In my rush I almost tripped as I flew down the stairs, nearly dropping my cello and music stand. I didn’t know why, but I felt almost as nervous at meeting Suzi as I had on my first day at the symphony. I’d never taught music before, and from what Erik told me she had issues with her home life. I wanted to do the best I could for her and not ruin her chances for eventual success. My teen years had been tough, growing up in a small mountain town with a family that was not always supportive of my music. If she was going through even more difficult times than I did, I wanted to do what I could to make her feel better about herself.
When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I scanned the room for a girl with a cello. I didn’t see her, but was grateful to see a sizable line waiting to be served.
