"You're in love. Just enjoy it," I reply quickly and head for the door. "Let's talk tonight. I have to go."
"Can't. I have a twenty-four-hour shift ahead of me." She scrunches her nose, though I know she's looking forward to her shift. Whenever she gets to show off her knowledge, she's in her element.
"Then tomorrow," I say, secretly not upset that the conversation will be postponed.
"Alright. We also need to talk about the rent." She grimaces as she always does when she has bad news. As if she just ruined her own appetite, she puts her bowl of cereal on the shoe cabinet.
I nod, embarrassed. In four weeks, I'll get my first paycheck. Then at least the matter of the outstanding bills should get easier. "We'll do that, but right now there really isn't time."
"Don't forget your hat." Grinning, Elina grabs the oversized straw hat with the blue-and-white-striped band and puts it on my head. "Very nice." She pulls me in for a moment.
"Thanks," I mumble into her tousled blond hair. Then I free myself from her embrace and head out.
As quickly as I can, I run to the bus stop. I almost trip over my own feet, but at least I make the bus just before it leaves. Panting, I sink into one of the worn seats and watch the city pass by. The closer I get to Josh's villa, the more queasy I feel. Even if I am on time, it doesn't change the fact that I left Sophia alone last night. She surely won't forgive me. And no one could understand that better than I do.
I was always with you in my heart. And I still am today, my father tries to convince me in my mind right now. His tone is so full of love that my eyes well up. I blink hastily to dry them. Tears have no place in my life.
To distract myself, I reach for my phone and openthe web browser. A headline immediately catches my eye that probably would not have stood out a few days ago.
Joshua Friedberg cancels concerts.
Curious, I click on the link and read the article. Not only his tour kickoff at the Vienna Rathausplatz but also the follow-up concert at the Peace Square in Prague will be canceled.
Due to an acute summer flu?
That's odd. He didn't seem sick at all yesterday. He was brusque and curt. I didn't notice any fever or chills.
So he's also a liar. Good to know.
Next to the article is a video linked from his last concert. Let's see how this fraudster earns his millions.
I press the play button and immediately Josh steps onto the stage to thunderous applause with an open smile. I watch fascinated as the camera zooms closer and closer to him. He looks completely different from yesterday. His forehead is smooth, and despite the colorful stage lights, he seems to shine even more from within. It may be due to his bright green eyes, which I hadn't noticed before.
The camera pulls back a bit from him. He sits down at the massive black grand piano and closes his lids. As if on command, the audience goes silent, the lights dim, and the spotlights focus solely on him.
Even though I'm watching the video only on my phone display, I can sense the almost meditative atmosphere that suddenly seems to envelop not only Josh but also his audience.
He begins to play. I've heard this melody before. I immediately feel as if it is a part of me.
Bliss.
That's the only word that comes to mind to describe what I see in the close-up of his angular face. There's so much love and passion. Not a hint of determination or anger.
Who the hell is this man in the video? And who did I meet yesterday?
With a mix of wonder and emotion, I continue watching the film. I listen to the moving music, discover the lights that the audience has ignited, and feel the intense atmosphere washing over me. It's as if it's all carrying me away. Within a short time, I've forgotten all my questions, don't remember where I am, and just wish he would never stop playing.
But at some point, it falls silent. The video has ended.
As if in a trance, I let my phone drop and look up.
Through the bus window, I look toward the sky. I observe the occasional thin bands of clouds and watch the birds glide through the air. And all of a sudden, I feel as though I could fly with them.
Enjoy the moment, Maya. It's the most important thing you have right now.
And that's exactly what I do. With a broad smile on my face and the exact sense of lightness in my chest that I usually only feel when I see the world through a child's eyes.
***