Before the Fall

Chapter 14





“Is your piano done yet?” Ashley asked Bree as they ate their lunch at camp.

“Almost,” Bree said.

“Can I see it this weekend?”

“Sure.”

“Are you going to take lessons?”

“Mr. Riley told my daddies about some lady that gives lessons, so I think so.”

“That’s good, because you play really good.”

“Thanks,” Bree beamed. “I love music.”

“I know.”

“But I also love soccer.”

“I know,” Ashley said when she swallowed her bite of sandwich.

“I want to go to sleepover soccer camp, but I don’t think my Dada will let me,” Bree said with a sigh. “He doesn’t like me to be away from home for very long.”

“But it’s only for a few days,” Ashley said.

“Yeah, and Patrick’s going to baseball camp.”

“Then you should be able to go too,” Ashley averred. “I wish I could go to camp like that.”

“Would your mother let you?”

Ashley shook her head. “I don’t think she can afford it.”

“Would you like to go to soccer camp with me?”

Ashley shook her head again. “I’m not good at soccer, not like you.”

“I need to figure out how to get Dada to let me go to sleepover camp,” Bree said with a sigh.

“Would your Daddy let you go?” Ashley asked.

Bree frowned and thought for a minute. “I’m not sure. He might.”

“Then maybe you should talk to him,” Ashley advised. “He could talk your Dada into letting you go.”

“Yeah, I bet he could,” Bree said brightening up. “You’re so smart, Ashley.”

“Thanks,” Ashley said with a big smile, her face alight at Bree’s compliment, all the more special because she knew how smart Bree was herself.



*****



“So, Riley, how’s the piano doing?” Brian asked. He and Riley were sitting at the kitchen table having lunch.

“Should be done tomorrow,” Riley replied. “I’m getting the outside of it spruced up. The internals are all copacetic. When I finish polishing it this afternoon, I want to get it moved to the spot where it will stay permanently, and then I can do the final fine tuning. After that I’ll get out of your hair.”

“You’re not in my hair,” Brian said. “I hardly knew you were here, except for when we enjoyed a coffee or a meal together.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Riley chuckled.

“You should. I’m not very tolerant of strangers, and I don’t consider you to be a stranger anymore.” Riley nodded and smiled. “I’ll be sorry to see you leave,” Brian admitted.

“You might see some more of me in the future.”

“Oh?”

“Danny and I have been seeing each other. I might just turn up at one of your family get-togethers in the future.”

“Nothing would please me more,” Brian said meaning every word.

“Thanks,” Riley said. “You and Justin have made me feel very welcome here. That doesn’t happen in all the places where I go to tune pianos.”

“I bet.”

“Anyway, I’ve enjoyed being here and working on that beautiful old piano.”

“We were thinking of putting it out in the sun porch where the pink baby grand was,” Brian said.

“I wouldn’t advise that.”

“Oh, why not?”

“You’ve spent a lot of money getting that piano fixed up. Sitting in the sun will not only ruin the finish, the changes of temperature out there could play havoc with keeping it in tune.”

“Shit!”

“Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I thought I should warn you.”

“But the sun porch is heated and air conditioned,” Brian said. Maybe Riley wasn’t aware of that.

“Even so, you don’t want it in direct sunlight.”

“Where the fuck are we going to put it?” Brian asked looking around the house.

“I’d suggest the living room where it was when I arrived.”

“But we have family gatherings out in the sun porch. I know Bree will want to play for everyone.”

“It may be a while before your daughter is ready for public concerts on her piano. It’s a little different playing a real piano than it is a toy one.”

Brian frowned and thought for a minute. “Is…is she going to be disappointed with her piano lessons?” Brian asked with a worried look on his face.

“I don’t think she’s going to have such an easy time with this piano,” Riley counseled. “But if she sticks with it, she could be very good. She picked up the other one very quickly from what I’m told.”

“But the key will be perseverance?”

Riley nodded. “That and practice, practice, practice.”

Brian drew in a long breath. “Is there anywhere else we could put the piano?” he asked.

“If you really want it out in the sun porch, I’d suggest you put it against the wall of the house. That way it will be under the overhang and won’t get direct sunlight. The heat or coolness from the house when you have the furnace or the air conditioning running should be at its strongest. That will help to regulate the temperature enough to keep the piano in tune.”

“Okay,” Brian said with relief. “If you’re finished with your lunch, let’s see if we can make a suitable spot for it.”

He and Riley headed into the sun porch to make a space for Bree’s piano.



*****



“Gus,” Georgina said, “I have a big presentation coming up in a couple of days. I’d like you to be there for it. You handled the other one very well. You can assist with the boards and make sure everyone has their refreshments.”

“Yeah,” Gus said with a big grin. “But maybe I can do something more.” He was really pleased to be recognized for what he had done, and not just treated like someone they had to tolerate because he was the boss’ son.

“We’ll see,” Georgina said trying to be non-committal. “This campaign is for a tire company.”

“Oh,” Gus said. “My Dad’s going to get me a Jeep for my next birthday.”

“Really? When is your birthday?”

“September, but I may get it early before I go back to Penn State.”

“Lucky you.”

“I know.”

“What kind of car will it be?” Georgina asked.

“I wanted a Ferrari,” Gus laughed. “Or as my sister calls it – a Fur Harry.”

“Aw, that’s adorable.”

“Yeah, Bree’s pretty cute.”

“So, are you getting a Fur Harry for your birthday?”

“No,” Gus laughed. “And no Ferrari either. I’m hoping for a Jeep. Pop used to have one when he was younger.”

“Did he now?”

“Yeah, black with an open top.”

“Very nice.”

“So, maybe I can do some research on tires and help with the presentation?”

“I think we have all the research under control,” Georgina said.

“But it never hurts to have a younger point of view, does it?”

Georgina winced at the young reference. She was not old by any means, but apparently that was how Gus saw her. “I guess we could hear your younger point of view.”

“Great!” Gus said with a big smile. “I’ll let you know what I find out.”

“You do that,” Georgina said as she watched Gus walk away.



*****



“Mr. Morrison?” Ray began as he came into Bobby’s office with a stack of papers.

“Bobby, you can call me Bobby, even here,” Bobby said cheerfully, getting a broad handsome smile in return.

“Bobby. I just wanted to say that in the short time that I’ve been here, I’m really enjoying it. I’ve already learned so much.”

“You thinking of changing majors?”

“How can you tell?” Ray asked. Bobby gestured for Ray to take a seat.

“Your enthusiasm for research is very obvious, as is your devotion to detail. Those are fine traits and would help you make a great lawyer.”

“But I don’t want to disappoint my dad. I think he was hoping that I’d take over the real estate business sometime in the future.”

“Why can’t you do both?”

“Both?”

“Ray, I can see that you’re a hard working young man and that once you make your mind up about something you don’t hold back. The buying and selling of real estate is not always cut and dried, especially in New York City. There are zoning restrictions to consider, and who’s to say if the property you’re interested in has been declared an historic site. A good command of the law and the ability to do thorough research would be invaluable.”

“Can I quote you when I talk to my fathers about switching majors?” Bobby and Ray laughed.

“Raymond, I know your fathers are very proud of you no matter what you decide to study. And yes, you can quote me.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome. Break time over, I need those contracts copied then sent out overnight express,” Bobby directed.

“Sir, yes sir!” Ray said standing up straight, giving Bobby a little salute and a smile.

“Get out,” Bobby teased, making a waving motion with his hand. He shook his head as Ray giggled walking out the door. After a moment of reflection, Bobby picked up the phone.

“Kenneth Mann, artiste at large,” came the flamboyant response.

“Don’t you get hot keeping those flames burning so high?” Bobby queried.

“Honey, this is only simmer,” Ken retorted. He and Bobby laughed. “To what do I owe the pleasure? Raymond becoming a nuisance?”

“Not at all, just the opposite. He’s proven himself a potentially great paralegal. I’d say he’d make a very good lawyer.”

“Uh oh, do I feel a change of career coming on?”

“Don’t you remember what it was like when you were in college?”

“Do I ever! I think I made my parents’ heads spin. Plus they were trying to cope with me finding myself. It was a nightmare.”

“Ken, Ray does have the potential to become a lawyer. I’d hate to see anything stand in his way.”

“Message received and understood. Besides, there is such a thing as real estate law. We contract with different firms when we need extra legal advice. I’d be proud to have a lawyer in the family. We already have a thespian in the making. Someone has to be the practical one,” Ken commented with equal pride in his other son’s accomplishments.

“How do you guys do it?”

“Do what, honey?”

“I only have one son, you have two and so dissimilar at that. How do you find balance?”

“Love, honey, just love. With a lot of patience and understanding tempered with some common sense. There’s no manual for raising children in alternative families; we have to write our own. Besides, I think you and John are wonderful parents. You’ll be all right. Patrick is a sensible young man; you’ll see.”

“Thanks, Ken. Speaking about John, I’ve been trying to get him to take a few days off. With his school renovations and his thesis, that man works non-stop. We’re sending Patrick to baseball camp in August. Maybe we can come to New York.”

“Ooo! Have a hot time in the city! We’d love to see you both. Let us know.”

“I will and thank you.”

“For what, sweetie?”

“For just being you.”

“Flames and all?”

“May your flames never dim. Bye, Ken, say hi to Simon and Jeff for me.”

“I will, you say hi to your hunky men for me and the family. Even give that curmudgeon, Brian Kinney, a kiss for me.”

As the friends rang off, Bobby was feeling better. He dove back into his work.



*****



“Well, that does it, the piano stays where it is,” Brian declared with some resignation. He really thought they could find a good home for it in the porch.

He and Riley scoured the sun porch looking for a better spot. Justin, who was still working on his few last canvases wisely stayed out of Brian’s way. He knew the piano was fine where it was in the living room corner but he also knew that Brian must come to that conclusion by himself.

The little pink baby grand was small enough to be shifted around the porch; the spinet was not. Each corner of the porch was occupied. There was the corner where Justin’s slop sink and storage cabinet comfortably resided. Then there was the corner where the brass bed was neatly hidden by the ornamental screens. The opposite corner by John and Bobby’s cottage was devoted to Beau and no one could displace Beau. The other held one of the small round wicker tables.

Nope, the spinet had its dedicated spot in the living room.

“Brian, Bree loves her piano,” Justin began as he watched Brian with guarded amusement. “The acoustics are better in the living room and it is a very comfortable room. We’re not always out here. Especially in the winter.”

Justin put his paint brush in a cup of solvent for the moment, and crossed the porch to take Brian’s hand. He gently led his spouse into the living room. Riley cautiously followed.

“Look,” Justin said. The piano was situated in the corner between two windows. It has plenty of natural light but no direct sunlight which could fade or warp the wood. The warmth of the wood casing complimented their furniture. Justin made a little motion with his hand to Riley.

“I could use some iced tea, join me?” Justin looked up into Brian’s eyes. The deep blue eyes appeared just a little bluer, the long blond lashes, a little longer as Justin slowly batted his eyes at his lover. Brian nodded as he and Justin went to the kitchen to get the pitcher of iced tea.

As the boys poured themselves each a tall glass of iced tea, the room filled with the sweet sound of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Riley’s fingers made magic as they flew about the keyboard. The spinet, now perfectly tuned, responded in kind. When the song was over, Riley remained seated, his shoulders slightly hunched. Brian arched a brow but Justin motioned for him to stay in the kitchen.

“That was beautiful,” Justin said softly. He could tell that Riley, the big bear of a man, had tears in his eyes.

“It was Tony’s favorite. We were so stereotypical; we’d watch the movie every time it came on TV. We’d even plan parties around it. When he died, I could never stand to hear that song, let alone play it.”

“I think he’d be happy you can play it now.”

“Yeah, maybe. He was a sentimental man,” Riley said as he wiped his eyes.

“We’re very sentimental around here,” Justin added with a warm smile.

“Would you like a glass of iced tea?” Brian interjected, feeling a little useless at the moment.

“Yeah, I could go for that. Thanks,” Riley said as he got himself together then came into the kitchen.

“Here is a list of instructors that live not too far away,” Riley said as they settled themselves at the kitchen table. “This young woman is very talented,” he said as he tapped his finger on the paper. “She has a little girl close to Miss Briana’s age if I’m not mistaken. Her husband is currently stationed in the Middle East so she gives lessons to make some extra money. She had a promising career before she had the baby.”

“Having children doesn’t stop you from having a career,” Justin said.

“True, but marrying a soldier and having no permanent home, does. Faith is a nice young woman. I think Bree will like her.”

“Faith?” Brian said with a gleam in his eye.

“Yep, and you can just imagine what they named their daughter,” Riley said with the same gleam.

“Hope?” Justin ventured. Riley nodded.

“I wonder if grandma’s name is Charity?” Brian snarked.

“Nope, that’s the cat,” Riley deadpanned to a stunned Brian and Justin.



*****



“Well, what do you say, Squirt?” Brian asked his daughter as they were gathered around the piano later that night. Brian and Justin cooked a celebration dinner in honor of Riley and the piano. Emmett, Richie and Drew were also invited and so were Rachel and George. Molly and her family had already gone back to Pittsburgh.

“Thank you, Mr. Riley!” Bree gushed as she gave the big man a hug. “Thank you so much.”

“You're so very welcome," Riley said returning the hug. "Would you like to try it? It’s going to feel different than your pink piano,” Riley cautioned.

“Okay,” Bree said as she held out her hand for Riley. He took that as an invitation to explain more about her instrument. Drew, curious about the spinet as well, joined them.

Riley sat Bree on the bench, helped position her hands then suggested she play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. After a couple of false starts, Bree was able to play a passable rendition of the song. The resulting applause encouraged her to try another tune from her play book. Then Drew sat next to her and cajoled the princess into a duet of Chopsticks.

For the rest of the evening, Drew, Riley and Bree, entertained the family.

“Well, I’m convinced,” Brian declared to the company at large. “The piano stays where it is and Jerry Lee Lewis gets her piano teacher." Everyone agreed.

“Dada? Who’s Jerry Lee Lewis?”