Strings of Love

Strings of Love

The bright radiant morning sunrays and the soft chirping of birds welcomed a beautiful new dawn. The cool morning breeze and the warm sunrays passing through the windows woke up Amy from her sleep. She looked at the time, it was six o'clock. Time to rise and shine for the day. She drew the curtains so that the sun rays did not disturb her mother's sleep. She made herself some breakfast and a cup of hot steaming coffee. As she skimmed through the day's news in the paper, she came across an advertisement for an audition for a new voice for the upcoming new film of a superstar. She pondered over it and thought that this was just what she was looking for in the last few days. Singing was her cool passion and she had had many albums to her credit. She was known of having a good soulful voice and could sing beautifully well. She wanted to climb the ladder to success that would give her recognition, fame and a fulfillment in life. She could hear a silent scream that told her that this was her chance to make it big. After contemplating for some time, she decided to go in for the auditions and try her luck. As soon as she finished noting down the details to be a part of the audition; she went to prepare the special breakfast for her ailing mother, who would now wake up.
Amy lived alone together with her mother who was suffering from the third stage of breast cancer. Her mother had taken the chemotherapy and all other necessary treatments, but it did little to help improve her health much. Knowing very well that it was a definite maybe of having only some days together with her mother, Amy tried to give her the very best of everything. She prepared her mother's breakfast lovingly and kept it beside her bed on the table, along with her medicines. As she left to inquire for other details of the auditions, she called out "Mom, I have kept your breakfast and the medicines, have it as soon as you can". She reached the audition place which was quite nearby to where she lived. Her heart missed a beat when she saw the huge crowd of bustling young talent gathered for the auditions and she was clearly confused whether she should go ahead or not for the auditions. She managed to give in her name and get the dates when she would have to come for the auditions and show her aptitude and talent. After several rounds of auditions, Amy managed to reach to the top three positions. Two days later was the final audition and she doubted if she would be able to make it, as her mother's health condition seemed to deteriorate badly.
Amy called her friend to be with her mother today, so that she could go for the final audition. She had practiced hard for some hours for the last two days, so that her audition would go well. All around there was apprehension as to who would be the chosen one. Amy gave one of her best performances today, and she could feel it in her bones that she would succeed to make it. The organizers told her that she would be informed later if she is the one selected for the voice. After the challenging rounds of the auditions, Amy spent some time with her mother talking and reminiscing old times and remembering memories of bygone days. As she was having lunch with her mother, the doorbell rang and Amy went to see who it was. The postman handed her a registered cover. With trembling hands she opened the cover, and to her immense joy it was just what she was waiting for. She was selected to be the voice of the superstar. "Mom, see I have been chosen to be the voice," Amy informed her mother. Tears rolled down her mother's cheeks as they hugged and kissed each other.
Today was the first recording for the song of the movie. Amy reached the recording studio early, so that she could understand the instructions and directions given by the music director Brandon. She was told to act naturally, go in with the flow of the background music and concentrate on singing the lyrics. The first song went very well with only some retakes and everyone in the recording room acknowledged and applauded her capability and talent. This gave her the confidence to work harder and give out her best. At the day's end as she was preparing to leave, a young handsome boy, with a guitar in his hand who was playing it in the orchestra came to meet Amy and compliment her on her first recording for the voice. With his dimpled smile and a twinkle in his deep penetrating eyes he held out his hand to wish Amy. "Hi, I am Jean. You have a lovely voice. And congratulations, you sang very well. This seems to be your first recording song in a film I guess." "Hi, I am Amy. Yes, you can say so, and it's my dream come true to sing for a film", Amy replied. "I play the guitar in the orchestra, so we will be working together in the coming days"."Yes, so it seems for now" Amy said. After some sessions, Amy completed singing most of the songs for the film, duet as well as solo, and today was the last day of the recording for the film. As she was leaving, Jean came to meet Amy. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw him looking at her with his deep penetrating eyes. She could sense that he was looking at her with a deep feeling of love. He held out his hand. "So your work is done for now. Can we meet again some time?" asked Jean. It was unexpected for Amy, though she found him friendly. After an eloquent silence Amy said "Tomorrow maybe, I will be coming to take my payment".
Amy and Jean became close friends then on, and would meet often. Amy grew fond of Jean and was now madly in love with him. Jean was as beautiful inside out as was the music that he played on his guitar. Playing the guitar was his passion from young. So his father had sent him to London Guitar Academy so that he could master his talent and become a famous professional guitarist someday. Jean could succeed in his career as a guitarist when he was selected to play in the orchestra of Brandon, the most famous film music director. Since some years Jean had been playing in the orchestra of Brandon and had earned quite a name as an awfully good guitarist. Later Amy too succeeded to get many more assignments to sing for some other upcoming films of the music director Brandon. Today Amy left early as she had to attend to her mother who was seriously ill now. The medicines had little effect on her sickness, and her coughing had increased. She could hardly eat anything. Amy consulted many other specialists, but to no avail. Doctors too gave up and told her to look after her mother well, as now everything seemed to be in the hands of God. Friday night Amy saw that her mother could not breathe properly and at around midnight she left for her heavenly abode leaving behind Amy all alone. Amy broke down and cried uncontrollably, she could not contain her tears. The very thought of a life without her mother now seemed very difficult for Amy.
Days passed by and Amy now accepted life's reality and tried to collect herself. Jean and Amy got married a little later and started the journey of their life together. She now immersed herself in her passion of singing and became a famous singing star. One evening as she looked out of the window , listening to the soft chirping of the birds on the trees, her thoughts wandered on an idea that could help her help others. She now wanted to give out her talent and share it with others in a special way. Why not open a music academy she thought, where children could come and learn music? It seemed a good idea and would definitely work with an extra pinch of hard work. This seemed to open up new avenues for her. She could have the warmth of the children and at the same time she could share her talent and her time. Excited at the thought she called Jean to inform him of her idea."Call me later Amy, I am a bit busy now" said Jean and ended the call. Amy felt a bit hurt at his curt reply. That evening as Jean sat having his hot coffee; Amy talked to him about her idea of opening a music academy for children. At first Jean did not show much interest, but reluctantly answered," If you like you can go ahead with it".
As days passed, her music academy earned a good reputation of teaching the best music to children. Her passion grew day by day, and so too grew the distance between her and Jean. They had very little time for each other now, as each one of them was busy in the pursuit of their own passion. The spark in their love life was now a dim light without any life. Each one of them wanted to love and be loved and enjoy the marital bliss but could not. Day by day the rift between them grew more and more. Jean now spent more and more time at the recording studio with Claire who was a violinist in the orchestra, so as to forget the emptiness that he felt within. After some time Claire and Jean became close friends. Claire looked to all the needs of Jean and it was just what he wanted. Claire actually loved him deeply now and would go to any length to have him as hers. One day suddenly Claire came to Jean and said that she had some news for him. She looked very happy and could not wait to give Jean the happy news. "I am pregnant with your child", said Claire. For a moment Jean could not say anything, it was so sudden and unexpected for him. But as he let the news sink in, he realized the situation that he had let himself into. He loved Claire passionately and was happy to hear the news though. He kissed her "I am so happy for you, Claire". "Yes I am also so thrilled, let's get married as soon as we can, Jean". Jean blurted out"But you know that I am already married to Amy". Claire was shaken to the roots at his response; her only thought now was what she could do."Divorce her if you really love me', was the only thing she could say for now.
Jean spent the next few days thinking hard to find a way out. Since he had the love of Claire he did not want to lose it at any cost. He loved children too and the very thought of having one as his own sent ripples down his spine. After thinking over it for a long time, finally he decided to divorce Amy and tell her about it. It was difficult for him. Amy took it as though she already knew it coming. What with days spent without speaking a word with each other, or showing any love or feeling. This was bound to happen one day. You cannot expect to live on together forever as strangers without any feelings for each other. This seemed to be a better way out to be free of being bogged down in spite of a blank life together. Since it was a mutual understanding between Amy and Jean, the matter of divorce got over soon. Each went his own way. There were no tears of parting, no emotional outburst or a showdown.
Amy had her music academy to keep her busy. She could give out her best in her work without the burden of having a responsibility towards the other who had no love for her. The children who came to learn music were her innocent companions who made her world a special place to live in. She found solace in their unmatched love. Sometime later she adopted a little girl and brought her home. She named her Anna, her love of life. Years passed by and today Amy was all alone again. Anna her daughter was now happily married to a handsome young businessman in the USA. Amy sat reminiscing the bygone days of her life. Life was unfair at times to her. But she had had her share of happiness in her passion of singing. She could read the words in the book of her life. Some words in the book of her life gave her happiness and some didn't. But did it matter now? She couldn't care less. Who was telling the story? And whose story was it anyway? The words fluttered and flew in the wind.