by Londyn Skye
“As you wish. But a little optimism will take us far, don’t you think?”
“I am optimistic, but also realistic. I know this won’t be easy.”
“Agreed.”
“Good day, Mr. Werthington.” With that, James put his Stetson hat back on and trotted down the porch steps.
“Mr. Adams!” William called out before he reached his wagon.
James stopped, turned around, and looked up at William.
“Are you certain that it was just your need for an assistant that prompted you to want to take Lily along with you on the road?” William asked curiously.
James said not a word. Only the musical sound of birds chirping around them could be heard. His eyes momentarily drifted to the grass and then back up at William with a sudden childlike innocence present in them.
“Forget I asked,” William said, after the look on James’s face answered his question with more clarity than he felt his words ever could. It was an answer William presumed may have had a lot to do with why James had avoided his own home for six long years. “Have a safe journey back home to get your Lily, Mr. Adams.”
James tipped his hat, climbed into his wagon, and went on his way.
William stood on the porch watching James ride off his property. “Something tells me that it was far more than a rumor that inspired you to be a great man for all these years, Mr. Adams. Something so powerful that I doubt you ever really needed to hear a story like mine at all,” William whispered to himself.
That one-hour meeting had William completely riveted. It left him eagerly anticipating the arrival of the woman who had motivated a complete stranger to travel two days to passionately bare his soul. James was just as eager for William to meet Lily too. He truly hoped that there was some way that William could help her begin a career in music. However, he was not ignorant about the risks they were taking by helping a Negro. In fact, he feared that he may be putting William in harm’s way. But James was convinced that Lily’s existence had a purpose far beyond that of being a slave. Through her very fingertips, he believed that Lily had the potential to help subdue the ill-fated morals that had severed society. He heard a constant inner voice telling him that Lily simply had to be heard and that the reward would greatly supersede any and all risks. And after just one piano session with Lily, William, too, was instantly convinced that it was not only the world of music that she had the potential to impact, but the very world itself.
The afternoon following his only piano session with Lily, William had set out with James to carry out the “business” that Lily was unnecessarily concerned over. “Business” turned out to be William and James trying desperately to find her adequate work. They spent all day traveling to different towns to speak with William’s old acquaintances to see if any of them would be willing to use Lily as a pianist in their orchestras. With no luck there, they resorted to asking owners of taverns and pubs to see if perhaps they would like to use Lily as an entertainer. They, too, all declined often in the cruelest of ways upon hearing of Lily’s race.
At the same point in time that Lily had finally gathered the strength to venture out of her room, James and William were pressing on in her honor. After three days of traveling countless miles with grim results, the duo was exhausted. Despite that, though, they carried on with cautious optimism and eventually found themselves in a very familiar place. At the very moment that Lily had stepped out of William’s home into the sunlight, the hopeful duo stepped through the front doors of the very building that William had retired from two years prior. It was also the very place that James had hidden himself away for six years during his quest to become a doctor. They walked onto the Ohio University campus to speak to Richard Wells. For nearly a decade, Richard had been a part of William’s orchestra. William still considered him as a close friend. He had even personally recommended Richard to be his successor when he retired. Because of that recommendation, Richard now held the title of music director in the prestigious school. Considering their history, William was confident that Richard would be willing to help. He was so confident, in fact, that he cursed himself for having not started their search with Richard.
William and James approached the orchestra room and could hear the starting and stopping of a classical arrangement. They peered through the door and could see Richard standing at the podium, lecturing the brass section on how to improve the portion of the piece they were working on. The sight of the podium, the classroom, the sound of the instruments, and even the scent in the hallway all brought back fond memories for William. It casted him into a trance of sorts. Moments later, he was suddenly shaken back to the present when the students began to file out of the classroom, filling the hallways with their chatter. When the last student left, William made his way into his old music room with James by his side.
“You have them playing that piece in the wrong key, you know? Sounds dreadful, I tell you,” William teased.
Startled, Richard stopped scribbling notes on his music sheet and turned toward his old friend. “William Werthington! You bloody bastard!” he blurted in a British accent similar to William’s. “So good to see you!” he said as they shook hands.
“Good to see you again too, old friend. This here is a friend of mine, Dr. James Adams. James, this is Richard Wells.”
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Wells,” James responded while shaking his hand.
“Likewise, Dr. Adams.” Richard turned his attention back to William after releasing James’s hand. “Well now, I was certain I wouldn’t be seeing you again until the fundraising gala for the music department at your home in a few weeks. Seems the only time of year I can catch a glimpse of the elusive William Werthington. Lord knows, it’s not often that you emerge from that palace of yours anymore these days,” he joked. “So, to what do I owe the honor of your visit?” he asked as they all filed into his office.
“A favor actually.”
“The great and powerful William Werthington in need of a favor? Say it isn’t so,” Richard replied sarcastically as he took a seat at his desk. “After all you’ve done to get me here, I’d be glad to do what I can for you.”
“That’s encouraging to hear.”
“Oh, come now, how could you expect to hear anything less? Just name it, and I’ll do all I can to help.”
“Well, I have a friend who is in need of work.”
“Let me guess, his name is James?” Richard joked, laughing at his own sarcasm.
“No, Lily, actually.”
“Ooohh, a lady.” Richard raised a single eyebrow. “Now I’m really eager to assist,” he joked again.
“Yes, she’s a pianist … one hell of a pianist actually. Without question, she’s far better than anyone I’ve ever heard … myself included.”
Richard folded his arms and raised his eyebrow again, but this time in disbelief. “Really?” he asked with seriousness finally evident in his tone.
“Yes, it’s true. And you know that I’d never admit to such a thing lightly.”
“Oh, trust me, I know,” Richard replied quickly.
“She has perfect pitch, Richard.”
Richard sat up straight in his seat with a curious look on his face. “You’re certain?”
“I’ve witnessed it with my very own eyes. Tested her myself.”
“That’s truly a rare gift … a gift that some claim is just an old wives’ tale.”
“Well, I can assure you this is no wives’ tale. Not in my whole life did I ever think I’d meet someone of her caliber, especially with the few years I have left. Hell, even if I lived another five lifetimes, I don’t think I’d ever be fortunate enough to meet another like her. I’m telling you, Richard, she’s truly one in a million.”
“In all the years I’ve known you, William, I have never recalled you carrying on so passionately about a musician in this manner.”
“I can’t seem to help it. It’s just that, what I saw…” He thought back to the few hours he had spent playing with Lily
. “Richard, it was incredible. She also has a memory so precise that it made me question my own sanity. It was a feat I didn’t even know humans were capable of. She absorbed and replayed an entire song after I played it only once.” He held a finger up. “One damn time!” he expressed, still in disbelief over the matter.
Richard turned toward James with an inquisitive look on his face, seeking confirmation about a story that seemed like an impossibility. James affirmed with a nod.
William ignored Richard’s doubt-filled glance and carried on talking about Lily. “Her theatrics, and the speed and agility with which she was able to play the song back, it was all just…” He shook his head. “Absolutely astonishing.” William stared blankly at Richard as he continued to think of her. “The most incredible part of all is that every element of what Lily can do is simply God-given talent. She’s never once had a lesson. Everything she knows, every instinct, she learned on her own.”
“Good heavens,” Richard whispered, a look of shock on his face as he tried to conceive of this mysterious young lady’s capabilities. “I’ve only heard rumors of such people before now. I was beginning to think that no one like that really existed, much less that I would ever be offered the opportunity to actually meet someone like that in person.”
“Well, meeting her will change you in some way. I can promise you that.”
James nodded in agreement.
“Hearing you speak of another musician with this kind of passion, I’m forced to believe you. I find myself suddenly wishing that you would have brought her along with you today, so that I have the honor of becoming acquainted with this young lady as soon as humanly possible. I’m definitely eager to assist now more than ever. So, tell me, how exactly can I help you where she is concerned?”
“Well, I know sometimes the students are seeking tutoring and mentoring for their music. So, I thought perhaps Lily could be of assistance here in your department as a tutor.”
“That’s all?”
“Yes.”
“Well, as I’m sure you already know, we can always use extra tutors for the students. So, of course, that wouldn’t be a problem at all.”
“That’s wonderful!” William exclaimed, turning to look at James, who nodded again in agreement.
“But if that’s all you want, then there’s something I just don’t understand.”
“And what’s that?”
“Well, you’ve come here claiming that this young woman is a far greater pianist than yourself, going on and on about all of these incredible gifts she’s been born with, but yet you want to reduce her to a simple music tutor? Doesn’t make any sense to me.”
William’s excitement waned upon remembering that he had yet to mention the most important element of the favor he needed to be fulfilled. “Well, we were hoping that this would only be a temporary way for her to earn some money until we can find her some permanent work with an orchestra. Trust me, she is certainly worthy of playing for one. She is truly brilliant, undoubtedly every definition of a genius, but…”
“But what?”
William looked over at James, suddenly understanding how embarrassing it was for him to have to admit to what he was about to say. “She, umm … She was once a slave,” he confessed, lying about the fact that she technically still was.
Richard stared at William in silence for a moment and then began to laugh uncontrollably. James and William could both feel their optimism start to melt the longer Richard laughed. “Y-you’re joking, right?” he asked after his laughter subsided.
“Of course, I’m not joking!” William fired back through tightly pursed lips. The tone of his voice easily revealed his irritation.
“You know, rumor has it that you retired because you had lost a marble or two upstairs,” Richard replied, swirling his finger around his ear. “I didn’t very well believe it until now, though,” he laughed again.
“Enough of the jokes! Are you going to allow her to work here or not?!”
“Oh, come on, William! You didn’t really expect that I’d allow a Negro to work with my students, did you?” Richard asked, finally sounding serious.
“And why not?”
“William, how is some former slave, who has no formal education, supposed to tutor anyone?”
“I could train her myself how to go about it. She’s brilliant. Absorbs everything like a sponge.”
“A sponge! Now there’s something I would gladly give her, because I’m certain that the only thing a former slave would ever be able to absorb is the filth off the floors around here. I simply refuse to believe that a Negro has the capacity to learn things of such complexity.”
“Are you really that dense?! I just told you that she’s a gifted, brilliant pianist, who possesses skills you and I could only ever dream of!”
“Well, even in the rare circumstance that she does have the capacity to learn enough to teach, which I doubt very seriously, I don’t think my students would be very receptive or welcoming to a person of her hue. She’d be nothing but a distraction in my classroom!”
“That’s a ridiculous excuse, Richard! Eventually, they won’t give a damn about her complexion once you show them that you’ve accepted her. It’s not always about what you know, or who you are, or what credentials you have. It’s sometimes who you know that has the greater influence. You of all people should know that!”
Richard slammed his hands on the desk and rose from his seat. “Don’t you dare throw that in my face! I don’t give a damn who you are, or what you’ve done for me!” He pointed at William. “You have most certainly come to the wrong place if you are expecting any influence from me to help with a lowly Negro! You truly have lost your marbles if you think I’d be willing to defame the legacy I’m trying to build here by disgracing the walls of this place by doing such a thing!”
James tensed and took a step forward, but William grabbed him by the arm before he could make another move. “Don’t trouble yourself over him, James. I’m sure he’ll soon be regretting his moronic words and his foolish actions,” he said, staring his former friend down. “Let’s go.”
“Yes, do as you’re told,” Richard replied, dismissively waving his hand at James. “Saves me the trouble of throwing you out.”
James clenched his jaw tight to keep from verbally erupting. He clenched his fists even tighter to keep from reaching over and snatching Richard from behind the desk. With William still gripping him tightly around the arm, they both turned and stormed angrily from Richard’s office without another word.
Unfortunately, the way that meeting had ended was something that William and James had quickly become accustomed to in the three days they had ventured together. Infuriating rounds of ridicule, sarcasm, and laughter seemed to be a recurring theme with everyone they had crossed paths with. In every instance, it revealed the nastiness and ignorance of people that William had once considered as dear friends. The annoying, predictable cycle left both men feeling utterly frustrated as they left their old university.
While their meeting with Richard had plunged the pair into a temporary darkness, Lily had been slowly rising from her internal abyss toward the light after walking the grounds of William’s estate. As both men made their way back home in silence, Lily had just made her way into the kitchen and was already seated listening to Anna Mae and Benjamin tell the emotional tale about the day William had set them free. Just as their emotional story ended, James and William had also ended their emotional journey back to the estate.
After riding in silence the entire way, William halted the carriage on the estate grounds, eager to share a suggestion that had been on his mind. “James, perhaps I can find Lily some other sort of work in the meantime while…”
“What?!” James snapped, instantly offended by the notion. “Are you givin’ up already?!”
“No, I was just…”
“It sure as hell sounds like it to me!”
“I just thought that maybe while we searched, Lily could earn some money…�
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“Doin’ what sort ‘a work?!” James threw his hands up. “Workin’ as a seamstress?! Cookin’ somebody’s goddamn meals?! Takin’ care ‘a somebody else’s children?!” His face was red with anger. “Don’t you get it?! I don’t want Lily doin’ the sort ‘a work that reminds her of…”
“Being a slave,” William finished calmly, completely unfazed by his companion’s sudden outburst. He quickly understood why James was so upset and felt that he was right. Lily deserved far better than that.
After listening to Anna Mae and Benjamin’s emotional story, Lily had gone to the kitchen window and watched as James climbed down from the carriage right after his outburst. She stared at him as he marched toward the house, thinking about how much William’s story had reminded her of James during his teen years. For eight years, she assumed that that compassionate young man no longer existed. But after the revelations of that day, Lily was beginning to realize that perhaps her assumptions had been wrong. At that moment, though, James had stormed into the house with an attitude, breezed by her without a word, and slammed his bedroom door. His actions allowed the doubt about the man James really was to linger in Lily’s mind just a while longer, before she confronted him on the porch later that evening with the true details of William’s rumored story.
Just before Lily had joined them on the porch at dinner, William felt the need to make amends with James for their misunderstanding. He genuinely felt sorry for sounding defeated in the carriage earlier in the day. “James, I’m sorry about what I suggested earlier. I was only trying to help, but I completely understand why you were so upset. I assure you, though, that I haven’t given up.”
“No, I’m the one who needs to apologize. You’re doin’ so much for Lily, and I acted like a complete ass.”
“Actually, you were acting like a man who cares a great deal about someone. Maybe more than he’s willing to outwardly admit.” Much like the moment William questioned him about Lily before leaving his home the first time, James did not verbally respond, but his eyes spoke for him yet again. And just like that last time, William let him off the hook and changed the subject. “Anyhow, I just want you to know that I stand united with you and your dream for Lily.”
