Fix you

Cap. 28: Concert

Time went by pretty quickly as always when you have to practice your ass out for a concert. And this leads us to the moment when Brett is backstage sweating and panicking, because apart from the exhibition at the Chen's it was more than a year that he didn't play in front a public.

Lady: "Mr. Yang, it's time"

Called the assistant from the hallway. He quickly got up and after a quick check in the mirror in which he established that he looked almost dead, he went for the stage.

Eddy and his family were in the public, first raw. At least tonight he would have had someone to look at in case of fainting.

The orchestra entered the stage and started tuning. The director was backstage with him trying his best to comfort the man. It was not the first time he worked with this director and this was another thing that helped him containing the nausea.

Anxiety is really an ugly beast: sweat and electric worms al over your stomach. Let's add the fact that he didn't have the time to make some quick changes to his suit that was in the wardrobe for more than a year and you have a perfect combination.

The moment he was onstage it was all blurry. It was almost a trance in which the only thing he could distinguish were the notes, and even those sounded far and echoing, even the ones coming from his own violin.

After the tuning with the orchestra, he quickly gave a nod to the director and turned his eyes toward the public. Among the blurry faces a pair of eyes sparkled reflecting the lights of the avenue in his own: Eddy's.

It was like his vision cleared in that instant and he was able to focus again.

Softly the notes of the introduction diffused in the concert hall and from his strad came the first g, and then the second and then the third until all the other notes aligned perfectly to be ejected in the room with the prefect aim to stir even the sturdiest soul.

Eddy had listened Brett play before, especially at the gala, but he had never listened for him in a concert hall. Sure, he was damn good in both occasions, but here it was like the perfect frame for a prefect painting.

He wasn't able to contain the tears that flowed when the concert came to an end, and even during the encores.

When it was clear that it would have been the last one the crowd decided to do a standing ovation for the returning violinist that with glittering eyes bowed one last time before going offstage.

You know how it works you have to return on the stage when they are still clapping, so Brett quickly left his violin to the assistant and retuned onstage to bow again.

It was the last time he made this trick that something unexpected happened. He bowed as usual not containing his tears anymore, and the claps came to a soft end so he brought a hand to his heart before turning around and going for the backstage once again when his legs gave out under a rush of pain.

It was not the usual discharge of adrenalin that hit him after every concert. It was really painful. He collapsed under his own weight curling on himself. After two seconds in this position, he felt something coming out his behind, something runny and hot. He quickly reached with his hands and it was clear that it was blood.

The assistant had secured the violin back in its case and was looking at the scene from the door. It was obvious that something was off. She quickly ran onstage and squatted down at his eight. While making the movement of bending her legs, she immediately noticed the blood on Brett's fingers.

Lady: "Quick, someone call the emergency!"

She almost shouted to her ear piece. She was trying to avoid the public to notice, but they were still seated for the most part and even Eddy was seeing the scene.