Author’s Note
Pepper’s Penance is a slow burning romance that unfolds over the course of twenty-three chapters. This is not a wham-bam story. But, if you’re into that sort of thing, I think you’ll like this one. Check my profile page for other chapters.
Chapter 7: Just Dessert
As we left the restaurant, Pepper’s fingers once again found mine. There was a chill in the air and the mist was turning to rain by the time we set off back to my store. Pepper held an umbrella awkwardly in her left hand, crossing her arm over her chest to hold it in the middle and shield us both. I was in charge of protecting the little white paper bag containing our leftovers and dessert. Pepper had insisted the tiramisu was not to be missed.
Between all that, I felt her fingers searching for mine.
I didn’t know where her urge came from, if it was a quest for warmth on a chilly night, a basic human need for physical contact, or something more, but I wove my fingers in with hers and held tight. I walked along wondering if I did it for her, as a friend letting her know I cared and that she wasn’t the ‘shit human being’ she apparently saw when she looked in the mirror.
Or maybe it was more of a selfish gesture. I had spent so much time worrying if my business was going to sink or swim, that I had little time for anything else. Certainly not something as trivial as simply enjoying the warmth of anothers hand. But now that I had the opportunity, I began to understand what I was missing. Human touch is something to be savored.
“This is such a nice neighborhood now,” Pepper said, head swiveling as we walked along. “When I was younger, you really didn’t want to be downtown by yourself. Especially after the sun went down. It was all just seedy bars and seedier people. Now look at it. It even smells nice.”
“That’s because it’s raining. It always smells nice when it rains. There’s even a word for it. Petrichor, I think.”
Pepper stopped dead in her tracks. Our arms stretching as I took another step and she stood fast. “Petrichor,” she said, staring me in the eye. “Who knows words like that, anyway?”
“Me, I guess.” I moved closer, back under the umbrella. “I think I read it on the internet.”
Pepper turned and started walking again, swinging our joined hands as we set out this time. “You’re a smart girl, Ash. I like that.”
“Um, thanks?”
“Really. I like hanging out with you. Not just for the free soda. I mean, you’re a good bedava bahis person.”
“How much wine did you have? Did you pull your free drink trick on the bartender while I wasn’t looking? Get yourself an extra bottle on the house?”
Pepper came to a dead stop again. “Ash. I’m trying to be sincere. You’re not helping.”
“Sorry.”
She started moving again, swinging our arms like before. “I’m going to teach you some scales tonight. You need to learn the language of music so you can express yourself properly.”
“You think that’s what I need?”
“Yes, I do.”
That was it. I was in for a piano lesson tonight whether I wanted one or not. Pepper had decreed it.
The more we walked along, the less wild Pepper’s swinging of our hands became, and the more I was able to settle in and enjoy the warm touch of another person. And if that person was Pepper intent on teaching me some scales so I could release my inner musician, than so be it.
Trixie came trotting forward, tail wagging and nose smearing the glass as I unlocked the front door to my shop.
“Your guard dog looks as threatening as ever.”
Pepper huffed. “Throw the leftovers in the cooler. I’m going to take her out back.”
I arranged things the best I could in the cooler, taking care not to drown anything with the melting ice. I debated turning on the overhead lights, but decided there was enough spilling in from the streetlights outside that it was probably overkill—particularly for a late night piano lesson.
Pepper came back, smelling of cigarettes, and walked to the piano. Trixie sighed and found a nice place to lie down.
“Come on,” Pepper said, motioning me over and pointing to the bench she had pulled out for me. “Lesson time.”
Standing behind me, she picked up my hand and dropped my index finger on one of the white keys. “This is middle C.”
“Middle C. Got it.”
“Now play something.”
“Play something? Just like that?” I turned to stare at her. “Here’s middle C, now go, be fabulous. What about the rest of the keys?”
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Pepper leaned in to rest her hand on top of mine. She pressed down and a single note sounded from the Yamaha to fill my little shop. Middle C. It stopped as soon as I let up.
Pepper slid her hand back. “Your turn.”
I banged out another middle C, holding my finger down as it rang out.
“Good, you’re expressing yourself.”
I casino siteleri turned to her. “Expressing myself? I played one lousy note.”
“You’re angry. Frustrated.”
“A little agitated, yes. It’s this one note bull—”
“How do you think I knew, Ash?”
I opened my mouth, stopped, swallowed, and tried again. “Because, I’m banging on the key like a kid having a tantrum?”
Pepper chuckled. “Your words, Ash, not mine. But yeah, the way you attacked it. The way you slammed the next one down, not letting up. You were expressing yourself. Expressing your frustration with me. Congratulations, you’re human.”
She moved aside, leaving me alone at the bench. “Play something.”
“I only know one note.”
“Okay,” she said, and reached around to put her hand on mine again. “Put your other finger here.”
I let Pepper guide me and mold the shape of my hand, placing my fingers until she was satisfied. She mashed my hand down on the keys.
“Congratulations, your first power chord. You’re on your way to rock stardom.”
I banged out a couple more on the same keys. “What are the notes? Besides middle C.”
“No idea.”
“Come on, Pepper, stop teasing me. I’m trying to learn.”
“I’m not messing with you, Ash. I honestly… Look, I know the intervals.” She leaned over me, laying two of her fingers over mine. “See? These fingers, this is a fifth. That’s what gives the chord its crunch. Put this finger here, it completes the octave, sort of fills things in, makes it beefier.”
“Crunchy? Beefy? Sounds like something from a casual dining appetizer menu.”
Pepper stood up straight and sighed. “Look, Ash, I don’t know the notes. I know where middle C is and I suppose I could count up from there, but—”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to tease… Well, maybe I did. Just a little. You should bang out a few power chords if you need to express yourself.”
Pepper chuckled. I patted the empty space on the bench and she sat down again.
“One note,” I said, with my index finger hovering over middle C. “Show me again.”
Pepper placed her hand on top of mine. “Just find your rhythm for now. We can worry about the melody later.”
“Like this?” I dropped my finger gently onto the key and held it. The tone grew to fill the silence of the store. After a time, I lifted my finger and did it again.
“Good,” Pepper said, her hand still hovering over mine—touching bahis siteleri now and then—reassuring, but not commanding.
I played three of the same note in succession and then brought my finger down to rest. Pepper chuckled.
“I’m branching out,” I said.
“It’s not that. Your playing is fine. I was just thinking back to how I learned fractions. You played a triplet. That’s one-third of the other notes.”
“You learned that in night school?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“From Natalie?”
Pepper nodded. “That’s how she taught us. She had a piano app on her iPad and she explained fractions using music. If only my other teachers…”
I picked my finger up and laid it down for another long, sustained note.
“Your playing’s much happier,” Pepper said.
“I guess so. I enjoy talking with you. You rarely open up. So I… I don’t know. It’s nice.”
I felt the warmth of Pepper’s hand closing in. She wasn’t dictating my movements over the keys, but the distance between us had definitely closed.
I decided to get bold. “Why aren’t you together anymore? You and Natalie. If you don’t mind me asking.”
“She died, Ash.”
I stopped my one note concerto, mid-performance. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s fine.” Pepper moved her hand away from mine and straightened up. “You didn’t know.”
“If you ever—”
“I should get going. Head back home.”
“It’s late,” I said, standing up as Pepper stood, reaching out, and resting my hand on her shoulder. “Are you sure you want to be out walking at this hour? I have a couch upstairs—”
“It’s a safe neighborhood, Ash. Besides, Trixie will protect me from any nefarious characters.” Pepper reached down and patted her thigh. “Won’t you, girl?”
Trixie sighed and pulled herself up from the floor. I dropped my gaze to her wagging tail and lolling tongue. “If you change your mind…”
Pepper was already walking toward the front of the store. I caught up, turned the deadbolt to unlock it, and then turned to Pepper. She was holding her umbrella and studying the floor tiles.
“Thanks for the piano lesson.”
“Next time we’ll do scales. Promise,” she said. “Don’t forget to stash those leftovers in the fridge. I’ll be back for the tiramisu.”
Pepper leaned into the door, half in and half out. Trixie saw her chance and bolted through the narrow opening, tugging, ready to head home.
“My name’s Cayenne, by the way,” Pepper said, looking up. “Pepper’s just a nickname. Cayenne is what my mother named me. I don’t know why I’m telling you this. I just thought you should know.”
Pepper flashed a smile, leaned in to lay a quick peck on my cheek, and walked out into the mist with Trixie leading the way.
* * *