Gemotions

The doorbell rang. Miss Evans, the choir teacher, peeked through the peephole. A delivery person stood on her doorstep, holding a large, ornate music box. She’d given a whole year of her life to teaching that class. She wasn't expecting anything. She opened the door, her hand instinctively going to her throat.

She knew the name on the delivery slip: Maya, the shy girl who’d always hidden in the back row. Maya, who had barely sung a note. Now, she was receiving a gift from her? The box was intricately carved, with small, dancing figures. Miss Evans felt a peculiar tingling in her toes. The delivery person retreated, leaving her alone with the heavy box.

Inside, a small note. "Thank you for teaching me to find my voice." A wave of something unexpected washed over her. She gently wound the key, her fingers trembling.