-What a beautiful drawing, little grasshopper. Every day you draw more beautiful pictures, will you become an artist? -
Jonathan grinned from ear to ear as the boy showed her all his "masterpieces".
- You know, I have to rehearse a bit... will you join me? We always talked about you being my practice partner one day, but to this day you still haven't accepted my proposal, hmmm? -
Nothing excited him more than hearing her sing, she sent them every performance she gave and he looked forward to them so much. They communicated with music, they had always shared the tactical language of emotions that notes and compositions provoke in the body. And when she sang to him alone, the little boy felt the connection that united them.
-This aria is very beautiful, it belongs to an opera called The Magic Flute. I hope it goes well...
Deanna started to sing and Jonathan grabbed the desk with his small hands, when she called him he used Daniel's computer in his office when his father was not there. Ethan had taught him what to do to receive her call. They each had their own time to talk to her, unless she called them outside of their arranged time, then the three of them would meet in Ethan's room.
But that afternoon Daniel was in the house, when he saw the call come in he left his office to look for the little boy and closed the door to leave him alone with her. He didn't want to see her, he didn't want to hear her. Beverly's annoyed face was obvious, but she didn't dare say anything to him anymore.
Her voice crept in from behind the door and he could hear it from the living room. It drew him into his office like a magnet, but he didn't go in.
-Daniel, what are you doing? - Beverly asked him.
He stood a few paces from the door, not daring to come any closer.
-Daniel, for God's sake, stop it! -
The song ended and he turned to look at her with contempt. He had had enough, he was tired. She had semi-installed herself in his house just for the sake of it and little by little she had become a part of everyone's routine, giving her opinion and disposing as if she were something else and she wasn't.
- What did you think? I'm getting better and better, but I can't stop practicing or Sacha will get angry... I should try the second song, it is more difficult... -
Jonathan looked at her with big, big eyes. And suddenly, just because, he shouted it out loud:
- Deanna! -
Daniel heard it from behind the door, Beverly from the living room and Deanna jumped in her chair.
- Jonathan! You spoke! Oh, my God! -
- Deanna! - The child shouted again.
Daniel ran in and Beverly ran after him.
- Son! Son, you spoke! - he said excitedly.
- Daddy! -
He walked over to where the boy was sitting and took him in his arms, Deanna couldn't stop laughing on the other side of the screen.
- Deanna, Jonathan spoke! -
In his excitement and joy, he didn't realize he was celebrating with her.
- That's wonderful! - she replied.
- I can't believe it! Can you say that again, son? -
- Dad... - replied the little boy.
- My goodness, little grasshopper, you have such a beautiful voice! -
Deanna could hear Beverly's voice from behind her.
- Daniel?! What's wrong? -
He turned to look at her, but this time with a smile.
- Jonathan finally spoke! -
- Oh, that's great! -
But when he looked back at the screen, she was gone. Why stay? It was a time for family celebration and she was no longer a part of it.
He lowered the child to the floor and bent down.
- You don't know how happy I am, Jonathan. I can finally hear you again... -
- Dad, call Deanna..." He said pointing at the computer.
Daniel was totally impressed, he heard it, but he still couldn't believe it.
-Jonathan, dear, Deanna must be busy right now," Beverly told him as she came closer.
- No, she sang for me. Call her back, Dad.
One day he had stopped talking completely, he was very small but he could articulate words and a few sentences and then suddenly nothing. Everyone assumed it was a result of the trauma of his mother's death and that he would eventually speak again. But he didn't; years passed and Jonathan never spoke again.
By this time, Daniel was desperate, not knowing what to do. He had consulted every reputable specialist he could find, every therapist they recommended, he even had a well-known one come to town to see him. Nothing had worked and the little boy was affected by so many doctors and useless treatments. So he decided to leave things as they were, hoping that one day everything would be resolved.
And he didn't just say single words, he formed complete sentences as if he had always done so, as if his silence had never existed. From one moment to the next, the boy broke his mutism simply because he wanted to.
The first to hear him again were Ethan and Naomi. Suddenly, the house was filled with joy, and not for nothing. In the midst of so much sadness, Daniel had something to celebrate. And when Camilla heard about it, she ran to see him; Charles, Susan, even Harry.
The little boy just laughed at so much attention and happiness; apparently, what he had done to speak again was reason enough for everyone to pay attention to him and congratulate him. He felt like he was at a birthday party.
- I hear that and I can't believe it... - Susan said.
- It seemed like he never stopped talking... -
- It's true, Harry! He does it so clearly... It's unbelievable -
- What happened, Grasshopper? -
- Deanna asked me to be her singing partner. I want to sing with her -
- Was that it? - Naomi asked.
- Yes, that was it.
- Wow! The power of music - said Charles.
Camilla looked at him as if he was going senile. But Charles always made those sly comments and Daniel understood them perfectly.
-Dad, take me to Deanna," she asked.
Daniel didn't know what to say.
- Deanna has to be somewhere else, Jonathan, that's why she's talking to you by video call. We can't go where she is," Ethan explained, wanting to help his father.
- That's right, she must be getting ready to sing at the theater again - Naomi told him.
- Let's go to the theater - Jonathan didn't want to give in so easily.
Daniel became more and more anxious.
- We can't go either, because where she performs is out of the country. That's why she sends us her videos, Jonathan.
- But I want to sing with her -
- Let's call her and sing together. What do you say? - Naomi proposed.
- Yes!
- No, no, no, no. Not now, we are family. Call her later," Camila said.
Jonathan's face changed. He was angry. Why talk when he couldn't do what he wanted most? He stared at her.
- What? - asked his grandmother.
- You don't love Deanna," the little boy accused her.
- Jonathan, come..." Charles called to him and the boy came closer, still angry.
- I personally promise you that as soon as Deanna returns to the city, I will take you to her myself so that you can sing with her... I am sure she will want to see me...".
He said this last thing looking sideways at Daniel, a way of making him feel uncomfortable. He still couldn't understand how his eldest son could have been so stupid, and he didn't shy away from pointing it out whenever he could. He had the impunity of being able to express himself without anyone daring to complain.
- That's all right - the boy replied.
- Well, well... What do you say we go out for dinner as a family to celebrate? My treat -