Chapter 25

Two days later, Athena woke up in the middle of the night after having a bad dream, she lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling in the dark room, she was panting, trying to catch her breath after the dream. She grew thirsty and removed the covers and got down from the bed, she turned on the light to notice that her water-jug was empty so she picked it up and left the room to fill it up. On the staircase, she heard faint melody, she followed the sound to the living room and the closer to get, the louder the music.
She pushed open the door and was surprised how loud and clear the melody was, that was when she knew it was the piano, she walked a little further into the living room to see Sean, he was sitting with his back to her and he was still dressed in his office clothes. Athena was surprised, she had stayed up waiting for him but he didn t come back so she went to bed and now he was playing the crystal piano and making a very sad melody.
She stood near the curtain, watching him, for some reason, she believed that he wouldn t want to see her so she stood away from him and stayed as silent as she could, the sad melody he was making, giving her goose-bumps and making her heart heavy.
"He plays beautifully right?" Someone whispered and she gasped and turned to see TB, he was standing beside her and she didn t even know when he came so close.
"You scared me," she whispered.
"I m sorry, I tried not to," he looked at Sean who was lost in his music, "he plays well."
"Yes," Athena looked at him too, "but the melody is a little sad."
"It s not a little, it is sad," TB said, "some days are like that."
"He plays often? This is my first time hearing him play."
"He plays, but not as often as before," he sighed, "come on, let s go up."
"Shouldn t we wait for him?"
"He won t be going up anytime soon, he is going to play till four then he would drink and play again till six before he would go up to his room." Seeing the look in her eyes, he smiled, "I have studied him."
Athena nodded, "I came down for water."
"Let s go get it then," he grabbed her hand and pulled her away. After getting the water, Athena went up to her room but she couldn t sleep, she could still remember the melody Sean was playing and how sad it was, she couldn t help but believe that there was something TB wasn t telling her so she decided to ask him in the morning.
***
When Athena woke up, she quickly took her bath, got dressed and went down to join Sean for breakfast as always but she was surprised when she came to the dining room to see only TB, "Sean has left?"
"Not really," he answered.
"Then where is he, he never miss breakfast," she said, pulling out her favorite chair.
"He won t be joining us today," TB answered.
"Oh," was all Athena could say, something was strange but she doesn t know what yet and she didn t want to pry as well, she had decided not to ask TB about last night and that if there is anything, he would tell her.
After breakfast, she sat in the living room, waiting to see when Sean would pass on his way to work but she waited for a long time but she didn t see him. She went outside to check his car, maybe she missed him leaving and TB didn t know as well, but his car was outside at its usual spot and she also saw Smith talking with Rodger in the little sit-out they always sat on. What is going on? Sean was at home and he didn t ask for her to give her training.
She went back into the house and on her way to her room, she changed her mind and direction, Sean s room is on the same floor with TB s, she had seen the door but never gone in, but she was going to today, what if he was sick and no one knows or maybe he is in pain and couldn t call for help? She has to know.
As she opened the door leading to the hallway of his room, she saw TB coming out of his room, "Athena," he was surprised to see her, "what are you doing here?"
"TB, something is not right, Sean is still home."
TB sighed, "yes, he is in his room."
"Don t you get it? He never stays at home till this time if he would be going to the office and if he is at home, he should be training me."
TB licked his lips and he heaved a sigh, "Athena, listen, there are two days in a year that Sean doesn t want to see anybody. He would stay in his room till the day is over and the next day, everything is back to normal. Today is one of the days."
Athena frowned, "why, what is happening in the two days?"
"There are the days unforgettable things happened to him."
"What is that?"
"I m sorry, At, it s not my story to tell," he sighed, "come, let s go find something to do," he grabbed her hand to pull her away but she didn t move and kept staring at Sean s door. "At, please, don t go to Sean s room, I m afraid the Sean you will see won t be the Sean you know. Come, let s go."
Athena followed TB but what he told her about Sean still bothered her, she gave an excuse that she would be going to her room and that she was tired but on getting to the stairs, she changed direction and went to Sean s floor. TB s words were ringing in her head but for some reason, she wanted to be there for Sean in his moment of pain, even if she doesn t know what was hurting him.
She stood before his door and heaved a sigh then turned the doorknob, pushing open the door, she was surprised at how dark the room was, the drapes were drawn and there was no atom of light source in the room. She left the door open so she could be able to see her way, "Sean, are you in here? Sean?" She called but there was nothing, she walked to the bed and that was when she saw a silhouette, she rushed back to the door and flipped on the light switch and turned back to the bed. Briefly, she noticed that everything in the room was red but she didn t care about the beauty of the room and just rushed to Sean who was sitting on the floor still dressed in yesterday s clothes and with a bottle of whiskey in his hand, "Sean," she called softly, "what happened?"
Sean didn t say anything to her neither did he look up, he brought the bottle in his hand to his mouth and took a sip. "Sean, why are you like this?" Athena asked, bending to help him up.
"What do you want?" He asked, his voice was cold, devoid of any emotion.
Athena was surprised, at that moment, TB s words rang in her mind again but she shook it off, "Sean, you can tell me anything, you don t have to be like this."
"Tell you anything, would it change anything?" He looked at her, his hazel eyes that were always warm and smiling were cold and dark, "what would it change?" He yelled, smashing the bottle on the wall.
Athena panicked and took a step back; her heart was thudding loudly in her chest, "Sean…"
Sean stood up and glared at her, there was no atom of emotion in his eyes, "because of your likes, that s why it happened, I was so focused in making you better that I wasn t there when I was needed, tell me, what difference would you make, will you turn back the hands of time? Your likes cost me everything, when they would be so dumb and needed someone to teach them before they would know anything. I was so immersed in making all of you better, and what did it cost me? Everything, because I wasn t there, I couldn t help, why, because I was teaching you!" He yelled.
Athena took a step back, afraid of whom was standing before her and finally believing TB s words, the Sean she is seeing, isn t the Sean she knows, "Sean, I don t understand…"
"What don t you understand? What is hard to understand? I lost everything because of you," he rushed to her then and grabbed her on the neck, "she is gone, she left me because I couldn t arrive on time to save her, she left me alone and you tell me you don t understand?" He tightened his grip on her neck.
"Sean…you are hurting me," Athena whispered as tears trailed from the corners of her eyes.
It was as if her words woke Sean up and his eyes showed recognition, he let her go immediately and took a step back from her. Athena rubbed her neck as she coughed, staring at him with her tear filled eyes. Sean ran his hand through his hair that was a mess, "What are you doing here, Athena?" He whispered.
"I…I was worried about you and I…"
"Go, Athena, there won t be lessons today," he turned his back on her.
"But Sean…"
"Just go, Athena."
"But…"
"I said GO!" He yelled, picking a glass on the floor and smashing it on the wall.
Athena panicked and ran out of the room and then into a wall, the wall wrapped its arms around her and she didn t care and just sobbed. "I told you not to go there," it said and she knew then it was TB.
"I…I was worried about him."
"I know, but Sean is always a monster in days like this and he accuses anyone he sees on why it happened. Come, let s get you calmed down," he said and led her into his room.