Avi Kaplan: A Collection of Short Stories

Symphony of Sound

For ten years you've lived in silence, the world around you an empty void of sound.

But with him you hear music.

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You know he must have a deep voice.

His larger, warmer hand envelops yours and when he says his name, you can feel the faintest tremor in your finger tips. Shivering slightly, you return his handshake with a warm smile and point to the name tag taped onto your upper chest.

His eyes flicker down to where you're pointing and then back up to your face, his eyebrows furrowed in question. You're deaf? you read on his lips and you nod in response. His eyes rake over your face and you find that familiar look of sympathy written on his face.

You refrain from sighing. You hate this part of social events.

Someone comes and taps on his shoulder, effectively tearing his gaze from your face as he looks back. He's tugged away from where he stands, but he looks back and takes one last glance at you. You give a slight smile and wave, which he returns before he's pulled from your sight.

Your fingertips still tingle from the touch of his voice.

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Avi finds you later in the evening sitting alone at the bar twirling a straw through the leftover ice from your drink. Sitting down next to you, he pulls a pen from his pocket and leaning over the bar to steal some napkins, writes on one: Can I buy you another drink?

You look over at him and he's looking back at you, eagerly awaiting your response. With a smile, you nod and read on his lips, Do you like rum? He catches himself, realizing he didn't write down his question and flustered, he goes to write it down, but you stop him with a gentle hand on his forearm.

Gesturing towards the pen, you take it from his fingers and write: I can read lips. And yes, I like rum.

Avi's mouth forms a soft oval and then he purses his lips as he reads your words. Licking his lips, he looks back at you. Which do you prefer? he asks nodding towards the napkin.

You give a small shrug and write: Whatever you're comfortable with.

He mouths "okay" with a smirk and turns to flag down the bartender. You watch as he orders, not quite able to catch his drink of choice with his mouth turned away from you. A drink is set in front of you and holding it in your hand, you raise it towards his. Avi clinks your glass and says Cheers! and you take a sip.

Three rum with cokes and fourteen napkins later, you can feel a flush in your cheeks and a warm feeling your chest that you can't one hundred percent contribute to the alcohol. Avi looks to you with a smile and quickly writes down, his handwriting getting a little sloppy: Can I see you again?

You blink up at him, surprised and your stomach flutters with excitement and you see him swallow hard. Nodding, you see the relief wash over Avi's face and a wide smile form on his face. He asks for your phone and you watch as his long fingers tap in the digits of his phone number and you return the favor. Handing you back your phone, your fingers brush with his again and you shiver.

Walking you to your car, Avi holds your driver's door open and leaning forward presses a kiss to your cheek. His beard scrapes against your skin and you can feel the rumble of his voice shoot down your spine. Pulling back, he gazes down at you somewhat bashfully and says, Goodnight.

As he walks away, you hold your hand to your cheek, the feel of his beard still lingering on your skin and later that night you dream of his voice.