I saunter over and give Greg a little pat on the arm, I can’t help but feel more lighthearted than I have in weeks. The joy of my kids is contagious, and I just let myself become drunk in it.
I sit down and I watch as Timothy, one of the band leaders, comes to the front of the stage and takes up the conducting spot. He mimics me calling for silence and attention by doing a special wave of the conductor’s baton and putting his index finger to his lips, and everyone who’s seen me do it at the school performances laughs. He turns and winks at me and I poke me tongue out at him, secretly proud.
He lifts his arms and everyone is silent in anticipation.
And then they start to play.
From the first note, it’s beautiful. This orchestra I’ve created from students who are here by the power of nothing but their own passion for music. It’s so beautiful I just lose myself in it for a moment.
And then I realize, what they’re playing it’s a piece we’ve never practiced before.
But it’s a piece I know like the beat of my own heart.
No. How can they…. no.
I shake my head, but the notes keep coming, sweet, simple, pure notes, like… I’ve said it before, like moonlight over water.
They’re playing “Cadence’s Song”.
And just as my eyes draw tears from my aching heart, a giant cheer erupts from the crowd. I’ve heard that cheer before. I look up, my breath catching in my throat.
It’s them. Jez, Marius, Brad.
But no Sebastian.
And my heart sinks.
I watch as the three members of the Rock Chamber Boys stop centre stage, position their instruments and join in with the orchestra. Their parts ring out clear above the band, and even in my disappointment, I can’t help but fall in love with their performance.
How had they even arranged to do this?
And how had they done it, without him?
And as if the gods have heard my question, the band and the orchestra fade away, and a single cello starts to play.
I search the stage, but he’s not there.
And then I see him, standing alone in front of the stage in the grass. One man alone, but creating a symphony of sound just from his cello and his bow.
He’s just like he was that first time I saw him on stage, eyes closed, hair over his face, lost in his own performance.
And just like that first time, he lifts his head and locks his eyes on mine.
I feel an explosion in my chest and I press my hand against my heart to stop it from breaking through my skin.
With the last few notes, I know. This song is mine, this man is mine and always will be.
The final note rings out and the crowd erupts into a chaotic applause.
I’m rooted to the spot and can’t move. He smiles and reaches into his pocket and holds an object in his hand for a moment before throwing it up onto the stage at me. I reach out and grab it, gripping it tight, afraid to drop it.
I’m frozen and just keep staring at him. He doesn’t move or say anything, his eyes dark and searching mine.
“What is it?” I hear a voice ring out, and it’s Sarah, of course. I think everyone laughs, but I’m not sure.
I open my trembling hand. It’s the rosin box. And all the memories come crashing back. I open the box and take out the little jar of rosin, wrapped in a little note.
I unwrap the note. And almost drop it.
“Marry me, maybe?” The clear black letters say.
Oh my god.
I look down to where he is standing, but he’s not there. Panicked, I search the crowd but he’s not there.
And then I feel a hand on the back of my neck. I spin around just as he drops to a knee. His hand reaches for the jar and he opens it, and like in a dream, pulls out a white gold diamond ring. He takes my hand and I can’t help but notice how small mine looks cradled inside of his.
“Cadence.” He says, I’m instantly dizzy from the sound of his voice saying my name. God, how I’ve missed it. “Marry me? I can’t do this without you.”
I look up into his eyes, and I wonder how I managed to get through the last three weeks without him.
“Do what?” I ask, already knowing my answer.
“Life.”
Instantly, he looks hazy to me, and I realize I’m looking at him through tear-filled eyes. Happy tears because I know I’m about to be his forever.
“Yes.” I say.
And now everyone knows it too.
He grins and slides the ring onto my finger and pulls me into his arms and kisses me. God, I’ve missed his kiss, the feel of my body fitting completely with his, the sweet salty taste of his lips. The way he moans when our tongues touch.
Suddenly, we hear the orchestra and the band break into the “Wedding March” and we pull apart and laugh. The crowd continues to cheer and we reward them with another kiss.
Finally, when the need for breath takes over, I pull away and whisper, “I love you, Sebastian.”
“I love you, too, Cadence.”
“How did you do all this?” I look around us, amazed that he could pull it all off. From the stage to the crowd to teaching the orchestra the song.
“Don’t you know by now? I’m a romantic.” He winks at me, and my knees do the wobble thing.
“You’re a pain in my ass, more like! Why’d you wait so long?” I pout.
“I don’t know, baby, I didn’t know what I know now.”
“What’s that?”
“There’s no living without you…”
I smile, before he continues “Without you telling me what to do!”
“Hey!”
“Just kidding. I’m so sorry it took so long, I’ll make it up to you.” He tickles my ear with a kiss.
“I’ve heard that before.” I poke my tongue out at him, and then yelp when he pinches my ass.
There’s a squeal from the speaker and we turn to see Greg back at the microphone. He gives me a big thumbs up and I feel a surge of gratitude towards him for allowing all this.
He grabs the microphone from the stand and starts to address the crowd.
“Well, what a day! And would you believe, I have one last piece of news! I would also like to announce a brand new music scholarship program we will have at the school, starting right now. Each year, one of the most gifted music students will have their music lessons and equipment paid for, they will have one-on-one mentoring with the some of the world’s best musicians and will be invited to perform as their guest performer at one of their concerts and this year, the inaugural recipient of our Rock Chamber Boys scholarship is JENNY YU!!!”