Life in notes - 1. Chapter 1

Lightly he pressed each key. Soothingly, like a father touching his first born son. Until, like a whirl wind, his hands became heavy and he slammed down each piece of ivory. Viciously he pounded, seemingly every key before him. His fingers raced across the surface finding his final note. With an exhale, he ended his musical agony. Silence filled the room, tears ran down his cheeks, and his emotions crashed upon him.

It had been two years since Luke had played his piano. It had been two years since his mother died. He swore he would never play another note. His mother loved to hear him play. In fact she loved it so much she would never stop pleading for him to play. It was her constant push that gave him the desire to continue. With her death not only had he lost his mother but he lost his drive for music.

Luke’s mother was a cheerful woman, who constantly hummed a tune. Her beautiful brown hair turned to grey as the years passed by. Even though the years aged her she seemed unscathed by life’s bitterness. Her style was timeless and her spirit was nothing less than youthful. She was Luke’s biggest fan and best friend. It was only the year before she died that she showed signs of her sickness. Still all the while she pushed her son on to greatness because she knew better than any that her son was destined to be great.

Instead of his mother’s clapping, Luke heard silence. His tears came suddenly, as sobs racked through his body. He played once more for his mother. Obviously she could not hear him but he played in honor of her. He wished his mother could hear him. With every fiber of his being Luke wished he could hear her clap one more time. He wanted to hug her one more time. Two years had not taken away that desire.

The past two years had turned this vibrant teenager into a self-loathing 17 year old. Hours after his mother’s death Luke changed. He was no longer, as his aunt would describe, all dimples. He found no pleasure in anything. His world had fallen apart and no one was able to put it back together. The only one he wanted to fix it was now buried 6 feet under the ground and he could not wrap his mind around it.

Today he would change that. Instead of living in the after math of his mother’s death, he would live because of her. He didn’t know if he was brave enough. All Luke knew was if he didn’t do something he would lose his mother forever. Her memory slipped away from him daily now it seemed. The only link he had to her was the piano he neglected all this time.

Luke stood from his piano bench, drying his tears. He could smell his aunts cooking down stairs and knew she would be wondering what all the ruckus was about. He knew she would instantly know he was finished mourning. He was ready to move on and live. Guilt washed over him as he walked down the stairs and into his kitchen. His aunt turned to him and froze. She opened her arms to him and he walked into her embrace. The tears rolled freely from both his eyes and his aunts.

“It was beautiful. I never thought I’d hear you play again.” Cathy, Luke’s aunt, almost whispered. Younger than her sister, so much about her reminded Luke of his mother. It was freaky how similar they looked and sounded. When Luke heard those words it was as if his mother was in that room with him.

“ I didn’t think I would ever play again either.” Luke sniffed as he broke Cathy’s embrace. He looked her in the eye and saw her joy. He knew how much she loved him. She had taken him in as her own. Everything inside of Luke wanted to pay her back for her kindness. It made him happy to know that just sitting down to play the piano was the just the beginning of him paying her back.

“Well, son, what made you want to play again?” Cathy asked now beaming. Her curiosity always got the better of her. If aunt Cathy was good for anything it was being nosy. But this time Luke knew it wasn’t mere curiosity but affection tied together with hope.

“College, aunt Cathy. I want to go to college.” He said for the first time ever hearing the words come out of his own mouth. It blew his mind in that moment. He realized, possibly for the first time, that he had a future without his mother. It tore him up inside. He had always needed his mother before, to do anything. Now he made this decision on his own.

“Oh, good!!!! We’ll get applications tomorrow. For now let’s get dinner ready and if you like I would love to hear you play some more.” Cathy shouted in excitement. This had been the first time she saw Luke happy since his mother had passed. She loved her sister and when she found out about her death the only thought in her mind other then grieving was making sure Luke would be o.k.

“ Ok Aunt Cathy. I’m starved but when were done eating I’ll play you anything you like.” Luke beamed. He smiled to himself as he watched his aunt dance around the kitchen. He always admired how she never lost heart or gave up on him. She had the determination his mother had. In her own way she pushed Luke harder than even his mother. For that he was forever grateful to her.

Luke began setting the table. He took long moments to inspect every plate, cup, and silver ware on the table. He checked for cleanliness and straightened every angle. He never considered himself to be OCD but his aunt constantly made fun of him for it. It was times like these that he caught himself and fought the urge to continue straightening the whole kitchen. His aunt was many things but neat was not one of them.

“You ready Luke? If you tried any harder to set the table i think we’d be here til morning.” Cathy said jokingly. There she went again making fun of him. He smiled at her and sat at his side of the table.

“Yes I am. Ready to be served!!!” He held his knife and fork and slammed them on the table like a cave man. He knew she hated when he did that but she would have to deal with it for making fun of him.

“O.k. hold your horses or I won’t serve you a thing.” She said bringing his plate to him. Cathy may not have been the tidiest woman in the world but she could cook. She made chefs look like understudies. It was her one gift in life. She had given up on her dream to become a head Chef of a restaurant a long time ago but she still lived in her glory when she cooked.

“Fine, I’ll stop but you forgot our drinks.” Luke said smugly. Even play fighting made Cathys forehead vein pop. It made him smile to see how upset he could make her. Aunt Cathy was a hot headed woman who never liked losing a pissing contest. Not that this exactly was a pissing contest but it was close enough.

“Why don’t you get off or your rear end and get em?” Cathy asked in a taunting tone. Tonight wasn’t the night for this. She walked to the refrigerator and grabbed two cokes so they could have dinner in peace. Tonight was a special night. Cathy didn’t want anything getting in the way of hearing Luke play a masterpiece.