Page 101 of Make It Without You

I take a deep breath and unzip the case. The polished wood and rosin-coated strings are like old friends greeting me home. I unstrap my violin from its holder and rest it in my lap like a guitar. I lightly strum the familiar strings with the sound filling my quiet apartment. My fingers get in position and the welcome tune of a Lana Del Rey song sounds.

I attach the chin rest to the underside of my violin. Plucking out the bow from the holder, I get into position and play.

My fingers are rusty, but after a few passes of the bow and my fingers moving on the strings, it’s as if muscle memory is the motivator. I move from one song to the next. Playing from memory songs I hear on the radio and classical pieces I dabbled in when I was younger. By the time I open my eyes, I see the sun has started to set. Not quite ready to stop playing, I head out to my balcony and play the song I performed at my final recital.

It’s like being taken down memory lane as I play a song I haven’t thought of in almost ten years. My body moves to the music as I remember the long-forgotten music. As I play the final note, I hear a knock on my door.

Resting my violin in its case, I head to the door and check the peephole.

“Hi,” I greet when I open the door, completely shocked by my visitor.

“You said it was okay to visit. So I took you up on that.” Brandon claims as he stands on my welcome mat with, I’m guessing, Angie by his side.

I hold the door open wider for them to pass through. “I meant for you to call or text me first, ya goof.”

“Pish, posh. I thought it’d be better to surprise you. I mean, it’s summer. What else do you have going on?”

“Jerk,” I say and walk into his open arms. “I missed you.”

“Miss you too, squirt.”

Brandon and I separate and I look over to Angie. “It’s good to see you again,” I tell her.

“You, too. I told Brandon we should have called before we even left the airport.”

I look over at the culprit who’s wearing a mischievous grin. “At least your other half is considerate of other people.”

“That’s why I keep her around,” he says nonchalantly as Angie and I both scoff. “Were you playing when we knocked on the door?”

“Yeah,” I say and walk around them towards the living room. “Keeping my promise to Gloria no matter how hard it is.”

“I heard. I’m so sorry,” Brandon says with no trace of humor.

“Thank you. And to respond to your earlier retort, I do have plans. Adam and Dylan were planning to come over for dinner. But I can cancel,” I start and get my phone.

“No, don’t.”

“Again, I told you we should have called.” Angie scolds him.

Brandon looks at her like he can’t decide if he wants to kiss her, choke her, or maybe both. “Why not still have them come over?”

“Really?”

“Yeah. After the way you talked about them, I want to meet them both.”

I flip my phone over in my hand before pulling up Adam’s name.

“Hey, sunshine,” he greets.

“Hi, baby. So listen, I have some friends that just got into town unexpectedly,” I say the last word pointedly at Brandon. “I know the three of us were supposed to do dinner but any chance you want to add two more? If not, I told them I could cancel.”

It’s been harder balancing alone time with Adam now that Dylan knows about us. So I’m hoping he doesn’t cancel. Do I see the three of us living in one house? Eventually, because going to bed and waking up with Adam is a dream of mine.

“Actually, my parents are in town. I’ll drop Dylan off at their house and we can make it a double date.”

“Are you sure?” I ask because I know how much he loves his time with Dylan.

“Yeah, baby. I’m sure. I’ll head over to your place in about an hour,” Adam tells me.

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