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Charlie broke it in two and handed the bigger half to him. "I
know you're going to tell me I need practice," she groaned. "I'm just so
tired of that piano!" As she said this, a hurt look crossed Adam's face. "I'm
not tired of you," she quickly added.
"Maybe we should take some time off," he hesitated, his voice sounding
as though he preferred to keep going. "Maybe I'm driving you too hard."
Hating to see Adam so discouraged, Charlie got up and planted a kiss on his cheek
before returning to the music room.
Dave had been waiting for them, though he hadn't expected Charlie back so soon. "I
thought it'd take Adam a good ten minutes to sweet-talk you back to the piano!"
he chuckled.
"Adam's a fast worker," Charlie smiled wearily. She sat down at her instrument,
just as Adam returned from the kitchen.
"Let's pick up where we left off," Adam nodded to her with a wink. Smiling
in spite of herself, Charlie resumed and the two finished their practice session
together.
The next few weeks were filled with patience and practice, until Adam realized that
Charlie had memorized the entire duet by heart. To Charlie's horror, he took away
her sheet music and insisted that she start playing it from memory-- something Charlie
was sure she couldn't do.
Adam knew better than to believe that. "You already know this piece, Charlie.
It's time to start playing with your heart, and not with your eyes."
Charlie stared at him indignantly. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Let's take it from the top, and it'll come," Adam smiled confidently.
Without her music before her, Charlie couldn't remember how the piece opened. It
wasn't until Adam gave her a hint or two, that she was finally able to begin and
the duet started in earnest. To Charlie's surprise, Adam was right. She hadn't needed
the music to play the composition. It made her feel quite the musician, playing with
Adam, and not having to keep her eyes transfixed on sheet music. With this feeling
of elation, Charlie and Adam completed the entire duet. Still feeling pleased with
herself, Charlie was about to suggest that they try it again, when she noticed the
somber look on Adam's face. To her surprise, Dave was looking very much the same
way.
"She's not playin' with her heart," mused Dave.
"What do you mean?" Charlie cried. "I didn't miss a single note!"
"That's not what Dave meant," explained Adam. "I suppose we're expecting
too much from the first time, so let's try it again and see what happens."
Charlie's confidence was taking a hit. How could they possibly think that wasn't
good? Not only had she got all the fingering down, but she had done it with Adam
playing at the same time! This was a big deal to Charlie, and it caused a disappointed
lump in her throat that made her feel like crying. All this work, only to have the
guys looking at her as though she had done something wrong!
The duet began once more, but this time, Adam didn't bother finishing. He stopped,
and Charlie could plainly see he was disappointed.
"I don't get it!" she exclaimed disbelievingly. "I'm actually playing
the song the way you wrote it, and this is the treatment I get?"
"I didn't write it to sound like that," disagreed Adam. "Give your
seat over to Dave, and listen carefully, Charlie." |
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