SONATA OF LOVE

Chapter 6

When she finally regained consciousness, Charlotte found herself lying on a bed with many tubes attached to her hand. Inspecting the surroundings from her position on the bed, she realized she was in a hospital ward. "Charlotte! You're awake at last!" Her mother was by her side, disheveled but joyful. "How are you feeling, dear? Oh dear, it certainly looks bad. The doctors say they'll operate on you soon because your injuries are rather serious." After some concerned queries, Mrs. Lee smiled fondly, "Now Emma has something to say to you, dear. Emma?" To Charlotte's surprise, Emma stepped forward from the shadows. "You're… you're here?"

"I do have manners, you know." Emma retorted defensively. After some hesitation, she mumbled, "I know I haven't exactly been the perfect sister. And I do know that I haven't been ultra-nice to you or even Darcy here, but just this once, I do want you to make it through this operation. Mom hasn't told you this yet, but I guess it's better to let you be prepared." Taking a deep breath, she said in a rush, "The doctors said the success of the operation is not 100% confirmed. There is a chance that… that you might not make it. So I want you to know that just this once, you have my support and my blessing. You will try and get through the ordeal, won't you?" Charlotte smiled feebly at her sister, reaching out to pat her hand, nodding her head as tears gathered in her beautiful eyes filled with pain.

"But remember, I said just this once." Charlotte gave a little laugh at her sister's teasing tone, coughing as she did so. "Darcy has something to say to you too, Charlotte. Now, I shall just leave the two of you alone." Mrs. Lee smiled at her daughter, kissing her on her bruised forehead before leaving with Emma. Turning her head around, Charlotte then realized that Darcy had been in the room all that while.

She attempted to sit up, but fell back with a strangled cry as her head exploded with stars. The pain was excruciating. "No! Don't do that! The doctors say it'll make your injuries worse." She looked up weakly, finding Darcy's face looming before hers as he helped her lie down again. All of a sudden, she felt so small, so helpless, while he had grown overnight. "What… what happened?" "Don't you remember, Charlotte? You went running out of the auditorium and right smack into the path of a car. Stupid me didn't manage to catch up with you. If I had, you wouldn't be lying here right now." He looked away sorrowfully, almost regretfully.

"You know, you seem to be making me worry about you all the time. And the doctors say you'll only be conscious for a while. You'll slip into unconsciousness in a while." Suddenly colouring high up in his cheeks, Darcy muttered, "I'm… I'm sorry about the competition. I know you didn't wish for it to turn out that way, either. And you deserved to get into the next round! Or maybe I'm the only one who actually knows how hard you slaved. Those judges are fools! Idiots!" He ground his teeth heatedly, slamming his fist hard against the wall. Unexpectedly, a hand reached out and just managed to take hold of his free hand. Turning around, he found Charlotte smiling faintly. "No, don't blame them. I guess I really didn't play as well as the other contestants. I had that suspicion that I wouldn't make it anyway, after my huge slip-up. I just kept on hoping, and hoping. I actually foolishly believed that I would be able to make it to the next round. I can't believe how stupid I was. They were all just empty hopes, Darce. I know I've let everyone down, but I just wasn't… wasn't good enough." She stuttered, and Darcy felt intense pain shoot through his heart for he knew how much it cost her to just say a word.

"You know what they say? Faith is believing what you know ain't so." He gazed at her with tears in his eyes, hastily wiping them away as she attempted to say something while reaching out to him. "Shh… don't talk. Any requests?" He smiled at her, trying to hold back tears. "Comfort me, Darce. Sing me a song." Acceding to her request, Darcy sang 'Bridge Over Troubled Waters' in that deep and melodic voice of his…

'When you're weary, feelin' small

When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all.

I'm on your side, when times get rough

And friends just can't be found.

Like a bridge over troubled waters

I will lay me down.

Like a bridge over troubled waters

I will lay me down.

When you're down and out, when you're on the street

When evening falls so hard, I will comfort you.

I'll take your part, when darkness comes

And pain is all around

Like a bridge over troubled waters

I will lay me down.

Like a bridge over troubled waters

I will lay me down.'

Taking a deep breath, Darcy knelt down by the bedside, looking solemnly into her eyes. "Charlotte, I guess this is not the best time right now, but I just wanted you to be sure of one thing before you go into that operation room. I want you to know that I love you, and always will." She gasped, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"I love you with all my heart, mind and soul, for naught except love's sake only. I love thee with the passion put to use in my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith." They both smiled knowingly, and Darcy continued. "I love with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. Charlotte, will you marry me?"

Gazing at him and reaching her hand to stroke his face, Charlotte studied his sweet face, memorizing it, tears threatening to overflow from her damp eyes. She whispered in a voice that was barely audible, but Darcy heard her, "How did you know that's my favourite verse?" Looking at her square in the eye, and holding her hand to his heart, Darcy replied, "Because it's my favourite too." He added breathlessly, "Charlotte, you can never imagine how I dreamt of you, missed you, love you." Then, with a twinkle in his eye, he quoted his namesake from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, "You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were five years ago, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever."

Looking at him in surprise and touched by his attempt to cheer her up, she chuckled, before giving way to loud laughter. "Your situation is very much like your namesake's, you know." "How so?" He wrinkled his brows in confusion. "Why, don't you remember? Mr. Darcy proposed twice. He was rejected the first time by Elizabeth, but on the second, she accepted him." He started with mixed joy and uncertainty, "Charlotte! Does this mean…" "Yes, Baby Bear, I will marry you." Darcy smiled at her use of his nickname.

"But only if I get well." Charlotte stated, looking at him with unwavering, grim resolve. Darcy tried to dispel the sorrow and insecurity from his heart as he grasped her hand, trying to evade the unpleasant topic. "Of course you will get well, Charlotte!" "No, I want you to promise me. If I never get well, find someone else to love, Darce. You deserve lots more." Charlotte looked at Darcy, tightening her hold on his wrist with a new determination in her eyes that he had never seen before.

"All right, I promise." He responded reluctantly with a sigh. "But you know, Charlotte, I don't think there could possibly be anyone else I could learn to love like I love you. You've got to get well, sweetheart, you've got to. You hear me?" She simply smiled sweetly, then craned her neck, trying to look around the room. "Darce, is my violin in here?" "Yes. Your mother left it here." "Can I have it please, Darce? I want to hold it, just for a while. In case I never get to see and touch it anymore." Hesitantly, he took the violin from its case and handed it to her. Looking at her in this state, Darcy was unable to even feel a tinge of jealousy at the way she touched her violin. No, caressed it was more like it.

She brought the violin to her bosom and gave it a long hug, running her slender fingers over its strings and the smooth, polished wood. Still gazing fondly at her instrument, she asked Darcy pensively, "Do you recall asking me why I liked Franck's Sonata in A Major so much?" "Yes… I do." Darcy replied slowly. "It's because that song brought us together again. You understand? You came back from your studies, and we met again because you had to accompany me for that song." "Yeah… I understand. Strange, I never thought of that song this way before."

"Darce, sing me another song. I like to hear your voice. Sing something, Darce." Charlotte murmured dreamily, her eyes slowly closing. Just then, someone knocked on the door. Darcy looked up to find the doctors standing outside. It was time for Charlotte's operation. Tears pouring from his eyes as he realized this could be the last time he would ever be able to sing to her again. He held up his hand, signaling to the doctors to give him some time. The doctor outside nodded, flashing a hand. Five minutes. He only had five more minutes with Charlotte.

His voice trembling, Darcy sang, unable to withhold his tears as they trickled down his moist cheeks, one by one.

'Fly me to the moon,

Let me sing among those stars,

Let me see what spring is like

On Jupiter and Mars.

In other words, hold my hand.

In other words, darling kiss me.

Fill my heart with song,

Let me sing for evermore.

You are all I long for;

All I worship and adore.

In other words, please be true.

In other words, I love you…'

His voice trailed off as the doctors came in and wheeled Charlotte out into the operating room. Gazing into her sweet eyes that were now close, he planted a long kiss on her soft, velvety lips. Then, she had vanished from his sight into the operating room. Looking at the harsh doors of the operating room before him, he whispered, "In other words, I love you…"

Outside, the rain started to fall. It continued to fall like a million tears…

THE END