For Love, For Honor - #SYTYCW15 #CarinaPress

Part II - Chapter 1

PROLOGUE

Of course it would be raining. Tyler Stevens pulled his hoodie tight and stepped out of the rickety old grey bus and onto slick grey asphalt. Someone shoved past him as he made his way forward. Everyone was in such a hurry, running to obey the commands screeching through the otherwise silent darkness. Tyler dipped his head against the mist and jogged over to the gathering crowd. At his feet were two shoe prints painted bright yellow, obvious beacons in the colorless landscape. He placed his feet precisely upon the yellow prints as ordered.

Oh God. What have I done?

CHAPTER 1

The piercing whistle of the teakettle pulled Julie sharply out of her daydreams. She didn't know how long she'd been staring out the kitchen window, seeing nothing but following the tug in her heart to do so. She rushed to the stove to lower the flame and reached for two of her precious porcelain teacups and their saucers. With a tender and loving touch, she ran her fingers over the hand-painted violets on the rim and smiled. Once her grandmother's treasure, they had recently been bestowed upon her during one of Grammy's crazed "spring cleaning" endeavors. They were inspiring, as they reminded her of the lovely tea parties Grammy had prepared for her as a child. So much fun and so very-magical.

Child. Her thoughts went immediately to Amanda. It was almost 3 o'clock and her piano student would arrive any minute now. Scolding herself for dawdling, Julie set the small, round table in her kitchen with the cups and saucers, sugar bowl and creamer. The scent of lemon caught her attention. The scones were ready to be taken out of the oven. As she set the plate of delicate pastries on the table, her doorbell rang.

Amanda was an adorable, precocious eleven year-old with too much intelligence and energy for her own good. She was also, in Julie's opinion, an extremely talented pianist. Her student for almost four years now, she had devised her own method of tapping in to Amanda's talent. Tea parties.

Julie heaved open the heavy leaded-glass door of her cottage. "Why, it's Miss Amanda!"

"And you must be Miss Julie Branson! Delighted to be your guest," Amanda played along. This was usually the fun part of their ritual. Her young student's voice was participating, but the girl's body language told her Amanda was still tense.

She asked the child about her day and listened to the usual complaints and gossip as she poured their tea. Spying the scones, Amanda's eyes widened and a pretty smile crept across her freckled face as she inhaled their scent. Then the smile disappeared as quickly as it came.

"Okay, what's wrong...spill, young lady. I have never known you to frown at a scone!"

Amanda stared at her teacup and pouted. "My mom got Valentine's flowers from that ugly Mr. Lottsfelder. I really don't like him, Julie! He sent her flowers. He's serious!"

And so it began. The piano lessons were sometimes more like therapy sessions, but she adored Amanda as if she were her own and would do anything to help the child navigate life without her father. By the end of their tea and scones, tears had been shed and dried, hugs given, and relaxation had been restored to the young pianist's body. As they sat down to the beautiful old baby grand, magic took hold of Amanda's fingers and the delicate tones of Moonlight Sonata filled the room. Julie closed her eyes and smiled. Amanda was really that good.

The last chords of Amanda's exercise still clung together perfectly in the air when a cell phone abruptly added its own unflattering tone. Julie quickly grabbed the offending device to silence it, but seeing her mother's name as the caller prompted her to interrupt the lesson.