London Harmony: Water Gypsy (11 page)

Then I shook the papers. “I can't do this! Nobody can do this... except...” I shook my head in exasperation as I glanced at the wall that was shared with Marjorie's classroom. “I'm not your bloody mother, I'm not capable of this!” She opened her mouth, but I shot her a dangerous glare as tears ran down my cheeks. “I'm through. No more.” I threw the sheet music on the floor and pushed past her and ran down the hall trying to cut back the sobs. Marjorie had poked her head out of the classroom door as I ran past.

I stepped out into the chilly air and inhaled deeply, catching my breath and feeling the icy burn of the frigid air in my lungs. I wiped my face on my coat sleeve then took two calming breaths, getting my emotions under control. I headed to the bench at the end of the block to wait for the next motor-coach to take me home. I just want to go home.

A minute later I glanced back at the school and Marjorie stepped out, holding some papers. She looked up and down the lane then stopped when she saw me. She hustled down the block and stood in front of me. I stared at my feet afraid to meet her eyes.

A hand appeared in front of me. “Walk with me Tabitha love?”

I glanced up at her and she had a sad smile on her face, she crooked her arm. I exhaled and took her arm as I stood. We walked away from the school wordlessly. She was studying me, allowing me time to think. I shrugged and said off into space, “On moment I'm falling for her, the next I want to bury her in the back woods.”

This got a startled laugh from the woman and her eyes were twinkling with genuine mirth as she said, “Such an apt description of my daughter.”

I couldn't stop the little smile twitching around on my lips as I said, “She's just so bloody frustrating. I don't even know what I'm doing here today, I don't work for you two anymore, the temp contract expired. I don't know what she wants from me, what she is trying to accomplish. Why she thinks I can do that damn impossible piece. I'm not you.”

She stopped pulling me to a stop beside her and her smile only grew. She chuckled. “Oh, I could never do that piece. Only one person has accomplished that. I'd have to break it down into bite-sized chunks, but only Teresa has ever performed it. Before her vocal cords were damaged.”

I blinked, wait, Teresa was the person who sang it? Marj grinned at my shock. “She was a prodigy with a brilliant future. But one day, performing Queen of the Night when she was eighteen, she damaged her vocal cords beyond repair. She can't hit the high notes anymore.”

A shadow passed over her face and she looked so sad as she continued, “In an instant, a promising career was ended. She punished herself for it. I convinced her that it didn't mean she couldn't contribute in the world of music. We used all of our investments to start the Conservatoire and she took management and promotion classes. She puts on her Ice Queen guise at the school since she doesn't believe anyone would take such a young headmistress seriously. That is why she acts so cold and detached there. All business and no humanity.”

I nodded, starting to understand. I don't know what I would do if my music were taken from me. But... I asked, “But what does she want from me? I don't understand.”

She smiled at me and pulled my arm that was still looped in hers, getting us walking back toward the school. She said almost wistfully, “She wants you to experience the joy. To sing that piece and know that you accomplished it.”

She put her head on my shoulder as we went along and she added, “You don't know the rare gift you have Tabitha. She saw in you what she had lost. You are a musical prodigy whether you want to admit it or not. She gushed about the voice of an angel she had discovered. She doesn't want you to do this music for her or for anyone else. She wants you to do it for you.”

She shrugged as she handed me the sheet music she must have collected from the floor of the storage room. I was trying to process what she was saying to me. Then she sighed. “She's a blubbering mess in her office right now. Can I tell her you'll be there tomorrow?”

I blinked twice then found myself saying from far away, “Yes.”

She shook my arm with hers. “Brill!”

Then I said, “But I have a part time job starting next Tuesday, so I can't do this for long.”

She had a wicked grin on her face like she was up to no good as she released my arm at the doors of the school. “Thank you love.” She kissed my cheek and disappeared into the school.

I just shook my head. Bloody hell, I was a glutton for punishment. I walked back to the bench to wait as I dwelled on the fact that it was Teresa who had accomplished this piece. I stared at the music, absorbing it, taking it all in as an impossible challenge. Then I blinked. Bite sized chunks she had said.
Was she giving me a clue?
I grinned. I really love a good intrigue.

I thought about Teri on the way back. How did I feel about her? Could I handle her two personalities? I started analyzing the music, finding logical segments to break out and attack separately. I really did love the taste of her lips.
Bloody hell Tabitha! Concentrate!

I was knocked out of all my thoughts as I stepped off the coach. My blood ran cold as I saw an ambulance pulling up through the trees and onto the roadway from the barges. I jammed the papers into my bag and sprinted down to the river.

Captain McCray was standing on the Persephone with a grim look on his face. He was holding Terminator. It would have looked silly to me, this mountain of a man holding the tiny dog in his huge hands like it was a cricket bat, but overwhelming dread and concern was flooding my entire being. Mrs. Thatcher was like a grandmother to me.

I ran up the board in three long strides to the man pleading, “Mrs. T?”

He thrust the dog into my chest and I held it. The man's hard voice almost cracked when he said in a more husky voice than normal. “She'll pull through. EMTs say it is presenting like pneumonia. There taking her to the Royal London.” Then he just lumbered off, transferring to the Tennessee deftly with the years of practice Captaining our floating community.

I stood in shock for a moment thinking to myself. He said she'd be ok. I looked at Terminator and held him up to me. “Apparently you're stuck with me for a bit boy.” He attempted to clean out my nostrils with his tongue. I grinned at the little guy and hugged him.

I allowed myself to calm a bit then went into Mrs. Thatchers and grabbed the bag of kibble and Terminator's dishes then went back into my cabin. I set his dishes by the stove pipe, pouring some water from a bottle into the water bowl and filled the other with kibble, which he went about... terminating.

I sat on the mattress for a few minutes letting my heartbeat settle then took Terminator to do his thing on shore before returning him to my cabin and heading back to the road. Pulling up the transportation app on my mobile to see which bus lines I needed to take to get to the Royal London Hospital.

I wasn't allowed to visit with Mrs. T since I wasn't family and she was in the critical care ward for the night. The nurse did tell me when they moved her into general recovery once the danger had passed then I'd be able to visit. Her best guess was twenty-four hours, just to check in from time to time. I had thanked her then went home to Terminator.

I couldn't concentrate on lessons as I worried about the kindly woman, so I just took the time to read the final chapters of the music book. The twins dropped by to ask about Mrs. T and play with Terminator for a bit before heading across to the Tennessee for dinner when their mum called out.

Half way through power-up, I heard Wendell ask through the wall. “So Tabitha... Mrs. Thatcher?”

I said, “Pneumonia. They'll know more tomorrow. I'm heading in the moment they allow visitors.”

There was a long pause then he said, “I hope she'll be ok. She's not bad for an old lady you know. Except that bloody awful music she listens to.” We both shared a shaky laugh. Yeah, even the snarky hardass was worried. The whole atmosphere at the barges seemed solemn. The woman was a fixture around here.

I slept with a tiny breathing heat generator snuggled up with me under the covers against my side. Damn Terminator could crank out the heat. By mid-morning, I learned that Mrs. T had been moved to a recovery room and was doing well. I can't tell you how relieved I was as I went through two bus transfers to get to the hospital. I informed Paya what was going on she said she'd visit me that night and that she had great news to share for the both of us.

When I got to Mrs. Thatcher's room, she looked so frail with a heart monitor and an IV in her arm. I tapped on the door. She opened her eyes and turned her head and smiled, “Tabitha dear. Come in, come in.” With her hand she beckoned me in.

I smiled and walked in. Gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek and took her hand as I sat in the chair beside the bed. I asked, “So how are you Mrs. T?”

She shrugged. “Just a touch of pneumonia. Roger is all up in arms and telling me he told me so.”

Roger was her son, who lived in Wales. She said, “He doesn't approve of my choice to live on my own on the Persephone. He's been pushing for one of those retirement homes, you know like the ones in Waiting For God on the telly.” She chuckled and I smiled. Then she scrunched her nose. “I'm glad I sent him away to eat something or he probably would have shooed you away.”

I tilted my head wondering what to say.

“They are running a few tests and they say it might take a few weeks to recover and I'm to stay away from chill air.” I furrowed my brow at that. That's the only kind of air we had at home until mid spring. Then I got the ominous meaning of what she was saying and the fact that Roger was here.

I squeezed her hand once. “You'll be healthy and home in no time.” I nodded internally. Yes, it was home. The Persephone and our makeshift family of water gypsies. We just sat and visited. I shared the goings on at the barges while she had been gone, and that I had Terminator with me and was looking out for the little bloke until she got back home. Before long, Roger did materialize and I was indeed shooed away so his mum could rest.

A new worry nagged at me as I made my way back home. I was feeling a little light headed and didn't know why. I walked Terminator and then sat in my cabin. I suddenly sat up in a panic as I checked the time.
Shite!
It was after two in the afternoon! I had missed my meeting with Teri by over an hour.

I was looking up the number for her music Conservatoire when I froze as I heard a sweet voice calling out. “Umm... hello on the barge?” Bloody hell! Teresa? I looked around my cabin and was conflicted, a part of me didn't want her to see me living like this though the rest argued that this was my home... for now.

I struggled into my coat and stepped out on the deck at the same time as Mr. Illes. The big dock worker glanced over to see the frantic look on my face and the bearded man stood there as I said, “Ummm... Miss McClellan.” I looked around then rushed out, “What are you doing here?”

Her hands were stuffed into her overcoat pockets and squished her arms to her sides and shrugged. She was wearing a dark purple dress that dropped slightly lower than her coat with a matching hairband. The matching low heels were not suited to be standing in the mud on the shore. Her voice was small as she seemed to study the flotilla. “You didn't show up today.” Then her eyes snapped to me. “You live here?”

I was instantly defensive and said in challenge, “Yes. I do.” Then I started to explain. “A friend was in the hospital I had to...” I stopped.
Why was I explaining?
Then asked more firmly, “Why are you here Miss McClellan?” Then I looked around, and jammed my hands into my pockets, mirroring her as my voice quieted. I glanced at Mr. Illes then her and took a half step forward and spoke almost under my breath, “How did you know where I lived?”

She looked down and said, “I thought I'd cocked it all up yesterday. But mum said you promised to show today... you didn't. I'm sorry if I came across too harsh Tabitha, you have a gift.” Mr. Illes grunted then went back into his cabin with a 'you got this' look to me.

Terminator came running out of my cabin and ran past me down the board to shore. I ran to the edge of the barge as Teresa bent to scoop up an over excited Terminator, who proceeded to lick her face off. She looked up with a bloody knee buckling, collywobble inducing smile. “He's adorable. Yours?”

Bloody hell, the smile burned away any misgivings I may have had speaking with the woman. I shrugged. “I'm watching him for my neighbor while she's in the hospital.”

She took a hesitant step toward the plank then looked up at me as I studied her and her expression. “Ummm... permission to come aboard?”

The last of my defenses crumbled at that and I barked out a surprised laugh. I shook my head. “Nobody says that Miss McClellan. Come on up.”

Her face fell as the smile receded. “Teri?” She prompted as a question.

I squinted at her, not giving her quarter... yet. “Always?”

She looked conflicted then nodded. “Always. I just didn't want to look unprofessional at the Conservatoire.”

I smiled and teased. “And someone who isn't a student using your name is unprofessional? A little stick up the ass-y isn't it?”

She actually chuckled and deflated a bit in the same moment. Then she smirked. “Paya was right, you Miss Romanov, are no lady.” I smiled genuinely as it was exactly something my bestie would say. Wait, she had been talking to Paya?

She looked back and forth from the shore to the board with a creased brow. I reached over and took Terminator from her and placed him on the deck then offered a hand down to her. It was comical how she sort of crab walked up the board then stood on the deck and grinned down at her feet, apparently proud of her accomplishment, and not releasing my hand. Heat was traveling up my arm from our contact.

I cursed under my breath. “Shite.”

She cocked her head and crinkled her brow in confusion. I tried to stop my smile as I explained, “I'm trying to be upset with you, but you're too bloody cute to stay upset at.”

She blushed and bent to pick up Terminator, who was whining and trying to climb up her leg, putting a run in her sheer stockings. She released my hand and crouched at her waist and knees in a ladylike manner and scooped him up again. The dog curled into her arms as she scratched his ears.

I was grinning like a git when she cocked her head to catch my eyes that were trained on her legs. She said, “Umm... it's bloody cold out here. Invite a girl in?”

Oh! I blushed at having been caught looking at the curves of her calf muscles. I looked back and forth between her and my open cabin door. My brow creased and I said nervously, “Would you rather go to a coffee house to talk?” I reached out and closed the cabin door.

She kept scanning the barges, taking everything in. Then she made firm eye contact with those brilliant green gems of hers and she said plainly and softly, “I don't care where you live Tabs.”

I just stared at her for a few beats of my heart, trying to suss out her real feelings, but I couldn't read her expression. I exhaled the breath I was holding then opened the door again and motioned her in with palms up gesture and then stumbled when that dizziness from earlier returned.

She reached out a hand to steady me and she squinted and really looked at me. “You look positively peeked, and your lips are cracking, when was the last time you ate or drank anything?”

I pushed her steadying hand gently away. “I'm right. Really. There's just been so much going on in the past day, and I'm worried about my neighbor, I'm really not sure. Maybe dinner day before last?” I motioned her in again.

She ducked through the doorway and I said, “Watch your...”

“Ow,” she said as she tried to stand and hit her head on my ceiling.

I finished as I squinted an eye in sympathy, “...head.” I shrugged as I entered and closed the door behind me.

She set Terminator down as I said, “Sorry, low ceiling.” Then I added, “Have a seat in the living room and you won't have to duck.” She glanced around, her brow was creased and there was a small amount of disbelief in her eyes. She turned like she was looking for something.

I chuckled as she looked around for a doorway to my 'living room'. I pointed at the edge of the mattress closest to the stove pipe. “That area there, the corner of the bed is the only heated area of the space.”

Then I bit my lower lip in embarrassment. “This is only temporary. I'm saving up for a flat. You know first and last month's and the like. I'm making good headway.”

She sat and looked a little put out as she said sternly, “You don't need to defend your home to me Tabs.” Then she shivered. I grabbed one of my blankets and threw it over her shoulders and she pulled it tightly around herself as Terminator jumped into her lap and curled in, sharing his body heat with her.

I sat beside her and she said, “You need to eat something and drink some water woman, you look positively dehydrated.”

I rolled my eyes. “You sound like Paya.”

She nodded. “Then Paya is a smart woman.” My stomach betrayed me and gurgled loudly.

I blushed, surrendered, and reached to the corner and dragged the little cooler to me and opened the lid. I pulled out two apples and offered her one, she passed but did accept a bottle of water.

She just watched me with a grin as I devoured the apple. Bloody hell I was beyond starving, how had I not noticed? The sugar from the apple rushed through my body and I guzzled the water. The dizziness was already receding. Then I put the apple core and my empty water bottle in my little waste bag.

I looked at her and she was still wordlessly watching me. I shifted uncomfortably then blurted out, “Umm... tour of the place?” I pointed at my cooler. “Kitchen.” Then where she sat. “Living room.” Then at the rest of the mattress and grinned. “Bedroom... taa daa.” Then shrugged as I studied her reaction.

She slowly smiled then pointed back at the window. “Veranda?”

I just watched her a moment, it didn't seem mean spirited so I let a smile spread as I shook my head. “No... did you want to see the veranda? I guarantee you've seen nothing like it.”

She furrowed her brow. “What are you on about now?”

I stood and opened the door, holding my hand out to her. She hesitantly took it and I reveled in the contact as I dragged her outside, closing the door before Terminator could escape again. Then I brought her aft and up to a ladder attached to the outer wall of the makeshift cabins and gestured with my hand to go on up.

She grasped the ladder but paused and blushed, it had to have been one of the cutest bashful looks I had ever seen as she said softly, “Umm... I wearing a dress, you first?”

I gaped with an open-mouthed smile in shock. I wouldn't peek... much! Then turned my shocked look into a grin and climbed the ladder. A few seconds later she had joined me, the flimsy roof creaked and groaned in complaint. I pulled over a couple of the lawn chairs sprinkled about up there then offered one to her, facing the water, toward the city.

There we sat. I motioned my eyes out over the wondrous view that always changed when the boats relocated. I whispered, “This is my favorite place in the whole world when it is warmer outside. A unique perspective of London that most people aren't even aware of. Floating on the Thames, seeing the skyline from the freedom of the waterway. An ever changing view. I love living on the water, I'll miss it when I move into a flat.”

She leaned in and rested her shoulder against mine as she took it in, shivering a bit, after a few moments she said, “It's beautiful.” Then looked around at the flotilla and added, “I never would have thought.”

I shrugged slightly at the inadvertent slight but knew what she meant. Then I whispered, “You should see it during sunset one day, it would change your perspective of the beauty of the city.”

Her head was on my shoulder and I could smell her flowery scent as she said almost meekly, “Ok,” I turned my head to look down on hers, with her hair pulled tight to her scalp.

“Brr,” she said.