00. HER

"Mommy, why can't I be professional pianist already?" I said while I swiftly trailed my soft fingers along the piano keys.

"Darling, it takes time, a professional isn't easy." She advised as she stroked my blonde locks when I continued to play.

"I want to apply to Julliard one day," I spoke and she hummed to the music I was playing.

"I have faith in you, baby." She believed my talent would go somewhere far in the world. I was a pianist, who played her heart out in every key I pressed, it was almost I could touch other hearts when I play.

"Mom, you'll be here with me?" I asked in the empty music room at Michigan school. Her stormy eyes softened at me like a silent promise as she trailed her fingers in my hair soothingly.

"Always, darling." She whispered to me but I could tell that she was keeping something from me.

"I love you, mom." I reminded her and she kissed my forehead, leaning down in her short red summer dress.

"I love you, much more than you'll ever know." She replied as she sat beside me and watched me play.

The wind blew outside and I was still addicted to a grand piano in the music room, it was like the earth was blessing me with the music. Each key that I played, my heartbeat echoed that as emotions came in floods.

We both sang "La vie en rose" as my fingers tapped on the keys, that was the last time she heard the passionate music that I made.

She had cancer. She died and left me, left all the promises she made and remained unkept.

I was alone with a piano and an empty heart at only seven years old. She went up and didn't ask me to join her.