Sebastian listens from the hallway not wanting to disturb them and hoping to gain some insight into the woman he is getting to know.
“Jaded how?” Elizabeth asks.
“I’ve been alone so long that I fear I don’t know how to love like that,” she murmurs.
“Nonsense. Lonely and loss are both a kind of death for the soul. I’ve felt both, and I don’t care what age you are neither is fun to walk through. Taking a chance with our heart is terrifying but no less terrifying than living an entire lifetime with the cavern depths of loneliness.”
“That’s true,” Aiylin says. “Your sister is dealing with both.”
Sorrow fills Elizabeth’s soul. “Grief hits us all differently.” she glances out the window thinking about her husband. “I lost my Asher five years ago. I ache for him with every breath and death no longer scares me.” She glances at Aiylin, “In fact sometimes I long for it.”
Sebastian jerks and starts to hurry to his mother but stops at Aiylin’s voice.
“Don’t say that! Sebastian and Tinley need you,” Aiylin insists.
“No, child. I hope to see him happy before I go. To make sure Tinley knows the love of a mother. I understand my sister’s pain, and perhaps she doesn’t know that she’s hurting Patrick. I will speak to her.”
“That’s kind of you,” Aiylin watches as Sebastian steps into the room.
“Tinley didn’t move when I put her to bed. We wore her out today,” he smiles as he sits next to his Mother and presses a kiss to her forehead.
“I imagine so. She described her snow angel in great detail,” Elizabeth says with a laugh.
“How will your family feel if you don’t come home straight away, Aiylin?” Sebastian asks.
“I imagine they will be relieved,” she laughs and hurries to explain at the look of shock on their faces. “You must understand Patrick and Mena will be away until the week before Christmas. That means my parents will have the house to themselves for two weeks,” she grins in delight thinking of their love.
“Surely they’ll miss you,” Elizabeth tries to reassure her.
“A little, but I’m sure they didn’t plan on having me live with them for so long. In fact, I’ve been saving for a home of my own.”
Sebastian’s mouth falls open in surprise. “How?” he asks.
Aiylin looks at them and decides this is one of those moments where you must choose to trust. “I’ve been selling my music,” she says it so softly that Sebastian has to lean forward to hear her.
Neither of them speaks for a moment, and then Sebastian smiles at her. “Of course! Your talent is obvious. Only a fool would let that pass without buying it. Which pieces? Will you play one for us?” he demands.
Elizabeth grips his hand, calming him. Aiylin stares at him in surprise, and a tear slips down her cheek. Instantly he moves to sit next to her.
“What did I say?” Sebastian asks.
“It’s just that I haven’t told anyone, and you’ve surprised me.” Aiylin smiles and wipes her tears. “I hadn’t realized what a burden it was to keep it a secret.”
Sebastian grips her hand gently, “Thank you for trusting us.”
“How many pieces have you sold?” Elizabeth asks.
“Fourteen,” she replies.
Sebastian chuckles. “That’s more than a few, Aiylin.”
“Who is buying them?” Elizabeth asks.
“At first it was simple parlor music. I send it to my publisher, and he sells them,” Aiylin explains.
Sebastian listens and observes her. It’s incredible how quickly he’s come to understand the nuances of her speech and body language. “At first, you say, and now?” he inquires.
Aiylin smiles and pulls her hand away from his. “I’ve been composing pieces for multiple genres. Symphonies, orchestra, choirs, and more. It pays surprisingly well.”
Elizabeth laughs loudly shocking them both. “Aiylin you are amazing, who knew we have a female composer in our midst?”
Aiylin blushes and covers her face. Sebastian pulls her hands away from her face. “You should be proud of your accomplishments, why do you hide from it?”
“My family has been clear that it is my duty to marry. When it didn’t happen, they were a little disappointed. It was never my intention to publish, Sebastian. I only did it as a way to take care of myself. Now, I have to wonder how my family will feel about it. Will they think I didn’t trust them with my future? How will I explain it to them?” she jumps and paces in front of the fire.
“That’s easy, Aiylin,” Sebastian steps in front of her and stops her gently, gripping her upper arms. “You tell them the truth. That music is in your soul and that God didn’t give you such a gift to hide it.”
“Sebastian,” she stares at him in astonishment and any doubt lingering in her mind about trusting him disappears. Elizabeth nods in agreement and pride.
“What are your plans for your music, Aiylin?” Elizabeth asks distracting her from him
“Plans?” she asks.
“Yes, do you plan to travel and play your music?”
“No,” she says quickly and shudders at the thought. “I made sure it was in my contract that it be published under a pseudonym.”
“You don’t wish to play for live audiences?” Sebastian asks.
“No. That was never my intention. I write because I have to,” Aiylin insists. Selfishly Sebastian is relieved to hear her say that, but he does wonder if she will regret it in the future.
“Will you play for us?” he walks over to the chaise and lifts her guitar case from behind it with a grin.
“I will play for you,” she laughs.
The moon
