Book Two: Chapter Three


    Ss sighed as he took his seat in his reserve booth. At least here he no longer had to worry about


    people bothering him. No matter where he went people osted him hoping to win a powerful ally or


    patron. It was even worse among this crowd.


    Tonight was the All Boroughs Music Competition. It started out as a charity and friendlypetition for


    public and private schools to show off their most talented musicians. There were trophies as well as a


    cash prize for the winning school in the form of a schrship to the school’s music program.


    Over the years it had be more elite. Fewer schools participated now and the ones that did were


    mainly private and charter schools. The schrship was still offered but now the main prize was


    bragging rights as well as automatic advancement to the All City Music Festival the following spring.


    Like any businessman Ss was always careful to bnce his charitable donations and activities with


    his business interests. That was one of the reasons he agreed to Director Weston’s request for a


    sponsor to new wing for the hospital. It was also the reason why he was here. He never missed any


    notable musicalpetition or recital that took ce throughout the year. His continued presence to


    such events naturally brought him plenty of attention.


    Not surprisingly many people encouraged their children to participate hoping to impress him and garner


    favoritism before approaching him with business proposals. Ss certainly couldn’t criticize their


    ingenuity but that wasn’t why he was here. He came to these events to rx, to remember, and maybe,


    just maybe, to find someone.


    “Something the matter?” Thomas asked standing at the ready should he need anything. Despite the


    fact they were friends they were also employer and employee. “That kid from the other day must have


    really thrown you for a loop.”


    Ss grunted his mind returning to the strange, brave girl from the children’s hospital. There was no


    denying she often came to mind at the oddest moments. She was brazen and without fear, full of pride


    and not afraid to speak her mind even to aplete stranger.


    But it was her green eyes that simply wouldn’t let him rest. They drew him in practically demanding him


    to remember something important. If only the Director hadn’te back when he did Ss felt if he had


    been given a little more time his mind would have finally deciphered the uncanny feeling that made his


    hair stand on end. Even now his thoughts hovered over a precipice it didn’t dare cross.


    “It’s nothing,” Ss finally said. “Let’s just enjoy the night.”


    “Fine with me,” Thomas agreed but couldn’t help giving his friend a concerned look.


    At almost thirty, Ss Prescott enjoyed more sess and privilege than most people twice his age


    could hope for. But this didn’t bring him joy. Money and power were not the things Ss treasured or


    coveted. What Ss wanted, what he needed, what he never voiced aloud was a family: wife and


    children.


    Ever since high school Ss had been pursued by a number of girls and women. Some he soundly


    rejected others he entertained but never took seriously. None seeded in touching his heart, a heart


    that was reserved for one woman and one woman only.


    Her name was permanently etched in Ss’s soul and one he never voiced aloud. Thomas was afraid


    to even mention it himself. Despite his obsession the object of his desire remained hidden and out of


    his reach.


    Mercifully the lights dimmed freeing them from further conversation as the host appeared on stage to


    wee the audience, “Hellodies and gentlemen. Wee to the forty-eighth annual All Boroughs


    Music Competition. We have over a hundred participants from thirty schoolspeting this year, our


    biggest yet. So let’s sit back and enjoy! To start things of we have Birch Wathen’s String Quartet.”


    The crowd pped politely as three young boys and one girl walked on stage to take their ces. It


    took a few minutes for them to prepare their instruments and sheet music. Then they finally began to


    y.


    Once they finished the crowd politely pped again and they exited to join their family and friends in


    the audience. Stage hands moved chairs and music stands preparing for the next act before it was


    announced. And so the night progressed. Some schools were represented by a single musician others


    by a whole band. This particrpetition did not put limits on participation as a result schools with


    more resources sentrger groups for a more impressive presentation.


    Ss watched impassively. Despite his record of attendance he was no lover of the arts or of music in


    particr. The musicians on stage were a far cry from professionals so he didn’t expect much from


    their performances either. He came because a single vision drove him too, a vision and a belief he


    would eventually find what he was looking for.


    Not surprisingly Riverdale had sent an entire orchestra to deliver the crowning moment of the night.


    Despite being his alma mater Ss was not impressed. He sensed nothing special in these children


    who were undoubtedly the sons and daughters of his own ssmates.


    “Well, I suppose that’s it,” Thomas sighed. After thestpetitor there would be a brief intermission


    before the winners were announced but Ss never stayed that long. He always left early to avoid


    overeager parents hoping their children’s performances impressed him.


    “And now for the finalpetitor of the night, Anna Silver Public School, Miss Alexis Carter.”


    “Seriously?” Thomas scoffed. “Why would they make anyone follow that?”


    The crowd seemed to agree some had already headed for the doors in anticipation of the break when


    the announcement was made. Their surprise only deepened as a young girl in a simple ck dress


    with pin-striped sleeves emerged from off stage. In her hand she carried a long flexible cane she swept


    back and forth in front of her as she made her way across the stage.


    “All right, Lexi!”


    “Go, Lexi! Go!”


    Cheers erupted somewhere in the crowd as the blind but proud youngdy made it center stage where


    the piano waited. Her cane bumped the bench and she bowed slightly touching the bench before she


    sat. With practice ease she closed her cane and set it on the piano where sheet music would normally


    be but of course there was none.


    Under the audience’s scrutiny she ran her fingers across the keys tapping one as she adjusted her seat


    and made herselffortable. She took a breath then began to y.


    The moment the girl appeared on stage Ss and Thomas immeditately recognized her. Thomas


    looked to his friend but Ss was fully focused on the girl. Why was she here? Was it a sign? What did


    it mean? Then she began to y.


    The piece was instantly recognizable, Beethoven’s Für Elise, even if one didn’t know it by name. In fact


    five of the otherpetitors had also yed the piece but this was different. She had no sheet music


    so she yed by memory alone and more than that she didn’t just y the piece as it had originally


    beenposed.


    The melody was there but she added her own flourishesprising new and different octaves making


    the piece moreplex, personal and alive. She swayed with the rhythm of her music eyes half-closed


    with a serene expression of pure love and joy for the music. The melody built up to an amazing


    crescendo sweeping over her listeners entranced with her ying.


    Ss himself was on the edge of his seat captivated. Once, only once, he had heard such masterful


    ying. It too was yed by a youngdy on the verge of womanhood. Her hair was a bountiful mane


    of rich chestnut hair and her eyes were a clear sparkling green. Vision of her ying flitted in his mind


    ovepping with the one in front of him now. The vision fit like mirror images. Aside from the fact the


    girl in front of him had straight hair it was a perfect match…but that was impossible, unless…


    He twitched as a sudden pain enveloped his chest. No. It couldn’t be. Not that…anything but that.


    Her ying naturally tapered off after its climax. Slowly the girl straightened, rxing as the melody


    slowed. Removing her left hand she finished with her right gently tapping out the same signature notes


    she started with letting them hang in the air like a question.


    Satisfied she picked up her cane and scooted to the end of the bench. Standing she bowed once to the


    audience before extending the cane and turned leaving the same way she had entered.


    For several moments the crowd watched in stunned awe until a sharp whistle and cheer erupted from a


    dark corner, “Yeah Lexi!”


    “Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!”


    The crowd stirred rising to their feet and apuding in the first and only standing ovation of the night.


    Quietly exiting the stage the girl did not pause but she smiled broadly.


    “Umm…Boss? Ss?”


    “The girl. Find her. Bring her here.”


    “H-how? I mean, it’s not like she’ll recognize me.”


    “I don’t care how. Bring her!” Ss snapped.


    “Right.” Thomas turned and promptly left their private box.


    By the time he reached the entry hall at least half of thepetitors and their parents were mingling


    over the refreshments provided. Thomas was not as recognizable as Ss and the gathered crowd


    ignored him as he threaded his way through. He scanned the gathering but finding a single girl among


    so many was impossible and he still didn’t know what he would say to her.


    “Hey Lexi!”


    “Over here, sis!”


    Thomas paused, his eyes drawn toward the voices. In a rtively quiet corner he saw a pair of young


    boys identical down to their shoes. Both had ck hair and blue eyes, a rarebination. Both wore a


    in white dress shirt, ck cks and tennis shoes even though it was supposed to be a ck-tie


    affair. Their short hair was a bit shaggy and fell into their eyes but that didn’t seem to bother them.


    Thomas stood transfixed the boys looked so much like someone else he thought he was caught in a


    time warp. As stunned as he was he still brought out his phone snapping quick pictures of the pair as a


    tall blonde beside them tried to keep them quiet.


    “You two are so stupid!” a new voice dered as the girl Thomas had been sent to retrieve reached the


    trio.


    “Did you hear us cheering?” one of the boys asked.


    “Of course I did. All of Brooklyn heard you,” Alexisughed as the pair enveloped her in a hug. “What


    did you think Auntie Tracy? Was I good?”


    “Sweetie, you yed just like your mother,” the blonde said. “She would be so proud! It’s a shame she


    had to workte tonight.”


    “It’s fine. I don’t think she’d like this crowd and you know what she says about music…It doesn’t put


    food on the table,” Alexis sighed.


    Her aunt grimaced replying, “She didn’t used to be that way, you know…Is that why you swore me to


    secrecy about where we were going tonight?”


    “This was Miss Johnson’s idea to try to get money for the school’s music program,” Alexis exined.


    “Mom would never agree to it so that’s why Sean forged her signature on the permission slip.”


    “Which is also secret,” one of the boys dered.


    “I swear on my oath as awyer not to reveal anything my client tells me in confidence,” Tracy said,


    “but if your mother finds out she’s going to kill me.”


    “So let’s make sure she doesn’t find out,” Alexis held out her pinkie. Both boys and their aunt hooked


    their pinkies around hers. “We never speak of this night…ever.”


    “Pinkie promise,” the others dered.


    “Are you hungry?” Tracy asked.


    “Not for anything here,” Alexis shook her head. “We should get back before everyone else. It’s hard


    enough navigating this ce without the crowd.”


    “All right, let’s go,” Tracy agreed.


    Each boy hooked one of their sister’s arms. Since before they could remember they had always done


    this and always in the same order: Sean on her left and Theo on her right. In the middle Alexis couldn’t


    use her cane but she also didn’t need to. She knew her brothers wouldn’t let anything happen to her.


    With their aunt trailing them they returned to the auditorium unaware of the observer taking pictures.


    Thomas returned to his anxiously waiting friend. Ss nearly leapt out of his seat demanding, “Where is


    she?”


    Shaking his head Thomas answered, “There were people waiting for her. I couldn’t sneak her away.”


    “People waiting…who?”


    “Her brothers and aunt, I think.”


    “Aunt? Not her mother?”


    “No. I took pictures.”


    Thomas took out his phone and cued up the first image before handing it over. Seeing the two boys


    Ss sucked in a breath. ck hair, blue eyes, even the slope of their noses and angle of their jaws


    matched his own. The resemnce was more than uncanny. There could be no denying their


    parentage. He didn’t need a DNA test to prove it, no one would.


    “Director did say they were triplets, and the girl said she was ten,” Thomas said. He was no expert but


    certainly triplets were not an everyday event especially with identical twin boys and a fraternal sister.


    Ss flipped through the photos watching as the boys greeted their sister enveloping her in a double


    hug that was more like a huddle. It was obvious there were strong bonds between them. His gaze


    eventually settled on the blonde in close attendance.


    “Who is this?”


    “Their aunt,” Thomas said. “At least, they called her Aunt Tracy.”


    “Tracy,” Ss repeated. He wracked his mind trying to recall his ssmates. Was there a Tracy?


    “I think she’s awyer.”


    “Lawyer?”


    “Yeah, something she said, about her oath never to reveal her clients secrets,” Thomas said, “I think


    she was actually telling the truth.”


    “Lawyer…Tracy…” Ss muttered. Something about that sounded familiar but his mind had suffered


    too many shocks to connect the dots.


    The lights dimmed and the night’s host appeared on stage as thest stragglers returned to their seats.


    Tapping his microphone the announcer said, “And now we havee to the moment you have all been


    waiting for. Third ce goes to…”


    Ss wasn’t listening. His focus was on the pictures Thomas had taken. He couldn’t stop looking at


    them. How? How could this be? Unless…no…that was impossible.


    “And tonight’s grand prize goes to the Riverdale Pep Band!”


    Ss looked up at the mention of his alma mater. His mind was numb but even he knew the wrongness


    in the announcement. How could they have won against Alexis’s superb ying? He wasn’t the only


    one confused if the sporadic apuse was anything to go by.


    “How does bringing the most people constitute a win?” Thomas muttered. They weren’t the only ones


    unsatisfied.


    * * *


    “Boo! Boo!”


    “I demand a recount!”


    “Yeah! Someone shoot the judges!”Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    “Are they deaf or just dumb?”


    “Yo! The judges have been paid off!”


    “Boo!”


    “Sean, Theo,” Tracy tried to shush them. “Come on you two.”


    “But auntie, this is a crock!” Theo insisted. “Lexi was clearly the best. Right sis?”


    “It’s fine. We knew it was a long shot,” Alexis shook his head. “Come on. Let’s beat the crowd out of


    here.”


    Still unsatisfied the boys nheless acquiesced to their sister helping her out of the seat and down


    the row. Luckily they had chosen seats on the end and close to the door. They left the auditorium as it


    erupted with murmurs and gossip. No one could deny they had witnessed something magical as well


    as a crime of favoritism. Whether they knew it or not the trio had made asting impression and started


    an inquiry that would overturn thepetition’s directorship.


    None of this meant anything to the trio but another inquiry certainly would as Ss turned to his friend,


    “I want to know everything about those three and I want it yesterday.”