The Song

Part Seventy-Two

Aston sat frozen, his shoulders slightly hunched over the piano, yet unmoving. This was a huge moment for us and I could tell he was a bit terrified about what was about to happen.

“Ast… please keep playing,” I whispered.

Without a question he pressed the keys of the piano again, starting the song over. He was slow to pick out the right notes but the tune was there.

And I knew it.

When Aston was done I went closer to the piano, hovering over his shoulder as my mind began to spin with images and thoughts. Memories.

“Play it again.”

“Jess…”

“Please!!!”

He did what I asked, picking out the notes carefully as he played through the song again, and then again.

“This is the song,” I said finally.

“Jess?” Aston asked hesitantly, clearly not sure of what was going on in my head.

“This is it.”

“This is what?”

“You came into the shop one day,” I said, the memory filling my senses as I relived it, “I was shocked that you’d even set foot into the shop because you’re famous. But there you were. And you were being sort of coy and cheeky talking about looking for inspiration. And then you left but you came back again. And again. And eventually you talked me into teaching you how to play the piano.”

“Oh babe…” Aston whispered, pulling me down to sit next to him on the bench, his fingers linking with mine warmly.

“This song, I taught you this song.”

“Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” Aston grinned.

“I said if you could play it I’d go to lunch with you. And then one day I was dusting some harps in the back of the shop and I heard the song. This song.”

“Yeah…”

“Ast,” I said, “This song is what started everything. Not that other song. This is the song that made us what we are.”

“Babe,” he grinned, tears filling his eyes, “You’re remembering.”

“That’s all I’ve got,” I said, only finding black as I reached out and tried to remember more.

“It’s something. It’s a memory. It’s progress.”

“I can’t believe after so long, after so much searching that a simple nursery rhyme would trigger a memory,” I said, leaning my head on Aston’s shoulder. All of a sudden I felt absolutely exhausted.

“The doctors said it could be anything.”

“I know,” I replied, “It’s like a huge weight is coming off my shoulders. I can do this, I can remember!”

“Good!” Aston said.

“And you’re here now,” I said, tapping my forehead as I leant it off Aston’s shoulder slightly, “You’re in here.”

“I was already,” Aston said.

“No but from before,” I replied, “Everything you said to me about our past… It’s real.”

“You didn’t trust me?” Aston asked.

“I did, you know I did… But now it just comes full circle. I can picture it.”

“I love you Jess,” Aston said, his hand tracing my back gently as he held me tight. We sat like that on the piano bench for a little while, not saying a word. I kept playing the memories I’d just uncovered over and over in my head, hoping that they wouldn’t all of a sudden disappear.