The Gift of Goodbye

by Kleven, M. Kay

  “Send Mara in with a few of her paintings, would you?” Thomas asked. “I’d like to purchase one for your office.”

  “I’m astonished at all you’ve done, Thomas. I have never met people like you and Mr. Cutler before.” Tears filled my eyes. “Thank you.”

  “Your welcome. But, I have to say that in all my years, I’ve never heard anyone play the piano like you can. It would be a shame to let all of that talent go to waste. I’ll do all I can to help bring your brilliance to the stage and concert halls. My father would take me over his knee if I didn’t.” He rubbed his butt and laughed as he walked out of my office.

  I met with Mr. Benson and we talked for hours. So, whenever I wasn’t busy in the store or practicing for my lessons, I was busy getting ready to write the music that would feature Aiden as the brother and Elizabeth as the sister in Streets. My head popped up when I heard the front door open and close. I stepped out of my little office, and to my surprise found Chase standing there.

  “Hi, stranger,” I said as I made my way toward him. “Good to see you.”

  “Sorry, I haven’t been in touch, but that pregnant sister I told you about had her baby a couple of weeks ago. I went home to Missouri for a few days to meet my new niece, Emily Grace. She’s beautiful, of course. Almost wanted to bring her back with me, but her parents wouldn’t hear of it. So here I am, on a Friday morning, hoping you’ll have dinner with me tonight.”

  “I’m sure Mara will be with Daniel, as usual, so I’d love to have dinner with you. Would you like me to meet you after work or do I need to get dressed up?”

  “No need to get dressed up. You look fine to me. I’ll meet you at Beetle’s Bar and Grill about five-thirty then. Sorry, but I’ve gotta go.”

  “See you at Beetle’s.” I smiled and waved as he high-stepped it out the door.

  Preparing to write the opening song for Streets took up most of my day, but before I left the Emporium to meet Chase, I brushed through my long, dark hair and freshened up my face, then said goodnight to Thomas, going out the front door and into a cab.

  “Beetle’s Bar and Grill,” I said.

  Chase and I were escorted to one of the last open booths as Beetle’s began to fill up around us. It seemed to be a popular Friday night hang out.

  “Another new restaurant for me to enjoy with you,” I said, glancing around at the crowd. “Everyone here appears to be of the working class, like you and me.”

  “Pretty much,” Chase replied as he handed me a menu of food and drinks. “What would you like to drink?”

  “I’ll have a diet soda, but you have whatever you like.”

  “Think I’ll have a beer to celebrate the birth of my niece and having dinner with my favorite friend.” He gave me a sly grin as the waitress arrived at our table.

  “One diet cola and a light beer from the tap.”

  “Are you ready to order?” the pleasant, middle-aged woman asked.

  “No. Not really,” Chase said. “We’ll order when you return with our drinks. Thanks.”

  As soon as she delivered our drinks, we ordered, then started talking and didn’t even notice when she returned with our burgers and fries. “Can I get you anything else?” she asked.

  “This is great. Thank you,” Chase replied, digging into his burger.

  “Chase, I have some good news to tell you, and then I have some really good news to tell you. First, Daniel told the theater director at NYU about how I play the piano and write songs, so he came in a few days ago and asked me to play something. I played ‘The Gift of Goodbye’ for him, after which, he asked me to write the musical score for the play that will be presented this fall by the NYU theater department. I couldn’t believe it.”

  “I believe it, Anna Louise. Congratulations. I hope you said yes.”

  “I did. Thomas encouraged me. He and I even cleaned out an old walk-in closet, turning it into an office where I can write when it’s not busy in the store. The Cutlers are amazing people.”

  “Indeed, they are,” Chase replied. “May I have the honor of escorting you to the opening night production of this falls play at NYU?”

  “I’d be honored, Mr. Monroe. I have an awful lot of work to do before then, though.”

  “I have faith in you. It’ll be an outstanding musical score.”

  “Thanks, Chase. But, speaking of the Cutlers being amazing people. The really good news I have is that the Cutlers have become Savannah’s foster parents. She’s living with Thomas and his family now.

  “That is wonderful news, Anna Louise. Things are beginning to look up for Savannah these days.”

  “They certainly are,” I replied. “I’ve finished eating, if you have.”

  Making our way out of Beetle’s, we started walking and ended up strolling along Central Park taking in the fresh air under the bright streetlights, eventually sitting on one of the park benches talking about the Emporium and the New York Times while sliding closer and closer together as the cool, night air moved in. “Maybe we should catch a cab to my place for something warm to drink before we freeze to death,” Chase said. “You haven’t seen my new digs since we left the Blue Sky Apartments.”

  Shivering, I agreed. Chase hailed a cab and off we went. He led the way up the stairs to his apartment on the second floor. The building was definitely an upgrade from the Blue Sky Apartments. “Not bad, Mr. Reporter Man,” I said, stepping inside.

  “It works for a busy newspaper reporter like me.” He walked over and rubbed my arms to warm me up. “Not much to see: a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living room. At least the furniture is a step up from the Blue Sky Apartments.” That made us both laugh, especially me as I remembered my old lumpy, bumpy sofa. “Have a seat. I’ll make us each a cup of coffee. I bought some of those flavored packets. Do you have a favorite flavor?”

  “I love roasted hazelnut if you have it.”

  “Sure do. It’s my favorite, too.”

  “Thank you,” I said as he handed me the mug of coffee. “Your apartment is very cozy.”

  “Thanks.” He set his mug down on the coffee table and picked up the remote, flipping on the television. “Would you prefer the news, a crime show, or a movie, ma’am?”

  “How about a movie without sex or murder in it?” I suggested.

  “I only have about three hundred channels, so I’ll see what I can do.” He laughed, zeroing in on a romantic comedy.

  Chase picked up his coffee and sat down on the sofa right next to me. “A toast to Friday night with a great friend,” he cheered as we clinked our coffee mugs together.

  The romance in the movie seemed to draw us closer together and before long we weren’t just watching the movie, but sharing a few romantic kisses too.

  “I’ve wanted to kiss you like that for a long time,” Chase mumbled. “I think ever since I saw you holding that mop and pail the first day I met you.”

  “That had to be a sad sight for sure.”

  “Not to me. Your big brown eyes made my heart flutter when you turned and looked at me for the first time.”

  “I bet you left a string of women behind when you graduated from college in Missouri and flew off to the big city.”

  “Not really. I dated, but wouldn’t let any relationship become too serious, knowing I would be heading to New York the minute I graduated. Didn’t want the entanglement, I guess.”

  “I never really had a boyfriend because of my mother.” I turned to face Chase.

  Chase drew me close and kissed me again.

  “I’ll never forget the sound of your voice behind me that first day. I think I screamed, then turned and saw you. Tall, dark, and especially handsome.”

  “That old line again,” he said, then his eyes grew sensual and I couldn’t resist his kisses.

  Needless to
say, I couldn’t tell you how the romantic comedy turned out because the next thing I heard was a woman screaming at the top of her lungs from the television. A horror movie now graced the screen. “Chase, I have to go. It’s nearly two o’clock in the morning.”

  “I’ll see you home. Just let me grab a jacket for each of us.”

  Chase walked me to my apartment and kissed me goodnight. I slipped out of his jacket and handed it to him, then he hurried back out to the waiting cab. Once again, I had to tiptoe past Mara and Daniel sound asleep in each other arms on the sofa. I knew Chase would dominate my dreams tonight.

  Chapter 12

  “Good morning,” I called out to Thomas as I came in the back door of the Emporium on Monday morning.

  “Good morning to you,” Thomas returned.

  I busied myself, getting the store ready for the day. Then, as I was about to unlock the front door, an older gentleman appeared out of nowhere with a newspaper in his hand. Opening the door, I asked, “Can I help you, sir?”

  “I’ve come about the ad in the paper for an apartment above this store,” the man replied.

  Thomas had told me how he and Daniel had spent some time after closing on a few Sundays cleaning out his father’s place above the store and how he was planning to rent the apartment out to just one person, leaving his father’s furniture up there for whoever moved in. I could tell moving his father’s things out of the apartment had been extremely hard for Thomas.

  “Yes. Do come in,” I said. “I’ll have Thomas Cutler, the owner of the Emporium, come talk to you. Just one moment.”

  “Thomas. There’s an older gentleman here asking about your father’s apartment.” I watched as Thomas’s head jerked up, and then he stared at me for a moment.

  “Tell him I’ll be right there. I need to grab a copy of the lease.”

  “Good morning, sir,” Thomas said as he walked out of his office. “Anna Louise said you’re here about renting the apartment above the Emporium.”

  The gentleman put his hand out. “I don’t believe we’ve ever met, but I knew your father before he died in that terrible bombing. I’m so sorry. Mr. Cutler was a fine gentleman.”

  “Thank you,” Thomas said, emotion rising in his voice as he shook the older man’s hand.

  “My name is Miles Epstein and I own Epstein Pianos, a piano construction company only a few blocks from here, and I’m looking for a place to live. I’ve been living with my son and his wife, but now they’re expecting a baby and need the bedroom I’ve been sleeping in.”

  “I hope you’ll bear with me Mr. Epstein. This is the first time I’ve ever done anything like this and having someone besides my father living above the store is going to take some getting used to.”

  “I understand,” Mr. Epstein said.

  “Follow me, then, and I’ll show you the apartment. My father’s furniture is still up there, including his bed, so all you’d need are your personal belongings and clothing.”

  “That’s exactly the kind of place I’m looking for,” he said. “I’m right behind you. The piano music you have playing throughout the store is quite accomplished and heartfelt.”

  “The pianist you’re listening to is Anna Louise, the young woman who works here in the store with me. When we return from viewing the apartment, I’ll introduce you to her. She’s taking lessons at The School of Musical Arts right now.”

  Thomas showed the apartment to Mr. Epstein and by the time the two of them returned to Thomas’s office, they already seemed like friends. I hoped that meant Mr. Epstein would be renting the apartment.

  “Anna Louise. Mr. Epstein would like to meet the pianist playing the beautiful music filling the Emporium with its glorious sounds. Anna Louise this is Mr. Miles Epstein who has agreed to rent my father’s apartment for the next year.” Thomas stepped into his office to add Mr. Epstein’s information to the lease before having him sign his name on the bottom line.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Epstein. Did I hear you say you own a piano construction business here in Manhattan?”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, too, Anna Louise. Yes. I own Epstein Pianos, a piano construction business. You’ll have to come visit my place. I’ll give you a tour. Bring Thomas along with you.”

  “I’d like that very much. I want to become a concert pianist, so am anxious to learn all I can about pianos and what makes them sound the way they do.”

  “I’m there most every day, so stop by whenever you can. You’ll probably see me coming and going from the Emporium sometimes now, too. I’m an early riser, but also close up shop somewhat early.”

  “I practice my lessons after the store closes every afternoon, so hope I don’t disturb you while I’m pounding away.”

  “You won’t be disturbing me. I’ll consider your music an added bonus for being able to live here.”

  Joining them again, Thomas said, “Mr. Epstein, I have the lease ready for you if you’d like to read through it before signing your name.” He handed the lease to Mr. Epstein.

  Once the lease was signed, the gentlemen shook hands and I waved to Mr. Epstein as he walked out, shutting the front door behind him.

  “I think Mr. Epstein is the exact right person to rent my father’s apartment,” Thomas said. “He and my father had a good relationship, so hope that carries over to me.”

  “It will Thomas. He seems like a very nice man. He’s invited us to come tour his business whenever we can.”

  “I’d like that. How about you, Anna Louise?”

  “I’d love to.”

  Not more than a couple of weeks later, Thomas suggested we lock up the Emporium over the lunch hour and grab a quick hot dog at one of the stands before stopping by to visit Epstein Pianos. “I don’t want to completely surprise Mr. Epstein, so would you give him a call to let him know we’ll be coming?”

  “Sure,” I replied, picking up the phone and dialing the number Thomas handed me for Epstein Pianos.

  “Mr. Epstein said to come right in when we get there. He’ll be waiting for us.”

  “Excellent,” Thomas replied. “I’ll lock the front door and turn the sign around to let folks know we’re out to lunch while you fetch your purse or whatever you need.”

  A few seconds later, he took my arm as we went out the back door on our way to the nearest hot dog stand. Thomas asked what I’d like, then stepped up and ordered us two hot dogs and a couple of sodas. We walked and tried to talk as we ate and drank our way toward Epstein Pianos. As we threw our wrappers away in a trash barrel, Mr. Epstein appeared in his doorway ready to welcome us inside.

  “Glad to see you both,” he said with a big smile on his face. “You probably have a good idea of how a piano works, but I’ll show you how a grand piano is built from start to finish. Upright pianos haven’t changed much from the early days, but the grand piano has.”

  I glanced around and stared at what I saw as we began to follow Mr. Epstein. “I’m amazed,” I exclaimed. “I had no idea what the case of a grand piano looked like before anything was added to it. It even needs to have its legs attached before it can stand up.” Thomas and Mr. Epstein laughed at me.

  Walking over to a finished grand piano, Mr. Epstein pointed out the working parts of the piano. “The rim and key bed for the keys are the most important parts of the piano, but the tuning pins and hammers, which I would guess Thomas knows a lot about, are also important. Under the lid you’ll find a cast-iron plate, strings, the soundboard, and the piano action mechanism. See how they all fit together, Anna Louise?”

  “I do,” I replied as Mr. Epstein sat down and played a little tune while I watched under the lid of the grand piano. “I never realized how important Mr. Cutler’s and Thomas’s job of tuning a piano was until right now. Mr. Cutler was no longer tuning pianos when I hired on at the Emporium, but I watch
ed Thomas one day and know he’s a master of his trade.”

  “Thank you, Anna Louise. I learned from the best,” Thomas replied as he glanced toward the heavens.

  “You seem to love what you do, Mr. Epstein,” I said. “How did you get started in the piano construction business?”

  “I’ve been building pianos for over thirty years now and hope to pass the business on to my son one day soon. I have always loved the sound of the piano, but could never play very well, so decided that maybe I could build them instead and listen to others, like you, Anna Louise, play the music for me.”

  “You do amazing work, Mr. Epstein,” Thomas said. “I’ll have to put in an order for a couple of your pianos now that I know you’re here and especially since you live above the Emporium, too.”

  “I’d welcome the business, Thomas,” Mr. Epstein said as his eyes twinkled. “We’re both lucky to have Anna Louise around to play the music for us.”

  “We certainly are,” Thomas replied. “But if we don’t get back to the Emporium and unlock the doors, we’ll never sell any of those fine pianos we have sitting on the showroom floor, right now.”

  Thomas and Mr. Epstein shook hands, then he gave me a little hug before Thomas and I made our way back out onto the street.

  As we walked, Thomas said, “Like you and Savannah, I believe Dad brought Mr. Epstein into my life to help me through the suffering of his lose.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Every minute I wasn’t busy in the store, I had my head deep into writing the musical score for Mr. Benson. Writing one song had been so much easier than writing enough music to last for two hours. Daniel had brought a copy of the final script of the play to me when he came into work one day. I read it voraciously, hardly sleeping until I had finished it. The days flew by.