Adélaide Sardou was a tall, angular woman with a commanding presence almost as powerful as her voice. It served her well on stage and in crowds, but she didn’t seem to know how to turn it off (or she chose not to), and being in a small space with her tended to feel overwhelming. She walked into the small café like the diva she was, oversized sunglasses and all and scanned the tables for him. Luka waved to get her attention. He saw her chin jerk when she saw him and chuckled as people practically jumped out of her way.
Luka had grown up with Anarka Couffaine, who’d had a different energy but just as much force behind it, and Juleka, who’d had a runway walk so fierce it made everyone in the front rows lean back every time she was on the catwalk, so he wasn’t phased by the aura of mystique she projected.
Besides, he’d known Addie since university and it was hard to be intimidated by a woman he’d taken to the emergency room for a fractured coxis when she’d landed on her ass after the botched kegstand that that idiot American jock had convinced her to try. “Good to see you, Addie,” he said, standing to greet her. They exchanged a bise and Addie squeezed his arm briefly before they sat back down.
“It’s been ages since I saw you last,” she said as they waited for the food they’d ordered. “You’ve barely been answering even my business texts.”
Luka sighed and tried to smile. “I’m really sorry about that. I’m trying to be better.”
“You look better,” Addie said, tilting her head slightly. “Not so...sleepy. Are you resting better?”
“Sometimes,” Luka shrugged, but he didn’t really want to talk about it just then, even with someone he’d known as long as Addie. “So, Spring Recital,” he said, sitting back in his chair. “I know I haven’t been as engaged as I should and I’m sorry. Can you bring me up to speed on where we’re at?”
“Right,” Addie said, reaching into her bag and pulling out a folder, setting things out on the table between them. “I’ve reserved our usual venue and my students have chosen their pieces. Here’s the ones I need backup for.” She slid a list across the table, and then tapped one painted nail on a name. “This is the one I wanted to talk to you about. She’s really good, Luka, probably one of my favorite students I’ve ever taught. I want her to do the showcase piece, but if you don’t have any students who can match up to her, I’d rather use canned music.”
Luka gave a thoughtful hum, looking at the name and the piece listed next to it. “Do you have—” Addie was pushing a CD across the table to him before he even finished speaking. Luka quirked an eyebrow at the choice of medium but picked it up and set it next to him on the table.
“She’s track six,” Addie told him. “You’ll know her when you hear her. I was thinking maybe piano and guitar? Maybe drums if you can keep them from being too heavy.
Luka nodded. “I’ll listen to her and see who I’ve got that matches her style that might be willing. I’m not going to pressure anyone into it though, Addie, you know I don’t believe in that.”
Addie waved that away; it was an old argument. Their teaching styles were as different as their personalities, and when they’d first gotten the idea to have Addie’s vocal students pair with Luka’s instrumentalists and collaborate on a few recital pieces, it had seemed almost crazy. Luka had always managed to match up groups that worked, though, and he was of the opinion that the students worked a little harder when someone else was counting on them.
“Just let me know once you’ve got an arrangement put together,” Addie said, “And we can work out a rehearsal schedule.”
“Who else is on board for the recital?” Luka asked, and they spent the rest of the lunch gossiping about their colleagues. Luka was sadly out of date on the news and he cringed a little as Addie related the latest drama to him. He should definitely touch base with some people.
“I don’t suppose I could convince you to come home with me?” Addie said, leaning on the table. “I could stand to blow off some steam and I’m sure you could too.”
Luka shook his head and he could feel his mouth twitching as he tried not to smile too broadly. “I’m actually seeing somebody at the moment.”
“Oooh,” Addie raised her eyebrows, a sly grin of her own spreading over her face. “Is it serious?”
“It’s new,” Luka said, avoiding her gaze as he poked at his food, still smiling. “But yeah, it’s pretty serious. For me, anyway. It’s...things are...well—” He bit his lip to stop the fumbling, and shrugged just slightly. “She’s got baggage. And it’s not like I’m exactly rock steady myself right now. So...I think it’s gonna go slow, but…” That smile was trying to break through again. “But I think it’ll be worth it.”
“Worth it, like, the one worth it?”
Luka made a noncommittal noise but he still couldn’t look her in the face.
“There’s something you’re not telling me,” Addie said, eyes narrowed, and he felt all the force of her personality on him in that moment. “Spill.”
“Her son is one of my students,” Luka admitted, leaning his chin on his fist.
It was almost comical, how fast her eyes flew open. She leaned forward slightly. “You’re dating a client?”
“Technically, no,” Luka mumbled. “Technically, her ex-husband is my client.”
Addie didn’t answer for a moment and he flicked his eyes up at her.
“Luka,” Addie sighed, shaking her head. “You never do things the simple way.”
“Never,” he agreed, sitting up straight. “It’s a Couffaine thing.”
Katsumi and Aki Fujioka - Brother and sister that caught the attention of the main protagonists, they care about each other very much even if it may seem they don't talk to each other that much at school
