Eleanor had closed her eyes; the lyrics came on their own in a way they hadn’t done when she had been humming to herself at home. They floated from her, vocalizing the questions and doubts she hadn’t dared asked herself or hadn’t been able to put into words until now. She didn’t so much hear the other people in the bar as much as she sensed them, and as the last chord rang out, she opened her eyes again.
There was applause, but the only thing she registered, were the blue eyes staring back at her from the back. For a long moment she froze. He was back and he didn’t look well. She wanted to go to him and she wanted to disappear.
Someone was telling her that she needed to get off the stage to give room to the next singer, and Eleanor gave a brief nod, the only indication that she had accepted the applause, before she stepped off the stage. She had come here tonight just for one song, and then she would go home, but Gaspard was here, he was back, and now she didn’t know what to do. Then her foot moved, then the other and the next moment she was walking towards the door. She had come here tonight just for one song, and then she would go home. Her heart was breaking and she didn’t see why that should change her plans for the evening.