A Christmas Love Story
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mas Love Story
The LOVE STORY Series Selection
By Angelaine Espinosa
Copyright 2013 Angelaine Espinosa
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are the products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual people, places and events is purely coincidental. Furthermore, this short story was selected from a longer anthology entitled “The LOVE STORY Series” by the same author.
Dedication
Thank you so much to Mhel, whose love for romance inspired and motivated me to write in this genre. My characters wouldn’t have existed without your enthusiasm.
A Christmas Love Story
Wilhelm pulled out one last string of melodies from the grand piano before standing and bowing to his wide audience. There, in his black coat and tails, standing in the middle of the stage of Brownstone Theater, he felt like he was on top of the world. The audience cheered him and threw roses at his feet as papery white confetti shaped like snowflakes drifted from the beams above. He knew he had done a marvelous job by the way the Symphony Nine orchestra grinned up at him.
It was his first solo ever since joining Symphony Nine, a well-known orchestra that travelled and played in different parts of the globe, including the elegant Brownstone Theater. The place was a regular stop in their shows, and tickets usually sold for up to a hundred bucks a head. This Christmas season, despite the soaring price of a single performance, many had already reserved for their seats. And many came during that snow-chilled night to watch one of the main performers – Wilhelm Cringle to play Snowy Christmas Evening in solo.
It was an enchanting music, a medley of different Christmas songs interspersed with original compositions by Symphony Nine serving as interludes. And by the time Wilhelm had finished his first performance on his second night, he was beaming with pride. His audience liked it and nothing made him happier.
“Wilhelm!” Mister Gates, the orchestra conductor, greeted him as he entered the backstage through the side curtains. He smiled at his superior and coach as he brushed the confetti that clung to his sleeves. “Good job, boy. Guess what. I have someone here who wants to meet you!”
Mister Gates tugged at his arm and led him down the tight hallway. Wilhelm smiled at the sophisticated-looking gentleman that followed Mister Gates into the dressing room.
“Cringle,” Gates said, “this is Mister Henri Larch, conductor, composer and choreographer of the Grand International Music-makers.”
“He-Henri Larch? The Henri Larch?!” Wilhelm stuttered, eyes bulging at the sound of the name. Larch was part of the GIM, one of the most elite orchestra in the world! They had world tours that cost a thousand a head. They’ve played for royalty and Hollywood and billionaires.
“Pleased to meet your acquaintance,” he said after recovering from shock.
“Weren’t you the boy who played at Summers Hotel?” Larch poked his glasses up a bit and peered at the man before him. He then extended his arm for a handshake, which the young pianist took willingly.
“Yes, Sir. I’m surprised that you remembered.” Wilhelm grinned foolishly, happy that the man had remembered their triple performance at the hotel just a week before.
“Who wouldn’t? You have good hands kid… and pure talent. We could use a boy of your caliber.”
Wilhelm went red, embarrassed as much as proud that Larch thought him a talented, passionate boy… despite his being already twenty-seven years old.
“Will you be staying a while to hear my second performance Sir?” he asked, aware that Gates was mouthing invite him under a scraggly white beard. Larch nodded and winked at Gates, who beamed with pride at having part of his little plan succeed.
Gates then directed Mister Larch to Viola White, one of the violinists, before returning to Wilhelm. He sat across the pianist, facing the foldable coffee table. “Well, Wilhelm, you’ve got one shot at this.”
“What do you mean?” the young man asked after sipping part of his coffee.
“Did it ever occur to you why Henri Larch came to Brownstone tonight?”
“No. Why?”
“Because he wants new faces for GIM. And since he’s got good ears, he came to listen to you, boy!”
Larch? Listen to him? Round him up for GIM? “But, that’s impossible, Mister Gates. Surely he doesn’t want me. I’m still new to playing international. And what would happen if I got out of S-9?”
“Nonsense! Symphony Nine’s always proud to produce handsome talents for the top players. You’ll be the star of GIM, kid. I can feel it. Just go up on that stage later on tonight and don’t screw up your performance. Before you know it, you’ll be playing for the big boys and floating in a sea of cash!”
--
Wilhelm took pained efforts to comb his hair back the way Gates said. The stiffening gel was agony, but it was necessary to make him look more handsome. He looked in the mirror at his brushed-back hair, except for a stray lock that dangled above his left eye. He looked at his square jaw, thin lips and pointed-up nose, never having seen a handsomer pianist. Then he spotted the only thing that marred his face – a sole dimple to the right of his lip.
It was not exactly a flaw. Actually, it was what most of the elite girls found most attractive in him. It actually made him look unbearably gorgeous when paired with his pearly white smile. But that dimple reminded him of a pain, a loss that until now he had never relieved himself from. He sighed, turning his head from his reflection, knowing that within one hour he’d have to go up on that stage again and play the same piece for the fourth time in two days. Just as he opened the door to go out into the hall, a man in security uniform blocked his exit.
“Excuse me Sir Cringle,” the man said, “but I have someone here to see you.”
“Can this wait until after the show?” he asked in an irritated tone.
“Sorry Sir,” the guard apologized, “but she had a pass.”
“She?” Wilhelm followed the guard outside through the back door, where he saw standing in the waiting room behind the theatre a woman with her back turned to him. At first he thought it was she… but when the woman turned it was someone else.
“Miss Rafter?” he asked, recognizing the old lady who had at one time been his close friend. “What are you doing here?”
“Will?” she asked, a crinkled smile on her face lighting up her eyes. “You look amazing, Will. We’ve missed you so much!” She dashed to him despite her old limbs and hugged him around the neck, though she could barely reach him since he was tall. “And Adela misses you as well.”
Wilhelm had never been happier to see Miss Rafter’s face. But at the mention of Adela, he stiffened and backed away. “Is that so? I never thought I’d see the day-”
“Will, you have to come back,” Miss Rafter said.
“I’m sorry, Miss Rafter. That part of my life is over, including Adela. She cares no more for me than I do for her.” he said with false conviction. Wilhelm sank into the lounger in the middle of the room and rubbed his temple. “Besides, if she really misses me, she knows where to find me. And since she never called me, I’m assuming she doesn’t miss me at all.”
“You’ll be surprised,” she replied. “Sometimes things happen and it’s hard to make amends. But sooner or later, we have to try. Otherwise, we don’t get another chance and regret sinks in.”
Wilhelm sank his face into his hands and breathed out, r
emembering what had happened so long ago when he was still twenty and finding somewhere to work so that he could feed himself. He stumbled upon an ad for housekeeping and decided to try that. And he had ended up on the doorstep of the biggest house in town. It was the mansion that belonged to Mistress Maria Adela Belize Thomson, the sixteen-year-old, well-to-do orphan who had the inheritance of her late parents and the audacity to hire a male worker. He had not forgotten the first time he saw her open the door to him – like an angel, dressed in white and her luxurious straw-blond hair in ringlets around her heart-shaped face. Her eyes were the bluest he had ever seen and her cheeks the rosiest.
He worked for her along with the other house-servants, including Miss Rafter. And it was a month after his employment that Adela accidentally discovered his hidden talent. She had woken up in the night, hearing him play at the grand piano after finishing with mopping the tile floors. He had claimed that he wasn’t able to sleep. Wilhelm thought that the girl would have sent him away for touching things that weren’t his. Instead, she sat next to him and coaxed him to play some more. He was sure then that he’d never been more in love with another woman as he was with his employer.
For the next three months he worked and played music for her, and eventually she had a certain Miss Beverly look into his music. This Miss Beverly took him up as part of a Sunday choir in the next town, where yet another