|
Ryan Sylander Opus One Chapter 17: Serenade
http://www.asstr.org/~ryansylander/
�Those are some big speakers!� Sandra exclaimed, as they entered the recording control room. Richard grinned.� �So size does matter then?� he asked suggestively. Emily and Sandra just gave him a look before peering through the window to the concert hall.� A cellist was practicing with a pianist. �Wow, the view is really good from up here!� Emily said. �Yeah.� It sounds good, too,� Richard said.� He flipped on the power amplifiers and then brought up the faders for the hall microphones.� The cello and piano music streamed into the room. Richard gestured for Sandra to sit in the sweet spot in front of the mixer. �Close your eyes,� he said gently, his hands gently massaging her shoulders. After a moment, Sandra said �Mm, that feels good.� Richard pulled his hands away abruptly.� �You�re supposed to be listening!� Sandra turned and gave him a little pout, but Richard just pointed to the speakers with a stern look. Sandra listened for a while.� �You can hear every detail of the cello playing,� she said at last.� �It�s really rich.� �Box seat view, front row sound, as Dave likes to say,� Richard offered. Emily took a turn in the seat.� �Can we watch concerts from up here from now on?� she asked, after listening to the music. Richard chuckled.� �If I�m recording, maybe.� Dave probably wouldn�t mind.� As long as you don�t distract me from my job.� �Oh, we would never do that,� Emily said innocently, sidling up to him. Richard looked at her levelly.� �Right...� �Are these the tapes where you found your teacher�s concert?� Sandra called from the anteroom. �Yeah.� Emily and Richard joined her in front of the stacks of tapes.� They scanned the spines, every now and then pointing out a famous name. �Hey, look, here�s a recital by my teacher!� Sandra said.� �Want to take a listen?� Richard asked. �Sure!� Richard pulled the DAT tape from the shelf and brought it to the machine in the control room.� He handed the J-card to Sandra, and she scanned over the program printed on it. �Ooh, go to track eight!� she suddenly exclaimed. Richard skipped forward on the DAT, and then turned up the volume on the mixer as the music began.� Richard recognized it as the piece he had tried to accompany Sandra on when Allison had listened to them play. Sandra sighed as her teacher made the first entrance sound so easy. ��I wish I could do that...� �Beautiful voice,� Emily said quietly. �Mm hmm,� Sandra concurred. When the piece finished, Sandra turned to Richard.� �This is amazing, Richard.� It�s like being right there!� �I know,� Richard said.� �It�s cool to have access to all these tapes.� Do you want to hear more?� �Not now.� I want to go play Emily�s piece.� �Okay.�� Richard rewound the tape. �Good evening,� Dave said, startling the trio.� He was grinning at them. �Oh, hey Dave! �Do you need to use the room?� Richard asked as he carefully replaced the tape in its case. �No, no, I was just on my way home. �I thought I�d see how your guests like the control room.� �Very neat,� Emily said. �Oh, Dave,� Richard said suddenly, �this is Emily... and Sandra.� �Nice to meet you,� Dave said, nodding.� �Have you played them the CD I lent you?� he asked Richard. �No, I haven�t yet,� Richard said.� He dug through his bag and pulled it out. Dave loaded it in the player.� �There are some great stories about this CD,� he said, as he brought the volume up. �The 1812 overture?� Emily said, recognizing the opening theme. �Yeah.� It�s one of the CDs people use to �test� their high-end sound systems,� Dave said.� He pulled the grille off one of the speakers. �Why?� Sandra asked. Dave fast-forwarded into the CD some, and then let it play.� �The cannons,� he said simply, and pointed to the speakers.� As the music reached the final climax, the cannons started going off.� Sandra instinctively reached for her ears.� Richard watched as the speaker cones stretched to accommodate the sharp transient and ensuing low frequencies.� The whole room shook from the blasts.� Richard noticed everyone bracing themselves against the onslaught of artillery. Dave turned down the volume as the final chords sounded. �Damn!� Emily exclaimed.� �That was a little loud.� Dave laughed.� �Yeah.� �Did you see the speakers moving?� Richard asked. �Is that bad for them?� Sandra asked. Dave shook his head.� �Not unless they get damaged.� That�s about as loud as I�d go, though.� �What happens if you turn it up more, besides making us deaf?� Emily asked. �Funny you should ask,� Dave said, grinning.� �I was at a party once, a long time ago, and the host decided he wanted to show off his new stereo system in front of fifty people.� He played this CD, and got a little... overexcited with the volume.� �And?� Richard urged. �And when he got to the cannons, it was interesting.� The speakers took the first few without problem, but then the woofer ripped out of its frame.� A few more hits and it stopped moving altogether.� �How embarrassing!� Sandra said. �Yeah, a little.� The CD does have a warning on it, see,� Dave said, pointing.� �The host was a little... dismayed.� But after the fact, we all had a good laugh about it.� �I saw this piece live once, in a park concert by the Hudson River,� Richard said.� �They had some of the cannons firing from a barge out in the river, and they had to fire those early since the sound would take a few seconds to get to the audience.� It was pretty cool.� Like a real battle.� �That must have been fun to see.� Pieces with cannons in them don�t get performed very much, I�d guess,� Dave said.� �Well, I need to get home.� Nice meeting you both.� �See you around, Dave,� Richard said. �By the way...� Dave said, turning back to the girls, �we�re always looking for people to help record concerts.� �Oh, I don�t think so,� Sandra said, pointing to the mixing board.� �Just looking at that thing makes my head spin.� �You�d learn.� If Richard can do it...�� Dave gave Richard a wink. The girls laughed. �Thanks, Dave,� Richard said. �I better go before I get in trouble,� Dave said, smiling mischievously.� �Goodnight.� Dave slipped out of the room. �He�s pretty laid back,� Emily observed. �Yeah, I like him.� He�s easy to work with,� Richard agreed. �Well, should we go try this new piece out?� Sandra asked.
Emily put her horn to her lips, and blew the opening notes of the Serenade.� The first section was a horn solo.� Richard watched closely as she sounded the notes, restarting a phrase a few times when she messed up.� What was fascinating was that she never depressed the valves on the horn for the entire melody. �Cool!� Sandra said, when Emily finished the call and took the horn from her lips. �How do you play that without pressing the keys?� Richard asked. �Well, Britten indicates that it should be played naturally, which means all harmonics.� Richard frowned. �Here, listen,� Emily said.� She played a low note on the horn, and then by adjusting only her lips and breath, she changed pitches, ascending through the natural harmonics of the instrument.� �The high ones are close together and hard to hit cleanly,� Emily said, raising a brow. Richard nodded appreciatively.� �Play the prologue again,� he said. Emily shrugged and raised the horn. We need more space, Richard thought.� Her horn playing was beautiful, but it filled the small practice room too quickly, pressing in on his ears.� Unfortunately the large piano room was occupied.� Richard suddenly remembered that the concert hall had gone dark as they were listening to the 1812 overture with Dave.� Maybe... �I�ll be right back,� Richard said, as Emily finished the prologue.� Before the girls could question, he was walking down the hallway. A quick peek into the hall showed that it was still dark.� Richard looked around backstage and found the light board.� A few tests of the switches gave nothing, but then one switch threw on a few stage lights. �Richard grinned and ran excitedly back downstairs to the practice room. �Bathroom break?� Emily asked. �No, change of practice room.� �Is the big piano room open?� Sandra asked. �Not quite,� Richard said, gathering his music.� �Let�s go.� Emily shrugged and grabbed her music and case.� They followed Richard upstairs and into the stage door. �Oh, sweet!� Emily said.� �No one is here?� �Not for now,� Richard said. �Are we allowed to be here?� Sandra asked. �I don�t know.� What�s the worst that can happen?� The three of them slipped through the gap in the curtain and onto the illuminated stage.� The wooden floor glowed golden and their footsteps on it echoed into the dark and empty audience seating.� It seemed like every sound was amplified as they set up stands and turned pages.� Emily and Sandra stood facing Richard and the piano, rather than the audience. �Now try the prologue,� Richard said to Emily. Much better!� The horn filled the hall, bathing them in rich reverberation.� It was a significant improvement over the claustrophobic tightness of the practice room. Emily responded to the setting, and played a more sensitive rendition of the opening.� �Man, it�s really hard to get that right on first reading,� she said, staring at the music like it was a puzzle.� �But let�s move on,� she finally said.� �I don�t want to be the only one playing all night.� �It sounds great, Em, especially for a first run,� Richard said.� Sandra agreed. �Thanks,� Emily said.� �Pastoral, or another movement?� �Let�s just read through it, and see what�s in here,� Richard said.� He stretched, and looked at Sandra.� �Ready?� She chuckled.� �Um, sure...� Richard began to play the opening chords of the Pastoral.� None of them noticed the figure slip into the concert hall and sit in the back corner.
The rehearsal ended with Emily playing the epilogue. �You�re supposed to be offstage for that part,� Richard said, pointing to the score. Emily looked at him levelly.� �I�m not moving now.� Next time.� Sandra yawned.� �It feels late.� Richard checked his watch.� �Damn, it is late!� Eleven.� We should go.� �This was really fun,� Emily said sincerely, as she packed up her horn.� �Much more fun than my ensemble class.� �We should do a recital and play this,� Sandra said suddenly. �I don�t think we give recitals in our first two years.� We just have juries,� Richard said. �Yeah, I know, but we could still do a joint recital,� Sandra said.� �Gwen gave a recital last year and she was just a sophomore.� Richard pursed his lips.� �Hmm.� We could each do one piece and then do the Serenade together.� Emily nodded thoughtfully.� �It would be a lot of extra work though.� �Not so much,� Sandra countered.� �We have juries anyway.� We can each do something from that.� Richard can play one of his fancy pieces...� �Fancy?� �...and you could play the Hindemith you are working on, and I could do some songs, and then we play the Serenade.�� Sandra was clearly excited about the idea. �But Richard will have to learn the accompaniments for us.� Plus the Serenade is no easy piece,� Emily said. �Do you think your teacher would let you work on accompaniments?� Sandra asked Richard. �Um, I don�t know.� I do have some ensemble requirements but I don�t know if this would count.� �Can you ask?� I mean, if you even want to.� I know you are really busy with your regular practicing.� Oh, well, maybe it is a bad idea...� Sandra finished glumly, as she remembered Richard�s situation with his technique. �Hold on, hold on,� Richard said.� �I�d really love to do this.� �Really?� Sandra said, brightening.� �Yes, definitely.� But, let�s see how things go.� It might mean we have to spend more time in the practice room than in the dorm room together.� �That�s okay,� Emily said.� �Will you ask your teachers then?� Sandra asked them. Richard and Emily looked at each other, and then nodded.� A big smile spread across Sandra�s face.
Back in the dorm room, Sandra was walking on air. �I�m trying not to get my hopes up,� she said, although it was clear that it was too late for that. �You really want to do this, huh?� Richard noted, as he sat in the desk chair. �Can�t you tell?� Emily said, smiling at Sandra. �My two favorite things right now are hanging out with you two, and singing.� Why wouldn�t I want to do both together?� Sandra asked. �Aw, isn�t that sweet!� Emily teased. �It�s the truth,� Sandra said simply.� Sandra got out a piece of paper and pencil, and wrote �Richard, Emily and Sandra�s Recital� across the top. �What would you play on it, Richard?� Richard laughed.� �Didn�t know we were having the programs printed tomorrow...� �Trying not to get your hopes up, Sandra?� Emily said. �I can�t help it!� she admitted.� �At least I can pin this on my board and look at it.� It will keep us motivated.� �How long is the Serenade, anyway?� Richard asked. The girls looked at each other and shrugged.� Sandra pulled out the score and started skimming through it, humming parts.� Between the three of them they figured it to be perhaps twenty-five minutes long, depending on the final tempi. �So that�s perfect, if we have three other things on the program,� Sandra said. �I�d probably play my Liszt piece, then,� Richard said. �That would be awesome!� Sandra exclaimed.� �How long is it?� �It runs about seventeen minutes,� Richard said. �So does the Hindemith,� Emily said. �Well, perfect! �I�ll do a few songs, and that will be it.� Who goes first?� For a few moments, they considered the options. �How about you, Sandra,� Emily said, �then me, and then Richard after intermission, and then the Serenade last.� �Good, that way I�d get a break between singing,� Sandra agreed.� She wrote down the program.� Richard couldn�t help smiling at her enthusiasm.� Still, you have to start somewhere to plan a recital.� Might as well be tonight. �And also, Richard doesn�t blow us all away right off the beginning,� Emily added. �What?� Richard exclaimed. �If you are going to play the Liszt first, I wouldn�t want to go right after that,� Emily said matter-of-factly. �I guess...� Sandra passed the mockup program to Richard.� He looked it over, and then laughed.� �You know, Sandra, I don�t think the programs that Wexford prints up have little flowers and smiley faces on them...� �Don�t give me a hard time! �I�m too excited for that!� Sandra cried. �And you�re too cute not to tease right now,� Richard replied with a grin. He passed the program to Emily, who nodded in approval. �Do you think we can do it?� Sandra asked. �Yeah, if Mrs. T. lets me,� Richard reminded her. Sandra looked at Emily expectantly.� �I�m going to be playing the Hindemith for juries anyway, so why not?� Emily said. Sandra pinned the program up on her corkboard, and then gave Richard and Emily each a firm kiss.� After turning off the room lights and switching to the dim corner lamp, she turned to them, and unbuttoned her shirt.� �Get up,� she commanded. �Me?� Richard said, not moving. �Both of you.�� The shirt slipped off her shoulders as Emily and Richard watched. Sandra�s shorts fell to the floor, and she stood expectantly before them in her black underwear and bra. �Why are you both just sitting there smiling at me?� she asked. �You�re just too cute,� Emily said, echoing Richard�s earlier comment. Sandra rolled her eyes and went to Richard.� �Come on.� Do I have to do everything tonight?� Richard laughed richly.�� �Not so fast. �Before I get out of this chair, it�s my turn to watch.� �Your turn?� Sandra said, frowning at him.� �What do you mean?�� Emily giggled in the background at Sandra�s confusion. �You two are always taking turns watching me,� Richard said.� �Now it�s my turn.� His meaning dawned on Sandra, and her mouth fell open.� �You mean, you want to watch Emily... and me?� Richard nodded with brow raised, a smile creeping across his face. �Doing...� doing what?� Sandra said, voice quiet. Richard just stared at her, unmoving.� She knows, he thought to himself. Emily, meanwhile, had moved behind Sandra, and was grinning at Richard.� When she placed her hands on Sandra�s bare back, Sandra jumped slightly. �I don�t know...� Sandra said. �You don�t want to?� Richard asked her gently. �No, I do.� I�m just shy.� �Shy?� Why?� �I�ve never done this before,� Sandra said.� She fluttered her eyelids as Emily ran her hands over the front of Sandra�s bra cups. �There�s a first time for everything,� Richard said quietly.� Sandra was already relenting under Emily�s touch.� She stood perfectly still with her arms at her sides, as Emily�s hands traced down her tummy.� Tingles exploded under her fingers, leaving a trail on her flesh.� �I don�t know what to do,� Sandra said weakly.� She held her eyes closed, partly to avoid Richard�s look, and partly in early ecstasy.� Emily�s hands continued south along Sandra�s smooth skin.� Is she going to go all the way down and touch me?� Right now? Emily was moving so slowly...� Sandra started to tense up in anticipation.� Just as her fingers crossed Sandra�s bellybutton, pleasure suddenly exploded across her middle.� Richard, no fair!� Sandra opened her eyes wide and looked at him. �I�m sure you�ll be all right,� Richard said, grinning.� �You are obviously very excited,� he added, removing his hand.� Richard sat back again, and took in the sight before him.� His arousal was tremendous, and nothing had really happened yet.� All day he had been wondering if the kiss was just a tease, or if it was the beginning of a new facet to their relationship.� He resisted the urge to join in any more, tempting as it was. Sandra let out a tight breath as Emily paused short of her panties and then moved her hands around and up Sandra�s back.� Emily worked the clasp and quickly removed Sandra�s bra.� Once again her hands explored Sandra�s front, but this time free of any barriers.� Emily pulled on Sandra�s body, and turned her around.� Sandra looked at Emily�s eyes, which were calm and open. �Do you want to...?� Emily whispered very quietly, so that Richard could not hear. Sandra nodded, and then leaned in slightly, lips pursed. Richard shifted in his chair, gripping the desk to keep from jumping up and...� He couldn�t see them kissing since Sandra had her back to him.� Patience...! Emily was raised up on her toes to kiss Sandra, and she might well have been floating.� Tonight, her fantasies from the last month were going to be realized. Emily led Sandra to the bed, and laid her down on her back.� She slowly pulled off Sandra�s panties.� Sandra stretched her long legs into the air as Emily pulled the black fabric up. Richard moved his chair to get a closer view.� Emily tossed the panties onto his lap, and then gave him a wink.� Richard was too agitated to return it.� He took a deep breath, trying to capture every detail of the moment. �Wait,� Sandra said shyly, as Emily turned her attention back to her. �Wait?� For what?� �I... I don�t know...� �Just let go, Sandra,� Richard assured her. Sandra sighed and opened herself to Emily. Richard watched in fascination.� He hadn�t given oral sex to either of them yet, so this was new in many ways.� Emily started with caresses, which made Sandra wriggle on the bed.� From watching her with Richard, Emily knew how sensitive she was to teasing.� She wanted to use this to her advantage.� And Sandra�s advantage, she thought. Richard watched as Emily confidently ran her hands across Sandra�s flesh, tickling her with her fingertips.� He could feel Sandra�s anticipation within his own body. Emily had exaggerated earlier, when talking with Sandra about her girlfriend experience.� Well, not exaggerated, but I didn�t do everything with my friend, she thought.� Fingers were one thing, tongues were another.� Emily was a little apprehensive as she moved closer to Sandra.� She probably thinks I know what I�m doing... When she put her tongue on Sandra, the response was surprising.� Emily could feel the pleasure shoot up through Sandra as she tensed up and let out a squeak.� For a moment, her thighs threatened to close, but Emily stayed still, and Sandra relaxed again.� The slightest movement Emily made would make Sandra tighten her grip on the bed sheet.� Richard watched the ebb and flow of their interaction, wondering how long he would be able to take it.� How do they just sit there and watch me going at it with the other?� Emily broke through the initial sensitivity and now was able to freely explore Sandra with her lips and tongue.� It is so, so nice, Emily thought.� Sandra raised her head up to look at Emily�s eyes looking back at her over her mons.� Sandra gave Emily a pleasured smile, and her eyes softened in response.� Sandra put her head back down on the pillow, and glanced at Richard.� He looked like he was about to tear his clothes off and jump on the bed.� Sandra almost laughed at his demeanor.� Some invisible chains seemed to strap him to the chair, and she wondered when they would give way. Whatever Emily was doing felt incredible.� Sandra thought she would be too distracted with the strangeness of it all to be aroused, but the opposite was true.� To be pleasured by one lover while another watched was familiar; now the roles were reversed, and the feelings were exquisite.� Emily started using her fingers again, and Sandra shivered.� A thousand possibilities which she had imagined before, were now closer to being real.� What would happen when Richard joined in?� So many things... Emily was murmuring herself now.� This is turning her on that much? Sandra thought, pleased that it was so.� Sandra felt the climb to ecstasy begin to increase more rapidly.� Emily seemed to feed on Sandra�s noises, and added more movement and more fingers.� Heaven approached... Emily stopped for a moment, and then let out a long moan.� �Oh, god,� she whispered. Sandra opened her eyes, and found Emily still between her legs, eyes closed.� Richard had reached his limit, and was now behind Emily, a wild look in his eyes. Emily vaguely returned to pleasuring Sandra, and every thrust from behind was transferred into Sandra through Emily�s frame.� Sandra shared a long, unfocused look with Richard before she threw her head back.� Emily was pressing just the right buttons.� A moment later, Sandra exploded over the top of the peak. Circles of feeling echoed across her insides as she floated in bliss.� She had no idea how long she hung on to that state, but eventually Emily grew too distracted by Richard to continue, and Sandra shuddered one last time. Sandra came down from her high just as Emily began to breath unevenly.� Sandra slid down off the bed, and watched the ending.� Richard had pushed her shorts down and taken her.� There was no time for their disrobing.� The sight was so... passionately urgent. Emily�s body stuttered to orgasm.� She let out a muffled yell into the bed. Richard showed no sign of relenting, which drove Emily towards uncontrollable spasms.� Sandra reached a hand down under Emily, and touched her right below where Richard was entering her.� Emily let out a surprised wail.� It was too much, perhaps.� Still, Sandra didn�t take her hand away.� �No more!� Emily said weakly, after a while, spent from the intense feelings. �Let me finish you,� Sandra said quietly to Richard. He frowned for a second as he slowed, and then Sandra pushed on his tummy.� When he pulled out, he glistened from Emily�s wetness. Sandra wasted no time in swallowing him, and thus Emily.� Sandra braced herself as Richard began to give his warning signs.� She doubted she would contain all of it, seeing how aroused he had been watching Emily earlier.� Emily was still moaning when Richard exploded.� It was too much.� After trying in vain to keep up with Richard�s first two shots, she aimed the rest at Emily�s swaying bottom.� Emily let out a surprised �Oh!�� Sandra giggled as the jets soaked the back of Emily�s shirt, and then her butt, and finally stopped.� She looked at Richard.� He had his head thrown back, frozen in place.� After many long seconds, he let out a large breath and sank to the rug, groaning softly. Sandra gently cleaned Emily up, and then helped her take her shirt off.� Emily was still a little out of it as they lay on the rug for a long time, in silence. �That was too intense,� Emily said quietly. �Too?� Sandra asked. �In a good way...� �Yeah,� Sandra agreed. �How about you, Richard?� There was no answer.� The girls grinned at each other as they realized he was fast asleep. �It�s going to be hard to practice, when we can be doing this,� Emily whispered. �I know,� Sandra whispered back.� �But, remember, he needs our help.� If we distract him too much, we�ll lose him.� Emily nodded.� �I know.� Sandra gave Emily a soft, lingering kiss.� �Thanks.� Emily just smiled back, and then closed her eyes.
The week passed with muted excitement. �Although the three of them played with the Serenade a few times, Richard wasn�t ready to commit to it fully until he had the approval of his teacher.� Emily�s teacher had been all for the idea, and the two girls now both had set their hearts on it, which worried him slightly.� There was a good chance Mrs. Tertychnaya would nix the idea, instead preferring him to concentrate on his solo practicing. �Are you going to ask her today?� Sandra asked Richard at breakfast, on the day of his lesson. Richard looked at her, and then took a breath.� �I�ve been thinking I should wait a week.� �Why?� �Well, my last lesson wasn�t so great.� How will it look if I go in there and ask to do something else?� �Hmm,� Sandra murmured. �Irresponsible, at best,� Richard said, waving his fork around. �But then we have to wait another week to know for sure!� Sandra said, disappointment in her voice. Richard shrugged.� �I�ll tell you what, if it seems like there�s a good time to ask, then I�ll ask.� But don�t get your hopes up.� �All right, I�m sorry,� Sandra said. �Sorry?� �To be pressuring you.� I�m just really excited, that�s all.� �Me too,� Richard said.� �I just need to be careful.� Emily returned with a full plate. �How can you get seconds?� Sandra asked, making a face. �I�m hungry,� Emily said with a shrug. �We haven�t been out to eat in a long time,� Sandra said. �This weekend, if Richard gets the affirmative from Mrs. T.� We can celebra�� �He�s not asking her today,� Sandra interrupted. �Maybe I will,� Richard corrected. �What�s up?� Emily asked. Richard explained his position. �I was wondering about that,� Emily said, nodding.� �Do what you have to do, Richard.� �Well, I�m going to go practice before my lesson,� Richard said, standing and shouldering his bag. �Good luck!� Sandra said, the cheer returning to her voice some. �Thanks.�� He gave them each a quick peck on the cheek, before leaving the cafeteria. �What are you going to do if Mrs. T. says no?� Emily asked after a moment. Sandra slumped a little in her chair.� �She can�t say no!� Emily just raised her brow at Sandra, but she was lost in thought.
Richard seems excited for his lesson today, Irina thought.� That is a good sign.� She�d had students who would have returned depressed after a lesson like Richard�s last one.� Instead, Richard greeted her brightly, and went right to playing the Beethoven. Irina listened closely, watching his fingers and arms work.� He has incorporated much of what I showed him in the last lesson, Irina noticed.� The playing was still rough, but that was expected with any new technique.� That he was able to break some of his old habits so quickly was impressive. Richard finished the section, and then paused.� �Sorry, that wasn�t very good,� he said.� He seemed a little glum. �Why not?� Irina asked him. �I had many mistakes.� Irina sniffed.� �Do not worry about that.� �I did practice a lot this week,� Richard said.� �That didn�t really show it.� �My teacher once said that practice takes one or two weeks to enter your playing.� Richard laughed.� �Great, so now you are hearing my practice from a few weeks ago?� �Maybe,� Irina said, chuckling.� �But I can see that you worked on the technique.� �You can?� �Yes.� Play again, from the second variation.� Richard did, and Irina reinforced some of the details of the fingerings she had suggested.� At one point, she had Richard move aside so she could demonstrate a passage. �Are you giving any recitals this year?� Richard asked when she finished. �After I finish the recording I will play that program here,� Irina said.� �Dave spoke to me.� He said you wanted to help him with the recording?� �He asked me, really.� I would like to, but only if you think it�s okay.� �Yes, of course, of course.� �Great,� Richard said, �Thank you.� I will stay out of the way and learn.� Irina smiled.� Richard seemed to hesitate about something as he sat at the keys again. �I was in the recording room,� he said slowly, �and I found an old recital that you played.� I was wondering if you would mind if I made a copy to listen to?� he asked. �Which recital was it?� �The Etudes,� Richard said. Irina laughed richly.� �Oh, the Etudes.� That was my first concert here, Richard.� Not my best.� I would not want to hear that.� �I listened to them,� Richard said. �Ah.� Then you have heard a good example of what happens when one does not practice enough.� �Not practice enough?� Richard said, incredulous. �I was not prepared for that program.� Richard seemed almost offended to hear that, and Irina smiled at him. �I thought it was incredible!� he blurted out. �Thank you, Richard.� You are kind.� But I said to myself at the time that I could do better.� �So did you play them again later?� Richard asked.� Irina could see him wondering if there was another concert tape in the archives from a later year. �No, I never did,� Irina said after a moment. �Why?� �The Etudes are consuming.� One does not simply sit down and play them.� �Are you ever going to play them in concert?� Richard asked. Irina looked out the window.� She had, a long time ago, vowed to play them again. �No,� she said at last.� �I will not.� Richard seemed disappointed. �Perhaps you will someday,� Irina said animatedly, standing again.� �But not if we spend all this time talking about my concerts!� Come, let us work on the variation again.� Richard snapped out of his stare, and stretched.� He looked up at Irina. �Do you think I can start working on some of the Etudes?� I�ve only played a few of them, but I want to learn more.� Irina returned his look for a moment before answering.� �Let us see how this semester goes, and then we can talk about that.� Richard nodded. A little more incentive to practice hard, Irina thought. Richard still seemed distracted, so Irina put a hand on his shoulder. �What else?� �Well...� This is strange, I think, but I will ask.� �What is it?� �I have a couple of friends, and I wanted to maybe play a piece with them.� I know I haven�t been doing well lately, so it doesn�t seem right for me to ask this, but I wanted to see what you thought about me doing a joint recital this year.� With my two friends.� Irina looked at him.� �What will you play?� �I thought I�d play the Liszt, and then they would do some pieces, and then there�s a Serenade by Britten that we would play together.� Irina pursed her lips thoughtfully. �I know I have juries,� Richard continued, �but I�m starting to see what I need to do.� And it would be more work, but I would like to do this if I could.� I... I spend some time with them anyway, and we would be playing music instead of... doing whatever.� Richard looked her in the eye.� �So, do you think it would be a possibility?�
Sandra rushed back from her voice lesson to the dorm room.� Emily was practicing.� Sandra didn�t wait for a pause, and burst into the room. �Where is he?� �He hasn�t come back yet.� Sandra let out an exasperated sigh. Emily put her horn down.� �Hey, relax.� He probably didn�t ask.� Why are you so worked up about this?� �Because I really want to do it!� Sandra said. �So do I, but you�re kind of obsessing about it.� What�s going on?� �I just want to know.� I feel unsettled, not knowing.� When I practiced all this week, I was wondering if the recital was going to happen or not.� �Okay.� But you�re acting a little weird.� Why is it so important?� Chances are we might not be able to do it.� Sandra sat heavily on the bed.� For a long time she didn�t speak.� Finally she stood, and faced the window. �I guess I�ve also been thinking that this would bring us together even more,� Sandra said. �More?� �Yeah.� I still wonder how we are going to work out our relationship with Richard.� Will it be weird if people find out?� Will he get tired of me and just want to be with you?� Emily thought for a moment.� �I�m pretty happy with things,� she said softly. �Me too,� Sandra said earnestly, turning to look Emily in the eyes.� �And I think Richard is too.� But... it�s so different!� With one person, like when I was going out with Billy, it was all or nothing.� We were together, or we weren�t.� We had plans for our future, even if they wouldn�t pan out.� And no one else was really involved.� But here, it worries me that something will happen to one of us.� I... don�t want to lose either of you as friends.� �Of course not,� Emily said. �So I guess that by having this recital planned, we all have something else to work for, together.� I guess...� I guess I like knowing that things aren�t going to fall apart at a moments notice.� This last week scared the crap out of me.� When Richard disappeared that day, I was so worried it was all going wrong.� �But we worked it out,� Emily said, smiling a little.� �It was just a miscommunication.� �I know,� Sandra agreed.� �And I know having a recital planned is no guarantee that this will last forever, or even until next spring�� But it�s something.� For me, anyway.� Emily smiled warmly, and gave Sandra a hug.� �Look, let�s see what happens.� One way or another, we�ll always try to make things work out.� I think that � � A knock on the door interrupted her.� The two girls looked at each other, and then they rushed to the door.
Sandra threw the door open.� Richard stood there, keeping his face expressionless. �Hi,� Sandra said, trying to keep the emotion from her voice, but Richard could tell she was on pins and needles. �Hi,� Richard replied.� He managed another moment of stony expression, but then it was too difficult to keep the smile from crossing his lips. �She said yes!� Sandra suddenly exclaimed. Richard let the full smile cross his lips.� A second later he was on the floor of the hallway, with two excited girls hugging and kissing him. Eventually they let him up, but not before a few dorm residents witnessed the interesting scene on passing. �Oh, I�m so happy!� Sandra exclaimed as they went back into the room, and closed the door.� �Me too,� Richard and Emily agreed.� There was some more celebrating and excited giggles. Everyone took a breath at last.� Richard looked at them with a smile. �Now the work begins,� he said.� �And it will be fun.�
|