08/28/07
The Piano
28. Death and Life
Tragedy hits when the pianist's cousin dies, leaving a young widow and two small children. The close family gathers around her, assuring her that they'll be there for her and her children.
She doesn't need material things: he left her well-provided for. She needs the comfort of people who loved her late husband.
The brown-eyed woman makes sure the widow is invited to the family gatherings, to her Sunday dinners with the multiple courses.
She's a pleasant company, the young widow. She offers to help in the kitchen, being herself a fairly good cook, but the brown-eyed woman won't hear of it. She tells the widow to just sit down and relax.
The widow then asks the pianist if he can play his piano. He acquiesces gladly, knowing that, with company around, his wife won't mind the sound of the piano. And, besides, she's too busy cooking alone.
She's much more jealous of her kitchen than of her husband.