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“Ladies and gents,” Regina began, “if you’ve been to one of my parties before, you know how we roll: your favorite TV themes played at your request by my own in-house band, so to speak. You’ll notice the lack of sheet music. That’s because this is musical improv and if we don’t know it, we’ll fake it. And if we can’t fake it, we drink!”
Cheers and whistles from the crowd.
“So, without further ado…who’s got a request?”
“Game of Thrones!” someone in the back called.
“Naturally,” Regina sat on her piano bench facing out—our pseudo-conductor. “Melanie…if you would?”
Quickly, I mentally recalled the theme, arranging the notes in my mind as if on sheet music. We all nodded our readiness and Melanie began to play the first strains. I came in on the second stanza with the descant, a higher echo of her undertone. We played the first movement, then again a second time with Mike’s bass drum and Felicia’s guitar. Then the theme repeated, this time with my violin rising and taking over from Melanie’s cello.
We were far from a whole ensemble, but I thought we nailed it. And when it ended and the cheers and applause were filling the loft, I realized I’d had fun. More than fun. I was performing again, making my violin sing for a rapt audience. I felt the old thrill of it and hope swelled.
Maybe it’s not lost after all.
We went on like this for an hour or so, with Regina playing a haunting solo rendition of theX-Filestheme on her piano. Felicia plugged in her electric guitar and we did a cover ofThe Munstersthat drew a noise complaint from the neighbors. We tried—and failed miserably—to recreateThe Simpsonstheme, but that song had too much going on, and we were all forced to drink a shot of peppermint Schnapps as punishment. Finally, we closed the round withThe Walking Dead.
The crowd went crazy as Regina produced her own violin and began the theme, but I had a moment of panic trying to recall my part. But I listened and found the music, found my voice. I played the eerie whine right on cue and the place erupted again.
“Not bad, Conroy,” Regina said. “I think you’ve got a future in this business.”
She moved off to attend to her guests and Melanie swooped right in. “I’m proud of you.”
“I feel good,” I whispered. “I feel…almost like I was.”
She clapped her hands to her mouth. “Oh, Charlotte. That’s wonderful. That’severything.”
I rejoined Noah and Anthony and Sasha. Noah held my hand as I sat beside him. He said nothing, a strange little smile on his face.
“Char!” Anthony cried. “I never knew! Girl, you gotta get on stage.” He looked to Melanie who’d joined us. “All of you. Start your own symphony if you have to.”
I expected Noah to chime in and agree, but I guessed since he’d already given me that lecture, he didn’t feel the need to do it twice. Or maybe he felt the electricity humming along my nerves, or the heat of my happiness. I felt like I was glowing.
The night wore on, and the loft was filled with music, mostly from Felicia’s guitar as she and a group of friends settled down in one candlelit corner and played and sang together. Everything had mellowed; the tiny Christmas lights seemed muted and softer, and the voices of the partygoers less harsh. It was one of the best nights I’d had, made more so by the fact that Noah was clearly enjoying himself.
“It’s a practice run for thePlanet Xball,” he told me.
I nodded, suddenly a little deflated, but Melanie finally couldn’t hold in whatever it was she needed to tell me and drew me to the tiny kitchen where beer cans and half-empty bottles of liquor cluttered the counters. Her perpetual smile was still there, but she looked almost nervous. Except that Melanie Parker was never nervous.
“All right, spill it. You look like you’re sitting on the secrets of the universe.”
“I just might be.” She sucked in a breath. “The Vienna Touring Orchestra. Ever heard of it?”
“Can’t say that I have. New?”
“New-ish. Definitely not as established as some others, but they’re not shitty either. They’re based out of Vienna—obviously—and word on the street is they’re gaining some traction in Europe for putting on an exceptional series, mostly Mozart.”
“Okay,” I said slowly. “And?”
“Regina’s got a sister in Prague and heard that the VTO is sending some people out here. To fill some seats, if you catch my drift.”
I bit my lip. “Mel…”
“Charlotte, just hear me out. I think this would be good for you on multiple levels. You’ve always wanted to go to Vienna, the company isn’t all that high-and-mighty so an unknown musician of your caliber could really rise to the top, and they’re all about Mozart! It’s like they were created with Charlotte Conroy’s must-have list in mind.”
“Well…”
“And the experience!” Melanie crowed. “To be honest, I think you need it. To get out of the city and the bad memories and the goddamn Spring Strings fiasco and work one of those tours. Just…sink your teeth into something new.”
