“Music is magic, because sometimes it tells the story words can’t… You learn to master the piano, and you’ll have a best friend for life.”
I look up at him, smaller then, lighter.
“So I can make magic happen just like you?”
His smile is warm, steady. He leans down and presses a kiss to the top of my head.
“You, sweetheart, are the magic. Music just helps you express it.”
The memory fades as quickly as it came, leaving something warm and aching behind.
I press a note. Then another. Tentative.
The sound is familiar and warm. It settles in my bones and makes my mind go still.
It’s like meeting an old friend.
And just like that, I start to play.
???
Dexter
I put my gym bag on a table as I enter the bar. Boxing with Jude tonight helped me quiet my head, put things into perspective. I needed the outlet.
I look around. Chairs are stacked. Lights dimmed. The last glasses dry on the rack behind the counter.
I’m about to head up to my apartment when I hear it.
The piano.
I turn and walk around the bar slowly. More notes drift through the room.
I stop.
The old piano on the small stage hasn’t been touched in months.
Curiosity pulls me closer. By the time I reach the edge of the bar, I see her.
Lexy.
Lost in the music, eyes closed.
Her fingers glide over the keys, hesitant at first, then confident. The melody grows richer, filling the empty room.
Then she starts to sing. Low at first. Soft.
And suddenly I recognize the song.
Wild Horses by the Rolling Stones.
Her voice wraps around the melody in a way I’ve never heard before. It’s raw. Fragile. Like every word means something to her.
She’s completely unaware she isn’t alone anymore.
For a moment, I just stand there and listen.
The whole bar feels different.
