Adagio

Chapter 5

Huge,

Flippen.

Mistake!

There he was with his very tight jeans….. And I mean very tight … you could actually -

Oh s**t.

I shook my head.

He was wearing a pink shirt, which made his tan look bronzer.

Did I say bronzer?

He was just standing there. With his hands in his pockets, smiling at the mother’s passing near him. The mothers of course blushed and walked very slowly, wanting to catch the eye of this beautiful stranger.

Coda was pulling my hand, so I returned from my 16- year old fantasies.

I smiled down at him and he pointed to Jace.

He slipped from my grip and went running to him.

Jace noticed him and pulled him up, smiling at him.

Like it was the most natural thing to do.

I kept staring. That was perhaps the most beautiful thing, I have ever seen, after my son’s smile of course.

Jace noticed me and smiled.

I composed myself and walked towards them.

He put Coda down.

I knelt down to him.

He put his hand on his heart and pointed it at me.

I did the same and said: “ I love you too sweetheart.”

He kissed my cheeks, waved to Jace and ran towards his friends, oblivious about anything.

While here I am sweating like a pig, trying hard not to run away from something I well know is a mistake.

Jace turned to face me.

“ You look beautiful.”

Really? Are we playing the beautiful card ? Did he look at himself in the mirror?

I managed to smile up at him, calming my hormonal thoughts. I wasn’t a little girl anymore.

“Ready? “ He said.

I nodded.

He didn’t offer his hand or took mine in his by force. Which was a sweet thing to do. He’s not forcing me to like him, it’s like going out with a friend.

A very hot friend.

He took me to a family restaurant, nothing fancy and nothing special, but still intimate somehow.

“ Thank you for not standing me up.” He said grinning while looking at the menu.

“Well, I had to take my kid to school somehow so.”

He chuckled.

We ordered and for some time there was a huge awkward silence between us but he soon solved it.

“ Tell me about yourself ?” He said.

“ With the condition, you do too. You know quite a lot about me but I know nothing about you.”

He smiled and nodded.

“ What do you wanna know?” I said.

“ How about from when you got pregnant till now ?”

He hit a sore spot.

I took a deep breath.

“ I got pregnant at 18, stopped school and went to live at my friend's house. Her parents helped me with the pregnancy telling me what to do and what not to do. But I couldn’t depend on them when the baby was born and I was running out of ideas on what to do. Then suddenly I remembered the book I wrote, it was a long shot but it was worth it. It somehow got a lot of attention and I ended up with some money in the bank. Money enough to give my son a good start. Then with other books, I got a home and everything my son needed.”

He kept listening without interrupting once. Looking deep into my eyes, trying to find something.

“ What about your family ?”

“ They couldn’t afford another baby and well my mum didn’t want anything to do with me anymore so.”

I didn’t know why talking about these personal things with him was so easy.

“ How about you ?” I asked.

He chuckled. “ Nothing interesting. Normal childhood , I have a younger brother. I majored in Architect and flew over some countries to build up houses. That’s it.”

I frowned.

“ Come on, something else, I told you my personal life.”

He thought for a moment.

“ I had flings from all-”

I put my hand up.

“ Sorry to have asked.”

He laughed out loud.

I smiled at the sound of his laughter.

“ Can I ask you something ?”

I nodded.

“ Why doesn’t your son speak? If it’s too personal it’s okay if you don’t feel like talking about it.”

I looked up at him.

Again, something is pulling me to tell him everything.

“ I don’t know,” I said softly.

“ What do you mean you don’t know ?” He said while furrowing his brows.

“ I took him to the doctor but he told me that there’s nothing wrong with him, he simply doesn’t want to talk.” 

He put his hand on mine and somehow I feel calm and secure.

“ But , one fine day, I make a sound from the piano and it was all clear.” I smiled softly.

“ What do you mean?”

“ The piano was the key. He couldn’t stop crying, but when I touched the piano he stopped. Then I thought about teaching him how to communicate with notes. And somehow that was the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen. A 2-year-old boy, playing the piano like it was a part of him. He’s still learning and he can’t hit all the notes right but ….. It’s a gift Jace and that’s why he doesn’t talk. One day he will make the people listen to his voice I’m sure.”

He grabbed my hand and put it between his.

“ When you talk about your son, you glow. And that’s the most beautiful thing, I , have ever seen.”

I blushed.

Or I’m sure I blushed.

Wouldn’t you blush?

Of course, you would.

“ Thanks.”

He smiled.

We kept talking about different things, mostly about Coda but we talked about all the places he’s visited and it was such a thrill to listen to him speak about all these places I have only visited in a book and in dreams.

“ I thought this date was gonna be a disaster,” I said as Jace closed the door behind me.

He chuckled.

“Same, I thought that you would be some psycho mother and would barbecue me for dinner.”

I punched him in the arm and chuckled.

“ Fried not barbecued.”

He laughed out loud.

We walked silently to the school’s entrance. Kids were starting to emerge from the doors.

Coda came running to me and jumped on me while I spun him around.

“ I guess you’re happy today huh?” I said wiping his dirty cheek.

He nodded and gave me a paper.

I cleared my throat.

“ My mum is amazing. Love you! “ I pulled him to me and kissed his whole face, he let me kiss him but he wiped his face after though.

“ I’ll leave you to it then,” Jace said smiling, ruffling Coda’s hair.

Coda grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

He looked at me.

I sighed.

“ He wants you to come with us.” I smiled to Jace.

“ Really?”

Coda nodded but he put two fingers before his eyes then pointing them to Jace.

“ He’s telling you, you may come but beware… I’m watching you.” I said in a low voice.

Jace looked at me then at Coda and he burst into laughter.

Coda pulled me and Jace behind him and we walked towards the house.

“ Your place is amazing,” Jace said while entering the house.

I smiled, somehow satisfied that he liked my house.

“Coda, go wash and prepare for your homework.”

He nodded and went running.

“ Remove your shoes,” I yelled to him from the kitchen.

The footsteps stopped and I hear him taking off his shoes.

“ Good boy,” I yelled again.

Jace chuckled and sat on the chair.

“ Want something to drink?”

He nodded and I gave him a beer.

“ Sorry about Coda, dragging you here.”

“No, at least I got to spend some more time with you.” He winked at me.

I chuckled.

He cleared his throat.

“ How about a second date?” He looked at me.

I nodded.

“ But this time, I choose the place.”

He nodded. “ Deal.”

After some time Coda came into the kitchen all cleaned with his books but his hair was still wet.

I sighed and went to grab the towel.

“ Coda, you need to dry your hair as well. Or else you will catch a cold.”

He nodded but continued to write in his book.

Jace helped him with his homework and Coda kept smiling up at him.

They hit it off quite well.

After an hour, Coda put his book in front of me and got up from the chair.

He looked at me and then he put his hand on his head and saluted.

I did the same. “ Aye Aye Captain, you have the piano to yourself.”

Coda jumped in joy and went into the living room.

“ He’s an angel. Really. How did you manage to raise him up like that ?” Jace asked smiling at Coda’s struggle to get on the piano’s chair.

“ I have no idea. I think he raised me instead.”

Jace looked at me and smiled.

Coda started the play the tune he learned from Blaine’s last visit.

I checked his homework, while Jace went next to Coda.

Coda thought him our communication notes.

All of them.

Suddenly I saw Coda closing his eyes softly and sleeping on Jace’s shoulder.

I looked at the time.

“ Oh crap. I’m so sorry! We kept you stuck here.” I hushed.

Jace smiled and grabbed Coda in his arms.

“ It was a wonderful evening.”

I took Coda from his arms and took him to bed. He was asleep already, so I guess my lullaby is not needed.

I tucked him in and closed the door slowly.

Jace was waiting in the living room.

“ I’m so sorry,” I said rubbing my eyes.

He grabbed my hand in his and said: “ And I said don’t worry about it.” He chuckled.

We kept looking at each other quietly.

“ Is it too early for a goodbye kiss?” He asked inching closer.

I shook my head, waiting eagerly for him to kiss me.

His face inched closer and I could feel his breath on my cheek.

When finally his lips touched mine, the world stopped.

It was a soft kiss, an innocent kiss but somehow it meant more than I wanted it too.

He moved closer and kissed me again. Still giving me soft kisses, waiting for me to tell him to stop.

But he stopped himself.

“ If I continue I won’t be able to say goodbye.”

I laughed.

He kissed me one last time and moved away, making the world turn again.

“ I left you my phone number on the table. Call about that second date.”

He smiled and walked away without another word or sound.

When I heard the door close, I slipped on the floor, covering my face.

My heart was beating so fast and so loud, I didn’t know how he didn’t hear it.

Why did it feel so natural for him to be here, be with me and my son?

It’s not something I would normally do.

What’s gotten into me?

I don’t know what to do.