"Future Rewoven" Book 3 of "Secrets Unraveled" Trilogy |COMPLETED|

Chpt 4: Surprise! And a Deal About the Villain.

"Surprise!" said Marinette, Tom, and Sabine as Marinette uncovered her hands from Adrien's eyes.

Adrien's jaw dropped as he saw the amazing present in his room.  He slowly walked over to the upright piano that was stuffed into the corner by his chair and ran his hands over the smooth wood. The summer was starting out even better than he had imagined!

"I . . . I . . ." Adrien stopped, overcome with emotion.  He couldn't believe that they had gotten him his own piano and also managed to sneak it into his room without him knowing anything about it!  He tried again.  "I . . . Thank you so much!  All of you!" he said as he put his fingers lightly on the keys.  He then turned around to face them.  "This is the most amazing thing anyone has ever gotten me!  I can't thank you enough!"  Adrien walked over to the doorway where three of the most important people in the world to him were hovering and gave them each a hug in turn.  He noticed that Tom was doing his best to discreetly wipe away the tears that were slowly dripping down his cheeks.  Tom really was the softy in the family.

"Can I play something for you?" Adrien asked them eagerly.

"There is nothing we would like more, Adrien," said Sabine warmly.  Marinette and Tom nodded in agreement.

Adrien strode over to the piano, pulled out the bench, and adjusted the bench to the correct height.  "This piece is something I have just started working on in my summer program.  It's Clara Schumann's 'Piano Concerto in A Minor.'  I'll start a bit into the first movement as the very beginning has quite a bit of orchestra with it.  It would be so amazing to play with an orchestra some day!"  he added.

Adrien began playing the piece and Marinette was stunned at how good he was.  She hadn't really heard him play that often.  And apparently the things she heard were not anything that really challenged him!  She slowly walked into the room and sat on the end of his bed to listen.  Marinette and her parents were drawn into the beauty of the piece as Adrien played, noticing how completely comfortable he was performing for them.  It's been such a shame that he hasn't been able to play much the last few months! Marinette thought.  He is so good and seems to get a lot from his playing!

The music eventually stopped and Adrien continued to sit, looking down at the keyboard. 

"That was beautiful!" exclaimed Marinette.  Her parents murmured their agreement.

Adrien turned around on the bench and smiled shyly at them.  "I haven't memorized it all yet, but thank you for listening and for this amazing present!  I'll be happy to play for anyone at any time!" he said, still hardly believing he had his own piano again.

Sabine sniffled slightly and Marinette could see that her mom's eyes were glistening.  "Well, Tom and I need to go start dinner.  That was wonderful, Adrien!  We hope that you really enjoy your piano!" said Sabine, turning around and heading out of the room followed by Tom.

"You are an amazing player!  I had no idea you were that good and I'm so sorry we didn't find a way to get you a piano sooner!" said Marinette, walking over and sitting down next to him on the bench.

Adrien blushed at her praise.  "Thank you.  I didn't think there was any way that I could afford a piano or that one would even fit up the stairs and into this room!  I am really grateful to you and your parents!  I probably shouldn't even ask this, but wasn't it too expensive?  How will I ever repay your parents?"  He glanced over at Marinette, but didn't completely meet her eyes, feeling guilty that something for him had probably cost more than they should have spent on him.  He wasn't actually a family member after all.

"My dad got a real deal on it as a friend of his was moving and couldn't take the piano with him, but wanted it to go to a good home.  And, since you and I are both working at the bakery for free this summer, that will save them from having to hire a part-time summer worker.  It's all good," she said, trying to reassure him and keep that feeling of guilt from taking over his brain.  She was extremely familiar with guilt these last few weeks and didn't want him to also be suffering!