Some Enchanted Evening

“You’ll see,” Francis said over his shoulder.

They’d had no time to rehearse, of course, but that didn’t mean Francis couldn’t stage things perfectly. He gestured for Priya to stay on the side of the piano where Mr. Piper sat while he took up a position away from her, almost as though they were separated by a great chasm. Which, of course, was precisely the effect he was going for.

Mr. Piper seemed to catch Francis’s plan and hummed a bit. When Francis glanced to him, Piper winked at him to indicate he knew which way the wind was blowing. He began the heartfelt love song, playing with an extra sense of urgency and pathos.

The lady’s part came first, and when Priya opened her mouth to sing, the sound stole Francis’s breath. She had a soft, clear alto that warmed Francis inside and out. Not only that, she was clever enough to sing the words of unrequited love while gazing longingly at Francis. When Francis’s turn to join the song came, he could only pray that he would deliver the emotion needed to melt every heart in the room—particularly Narayan’s and Raikut’s—the way Priya was melting his heart.

When they reached another section that was only Priya, Francis peeked over to Narayan and Raikut to see if their plan was hitting its mark. Narayan’s brow was furrowed in a deep frown, of course, and Raikut seemed completely transported by the duet. So much so that Francis thought the man might be moved to tears.

They could do this. They could absolutely win Raikut over to their side by breaking his heart. Knowing that, Francis put everything he had into singing. He focused on Priya, risking everything by letting his affection for her show in every word, every note. No one in attendance that evening could have doubted the way the two of them felt for each other.

That seemed to be evident when they finished the song and the guests burst into applause. Francis suddenly understood how people like Nan and Piper must live for those moments of applause and approval. It made him bold, made him want to get the whole bloody thing over with so that he could claim Priya as his own forever.

He stepped around the piano, taking Priya’s hand and leading her forward. For a moment, Priya looked alarmed. She loosened slightly when Francis gestured for her to take her bow. After she did, Francis took his own, but when he straightened, he didn’t step back.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, still holding Priya’s hand. “I believe the time has come to end the madness.” He turned to Priya smiling at her with all the love he could. “The time has come to—”

“No!” Raikut said leaping up from his seat and nearly knocking the side of Narayan’s head as he did. “The time has not come at all, I won’t allow it!”