The Piano Man

XXII. You're Still the One

"I couldn't have dreamed you into existence because I didn't even know I needed you. You must have been sent to me." Kamand Kojouri

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XXII. You're Still the One

Before leaving on that Sunday, Noah had asked Sophie to be his girlfriend, and Sophie had accepted without hesitation. It was perhaps one of the only decisions she had made in that last decade without hesitation.

She didn't know what it was with Noah, but it was something. It was special, and comfortable, and it felt real and genuine.

Sophie and Noah dated happily for the entirety of November. They fell into a sort of routine, in which Noah would spend every spare moment he had that he was not working on his score with Sophie, either at the bar, or at her flat. When they could, they went out, and Sophie took him on cliché tourist expeditions, taking photos of Noah posing in telephone boxes and riding atop a double decker bus.

Sophie enjoyed every minute that she spent with Noah. She loved his company, and his intelligence, and the way he spoke about his passions was so bloody attractive. He was caring and compassionate, and he never made her feel inferior despite the huge differences in their situations.

Maddie continued to take lessons from Noah, but they really became writing sessions. They worked on Noah's score together, and come the twenty-fifth of November, he was certain that he had finished it, and it was ready for recording.

Maddie had made massive changes over that month. She had not refused school once.She was now a top reader and speller and had joined the school band on piano. The latter had taken some convincing as Maddie had no interest in playing with children her own age, but Noah had been the one to convince her.

Noah had played piano in his school band, and Maddie simply had to do the same. Maddie had stars in her eyes when it came to Noah, and Sophie was quickly realising it was like mother like daughter.

Maddie had continued to see her psychologist weekly in an effort to build her social skills, the expense of which stretched Sophie to her last ten pounds every payday. While Maddie hadn't made any friends, the fact that she was interacting with others was a huge step forward.

She had even asked Sophie how she was feeling the other day, something that she had neverdone before. As expensive as it was, Sophie would keep paying for it.

Everything had really been wonderful. But when one's life had as many roller coaster loops as Sophie's did, she was only waiting for the dip. A whole month of sweet company, with no Beck stalking her at work, and Maddie thriving. She was bound for a fall.

And she knew what it would be.

Noah would need to return to America soon. Sophie knew that his score was due by Christmas, and that it needed to be his completed score, recorded with an orchestra. Sophie had yet to record her song, or even hear what it would be, but she assumed that would happen before he flew home.

It had been so easy to feel as though he lived in London. She saw him every day. But this wasn't his home. His home and his lovely, large, nosy but good intentioned family lived thousands of miles away, and that was where he belonged.

No new relationship could survive that distance, could it? Noah hadn't told Sophie that he loved her, and Sophie hadn't told him either. It seemed inevitable, really, as December rapidly approached.

But Sophie tried to push it out of her mind on this special Thursday. In America, it was Thanksgiving, and Noah wasn't with his family. Sophie hadn't found a proper turkey as Christmas was a month away, not that she could really afford it anyway, so she had bought some turkey breast from the delicatessen and prepared some Thanksgiving inspired rolls.