Broken String

CLXXVIII

A/N Hi all! So... another chap with no notif last Monday. You may want to read it first if you missed it. Wattpad seems to have ongoing issues with the notifs. Please know that I always post Mon, Wed and Fri in the Northern European A.M..
Now: on to the story! 

"So, what are you playing?"
Anita has settled down on her couch. Her husband and kids, who apparently were at one of the daughter's dance class while they ate, have come in a few minutes ago, grabbed bowls of pasta and are now sitting down on either side of her with expectant faces.
Wait. He wasn't ready for an audience. He's been playing the violin again after his long hiatus for like three days. Is he really ready to be heard? For a moment all of the old feelings start surfacing like bile in his throat.
Is he even good enough?
But he shakes his head hard and smiles. Yes. Yes, he is good enough and he's never going to let himself get tricked into thinking otherwise again and he's not baulking, ever again.
"Um. Beethoven string quartet opus 18 number four*. That good?" he hesitates.
He knows, you see. She told him that she loves this quartet at some point at the con. In fact, she told him she played it herself, way back when. So it's no surprise that her eyes light up.
"You're a keen listener." she says, so quietly that he guesses that wasn't meant for his ears.
How could he tell her that this is a thank you? Not just for the food? Hopefully she knows, she knows because he heard her and remembered that she loves what they're about to play. They had an impromptu rehearsal, this afternoon. It sounded okay. Brett insisted Eddy play first. He's rethinking that right now, though, but he's glad that at least he's not the one who has to start and show everyone how his bow shakes: the second violin comes in first.
"Tune?" Todd asks before Eddy can disappear down the rabbit hole of baulking. "Oh, Mr. Tuning Fork, give us a proper A?"
He grins and sings the desired note, then raises his bow and waits for Brett to start the ensemble.

And you know what? He can play this. It sounds okay. In fact... they're really together and when he glances over while counting his rests he thinks he can see the joy in the people on the couch's eyes. He can definitely see how Anita's eyes soften and moisten. And when the final chord sounds she starts applauding.
"That was awesome." she says quietly.
"So." Eddy says quickly before the moment to ask is gone, but he can't stop the nerves that flood him. Because this is it. She could hate him for asking her this. She could love him, too. He can never be sure until he does ask. It's Schrödinger's cello part. So he gives himself a kick up the proverbial backside and breathes in meaningfully. "Um. Anita, how about you play the cello part next? Just for a laugh?"

One, two, three seconds as his proposition sinks in. Her cheeks start to colour and her hand flies to her neck.
"Um. Eddy. I... I don't really play anymore. Just for myself, sometimes."
"Don't feel obligated." he says with a calmness he didn't know he had until this very moment. "Just... if you want to. I thought maybe you'd like."
A few more seconds pass, he can almost see the cog wheels turning in her head. Is she having the same doubts? Is maybe everyone in the music world having the same doubts, in fact? Then she gets up with a shock.
"Sure." she says. "If... if everyone's okay with me ballsing it up."
"We're used to Todd." Brett retorts instantly. "Feel free to balls it up as much as you'd like."
"F... go away." Todd recovers impressively quickly with a quick glance at the kids. He gets up and hands his cello to Anita, then gives her the bow and takes a seat beside the little girl. "Hey, sweetie. Can I sit here? Okay, guys, come on, show us how much better it is without me."
Everyone laughs but Anita. Eddy eyes her worriedly as she settles down on her seat and shuffles the sheet music in front of her, her cheeks redder even than before. He thinks this is the right thing, just like Todd forcing him into the party that brought him so much good. But is it really? Can he be sure? But he's done it now. There is nothing he can do beside raising his bow and wait for Brett to start the ensemble again.