Alex called Lu immediately. “Nao must be in France. I want to go get her. Can you please watch the kids?”
“Since you finally remembered,” Lu said with a hint of relief, “I’ll tell you this: Nao had prepared the children’s passports ahead of time. She wanted you all to come with her to France. She wanted her family to see her perform.”
Alex opened the cabinet drawer where important documents were kept. There they were—three brand new passports for the children. His own passport was there too, but Naosa’s was missing.
Understanding flooded through him. She had hoped, right until the end, that he would change his mind.
Alex told Lu he was taking the whole family to France. Lu and Kacy had already booked their flight tickets for the concert, but realizing it would be nearly impossible for Alex to manage three children alone, they changed their schedule to join them on the same flight.
Kacy came over to help with the packing. Despite her pointed sarcastic remarks about his hopeless situation, she carefully prepared the children’s clothes and necessities with practiced efficiency.
When Alex told the children, “Let’s go get Mommy,” their faces lit up with the first genuine smiles he’d seen in days.
The next day, they all flew to France together. Travis held Aaron’s hand throughout the entire journey, making sure his little brother didn’t cry or cause trouble. Tracy sat quietly beside Alex, occasionally stealing glances at her father’s worried face.
Alex was desperate to see Naosa, but equally filled with anxiety about what he would say, how she would react.
Alex booked rooms at the same hotel where Lu and Kacy were staying. Kazu was also there for the concert.
“I’m really looking forward to Nao’s performance,” Kazu said warmly, but then realized Alex’s family didn’t have tickets to the sold-out event.
Kazu immediately contacted Naoaki, explaining that Alex and the children had come to France. Naoaki said it would be perfectly fine for Alex, Travis, and Tracy to join them in the family box seats, where Geneviève, Lu, Kacy, and Kazu would already be seated.
They arranged to meet outside the theater the next evening. Naoaki made the decision not to tell Naosa that Alex and the children were coming—he wanted to see how things would unfold naturally.
Maestro Rousseau’s farewell concert was a grand three-night event, and Naoaki’s family group had reserved box seats for all performances.
“I don’t know if these little ones can sit still for three full nights,” Naoaki chuckled to Alex, “so please don’t feel obligated to stay after the first evening if they get restless.”
Geneviève’s assistant was arranged to care for Aaron during the performances.
From their elevated box seats, the stage was clearly visible in all its grandeur. Even the children, who were usually completely uninterested in classical music, couldn’t hide their excitement at the lavish venue and sense of occasion.
Alex knelt down to their level, his voice serious. “This concert is very special, so absolutely no loud noises or making a fuss, no matter what happens. If you misbehave, you might not get to see Mommy. Do you understand?”
Travis and Tracy nodded solemnly, sensing the gravity in their father’s voice.
The concert began with ceremonial grandeur. The orchestra was introduced section by section, and then the concertmaster appeared with a flourish. As the elegant man extended his hand toward the grand piano, a radiantly beautiful woman glided onto the stage.
Travis started to exclaim “Ma—” but Alex quickly covered his mouth with his hand.
The pianist, dressed in a shimmering, ethereal gown that caught the stage lights like starfall, was unmistakably Naosa. But when she was introduced, the announcement rang out: “Séraphine De Valois.”
Travis and Tracy stared in wonder at the stage, hardly recognizing this goddess-like figure as their mother. Maestro Rousseau appeared, raised his baton with ceremonial precision, and the concert began.
They felt the live orchestra music with their entire bodies—a wall of sound unlike anything they had ever experienced. Then came the piano solo, a piece of profound, haunting sorrow.
Séraphine’s playing seemed to seep directly into their souls, making everyone in the audience taste the depths of human grief and longing. Some audience members wept openly. Kazu and Alex found tears streaming down their faces, and even the children cried, somehow understanding the profound sadness being expressed through the music.
Alex couldn’t take his eyes off Séraphine on stage. She seemed like a distant, almost mythical presence—no longer the woman who made breakfast and worried about laundry, but something ethereal and untouchable.
Her performance was absolutely magnificent. Each piece painted vivid emotional landscapes: profound sorrow giving way to exultant joy, then gentle pieces that seemed to heal hearts with their tenderness. The audience was completely transfixed.
Amidst thunderous applause, Travis leaned forward in his seat, gazing intently at the stage. He whispered a small prayer: “Mommy always finds us in any crowd. So she’ll surely find me and smile today.”
But from her position on stage, Naosa didn’t notice Travis among the hundreds of faces in the darkened hall.
The encore ended, and the performers gathered at center stage for their final bows. The concertmaster took Séraphine’s hand with obvious reverence, and they smiled at each other with the deep satisfaction of a perfect performance.
Alex was stunned by what he witnessed. Naosa’s eyes, filled with complete trust and artistic communion, and her radiant smile—expressions that had always belonged exclusively to him—were now being shared with someone else right before his eyes.
There was a profound musical bond between them, a connection so complete it felt as though there was no room for anyone else in their shared artistic world.
Nao, don’t you love me anymore?
Alex felt himself going mad with the fear of losing her completely.
Travis was deeply disappointed that Mommy hadn’t noticed him despite his fervent hope. Tracy was shocked into silence, seeing her mother—whom she had dismissed as lazy and worthless—being celebrated and adored by hundreds of people. Naosa was incomparably more beautiful and accomplished than Tiffany could ever dream of being.
Alex found it almost painful to see Naosa transformed into Séraphine, but he was determined to attend all three nights of the concert. She is my wife. I must see her, must understand who she really is.
Travis and Tracy also insisted on coming to every performance. Each night, Travis prayed desperately that Mommy would somehow spot him in the audience. Tracy was tormented by crushing regret, wondering why she had been so cruel to someone so extraordinary.
Alex planned to approach Naosa after the final concert and apologize from the very depths of his heart.
The three-night concert series ended with tremendous success. Maestro Rousseau’s retirement was celebrated as the end of an era, with critics calling it one of the finest farewell performances in recent memory.
But Alex felt crushed each night, watching Séraphine and the concertmaster exchange looks of mutual respect and shared accomplishment. The gentle way Adrien helped guide her on and off stage, the subtle protective hand he placed on her shoulder, the way he looked at her with such obvious admiration—all of these had once been Alex’s role in her life.
Travis was on the verge of tears each night, increasingly distressed that Mommy hadn’t noticed him despite his desperate hope. “Has Mommy forgotten us completely?” he whispered to his father.
As they stood to leave the venue after the final performance, Naoaki’s phone rang urgently. The call brought alarming news: Naosa had collapsed backstage immediately after her final bow.
Geneviève quickly explained the situation to the group, and Naoaki rushed toward the backstage area. Alex, quickly telling Kacy to watch the children, immediately followed Naoaki through the theater’s corridors.
But as he approached the restricted backstage area, he was stopped by security. No one without proper accreditation could go any further.
As he frantically tried to contact Naoaki on his phone, he saw his father-in-law pass through the security checkpoint. Behind Naoaki, a man was carefully carrying Naosa in his arms, moving with urgent but gentle haste toward the parking area.
Alex called Lu immediately. “Nao must be in France. I want to go get her. Can you please watch the kids?”
“Since you finally remembered,” Lu said with a sigh of relief, “I can tell you this—Nao already prepared the children’s passports. She wanted you all to come with her to France. She wanted all of you to see her play.”
Alex opened the cabinet drawer where they kept important documents. There they were—three brand-new passports for the children. His own passport was there too, but Naosa’s was missing.
Understanding hit him in a rush. She’d hoped, right up to the end, that he would change his mind.
Alex told Lu he was taking the whole family to France. Lu and Kacy had already booked their flights for the concert, but realizing it would be nearly impossible for Alex to manage three children alone, they changed their plans to join the same flight.
Kacy came to help pack. Despite the barbed asides about his hopeless situation, she laid out the children’s clothes and necessities with practiced efficiency.
When Alex told the children, “Let’s go get Mommy,” their faces lit with the first genuine smiles he’d seen in days.
──────────
The next day, they flew to France together. Travis held Aaron’s hand the entire journey, making sure his little brother didn’t cry or cause trouble. Tracy sat quietly beside Alex, stealing occasional glances at his worried face.
Alex was desperate to see Naosa, and just as afraid—of what he would say, how she would react.
He booked rooms at the same hotel where Lu and Kacy were staying. Kazu was already in town for the concert.
“I’m really looking forward to Nao’s performance,” Kazu said warmly—then realized Alex’s family didn’t have tickets to the sold-out event.
Kazu immediately contacted Naoaki, explaining that Alex and the children had come to France. Naoaki said it would be perfectly fine for Alex, Travis, and Tracy to join them in the family box, where Geneviève, Lu, Kacy, and Kazu would already be seated.
They arranged to meet outside the theater the next evening. Naoaki decided not to tell Naosa they were coming—he wanted to see how things would unfold naturally.
──────────
Maestro Rousseau’s farewell concert was a grand three-night event, and the De Valois box had been set aside for the family for all three nights.
“I don’t know if these little ones can sit still that long,” Naoaki chuckled to Alex, “so please don’t feel obligated to stay after the first evening if they get restless.”
Geneviève’s assistant would take care of Aaron during the performances.
From their elevated box, the stage was laid out in all its grandeur. Even the children, usually indifferent to classical music, couldn’t hide their excitement at the lavish hall and sense of occasion.
Alex knelt to their level, his voice serious. “This concert is very special. No loud noises, no fuss, no matter what. If you misbehave, you might not get to see Mommy. Do you understand?”
Travis and Tracy nodded solemnly, feeling the gravity in his tone.
──────────
The concert began with ceremonial grandeur. The orchestra rose section by section, and then the concertmaster bowed with grace. As the elegant man extended his hand toward the grand piano, a radiantly beautiful woman glided onstage.
Travis started to exclaim, “Ma—” but Alex quickly covered his mouth.
The pianist, in a shimmering, ethereal gown that caught the lights like falling stars, was unmistakably Naosa. Yet when she was introduced, the announcement rang out: “Séraphine De Valois.”
Travis and Tracy stared, hardly recognizing this goddess-like figure as their mother. Maestro Rousseau appeared, raised his baton with ceremonial precision, and the concert began.
They felt the orchestra with their whole bodies—a wall of sound unlike anything they had ever known. Then came the piano solo, steeped in profound, haunting sorrow.
Séraphine’s playing seemed to seep directly into their souls, letting everyone in the hall taste human grief and longing. Some audience members wept openly. Kazu and Alex found tears streaming down their faces; even the children cried, somehow understanding the sadness carried by the music.
Alex couldn’t take his eyes off Séraphine. She seemed distant, almost mythic—no longer the woman who made breakfast and fretted about laundry, but something ethereal and untouchable.
Her performance was magnificent. Each piece painted a vivid landscape: sorrow yielding to exultant joy, then quiet tenderness that seemed to mend what was broken. The audience sat spellbound.
Amid the thunderous applause, Travis leaned forward, eyes fixed on the stage. He whispered a small prayer: “Mommy always finds us in any crowd. So she’ll find me and smile today.”
But from the bright stage, Naosa didn’t notice him among the hundreds of faces in the dark.
──────────
The encore ended. The performers gathered at center stage for their final bows. The concertmaster took Séraphine’s hand with reverence, and they smiled at each other with the deep satisfaction of a perfect performance.
What he witnessed stunned Alex. The look in her eyes—complete trust and artistic communion—and that radiant smile, expressions he had once thought belonged only to him, were now shared with someone else, right before his eyes.
There was a profound musical bond between them, a connection so complete it felt as if no one else could fit inside that shared world.
Nao, don’t you love me anymore?
Alex felt himself slipping into panic at the thought of losing her completely.
Travis was crushed that Mommy hadn’t found him in the crowd. Tracy sat in stunned silence: the mother she had dismissed as lazy and worthless was being celebrated and adored by hundreds. Naosa was incomparably more beautiful—and more accomplished—than Tiffany could ever dream of being.
It was almost painful watching Naosa become Séraphine, but Alex was determined to attend all three nights. She is my wife. I have to see her—have to understand who she really is.
Travis and Tracy insisted on coming every night. Each evening, Travis prayed that Mommy would somehow spot him. Tracy wrestled with a growing, suffocating regret over her cruelty.
Alex resolved to approach Naosa after the final concert and apologize from the very depths of his heart.
──────────
The three-night series ended in triumph. Maestro Rousseau’s retirement was hailed as the end of an era; critics called it one of the finest farewell performances in recent memory.
But Alex felt crushed each night, watching Séraphine and the concertmaster exchange looks of mutual respect and shared accomplishment. The gentle way Adrien guided her on and off stage, the protective hand at her shoulder, the admiration in his eyes—these had once been Alex’s role in her life.
Each night, Travis was on the verge of tears, increasingly distressed that Mommy hadn’t noticed him despite his hope. “Has Mommy forgotten us completely?” he whispered.
──────────
As they stood to leave after the final performance, Naoaki’s phone rang. The call brought alarming news: Naosa had collapsed backstage immediately after her final bow.
Geneviève quickly explained, and Naoaki rushed toward the backstage area. Alex, asking Kacy to watch the children, hurried after him through the corridors.
At the restricted entrance, security stopped him. No one without accreditation could pass.
He tried calling Naoaki. Through the gap, he saw his father-in-law clear the checkpoint. Behind Naoaki, a man was carrying Naosa in his arms with careful urgency, heading toward the parking area.
It was Adrien—the concertmaster who had gazed at her with such devotion all three nights.
Alex sank into the depths of despair, watching helplessly from behind the barrier.
Stop. Don’t touch her like that. That’s supposed to be my job. I should be the one carrying her, protecting her, caring for her.
Tears blurred his vision as he watched another man fulfill the role he had abandoned.
© 2024 reminise. All rights reserved.