Dreams Can Come True

33. Family-In-law

It was a quiet evening in Berlin when I rang the doorbell at Simone and Gordon's house. The streets were illuminated by the warm glow of the streetlights, and a gentle breeze tousled my hair as I stood on the threshold of their home. My heart pounded in my chest with excitement as I waited for the door to open.
The door swung open, revealing Simone, her face lighting up with joy at the sight of me. "Elise! What brings you here?" she asked with a smile, her voice filled with genuine happiness as she embraced me.
"I brought something for you both," I said with a smile as I handed her the package of foil. Simone's eyes lit up with genuine surprise and gratitude.
"Oh, Elise, how incredibly sweet of you," she said as she ushered me inside. Gordon appeared in the hallway, a broad grin on his face when he saw me. "Elise, come on in! It's been a while," he greeted me warmly as he welcomed me.
In Simone and Gordon's cozy kitchen, the sound of pancakes being warmed up by the old microwave began to fill the air, a familiar sound evoking memories of cozy family meals. As the scent of warm pancakes wafted through the air, Gordon and I took our seats at the wooden dining table, where the soft light from the hanging lamps cast a warm glow over us.
Simone, with her warm and caring demeanor, looked at me kindly as she served up the steaming pancakes. "Elise, you really didn't have to do this," Simone said with a friendly smile as she set the pancakes on the table. Her concerned tone filled the space, infused with a motherly care. But I waved away her worries with a reassuring smile. "It's done with love and pleasure," I replied sincerely, my heart warmed by their hospitality and affection.
The pancakes, golden brown and filled with the sweet aromas of vanilla and cinnamon, were placed before us on the table, surrounded by small bowls of syrup and powdered sugar. Their golden brown color was perfect, with crispy edges here and there promising a delicious taste. The thin layers of batter formed small bubbles, making the pancakes seem light and airy, ready to melt away on my tongue.

As we sat at the table and enjoyed the warm pancakes, I began to tell them about my day in the studio. I took a sip of my cola and felt the excitement coursing through me as I spoke.
"The studio was really amazing today," I began, my voice lively. "Bas and I worked for hours on a new song, and let me tell you, it sounds fantastic."
Simone and Gordon listened attentively, their eyes twinkling with curiosity. I could see the smiles on their faces as I continued.
"We went through every detail of the song," I continued, vividly remembering the melodies and chords. "The harmonies are perfect, and the lyrics... well, they come straight from my heart."
My hands moved animatedly as I spoke, as if I were bringing the music to life. "I just can't wait to let Bill hear it," I added, my eyes shining with excitement. "I'm sure he'll love it."
As I spoke, I felt the joy of creation flowing through me, and I couldn't help but let my smile widen. The thought of Bill's reaction to the new song filled me with a warm sense of anticipation, as if I could already see his eyes light up and his face beam with pride.
As I enthusiastically talked about my day in the studio, Gordon smiled broadly and looked at Simone. "You speak as passionately about music as Bill and Tom," he remarked, a look of admiration in his eyes. "It's really beautiful to see how much love you have for what you do."
Simone nodded in agreement, her eyes shining with pride as she looked at me. "Indeed, it's wonderful," she added, her voice warm with appreciation. "I can't wait to see you and Bas perform live someday."
Gordon nodded in agreement and smiled. "I'm really looking forward to it," he said, his voice sincere. "It would be fantastic to see both of you shine on stage."
I looked at them both kindly and invited Gordon to come to the show in Berlin when we would be there with the humanoid tour. "You're more than welcome," I said sincerely. "It would be great to see you there and share the music and energy of the show with you."
Simone nodded in agreement, her eyes shining with excitement. "Yes, that would be fantastic," she added, her voice filled with genuine happiness. "We would love to see you perform live."

After we had eaten all the pancakes and our bellies were full of the delicious dessert, Simone got up from her chair with a sparkling smile of excitement. "Elise, would you like to see old photos of Bill and Tom?" Her eyes sparkled as she walked to the old cupboard on the other side of the kitchen. Her hands lovingly glided over the weathered back of the cupboard, searching for the precious treasures she kept.
"Of course," I assured her.
With a smile of recognition, she eventually retrieved the albums, each filled with memories of Bill and Tom's childhood. My heart filled with anticipation as Simone placed the albums on the kitchen table.
Gordon, always ready for a bit of teasing, sighed slightly at the prospect of looking at the supposed embarrassing baby photos of the boys. "Maybe they won't like it if you show all those baby photos," he remarked, barely able to suppress his laughter.
Simone waved away his concerns with a reassuring smile. "Oh, they'll probably laugh about it. Look, Elise," she replied, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she flipped through the first pages of the album. Gordon decided to go back to the television. After Gordon left again, Simone suddenly asked me, "Is everything okay between you and Bill?" I smiled and nodded. "No more fighting, we're going to see apartments together tomorrow," I confirmed. "That's good news," she smiled. We went through the albums together, while Simone cheerfully told stories about the twins' childhood. Suddenly Gordon came back into the kitchen and handed Simone her phone. "One of your sons is calling," he said, shrugging his shoulders. I took out my own phone, but to my surprise, it was dead. With a slight frown, I put it away again.