Learning Curve

Sierra set out the food orders for Oliver to take as Shasta went back into the kitchen from his break.

“I’m going on break now,’ she announced. Shasta nodded as he got back to work.

Sierra walked to the breakroom, humming her song as she did. She entered the women’s changing room to pull out a large case. Sierra moved it over to the breakroom, set it on the ground and opened it up. She lifted a cello and stood the instrument up, then took a seat on one of the chairs. She placed her fingers and the bow in position and proceeded to play her song. Or at least the notes she knew.

The song felt familiar with the instrument, but it still felt like something was missing. Maybe when she had enough money, she would hire an orchestra. A slam against the wall interrupted her playing. Oddly enough, it was not Cyrus, but Leigha running through the door frame.

“That was amazing,” Leigha whispered, awestruck.

“Thanks, it’s to help me find my song,” explained Sierra, feeling like she had already said this.

“Where did you learn it? Do you know any other songs? Do you play professionally?” Leigha pestered, getting closer and closer to Sierra until they were eye to eye.

“Uh…”

“Leigha, where did you run off to?” came Anita’s voice, finding them in the breakroom.

“Anita, Sierra can play the cello!”

Anita smiled her sweet smile. “Sierra can play a lot of instruments.”

“Really! Can you play any other song?”

Leigha looked from Sierra, still shocked, to Anita, whose smile had contorted into one of confusion.

“Can you play another song? Has she ever played another song?” asked Leigha, turning to Anita.

Anita shook her head no. “As far as I remember, she only plays one song.”

“Here, try Mary had a Little Lamb,” coaxed Leigha.

Sierra bit her lower lip and moved her fingers into a position along the bridge.

“What are the notes?”

Leigha looked to Anita, who was as confused as she was by the predicament. Leigha ran off to the girls’ changing room and pulled out her phone.

“Let me check.”

“Can you both please come back to work,” whined Oliver as he approached the back.

“Do you remember if Sierra has ever played another song?” asked Anita.

Oliver opened his mouth as if he had an answer, only to snap it shut. He looked between the women, shook his finger at them then left.

“Here are the notes.”

Leigha presented Sierra with the music from her phone before setting it down on the table. Sierra picked up the phone to study the notes, then set it back down. She placed her fingers at the proper place, then positioned her bow.

She played the first note then paused, changing her hand position. She glanced between the screen and her hand as she altered her position, making sure she had it right. Then she played the next note. She paused again, switching a little faster since it was the same note. She repeated the next few notes until the song was complete.

“Great,” encouraged Leigha, setting the phone down, so the screen was face down on the table. “Now, without the notes.

Sierra looked down, biting her lower lip.

“What was the first note again?”

She heard a sigh, and looked back to see that the others had joined, even Norman, who had stopped by to see Anita. Guessing by the exhaling and Anita elbowing Shasta in the ribs, it was Shasta.

Leigha took the phone off the desk and looked at the music.

“D”

Sierra nodded, moving her hand to the correct position. She looked down, her eyes bouncing as if she were trying to read the note in her head.

She played the D note, then stopped.

“What next?”

“A.”

The cycle repeated until Sierra finished the song.

“Can you play it on your own now?” asked Leigha, pocketing the phone.

“Maybe?” Sierra sounded less confident, but Leigha gave her a thumbs up for encouragement.

She tried to remember the position, her fingers moving along the bridge. Her bow rested on the strings. She began playing, but this was her song.

“Stop that music already!” yelled Cyrus as he pounded on the wall separating his closet from the breakroom.

Everyone groaned, returning to work as Sierra put away the instrument.

“So do you think I could learn to be a music teacher?” Leigha asked Anita as they left.

“It would take a lot of schooling,” cautioned Anita.

“Darn.”

Sierra smiled, chuckling to herself as she closed the case.