The Pianoplayer: A lesbian love story

by Rosalie Sommer

  But the situation was also difficult at the same time. On the one hand, they were determined to give their love a chance. They were sure they wanted to stay together and would therefore have to think about how they could do that in the future. After all, they were both coveted items in the Yellow Press - a scandal of such kindness would suit them just fine and would increase the circulation immeasurably.

  On the other hand, if they didn't want to stay in touch using only mobile phones and skypecalls, sooner or later they would have to find a way to synchronize their respective appointments, performances and other commitments. At the very least, if they didn't have engagements in the same city, they shouldn't be too far away from each other, so that they could visit each other at least briefly in between. Her managers would have to let her in on it.

  At first it also seemed most important to them that no one else, and certainly not Matthieu, could somehow find out about their connection in order to blackmail them with the threat of passing everything on to the press and thus the public. Adolé, however, was quite sure that no French court would award him the children if they could show how violent he was. Also, the fact that Michelle was homosexual and with a woman would not be a reason to deprive her of custody from a judicial point of view. In fact, there was no reason to make such a secret of their relationship.

  And the more they thought about it, the more a crazy thought settled in their heads - an innovative, courageous solution, so that in the end they would not be at the mercy of Matthieu and his whims forever.

  Although Adolé was actually also interested in keeping her private life private and thus keeping her career as undisturbed and promising as before, she finally agreed to this plan. Despite her principle of not letting unknown factors influence her career, they agreed in the end to present their daring plan to their female managers.

  As crazy as their plan was, if it worked, it would be a rescue. And it felt good - and right.

  In the end, it was Michelle who suggested that they should both go out for a meal with their managers as soon as possible in order to have this decisive conversation, and so it wasn't long before Roswitha and Ella also arrived on Sylt - for a "completely normal" meal with their respective protégées alone. At least that is what they thought. They had no idea how wrong they were.

  30.

  It had worked out surprisingly easily to agree on a common date with Roswitha and Ella. In the middle of Westerland, both had reserved a table in a quiet restaurant, whose speciality was fish dishes. "How obvious. ", thought Adolé about the offer when she and Michelle fleetingly studied the menu after they had sat down. To be on the safe side, they had arrived at the restaurant very early - they didn't want to risk arriving after the two managers.

  A short moment later Ella entered the restaurant and looked around inquiringly. Shortly afterwards, the waiter courteously brought her to the table, skilfully removed her coat and then retreated as discreetly as he had come. Ella looked at Adolé in amazement, but first greeted Michelle warmly. They had not seen each other for a long time.

  A few more minutes passed until Roswitha also joined the round. She took off her coat, laid it on one of the chairs that were standing at the next table and greeted Adolé first. She immediately noticed from the embrace how many question marks were buzzing around Roswitha's head. At first Adolé did not react to her murmuring "What is going on here?!!".

  Michelle first ordered an aperitif for everyone and then made sure everyone had a card to delve into. Adolé was relieved to see that, as far as could be seen, everyone was busy choosing their table drinks and food.

  She felt Michelle's closeness and insecurity at the same time, sitting right next to her, thigh to thigh. Under the table and out of sight of the managers they had placed their feet so that each could feel the other. This gave them the necessary security for what lay ahead.

  When the waiter had taken her order, the conversation slowly picked up speed.

  Roswitha lost no time at all with a scrutinizing look at the lap. She began the interrogation without hesitation to get to the bottom of the purpose of this unusual meeting. "I see that you were able to pull yourselves together after all, and to bring our joint project to a reasonably decent conclusion. " Roswitha said provocatively. Adolé knew immediately what this meant. She knew her long-time manager too well and knew that she wasn't the type of person to beat about the bush. She was very direct and came straight to the point.

  So Adolé took a deep breath and also began to tell without beating about the bush why they had to meet so mysteriously and in this unusual circle.

  "Yes, you're right, of course. Michelle and I had a difficult beginning. But - and I hate to admit it. " she added with a wink, "You were right. This weird and surprising collaboration between two artists, who have each achieved almost everything in their respective fields, was really a good idea, I must say now - an idea that took us both further and challenged us in a very unusual way. But of course we only realized this after we had overcome our personal differences and realized how well we actually harmonize and how well we actually understand each other. " With a side glance at Michelle she added: "Yes, this is really working amazingly well. “.

  She left the last remark in the room for now. Roswitha seemed to be extremely happy - that she was right, that the project had gone well in the end and also that the two different ladies had finally found each other artistically. Of course she also liked the fact that she now received recognition from all sides.

  So she let herself fall relaxed into her armchair and replied contentedly: "Well, I'm glad to hear that. I thought we had to stop everything. The horror stories from the studio that reached me in the meantime were really not what I had expected. Good - of course I didn't think that you would see each other and that everything would go like clockwork. Initial difficulties are a normal thing. You just have to get used to the other one and his way of working. “. She exhaled heavily to give her last sentence the meaning she thought it deserved. "But what I have been told and what I have experienced - my goodness! That was pretty tough stuff!"

  Adolé nodded understandingly. "Yes, you're right, of course. We've taken far too long to come to a common denominator. But in the end it really worked out great. And the results speak for themselves." While Roswitha agreed to her nodding, she grabbed Michelle's hand under the table, pressed it lightly and stroked her palm with her thumb. She knew that Michelle, who, if possible, kept her sunglasses lowered and tried to stay completely out of this unpleasant conversation, was dying a thousand deaths inside. But they both also knew that this conversation and the solution they had in mind was their only way out of the uncertainty and dependence on Michelle's husband. So they had to go through... There was no alternative.

  Now, after the start had been made and the waiter was serving the starters, Adolé decided to take it easy for a while. "It's no help to anyone if we can't enjoy our meal," she tried to calm herself, knowing that Michelle, for her part, would certainly not be able to get down a bite before the delicate subject was brought to its climax and her daring plan was approved by the managers. Nevertheless, they managed to get the meal through in a reasonable way, in the context of their nervousness. There was even a casual table talk - it was good that Roswitha and Ella had known each other for so long and rarely had the opportunity to exchange ideas. At last things were different here and so this part of the meeting went almost by itself.

  Adolé was happy about this break, which she hadn't expected, and concentrated on her food, even if she couldn't enjoy it as usual. Again and again Michelle and Adolé exchanged anxious looks. So much Adolé would have liked Michelle to tell her not to worry - she knew Roswitha, and so she was quite sure that she would follow her rational reasoning, even if it meant taking a certain risk. And even if Ella were to disagree, Roswitha would already tell her to join them and form a cohesive unit on the outside.

  Thus Adolé later confidently embraced her beloved cappuccino, which warmed her ice-cold ha
nds, when she finally reached the essential point decisively after the meal.

  "Roswitha, Ella. I would like to tell you once again how much we thank you for agreeing to this meeting at such short notice and coming here to Sylt. I know how full your diaries are, and the island is a bit far off the beaten track. The coordination was certainly not easy for you. And that you have taken the trouble to come here to us. That's really generous of you and easier than if we had to meet you somewhere else. So, for that we both thank you very much again."

  The two managers nodded appreciatively. "You're welcome." But even Ella wanted to know what it was all about.

  "What's so important that you feel all this effort is justified?"

  "Fine," Adolé thought and swallowed dryly. "I guess there's no turning back now." One last look at Michelle, who nervously bit around her lip and then came straight to the point.

  "I know you both meant well that you pushed us into this totally insane collaboration. "Adolé chose her words carefully. "Roswitha, as you know, at first I was anything but enthusiastic about the idea. But as I just said, in the long run, you were right. Right that we are capable of extraordinary things with the help of our musicians and that both of our music has been lifted to a completely different level than what we have known up to now. So far we are both not inexperienced and not unsuccessful, but I think this new CD will top that by far. A lot! It was a hard piece of work, but it was worth it! “

  Adolé saw how both managers listened to her spellbound and were happy about this beautiful praise. This was not the order of the day for her either. Fortunately, the restaurant was filled to just the right level - so full that the general noise level swallowed Adolé's speech and they were altogether just one table among many, but empty enough that despite the general noise, a reasonable conversation was possible and she did not have to raise her voice to speak up and reach everyone.

  After the introductory words, Adolé knew that she had to get to the point. For her own safety and to reassure Michelle, who had hardly said a word until now, Adolé finally put her hand on her thigh and continued.

  "As you know, working with Michelle did not inspire me much at first and really took me to my limits. For inexplicable reasons, Michelle deliberately avoided working with me and also with the whole team. I didn't understand all that - on the contrary, it made me furious and was poison for our project.

  Adolé took a short break, looked at her cappuccino and took a sip.

  "But then something unusual happened, something that I still can't quite explain. "One last pause, then it was time. "Michelle and I accidentally ran into each other in the studio from time to time. ... at odd times, but still. Sometimes late at night when the crew was off, sometimes at night. At first, we both tried to avoid each other for safety's sake. After we had a couple of real arguments, it seemed to be more advisable. Nevertheless there were always occasions when we had a short talk. And that was nice." Adolé felt the astonished look of the female managers resting on her. Obviously they both did not yet know exactly where the conversation would lead them.

  She lowered her eyes and continued to talk calmly. "Incredibly, right from the beginning and despite all the trouble, I felt a certain connection with Michelle. This confused me to the maximum, and you, Roswitha, know how much I try as far as possible to stand up to these beginnings and to avoid these situations in order not to give the press or anyone else a target. “

  Adolé saw how Ella still didn't know what she was getting at, but Roswitha was already taking a breath to drive her into the parade.

  Adolé raised a defensive hand and as a precautionary measure cut her off. "No, Roswitha, please. I'm not finished yet. I know what you're thinking, but this time things are different. Please let me finish."

  Roswitha paused, frowned and turned to Ella, who looked at her questioningly. Ella took out an inquiring "But, I don't understand...", and Roswitha rolled her eyes while she again resignedly dropped back into her chair and shook her head.

  Although her heart was beating up to her neck, Adolé did not let herself be disturbed. She turned directly to Michelle's manager.

  "Ella, I can understand that you don't understand anything But that's about to change - let me enlighten you: I am a lesbian. Always have been, at least as long as I can remember. Occasionally I have had affairs with other women, but as you can imagine, it has always been quite difficult. Most of the time the affairs were very short and only led to a lot of work for Roswitha and moreover only to trouble and high compensation for me. It became clear to me quite quickly that we had to give the public something that distracts from the facts - a nice story that my audience would like and so we came up with another solution. “

  Ella, who hadn't expected it at all, made big eyes and looked at Adolé and then Roswitha again and again.

  "Julius Gruber is just my fake boyfriend. He sometimes thinks that we are actually together, but in reality I like women - 100%! Julius just helps me to make sure that no rumours come up and that the press has something to photograph and write about every now and then, something that is relatively harmless. For this purpose he regularly accompanies me to shows and award ceremonies and whatever else is going on. Then everybody is satisfied - for the public I correspond to the general ideal, and I have my peace. And Julius gets a certain amount of money for his services, which of course only apply to the time when we are in public. At home we have clear rules, but for practical purposes he is mostly travelling himself anyway."

  Ella, still stunned, clasped both hands in front of her mouth, more out of surprise than out of a desire to evaluate this alibi relationship.

  "Normally I get along quite well with this arrangement - it allows me to live a life without too many questions being asked and without receiving more attention than I already have. And it was good while I was single. There were no complications and it has served me well. But now it's different - and now it's time to make a change."

  That was the moment when Roswitha turned as white as a sheet. She straightened up again, clasped her chair backs with both hands and pressed a "Single WARST???! What?!!! What have you done? And what in God's name are you doing??!!!". "You're not going to change your relationship with Julius, are you?

  Adolé was really going for it. "Yes, Roswitha, that's what I want. I have to. Because everything has changed. I have no relationship to Julius! You know that better than anyone!! "With one look at Michelle, she dropped the bomb. "Michelle and I have fallen in love. We are together and very happy. But Michelle is beaten and blackmailed by her violent husband. He uses the press against her and keeps the children from her. This all only ends when there is nothing left to blackmail and Michelle gets custody of the two children. That's why we want to go public. We want to come out and stand by our love. That's our plan. Only then will you and I be free of the possibility that some copycat is trying to take advantage of us and blackmail us.

  That's it. It was finally out! The passionate speech had cost Adolé strength. She felt the tears in the corners of her eyes and how a whole rock fell from her soul at the same time. At last she could breathe a sigh of relief again. Lovingly she looked at Michelle and once more gently squeezed her hand on her thigh to relieve her of the burden that now weighed on her. After all, Ella was completely unaware until just now that her protégé was about to take an uncomfortable path and make her secret weakness for women public. Although she knew about the quarrels with Matthieu, she had been divorced and mother of two children. Now, no doubt, a conversation in private was due. But was the most important thing said.

  Slowly Ella regained her composure and addressed Michelle in French. "No, Ella, let's do it in German," Michelle finally spoke up.

  "Good," Ella replied. "What's the matter with you. Is what Adolé just said true?" Adolé felt the excitement in Michelle. But she could not help her in this point - she had to go through it alone.

  "Yes. Everything Adolé said is true. I didn't want to offer Matthieu any kind of target and no reason
to use the children against me again or to make him angry. "Michelle was shaking all over. "You know how it usually ends. I tried everything to sabotage the cooperation with Adolé and to escape the situation, because I actually knew quite early on that I was about to fall in love with Adolé. But I didn't want to give Matthieu any reason to beat him up or make myself susceptible to blackmail. You know him. But at some point I couldn't do it anymore. I just couldn't resist. And then it all came to another."

  For Michelle, who was experiencing such a coming-out situation for the first time, the confusion and excitement was too much - she put her face into her hands and burst into tears. Worried, Adolé laid her arm and her and tried to comfort her. Michelle sobbed softly inside herself, and Adolé began to worry if her plan was premature. On the other hand, the alternative was Matthew's unscrupulousness, with which he would surely sooner or later, if he got wind of them, proceed and then knew no mercy in dealing with custody and visiting rights for the children. Basically their plan had no alternative.