Paul, remained motionless for an indefinite time, could not reconcile him, was gone. Gone, as if nothing had happened, as if all those years had never existed, gripped the armrest of the chair where he sat, looked at his watch: one o'clock. The rain began to beat on the terrace terracotta, rose mechanically, they reached the windows carefully closed, was to look out, you could see the highway in the distance, he liked to watch the cars were traveling, imagine their lives, where they went what they did, the reason for that trip, as if he were with them, as if he could leave for other places, again all day in a different place, could not understand what was going on even now, he turned to the door, he saw her feet again, Marie, put on her coat sailor, what you liked so much, beige, I do not even look in his face when he said "You never knew anything about me, I'm sick and tired really tired, I go ", take the bag and open the door, not even turn around and slam it, again he heard the bell, looked at him now was still, still, how was it possible? We still do not understand.
Paul looked at his watch, the one and a half, went to the room, looked at the bed, then the drawers, he must have left a note, an explanation, something began to open all the drawers, its those of Marie no, he could not find anything, anything that might give him an explanation, with an angry gesture took the picture frames and threw it on the wardrobe still open, fell without a break, stood on a wooden box, red, with a treble clef gold painted on, Paul looked at her for a moment, then approached him, took it and sat on the bed, slowly opened it.
How long, do not even remember that there was still-trembling voice, he disappeared into a sigh.
Inertia had made room for a subtle anger that tore the slow, the box contained letters, opened one, fell an object, a treble clef, was a poem by Marie, took the treble clef, looked intently , did not remember, but ... when was it all begin?
He lay on the bed with his arms behind his head, closed his eyes and a melody came to mind, the humming between his lips, now remembered, was the first key that had given him, she had written that poem recounting his friendship for him and gave him the treble clef. It was all started well, where were the other keys?
He got up again and began to open all the letters, read them, but the keys were not in the letters inside the box was a little band of satin, as a small blue box, opened it, there were other key violin, all colored differently, took the first key blue and reunited with the others, stood up, picked up the box of satin with the keys and walked towards the living room leaving the rest on the bed.
He sat in his chair, put his legs at right angles, then began to look back these gifts, treble clefs. Paul, could not remember, he felt more and more not remember, the rain continued to beat on the window, footsteps on the stairs, did not care much, it was intended not to use the keys, he continued to observe them, but did not know what they were, or better them to him why he had given away. He got up and walked to the stove, put the kettle on the fire, sat down on the table, his head resting on her hand, looked again at his watch: two. He took another key and remarked, that he remembered it well, had fallen from a tree, wanted her to see how good he was, like Tarzan, how old were you? Perhaps eight, and she consoled him and gave him the key, smiling.
The kettle whistled, stood up, removed it from the heat by turning it off, filled a cup with boiling water, took a tea bag put it in the cup, we added two teaspoons of sugar, then resided, again observed the watch: two and a half, did not return, the door still stood there, motionless, not moving, it was reopened, he began to tremble with impatience and despair. While sipping tea and memories began to surface in the mind, a key she donated him after she fired a slap in front of his friends.
What had I done? Ah, yes, I had teased goliardic along and had not liked at all, no, not at all. What I had said? How dare you make me such a thing? The others had continued to laugh. Then the day came almost unexpected after the key, a piece of paper with her, do you understand me say one thing and then I get around so with the others, why? I could not answer him then and even now I can do almost-whispered words, other keys other memories. A smile, a love poem, a song, music, a playful duet, the first kiss, the first night - God how I love you, come back ... what are you waiting - the words came from his mouth sore, as if it were torn from the soul to take the shape of a short and incessant inhuman.
Paul heard the siren of an ambulance, up automatically went to the window, maybe it was someone remarked to her neighbor, was elderly was expected at any moment he died, but the ambulance went, then walked away, he saw other lights on the highway, police, ambulance, then, there must have been an accident, yet with the asphalt that had accidents were significantly reduced, the water was absorbed by that orange asphalt that seemed so much a field tennis, what a strange, he thought, he sighed for a moment, then looked again at his watch: three.
Eager sat on the floor, her back against the chair, his head pounding insistently against the back, snorted. The phone rang, my heart throbbed, Marie, is catapulted into the phone with my heart in my throat, trembling, replied "Hello?", Was his mother.
- Ah, hello ... are you - his voice trailed off.
- As ah, hello you ... so please reply to your mother? ... Nice, is it true you have no consideration for others, much less for your mother ... your mother ... possible?
He did not reply to those statements fell silent were the same words of Marie, how many times he repeated them to him, how many? His mother went back to the handset and talk to him and rebuke him, seemed annoyed, yet she thought she had done nothing wrong, in short, he expected Marie, can you not understand? No, do not you could not understand him, he did not know it was gone, but he had the courage to tell him, would have been other accusations, again, then maybe she would come and would not even have to tell him. He sighed and listened to the complaints of his mother, his father was not well, my eyes could not see well and did not want to go to the doctor, his aunt had taken the dog back because it started knowing well that she did not like dogs and continued to snarls him against, and nearby? She kept throwing scraps of food in his garden so the ants came all on his side. After half an hour, leaving her mother hung up the receiver as well as a cold fish and watch the door while he waited to hear the key in the lock. He hung up, very easily even its receiver, looked again at the clock: a quarter to four.
His thoughts running through his mind, all turned to the keys to Marie, how many were there? In the box there was all she had gifted him many, many, had written on the walls, on the sheet, the sheet for notes, but there were only ones in the box. A few too few, he heard again the siren of an ambulance passing headed for the hospital, so loud the noise in my ears pierced until you get to go to the brain and the soul like lightning could understand, had finally managed to understand. The keys were not given away to confirm its magnificence, and to thank him for what he was, had a gift for him, was Marie, she had her keys, her character, she had gifted them to him as if they were a part of himself, on occasions when she gave something of herself, each time gave him a smile, a consolation, a kiss, a song, a slap or a fight, herself, everything spoke of her. "The keys reflect her and only her, that's what I meant, I wanted to remember his character, I understood that I wanted and I never did. What a fool! God how stupid I was, pardon ... "he thought with a sigh.
He went to the piano, I sat down, lifted the black cover, looked at the lectern, he settled on the first pages even though he knew the tune by heart, he prepared meticulously as if it were to go out in public, shrugged his shoulders, his head looking straight scores , the eyes should follow the notes with hands, elbows harnessed to life and began playing the slow, a four quarters, then it was time for a while and slowly rising tone of the music he heard again the voice beside him Marie, singing along to music in tone, could vocalize very well, despite the notes succeed quickly between a fast and an adagio, andante and in a cheerful, she felt the music was as if the music itself, It was as if she were still there, Paul closed his eyes now listened, played and listened to her, his voice was as if a white light enveloped him, enveloping the entire room, the rain was over, but he did not notice .
Suddenly the phone rang again, Paul stopped immediately as awakened from a dream, this time not answered hastily, looked at the clock, five and a half, picked up the telephone and spoke again: - Hello?
- Hi, here is the police have found this number among the belongings of Marie Rimbaut, knows?
- She... is my wife - said, his voice breaking, if the police were not called good news, my heart began to beat wildly, he wanted to run away, go away, but where?
- Can you come to the hospital in the area please his wife had an accident - the voice of the policeman seemed dull without special emotions as if they were communicating the lottery numbers just came out.
- And it’s serious? - Dared to ask, but without conviction.
- And I'd better come here, please - the policeman was not expecting the question, seemed embarrassed, he was told he would have been easy, but what is simple these days?
- And she's dead right? She's dead? - Would not believe it, could not believe it - what happened? I ask what happened? - The desperate voice broke, his lips quivered like those of a child about to cry.
The policeman replied, courteous, do not plan to make itself felt, did not make it to maintain the veneer of professionalism, he broke that, too, did not answer the first question: - According to witnesses, he approached his wife on one side of the highway, is declined and has controlled a wheel, a truck from behind did not see it and went on, I'm sorry. - Knew very well that every excuse in the world would have served no purpose, but his sorrow was real and heartfelt.
- Tha ... thanks- hung up the phone, was destroyed, but at the same time he was grateful that he had not lied to police, he was human and his humanity heartened him a little 'in her grief.
He went to the cupboard, took the coat, automatically and wearily put it, he heard the lid of the piano in the living room banging loudly creating a chorus of discordant notes in disappointment. He returned to the living room, saw the score sheets thrown to the ground, stood watching them, dazed, drained, could not think of anything, not knowing what to do, was about to leave, then turned to the scores she did not like the mess.
- So there's no rush, there's no hurry - slowly picked them up, put them in order and as he got up he saw on the closed lid of the piano, a violin key, took it, was a golden key, not the had never seen before, as there was over, the bell rang, quiet and melodic lucky this time, Paul looked around, did not understand, there was nothing open, nothing that would make it sound current, opened his mouth as if to speak but closed it, looked again at the key, smiled bitterly squeezed in the hand, put it in his pocket, and since then they never separated. Marie was still with him.
rashna