Time of Scorn

Chapter 1: legs

"So Sarah wants to have piano lessons," Sky told Levi as she was packing up her sheet music. "I showed her what I learned. Do you think that you could teach her too?"

Levi smiled at the little girl, though inwardly despaired ever having lunches again. He wished there were other adults who knew the piano, or that he could take off more work to fit it into a schedule. Anatoly was stretched as it was, and Alcott was soon going to be on maternity leave.

"Tell her madre or papa to message me," he told Sky. "I'll see what I can do."

She squeezed him in a hug and ran off to her classes. Rivera said that Sky had been doing so well that the other parents wanted to know what had changed. He was glad that music was helping someone; it was what exactly what he hoped bringing the piano on the base would do.

His holo-rib chimed and he answered the call.

"Anatoly? What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong; Alcott is running a touch behind," Anatoly said. "Also, the two of you are having dinner with me. It's already been discussed and you don't get a say."

"That's fine," Levi laughed. "Merci, Anatoly. See you then."

Levi decided to stay at the piano for a while instead of heading to medical alone. Alcott had scheduled her next check up as Levi was meeting with Blair about his legs. Levi wanted to be hopeful, but he knew that he was mostly going to appease the very bossy women in his life.

He let his bony fingers fly over the keys, relaxing to the music that he had memorized by now. He was glad that he wasn't on congress anymore for many reasons, but one is that he wouldn't have had the time to teach Sky. He wouldn't have had time to practice either, and that would have been equally difficult.

"Hello, Levi."

Levi stopped playing at the sound of Dylan's voice. She was standing in the doorway of the meeting hall. He had cancelled lunch on her when Sky asked to rearrange her lesson.

"Rivera made us peanut butter fudge for rescheduling," Levi said, pointing to the tin. "Are you off to the congress meeting?"

He tried to keep track of her routine so Dylan didn't have a reason to cancel their lunches. It had been a week since he had moved out, and he didn't get the impression that Dylan wanted him to move back in. Still, he was trying to prove he was still interested in her life and world.

"In a little while; I was just coming back from lunch," Dylan replied. She had cut her dark curls again, instead of letting them grow out. The short haircut made her look older and Levi suspected that was why she retained it.

"Do you want some of the fudge before you go?" he offered, rising from the piano bench with one of his crutches and picking up the container.

Dylan looked like she was going to refuse, but stepped towards him, taking one of the squares.

"This is really good," she said, over a mouthful.

"I haven't had any yet," Levi admitted and chose a small piece for himself. "Anyway. Does tomorrow lunch work for you?"

"It's the weekend," she pointed out.

"Okay." Levi didn't know what to make of her tone. Were there plans he was failing to recall?

"Tyson has a baskets competition tomorrow; you said you'd come," Dylan reminded him.

"Oh, oui, Lo siento. I remember now. I'll be there. "

They stared at each other for an awkward couple of seconds and then Dylan backed away.

"I got to go," she said. "See you tomorrow."