****
Just a small request, play the music when you read the chapter.
I hope guys will enjoy the chapter.
****
The funeral was kept private. Only Grace, Beth, Alec and Lucy attended it. It was a quiet day. The birds never chirped, the leaves didn't rustle and even the wind stayed quiet. Nora had taken all the liveliness with her. Even the skies stayed dark.
When the ceremony was over, the four nodded and bid goodbye to each other.
Grace had lost a friend. Alec had lost a motherly figure. Beth had lost her mother and the three had lost the charm Nora had kept in their lives.
Lost and broken, three looked at Nora's grave before leaving the cemetery.
•
Beth and Alec reached home and sank in the couch.
"A glass of juice for both you." Mrs. Norris kept two glasses on the centre table. "And you both have to drink this. You haven't eaten in two days. Please."
Both of them smiled at their housekeeper and took a sip from the glass. When Mrs. Norris went back to the kitchen, silence had engulfed them again. For past two days, Beth and Alec hadn't uttered a single word. Both of them had taken off from work and had somehow were holding it together. They had organised the funeral ceremony and probably was the only time they spoke to each other, about the work that needs to be carried out for it.
Alec was sitting with his head on the backrest of the couch, Beth's gaze was fixed at some far off point in the room. Both were lost in their memories.
"You know, I had met Nora that very day." Alec said as he kept staring at the ceiling.
"Hmm?" Beth's attention aroused at the mention of her mother's name.
"I had met Nora that day." Alec repeated looking at Beth.
"But I was there with her-"
"In the morning, she had called me. So, I had visited her. I just didn't know that would have been the last time I was going to see her."
"I had a fight with her that day. Okay, more like an argument and she was chiding me."
"What was it about?"
"Us. What did you talk about?"
"Same, us." Suddenly both smirked at the thought. "All Nora ever wanted was for us to get together. Properly."
"Yeah. That was all she wanted."
"I wonder why she never saw how awkward things are between us."
"She just I guess was too focussed on getting us together."
"Maybe. It's crazy how life is. One moment we are with people we love and the other moment they are gone so far away." Alec said without realising the impact his sentence was having on Beth. Beth's eyes drifted back to that corner she was staring at before.
"Yeah." She said hoarsely. Gulping down the last sip of juice, she got up and picked up the car keys. I will see you later was all she said before leaving the house.
•
Alec closed the file and set it back on the desk. He had been trying to work ever since Beth left the house. His mind, unfortunately, was still occupied by Nora and Beth. It had been a long day and Beth hadn't been home since she left. He didn't know where she was or when she was going to return. He hadn't called her, thinking that she may need some space but as time passed, he began to get a little worried. He checked the time in his desk clock. It was two am. He decided to try and reach out to Beth. He was about to give her a call when he heard a faint tune.
As he stepped outside his office, he heard chords of the piano being played in sad and soulful melody. It was Beethoven melody. He quietly entered the drawing room. The room was dark. The moonlight was falling on the piano and the pianist. From the shadows he could see the pianist was a master at the tune. Diligently each finger always fell on the right key and lost in the melody, Beth kept playing without a fault. A few drops of tears gleamed in the light as they fell on the ivory keys. He didn't even know when she had come back or if she could play that well.
He stood there, listening to the music she played. She sniffed as she stopped. Slowly she lowered her head, resting on the pianoforte. He walked up to the instrument, quietly took his seat and played the same tune. The tune he too was familiar with. Melody of tears it was called. Beth looked at him, he kept playing the music that had engulfed the room before. Her fingers joined his on the piano again and the two finished the melody together.
"You said you couldn't play."
"I never said I couldn't, I said I didn't."
"Okay. I see your point. You play well."
"It was an old favourite."
"Mine too."
She sniffed again and rested her head on his shoulder. "I miss her."
"Me too." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Me too."
"She was the only family I had."
"No, Beth, you have Grace and you have me. You have us." She looked at him with gratitude. "You have us Beth, you have us." He said as he gave her a hug.
"Thank you." She said wiping away a few stray tears.
He kept looking at her. She was hiding the pain like he was. They were so similar in so many ways, yet were different.
"Are you hungry?"
"Now?" She was trying to figure out where the conversation was going.
"Yeah. I figured you must have skipped dinner too, like I did. I am hungry right now, are you?"
"A little, I guess."
"Good. I have a surprise for you. I had saved it and I think today is the right day."
"What?"
"Come on." He pulled her to the kitchen. "Stay here and close your eyes." He said to her.
"But-"
"Just do it."
"Okay." Beth said in a defeat. She heard some noises in the background. Suddenly, she smelt it. The distinct aroma of cookies here mother used to make. She flung her eyes open and Alec stood with a jar of cookies in front of her.
"How?"
"Well remember I told you I had visited her. Let's just say, she was trying to bribe me then."
"But how did she-"
"I have no idea, but they are dying to be eaten."
"Thank you." She hugged. They both sat down on the kitchen floor and helped themselves. Their backs were resting against the kitchen shelves and Beth rested her head on Alec's chest.
They both sat there even after the jar was finished. It was the calmest both of them had felt in those three days.
"I had a fight with Melissa just before her accident." Alec spoke solemnly. "She had gone to visit her parents without telling me and I had been worried sick about her. I called her up, we had a row. She hung up and I guess that was when she had decided to go for a drive or something. I tried calling her back half an hour later to apologise but she never picked up. After my tenth call , someone else picked up the phone, said it was lying on the road and there has been an accident there. Two cars had collided with each other and he had notified the authorities. My world shook that very moment. Everything started spinning and didn't understand what had happened. I asked him if he could check Melissa was okay. He told me she looked badly injured and I can speak to the authorities as the ambulance had arrived. The doctors didn't give me much information even over the phone and asked me to arrive as soon as possible. Next day when I reached there, they told me she had died on the impact. I can never forgive myself for that, If I hadn't fought with her she would have been here I guess."
Beth kept looking at her husband. Few tears had escaped from his eyes and she gently wiped them away. She wrapped herself around his and they laid there in silence.
When Alec looked into her eyes, he could feel her reaching his heart. He could see she had seen his wounds and for once he wasn't afraid to show it to her. He slowly leaned into her. Her eyes began to dilate and she realised what he was going to do. She pursed her lips and turned her face away.
"It's getting late. We should get some rest."
Alec took a breath before finally responding. "Yeah we should."
"I will see you in the morning then." She got up.
"No. You are not sleeping in another room, at least not today. "
"Excuse me?"
"No, you won't. I don't want to leave you alone. You are coming with me." He held her hand and he lead her to his bedroom.
****
Okay guys, here it is, new chapter. This is one of my favourite chapters in the story so far. Did you find the music apt for this chapter? I haven't edited the chapter, so sorry guys, I am way too sleepy at the moment.
How did you guys feel about Alec opening to Beth? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time people,
Cheerio.
Love,
Alice.
****