The Piano Bench

　　Darwin sat on the oak piano bench beside his grandfather.  He watched the older man slowly place a pair of glasses on the tip of his nose and stare at the sheet music before him.  Darwin waited patiently, his toe pointing downwards, just barely touching the ground.
　　His grandfather had just opened the lid of the piano when the entire bench began to shake.  The elderly man didn’t react at all to the sudden quake.  Darwin merely leaned forward to see Adeona, on the other side of the bench, swinging her legs energetically and bouncing a bit as most toddlers do.  The simple opening of the piano was more than enough to get her excitement going.
　　Darwin frowned at Adeona.  He had enjoyed the private lessons since he was about three, but since Adeona had turned two a few months previously, she had been sitting in on every lesson.  He wouldn’t have minded if she was quiet, but she would raise her voice every time she got excited.
　　“Now, now.  Don’t look like that, Darwin.  You would do the same thing at her age.”  His grandfather said gently.
　　“Nuh-uh.  Only girls do that kinda stuff.  Plus, she doesn’t even want to touch the piano.”  He complained.
　　The older man said nothing as he placed his hands on the piano and began to play.  To say his fingers danced over the keys would be entirely inaccurate.  It was more like the man’s fingers pulled the music out from the heart of the piano.  Like the song had been there for it’s entire life and was just awaiting the right person to pull it forth.  The sounds bounced off the wall of the small shop, causing a few customers to stop their shopping and draw closer, listening intently.  When the song came to an end, the small audience applauded before dispersing.
　　“Alright, now it’s your turn.”  the old man said to his grandson.
　　The sound that came out of the piano this time was clumsy and battered.  Darwin’s fingers were still small and tripped over each other, fighting to get to whatever key he thought was the right one.  Every time a sour note would sound his face became a little more red.  Adeona giggled at a few of the mistakes, making him scowl and  miss more notes.
　　After his first attempt at getting through the piece, Darwin was set to work ironing out the hardest parts of the song.  His grandfather told him to play the measures he had a hard time with repeatedly, until he could play them with ease.  It was while he did this that the man got up to go prepare lunch for their little group.
　　While he was away, Darwin continued making mistakes and Adeona kept giggling.  He glared at her once, but ended up accidentally hitting a discord and making her outright laugh that time.  Finally fed up, Darwin looked about to be certain there were no customers lurking about.  Acting as if he was reaching for a far away note, he gave Adeona a quick shove with his shoulder depositing her onto the ground successfully.  He straightened back up and resumed practice.
　　He felt a bit of shaking as Adeona climbed back on the bench and positioned herself farther from the edge and closer to him.  Scowling at her again, he pushed her backwards with his elbow this time.  He heard a thud and turned to look down at her with a smug look.
　　Adeona looked up at Darwin and blinked her eyes a few times before giggling again.  She climbed back on the bench and smiled up at Darwin.  Instead of continuing, Darwin slammed his hands on the bench in irritation.
　　“Don’t you get it, you dumb kid?  I’m telling you to leave.  I don’t want you to sit near me.”  He said to her.
　　Adeona looked at Darwin confused.  She didn’t understand the words that he had just said, but got the idea that he was unhappy with her.  A look of stubbornness crossed over her face.  She stood on the bench so that she was eye level with him before she started pulling his sleeve towards the piano.
　　“Piano.  Darwin.  Darwin, piano pretty.”  She said pointing at the keys.
　　“Fine, if I play will you go away?”  He demanded, putting his hands on the keys.
　　“Darwin piano!”  She cried before giggling.
　　Darwin started playing an easier song and flew through it in less than a minute.  When he finished Adeona clapped and leaned on his should trying to push his arm back onto the piano.
　　“More, more.”  She said.
　　“Fine, I’ll do one more.”  He mumbled.
　　He picked a song that was a bit longer, but that he knew well.  As he played he turned and watched  Adeona follow his fingers entranced by the music.  He had always been self conscious since he couldn’t play as well as his grandfather, but having her watch him like that made him feel more confident.  Before he realized it he was going through all the songs that he knew and trying to teach Adeona the words.  He couldn’t help but laugh at the mispronunciation she came up with in the process.
　　By the doorway to the back area stood Darwin's grandfather and Maiya, Adeona’s mother.  They both watched on, eating cucumber sandwiches and smiling to themselves.  It was Maiya who spoke first, though only in a whisper.
　　“It’s funny how fast children can become friends.  It’s like they’ve always been the best of friends.”
　　“You and Bonnie were the same way.”  The old man said fondly.
　　“Were we?  Well, I guess the best friendships start on rocky ground.”
　　“Of course.  Foundations take a lot of work to build.”  He said before walking towards the piano and talking to the children.  “Who wants some cucumber sandwiches?”