Keys and Strings

Chapter Three

I smiled at him. "Wow, Colette must've been so lucky to have you."

Arman gently shook his head. "Non, cheri. I was lucky to have her." He said, as he closed his eyes.

"I wanna meet Colette, I wanna see how you guys duet under the Eiffel Tower, and just-" I began dreamily, crossing my arms against my cello's body and resting my chin on them, but my fantasizing stopped as I realized that his happy, cheerful demeanor dropped abruptly. "You can't see her." He said. My face softened, and saddened. "Why not? I thought she-"

"She's gone." He managed to say.

I was dumbfounded, I can't say anything more, I can see through his eyes how much they really loved each other. Arman must've missed her so much.

"I'm sorry," I managed to squeak out. "You must've missed her so much."

"Every day," he breathed.

"You know what, cheri. When you truly miss someone, even the smaller reminder of that person would give you an achy feeling in your body, it makes you long for that person more." He said. "Especially if you loved that person, very, very much." Then he faced me. "I know one day, you'll meet someone, and that person would be very lucky to have you."

I then threw him a confused look. "What do you mean?"

He smiled at me, which sent down shivers down my spine. It reminds me of how mama used to smile at me like then every time I did something that really made her proud, it made me miss her much more. "Like I said earlier, the way you smile, the way you play, it was just like Colette's, and girls like you and her will make a man or boy very very happy."

I let out a nervous laugh. "Are you serious, Arman? Me? Falling in love? Never."

He shook his head disapprovingly, but still smiling. "Who knows?" He said. "And who doesn't fall in love? Maybe not today since you're too young, but as you grow older, your feelings will become more sensitive. Love is inevitable."

I just hate it when people talk about love in front of me, it's so disgusting, boys and girls kissing, and them being all romantic and all. Ew. "Whatever," I said as I brushed off the topic, positioning my cello in between my legs as if I was about to play it, but I rested my right hand on the scroll, and my left arm hugging its neck. "Do you have any sons or daughters?"

I noticed his body stiffened and his eyes were swallowed by fear. "Oui," he said. "A daughter." He breathed. "She's practically almost your age."

I jumped for joy. "That person I wanted to meet. Where is she?" I asked.

He sighed, "After Colette died, two years ago, I cannot bear raising Viola on my own and the thought and being with her makes me long for her mot her even more." He said his voice breaking. "So on her fifth birthday, I left her on the doorstep of the orphanage nearby.

"I wrote a letter for the nuns telling that she has nowhere to go and that both of her parents died in a terrible accident - which was a lie of course - and that a stranger found her on the street, still looking for them. I told her to give the letter to the nuns and never leave until they say so, but for sure they won't let her go because the nuns will think that she was already an orphan." He said as tears began spilling from his eyes. "It was hard for me to do that, but while Colette was still alive, we trained her in playing the piano, and for sure her skills will improve once she was adopted, because that was the orphanage where most wealthy family who can't bear a child adopt. So it's a great opportunity for her.

"But before I could let her go, I gave her a necklace, it cost all the money I had, it also serves as my birthday present for her. It has a piano charm made out of real silver, and I made her promise not to take it off whatever it takes, but of course except when she'll sleep and bathe and all.

"I missed her the way I missed her mother, I was always walking towards that doorstep, about to knock, explaining to the nuns that it was all just a misunderstanding, that I want Viola back, but I thought of her sake, and all those opportunities that she'll be able to experience. It's just for the best." He said as tears continued to spill from his eyes, realizing I was crying as well. He buried his face inside his hands and sobbed hard. I found myself setting my cello aside, and wrapping my arms around him. He sobbed in my arms as if he was my child.

"I'm sure Colette and Viola would understand why you did it." I said as I wiped my own tears with the back of my hand, still hugging him. "You know what; I could be Colette and Viola at the same time." He slowly parted from the hug. "You'd do that?" He asked. "I could, I'd visit you here, and we could go to places. Just promise me you'll remember me." I said, giving him a smile.

He gave the that genuine smile again, "Always,"

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I had this chapter in my draft for weeeeeeks.

I'm sorry if this took a while.

I have nothing more to say.

I just suck at author's notes.

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~MeowSaysThisGirl (Alexandra) ✏️🅰~

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