Page 50 of Play Me

Chapter Fifteen

CADENCE

It’s been three days since the incident at Patrick’s club and I’ve pretty much seen nothing but the inside of my bedroom. After I left the hotel Sarah brought me home and won’t leave my side. I had to get a doctor to come see me and tell her that I was OK to get back to my life.

A month ago I would’ve told you that laid up in bed for a half a week, what I’d miss most was my kids. But it turns out, all I could think about was the band and missing rehearsals. Missing the banter, missing the music, and yes, missing Sebastian.

What was I going to do when he wasn’t going to be a part of my life anymore?

“Watcha thinkin’ about?” Sarah asks me, her attention still on the road.

She’s offered to take me to rehearsal, and I couldn’t refuse, after everything she’d done for me.

“Um, nothing, just hoping I haven’t become too rusty after no practice for the last few days.”

“You’ll be fine, honey, they’ll understand.”

“I know, but they shouldn’t have to. I don’t want to set them back because I haven’t been up to it, this is serious stuff. It’s just some fun for me, but they’re big business. Big money.”

“Don’t we know it.” Sarah winks at me, and I cringe a little inside. Now that I know the band and the kind of people and musicians they are...and how much fun I have spending time with them, I would’ve done all of it for the experience alone.

The money is the right thing for the school. I just wonder if it was the right thing for me.

***

“He’s not here?” I ask when I get upstairs, not seeing Sebastian around.

“Um, no babe. No big deal, he, er, wasn’t feeling real well this morning.” Brad says, patting me gently on the arm.

“Is it because of me?” I ask, knowing the answer already.

“Wha? No! Jez’s paranoia’s rubbing off on you.”

I know he’s not telling the truth, but I’m not ready to make a thing of it yet.

I scared him off. That night in his bedroom after the incident, I pushed him too far. He had to help me, he’s too good to have just left, but I haven’t seen him since. He just wants to make it clear that he’s holding up his part of the bargain.

I can’t complain, I’m the one who’s held him at arm’s length for a month. And now I’m getting what I wanted all along. And now suddenly five more weeks sounds like a sentence in hell.

***

“Miss Bray?” Jenny, the orchestra’s first flute comes up to me after our weekly Friday rehearsal. A small, sweet Taiwanese girl, I’ve heard her speak maybe ten words all year. But I feel like I know her just as well as any of my kids. It’s just all our communication is through the music. She wears her heart on every note she plays.

“Jenny, is everything all right?” I feel bad once I say it, not wanting to seem so alarmed that she’s come to talk to me.

“Um, no, I don’t want to bother you but...?”

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t think I can be part of the orchestra anymore.”

I am momentarily shocked. She’s been a part of the band for four years, since year eight and now, in her final year, she’s thinking of leaving?

“But, why?”

She goes quiet, looking up at me, and I can see tears starting to fall.

I lay my hand gingerly on her shoulder and lead her to some chairs. She sits down and I reach over to squeeze her hand.