Thought Of Everything And Nothing

Chapter 16

Erik

We walked back to my car, chatting about the music and her free pass to the opera when she suddenly stopped me. "What were your connections anyway?"

I shrugged nonchalantly, "I write music for the Philharmonic."

She stopped abruptly, looking up at me with awe. "You write music for the New York Philharmonic?!"

I grinned, relishing her awed look. "Yes, and sometimes Operas for the Met. More often the Philharmonic, as I'm working on my masterpiece right now."

She let out a nervous laugh, "What did you write?"

I thought hard, I wrote the Philharmonic about one piece each month. "Let's see, The Symphony of Ophelia was a big hit. Well, all of them are, also L'Fantome's Overture. Entr'act Phantom. They pay 20,000 for each song."

She crossed her arms, "You wrote L' Fantome? And you earn that much?! I-I can't believe it!" She paused, "Now the nice car makes sense. No teacher gets anything this nice! Ugh, how am I supposed to dislike you?"

I chuckled at her playful tone. She widened her eyes, "I'm perfectly serious! Don't laugh, it's necessary for me to dislike all my teachers! "

I laughed, opening the door for her. "Am I allowed to be an exception?" She gave me a shocked look, touching her heart as if she were offended. "You mustn't be an exception! Well.... maybe!"

She sighed, dramatically looking up at me through those beautiful lashes. "I'll just have to judge your music instead!"

I groaned and she giggled excitedly. "Let's see, ooooh! I know, L'Fantome Overture! Very dramatic, almost too dramatic! That thing that makes lighting noises us a bit much, isn't it?"

I snorted at her silly critiques, driving past a drunk in the sidewalk.  Christine bounced in her seat, cheerfully chirping out more critiques.

"Or maybe The Symphony of Ophelia. It makes me cry, which I suppose is a good thing, but I don't like tears."

I smirked, "You cried at the Romeo and Juliet Overture too."

She punched my arm, clearly trying, but it wasn't very painful. "Don't remind me!"

She sighed, resting her head on her shoulder. "Do you mind if I sleep. Critiquing is exhausting."

I shrugged, "Wouldn't be the first time that you passed out in my car."

"You said you wouldn't mention it!" She accused.

Despite her angry tone, a smile lingered on her face as she slipped into sleep. When we arrived at her home,I took a moment to observe her sleeping figure.

Her brown curls had fallen out of that meticulous braid, framing her face. Her red lips drew in air evenly, still curved slightly. Her cheeks had a fresh rosy look to them, bringing an even more youthful look to her already young face.

Though I didn't want to, I gently shook her awake. She groaned, opening her eyes.

"Ah, we're here!"

She smiled sweetly, "Thank you so much, Erik! I had a wonderful time!"

I smiled back at her, "My pleasure. See you on Monday."

She wrinkles her nose, looking absolutely adorable. "Ugh, classes!"

Suddenly, she leaned forward and hugged me. I grinned, enjoying her arms around me as I pulled her close.

She pulled away, giving me one last smile, before leaving.

What a marvelous night!

I went back home,  to find Nadir sitting casually on the sofa, sipping his tea.

"Ah, Erik, you're  home! I've been waiting for hours!"

I rolled my eyes, "You've been here for ten minutes."

He gaped at me, "How'd you know that? "

"You have a fresh cup of tea in your hands. It takes you five minutes before you to take something from my kitchen, and it takes approximately five minutes for you to make tea."

Idiot.

He grumbled, taking a sip of tea. "And I'm the police chief. Where were you, anyway?" 

He followed me to the kitchen as I made myself a drink. "I was at the Philharmonic with my student."

He gasped, "You took someone to the Philharmonic with you?! You haven't even taken me there!"

I rolled my eyes, "I offered, but you said no. Something about Classical music being dull and unimportant."

He winced, plopping down on the armchair across from me."I thought you forgot about that..."

I smirked, "I never forget." His face turned bright red. "Shut up. But why would you take your student to the Lincoln Center? Unless. . ."

He gasped, and I let out an irritated groan.

Just a moment now. . .

"YOU'RE IN LOVE! Who is it! Is it a girl? Is it a boy?"

I rolled my eyes, sipping my coffee. "Christ. No, Nadir, it's definitely not a boy. It's a young woman, she's the one that we listened to at the hospital."

He scoffed, "You mean you listened to her and played that stupid song over and over again."

I glared at him, "Dove Sono is not stupid. Especially not when Christine sings it."

He grinned excitedly, "She has a name! And she charmed the stone-cold Opera Ghost!"

I groaned, flicking his forehead. "Don't call me that, Daroga."

He wrinkled his nose, "Fine. But how old is she? Is she a minor?" His face became serious, "Will I have to arrest you?"

"Nadir, I teach college. Everyone there is at least eighteen.  Christine is nineteen."

His eyebrows furrowed, "What about that girl you left with at the club. She seemed nice.....also drunk."

"That was Christine."

He gasped, "She's not twenty one and she's drinking! Erik, as the responsible adult, you have to be um...responsible! "

I snorted, "Nadir, I'm twenty one. You started drinking at, what was it? Fifteen? "

He put his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay! I'm not completely innocent!"

"Yeah, I've seen your stash."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing!"

He rolled his eyes, "I only have cannabis, nothing serious. Besides, I'm thirty, it doesn't harm me."

"You're a cop."

He shrugged, "What do you think keeps me sane?"

I chuckled, finishing off my coffee. "Won't your wife be missing you? And your kids?"

He shrugged, "Rookheeya put the kids to bed tonight. Reza finally got better after that cold. Besides, my wife and her friends are watching some movie tonight."

It always fascinated me to learn more about Nadir's life at home. He usually put it off as boring, but it was all quite new to me as I had never had a very normal life.

"What's your day like usually. Spare no detail."

He sighed, I usually asked him this and he always thought it was stupid. But I was always hiraeth; Longing for a home that never was. I listened intently to his words, soaking up the normality.