Chapter 32

As November rolled into December, David and Ruth had managed to attend several of the fiddle group's practices. As a result his playing had improved tremendously. On one particular night, they could not get their room at the church and they had to meet in one of the other girl's homes and the practice took place in their rather large dining room in the corner of which sat a Baby Grand Piano. When they took a break half way through, Ruth asked if she could play the piano. Katrina, the girl to whom the house belonged said she would love to hear it played again as her daughter was now at boarding school and it was only played when she came home.

Ruth sat down and began to play and they listened as she played some Mozart, then Grieg and Beethoven and finished with a piece from Vaughn Williams. When she had finished the girls all applauded.

"We did not realise that you could play the piano" Fiona said. "You know, most of the places where we play, they have a piano, though not often a Baby Grand. If you wished we could incorporate you into our group Ruth."

"Oh I don't know if I could play in front of audience." Ruth said. "I usually just play for my own benefit and sometimes when people visit my home and ask me to do so."

"If you are going to come along for the practices, you might as well join us." Katrina argued, "and if you wanted to introduce a classical piece to our repertoire you could sometimes play in order to give us a break between our playing and add a bit of variety."

"You can also look at the music David is rehearsing and practice the pieces and join us here at any rate," Fiona declared, "and then if you felt up to it you could join us in a performance."

Though nervous about playing in front of people, Ruth was secretly pleased that they felt she was good enough to join them.

"I will think about it," she said, "and if I feel good enough to play with you I will let you know."

"Since you four obviously think she is good enough," David said with a smile, "and I already think she is good enough; then you can rest assured ladies, I will do my best to persuade her that she should take part."

Rebecca.

We called round at my mum's this evening and we were amazed to hear music coming from our lounge. My mum was on the Baby Grand and dad was playing his fiddle accompanying her. They did not hear us come in as they were concentrating on their music. It sounded wonderful so we just stood and listened until they finished the piece. When it drew to an end Rory and I applauded vigorously and my dad smiled and took a bow.

"I don't think I have ever heard you and mum play together before." I told them. "What has brought this on?"

"During a break at our last practice with the group your mum sat down and played a few pieces on a Baby Grand just like this one and she impressed the girls and they have asked her to join us," He told us with a smile. "So we are now practicing together the pieces we are going to play at our next rehearsal."

"Wow! That is great," I said. "I think it is marvellous that you have found something you can do together and with others and really enjoy it."

"Then you can come and support us," my dad said. "We are rehearsing for a pre Christmas concert at the church in a week's time and I will get you tickets. The proceeds are going to a local charity which provided a Christmas dinners for the homeless in our town."

"Great!! Rory said. "I will look forward to that. I really like listening to them and I love Fiona's voice."

"Have they heard you sing yet, mum?" I asked. "Because if they find out that you have a beautiful voice they are going to ask you to perform in that role as well. Your contralto would be superb accompanying Fiona's Soprano in a duet."

"I am nervous enough young lady about playing in front of an audience, I would be terrified if they expected me to sing as well." My mum replied.

"Good," I said to her, "then perhaps I can blackmail you into getting me a few things I need by threatening to tell them about your voice," I said with a giggle.

"Don't you dare Rebecca McFarlane!" Mum warned. "Besides when have you ever needed to blackmail me into getting you anything you want or need?"

"Well now Ruth" my dad said, "Becky has just placed an idea in my head, sometimes you need to be terrified into doing things and I just might be the one who drops you into doing it."

"Now see what you have done," my mum said. "If this results in me standing up and singing on a stage young lady I might well dig out your cello and make you practice until you are good enough to join us."

Rory looked over at me in surprise.

"I did not know you played and instrument." he said.

"I haven't played since my brother died," I told him. "With working so hard to get my grades up, then taking part in the committee and entertaining my boyfriend. I really haven't had much time to keep up my playing."

"Then I think you should make the time," Rory told me. "In fact maybe we both should make the time, for I used to play the guitar and I haven't done any of that in the past year either."

"Why is it that I get the feeling that my boyfriend is going to add another burden onto my 'to do list'?" I asked rhetorically.

"If he does my mother," told me, "It will serve you right and then I might just drop the hint when you are up to speed so that the girls could add you to their group as well."

Rory

The last few weeks have been a revelation. I have been with Rebecca now for almost eighteen months and it is only now I have discovered that her mother and father are both very talented musical people. It has also occurred to me that if Rebecca plays the cello, then coming as she does from such a musically talented family, she is probably a pretty accomplished musician. I enjoy music and I like classical guitar music as well as all the other stuff I used to play before I got involved with her. I decided that this might be something we could explore together.

When we got back to the house that night, as we were sitting drinking a last hot chocolate before going to bed, I brought up the subject with Rebecca.

"I was amazed to hear you played the cello." I told her. "I guess that since you come from such a musical family, you were pretty accomplished?"

"I suppose I am. Mum started me learning when I went to school and I have completed all 12 grade exams" she told me. "But then I did not know you played the guitar. You never mentioned it."

"Well, as you have said we have been pretty busy with other things." I replied.

"How good are you on the guitar?" Rebecca asked.

"I don't really know." I told her. "I am self taught. I just bought the books and practiced what they told me."

"How can you not know how good you are?" Rebecca wanted to know. "Surely someone has told you what they think of your playing ability?"

I have never played in public, though my mum has heard me playing in my room and she thought I was pretty good. But then a person's mum would say that, wouldn't they. Hey you know what I was like before I met you. I was a loner. I just did not mix, so who was going to hear me play the guitar?"

"I forgot how isolated you were." Rebecca said with a giggle. "Looking back though, I can see how that might be the case. You could be a Segovia or a John Williams and nobody would have known. But tomorrow you can play for me and I will give you my opinion." She ended with a laugh.

"Then it is a two way street, I replied, "I want to hear you play your cello so that I can have some idea of how talented you are."

"I will have to dig my cello out of the cupboard it has been languishing in since I met you," she told me putting down the cup of hot chocolate that she had been drinking. "In the meantime, stud, there is another instrument that you are pretty good with and right now I would like to tune it up for a late night performance," she said with a grin.

Well I was not the kind of guy who would refuse that kind if request from my lady so we adjourned to our bedroom.

Rebecca

In the days before the concert, both Rory and I retrieved our instruments from where we had stored them. Since he had never received any comments on his guitar playing I told him that he should play first so that I could give him some idea of the level at which he was playing. That evening after dinner he did just that. I know Rory said he had taught himself, but I still had high expectations of his performance, for he had taught himself many other things including languages and he was highly proficient in them. I was not disappointed. He played a selection of classical, pop and folk songs and I was impressed by his skill.

I was a bit rusty on my cello but it only took a few pieces for me to get in the zone and my repertoire followed his. When I had finished, He looked at me with a smile.