Page 104 of Nocere

"I do."

"Is it the same as when you were growing up?"

I nodded and she grinned. "Show me."

"Okay." I laughed as I stood, nodding for her to follow me when she rose.

"I'm going, too." Alex hopped up to follow us and Rebecca chuckled while she tossed me a wink.

I led everyone down the hall to the room closest to Rebecca and Steve's, then opened the door to the room where I first felt safe. Not unlike my apartment, one whole wall held a vast bookshelf filled with all kinds of books and trinkets. On the other side of the room, an antiqued desk matched the furniture. Old textbooks and notebooks perched on the surface. I sat down on the bed made with one of my favorite blankets and folded my legs under me. Alex hurried across the plush carpet and hopped up to sit with me. Samirah, on the other hand, wandered around the room. She checked out a pin board with some photos, and a few items on top of the chest of drawers.

"It's like you never left here," she said.

"I haven't really. I stayed here maybe once a week until we started dating," I admitted and Alex patted my shoulder in an affirming gesture.

"We spent a lot of time in here after the Santoro's took you in."

"We did. It was our haven."

"It was."

"Can you play this?" Samirah gestured to a violin case leaning up against the wall beside the dresser. Her eyes, always as wide as her smile, stirred up some shyness in me.

"Yes."

"Play it for me." She lifted the violin and toted it over before joining us on the bed. "Please?"

"It's been awhile—I don't know." I held the case in my lap and gazed down at it.

"It's been like a month. You haven't forgotten." Alex shoved my shoulder. "Don't let her con you, Sam."

Samirah laughed and gave Alex's dangling hair a swat. "How long have you played?"

"One day when I was seventeen, Rebecca saw me admiring some violin videos on the internet and asked if I wanted to learn. I did and I really liked it." I lifted the pristine instrument from the case then fiddled with the strings to make sure it was in tune.

"What was your favorite thing to play?" asked Sam.

"Canon. But with an accompaniment," I said, gulping down my nerves.

"With what?" Sam's twinkling hazel eyes brought forth the desire to please her. She appeared so excited by the notion of me playing that the idea of letting her down scared me more than the stage fright.

"Um...a second violin. Maybe. Cello." I shrugged as I fiddled with the bow to ensure its integrity.

"How about piano?" asked Sam, her bottom lip between her teeth after. I perked right up at the suggestion.

"For sure."

"Do you have a piano here?"

"In the family room there's a beautiful grand piano," said Alex. "I always wanted to play it."

"Do you play?" asked Sam, but Alex shook her head.

"Nothing more than nursery rhymes. Do you?"

Sam nodded, her gaze returning to me. "Haven't in many years."

"Would you play with me if I did?" I asked her, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

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