Page 105 of Nocere

"I would." She drew in a deep breath.

"Let's go." I lifted the violin and set the case aside. We all rose together and like before, I led them to the family room.

Steve and Jason watched a football game on the television while Rebecca fussed with the spotless kitchen. I brought Sam over to the piano. In the large room, its black shine radiated like it'd been waiting for us. Sam sat on the bench and I opened the cover for her.

"Who else in your family plays?" she asked, and I noticed her hands shaking slightly.

"Jason plays cello or he used to. Rebecca plays everything. Steve smashes things with hammers," I teased and he tossed me a wink.

Our group drew their attention and they paused watching the game to look on.

"Do you need sheet music?" I asked Sam and she shook her head. Like I'd seen her do before, she grew quiet as she stared at the keys. It took her a moment before she placed her hands on them, her foot on one of the pedals below.

Alex took a seat on the arm of the sofa near Steve and joined our audience.

I propped the violin under my chin, and stood so that Sam could see me. I nodded to her and she began playing first. While I listened, I focused on her tempo and it didn't take long before her true skills shone through. I joined her then, as we accompanied each other in my preferred version.

It took all of a few notes before Rebecca came bustling into the room, a dish towel in her hands as she stared at Sam and I with wide eyes. Jason rolled to his knees, his jaw hanging slack. I turned my attention back to Sam, and the moment my eyes locked on to hers, my inside lurched and my body tingled as if both our gazes and the music wove together in the perfect entanglement.

That was the last thing I remembered before the music stole me away—her eyes. I closed mine, leaning into the instrument and allowing my fingers to lead as I let myself melt away from everything and into the moment.

My heart sang, swelling and throbbing with emotions, though unlike many times before, instead of a purging of my pain, it became about Samirah. About the two of us together, enraptured by the music. Every note, every accent, bar, measure, belonged to only us. My skin burned, my knees trembled, and as if she could read my mind, we repeated my favorite part. I choked on a soft sob and by the time our mini concert ended, tears streamed my cheeks.

I lowered my instrument to find Sam sitting stoically, her gaze fixed on the keys where her hands lay, with silent tears trickling down her chin. I joined her on the bench and pressed my forehead against her head. She leaned into me, though she didn't move from her spot.

"Another," she whispered, sniffling softly as she brushed her lips over mine.

"Okay." I placed a soft kiss on her lips as I stood again, positioning myself beside her as I began to play Nocturne by Chopin, only mildly aware of the four other people watching us.

Without missing a single note, Samirah joined me and we melted into nothing but music. My heart and mind warred with each other, unlocking my body and allowing the free expression to flow. We made it through the composition and the silence around us stunned both of us into glancing over to see my family looking on in awe. Rebecca wore a happy smile that mirrored Alex's while the guys just stared.

With my shoulder pressed against Sam's, she began playing something with a faster pace. It took me all of twenty seconds to recognize the pace of the Irish music. A smile melted over my face and Samirah glanced at me.

"Your dad?" I asked and she nodded, but kept playing.

I stood from the spot beside her and attempted, with my best effort, at a fiddle tune. When we found our flow, Jason started to clap and everyone joined in with them. Samirah broke out into laughter, though it didn't stop the tears that coated her cheeks. When we stopped, everyone erupted into chuckles and applause.

"That was so good," chirped Alex.

"Can you play piano?" Samirah asked me, oblivious to the others.

"Yes, but I usually need sheet music."

"Switch with me," she said, holding her hands for the violin. I handed it to her before sitting at the piano.

"What are we playing?"

"I'm not sure. Try and play with?" she asked, her brow furrowed and I nodded.

She held the violin and bow a little differently than I did, and without any warning, burst into a jig-like tune. My mouth hung open as I stared at her as she crafted some sort of crazy Irish tune from my formerly classical violin. I could not, in fact, play with her, save for a few notes here and there. Her body swayed and bounced with the jovialness of her tune. Behind her, Alex and Jason got up and pretended to dance while Rebecca clapped along with the spry tune.

When she ended, with a flourish no doubt, I hopped up from my seat and caught her smiling lips in a kiss. She laughed through it with one arm around my middle.

"You impress me, Doctor Flynn," I whispered against her chin.

"Not as much as you impress me, my sweet." She rested her forehead against mine. "Now, how about a little Vivaldi for me?" She handed me back the violin and I nodded.

"One more, because you're so sweet." I winked at her and got to it.

Sam grinned as she settled at the piano again. Nothing in my life topped that holiday, and the smile that Rebecca wore told me that I would have her agreement. I joined Sam in another round of classical entertainment, though this time, no tears accompanied our endeavor. Instead, only the notions of joy and connection seemed to tangle around us. I leaned into it, to her, and to the family that surrounded us. Yeah. Best holiday ever.

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