Aunt Dena's Piano

My Uncle Rex was in the Air Force. At age 8, I really didn't know what that meant, but I did know I was a bit envious of my cousins. They were moving to Hawaii for 3 years. To me, it sounded like a wonderful vacation. I remember receiving a trinket box with sea shells glued to the lid. I had never been on a beach and had never been able to pick up sea shells or have the waves of the ocean hit my feet. It sounded dreamy. While my cousins were in Hawaii learning hula dances, their piano became a part of our home. It was about one and one-half years after we had the piano that my parents decided to send Aileen and me to lessons. I loved my teacher! She was so sweet and always made me feel like I was a great piano player. I practiced and practiced so that I could make my teacher proud of me. I moved quickly through the first book. It was easy! The second book was a bit more challenging, but my teacher helped me through it. I was really enjoying the piano. As I advanced to the third book, I thought I was getting pretty good! My teacher took a few weeks off because she was getting married. Around the same time, I overheard a phone call from my Aunt Dena. She called clear from Hawaii. I listened intently as they talked about coming back to the states. And as I listened, I realized that they would want their piano back when they returned. No! I thought. They can't take the piano. What will I play? How will I continue my lessons? When my mom got off the phone, I asked her if they would take the piano. She said they would! How could they? Didn't they know I needed it? I was mad, very mad! Where were these thoughts coming from? I was normally the peacemaker. I never caused waves...but I was mad. How could they even think that taking the piano was fair? I told my mom I didn't want to take piano anymore. Not if they were going to take their piano back!!!
For a long time, I thought it was me that quit, but later on I found out that my teacher quit teaching because she moved away.