The Music Trilogy (8 page)

CHAPTER 10

“I’m leaving Egypt,” Sela announced.

“You know this could have happened anywhere, in any city of the world,” Simeon said, trying to reason with her.

“Yes, I know, but I need to do this and right now. I have to get away.”

“I understand, but where will you go? You were born here; you’ve spent most of your life here.”

“Yes, and I have loved it,” she said, with a finality that Simeon knew wouldn’t budge.

“Yes, my darling,” he sighed. He knew he could not change her mind and he feared for her. “Just be sure you are doing the right thing, for the right reasons, and please be careful.” Simeon knew she was a strong and fiercely independent woman. She had been that way since she was a child, but how strong could she be now? “I only want your happiness.” He hugged her. He had tears in his eyes and looked exhausted. Simeon seemed to have aged ten years in the last few horrific days.

“Yes, Father, thank you. I will come visit as often as I can, and you will come visit me as well.”

“Of course.”

Sela looked at her father. To her, he was the epitome of strength and gentleness. He had always been a superb role model and she was grateful for all the love and the wonderful life he had given her. She had never known her mother but Simeon talked about her often. It was the closest she would ever get to the woman who brought her into the world, and Sela had come to love her too in her own way. Simeon had adored and worshipped his wife, but Sela also knew that he would never love another woman as he had her mother. She knew that it would be the same for her. She would never be able to love another man as she had Ivan. She looked at her father. The man was devastated. She was sure the tragedy had brought back many painful memories.

“Does it get any better, Daddy?”

Simeon looked at the young woman he adored. His eyes welled up with tears but he held them back. He swore at himself, furious that he could not have prevented the catastrophic events. Furious that he had promised his wife on her death bed that he would always protect their little girl, that she would only have the best of everything and never suffer. He had not kept that promise. Now she was asking him how he could take her pain away. He felt the ache in his chest and wondered if his heart was tearing bit by bit.

“It gets better with time.” He said softly, pretending to be his typical strong, confident self. “Life is full of beauty, an adventure that brings new joys every day. You are young. There
will
be happiness in your life, my darling. I promise.”

Sela nodded, not really believing him. She went to her father and hugged him. “Thank you, Daddy. I hope you’re right.” As strong as the man was, he had no power over the tears that finally ran down his face.

Sela went to the piano and started to play. She looked at the vase and took comfort in its presence. Next to it stood a picture of her and Ivan in Paris, in front of the Place de la Concorde, across from the hotel where he had proposed, on the happiest day of her life. Now he was gone, only a photograph remained, and a great void engulfed her soul. All she had left was her lifelong love and her passion—her music. Sela felt the vibration from the piano fill her body as she silently let her tears cascade down her embittered face.

Sela leaned on the railing of the ship that took her out of the port of Alexandria. Such a beautiful city, will I ever come back here? She wondered. She looked down at the cerulean sea beneath her, debating on whether she should just disappear beneath the waves. Why not? What have I to live for? What joy can my life have without Ivan? She looked at her heart shaped ruby, the ring Ivan had given her in Paris for their engagement. Was I too lucky? Did I have too much? Did I not deserve you? Was my life too easy, too full? Was I not experienced in pain enough?

Sela wrestled with herself the entire voyage to Monte Carlo, debating whether the depths of the sea would be a better world than the one she believed had abandoned her. Every day she locked herself in her stateroom, dined alone in her cabin, and passed the time by crying and ranting. On the night the ship docked in Monaco, Sela went to the Hôtel de Paris, called room service for a bottle of Vodka and proceeded to drink until she passed out.

The next evening she went to the casino next door, dressed as always in an elegant designer gown and her dazzling jewelry. She sat at the tables and gambled for hours, and lost a great amount of money.

“May I play your piano?” She asked the manager, taking a break from the games.

“Of course,
Madame
Vidalis, for you anything.”

I have no doubt, she thought. With what I lost here tonight I could buy a hundred pianos. Sela sat down at the grand, opened her purse and took out the frame with the picture from Paris and put it in front of her on the piano. She also took out a pack of cigarettes and put one in her mouth. The manager immediately lit it for her.

“Thank you. Could I also have a Vodka?”

“Right away,
Madame
.”

Sela played for the rest of the night, a cigarette dangling constantly from her mouth and downed shot after shot of Vodka. She enchanted all the men in the great casino hall and they vied for her attention, but Sela didn’t want anything to do with them. She drowned herself in her sorrow. As an interlude she went to the tables and gambled some more.

Sela continued this routine for a month—gambling, smoking, drinking and playing the piano. One night she was at the baccarat table and was losing heavily. She asked the manager for more chips.

“I’m sorry,
Madame
, that is no longer possible.”

Sela looked up, surprised. Could she be penniless? She started to laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous. My credit is good.”

“Yes,
Madame
, is has been very good,” he said, dreading this part of his job. It was always so disconcerting when his guests lost their fortunes.

“Oh, very well,” she said nonchalantly. She unhooked a magnificent necklace of south sea pearls from her neck and put it in front of her on the table. “Will this do?“

Of course,
Madame
.” He picked up the pearls and nodded to the croupier who immediately put a stack of chips in front of her.

Sela was able to gamble, play the piano, smoke cigarettes, drink Vodka and lose all of her unique jewelry, including the sash made of gems from her wedding. She remembered Ivan telling her that it had been in the Russian Royal family and was a gift from the Russian people. All she had left was the heart shaped ruby ring on her finger. Her fortune and her jewels were gone. When she lost the rest of the chips she went back to the hotel, nauseous and depressed. She fell on her bed and passed out.

The next morning she woke up with the usual splitting headache and vomited until she couldn’t breathe anymore. She managed to ring for the concierge. A doctor was immediately dispatched to her room. He examined her and felt sorry for her. Sela saw the pity in his eyes. If she hadn’t been so weak she would have thrown him out of her room. “What is it?” She growled at him.

“It is nothing serious,
Madame
, but…”

“But what?”

“If you stop drinking you will feel much better. You will no longer have these headaches.” He paused for a moment. Sela glared at him, but before she had a chance to curse him out he continued. “Actually, you
must
stop drinking.” Sela threw him an evil look. “It is not good for the… the baby,” he finished quickly.

“The
what
?”

“You are pregnant,
Madame.
”

“Leave me!”

“Very well,
Madame
, and may I say it has been a pleasure making your acquaintance. I wish you, and your baby, all the best,” the doctor said graciously. He turned around to leave.

“Doctor?”

“
Madame?
”

“I apologize for my rudeness and I thank you for your kindness,” Sela said, suddenly feeling better for the first time in weeks and regretting her foul comportment. The doctor nodded and left with a smile on his face.

The news jolted Sela back to reality, and she was happier than she had been in a long time. She was carrying a piece of Ivan! She sailed back to Egypt.

Simeon waited for his little girl at the pier. She was finally coming back home. He had been worried about her, and he of course did not know that she had lost her entire fortune, or of the depression she had been through. He had received her telegram with the news and was overjoyed. He spotted her disembarking and waived frantically. Sela ran into his arms and they held each other for a very long time.

“He gave us a wonderful gift, Daddy,” she said, crying.

“Yes, my darling, Ivan was a special man, and in a beautiful way he lives on.” He looked at Sela’s face and gently wiped the tears from her face. “Come, the servants have been preparing all your favorite foods since very early this morning.”

Sela laughed. “You know I am supposed to watch my diet, Doctor.”

“Of course, of course,” he grinned, “tomorrow is another day. Today, we feast!”

As mentioned, the servants had outdone themselves. They were so happy Sela was back. To them she was not only the lady of the house, but also someone who had always respected them and treated them like family. Now, it was their turn to show her how much they cared about her. They fussed around her when she arrived and showered her with good wishes for the baby. Sela hugged and kissed every one of the servants. She had missed them too.

Simeon and Sela took their places at the ends of the long table and the servants promptly brought out succulent specialties, Greek as well as Egyptian, in platters filled with cheeses, olives, dips, meat and fish dishes, vegetables of all colors, pita breads, and of course desserts.

Sela beamed and laughed like a young girl. The servants clapped in appreciation. “I don’t know how to thank you. You have been with me all my life, through the good and,” she hesitated, “the bad times.” She looked at each one of them. “Yo
u
are very special to me, you are like my family. Tonight I would like all of us to eat together. Please sit down. Let us all enjoy this food that you prepared with all the love that you put into it.” The servants gasped. This was just not done. They could not eat at the same table as their master and his daughter. They felt awkward and looked at each other.

“Well, don’t just stand there,” Simeon roared, “sit and enjoy! Besides, there is enough food here to feed a regiment!” They slowly ventured toward the table and sat down slowly and very quietly. They didn’t say a word.

Sela stood up. She knew they felt uneasy. “Tonight
I
will serve you!” They gasped again. “Now, relax and enjoy.”

Simeon was grinning. Sela was almost her old self again—independent, very modern, loving and delightful. She filled everyone’s plate and sat down and ate all her favorite foods, along with the servants and her father. As they finished Sela went to the piano and played local folk music. Her father grabbed the heavyset older cook. The two big people did a majestic belly dance together, their respective bulk adding extra movements to the already gyrating dance. They all clapped, laughed, danced, and sang for hours. Sela looked at them. She knew that as long as there is music, there is happiness and life.

♫

CHAPTER 11

“I feel like a heavy balloon,” Sela groaned.

Simeon had just returned from the hospital. “Soon, my darling. Very soon, I promise.”

“You better be right. Why, I can hardly play the piano. My belling is practically sitting on the keys!”

Simeon laughed. “Well, the baby is sure to be musical. Look, I brought a young friend with me. He asked me how you were and I insisted he come home to see for himself.”

Sela hadn’t noticed the young man. He was practically hidden behind her father. He extended his hand to her. She shook it and looked at him. “We’ve met, haven’t we?”

“Yes, we have, but I didn’t think you would remember me. It… it was the day of your wedding.”

“Oh, you’re Ali! Of course. I never properly thanked you for saving my life.”

“There is no need. It was a terrible day, I am very sorry.”

Sela nodded. “Yes, it was. Are you alright now? I remember you had been shot—in the shoulder, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s correct. It’s all better now. Your father once again came to my rescue.”

“I had to remove the bullet from his shoulder. You should have seen it!” Simeon said, delighted at discussing anything medical, “the muscle was torn, and the ligaments…”

“Daddy, please! Oh, Ali, I’m sorry. He just loves talking about medicine,” she said exasperated.

Ali laughed. “No, no, it’s alright. As a matter of fact I’m studying to be a doctor, I could listen to him for hours! Your father is truly remarkable.”

“And Ali is one tough guy. He wanted just enough anesthetic so he could watch the operation. He actually insisted.”

“Your father is a brilliant surgeon and a wonderful teacher. He was telling me exactly what he was doing during the…”

“You’re on the same team!” She said, in mock annoyance, but pleased that the men had such a good rapport. The men laughed.

Sela suddenly screamed as a pain shot through her abdomen. She doubled over as she felt the liquid running down the inside of her thigh.

“Quickly, it is time,” Simeon shouted, springing into action, “her water has broken. Bring the carriage!” He shouted to one of the servants. “We’re going to the hospital. Help her outside,” he said to Ali, “I’m going to get my bag.” Simeon noticed blood on her leg. It was not her water, and that certainly wasn’t painful as to warrant Sela’s piercing scream. He did not want to worry her, but deep inside he was horrified.

“Yes, Doctor,” Ali answered. He gently held Sela’s arm as she tried to walk, but the pains were making her stop. Ali effortlessly picked her up in his arms and took her outside. He lifted her delicately into the carriage and sat next to her. The driver was waiting.

Simeon jumped in. “Go!” He shouted.

The ride to the hospital was not long and Ali continued to hold Sela. She was perspiring and Ali carefully wiped her face with his handkerchief. She is so beautiful, he marveled, even with all the pain. He wanted to continuously hold her, wipe her striking face, take care of her, console her, and make all her worries disappear. He wondered who was speaking, the doctor to be or the man. Maybe both.

Simeon watched and smiled, and rubbed his beard. “You will be a fine doctor, my young friend. Thank you for coming with us.”

“It is my honor, Doctor.” They arrived at the hospital. Sela was writhing in pain. As brave as she tried to be she couldn’t stop screaming. “Take her to the operating room,” Simeon yelled at the nurses. Ali’s eyes grew wide.

“Daddy, what’s wrong?” Sela murmured, trying to catch her breath.

“Everything is going to be alright. Relax and breathe as normally as you can.”

Simeon and Ali walked very fast. “Doctor, is something wrong?” Ali whispered.

He nodded. “She shouldn’t be in so much pain, not this fast. And her water didn’t break, it’s blood.”

Ali felt his heart stop. Surely Doctor Simeon would make sure that nothing happened to his daughter. “Is she going to be alright?” He asked.

Simeon glanced sideways at Ali, not answering him. “Do you want to join me?”

“In the operating room?” Simeon nodded. “Oh, yes, Doctor.” Ali did not want to leave Sela’s side, and he was ecstatic that perhaps in a small way he could help.

“Right. Now hurry up. Wash up and put a gown on.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

Simeon knew that Ali had just started his medical studies. Of course, exposure was always excellent, but that was not the main reason he had asked the younger man to join him. Simeon was scared, scared of what could happen—this was his daughter, and he only remembered too well that her own mother died giving her life. Yes, he would need Ali, for himself, not Sela, because if anything went wrong he knew that he would surely go insane. Ali was smart, quick and level headed. He had proved that the day of the wedding. He would be strong once again, Simeon knew, if he needed to be.

The birth was a difficult one. The umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby’s head and the medical team, including Ali, guided by Simeon, fought furiously to save the lives of both mother and child. Ali was a natural. One day he truly would be a fine doctor. He was attentive, sharp and instinctively knew what their next step would be. When the baby arrived safe and sound Ali thought his heart would burst with happiness. He had never witnessed such an incredible phenomenon. Sela had given life. She had produced a little miracle of light; a glow he knew would always be in his heart. This woman was special to him and had been since the first day he had seen her. They had been through a lot together, they had a special connection—through her father saving his life as a child, the assassination, the bullet meant for her and now with the birth of the precious child. He had been at her side during her most difficult moments and no matter what life had in store for them, they would always have an unbreakable bond. He also thought that he might specialize in obstetrics and gynecology. How better to help humanity than by helping women who give life, he thought. It was a day he would never forget.

Ali and Simeon were at the new mother’s bedside. Ali marveled at Sela’s beauty. Even in her exhausted state she was stunning, he thought. How he would love to stay forever by her side. Sela held the baby. “I will call her Valentina, after St. Valentine, the patron saint of love, in honor of Ivan. For she was conceived in love and born today surrounded by your love. Thank you Ali, thank you father.”

“That is a beautiful name, worthy of the most beautiful granddaughter in the whole world!” Simeon said, already the proud grandfather. He went to Sela and lovingly kissed her and the baby. Little Valentina seemed to already have a penchant for her grandfather—she pulled his beard with her little hand and gurgled.

Ali laughed. “She is going to be quite a handful that one, uh, all puns intended!” .

“Ah, I can handle it. I can see she will be just as feisty as her mother. It’s all in the family,” Simeon said.

Sela, still weak from her ordeal, spoke up: “Speaking of family, thank you both so very much. I could not have done it without you, either of you.” The men beamed with pride. “Ali?” She said reaching out to him. He took her hand.

“Yes?”

“Would you do us the honor of being Valentina’s godfather?

Simeon smiled. He was pleased.

Ali gasped, overwhelmed. “Me?”

“Do you see any other Ali in this room?”

“Uh, no… oh, Sela, it would be
my
honor. May I hold her?”

“Of course.” She handed him the baby. Ali gently lifted her into his arms.

“Hello, little Valentina,” he said gently, “it’s me, your God-daddy.” He rocked her gently in his arms. The baby cooed. “See, she likes me already!” They all laughed.

“I am very happy with your choice, Sela. Ali is a fine man; I couldn’t think of a better person myself to be part of our family.

“I am a… Muslim… would that be a problem?” Ali asked carefully.

“There is but one God, Ali, and it doesn’t matter if His name is Allah or Quan Yin or whatever. Besides, Sela is not the most religious person I know. We’ll handle the technicalities when we have to,” Simeon said.

“God is in your heart and part of everyone’s soul. That’s the only important thing, knowing that you are part of His soul and that everyone is connected to the One,” Sela said.

“You are right, Sela. I will always be there for little Valentina, I promise.” Who is Quan Yin? Ali wondered, asking himself the same question his own father had the first time he heard it from Simeon so many years ago.

♫