Beside them lay a contract with a building caretaker, detailing instructions to deliver the flowers—and the envelope—to me on the first Valentine’s Day after his death.
He had planned all of this.
Next to the contract was a journal.
I opened it with trembling hands.
The first entry was dated 25 years ago:
“Today, Daisy mentioned her old piano. She said, ‘I used to dream of being a pianist. Playing in concert halls. But life had other plans.’ She laughed when she said it, but I saw the sadness in her eyes.”
I remembered that moment.
We had been cleaning out the garage. I had found my old sheet music in a box, flipped through it, smiled… and put it away.
I thought I had forgotten.
But Robert hadn’t.
The next entry read:
“I’ve decided to learn piano. I want to give her back the dream she gave up for our family.”
Tears streamed down my face as I continued reading.
About his lessons:
“Signed up for piano lessons today. The instructor is half my age. She looked skeptical when I told her I’m a complete beginner.”
About his struggles:
“Today I tried to play a simple scale and my fingers felt like they belonged to someone else. This is harder than I thought.”
About his frustration:
“I’ve been at this for six months and I still can’t play a simple melody without mistakes. Maybe I’m too old to learn.”
But then, his determination:
“I’m not giving up. Daisy never gave up on me. I won’t give up on this.”
And finally, his progress:
“Today I played ‘Clair de Lune’ all the way through. It wasn’t perfect, but it was recognizable. I recorded it for her.”
The entries grew shorter near the end.
“The doctor says my heart is giving out. I don’t have much time. But I need to finish one more piece.”
“Daisy asked me yesterday why I’ve been gone so much. I told her I was visiting old friends. I hated lying to her. But I can’t tell her yet. Not until it’s finished.”
“My hands shake now when I play. But I keep practicing. For her.”
“This will be my last composition. I’m writing it myself. For her. I want it to be perfect. She deserves perfection.”
The final entry, written just a week before he died, read:
“I’m out of time. I’m sorry, my love. I couldn’t finish.”
I closed the journal slowly.
Then I looked at the piano.
On the music stand lay a handwritten piece—Robert’s cursive script at the top:
“For My Daisy.”
The music was beautiful. Intricate. Thoughtfully written.
But it stopped halfway through the second page.
The rest… was blank.
He had run out of time.
I sat down at the piano bench. It creaked softly beneath me, and sunlight streamed through the window, catching dust in the air.
My fingers hovered over the keys.
I placed the sheet in front of me… and began to play.