Everything You Are: A Novel

by Kerry Anne King

  He catches her hand in his and kisses each finger separately, slowly, all the while looking into her eyes.

  “It does,” he says. “But I think it’s worth it.” He gets up, pulls on his jeans. “I’ll be right back.”

  She stays where she is, listening to his feet on the stairs going away from her. He’s left his shirt, she tells herself. And his shoes. He has to come back.

  And sure enough, there is the sound of feet again on the stairs, heavier, slower. When he reemerges, he’s carrying the cello case. Phee sits up, her heart in her throat, as he opens the case and lifts out the cello.

  “It took time,” he says as he sets the cello on her stand. “A gradual thing. I’d be combing my hair and notice that the comb felt hard and smooth. Or I’d give Allie a hug, touch her hair, and notice it felt like silk.”

  Phee covers her mouth with her hands. Tears fill her eyes, stream down her cheeks. She blinks hard and dashes them away, not wanting either man or cello to be blurred for even an instant.

  He moves a chair away from her table. Tightens the bow, draws it across the strings.

  “I’m not the musician I was; only time will tell if I recover that. But it doesn’t matter. I have this. I have Allie. You gave them both back to me.”

  He begins to play a haunting melody, his eyes focused on hers all the while. “Allie’s going to need a new cello—the two of us are close to fighting over this one. I’m afraid I’m as obsessed as I ever was.”

  Phee follows the music, hears the beating of his heart in it, the mystery of his soul.

  “I can’t imagine any woman being able to cope with that.” His eyes ask the question he leaves unspoken.

  Will you—can you—follow me into the music, Phee?

  In answer, she crosses the room and lifts her violin from the stand. A moment to tune it, then she tucks it under her chin, lifts the bow, and twines her own music around his, joining him in the place that goes deeper than words.

  For half an instant, she catches a glimpse of her grandfather standing in the doorway, translucent as mist. He bows formally.

  “Well done,” she hears him say. He blows her a kiss, then melts into the music and is gone.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Every book is born out of an idea. This one, the concept of a cello with a life of its own, was particularly fragile and might never have come into being were it not for the encouragement of my agent and my editor, both of whom gave me the green light to go ahead.

  Deidre, thank you for your support, encouragement, and wise guidance. And Jodi, your willingness to brainstorm, discuss, and work out book ideas is an incredible blessing.

  Thank you so much to Heather Webb for the almost overnight read born of a way-too-tight deadline, and to my Viking for asking all of the important continuity questions.

  To Marcella, my early-morning writing companion—thank you for your friendship and support, for holding me accountable, and for the virtual tour of the Ballard area.

  Huge thanks to Jenna Free, my developmental editor, for not only agreeing to act as my guide for a hands-on tour of Ballard, but for driving out of the way to find me when I managed to get lost despite a perfectly good GPS system. Also, thank you for pushing me to go deeper with this story.

  Celeste, thank you so much for being my invaluable cello consultant.

  Megan and Linda, thank you for giving me the names Jo and Mitch—they turned out to be perfect and helped to shape the characters.

  To all of my readers, thank you so much for sharing the magic of story with me. Without you, there would be no point to any of what I do.

  Last of all, my thanks to all of the people who have brought music into my life, both music teachers and musicians, because I agree with Friedrich Nietzsche. Without music, what would be the point?

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Photo © 2019 Diane Maehl

  Kerry Anne King is the author of the international bestselling novels Closer Home, I Wish You Happy, and Whisper Me This. Licensed as both an RN and a mental-health counselor, she draws on her experience working in the medical and mental-health fields to explore themes of loss, grief, and transformation—but always with a dose of hope and humor. Kerry lives in a little house in the big woods of the Inland Northwest with her Viking, three cats, a dog, and a yard full of wild turkeys and deer. She also writes fantasy and mystery novels as Kerry Schafer. Visit Kerry at www.kerryanneking.com.