Never in his life had Rufus ever seen this side of his mother. From what he could remember since
childhood, she had always preoccupied with something, always strict but with a touch of tenderness to
him.
For innumerable times, little Rufus watched as she ever so slightly straightened her body and stretched
out her arms to the back. He noticed how exhausted she'd appeared to be whenever she thought that
he wasn't looking; else, she would always make it a point to look gleeful and lively.
For as long as he could remember, she had always been such a stubborn mother; yet at this moment,
she seemed to be the most beautiful and majestic pianist as well, serenading all of them through her
melodic music with such grace.
The soothing and sweet-sounding notes bounced and danced around on the keys, spreading all
throughout the air of the store.
Her play might have already concluded, but the storekeeper was still dumbstruck and in awe of the
plainly dressed woman who had just played such a magnificent piece of beautiful music for him to bask
in, looking as if he was peering much deeper into her delicate face.
"Bravo! That was a very spectacular performance!"
An unusual voice exclaimed from out of nowhere, succeeded by an enthusiastic applause. Rufus
trailed where the voice was coming from and realized it was actually from the customer who played on
the piano just a couple of minutes prior.
Astonishment and admiration had been written all over his face. Gazing upon his mother, little Rufus
was so deep in thought for it was something he truly wasn't quite expecting.
His mother carefully stood up from her seat with an air of silent regality. Then she shifted her gaze over
to the owner and said, "Sir, would you please apologize to my son this instant?"
Protecting her son's pride was the sole reason she resorted to doing this. Her perfect posture was akin
to that of a queen.
The man was still caught inside the trance of the melody even until now. His face suddenly flushed red
with discomfiture and he stuttered so much that it made no sense whatsoever.
"Yeah, you must keep your end of the bargain! The piece this lady just performed is of greater difficulty.
Although it may not have been flawless, I can say for sure that she still managed to put out a solid
performance. To think that she hasn't even played for so long. It must have been years since the last
time she had touched the instrument!"
The client approached the man, then shifted his gaze toward the hands of Rufus's mother.
She had a pair of rough and calloused hands. And one must've thought that those had been a result of
doing manual labor. However, none of those insignificant details would be enough to lessen her
gracefulness and dignity in the slightest.
The owner had no choice but to give in. An onlooker was backing up the mother and son. To be
specific, the spectator was actually a VIP of his store.
"Hey, young man," he said under his breath, "I'm really sorry. I apologize for acting so rude and saying
all those things to you. If you're interested, you're much welcome to visit my place any time you want in
the future. I will even personally show you how to play."
Guilt-stricken, and with an expression filled with regret, the store owner leaned over and rested his
hands on Rufus's shoulders.
Just like the old saying goes, there will always be someone smarter than you. The owner had never felt
so ashamed in his whole life. Never would he have thought that an ordinary housewife would be the
one to teach a man like him such a lesson.
With as simple a gesture as gently patting on his back, Rufus understood in an instant what his mother
meant.
"Sir, my mother had always taught me to forgive others once they've apologized and reflected upon
their mistake. And with that, you have my forgiveness!"
Rufus had always been very respectful and well-mannered even as a young boy, thanks to the
upbringing he had received from his mother. The customer who watched as all of this transpired
seemed to be quite satisfied with the outcome.
Wearing a faint smile, the mother nodded along softly as the store owner carefully straightened his
back. Grabbing Rufus's hand, she squeezed it a little and then proceeded to exit the store.
The sunshine felt so warm when they went outside. Little Rufus's heart basked in it, filled to the brim
with such contentment.
He had no clue whatsoever that his mother could play the piano, and she was even so good at it too.
What a pleasant surprise that was!
The two of them walking side by side outside the store was a beautiful moment he would never ever
forget. His mother looked down upon him to check how he was feeling, and her eyes were gleaming so
affectionately and lovingly. The breathtaking splintered light made it appear as though there was a
golden halo right above her, this would end up being his most beautiful and most cherished childhood
memory.
Later on, Rufus didn't have any idea how, but the customer they met at the store was able to somehow
get a hold of their home address. After finding out that she was actually a single mother, he persistently
tried to pursue her. But after quite some time, he just stopped doing that all of a sudden and they never
heard from him anymore.
At that time, Rufus was but a child, so he innocently asked his mother why that man would just stop
paying them a visit. His mother, brushing his hair, gave him a simple response, "My good boy, the only
thing I wish for is for my Rufus to grow up and have a happy and healthy life. There's nothing in this
world which can compare to that."
Her voice was as smooth and endearing as ever, much like the most pleasant piece of music.
Once he got older, Rufus finally realized that his mother had actually turned the man down because of
him.
She would rather endure all the bitterness and hardships life could bring on her own than put her son in
a position that would risk his happiness and well-being.
His mother had made a lot of sacrifices for him. Both her youth and beauty could not stand the test of
time. The only thing that could never falter in her lifetime was the love she had for her son.
In an instant, Rufus suddenly opened his eyes. He reached for the corners of his eyes to wipe the tears
dry. He woke up from a pleasant yet bitter dream.
In his dream, his mother was still next to him, and her warmth even felt so real, making him feel like it
wasn't a dream at all.
Eventually, he got to know Amanda, a girl who also knew how to play the piano quite well, having the
same talent as her mother. During the time he spent with her, he would always be reminded of that day
where his mother gracefully played the piano at the store.
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