Page 43 of Echoes of Us

She is actually pretty good, too. That isn’t surprising, though. Princess is good at anything she puts her mind to. A month ago, that would have annoyed me. Now, it is part of how amazing she is. I am truly convinced there is nothing on this planet she couldn’t master.

I stand in my closet, looking around and thinking about how different it looks from the night I moved in. The shelves and hangers are filled with clothes, unlike the empty space it was before. I look through the nicer outfits Eve has bought me when I hear a knock on the door. “Come in!” I shout over my shoulder.

Emmaline enters through the bathroom door, walking over to me in the closet. “I have something for you,” she says, handing me a present wrapped in black and gold paper. My eyebrows raise in confusion.

“Why? To celebrate me freezing tonight?” I reply.

She rolls her eyes. “No, dummy. But I do want you to open this now. I saw it and I had to get it for you,” she says.

I rip the paper carefully, exposing a white box. I open the box, revealing a black item of clothing. I pull it out, gasping. “You got me a dress?” I say quietly.

“Yeah, now try it on,” she replies, leaving the closet and closing the door.

I put on the dress and exit the closet. Emmaline is sitting on my bed, looking at her phone. When she looks up, her eyes widen. “Wow,” she says in a near whisper. “You look…wow.”

I turn to the mirror on the back of the closet door. The elegant dress hugs my form perfectly. Its long sleeves extend gracefully to my wrists, while the super deep neckline adds a hint of rebellion to the elegance. The velvet fabric shimmers in the light, ending at the waist before cascading into a pleated skirt that flows with every movement. I gape at Emmaline, “It’s…perfect,” I whisper.

Emmaline comes up behind me, joining me as I gaze at myself in the mirror. She places her hands on my shoulder, leaning toward my ear to whisper, “This dress will guarantee you command the room. Never stop being unapologetically you, Teagan.”

I turn and pull her into a hug. “Thank you, Emmaline. I wouldn’t have gotten through this without you.” I kiss her cheek, the same way she kisses mine. I am ready to do this.

Backstage, I wait nervously in the wings for my name to be called. The concert has been going in order of difficulty, not age. Of course, I chose the piece that landed highest on Ms. Thatcher’s difficulty list. When I told her a few days ago this was the piece I was choosing, she laughed. When I didn’t laugh with her, she simply nodded and said, “This better be good, Parker.”

I look into the audience to find Emmaline and the Briggs family. I see everyone except Emmaline, causing my stomach to rise into my throat. I cannot play without her out there watching. I look frantically around the room, unable to find her anywhere.

After a few moments, I give up looking. The second to last name is called, meaning I am next. I begin to take slow, deep breaths when two hands lightly squeeze my shoulders. I turn to see Emmaline smiling down at me. “I figured you may need me in the wings so you can see me better. You said earlier you needed to be able to find me before you go on,” she says.

I yank her into a hug. “I was so nervous when I couldn’t find you. I don’t think I could have gone on,” I say quietly.

Emmaline pushes me back gently, searching my eyes for something. “Are you okay?”

“I just needed to see you before I could play.” I answer. We stare at each other for a few seconds, the sound of the piano surrounding us. Something about this moment brings on a different type of anxiety; one I can’t explain. Emmaline pulls me back into a hug. We stay in the embrace for a few more moments until hear my name called.

“You are going to sound as beautiful as you look. I am so proud of you. Your mom would be proud of you, too, Teagan.” Emmaline whispers into my ear. I nod and pull away, turning to walk on stage.

My fingers hover above the ivory keys, trembling with a mix of anticipation and trepidation. Under the watchful eyes of a large, expectant crowd, I take a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest. The audience, a sea of shadowed faces, waiting for me to begin. I look up to find Emmaline’s eyes, giving me the last push I need. I close my eyes, summoning the strength I lost due to my grief.

The first note rings out, pure and clear, breaking the long-held silence. It was as if the piano exhaled, releasing months of sorrow in a single sound. My hands move hesitantly at first, each note releasing the emotions I have successfully avoided. As the melody unfolds, my fingers find their old rhythm, guided by muscle memory and the ghost of my mother’s encouragement.

The music grew, filling the room with a blend of sorrow and hope. Each chord resonates with the weight of my loss yet carries the faintest hint of healing. As the final note lingers in the air, my hands fall gently from the keys, the silence that follows is louder than the notes playing moments ago. I open my eyes, tears glistening, and for the first time in a long while, I feel a true sense of peace. The crowd erupts into applause.

All I hear is the echo of my mother’s voice telling me she is always with me. All I see is Emmaline, looking at me through tear-filled eyes. I stand, turning to the audience to bow, feeling the weight of losing my mother float away and my love for Emmaline taking its place.

I wake up Christmas morning, the void of my mom’s presence a little stronger today. Mom and I would exchange a few gifts first thing in the morning, then in the afternoon we played Christmas carols on the piano and drank eggnog. This morning, I go downstairs to find stacks of presents all over the living room floor. I sit on the couch watching Em and EJ find their presents, not expecting anything to be there for me.

EJ runs over with a stack of presents, dropping them at my feet. “Here you go, Teags! Santa knew you were staying with us this year!” I look down in awe, then to Eve and Ethan nodding my silent thank you.

Santa did an amazing job picking out clothes, shoes, and random things I didn’t even know I wanted. My heart is almost full, and I appreciate every moment of it. All that is missing is Mom.

Later that night turns out to be my favorite part of Christmas day. Emmaline and I watch Christmas movies in her bed until 4 a.m. I fell asleep during ‘Santa Claus’ and wake up a little while later to Emmaline turning off the TV. As she gets back under the covers, I am about to say something before she rolls over to me. She snuggles into my side, laying her head on my chest. I freeze, not wanting her to know I am awake.

Does she always cuddle me on purpose? Is this the first time? What is going on? Since the concert, something has shifted between Emmaline and me. I am being dumb. She is not like that and never will be. Still, it is hard to ignore the change in her demeanor. The softness in her gaze, or the subtle touches on my arm or lower back. I want to believe so badly something is happening.

Whatever it is, I know I am setting myself up for major heartbreak.

Chapter 48

Emmaline

---