Chapter 14: Connected
It never crossed my mind the fact of Daniella being so well connected.
She was a college student working part-time at a grocery store, after all. But facts were facts, and my eyes could not distort the truth.
In the middle of the living room stood a piano. Not any ordinary piano, but a full sized grand piano. Elegant curves. Towering soundboards. I had one look at it and knew it costed a fortune.
While I considered the price, Lumi concerned herself with the logistics instead.
How'd they fit that through the door, Dad? It's bigger than the elevator.
Money. Through the power of money. Be careful around it, dumpling. It'll cost both our arms, legs, and kidneys to cover the damage costs of that piano.
Why do we have to sell our knees?
I chuckled and gave a little push on her back.
Nevermind that, dumpling. Have fun. Listen to your sister Ella, okay?
My hand that ruffled her hair made her giggle before she ran inside. Daniella grabbed Lumi's hands, but her attention fixated on me. I pointed towards the phone in my hand and the direction out the door. She made an 'OK' gesture with her fingers, before she pulled Lumi along.
I spared no second thoughts. Daniella for sure made preparations to show off her snack collection to Lumi. I pressed my back against the closed door, drowning their chattering into a silence.
After a quick pause, my fingers crawled along the number pad. I dialed Mr. Rockern's number. The response was quick, per usual.
"Mr. Rockern? Did you get the message with the address I sent you this morning? I'm ready to proceed with the claims. You can pick me up anytime."
There was no reply on the other had but silence. It was unlike Mr. Rockern, so a douse of worry sprouted in my heart. I hesitated, before I repeated myself.
"Mr. Rockern?"
Then I heard his dry laughter. My back stiffened. My hands froze. The phone became a million-pound block of bricks.
"You've got the wrong date. When I said next Friday, I meant the Friday of next week."
"Ah," I mumbled, my voice weak with embarrassment. Much to my dismay, Mr. Rockern pressed the issue.
"You can't claim life insurance within a week. They need to verify the paperwork and legal and financial shenanigans," he said. He inhaled a deep breath. "You're not one to be so urgent. Tell me, are you out of savings? I heard they haven't seen you at work in a while."
"N-no, it's not like that, Mr. Rockern," I hurried to explain, stammering. "I'm working on another side gig. A new venture, if you will. It's only that the grocery prices that are a bit worrying,"
"These are rough times, indeed," he mused. "Alright, I trust you. I can't send over any more money or else they'll indict me of money laundering, but it should be enough to last a day or two. Show me a good surprise, eh?"
"Yes sir. I'll see you next week, then."
My shoulders unbuckled in relief as I hung up the phone. I drummed a knuckle on my forehead, half embarrassed, half worried. The headache was not going away anytime.
Without money, our dreams halted. Hell, our lives halted.
How could I have made such a big mistake?
Lumi needed food. She was in some of her most important developmental years. Plus, she was returning from a period of malnutrition. She would not do without something to eat. I could not be letting her skip meals.
My mind began wandering. I could return to my odd jobs. But that meant leaving Lumi alone again, or with a babysitter. I did not have to money to hire one, and people like Daniella were not free every day.
The local shelters and food banks were plausible, but they were not long-term options. I needed to sustain an income with Lumi by my side.
With Lumi by my side.
Something about that line was striking. I repeated it a few times before a slow and small grin etched on my lips.
"What if I was by her side, instead? What if Lumi sustained an income?"
Busking. Commissions. Live broadcasting. There were a few opportunities to make money off singing. When done right, they could be big opportunities for Lumi's stardom.
A large fan-base before she transitioned into a professional singer would only be beneficial.
But then I considered the details more. My grin faded out. My shoulders heaved downwards.
There was one big problem. That problem lingered in my mind as I pushed the door inside Daniella's apartment again.
The problem was I did not have a trained musical ear.
We were on a time crunch that was money. To earn a quick buck off busking, commissions, live broadcasting in the short term, one had to be good. Excellent at singing, even.
Or else, it would only be a waste of time.
I had to ensure to a certainty Lumi's singing abilities were good enough to shock the public. Both in-person and online. I though she sounded great already. A little polishing here and there, yet that was fixable with a little more practice.
But was she good enough? Should I practice with her for another week, before testing the waters?
I compared Lumi to the stars and idols of my past life. It was a useless effort because I did not have any special memory gifts. Their sounds were vague. Their voices were imperceptible.
I could recall their songwriting and lyrics, but not their singing.
I thought I was back to square one, when Lumi's exclamation rung in my ear.
"Wow, sister Ella, you're a music student? The Royal Institute of Music? Where's that?"
My steps froze in place. The door swung wide, but halfway.
Daniella patted her chest. "Yes, ice cream. I study vocals, piano, and guitar!"
Well, would you look at that.
I did not have a trained musical ear, but someone else was sure to have it. It was someone we could approach, too.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone