Silent Memories

The Gift

I got dressed up around six in the evening. I didn't wear any makeup but applied a stroke of the lip balm I use which finished my look. I put my 'notebook for conversations' and left for his house. After about 10 minutes, I reached his house. It was a huge bungalow with a beautiful garden. I kept on looking at the flowers when I felt someone touch me. It was an aunt. She looked at me and smiled.

"You must be Iris! I'm Evan's mom. He told me quite a lot about you yesterday. Come inside."

I looked around as I stepped inside. The house was beautiful! Inside a room was a piano, right in the center of the room, along with some other musical instruments. Evan's mom lead me to a door, which I believed was Evan's room. As I stepped inside, I saw Evan glued to his laptop. He was writing something. I walked as slowly as I could, trying not to make a noise. But before I could read what he was writing, he saved the document and closed it. He turned around with a smile on his face. For some moment, he kept staring at me, not saying a thing.

"What?" I asked using my hands.

He smiled and then typed on his laptop- "Needed a moment to look at how beautiful you were looking!"

I took a chair and sat next to him. Then I typed down.

"Even your mom looks beautiful! I'm guessing your dad looks as handsome as you."

His smile vanished and that was when I realized that I had said something wrong.

"He's no more.."

"Oh I'm sorry."

"It's okay :)"

"By the way, I got you a birthday present!"

"There was no need for a gift!"

I grabbed him by his hand and took him outside the room. And then, we entered another room. He looked around and said- "Why are we here?" I didn't answer. I moved forward, pulled the chair and sat down.

As I placed my hands on the keys, the whole conversation about his favorite song flashed in my mind. I had practiced playing "Say You Won't Let Go" a lot by now and knew that I wasn't going to mess anything up. I took a deep breath and started playing. And even though I couldn't hear what I was playing, there was still a joy in it. The lyrics kept playing in my mind as I played the piano. For some time, I was lost into my own thoughts but then I saw Evan standing right in front of me, crying and smiling, both at the same time. He closed his eyes and started singing. Looking at him, I could see how much he was enjoying singing. I wished even more to hear him sing. I also realized one more thing.

Seeing him smile even after his dad died made me realize that life was just like a piano with white keys as all the happy moments and the black ones indicating the sad ones. But together, they made life. So I couldn't expect to find only happiness or sorrows. I got a hope of being happy too. I'm starting to believe that life will get better. I kept on playing as he sang and soon, the song ended. He still had tears in his eyes. I really wish that I could hear his voice.

"Th-thank you.. I'm sorry. I just don't have words for expressing how happy I am right now.."

"It's okay.. I'm glad you liked the gift." I said, smiling.

"I didn't like it.. I loved it!!" He said and smiled back.