Before rehearsal, Lila sat at the Steinway.
Same instrument.
She played a few scales.
A waiter passed.
Nobody laughed.
Nobody knew the history.
That felt better than being recognized.
Celeste entered quietly.
Stopped several feet away.
“You found the piano again.”
Lila looked over.
“Apparently.”
Celeste smiled.
“Should I alert someone?”
Lila laughed.
“You’re improving.”
“Slowly.”
She approached.
Lila looked at the cane.
“You okay?”
“Hip.”
“Old age?”
“Rudeness.”
“Documented.”
Celeste sat in the first row.
For a moment neither spoke.
Then she said:
“I used to think the important part of that night was finding out you were Number 27.”
Lila turned.
“What do you think now?”
“That it was the least important part.”
Lila smiled slightly.
“Dr. Park would approve.”
“I am still afraid of her.”
“She is seventy.”
“Exactly.”
Celeste looked toward the piano.
“Do you know why I laughed?”
Lila waited.
Celeste had apologized years ago.
This sounded different.
“No.”
“Because Gregory laughed.”
Lila frowned.
“That’s it?”
“Partly.”
Celeste looked embarrassed.
“I was very practiced at belonging to rooms.”
“Meaning?”
“I knew who was supposed to be where.”
“Staff.”
“Donors.”
“Performers.”
“Students.”
“Children.”
“I saw you and my brain put you in the wrong category.”
Lila looked toward the keys.
“And Gregory made it funny.”
“Yes.”
Celeste continued.
“I wish I could tell you the thought was more complicated.”
“It wasn't.”
Lila nodded.
“Simple things can still be ugly.”
Celeste smiled sadly.
“Yes.”
Then:
“Did proving us wrong feel good?”
Lila laughed.
“At ten?”
“Yes.”
“Amazing.”
“I thought so.”
“I wanted you to feel stupid.”
Celeste laughed.
“I did.”
“Good.”
Then Lila became serious.
“Later it bothered me.”
“What?”
“That everyone loved the story because I was good.”
Celeste looked toward her.
Lila continued.
“If I had been terrible, you still would have been wrong.”
“Yes.”
Immediate.
Lila nodded.
“Good answer.”
“I had thirty years to prepare.”
“Twenty.”
“Feels longer.”
They laughed.
The gala that night included no competition.
Lila premiered a new chamber work.
It was not about trains.
Not about class.
Not about proving anything.
It was about water.
Rain against apartment windows.