Letters to Kelsey

Frank smiled with a pleasured surprise and sat in the living room. His eyes lid up gracefully as he looked at me. I could tell that he didn’t know where to start and how to start, but he just simply smiled at me. I informed him about Noah’s meeting with Joel for the first time and not only he spoke about Joel, he also included Frank. I told him the way Noah had described him in a sense of great character as Joel, but Frank seemed to be special too. Frank was an artist and Noah was looking forward into meeting him. “You never told me that you were an artist.” I said, chuckling.

“Well I wanted you to ultimately figure that out yourself, Kelsey. But yes, I am a musician.”

“That’s beautiful, Frank.” I complimented, still glaring into his eyes. They were remarkably perfect, as usual and the sun beaming down upon them, which made the tiny pools of green even more illumantating. “I’ve been talking about Noah and sharing his art with you, that I didn’t care to ask you ask—“

“Oh Kelsey, please. Don’t feel the need to apologize. It was my fault for not telling you when you were teaching me how to paint, and well, I’m actually not so good myself.” He explained.

“Well then, Frank. I’d like to learn piano and maybe, I’ll even have Scarlett try. It should be dashing, wouldn’t it?”

Frank nodded. “When will you like to begin?”

I was so exstatic, it was ridiculous and I knew I was always horrible at trying to do anything. But I’ve always kelp going, that was the best part about me. “Is it possible if we began today?” I asked him. “If not, then—“

“I’m afraid not, but I can share a few things. Not too much, though because you need the visual and your ears.”

“Alright then,” I plopped onto the sofa beside him. “please do share.”

“First of all,” Frank began, shifting an inch away from me. “there are techniques that you can use when playing and that is your mind. The other is the strongest weapon and that is your heart. Playing is one thing, but using these two lagniappes, you will do well. Another thing is that when you play, you can paint a picture in your mind with the music you create. It will not misjudge for your mistakes, it will cherish them in hymme.”

I deeply, honestly understood the little information that he had given me and it made me feel warm inside. “That’s truly beautiful, Frank. Honestly. I’m excited.”

“I’m glad and I’m glad that you listened to me. Look here, how about in a couple of weeks, you come over to my place and I’ll teach you how to play. I’m going to New Jersey to visit my entire family tomorrow and they’re not that easy to leave.” Frank explained. “But don’t worry, I’ll be back in no time.”

“Alright then, Frank and when you get back—“

“I will call you when I arrive back, I promise.” He murmured, pressing his lips against my cheek and then, left me sitting in the living room alone. And I sat there thinking to myself for a while, until the door bell rang. Scarlett’s home, I said to myself as I rushed over to the door. Awaiting Scarlett’s sweet, precious face, I was greeted by my parents. I haven’t seen them in a long time, together, holding hands anyways.

“Hello there, honey.” Susan responded with a warming smile.

“Hello. Uh, what are you two doing here…together?” I vaguely answered. “I haven’t seen you both since Noah and I gotten…married.”

Gerald smiled, too and walked inside. As they entered the house, they began to roam around the house as if they were trying to solve a mystery. I asked, “Is there something wrong?”

“No, darling. Nothing is wrong, everything is alright. Where is our little angel?” Susan asked.

“Elena and George’s house, she should be home shortly.” I noted them. “I wasn’t expecting anyone over today.”

“Ah, yes. Of course, because we wanted to surprise you.” Gerald said. “Your mother and I have decided to start fresh, but first, we needed to speak to you.”

“What is it, then?” I inquired, motioning them both to the kitchen for tea. Settling down at the table, Susan gazed over Gerald, and he did the same, folding their fingers together. Subsequently, I had taken this as a clue to what the hell was happening. My parents were getting back together. It was so long ago, that they once were and I was inoccent to the world. I couldn’t recall the best memories from that part of history, but I could remember the visits to New York City. It was the hardest part, to go from one place to another to spend time with my parents. I hated it and so, I wanted to stop moving around, but that didn’t exactly happen. Susan told Gerald to never come back and he’ll never see me again. I didn’t get it then and I probably wouldn’t if they had explained it to me.

“Your mother and I are getting married again.”

“I don’t understand…” I mumbled. “You hate each other.” Susan’s eyes darkened and her cheeks were flushed. She was shocked that I said it, maybe because it’s always been true. Gerald should’ve known this too. “Susan told you to never come back when I wanted to stop traviling to spend time with the both of you. What are you doing now?”

“Kelsey, you’re being very rude, right now.” Susan said, almost in a growling voice.

“But this is your second time getting married, mother.”

“Kelsey, I’m warning you. Shut that mouth of yours! It’s not about you, alright? That was in the past and you were too young to understand.” She explained. “Besides, it’s my life—“

I couldn’t believe what she was saying. It was completely foolish of her and it bothered me, greatly. Gerald just sat there, not saying a word as we argued. “Too young to understand?! Pardon me, but my four year old understood that her father is gone and here you are telling me that you couldn’t explain this to me? That’s horrible, alright? You’re horrible.”

Completely out of no where, Susan slapped me across the face. The impact caused me to hit the counter as I went to the floor. I felt that was coming though, even when I was younger—side from all the safe things that was a part of my childhood, Susan would hit me all the time. “How dare you?”

“You only dare to hit me because it’s all true, Susan. You don’t have to lie.”

Gerald shook his head, more than likely would take my side, he pulled me from off the floor and sat me in the chair. “Why are you acting like this, Kelsey? Why can’t you be happy for us and quit mimping.”

I didn’t say a word. I felt like there was nothing to be said any longer because I knew the truth and I knew that them getting married would not resolve them not hating each other. Susan breathed heavily through her teeth, before she walked out of the kitchen and Gerald went after her. The moment was mellow dramatic indeed and pathetic, because they both knew that I was right. I had a tendancy of always being right in that matter. My parents didn’t like to admit things and certainly for sure they weren’t going to then.

I felt a tear fall from my eyelash, gliding down my cheek to my chin, because I never felt so misunderstood by my parents and by what they were doing was heartbreaking. They promised that this sort of thing will never happen and I believed it. Shame on myself for that. I wiped my face and sobbed quietly to myself. It was only a couple of minutes and sobs later, Susan walked back in with Gerald behind her. I honestly didn’t want to look at her, but I did and I was proud of myself for standing up to my parents, which usually isn’t the greatest thing to do. “Kelsey?” I heard her calling my name softly. “Honey, let’s talk about this. Please?”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Susan.” I mumbled. “Really.”

“Kelsey, let’s go for a walk. I want to talk to you.”

I decided to just let her talk to me, although inside I was absolutely against it. It really felt like old times again, where she would take me for walks and talk about things that were irrelevant to what I was hoping for after all those years. Susan wasn’t a apologitic person, she never was and even if she did say that she sorry, she wouldn’t mean it. That was one of many factors to of why we never gotten along—well, most of the time. But beyond that, she was an amazing story teller.