While Marie was resting to wash off the jet lag, Charlie was sitting in the living room watching the cartoon show she had put on TV, and stealing a glance from time to time at his busy parents who were cleaning the mess in the house. The bottles and garbage were taken outside by his older brother, while his father was mowing the grass; that almost reached his knees, in the front yard, and his mother tidying the the bedrooms, they all looked like hardworking bees, while he is enjoying the air conditioner and this funny view that is more amusing than the show he is watching.
The house finally seemed to be livable in the evening, when his aunt woke up and got out of the room, she looked around then said to the bees who where burned out on the couch, " Not bad, you could have done this from the beginning, why let the house turn into a garbage disposal? Next time I find it in that miserable state you will need to start paying the rent. Rest for a while, I am going out for a walk with Charlie, you must have started preparing dinner when we come back.". She took her purse, held Charlie's hand then they went out. They walked by his school and the park he often played in with his friends, they bought ice cream and sat on the bench to chat.
"How was school this year? Any bad teacher or someone bullying you?"
"No, it was fun. I have told you about the music class on the phone, the violin is marvelous, you need to listen to the sound it can make; it is just something wondrous!", he made sure to use new words he learned to keep them in mind and to show that he was doing a good job at learning and didn't ignore his studies.
Marie rubbed his head in a gentle manner, "Good, I will remember to listen to it sometime. What about the house, anything new? "
"Same as before, dad comes home late and sleep until the evening, mom just watches the TV and Michel playing games with his friends in the attic. And I just do my homework and walk the neighbor's dog sometimes."
"You like dogs? Should I get you a puppy?"
"No no no; I can't take care of it now, maybe when I grow up I will get one."
"OK, deal. When you feel confident enough to take care of it, tell me and I will bring it to you as soon as possible. As for now let's go back it is getting dark."
The next day after lunch, Marie told Charlie to change his clothes because the two of them are going out, he got excited and changed quickly. They rode a taxi and headed to the unknown place, when they got off, Charlie raised his head and tried to read the letters above the the giant door; it took him some time to read: performing arts center; he thought they are going to watch a play but when they entered they didn't follow the signs leading to the theater and went the opposition way.
When Marie saw him dumbfounded looking at the vast hall she explained, "We are in a concert hall, it is where music performances are held, I am sure we are going to enjoy our time."
They took their seats and soon the performance begun, the conductor started waving his magical wand guiding the whole orchestra without a word. Charlie listened to the soothing sound and couldn't take his eyes away from the violinists; trying to copy the way they move the bow and press the strings in his mind. After the second performance ended Marie whispered to him, " You must stay focused, you will definitely love the next one. "
She was right; he remembered this last performance until he took his last breath, it was mesmerizing and very different from the playing of the teacher in the classroom.
In contrast with the previous performances, this time a violinist stood beside the conductor and was the one leading while the orchestra accompanying her. It didn't took him long to realize it was Mendelssohn's violin concerto; he watched as the violin soloist obliges quickly with a soaring restless melody, intensifying as it rises. The three movements played without a pause captured his soul and made him take a decision. He wanted to be like that soloist, turning the already amazing work on paper into a reality; a work imbued with lyricism and virtuosity.
It is not necessary to perform in front of people, he wanted more than that; a quiet time that he could enjoy within the process of producing that breath taking music using that magical instrument.
His aunt stayed longer this time and didn't leave until she accompanied him to the school on the first day of the new school year. Before she left, she gave a warning to his father, if any alcohol bottle entered the house he will have to start paying the rent; since they lived in the house she inherited from her parents after his father sold his to pay for the gambling debt which made him change his way every time he sees a casino.
Jacob left behind the grim reapers testing their future assistants and headed to the third floor to claim his reward. The newly installed door was wide open revealing the astonishing room of scripts. Grace was enjoying her tea in silence when Jacob interrupted her peaceful evening.
"Why did the door just got installed?"
Grace knew why he came but didn't want to mention it in hope he would change his mind. "I suspected he would break it again when he hears about the dim souls, i didn't want to ask for another one to get made so I waited until he went down. Don't you think the new design is beautiful? Should we change the design of the whole room?"
Jacob was her assistants for decades and understood her tactics, she was trying to make him change what he chose as a reward but he will never let go of his dear day off.
"The room is good enough as it is now. How about we start talking about my day off? "
Grace knew she can't change his mind, but how can she survive without him for a whole day? It is because of him she is able to enjoy the tea from time to time if he is not around who will help with the chaos and the souls and Razel. Ahh, she can't even think about it.
"What about leaving it until the issue of the shortage of workers is solved or until we know the reason of the sudden increase of the resentment? "
"I am afraid it is not possible. I have already arranged for everything, it should be good until I come back. As for Razel, he won't be back until finishing the mission. "
" What about the residence of the souls..."
"Already settled, when they finish they will be escorted to the residence beside the castle just not to get entangled with others on the other side and it will be easier for you to know and handle things if anything happened."
"They won't go on missions directly? "
"Some need more time to learn, others are waiting for the weapons. By the way, you need to send a letter to Razel; his assistant didn't leave his attachment object and I need to send it to the weaponsmith before going home. "
Grace had to gave up trying to convince him, he literally convinced Razel, who can use his tricks against him and succeed?
"Well, one day is one day, you deserve more but we are too busy. Wait a moment I will contact Razel. ", then she wrote a short letter that disappeared suddenly and at the same moment it appeared in the car Razel was driving.
Alan and Razel were heading to the performing arts center where Charlie played both his first and last music concerts in. The paper was floating near the driving wheel, when Alan read it he immediately took off his bracelet but he didn't how to send it.
"Where should I put the bracelet? "
"Take the letter, put the bracelet on it then fold it like an envelope and put it back where you took it from; it will go back on its own."
Alan followed his instructions and successfully send the bracelet to Grace on the other part of the world. Before handing it to Jacob, Grace looked at the attachment object suspiciously and pointed at the small string stuck to the loops, "Don't you think it is missing something? I guess an ornament was supposed to be attached from here. "
"It won't affect the making of the weapon anyway. Now if you will excuse me, I have to send it so I can go back with a peaceful mind."