Piano in the Dark (20 page)
Authors: Eric Pete
I looked out at the crowd inside the arena as they packed in.
Amazed.
Simply stunned by the gathering of roughly ten thousand folk for the North Sea Jazz Festival.
Specifically at Ahoy Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
Imagine how I felt when the invitation for us came down.
Of course, who wouldn’t want to see the newly rejuvenated Joell Hidalgo do his thing. After a year or so of sessions and tutelage from him, I still wasn’t that good on piano, but he insisted I accompany him. He was patient. He’d carry me until I was ready to headline one day.
As I was born to do.
While I sat at the piano, adjusting my microphone, I turned and looked at my dad. He smiled at me, doing one of his old signature wiggle moves that meant it was time get this party started. Those that understood yelled in appreciation. If only Earnestine weren’t afraid of flying. Besides the amazing people we’d met out here, this sight alone would’ve been worth it to the spunky little lady from Acres Homes back in Houston, Texas. She’d helped dramatically with Joell’s turnaround since a rekindling of something between them I didn’t bother questioning.
As far as relationships go, Dawn and I spoke sparingly since our divorce. Told her I was coming out here and she was genuinely happy for me, but I know we’ll never be a couple again. Too many secrets, including a child
somewhere
, which I wouldn’t dare try to explain. Still, those fractures grow tinier with time. She starts law school in the fall.
My dad blew into his horn, a few warm-up notes as he freestyled in a flurry to a round of cheers from concertgoers from around the world. I grinned as I tickled the ivories in refrain, a pupil in awe of the master.
Was damn proud of Joell. Years of stubbornness and he was finally on his meds faithfully. All these wasted years, I resented him for abandoning me and my mom; for not being there when I needed him.
Turns out…he needed me even more.
But enough with the melancholy. Time for the melodies.
“Ahoy Rotterdam!” I belted out to a roar from the throng in attendance. “Thank you for coming out! We’ve come all the way from America and are thrilled to be here! I’m Chase Hidalgo and we are the new Asylum Seekers! But this is who you came for…the man! The legend! The incomparable! World famous!
Joellllllllllllll
Hidalgo!”
I raised my hand to cue the band, counting off, “One, two, three, four—”
Somewhere in this land, a red lighthouse and rocky cliffs were waiting to be discovered once again for the first time. But for now, we were gonna play until they kicked us out the auditorium.
“Who knows what tomorrow holds for you,” someone once said to me.
One thing is certain. The possibilities are
endless
.
Eric Pete is a national bestselling novelist. His previous works include
Real for Me, Someone’s In the Kitchen, Gets No Love, Don’t Get It Twisted, Lady Sings the Cruels, Blow Your Mind, Sticks and Stones, Reality Check
, and
Crushed Ice
. He has also contributed to the anthologies
After Hours, Twilight Moods,
and
On the Line.
He currently resides in Texas where he is working on his next novel. His Web site is www.EricPete.com.
- What did you think of the concepts explored in
Piano in the Dark
? - Do you think the title
Piano in the Dark
is appropriate for the story? Why? - Have you ever met a complete stranger that seemed to know you
too
well or that you clicked with right away? - What are your thoughts about Ava? Were you surprised by her story?
- Why do you feel Chase put up with his workplace situation?
- Did Jacobi’s actions in the end surprise you?
- Did Smith Sampson and his revelations surprise you?
- Did you know who was in the grave Chase was visiting before the end of the story?
- What are your thoughts of Joell Hidalgo and Chase’s relationship with him?
- What did you take from this story? What themes resonated with you?
- What was your favorite scene?
- Who was your favorite character and why?
- Would
Piano in the Dark
be a novel you would like to see as a movie? Who would you cast as the characters? - Is there another story or novel you feel compares to
Piano in the Dark
either in storyline or vibe?
Urban Books, LLC
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Piano in the Dark Copyright © 2011 Eric Pete
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior consent of the Publisher, except brief quotes used in reviews.
ISBN: 978-1-59983-172-5
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