A Melody of Love

      It was finally Monday, June 15th, the day of Sarah’s mother’s funeral. The thought of burying her beloved mother in the cold ground was something Sarah could never accept. She wasn’t ready. She never would be. The grief of her mother’s death was tearing Sarah apart; its heavy weight stopping her from letting go. It was too unbearable for her to part with her mother. But deep down, Sarah knew that it had to be done. She desperately hung onto the memories of their times together as tears flew down her cheeks like waterfalls. She wore a beautiful, intricate black dress and headed to the cemetery. 

      The sun began to sink into the horizon, casting a surreal glow over the serene cemetery. A casket draped in an elegant fabric rested on the raised platform. A gentle breeze rustled through the surrounding green trees. Sarah and all those who had come to pay respect to her mother were gathered at the cemetery. Even though Ms. Roncelli was the only one who had died, life was taken away from everybody at the scene. Grief filled the crowd as they mourned the unprecedented death. Claire wasn’t even sixty when death came to take her. Cancer had sneaked into her body and caused damage that wasn’t found until it was too late. 

The casket was lowered into the ground just as the sky turned into a beautiful mix of purple and red. As the crowd was leaving, family and friends approached Sarah in unsuccessful attempts to make her feel better. The funeral was finally over, and Sarah headed back to her apartment. She regretted not being there for her mother as she lived her last days. While Sarah was trying to find work as a violinist, Claire’s life was vanishing. They were only together for Claire’s final hours, her last breaths, her last attempts at holding onto life. Sarah’s eyes were red from crying for the past couple of days, but they weren’t empty of tears. They kept rolling down her cheeks into her lips where she could taste them.

Before she took the last turn, something told Sarah to go to where her mother had lived: where the two of them had lived almost her entire life. Even though she needed to go to the building in just a few days to clear up everything, something was urging her to turn back, as if something crucial was waiting for her. She immediately turned off the car’s right turn signal and took a swift U-turn. Just when Sarah had arrived, the sun had set entirely, and the sky was now a dark shade of blue. A decorated doorway welcomed her to her childhood home. She walked into the old house with floorboards creaking as she walked down the familiar hallways and ventured into rooms full of memories. Nostalgia slowly entered Sarah’s heart as she recollected the times she had spent with her mother. Although she was at the house just weeks ago, it felt as if she hadn’t been there for years. The house felt missing without Claire. So did Sarah’s heart. 

Memories were made in every corner of the house. Sarah’s best friend was her mother, and Claire’s best friend was her daughter. All they had was each other, and that’s all they needed. Sarah had visited almost every room, each full of reminiscent of the past. The only place she hadn’t seen was her old bedroom. Even though Sarah had moved out of her old house more than four years ago, her room still retained most of her old furniture. Claire was never able to clear out her daughter’s old room. Sarah was glad that she hadn’t. The bed brought back all the times the two of them slept together because Sarah was too scared to sleep alone. The window brought back all the times the two of them looked outside the window to watch the snow fall. The music box, oh the music box, brought back all the times the two made melodies together.

Rain or shine, they made music together every day. From the time Sarah could speak, melodies and laughter filled their home. Claire taught her daughter all the skills and techniques she knew, from the songs of Beethoven and Mozart to even making her own music. In the evenings, Sarah would open up her violin case and rosin her bow as Claire flipped through the piles of sheet music to pick the perfect one to play. Claire’s hand gently tickled the piano keys as Sarah played each note on the violin with precision. An unbreakable connection formed from their love of music. Everything seemed to stop except the beautiful duets of the mother and daughter. Claire had given her daughter the music box when she was turning fifteen. Sarah hadn’t appreciated this gift as much as she should have. Disappointed with the childish toy, she had kept the music box in her closet. 

A beautiful symphony of love filled the room as she started the music box. It had been twenty years since she had heard the piece, but she hadn’t forgotten it. The music was exceptional, unlike anything she had heard before. She held it close to her heart as if embracing her late mother. That was the only thing Sarah took home that night. She kept it close to her all throughout the night and slept with it on her nightstand. Unable to hold back the tears, Sarah cried herself to sleep.

The following day, Sarah went back to her usual routine. She hadn’t recovered from her mother’s death yet (she wasn’t sure she ever could), but life had to go on. After a hot cup of coffee, she went back to trying to compose a piece for her audition for one of the country’s best orchestras: The Philadelphia Orchestra. She had been trying to write something for months, but so far, all she had were unfinished phrases that had no connection with each other. Frustrated that she was getting nothing done, Sarah got up and went outside for a walk in the neighborhood’s scenic park. It was a quiet morning, and the clouds covered the sun. Rain began to fall, but Sarah didn’t rush back home. She needed fresh air to think after everything that had happened to her. Then, something hit her.

Without a second thought, she ran to her apartment building. Ignoring the elevator, she sprinted up the stairs to the music box and opened it to let the beautiful music play. At that moment, a newfound inspiration flowed down her veins. Sarah started a new composition in the key of the one in the music box. The memories with her mother came together to create a melody with Sarah’s mother’s spirit in every note. The laughter and love they had shared together was coming alive once again. The power of music united Sarah and in an unbreakable connection. Claire was Sarah’s strength in her childhood, and she still is.

In a whirlwind of just a few short hours, Sarah had poured her heart out and composed everything up to the coda. Her mother had helped her with everything so far, but the last part of the piece didn’t come as quickly to Sarah, leaving her in uncertainty. She looked at the music box again and noticed something she hadn’t seen before. A small nob was attached to the back of the box. She gently tugged on it until it opened. Inside was a wrinkled piece of paper. As Sarah opened up the piece of paper, she immediately saw her mother’s elegant handwriting. 

Dear Sarah, it read. Happy Birthday, my sweetheart. Sarah could hear her mother’s sweet voice as she read aloud the short letter. I know it isn’t much, but this music box was all I could give you. The music it plays is a short piece I worked on for you. I hope you like it. I love you.

Claire had no idea how much Sarah loved the gift, even if her appreciation only sprung twenty years later. This was the coda Sarah was looking for. This was the perfect way to end the song her mother had helped her write, even though she wasn’t alive. This was what Sarah would present to the Philadelphia Orchestra.

It was finally Friday, July 17th, the day of Sarah’s audition. Anxiety churned in her stomach as she prepared to present her composition to the judges. She stepped on the grand stage with the violin resting on her shoulder and let the music take over. Every phrase and note echoed Sarah’s love for her mother in the large auditorium. She closed her eyes as the audience struggled to keep their eyes off her. This was the perfect audition piece. One that touched everyone’s hearts. Sarah opened her eyes as she played the last note. Whether she got into the orchestra or not, what she played was absolutely beautiful. It was as if her mother had embraced her from the heavens. That is everything that she needed. A melody of love that would echo in her heart forever.