Three Girls Book Two Chapter Eight Adagios and Acceptance by Andrea Lena DiMaggio

Previously...

She closed her eyes as the music soothed her heart; the sad but hopeful melody and countermelodies evoking tears, which cleansed her hurt even as they lifted her soul. She had given up almost all hope for a life that would include both her music and her…HER…that her life would include the woman she had hoped she would become; already helping others come to know. For now, Elaine was a good friend to as many as she could be, even if only a few of them knew her as someone other than Alan Petrovich. The music seemed to wrap her in a blanket of knowing acceptance; as if Pyotr himself had written the piece with a mind to warm her soul. Bright and hopeful and joyful would visit her with the next movement, but for now it was the strong connection that she bore with the near despairing tune that would touch her heart. First with her beloved Viola…then with the violin and finally her cello. HER music…Elaine Petronova.

Alan's neighborhood...

The bus stopped and the car behind it pulled over to the curb.

“Hey, where you heading? I thought you were coming over for dinner tonight." Gennie called out as Alan got off the bus.

“Oh…Hi, Gennie,” Alan said and put his head down, trying not to make eye contact with her.

“Oh no you don’t.” We have a date,” she practically shouted, and Alan was thankful that the Capaldi twins had stayed late for a yearbook meeting. Gennie actually thought about the word even as it escaped her mouth; ‘date’ didn’t quite describe what she had planned, but it really was a nice word.

“I don’t feel so good, Gen…I think I just want to go home and lie down.” Alan wasn’t lying. He had almost lost hope of ever seeing things change; Pyotr Ilytch’s soft steady encouragement to the contrary. He was so sick that even the thought of being by himself was actually discouraging because he didn’t even have the energy to play and dress. His only solace was that his mother still was two days away from her return home; maybe he’d feel better tomorrow?

“Come on, kid…things can’t be that bad.”

They weren’t that bad; they were worse. When he had gotten off work the other night he had forgotten to ask about the mail. Looking at the letters in the morning he had discovered that his scholarship for track had been cut due to the economy. And another letter informed him that the orchestra had no scholarships available for viola; he could apply again the following spring or accept a one year scholarship based on his cello audition. Two things taken away from a boy who had very little to begin with.

“Aw, shit, honey…here…let me get that,” she said as she softly removed his backpack from his shoulder. He turned to her to thank her and his eyes rolled back in his head and he fell to the ground.

Gennie's parents home, three blocks away...

She tried to sit up but was overcome with a wave of nausea. She put her head back down on the pillow and turned to the side. A woman seemed to be floating sideways, but she soon realized it was because of her view. Once again she tried to sit up, but slower and more carefully. A voice came from off to her right; everything seemed blurred and sounded like she was underwater.

“Hey, kid…you okay? You gave me quite a scare there.” Gennie leaned closer and handed Alan an ice pack.

“I managed to get you on your feet and to our house. My mom came over after work. Our doc was by; you’ve got some virus, and an ear infection.” Alan stared at Gennie blankly but vaguely remembered a kind man with a nice smile.

“Most docs wouldn’t have come, but since it’s my uncle Randy, you got the royal treatment.” She smiled and poked him in the arm before adding,

“Oh…yeah…He says to stop taking your mom’s pills until you see the right doctor, okay?”

“You told him? You promised.”

“He asked if you’d been taking any meds and I said I wasn’t sure. He grabbed your backpack and found the pills. I would have stopped him but I figured you really needed to listen to what he had to say.

“Gennie?” the boy looked at her and then burst into tears.

“Thus the near-girl proves my point,” she laughed softly but shook her head.

“My cousin Shelly goes to a good doctor that helped her when she made the move.” Meav O’Hara called from the kitchen. “You can tell her we sent you…don’t worry, she understands kids like you.”

“Here,” she said, handing a cold bottle of water. “Randy said you really need to hydrate; that’s why you passed out…that and what he said about the pills.” The boy put his head down, trying to choke back some tears. She put her hand on the boy’s shoulder, causing him to wince only a bit; his need for contact overcame his fear and he struggled to sit up once again; this time to move closer to the comfort Gennie’s mom provided.

“Listen…if you don’t mind, I’d like to help. I can be with you and Gennie when you tell her about what happened tonight.” She squeezed the boy’s hand before continuing;

“This is too serious to keep from your parents; they need to know. I’ll be happy to talk to her.”

“Oh…that’s…you don’t…have to…” The boy was pushing away help even as his heart was screaming for it.

“Nonsense,” Meav said. “You’ve really been like a member of the family, honey, and I’ve known your mom since she beat me out for your father….” She stopped in mid-sentence and turned red.

“Oh, gosh, honey..I’m so sorry.”

“Thaat’ss….oh…kay, Mrs. O….it’s ….alright.

“And I’ll help you talk to your dad as well, okay?” Gennie’s step-dad said as he walked into the living room. The family’s generosity and acceptance was both beautiful and tragic in that it demonstrated that someone understood; sadly it wasn’t his own family that understood. But the boy was also torn; he was grateful for the love he’d been shown, but felt so exposed and ashamed that his secret was no longer safe. He would have felt betrayed but for the fact that Gennie couldn’t help him bear his burden alone.

Alan managed to keep from crying any harder until Meav sat down on the couch next to him and said softly,

“It’s okay, honey…Gen told me all about you…Elaine?” The boy disappeared, replaced by a very sensitive and talented but insecure girl who melted into her best friend’s mother’s arms in a sea of tears.
“It’s okay.”

Two days later at the Peterson home...

“Alan?” Sue Peterson laid her purse on the kitchen counter and paused.

“Cello? He hasn’t played cello in months. Vivaldi…jazz riffs?” She called down the hall once again when the music stopped.

“Honey?”

“In here, Mom, “a voice called from the second bedroom. She stepped through the doorway expecting to see her child, and she did; just not in a way she expected. Sitting in a folding chair she saw a young lady; about eighteen or so, holding bow to bridge. Her face was almost serene in her peace. She looked up and smiled.

“Alan?” Susan shook her head; whoever this young lady was, she couldn’t be her son, could she? The answer came immediately.

“Hi, Mom! Welcome home.”

Concertos and Confessions

Concerto #26 in Do Maggiore, RV 479
composed by Antonio Vivaldi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhvZeKBQHww

Next: Concertos and Confessions