Silver Hearts

I can't help but laugh at the irony of the name of the band I'm in. We're not the typical teenage rock 'n roll band everyone pictures when I say I'm in a band. I'm in a band with three other girls and my piano teacher. I play bass guitar. My best friend, Amanda plays flute. Our guitar player is a very smart girl named Natalie. She likes K-pop. Finally there's "the little one", Kayla. She's the youngest and she plays violin. Amanda, Natalie, and I are juniors in high school. Kayla's in the seventh grade. And our piano teacher (who obviously plays the piano for the band) keeps telling us he's on twenty years old, but we all know he's been twenty for at least fifty years.

Mr. Nichols is the best teacher in the whole world, I don't care what you say. He's a patient man who is very passionate with his music. He's written a play, although I'm sure you've never heard of it, and countless songs. I like to think I know everyone song he's written but I'm sure he's hiding some, waiting to surprise me with them. And even while teaching students from 8 A.M. to as late as 10 P.M. every single day except for Christmas and New Years Eve, he some how has time to eat, sleep, hand make every student a Christmas gift, and arrange and write more music for the band to play. He comes to my house every Sunday and I sit in my room waiting for 11 A.M. to come so I can play the piano and bass with him. He's become more than just my piano teacher. He's become part of my family, and I love him very much. I'd also like to think that I've become part of his family.

I remember the day perfectly. Saturday, April 6, 2013. It was our very first band practice as a full band. Every member showed up and I finally got to meet our guitar player for the first time (Amanda was already my friend and Kayla was my ex-boyfriend's little sister). We were at Kayla's house. It was 6 P.M. and Amanda and I were on time (this didn't last long). Mr. Nichols had me bring my brand new bass and heavy amp along with my stand and very unorganized folder of music. He introduced me to Natalie and we were on our way. We played through some music, ate pizza, and laughed. I could tell we were about to form lifelong bonds.

Soon, music and pizza became an every Sunday occurrence. It wasn't until the summer that I was told that we were preparing for a big New Years Eve party that the band played at last year before I was in it. I was ecstatic and couldn't wait to preform our 1940's pop music to Mr. Nichols's friends. No matter what, we practiced every Sunday until New Years. Even in the Chicago winter weather, we got together to play. By the time New Years rolled around, we hand prepared 22 songs. These included bass solos, flute solos, and violin solos. Natalie and I held steady beats, and Amanda and Kayla turned our band's performance from a musical stage to an experience. Mr. Nichols helped bring the music to life.

The day of the performance, I went to Amanda's house with my black lace dress, black tights, and all black Converse along with all my equipment to play that night, and over night bag so we could crash at Natalie's house afterward, and my makeup bag of course. This is where I should add that for Christmas this year, along with his hand crafted wooden jewelry boxes, Mr. Nichols got all the girls matching necklaces with a silver heart on a chain. After getting ready and packing the car, I went to put my necklace on. I wish I knew then how important my silver heart would become.

We all met up at the house of the party we would preform at around 7 P.M., just in time for dinner. Amanda and I ate before hand (we knew we wouldn't like the food very much). While the others loaded their plates, Amanda and I talked and munched on the delicious croissant rolls. As we ate, the band laughed and joked and everything was going great. Finally, it came time for a sound check. We started putting things together and people began to file into the room.

Before the band played, Mr. Nichols had another student come up and play two songs to get the attention of the party focused on us. After she was done, she left the party right away. Now it was our turn. With a smile, Mr. Nichols counted us off,

"One, two, three," he whispered. And we were off. More and more people lined against the walls and eventually every seat was taken. The hostess was bringing more chairs from the closet as fast as she could so she didn't miss anything. When we finished a song, two men to the right of Amanda and I would comment on every single song.

"That was my favorite song".

"This is my other favorite song".

"I love that song".

We were about six or seven songs into the program before we turned to Mr. Nichols who was sitting behind us at the grand piano. He had a pained look on his face was grabbing at his chest.

"Are you okay?" Everyone started asking.

"Al? Are you okay?".

Thank God Amanda's mom was there. She was a nurse at the time. Quickly, she went for her purse and took out an Aspirin and handed it to him. He took it and claimed that he just ate too much. But sure enough, when he swallowed the pill, we continued to play. Again, after another six or seven songs, the same thing happened. Everyone was now getting really worried. The guests suggested we take a dessert break and that Mr. Nichols take another Aspirin and step out side for some fresh air. Us girls were gone at the word "desserts". We went to the kitchen and scoured the room for the home made sweets. Each of us took a turn to check on Mr. Nichols while we snacked. It was only twenty minutes before we were out finishing our performance. Just minutes before the new year, we were packing up and our parents were pouring us sparkling grape juice.

After packing up, we all gathered around the television and listened for the count down. Soon enough, 2014 was here. The first thing I did? I gather my band mates and took picture. I wanted to remember this moment for forever.

Time passed. Mr. Nichols showed up for lessons like normal on Sunday at 11A.M. Last Sunday, however, Mr. Nichols got very serious at the end of my lesson.

"If I'm not here next Sunday, I'm in the hospital," he said. I nodded and thought that it wasn't that big of a deal. He said he would fight to stay out of the hospital and I believed him. No one could keep him in one place for very long even if they tried.

We had Monday off of school that week so Amanda and I had a sleepover like we do every chance we get. Tuesday came and after school I looked at my phone and realized I was added to a group text with Amanda, Natalie, and Kayla.

"Did you hear about Mr. Nichols?" Natalie sent. My stomach dropped.

"No? What?" I answered.

"He's in the hospital. He had a heart attack on New Years and is having surgery soon".

I was stunned. I couldn't believe it. Everyone was shocked and worried and didn't know what to do. Natalie promised to keep us updated as her mother promised to go to the hospital and check on him for us.

When Saturday came, I was at Amanda's house like normal. The group text had not gotten a break since Tuesday when it started. We found out that Mr. Nichols had a quadruple bypass surgery on Thursday and was finally starting to feel better. We decided that we would visit him the next day. And we did.

Everyone visited. He was doing great for just coming out of heart surgery even though he was still in the adult surgical heart center. We talked and made plans for the next band rehearsals and everyone left a little happier knowing he was doing okay. We still felt bad though. No one but us had come to visit until we came. Amanda and promised to come back tomorrow since we had snow day.

We came back the next day with my two younger siblings who also took lessons from Mr. Nichols. Again,we talked and joked and managed to have an hour long music theory lesson while he was in bed. After about an hour of us being there, a nurse came in already looking guilty.

"My supervisor came around the corner and wanted me to ask how old you all were," she said.

"Sixteen," Amanda answered. I immediately felt my stomach drop. I would've lied and said eighteen just to stay a little longer.

"I'm sorry, but you have to be eighteen or older to visit with the patients," she said sadly. Mr. Nichols didn't hear her because he was too busy trying to talk to her about us. When we got up and started putting our coats on, Mr. Nichols's tone saddened.

"Where are you going?" he asked. I felt so bad leaving him but I didn't want to fight with the hospital. We left him there by himself, and I seriously began to hope that his friends would go visit him more often.

If I could go back there and talk to the supervisor, I'd have one thing to say.

Do you understand what it's like to be in a new place with people you've never met and in a bed that's not yours? When you don't have a family of your own, it's scary to go through something like he did by yourself. He was no one to talk to and no one to spend time with and I'll be damned if that man feels lonely because he doesn't deserve that. Everyone deserves love, and that's why we came. Everyone deserves family, and that's what we are. Not every family member shares the same blood. Sometimes bonds created outside of DNA are just as important, if not more important, than the one that bound you by blood. Love will also be stronger than any rule of yours. I find it sad that this man has to feel lonely just because I'm not two years older.

Today,I called Mr. Nichols. He was sounding okay, but was upset that we couldn't visit anymore. I promised I would call everyday, even after school. I refuse to loose track of what's important. I love my piano teacher. I love my family.

Long live the Silver Hearts.