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Love was somehow always and never one of Virginia Curtis' strong suits. She always thought of it as a kind of passion painted pink— and it's certain Virginia Curtis knew what passion was. She was loving with a gentle touch or meaningful painting though acts like those were a sharp contrast to being faced with the ultimate show of love: a marriage proposal.
For now, Virginia pressed her fingers down on the black-and-ivory keys, relishing in the crisp, clear sound that emanated from the piano and clearing her bustling mind. She coaxed impossibly soothing and amazing melodies from it, taking only a moment to flip the page of the old lesson book her father bought her for Christmas many years ago. Virginia seemed lost as her fingers flew over the keys like a rush of water over rocks.
Virginia finally ended her last note, folding her hands together and looking up at the young girl for her approval. She tucked back long curls of hair, her dark eyes widened in shock at the older girl's expertise. Virginia would be a liar if she said she didn't enjoy the awed reactions of her pupils. Her little business of teaching students piano was somehow surviving in that blistering August month. Mothers who wanted their kids to learn something useful rather than get in police trouble paid Virginia a humble fee that she pocketed strictly to solve her tuition problems.
"And that's what you can do if you practice, Debbie," Virginia emphasized, her eyes filled with nothing but faith for her young protégé. She scooted over on the piano bench, patting the empty space. "Come on, let's hear them scales. I'm feeling... D major."
Debbie pouted, begrudgingly sitting down next to Virginia. "But I don't want to do scales all the time. I want to do what you do!"
Virginia grinned. It made her heart soar to see such ambition in the minds and spirits of the young girls in her neighborhood. "And you will... if you do those scales."
She nodded her head as Debbie's little fingers cautiously plucked notes in ascending and descending scales—from C major to A# natural minor— she carefully pointed out mistakes, and guided the girl's fingers to the right keys.
Debbie's shoulders slumped as she failed at tackling harmonic minor scales. "I can't do it."
Virginia shook her head, smiling softly. "Never say that. You can do anything you put your mind to." She hummed, chewing her lip in thought. "Here, try this. Think of the most spectacular thing in the world, no matter how unbelievable it sounds. I think of life on an isle in Rome or Venice—"
"In Europe?" Debbie guessed. She wouldn't lie, it sounded outlandish.
She nodded. "With all the nice smells and friendly people. I think of the blue water sparkling with the gold coins at the bottom of the Trevi Fountain. The fresh Italian paint I would use on my canvas and the warm feeling I'll get as soon as that last stroke dries."
Her eyes landed on the small alarm clock she brought down from her bedroom. "Looks like our time is up. You can wait here 'til your mom comes to pick you up."
