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By 7:35 it was almosta full house. Jane watched in amazement as the last arrivals scavenged for open seats in the high school auditorium. Who knew that classical music played by an orchestra of amateurs would draw such a crowd? She certainly never expected to be sitting shoulder to shoulder with eight hundred people who all seemed to be studiously reading the program notes. Unfortunately, the last person Jane wanted to sit next to was right beside her.
“It’s always been one of my favorite concertos, ever since I heard the Boston Symphony Orchestra perform it when I was thirteen years old,” said Alice Frost. “Not everyone can be Yo-Yo Ma, but it’s nice that amateurs are making the effort, don’t you think?”
“Yeah. Sure,” said Jane.
“Good for them, making theattempt. So few people try to stretch themselves. That’s why Barry and I had to come tonight, to cheer them on. Amateurs or not.”
“Hey, Maura’s gonna be playing tonight,” said Frost, sitting on the other side of his wife. “I can’t imagine she’ll be anything less than amazing.”
“Have you ever heard her play the piano?” Alice asked.
“No.”
“Then how would you know?”
“Because she’s amazing at everything she does.”
“Oh.” Alice sniffed. “We’ll have to see, won’t we?”
It’s going to be a very long night.Jane grabbed Gabriel’s hand and whispered to him: “You wanna switch seats with me?”
“And deprive you of the commentary?”
“I’ll make it up to you.”
“Intermission,” he said. “I’ll switch with you then.”
I won’t last that long.
“Why do you suppose she didn’t tell you about this concert?” Alice asked.
Reluctantly Jane turned her attention back to Alice. “Are you talking about Maura?”
“Barry said you found out about it from someone else. Here she’s been rehearsing for weeks and she never even mentioned it.”
That comment grated on Jane, not only because it made her question how close her friendship was with Maura, but also because it came from Alice. She wondered what other secrets Maura kept from her.
“Maybe she’s afraid it won’t go well tonight,” said Alice, “and she doesn’t want you to witness it.” Alice turned her attention to the stage. “Here they come,” she said as the musicians walked out to take their seats. There was no sign of Maura yet, but Jane saw Dr. Antrim settling into his chair in the violin section.
“Did you know violins didn’t always tune to four-forty?” asked Alice.
Jane turned to her. “Four-forty what?”
“Hertz. That’s a fun little factoid I read a few years ago. In the eighteen hundreds, violins tuned their A strings to four thirty-five hertz. Isn’t it interesting that even classical music isn’t static? It adapts to the modern ear. Ah, here’s the conductor.”
A silver-haired man in a tuxedo walked onstage and the audience applauded.
“That’s Claude Ellison, and he’s actually a real conductor, not a doctor,” said Alice. “I looked up his name just now, on my phone. I guess it takes a real professional to whip amateurs into shape.”
There was a fresh burst of applause and Jane turned back to the stage to see Maura walk out. She looked especially elegant tonight in a black dress of gleaming silk, and as she stood beside the grand piano, she smiled down at the first row where Daniel Brophy was sitting. Gracefully she swept her skirt to the side and sat down at the keyboard.
Make us proud, Maura. And annoy Alice while you’re at it.
The conductor raised his baton. The violinists lifted their bows and began to play.
Jane’s cell phone buzzed; thank god she’d remembered to mute it. She glanced at caller ID, saw it was her mother, and shoved the phone back into her purse.Not now, Mom.
“I have to admit, they’re not half bad,” said Alice. “For amateurs.”
As the whole orchestra joined in and the music swelled toward the piano solo, Maura raised her hands to the keyboard. Jane tensed, dreading any mistakes to come. She dreaded it for Maura’s sake, and also because if Alice kept up her snarky comments, Jane might have to strangle her. But from her very first notes, Maura was clearly in control, her fingers racing effortlessly across the keys.
“Not bad at all,” Alice admitted.
Not bad? My friend is freaking amazing.
Jane’s phone buzzed again. A text message this time. She ignored it; nothing was going to distract her. She tilted forward in her seat, pulled by the magnetic force of Maura’s performance.What other superpowers have you not told me about?All her attention was riveted to the stage, to the woman weaving her spell at the piano.
She never heard the buzz of the next text message.
