and awareness by emphasizing their unique backgrounds. The orphan and the migrant worker, music was hope to those who had none.
The Latino family wondered about the young singer and hoped to see her at least once in person before the concert.
To their surprise, that moment came sooner than expected.
A month before the performance, Alice wrinkled her nose at the little shack she was led into.
Her guardian, Miss Piper was unexpectedly detained by a family emergency and couldn't make the flight, and her hotel had been closed due to a water break.
The soloist was on her own, as usual. Was it no wonder she was such a bitter child? Now look where she was - forced to bunk with her partner and his migrant worker family in their tiny shack.
The professor at the Fairmont Music Academy apologized profusely and promised to make amends, but perhaps she should look on it as a blessing. The two would have plenty of time to practice now.
Alice scowled. Why did she need to do this charity act with a boy who only learned how to play a few months ago? She could perform as a paid soloist and hold the rapt attention of thousands. This nobody only needed to accentuate her song, not his. It was ridiculous situation and certainly not a blessing!
Elisa took pity on the poor girl setting up a cot and curtaining up an area for privacy. It was certainly not the best situation for her to be in, but if Alice was going to be living in their house, she'd certainly be welcomed.
The two partners did not get along. Tino took offence at Alice's dismissal of his poor conditions. Who was she to judge? He wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but neither was she! At least his family was willing to take her in! She had no one.
And wasn't that the issue, he realized with a start.
He observed her throughout the day. She stuck to herself not because she was snobby but because she was shy. His parents and siblings' rapid fire Spanish and their informal jokes must have been an alien world to her.
And what world could they both coincide it? The one of music.
"C'mon. Let's try the piece. I could use the practice," Tino offered. He led her over to the piano which they had borrowed from the local church and installed in the tiny household's sitting room.
Alice preened for a second. Of course he needed the practice. She could sing an aria without any preparation at all, but as he played she realized how wrong she was.
Eyes closed, not even looking at the sheet music, Tino poured all of his emotion into his playing becoming completely lost in the song, and in doing so, drew her into his passion. The girl had always hit her notes in tune, but her emotion was sometimes lacking. There was no such flaw between the two as they played.
As the final chord resounded in the room, sudden applause rang out through the little household.
"Fabulousa! Encore, encore!" his family cheered. Tino and she accepted their praises in their native tongue with grace, but soon it was the Morante family who was listening to a foreign language.
"There should be a little more of a dynamic change here in the fifth measure to emphasize the end of the cadence. "
"I agree! Watch out for the shift to the slower tempo, you were rushing the arpeggio."
The two teenagers chatted and re-ran through the arrangement throughout the night, never noticing the bustling family around them. Tino's mother discreetly left warm tea and simple sandwiches for them to munch on while they practiced. While it was difficult getting the pair to even talk to each other before, now it was getting them to stop that was the problem. Roberto Morante finally put his foot down at one in the morning citing the children not to strain their voices or their hands.
Sunday was dedicated to attending mass, and Tino's mother and father gladly took the girl along as she timidly requested to join. The brunette enjoyed hearing the Spanish influences in the hymns and the simple guitar which accompanied it. The music was quite different from a traditional Latin choral air, but in a wonderful way!
Alice smiled that night in her impromptu living area. Sure it may not have been the Ritz or the Waldorf Astoria, but she had felt happy for the first time in ages.
TBAATBAATBAATBAATBAA
Elisa noticed the worn teddy bear that Alice carried around even across oceans. As she hemmed a shirt of her husband's that ripped on an errant nail, the mother could see the English girl watching her carefully.
"Here, Alice, let me show you what I'm doing. Maybe we can touch up Mr. Bear. I have the perfect button that we can use for his eye."
TBAATBAATBAATBAATBAA
Tino's siblings of course made her join in an impromptu football game. It had been so long since she could relax and act like a kid. From the moment of her discovery, Alice's entire life had been full of vocal practice and theory lessons. It was nice to kick a ball around and not think of anything at all.
Roberto's call to dinner halted their play. The migrant worker was stern in his actions, yet full of love enough to do anything for his children. Tino had spoken of his father's back injury, yet the man walked through the pain to right his wrong and ensure his son's enrollment in the music academy. Yet another example of what a father should be, Alice thought in her heart.
TBAATBAATBAATBAATBAA
The weeks passed quickly and soon the two were dressed in their concert attire, Alice in her formal dress, Tino in a suit, waiting in the wings of the grand concert hall in the big city. The boy felt ridiculous in his outfit wishing for the comfort of his jeans. The girl was an old hand at performances and she could see his discomfort was from nerves, not his clothes. Unusually she felt anxious too. She hadn't felt like this since her concert in New York.
Roberto felt just as uncomfortable dressed in his Sunday best while being surrounded by the upper echelons of elite society. These people were a far cry from the migrant workers he was used to. The patrons of classical music contributed thousands of dollars in donations to that cause without batting an eyelid in hesitation. He could barely put food on the table some nights, but he knew what to do to calm worried children.
He took each of the youth's hands in his bidding them to do the same. Alice willingly took Tino's work roughened hand in hers. She knew that despite the scars and callouses the boy could make the most beautiful music with them. Beauty was in the eye of the beholder. Gathered in a small circle the pair listened to the father's words.
"Lord, you have given us so many talents. May the music that Alice and Tino play today connect with heaven and unite the hearts of those who listen. We offer you this song as a prayer to your great glory. Amen."
The man gave each child an affectionate hug. "Play to God, mijos."
That night Alice sang to heaven, but the tears in her eyes this time was for the family who so lovingly took her into their caring embrace.
Thanks to CountryGirlz029 for reminding me I have 10 chapters of backlog to upload. I honestly have stopped watching Touched by an Angel, but I hope to get back to it along with future chapters. Thanks for everyone's patience.
Grignard