‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
70
“Loving you… like I never have before. I’m needing you… just to open up the door. If begging you… might somehow turn the tides, then tell me to… I’ve got to get this off my mind.”
Taylor leant in to the piano as his fingers graced the keys. He’d waited until daylight and made sure he heard people around so that he wouldn’t be so loud as to wake anyone up before he’d started. But the pull was so great that he couldn’t keep away from the newly furnished piano any longer.
“I never thought I’d be speaking these words, never thought I’d find a way… another day alone is more than I can take… Won’t you save me? ‘Cause saving’s what I need… I just want to be by your side…”
For the first time he was able to completely and utterly let his guard down, feeling completely at one and at home with the music. While he kept his eyes closed he could almost imagine being there with his brothers again. The ache in his ring finger the only real reminder that he wasn’t home at all.
“Won’t you save me? I don’t want to be… just drifting through the sea, of life… Won’t you listen please? Baby don’t walk out that door… I’m on my knees, you’re all I’m living for…”
He shook the hair out of his eyes as he went into the second chorus, his right knee bouncing in direct conflict with the wounds in his side. But he didn’t care.
“Suddenly the sky is falling, could it be it’s too late for me? And if I never said I’m sorry, then I’m wrong yes I’m wrong… Then I hear my spirit calling, I’m wondering if she’s longing for me… I did not know that I can’t live without her…”
He let his fingers play over the keys as he trailed off vocally, keeping his eyes closed as he leant back in his seat. Passion seeping through his fingers as if it were a last chance escape. As he launched into the final chorus he ignored the tears that escaped his eyes. Stubbornly keeping them closed he continued his façade right up until the end.
“Won’t you save me? Yeah, won’t you save me? Won’t you save me…?”
He paused when the song ended, barely believing that it was over already.
“Who were you singing that for?”
Taylor almost jumped out of his skin as he looked up to see the woman standing by the door, Ibby by her side. He quickly wiped his eyes, not sure if he should stand up and back off or not.
“I’m sorry Miss,” he apologised, embarrassed.
“Don’t be,” she stepped forward, coming to rest a hand on the edge of the piano.
His eyes followed her movement, but didn’t look up.
“Who were you singing that for?” she asked again.
Taylor hesitated, swallowing hard.
“Her name is Natalie,” he admitted finally.
“She means a lot to you,” Taylor noticed it was more of a statement than a question, and was grateful, “you have a wonderful voice.”
“Thank you Miss,” Taylor closed his eyes again for a moment, trying to hold onto the feeling as it dissipated.
“I’ll give you two more days,” she said decidedly, “before I’ll start you teaching Gabriela. Hopefully your face will look better by then.”
“Thank you Miss,” Taylor bowed his head, “may I ask a question?”
“You may ask questions, Taylor. You don’t need to ask to ask.”
“Is there anything in particular you’d like me to teach her?” he asked, face flushing red again.
“I’ll leave that to your discretion,” she decided, “something in English, I’d assume.”
Taylor leant in to the piano as his fingers graced the keys. He’d waited until daylight and made sure he heard people around so that he wouldn’t be so loud as to wake anyone up before he’d started. But the pull was so great that he couldn’t keep away from the newly furnished piano any longer.
“I never thought I’d be speaking these words, never thought I’d find a way… another day alone is more than I can take… Won’t you save me? ‘Cause saving’s what I need… I just want to be by your side…”
For the first time he was able to completely and utterly let his guard down, feeling completely at one and at home with the music. While he kept his eyes closed he could almost imagine being there with his brothers again. The ache in his ring finger the only real reminder that he wasn’t home at all.
“Won’t you save me? I don’t want to be… just drifting through the sea, of life… Won’t you listen please? Baby don’t walk out that door… I’m on my knees, you’re all I’m living for…”
He shook the hair out of his eyes as he went into the second chorus, his right knee bouncing in direct conflict with the wounds in his side. But he didn’t care.
“Suddenly the sky is falling, could it be it’s too late for me? And if I never said I’m sorry, then I’m wrong yes I’m wrong… Then I hear my spirit calling, I’m wondering if she’s longing for me… I did not know that I can’t live without her…”
He let his fingers play over the keys as he trailed off vocally, keeping his eyes closed as he leant back in his seat. Passion seeping through his fingers as if it were a last chance escape. As he launched into the final chorus he ignored the tears that escaped his eyes. Stubbornly keeping them closed he continued his façade right up until the end.
“Won’t you save me? Yeah, won’t you save me? Won’t you save me…?”
He paused when the song ended, barely believing that it was over already.
“Who were you singing that for?”
Taylor almost jumped out of his skin as he looked up to see the woman standing by the door, Ibby by her side. He quickly wiped his eyes, not sure if he should stand up and back off or not.
“I’m sorry Miss,” he apologised, embarrassed.
“Don’t be,” she stepped forward, coming to rest a hand on the edge of the piano.
His eyes followed her movement, but didn’t look up.
“Who were you singing that for?” she asked again.
Taylor hesitated, swallowing hard.
“Her name is Natalie,” he admitted finally.
“She means a lot to you,” Taylor noticed it was more of a statement than a question, and was grateful, “you have a wonderful voice.”
“Thank you Miss,” Taylor closed his eyes again for a moment, trying to hold onto the feeling as it dissipated.
“I’ll give you two more days,” she said decidedly, “before I’ll start you teaching Gabriela. Hopefully your face will look better by then.”
“Thank you Miss,” Taylor bowed his head, “may I ask a question?”
“You may ask questions, Taylor. You don’t need to ask to ask.”
“Is there anything in particular you’d like me to teach her?” he asked, face flushing red again.
“I’ll leave that to your discretion,” she decided, “something in English, I’d assume.”