A song for Delphine

“I thought I could make it. I really thought I could make it” He said as he sobbed, the nurse tried to console him but that only made him cry harder. He woke up after another horrible night’s rest. The memory of his mother’s death still haunted him. She passed when he was only fifteen the night of his big performance.

Nathaniel’s childhood was as ordinary as you could imagine. He lived in Chicago with his mother, Delphine a single mother working as hard as possible to support her son without a husband’s help. Delphine was an independent woman who had brought endless joy to her son’s life. She immersed Nathaniel into passions he could explore. Music was the passion that Nathaniel chose. His mother would play him Beethoven and Chopin to help him fall asleep. He grew up with music and it lived in him.

He had dreamed of playing the violin ever since he heard it on the radio. His mother worked two jobs to get him a violin for his ninth birthday. Nathaniel never had a father but the neighbors across the hall, an older couple in their late sixties took care of the boy when his mom was gone. They were a lovely couple and a special one indeed. Clarice, a retired music teacher. She recognized the talent that Nathanial expressed and began giving him lessons every day after school. Her husband Joseph was a kind man who worked in business and had retired but still was dedicated to helping others. Their kids had grown up and gone on with their lives, but they rarely saw them because they were always traveling. They welcomed Nathaniel into their lives with open arms.

Delphine married young to Victor. She was raised by a very traditional mother and father who wanted her to get married to someone who would secure her for life. Delphine disliked the idea but had no choice. While they were married, Victor was never there for her, and when Nathaniel was three he left and never came into contact with him ever again. As Nathaniel grew up he became more passionate about music and its many genres. He would come home from school and put on vinyl. When he got his violin it was one of the happiest memories he had. He became so devoted to learning and mastering the violin that he was being scouted by the time he was fifteen. His dream was to teach music to others.

Nathaniel’s talent blossomed over the years, By the time he was fifteen his name had started to spread throughout the Chicago music scene. The scouts came from many prestigious music academies and attended his performances. When Nathaniel played the violin he took people on experiences and with every stroke of the bow you could see the passion. Nathaniel had always admired his mother for she did everything she could to support him. Every birthday that he had would be magical even if there wasn’t much to go around. His life was filled with special moments because of her.

The night of his performance he was set to have his solo, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Joesph and Clarice had dropped off Nathaniel and he warmed up. Delphine was coming back from work when tragedy stuck Nathaniel was told about her passing before his big performance. His mother’s last words were “I love you, be great, do great”. Nathaniel’s world collapsed.

He never played at his big performance. The shock he felt was too much. Music and his mother were so connected that he couldn’t get himself to play. The next weeks were a blur his mother’s funeral, her relatives, and anyone who cared about Delphine. Today August fourteenth marked her passing it had been five years. His violin had been stored away never to be touched again. Even years after he was still so fragile. His violin had been sitting collecting dust and holding all the dear memories of Delphine.

Today was different he felt a calling to open the box as if he could hear his mother. He opened the box and picked up his violin. He picked at a string and a wave of emotions came at him. Tears were streaming down his face and he played. All the memories of Delphine came back. As he played the last note he realized that she never left him and was always by his side.