Forbidden Melody

Chapter 3 - Juliet

Bach, Sonata for Piano and Violin in B Minor

Drunken Lazy Bastard by The Mahones

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Emma Harvey. As soon as I'd turned to her, I knew who she was. I wouldn't have forgotten her face, despite all the months that had passed. Even more beautiful now than she had been across from me on the stage. A dainty frame with soft tanned skin that paired well with her unruly blonde locks that trailed down her back. She was still dressed as awkwardly as she had been the first day I'd seen her, but she'd would have likely been stunning in anything she wore.

When I had said she was a gifted musician, it had not been haphazardly. There were few I would have been able to compare her to. I wasn't ashamed to admit that I was enthusiastic she was here at the conservatory. There had been more than a few times I'd wished for the opportunity to play with her again. What I hadn't expected was a feisty young woman who was prepared to challenge me multiple times during my first lecture. A lecture I had taught on more than one occasion. A lecture that any right-minded teaching assistant would have known better than to question me about.

Emma Harvey was not a typical student. Not by a longshot.

The class trickled out for the day. I turned my attention to my violin, moving across the room to return it to its case. My hand grazed over its top, admiring the beautiful patterns in the wood. Once I'd settled the bow into the clasps on the side, I closed the case, taking careful care. When I'd finished, Emma was standing beside me. Her interpreter, who I'd not been introduced to, close behind.

"You're excused." I looked up to the woman with bright red hair. I wasn't sure if she was a student or hired on to help in cases like this. I doubted there were any cases like this. It was unheard of for a deaf student to pursue a musical career. Nevertheless a graduate school career at a prestigious conservatory like the Bard. The interpreter looked confused until I waved my hands. I don't like repeating myself, I signed.

Both Emma and the woman beside her looked surprised. The three of us paused before the interpreter fetched her belongings at the front of the room. Once she had, Emma gave her a wave. Thank you, Jenny. The redhead, Jenny, smiled and then left the room.

Once I had set my case upright on the desk, I turned to face Emma. "I'm assuming you can read lips."

"Yes," Emma said quickly, nodding. Her hands moved in front of her. Most of the time I prefer to sign. Her response surprised me, and even more so when she continued. It's more personal, given my circumstances.

There were so many questions racing through my mind, I didn't quite know where to begin. What were her circumstances exactly? My initial assumption was that she hadn't always been deaf. It was next to impossible, given how exceptional she was at every piece she'd played. She'd had to have heard them, on more than one occasion. Even though I was curious, my mind wandered back to the class and Emma's outlandish behavior. As much as I had enjoyed playing with her and how thrilled I was by her presence at the conservatory, I was still annoyed.

I expect you to be on time from now on. I signed and Emma nodded, apologizing again. Before she said anything else, I continued with my thought. I also expect you to dress professionally. My eyes drifted down to her used sneakers that poked out under her black skirt. "You're not a bartender. You're a graduate student at one of the most prestigious music conservatories in the country."

Emma gave me a somewhat defiant look, waving her hands at me. Is that all?

I shook my head. "And last I recall, I was the professor of this course, not you Ms. Harvey."