Never had she seen anything more beautiful than the handsome man playing his piano. For a while Claire stood there at the entrance as he had not noticed. She was watching him play with such great intensity but she could not help but feel that he was in pain. His expression was too in-depth for someone who plays so well. Yes, it was expected that he would look in-depth but this was way out of hand. The way he played and the way his eyes were shut tightly was almost like he was trying to relieve a bad memory or perhaps that he was pouring out his soul. Claire had not the slightest of ideas what exactly that tone he was playing was but trust me, it was a sight to see. She completely forgot to enter as she got carried away watching him play. He had begun sweating all over and his polo getting all the more wet but he would not stop when he suddenly hit a finally high note and stopped. She was still shocked to move instantly when he suddenly turned to look at her with his eyes that pierced through her very own soul. She briefly read the pain in them that he masked away with a smile.
“Are you going to keep standing there and staring Claire or would you come pour me my drink?” he asked her.
She caught her breath. It was obvious he knew she was in the room but what baffled her was how fickle his emotions were that they would change switch at will. Earlier he had seemed very mad at her like he wanted to rip her in pieces but right now all she saw was smiles so bright. Claire realized she was stalling and he had begun to notice.
“Ahem… I’m sorry sir. I would do that now Tristan.” she said.
She realized she had called him both sir and by his name. She was still not getting a hang of it when he started laughing. There was no table for her to set the drink and she looked around in vain when he pointed the top of the piano.
“So I can reach for a drink while playing.” he said to her
“Sure.” she said and poured him a glass.
He reached for it and drank from it, savouring the fruit of the vine for a while before setting it off back on the place. Claire stood there as it was obvious she would be waiting on him. Pouring out his drink unless he deems it fit to let her go about her duties. He however as expected did not.
“Do you play?” he suddenly asked her.
He was not looking at her as he spoke. His face was fixed on the keys before him. Claire was still dumbfounded.
“Um… Play… I don’t…,” she was stuttering
“I’m talking about the piano. Do you play?” he repeated
“No sir.” she said and he raised his eyebrow now looking at her. Claire smiled apologetically. “No Tristan.”
“I would not be reminding you of our truce again. Henceforth, for each time you forget to call me by name, I would help you breathe as I did earlier.” he said smiling mischievously.
Claire’s heart fluttered as she recalled how he claimed he helped her breath. She was even tempted to avoid calling him by name so he could help her but that would make her stupid and acting intentionally before him. Or perhaps there was a possibility that this was him offering her that opportunity indirectly. No way, Tristan Jenkins would never stoop so low as to frolicking with her kind. She was no far from a dummy.
“Sure Tristan.” she answered simply.
He observed her for a while and scoffed. Next, he adjusted and asked her to come sit with him. All the alarms began blaring in her head at the mention of that reminding her what trap this was to catch her unawares. But rather than come up with an excuse or resist, Claire found herself going over to sit. She would have scolded her legs if they could hear much later for taking her close to the fire that could consume her if she be unlucky but then what would she do to her heart that was giving out the signals.
“So, do you know the basics at least? Talking about do re mi fa?” he asked her.
Claire shook her head. What would one expect of a dyslexic person like her. Back in the days, no one really cared about her sincerely. Not even her music teacher. When they came in for lessons, she would be at the very back while the teacher goes on with the others that impressed her. She was the outcast, the only one that ruined the teachers perfect score. Only teacher that liked her was during chef duties. Unfortunately, the old lady had retired as a result of her illness and need to be watched over at home. Claire did love the melodious sounds that comes from the musical instruments but she never learnt. She wanted to but there was no one willing to teach her.
Tristan looked at her and then smiled. He told her that probably she was too busy reading and all back in school that she missed music class. However, he wanted to show her the basics right there. Claire found it hard to believe him and asked if he was really serious about that and he nodded. She had never felt any happier than she was right now but suddenly, she felt gloomy. She would on be making sport of herself if she showed him how utterly useless she was. She stopped him saying it was a waste of time. Tristan looked around and asked her whose time and she pointed at him. He told her that he was the boss and hence, he decided how best to waste his time and if he was teaching her key notes on something she had no idea about, then he would barely reference to that as a waste. Claire could tell he was determined and no point arguing with him. If she made excuse to go ease herself, he might follow her or see clearly she was dodging. She was stuck right there with him and all she prayed to the heavens was for him not to mock her.
However, Claire was in for a big shock as they progressed with him teaching her. All her life, she had never met someone like him who moved at their student’s pace. If only her teachers back then were anything like Tristan then perhaps she would not have been the absolute failure she was. He taught her in a different way by making her register the sound of the basic keys. He had asked her to close her eyes each time he hit a note and then Claire could differentiate each sound. It was becoming fun and after a while, Claire could play the key notes without stress. She had never been more happier at learning something new. It had proven that she might actually have a chance at other things. Tristan asked if she was ready to try playing something with the notes she had learnt.
Claire was flustered. She told him she would rather not as she would like to fully ingest that which he had taught her. He smiled as he could see how extremely happy this made her and he enjoyed her in that mood.
“Well then I would play something for you instead.” he said to her
“Really?” she asked him
“Yes. Let’s go.” he said placing his fingers on the keys.
Claire was elated to the highest heavens as she watched him begin to play something really cool for her. The tone seemed to be reaching into her and breaking down her defenses. Soon enough, she felt a tear drop from one of her eyes and then she sniffled. The song was far too much for her to bear and she could see how lost in it Tristan seemed. From time to time he would open his eyes while playing to shoot her a weird look that seemed to ask if she was getting his message. Maybe it was just her imagination but she really felt torn.
He had actually wanted to play something for her but at that moment, this was the only tone that came to his head. He did not understand why but he just kept playing nonstop. The tone he was playing was the tone a noble man had once written for a blind girl he really loved. He saw her each time but dared not approach her out of fear of rejection. It was originally a flute until they made a piano version of the beat. It was a way of him asking her to be his woman. Unfortunately he had parted with her when he went to war and died. Right now, it seemed his heart was reaching for Claire and asking her to love him and he could not understand why he wanted that from a presumed spy. He finished eventually and looked at her with a smile that did not seem to brighten any soul.
Claire breathed out loudly. She looked pretty shaken by what he had just played but something else was going on in his mind. Something he had no control over.
“That was intense and beautiful.” she said to him.
He had his gaze on her lips as she spoke and suddenly, he reached over in a flash and drew her closer. His hand cradling the back of her head just as she had imagined. Tristan kissed the young woman more deeply than he might have any woman in his entire existence. He poured his soul into that kiss and Claire did not resist at all. Instead, when his tongue probed, she let him in to explore her mouth. It was yet the longest kiss they had ever shared and probably the most dangerous yet as his other arm managed to pull her into his arm while they sat.
Alfredo had just returned and had with him the totality of the investigation.