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“There she is.” Bianca came over from her seat to hug me as Laurence and I made our way to the front row. “I had no idea you could sing like that.”
“Nothing like your performance inRinaldo. YourLascia ch’io piangabrought me to tears,” I gushed.
She grinned. “Thank you.”
Lorenzo came and kissed my cheeks. “You’re a singer. Why not sing? We need Paul to release a version of your rendition of ‘Woodstock’. It was so soulful. A natural, and you kissing all over Paul warmed our hearts. You’ve made him so happy.”
Lorenzo and Bianca were kind to try to make me feel better.
“Thank you. That’s so sweet of you to say.”
“It’s the truth,” Lorenzo said. “You cannot listen to all the negative and spiteful voices out there, Nadia.”
“Oh, that’s so true, sweet girl. The press can be frightful. And those wicked people who rant about things they don’t really know anything about? Ignore them.” Bianca looked so fierce and protective as she spoke, and it almost made me tear up. But it also made me feel thankful. They knew what they were talking about. But more than that, they took the time to share their wisdom with me.
“You have no idea how much I appreciate your words. It’s certainly going to take a while to get used to the attention. Both negative and positive,” I said.
“That’s very true,” Bianca said. “It’s not easy living in the public eye. But it is part of Paul’s life.”
“Speaking of, should we take our seats?” Lorenzo asked.
“Definitely, yes.”
They hugged me again, then sat without a mention of what had happened the night before. I liked them even more now.
The lights came on, and the show began. Paul took the stage to a standing ovation from the audience.
I glanced at the program Laurence had for me so I’d follow along as Paul sat down at the piano with his orchestra. There was a vibrant aura in his presence. I sometimes forgot how amazing Paul was, but then there were times when I saw him in his element. He was always charismatic, but he was a star at the piano. Then, he began to play, and it was a breathtaking performance of BeethovenSonata No.21 Op.53 in C Major. ‘L’Aurora,’ The Dawn, in Italian. The frantic pace of the piece showed off his skill and authority with the instrument. Without doubt, he was at the top of his game. It was so phenomenal, and I was first on my feet to applaud him. Paul paused and humbly bowed but then continued with his concert. But the world knew better. We were witnessing a virtuoso that will be celebrated for centuries.
All the pieces he performed sounded great to me as someone new to classical music. However, there were those that I recognized. He played one of my new favorites, Bach’sAir on G string—a piece I had come to love and made me think of the beauty and romance infused in the classics. When it came time for the children to play Mozart with him, there was pure joy and pride in how he stopped to admire and acknowledge the students. We could see we were all so excited to play with him. He ended the concert with modern pieces from his award-winning soundtracks. He was such a legend, and I felt so in awe that this extraordinary man had chosen me to share his time. I clapped and cheered with all my might.
Paul played Beethoven’sAppassionataas an encore. We thought he was ready to end, but then he said, “I must play one more. It’s by Paul McCartney and Wings and called ‘With A Little Luck.’ My life was empty after my wife’s death. But then, Nadia came in with smiles, laughs, and songs that filled my days with hope. She is the reason I’m performing live again. So this is for her. Come sit by me, Nadia.”
My heart rose to my throat and tears rolled down my face as I listened to Paul’s confession. I was too overwhelmed for the moment, and I shared it with thousands of people. It didn’t matter nor did I care anymore. Paul said sharing his life with me brought on his return to perform the music he loved. That I brought him back to life. He wasn’t the only one that felt that way. His affection, support, and care changed my whole life. He meant the world to me.
Laurence squeezed my hand reminding me that Paul and his concert were waiting for me. I squared my shoulders and went up and sat next to him as he played our song.
“Together, baby. You and me.”
We kissed, and I whispered to him, “I love you.”
Because I did, utterly and hopelessly.
No matter what happens with Paul and me, this night—this trip, with its lows and incredible highs—will stay with me forever.
We took the red eye back to New York City. But instead of taking separate cars, we went to his place. “I have a movie soundtrack that I need to work on in California.”
“Boo,” I joked in protest, and we laughed.
“But I’m also clearing my schedule so we can spend time together before your Paris internship.”
“Oh, my God. I’m going to Paris!” I jumped around cheering, and he kissed me. We kissed more, and before we knew it, we were in his bed, lost in each other.
His bed wasn’t as extravagant as I had expected. The bedroom was like the rest of the place: stark and empty. However, Paul let me in and didn’t let me go until the morning.
When I woke and dressed, Laurence introduced me to David again. He was Jonas’s driver, which meant it was time for me to go.
Paul held me tight. “Damn, I’m not ready for you to leave. No time feels long enough.”
