"The Virtuoso"

Letting go

Raymond was in his house, sitting at the piano bench where Eleanor once sat on that sleepless night. He lifted the fallboard and started to play. It wasn't a song, simply striking the keys one at a time. He looked over at his burner phone next to him, as if willing for it to ring. "You really did love her, didn't you?" a familiar voice said quietly. It was Mr. Kaplan. Raymond didn't lock eyes with her; instead he nodded and continued to play the piano. "She was sunshine, light, and peaceful nights. I was the midnight storm that comes unexpectedly and destroys the beauty." "Where is she now?" she asked, walking over to the piano. "On a train to Westerly, Rhode Island. I had one of my bodyguards follow her and he's going to stay on the train until she is safe. Of course, I didn't tell her and I told him to remain inconspicuous. She wants a normal and safe life. I can't promise her that. She needs to heal." Mr. Kaplan let out a deep breath and said "I know you don't want to hear this, but you did the right thing. What she does next is entirely her decision. She has been through enough horrors in her life. She can flourish now. Find herself. Build a future." Normally, Raymond would move forward with this conversation, but all he could say is "Kate, I appreciate your words, but right now I need to be left alone." She nodded and left. Once he knew he was alone, Raymond Reddington, the most wanted man in the world, did something rare. He broke down and cried. "I'm so sorry Eleanor" he whispered in between sobs.

Eleanor took her seat on the train and stared out the window, trying her best to distract herself from the impending trip. This was it. After years of struggles, she was finally able to start a new life. She felt the burner phone seemingly burning a hole in her pocket and she resisted the urge to call Raymond. She opened up the phone and held it to her ear, but put it back as quickly and she took it out. As the conductor came by and checked everyone's ticket, she couldn't help but feel an impending sense of doom. Like anything could happen, as if she was being watched. She shook her head, willing the paranoid thoughts to go away. She tried her best to relax, and instead leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. She instinctively put her hands in her pockets and felt the phone on the right side, but tucked into the very bottom of her left hand pocket was what felt like a piece of paper. She reached further and grabbed what ended up being a letter. She quickly opened it up and realized it was from Raymond. She put a hand over her mouth in shock and tried her best to hold back the tears.

She felt the train lurch forward and begin its journey to Westerly. All that existed in this moment was her and this letter.