Music in the Key of Love

Chapter 8: A Gift

Cressida wondered if things would be different for them, now that they'd kissed. She knew better than to expect a relationship, or even dating. He'd been very clear; but surely there'd be something? Some gesture, some look, to acknowledge that they were different people to each other now?

She hurried up the street to grab the subway for her early class, musing all the way. She could still remember how his mouth had tasted, how soft his lips were when they'd come together. Cressida smiled to herself.

"Hey beautiful, that smile for me? What else you got for me?"

Cressida looked up to find a man in a suit and tie leering at her. She turned away.

Men could be so gross.

She got off the train and dashed up the steps, exiting onto Astor Place, just a couple blocks from where she had her class.

"Hey, girlie!" Her friend Andrea called to her as she entered. She handed Cressida a coffee and a croissant. Andrea lived next to a baker, so this was a ritual.

"Thanks." Cressida took a deep drink of the life giving coffee, and tore into the croissant, post-haste.

"Anything interesting happen?" Andrea asked. This was her typical opening.

"Actually, yes. Remember the piano player?"

"Big old good-looking grumpy guy? Lives downstairs from you?"

Cressida nodded. "He kissed me yesterday."

Andrea, who was doodling in her digital notebook, turned to her immediately.

"Ooh, deets, please!"

"There really aren't any, we just spent the day together, and it was nice, and at the end we kissed."

"Oh my god," Andrea wailed softly, grabbing Cressida by the arm. "Do you know what this means? I mean, what does it mean?"

"It doesn't mean anything, he doesn't date or anything, it's all piano and preparing for this competition."

"But how did it happen? I thought he was really mean? That you guys hated each other?"

"He's—mellowed, I guess is the word," Cressida responded. "Gotten a little more friendly."
"I'll say."

The teacher entered, and the rest of their conversation had to be put on hold. When class was over, Cressida assured Andrea that she'd text her if anything else happened, and headed for home. She usually walked home from this class, since she wasn't in a hurry like in the mornings, just to save the fare. On her way, she passed a street vendor who had a display of necklaces laid out on black velvet. All of them seemed to be religious, so she almost kept walking, but the man running the stand called to her.

"Need a necklace of a saint? Any saint, only ten dollars."

Cressida slowed down. They were silver and looked nice.

"Is there a saint for piano players?" she asked curiously.

The old man immediately reached for a necklace, plucking it from the middle of the display with sure fingers.

"Not for just piano, for all musicians, okay?" He held it up for her to see. "Saint Cecilia, patron saint of musicians." It was pretty, just her playing a piano.

Now the question was did she have ten dollars to spare?

The man, reading her thoughts, spoke up. "For you, eight dollars. The chain is real silver, see?" He pointed out the 925, stamped in tiny numerals on the tag.

"Okay, I'll take it, and thanks."

"No, thank you, young lady," the man replied, handing her the necklace.