• Fiction, Contemporary, New Adult
• quarter life crisis, fame, found family, mental health, classical music, rich people doing rich people shit
• Very loosely in progress (currently not being worked on)
Merlot Maxwell is bitter. He’s bitter that his father decided his life for him and had to go and die before he could even see it finished. He’s bitter at his mother, god bless her, for needing a break from raising his three younger brothers all alone, and he’s bitter at himself for taking on the load instead. And, deep down, a part of him is bitter that his childhood best friend, Eden Clarefield, wasn’t there for any of it. So what does he do when Eden shows up at his front door in the middle of the night, broken down and emotionally exhausted? Takes him in too, of course, on one condition. No piano.
Merlot Maxwell- Born and raised in the extremely rich town of Greenwich, Connecticut, Merlot Maxwell is used to a standard of excellence, especially at home. As the oldest son, he’s spent his life doing what his father wanted him to do, what his father had planned for him. He went to Yale, he went to law school, he became a lawyer- but deep down, Merlot never wanted it. Now an adult, he’s trying his best to come out his deceased father’s shadow and make a life for himself, while also taking care of his younger brothers. Merlot is fiercely loyal of his family and the people he loves. He can also be bitter and cynical, stubborn and strong willed. He takes it upon himself to carry the burden. When Eden comes back into his life, Merlot takes it upon himself to help put his best friend back together, even if there’s a rift between them. Can he handle it? That’s another question he doesn’t want to answer.
Eden Clarefield- Eden Clarefield can be described as many things. A child prodigy. The modern day Mozart. The most famous classical musician in the world. Merlot’s childhood best friend. A depressed, overworked, deeply troubled young man whose past and problems are finally catching up with him. Eden has spent his entire life in the spotlight. A divinely gifted piano player, he’s been playing professionally since he was a child, and is regarded as the best piano player of his generation- perhaps his lifetime. He travels the world, he opens for renowned orchestra, he writes his own symphonies. He has a career aspiring musicians would kill for. But deep down, Eden believes he will never achieve the perfection he- and his manager mother- strive for. One night, he can’t take it anymore, so he does what any sane person would do- show up crying at his former best friend’s doorstep- the only place where he ever felt at home. At the beginning of the story, Eden is exhausted, a little insane, and most of all, sorry.
Indiana “Indie” Maxwell- Merlot’s teenage brother. Although there is a ten year gap between them, Indie is the brother that Merlot feels closest to. He’s the person Merlot relies on to take of the boys when he’s at work in New York City. He’s easygoing, but still responsible and cares about his family. He’s also the only brother who remembers what life was like when their father was alive, and when Eden and Merlot were best friends.
Walter “Walt” Maxwell- The first in the pair of the younger Maxwell boys, Walt is usually bored because he’s too smart for his own good. He enjoys getting a rise out of Merlot, who he resents for one simple reason: he’s not their father, no matter how hard he tries to act like he is. He wants summer to be over so life can return back to normal. He also enjoys dragging his brother Henry into doing things they shouldn’t do.
Henry Maxwell- The youngest brother. Henry is a precocious boy and thrives off routines- even though Merlot is the adult, Henry’s schedule is what keeps the house running. He struggles with making friends, preferring to spend his time in the library reading about astrology or seashells. When Eden comes to live with them, Henry is fascinated by him, seeing a piece of himself in the man who was also once a kid too smart to relate to anyone else.
Marcia Maxwell- The matriarch of the family, Marcia Maxwell is a kind, nurturing woman who only wants the best for her boys- including Eden Clarefield. After the sudden death of her husband, Matthew, Marcia kept going until recently, when she was forced to take a break. She’s currently living at the Maxwell family’s residence in Palm Beach, Florida, for rest and relaxation.
Constance Clarefield- Eden’s mother turned manager, Constance has spent her life making sure Eden became the famous musician she never was. She uses her son’s fame to her advantage by teaching students “the Clarefield way,” passing off her son’s natural talent as something she created. Constance is arrogant, overbearing, and selfish. She wants what’s best for Eden’s career, not life. Naturally, she and Merlot have never liked each other. Especially now that Merlot is giving Eden shelter and support instead of forcing him back into performing his now cancelled summer tour.
Luca Carbone- Eden’s accompanist, a talented, Italian violinist he met while studying at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. Luca filled the Merlot shaped hole in Eden’s life, but they always had more of a partnership than a friendship. Now, he arrives in Greenwich, looking for Eden and for answers about what to do with his career now that the summer tour is cancelled.
The lovely @vampire-with-a-pen , Eden Clarefield’s biggest fan
