A Beautiful Instrument

57: An Intriguing Possibility

The month of December flies by as is typical of the holiday season. But a lot happened in addition to the usual hustle and bustle of Christmas preparation.

We officially opened the holiday series at work. Ava and I sat in the balcony that first weekend with Marcus and Alexis. It felt weird to be removed from the action. Thankfully, the following week I was cleared to slowly return to work. My impatience got the better of me, though, and I started to have a lot of discomfort.

The solution was restricted play. I skipped the Tuesday shows and didn't play in every song on the weekends. I was also given physical therapy exercises to do.

After her husband's funeral, Ava returned. Everyone was relieved and true to her resiliency, she didn't miss a beat. In fact in some ways, she seemed more relaxed than I had seen her since I met her. Caregiving can be taxing on the caregiver's health and wellbeing, and while I am sure she misses him, I am also certain there is some relief.

We continued to fight over the details of Friedrich's plea deal up until the night before the trial was set to begin. He finally relented, pleading guilty to sexual assault, but with a reduced sentence of no jail time, but eight weeks in an in-patient treatment facility for sexual offenders and probation for six months. He was not allowed in contact with his victims and was barred from work and even patronage of the Orchestea for life.

We also just so happened to suggest that Jay be at the courthouse when he signed his plea deal so he could report the news, which then anonymously was circulated to every major city with an orchestra in the United States. Bart also submitted some sort of censure through the professional organization they belonged to in the event that he tried to go into teaching. He would not be serving in a leadership role as a conductor in any major orchestra or school anytime soon.

My mom tried to reach out and suggest a Christmas get-together, but without an apology for how she acted on Thanksgiving, I didn't want anything to do with her. She promised to come see a holiday show. The series ended the weekend before Christmas and she never showed.

My first Christmas season with Jeremy was amazing. He was holding out on his love of the holiday, but I watched as he became childishly gleeful at decorations, carols and TV specials, and surprisingly, Christmas shopping. I loved seeing him like this and couldn't help but imagine him sharing his love of the holiday with our children someday.

Alexis's pregnany was strong and healthy so they told family on Christmas and close friends in the days after. Everyone was overjoyed, even Manny's family, who they were worried about given the whole sex before marriage aspect. But the fact that they were engaged helped smooth that, and Manny's mom was excited to become an abuela (grandmother).

The only solemn event we encountered the entire season was placing white wreaths on his sister's, my father's, and this year, Ava's husband's graves. It didn't sour the mood, but rather grounded us in our joy and festivities as we remembered those we loved and missed.

With the Christmas holiday behind us and a small break from the orchestra until mid-January, Jeremy and I considered a small getaway after the New Year. I originally suggested celebrating New Year's somewhere away, but we apparently had obligations to an end-of-the-year gala.

I dreaded it because it was also my birthday. I made everyone promise not to make any special announcements or a big ordeal. But I knew better.

I was putting on my jewelry ahead of the event when Jeremy snuck up behind me. "Nope. This will not do at all."

He shook his head while looking me up and down, but I could tell by the mischievous glint in his eyes that something was up.

"Do you not like my dress?" I question. It's a long, off-the shoulder, dark wine-colored chiffon dress that accentuates my bust and hips.