The Music In My Heart

Chapter 30

Eleanora's POV

Carter practically sat at the edge of her seat the moment she realized I was going to play the only piece I knew on piano for her.

She's that easily excited about music- or me- could be both.. I'll say both.

I took a deep breath before playing the leading melody. Knowing Carter, she'd dive into the music with those ears of hers and I'd give her a week for her to replicate everything and if not, she'll give her two cents of her version of this piece.

I softly giggled to myself as I continued playing and I heard the sweet girl softly gasp proving my thoughts correctly- she's something.

The way Carter makes me happy, it reminded me of how happy I was growing up learning to play the violin; I wanted to be just like my grandmother: elegant and fierce with her instruments.

I remember one night I tried to tune my violin by myself before she gave me my night lessons and I popped the damn g-string... 

I shook my head as I reminisced at how much of a pervert I am for smiling at that last part.

I cried that night realizing what I had done and I quickly schemed up a way to 'fix' my mistake and after dinner, it was time to practice with grandmother. It was horrendously out of tune to the point her reflexes spazzed so hard that she threw her baton, for conducting, straight up into the ceiling and it got stuck.

I almost choked a laugh as I come back to reality and I continue with the piece.

I can see out my peripheral vision that Carter is sitting on the edge of her seat she's that into this.

I go back to playing and my thoughts drifted to how embarrassed I was about scaring grandmother. That was also the first time I've ever heard her curse.

'Fuck- shit!' I could hear her Italian accent almost vividly.

I could practically relive my reaction to her reaction to my out of tune violin. How embarrassed I was to admitting that I hurt the one thing I loved; I was almost too scared to do anything on my own with a violin. I always thought that once the string is broken, the violin is broken too and you can't fix it..

Every first snow she played this piece. Whether it was on the violin or on the piano, whichever was the closest to her, she'd play this tune.

I play it on every first snow here in New York even after she passed. It was the only way I'd feel close to her and my childhood.

I could remember the times we'd play this as a duet around Christmas. I would play the violin while she played everything else on the piano. I'm still fascinated how pianists could comprehend all the voices with just their ears and fingers. Pianos are superior in classical music- especially in orchestras because the piano itself is the orchestra...

I could still hear it, I could feel the forgotten memories resurface through the touch of my fingertips.

Could she hear it?

Could Carter hear the sound of my old violin?

I can feel how cold the floor boards were through my comfy socks as a girl back in Italy gathered around by her family just the night before. The sound fire cracking faintly in the back... the windows would get blurry from the heat inside and the frost growing onto it on the outside. It always smelled of rum and vanilla. Lights were always dimmed and the Christmas tree actually smelled like a Christmas tree.

I miss it all so much...

".. you miss them," Carter's voice made me flinch.

"Oh- yes, my grandmother played with an international orchestra group seasonally. This was one of their introductory pieces and she continued playing it for the enjoyment.. she taught me how to play violin and this piece on piano before she passed," I softly smiled and I could see stars by the way Carter looked at me.