Prompt response:

"I knew you'd like that one."

The clapping died off; like the volume of a radio being turned down.

"I wasn't sure if you'd noticed that I ..well," I laughed lightly," I was trying to find a genre you preferred. I do want my audience to enjoy my ‘performance’."

I gently pressed the keys of the piano, it's soft song echoing in the room. I smiled slowly, enjoying the feeling of warmth in my chest.

"I've never had an appreciative audience before."

The notes continued to plink in the silence between my words.

"It's nice," I whispered, my smile still small, but growing. I didn't want to ruin the atmosphere with a loud exclamation, but the feeling was hard to repress.

“Most of the time I was told it was a waste of time to try. That someone like me…,” I lowered my head with a sigh,” ..someone like me would never get far playing an instrument. But, look at me now. I’ve a job with an orchestra and a very endearing personal audience to enjoy my practicing.”

A soft movement of hair by my ear was enough of an acknowledgment, I twisted my head towards the movement with a grin and rested my hands against the keys.

"It must have been so lonely here without company."

A deep note resonated in the silence as my hands lay motionless on the piano. I laughed quietly and brushed my hair behind my ear. I could feel the warmth of the sun against my face, the realtor did mention that the house had an abundance of ‘natural lighting’. I closed my eyes with a hum, then let my fingers trace the smooth surface of the keys.

"Did I tell you the realtor was so embarrassed when she found out I wouldn't necessarily be enjoying the view?" I wave a hand in the direction of the window. Another note vibrated the piano strings.

My finger catches on the braille taped to every third key; after all, a pianist has to know where her starting keys are. “But, she was very accommodating. I do appreciate when people offer help instead of forcing it, you know?” I placed both hands in my lap and twisted my fingers together.

"I do wish you would give me more input about song choices. I'm not a mind reader, you know. I enjoy our interactions but I would hate to bore you with songs you don’t truly enjoy."

My eyebrows furrowed and I knew my eyes were moving rapidly side to side, no note responded to my comment. What were they up to? I felt the air shift and I slowly made space beside me on the bench.

“Would you like to...show me?”

The answering notes were soft and soothing, and though there were no other instruments I could hear the snare accompanist. I swayed slowly as I raised my hands to my portion of the piano.

"Oh," I breathed, finding the keys I needed ," I should have known you preferred jazz to classical. It makes so much sense, given the age of the house and all."

My fingers fluttered above the ivory keys; thankfully I had played tandem before, a fairly complicated way of playing but just as, if not more, fun than playing alone. I began to play with my live in, well...lived in, housemate.

We played for some time, me chatting amicably while switching registers and key changes to match my partner's portion of the song. The sun still warmed me as the rest of the world faded to the sounds of the piano. Another beautiful Wednesday.