222: 034 SURPRISE THE CROWD

034 SURPRISE THE CROWD

I swallowed the lump in my throat. Readying a smile on my lips I faced the crowd with my chin held high. 2

As expected, I received death glares from across the room as Lucas and I walked through the aisle to greet the birthday celebrant. Pretending not to care, the smile on my lips widened.

Anyone could look at me now with hatred in their eyes as though I'm a spawn of Satan but I will keep showing them I don't care about what they think of me. I made a mistake in the past, I admit making them, and I'm trying to correct those mistakes. 

Their opinions don't matter to me now.

Shifting my attention to my husband, I saw him looking straight ahead and when I followed his gaze, I immediately caught sight of his older sister. Mary Therese was easy to spot in the crowd since she's the only one in the room who's wearing a black veil and a loose tunic dress with the same color. 

Everyone else is wearing a white attire.

Lucas pulled into a stop in front of his older sister. I noticed the only adornment she was wearing was a gold necklace with a cross pendant across her chest.

"Happy birthday, Reverend Mother." Lucas greeted her. 

Mary Therese's eyes widened when her gaze went to his face. "I thought you'd never show up!" She teased him with a sweet smile on her lips. 

"I will never miss my only sister's birthday." Lucas replied before he kissed her cheeks. 

"This is my wife, Alexandria." Lucas introduced me to her sister. 

She turned to me and smiled. "I'm Mary Therese, Lucas's older sister. I'd been in the convent when the two of you got married and I wasn't able to attend the wedding. Ever since then, I'm not able to pay the both of you a visit but today we finally met for the first time! I'm happy to see you!" She pulled me into a warm sisterly hug that made my heart swell with tenderness. She's not just sweet but also very pretty.

"I'm happy to meet you too." I told her shyly.

"I have to welcome other guests so I will leave the two of you for a moment." She said softly with an apologetic smile.

"Go ahead." Lucas replied.

"Reverend Mother, happy birthday." A well-dressed middle aged woman greeted.

Mary Therese walked away to meet the woman, leaving Lucas and I to tend for ourselves.

"I'll get a drink. Do you have any requests?" Lucas asked when we're alone. I surveyed his face, looking for a sign that shows he's still mad at me with the incident this morning. However, there was nothing in his expression indicating he is still mad but it doesn't mean he wasn't. He could be hiding it now. 

"Pineapple juice please."

"Any other drinks?" He asked as though he was surprised I requested nothing but a juice.

"No. Just pineapple juice."

"How about wine?"

"I don't drink wine." 

Lucas stared at me incredulously. He opened his lips to say something but suddenly changed his mind and closed them again. In the end, he just shrugged his shoulders and walk away.

While waiting for him to return, I surveyed the room, looking for a familiar face in the crowd. But none of the guests looked familiar to me.

I let go a deep sigh after noticing that no one was paying attention to me in the crowd. I was successful in making myself invisible. I triumphantly thought to myself while suppressing a smile.

Drifting across the crowd unnoticed, I went to the center of the room where a grand piano stood. An imaginary force was pulling me to it. No matter how hard I try to look away, I just can't take my gaze off it as if I'm under a trance. 

A sudden feeling of nostalgia swept over me.

Why do I feel a strong affinity towards a musical instrument? Why do I feel as if I've played a piano before? 

Momentarily my eyes fluttered close. A scene flashed in my memory but disappeared quickly. However before it disappeared, I had a clear image imprinted in my mind, I saw myself seated in front of a piano inside a room full of elegantly dressed people.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please? 

My eyes snapped open and when I did, I found myself facing Scarlett — Lucas's ex-lover - a microphone was on her hand.

Instantly my eyes surveyed the crowd too.

My heart hitched in my throat upon seeing everyone's attention was focused on us.

I swallowed hard, wishing the floor would open and swallow me up to save me from embarrassment.

"What is happening here?" Mary Therese came rushing through the center of the room as she noticed the commotion. Her wide, questioning eyes shifted between Scarlett and me.

Giving the birthday celebrant an assuring smile, Scarlett continued, "Mrs. Alexander had prepared an entertainment for us tonight. She will play the piano."

"Don't be shy, Mrs. Alexander." Without warning, Scarlette grabbed my arm then ushered me to where the piano stood.

Leaning closer, she whispered to my ears when I sat down, "You have no talent, Alexandria. You have beauty but no talent. What a shame." To everyone it appeared as though she was whispering her support but what she's really doing was insulting me. "After this, you'll never be able to show yourself to us again."

Looking at the crowd's reaction, they are expecting me to embarrass myself. 

Hadn't they heard me play piano before?

I spotted Lucas approaching but before he could reach me, Mary Therese grabbed him by the arm. "You didn't tell me your wife prepared a surprise for me!"

I knew he wanted to step in and save me but he couldn't ruin the joy in his sister's eyes.

The lights went dim and the spotlight focused on me.

Taking a deep breath, I summoned all the courage I could muster and positioned my fingers to the keys. The crowd disappeared from my view. 

That moment the piano and I felt like one.

As if my fingers have minds of their own, they start moving.

The wholesome notes magically filled the room, enveloping everyone inside into a deep trance as the intro to the song 'What A Beautiful name began to play'.

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