The Scars That Burn

Chapter 16

The room is dark and for a moment I'm confused where I am. The glow from the street light outside our Brooklyn house shines through the bay window and I realize we fell asleep in our new bed. I glance over to Johnathan who is still sleeping, exhausted from taking me on almost every piece of furniture in our gorgeous house. I slide out of bed quietly, needing a glass of water. I shut the door behind me slowly until I hear a soft click. I tiptoe to the stairs and am thankful for the carpet that will mute my steps.

When I get to the bottom, my new piano catches my eye and I find myself drawn to it. Before I play though I need to drink something. I quickly make way way to the kitchen and look in the cupboards to see if any of the glasses we ordered have made their way here but I find one after the other empty. I pull the last one open and find two white mugs with black writing: His and Hers. I can't help but smile when I know Johnathan bought these for us, so we can have our coffee together. I open the cabinet below to reveal a new french press and bag of coffee. I decide to wait for Johnathan to make some, even though I can smell the delicious nutty coffee inside.

I fill up the mug and chug it's contents before setting it back in the cabinet and shutting the door. I take a look around our new kitchen and can't help but look at it in awe. The things he can do in such a short amount of time: make me fall for him, buy us this house, get me to move in with him, fix all of these things and get me be to be excited about a future I never thought was possible for me. Everyone I've been with before pales in comparison to him. I often think about how in the world Johnathan's wife could cheat on him. Why would you ever want to? I mean maybe he was different back then but he couldn't have been that different. Although I wish he never experienced that kind of crushing pain, I'm thankful she was too stupid to realize what an incredible man he is. Her loss is my gain and I don't plan on making the same mistake.

I pad across the house heading for the piano. I haven't touched one in years. I never thought I would be able to but here I am sitting down at the most impressive piano I've ever seen. And it's mine. Mine to play again because Johnathan is the most thoughtful person I've ever met.

I open the lid and expose the keys. I run my finger across them without applying pressure, just to feel their smoothness on my fingertip. My heart is racing in anticipation of playing. I used to love to play, almost thinking about trying to make something out of it. I did have a good voice but after going to NYU where everyone is a singer and musician, I just knew the sensible choice was to be the lawyer I always wanted to be. I did love to play and sing for my family though. My mom's eyes would light up and my dad would cry. I start to get teary thinking about it and without even thinking I begin to play the notes.

I slow the tempo down as I've always done for this song and after the intro I begin to sing softly.

When the rain is blowing in your face

And the whole world is on your case

I could offer you a warm embrace

To make you feel my love

When the evening shadows and the stars appear

And there is no one there to dry your tears

Oh, I hold you for a million years

To make you feel my love

I choke out the last line as I begin to cry. "Becca." I hear Johnathan's whisper which startles me. I turn to find him leaning in the door frame in just his boxers looking at me. I give him a half smile. He walks over to me and takes my face in his hands, softly kissing my tear soaked lips. He looks in my eyes for a moment before speaking. "That was beautiful. I've never heard it like that. Will you finish?"