Celebration

She makes a living as a composer. He writes a piece for solo violin, his first in years, and lets a former classmate play it as an encore. Elaine is heartbroken, and smiles through it. In the dead of night, they go to the observatory to look at the sky as she plays the violin.

He marries after her, and has a child before. They stay lifelong friends, through their marriages and divorces. In the dead of night, they go to the observatory to look at the sky as she plays the violin. 

On his birthday, I hold his hands and call him Uncle. Elaine laughs. “He’s not my brother, little genius.”