Best Kept Lies (Best Kept #3)

Chapter 39: No One's Falling Tonight

         I wake to the sound of soft piano playing.

            It's melodic and smooth. The sound is coming from the floor above. I almost think I'm dreaming, but I look to my side and see Remi sleeping still. It's our last day here. We'll leave sometime in the morning, even though none of us want to. We spent the day yesterday in the city with Grandma Abby. She's actually really fun to be around. Always smiling and always ready to do anything.

            While Remi sleeps, I swing my feet over the bed and settle on the cool floor. I brush a hand through my sleep induced hair and find the stairs. The further I walk up them, the closer the music gets. Chills seep down my spine and cover my arms as the music becomes more intense.

            I still take my time, letting the sound surround me as I reach the landing. To get to the music, I have to walk through the small living area that Abby has set up. But that's where I find her. She's sitting on the small antique couch, her eyes closed as she takes a sip of tea. She looks peaceful, getting lost in the music.

            When she notices me standing there, she looks over and gives me a smile.

            It's Jasper that's playing.

            "It's beautiful," I comment.

            She nods in agreement, sliding her mug onto the coffee table. "It's his grandpa's song," she informs. "They wrote it together when he was fourteen."

            The music in the other room transitions into something softer and I feel like it's nearing the end when I don't want it to.

            "It was before he got sick. It was the last thing Jasper played for him. It was the only thing he wanted to hear."

            I walk over to the couch, sitting next to her. "I can't imagine."

            She shakes her head. "It's something I never thought I'd have to go through. He loved those kids more than anything in this world, especially Jasper. They'd fish together and play music together all the time. When he was little, Jasper would always sit on his lap while he played. Finally, he decided to teach Jasper a thing or two."

            My heart is heavy. "He sounds like a good man."

            "He definitely was," she answers. "I couldn't be with a man that didn't like children, so finding him was just luck."

            "Or fate," I murmur.

            Abby laughs. "That's what he liked to call it."

            The music slowly fades in the background, only seconds before it starts again. It's much quieter and softer this time, but the chills going down my arms come in waves. "This is the first time Jasper's played since he died, isn't it?"

            She nods. "I always try to get him to play when I visit, but I understand why he wouldn't. When I heard him playing this morning, I was taken back a bit. It was like three seconds of thinking maybe Charlie is alive and he never left. I didn't know how much I needed to hear Jasper playing until this morning."

            My eyes burn. "Does it make you feel close to him again?"

            "More than ever."

            With the sound of Jasper playing in the background and Abby's story makes my heart feel like it weighs a million pounds. "I'm glad he's playing for you again."

            Her smile widens. "I knew he wouldn't be able to stay away for long. I also know it's not easy for him, but by the sounds of it, he hasn't lost any of his talent."