Page 152 of Play of Love
"What are you doing?" I decided not to take the cue and leave.
She raised her head slowly and looked at me with a stern- faced expression.
"Gage, since when did you take such interest in my activities, and what's with the sudden urge to talk to me. I've known you for nearly twenty-five years give or take, and you choose to talk to me now. Why? Have you suddenly realized that I'm a person? Or, are you seriously that bored? They have TV’s in all the rooms you know. And I even think they have cable."
I smiled down at her. The curious look on her face amused me.
"I don't know. Maybe it was because I enjoyed your concerts so much I just wanted to know what you were working on next.Fleur da lunewas fantastic but my personal favorites were theButterfly Exchange, A Tocatto of Life, Scents of Fire, and Sky Love."
The look on her face was the very definition of shock itself. I'd completely taken her by surprise in a big way because she stared at me opened mouth for a good few seconds before closing her mouth and opening it again. She then blinked several times as if she was trying to comprehend what I was saying.
"How... how'd you know about my concerts? I didn't think that Lucy was able to make it to any of those."
"I went by myself," I replied, shocking her further. I could tell she was trying to think of some sort of retort but struggled. "After my accident I had some time on my hands so I thought I'd go check out your music. Turns out I liked it so much I went back every time you did a concert."
Actually, there was more to it than that. After my accident I'd gone home to visit Grams and heard Evie playing next door. The music was the first, and only, thing that could soothe my troubled mind. She was in her room and the window was open so I could hear it all as she played. It sounded like she was either practicing or putting a piece together. Whichever it was I'd thought it was incredible and it was the first time that I'd stopped to listen to her music.
The music helped the depressive, grieving state I'd been in at the time, and made me want to see her in action. So I'd gone to all the concerts I could make it to, and loved every single one of them.
"How comes? I mean you used to call me String Face and all manner of things. I would never have thought you'd ever go to a whole concert, or even pay money to attend one." She threw the words at me like stones.
I bit the inside of my lip. She had every reason to say that to me, and was completely right.
"I've changed a lot." I offered, but she looked like she didn't believe me. "I have."
"If you say so. I've learned never to trust the devil, ever."
I couldn't help laugh at that. She, on the other hand, looked quite serious.
"I'm not the devil Evie." I sighed.
"Well, it's not like you were going to tell me any different now, is it? I don't hear serial killers telling people their not that. Okay, maybe some do, but those are the honest ones."
"Evie, come on cut me some slack. I'm not the devil or a serial killer. I honestly just wanted to talk to you."
"It's a little hard for me to talk to you when I spent most of my life watching my back because of you. Thanks to you some people still think I'm a man."
"I'm sure they can see you're not."
She shook her head with fury. "No, they just think I had a very good surgeon."
"That was more than ten years ago."
"And, I'm supposed to forget?" she eyed me cautiously.
Again she was right, and things weren't looking good for me in the forgiveness department. I swallowed hard. "I guess not, but I was kind of hoping you'd probably forgive me."
"Jerk." She ripped off some paper from her notebook, crumpled it and threw it at me. "You're meant to ask for forgiveness, not expect it."
I laughed again and moved closer to kneel down next to her. "You've never given me a chance. Evie, I'm really sorry for how I've treated you. I was a total jerk and I can't apologize enough." I adjusted myself so that I was on both knees. "Look I'm on my knees begging."
At least I had her undivided attention. Her complete undivided attention.
I pulled in a breath and continued. "I figured since we both clearly love Lucy, maybe we could try to get along. Fold over a new leaf." I gave her a hopeful look.
She stared warily at me for a few seconds before tilting her head and responding, "I'll think about it."
Well, she didn't say no. That had to be worth something, right?
