Fantasia

XCV

"Yang!"
"Heyyy Henry! How are things going?"
"We're hanging in there. We miss you though! How are you? You know when you're coming back?"
"Uhm..."
Brett threw a glance at Eddy, who only managed a shrug. What was there to say to a fellow Sydney Symphony Orchestra member, really? The first of many to visit Brett in the next couple of hours and days, Eddy reckoned. 

News of Brett Yang having miraculously turned back from the almost-dead had traveled fast, after Mrs. Yang had contacted the orchestra administration, not without first getting Brett's consent, of course. Brett had lightheartedly given his permission, since he did miss the people he'd closely worked with, most of them were in his section. Alan had expressed his concern about it and thus had spoken outloud what Eddy had been  silently thinking by himself. 
"What if it triggers some sort of backflash or stress though? You sure you want to get close the environment which made you sick in the first place?"
One look at Brett's face had been enough to put Eddy's heart at ease though. Yeah, Brett had always been strong, and still was. 
"It was the work pressure and my own perfectionism which put me down, not the people. They did nothing wrong! It's gonna be alright and I do want to see them again."
"Some of them doubted you though", Alan had continued with a frown. 
"Which is normal. I was young. It didn't help my situation, I have to admit, but most of it was in the beginning. After a few months, they were all happy with how I led the orchestra."
"All right. You have to decide for yourself, son", Eric had stated with a slap on Brett's shoulder, "If you think you can do this and if you have energy for seeing this many people, we'll contact them."
"Thank you", Brett had exhaled with a content sigh.

After that, dozens of people had called in to see, if what they'd heard was true or not. 

"I'm not sure if I will, to be honest", Brett finally admitted, causing Henry, one of the first violins, to widen his eyes. 
"What? Why?"
"Just not sure if orchestra's still for me", Brett said matter-of-factly.
"Why not?"
"The pressure was too much, mate. That's one of the reasons I got here", Brett explained. Eddy's whole body stiffened. Wow, Brett was really going for full honesty here. 
"Oh, really?", Henry asked with a sudden paleness to his face, displaying that he'd had no idea.
Brett bobbed his head. "Yeah. So I might come back as a regular first violinist, but the chances are high I'm not doing concertmaster again. Also, I literally haven't practiced for months. It'd be a miracle, if the SSO would take me back."
"I'm positive they would. We all really miss you, you know."
It was subtle, but Eddy could see through the slight shine in Brett's eyes how much Henry's words meant to him and a surge of gratefulness overcame Eddy, as the to him unknown man became much more congenial.

"Anyway", Brett sniffed, casting his gaze down, "I have to learn walking again first, before I'll do anything else."
Henry placed a hand on Brett's shoulder. "Take your time, okay? Don't overdo it. I can't speak on behalf the management or the admin, but if it'd be up to us, you can always come back."

"He's nice", Eddy commented after Henry had left. 
"Yeah. One of my closest friends in orchestra, actually."
"So, you're really not gonna do concertmaster again?", he queried, one hand grabbing his violin case.
Brett looked at him. "Why are you surprised? Didn't we lay out that this isn't my thing?"
"We did..." Eddy opened the case and took out his instrument, plucking a string here and there. "But, I don't know... guess I wasn't sure how it'd be when you wake up."
"Tsk", Brett shook his head in clear exagerrated disapproval, "Not taking me for full here, are you."
"Well, you have trolled people around you several times, so who's to blame here?", Eddy raised his right eyebrow, which made the other chuckle. 
"For real though", Eddy said in a more serious tone, "You sure you don't wanna play anymore? You have realized that you've been too hard on yourself. Maybe that was enough. Maybe you'll be happy as a concertmaster without all the pressure you put on yourself."
Brett was silent for a while, his eyes set on his covered knees, which would be bent back and forth again in several minutes, when the physio would come over. 

"I don't know, Eddy. I don't think I was given a second chance only to continue with what made me so miserable in the first place." 
"Hmm..."
"I need something else", Brett meant quietly, "Something more. Something lighter."

Brett's words echoed in Eddy's mind as he closed his eyes, set up his violin and started the first chords of the piece he'd played to save Brett's life. Something more. Something lighter. This piece felt like a musical representation of it. Could it not only have called Brett back, but show them, what might be awaitig them?