My Angel

CHAPTER 30: HIS ANGEL

Alessio's pov~

       No one had touched the piano, not since my mother's death. This was her piano. My soul was in pain, my heart aching.

So, the words tumbled out of my mouth
before I could stop them. For some reason,
Ayla's presence brought me comfort.

When the first melody came through,
searing pain went through my heart and I brought my hand up, pressing it hard against my chest.

Twenty-two years since I'd heard someone play the piano. Twenty-two years since I heard this exact melody.

Ayla opened her eyes and looked directly at me. She was still smiling and then she closed them again. She continued to play, oblivious to the world around her.

Her face was serene and she was lost into the music. A tiny smile remained on her lips. She looked happy and at peace.

And as I listened, the pain in my heart
started to diminish. It was still there, but I could breathe again. My tense muscles started to relax. My heart stuttered and I brought a shaky hand to my face.

I closed my eyes and felt something wet on.my aching cheek. I was crying. A single tear. The music flowed and I swiped the tear away

"Mommy, play for me, please!" I begged.
She laughed and pulled me to the piano.
Okay, my baby. " She sat down and placed me on her lap.

"There you go, " she said, giving me
a kiss on the cheek before moving her
attention to the piano. Mommy ran her fingers over the keys softly at first and then started to play.

As soon as the music came through, I
relaxed against her and sighed in contentment.

In no time, I was slowly falling asleep, as
always. This was my favorite part of the day. Just Mommy and me, and the piano.

I closed my eyes at the memory. It hurt, but my heart wasn't squeezing in pain as it was.before.

I could breathe without it feeling like I was being cut with a hundred sharp knives. With my eyes still closed, I listened to Ayla.playing. After a song, she played another. Andnthen she started humming.

My eyes opened and I stared at her. Her
eyes were closed, her body moving slowly with the music. My stomach twisted and my heart ached at the sight.

With her black hair falling down in waves
around her shoulders, her cheeks flushed red and her white dress, only one thought came to mind.

Something that my father told me about,
so many years ago. I shook my head and
squeezed my hands in fists. A throbbing pain went through my fingers, but that wasn't enough to snap me out of my thoughts.

I couldn't take my eyes off Ayla. As the soft, gentle and beautiful music continued to flow around us, enveloping us inna peaceful melody, I could only think of onenthing.
Ayla.
She looked like an angel.

                           ********
Lena's pov~
       I was awake, my mind racing. In was one of those nights when I couldn't stop thinking about Maria.

My eyes were closed, but when I heard a
beautiful music, I opened them again, my forehead creasing in confusion. I quickly sat up. I looked at my ceiling and gasped.

It was coming from the sitting room. The piano. But how was it possible? Nobody was allowed in the room. No one except Alessio himself.

Who could be playing? I walked toward the music. As I drew closer, it sounded so beautiful, haunting yet peaceful.

No one had played the piano since Maria's death. Lyov and Alessio had forbid it.
The door was open. Leaning against the
wall, I peeked inside. Alessio was sitting on the couch. His eyes were focused intently on the piano, but it was his expression that took my breath away.

He looked completely mesmerized.
I leaned forward, and this time I had to
press my hand over my mouth to stop the gasp that threatened to escape.

Ayla was playing the piano, her eyes closed as she hummed, a soft smile on her face.

I looked back and forth between them.
They were both enthralled.
Ayla was lost in playing the piano while
Alessio was lost in her.

I sniffed as the tears fell down my cheeks. What a beautiful sight.
Slowly stepping away from the door, I
smiled. This was it, the moment I had been waiting for.

He is going to be okay, I thought.
Looking up at the ceiling, I softly
whispered, "He is going to be okay. He found her, Maria." Tears blinded my vision. "You can rest in peace now. Your sweet boy has found his angel."
                      ******
Ayla's pov~
       After playing the first song, I couldn't help myself, so l didn't stop. Instead, I played another. One of my favorite songs, called Sing Me To Sleep. I used to play that every day.

As the song flowed around me, I felt
myself singing to the melody. My voice was a quiet whisper, soft even to my ears.

My racing.heart slowed to a soothing beat. After so long, I felt at peace and strangely. hopeful.

The piano had always been my escape.
When life failed me, my piano never did. It always gave me the sanctuary I needed. It always brought me the peace I was desperate for. And I was grateful I could feel that way again.

The second song ended and I played
another one, hoping Alessio wouldn't tell me to stop. But when I didn't hear him, I continued to play. This time I played A Thousand Years.

As my fingers flowed on the keys and the
third song came to an end, I slowly opened my eyes, instantly meeting Alessio's gaze. His stare was intense, unflinching, and he looked deep in thought, and maybe a little lost.

My hands were still resting on the piano as we stared at each other. The smile on my face dissipated as nervousness filled my body.

As long as I was playing, I didn't care what happened around me. Nothing mattered. But now, looking at Alessio, his eyes as intense as always, I grew anxious.

But though his stares were intense, they
were warnm. Something I never saw in him before.

When he didn't move or say anything, I
cleared my throat. At the sudden sound, his eyes widened and he looked away. He raked his bloody fingers through his hair.

I winced at the sight and got up and stood in front of the piano. From that position, Alessio wasn't far from me, only a few feet away.

I could see his bruised face clearly and
winced again. His cheeks were red and quickly turning into a slight purple shade.

There was a cut on his eyebrow and dried blood covered his lips.
"You can leave," Alessio said in a hard
voice. Flinching at his sudden change of tone, I took a step back and hit the piano.

My hands played with the hem of my dress in nervousness.
He was doing it again. From warm to cold in seconds.

"You should clean your wounds so they
don't get infected," I said. Keeping my eyes on him, I watched for his reaction.
He didn't give me any. Instead he glared at the wall to his side, his jaw locked tight together.

My heart started to gallop again as worry filled me. Maybe I had overstepped my limits. I shouldn't have played the piano. I shouldn't have even been there.

As I continued to fidget with my dress, I bit on my lips as my hands grew colder.

"I said leave!" Alessio growled.