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Photographer in the Park	By : NutsAboutHarry Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Joshua Bell Views: 1770 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not know Joshua Bell (Do you think I'd be writing fan fic about him if I did?) the following story is TOTAL FICTION the prouct of my extraordinarily overactive imagination. No profit of any kind is made from the writing and publishing of this story!

Chapter List
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Despite a blazing row with Lisa the day after meeting Louisa Josh floated through the rest of the week in a cloud of disbelief. Every day he repeated the strange scenario of how he had met Louisa. The curvy red head has wormed his way into his thought process and more than one in the middle of practicing on his Strad had stopped mid-piece only to replay their meeting in his head again. Thankfully on Thursday afternoon his was pulled from his daydreams by his Blackberry ringing shrilly.

Grinning like an idiot he looked the caller I.D flashing ‘Rachel’ and answered.

‘Good afternoon Rachel Louise Bell-Crawford!’ he answered in a sing song voice.

‘Well aren’t you in a good mood?’ Rachel said with a laugh ‘did you get laid?’

‘Noooooooooooo’ Josh said with a chuckle.

‘Oh you so did!’ Rachel said ‘what’s her name? Or did you hire a hooker?’

‘NO!’ Josh bellowed ‘Jesus Rach you know I’m not the type to hire a hooker! And I didn’t get laid!’

‘You sound like you have’

‘Nah just had an extraordinarily good week’ Josh said with a grin retrieving a can of coke from the refrigerator.

‘Well something good happened to you’ Rachel said ‘a week ago you were a miserable drunk ass and now you’re happy as a pig in poop. What’s her name?’

‘Who said there’s a ‘her’?’ Josh said wiping his sweaty brow with a tea towel.

‘Josh I’m your sister and I can read you as well as Mom can I know when you’ve met ‘someone’ Rachel said ‘come on fess up what’s happened to you since I rang you last week?’

‘Alright if I tell you, you have to promise not to tell Mom, Terry or TJ Josh said ‘promise me’

‘J they want you to be happy we all do’ Rachel said.

‘Rach!’

‘Alright I promise, so come on what’s up?’ Rachel said.

‘Well you know last week when you rang I said I was going jogging in Central Park?’

‘Yeah after drinking three pints of the finest Russian Vodka?’ Rachel said dryly ‘you didn’t actually jog did you?’

‘No I just walked’ Josh said ‘for about half an hour. And I finally decided to sit down at the duck pond by the fifty ninth exit’

‘And?’

‘I was in la la land totally not paying attention to my surrounds and this totally gorgeous red head introduced herself’ Josh said ‘she was setting up her camera tripod to take some photos of the various birdlife’

‘And?’ Rachel said even more keenly.

‘Well without being nosey she got me to, to a point spill my guts about why I was so miserable and hung over’ Josh said ‘when it got too dark for her to take any more pictures we went to Pieces on fifty ninth and had a meal and talked for three hours’

‘And? Did you ask her out?’

‘Well not exactly....’ Josh began.

‘Oh Josh I can’t believe you!’ Rachel yelped ‘she could be the love of your life!’

‘Hey you didn’t let me finish!’ Josh exclaimed.

‘S-sorry go on go on’ Rachel said.

‘I invited her to meet me at Paolo’s on fifth on Saturday so she could see about getting her viola restored. And then a jam session later’ Josh said ‘I didn’t specifically ask her out’

‘Are you going to ask her out?’ Rachel asked curiously.

‘I might do especially if we continue to gel as we did over dinner’ Josh said cheerfully ‘seriously Rach she’s gorgeous’

‘Define gorgeous’

‘Tall, curves in all the right spots, legs up to her armpits and dark red hair down to her butt’

‘Oh and I bet you checked out her butt’ Rachel said dryly.

‘Of course I did but I wasn’t obvious about it’ Josh said feeling his face grow hot ‘at least I hope I wasn’t’

‘So tell me about her’ Rachel said ‘what’s her name? What do you know about her?’

‘Well her name is Louisa, she’s from Australia, she’s an Equine Veterinarian, plays and collects violins and violas, has a Burmese cat and a mix bred cattle dog mutt and lives over the river in Long Island’ Josh said.

‘How old is she?’

‘Aw I dunno Rach I didn’t ask!’ Josh yelped ‘it’s rude to ask and I doubt I would make a good impression if I did. But she’s younger than I am that much is obvious’

‘Well if she’s been to college and studied to be a veterinarian clearly she’s of legal age’ Rachel said with a giggle.

‘Oh come on Rach do you really think I would pick up someone underage?’ Josh said rolling his eyes ‘I have more class than that’

‘Yeah I know J just kiddin’ ya’ Rachel said with a grin ‘so have you exchanged cell numbers?’

‘No she just gave me hers’ Josh said ‘I said I would ring her sometime on Thursday’

‘Well I hope it goes well for you J you deserve some happiness’ Rachel said in a serious tone ‘she could be the one this one you never know’

‘Maybe maybe not’ Josh said ‘but she is gorgeous and pretty and someone I want to get to know better’

‘Well good on ya J’ Rachel said ‘I wish you would let me tell Mom, Terry and TJ’

‘No’ Josh said emphatically ‘wait a little while huh? If I ask her out and she says no or we don’t mesh well I don’t want Mom or anyone else asking me what happened’

‘Well....fair enough’ Rachel said reluctantly ‘but it sounds like you mesh well already. You don’t talk to or have dinner with complete strangers hours after you met them do you?’

‘I suppose not’

‘Does she know about your profile?’ Rachel asked curiously.

‘Yeah though it took her all day to figure it out’ Josh said ‘I didn’t want to say hi there I’m Josh Bell I’m a millionaire from playing the violin’ It would make me sound like a pompous ass. We started to get to know each other well before she figured out what I do for a living’

‘And she’s not like ‘oh my god you are so Joshua Bell ohmigod this is so amazing!’

‘Nah far from it’ Josh said ‘she’s a nice girl Rach’

‘When are you going to ring her?’

‘I was thinking about it when you rang’ Josh said ‘I was trying a bit of Dvoøák when you rang but I couldn’t quite get it’

‘Ah distracted were we?’ Rachel teased.

‘Maybe’

‘What piece?’ Rachel asked in interest.

‘Ninth Symphony’ Josh said ‘I’ve played it before, several times but today I couldn’t make it work even with the sheet music’

‘Oh god Josh that’s basic stuff!’ Rachel said dryly ‘this Louisa chick has really gotten into your psyche hasn’t she? When was the last time you had any trouble playing even with sheet music?’

‘I suppose when Dad died’ Josh said thoughtfully.

‘I’m tellin’ ya what, you need to ask this woman out and do it on Saturday’ Rachel said ‘maybe then when you’re not thinking about her 24/7 you’ll revert back to your old self. God J Dvoøák is elementary stuff for someone like you’

‘I know and I feel like an idiot’ Josh said sheepishly ‘it’s probably best I put the Strad away and forget about playing til the weekend I haven’t made any sense all week’

‘God you’ve got it bad’ Rachel said with a giggle ‘and you’re like this after only one afternoon with this woman ? God I’d hate to see what you’re like if you actually fall in love with her’

‘Oh fuck off’ Josh said dryly as Rachel collapsed in a fit of giggles ‘this is the precise reason I don’t want Mom, Terry or TJ to know yet. You know they would both pepper me with questions like ‘so when are we going to meet this girl?’ ‘Is she a good woman?’ I don’t need that crap Rach’

‘I know hon and I promise you I won’t tell them til you say I can’ Rachel said ‘glad you’ve cheered up you’re much better when you’re not an insufferable drunk’

‘Oh very funny’

‘I thought to’ Rachel said with a giggle ‘alright I better go I have to pick Emma up from school and Jamie from childcare I’ll talk to you soon alright?’

‘Yeah alright Rach thanks for ringing’

‘Bye’

Josh hung up then leant against the breakfast bar a stupid grin spreading across his face. He then went to his bedroom and retrieved his wallet from his bedside table and from within that the scrap of paper Louisa had scribbled down her cell number on a week previously. He quickly punched in the number and put his Blackberry to his ear. His insides flip flopped nervously as the line began ringing.

‘Louisa Riminton’

‘Um Louisa?’ Josh said with a waver to his voice.

‘Yes speaking who is this?’

‘Erm-er Joshua Bell we met last week in Central Park?’

‘Oh hi HI!’ Louisa said brightly ‘how are you?’

‘Good’ Josh said ‘I hope I haven’t caught you at a bad time’

‘No no anytime is good’ Louisa said brightly ‘how’s your week been?’

‘Busy’ Josh said ‘organised a trip back to Indiana at the end of next month my youngest sister has roped me into giving some lessons for the students at her school then performing at the subsequent Halloween concert’

‘Sounds like fun’ Louisa said ‘decided what you’ll play yet?’

‘No, probably won’t do that til I get there’ Josh said ‘I’m leaning toward a bit of Dvoøák’

‘Oh I love Dvoøák!’ Louise said ‘most violin players have a thing for Paganini but for me it’s Dvoøák all the way. Have you decided what piece you’ll play yet?’

‘I’m tossing up between the second movement of Symphony nine and Song to the Moon’ Josh said ‘I tried playing the ninth Symphony piece today but couldn’t get my head around it even with the sheet music’

‘How come?’ Louisa said in surprise.

‘Ah been a tad distracted’ Josh said.

‘Oh yeah by what or who?’ Louisa said with a giggle.

‘That would be telling’ Josh said ‘how’s the job search going?’

‘Great I have an interview in about half an hour at Leacham and Byley the big large animal clinic near Aqueduct racecourse’ Louisa said ‘keep your fingers crossed for me this is the dream job’

‘Everything’s crossed’ Josh said ‘I won’t keep you long I just thought we could organise a time to meet up on Saturday’

‘Yeah well my whole weekend is free so whenever’s good for you’ Louisa said amiably.

‘Well how does eleven thirty this Saturday at Paolo’s sound to you?’ Josh said.

‘Sounds great’ Louisa said cheerfully ‘you know I picked up my favourite violin last night and played for the first time in months my left arm is killing me’

‘Well if you pick it up again tonight and on a regular occurrence that ought to go away fairly quickly’ Josh said ‘I had the same problem last year when I had my appendix out and couldn’t play for two weeks’

‘I have the feeling it might take longer for me I haven’t picked up any of my instruments since I was in Florida’ Louise said.

‘Well if we’re to make ‘jamming’ as you put it a regular occurrence you’ll have to pick it up more than twice a year’ Josh said with a laugh.

‘Well to jam with you I’d play all the time’ Louisa said.

‘Are you flirting with me Louisa Riminton?’ Josh said with a great snort of laughter.

‘Oh ha ha ha’ Louisa said dryly ‘if you like. You flirted with me I’m just returning the compliment. I don’t do it with everyone’

‘Glad to hear it’ Josh said ‘well I’ll let you go for that job interview. Good luck and I’ll see you Saturday morning alright?’

‘Okie dokie thanks for ringing back Josh I thought for a while you wouldn’t’

‘Oh did I give off those vibes?’

‘Nah you didn’t. You strike me as someone who keeps every promise they make I dunno maybe I’m a bit sour on the world’ Louisa said ‘maybe if I get back into the violin again I’ll brighten up a bit’

‘You seem pretty bright to me’ Josh said.

‘I’m a good actor’ Louisa said ‘I think because I’ve been on the move so much and not had the time or energy to play It’s gotten me down a bit’

‘Possibly I don’t know you well enough to say’ Josh said ‘maybe that will change’

‘I hope so’ Louisa said ‘I’ve got your number on caller I.D now I’ll ring or text you Saturday when I’m on my way okay?

‘Sure thing I look forward to hearing from you’ Josh said an idiotic smile spreading across his face ‘see you Saturday alright?’

‘See ya!’

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Josh rose early on Saturday morning and went for a run on his treadmill. He got off after half an hour as drenched in sweat as he usually was after a concert. He had a steaming hot shower then dressed and Strad in hand caught a cab to Fifth Avenue a feeling of nervousness that usually preceded his concerts swirling around his stomach.

Even before he got out of the taxi Josh could see Louisa had already arrived. She was dressed in a long flowing bright blue baby doll dress belted at the waist that accentuated all her curves and her dark red hair was styled in a messy up do held in place by a fancy silver clip. Gone was the heavy eye makeup and all she wore was a light touch of blush and lip gloss. Over her right shoulder hung two cases, one violin ad one viola. She saw Josh and waved excitedly. He waved back and got out of the cab his breath momentarily taken away by her natural beauty.

‘Hi’ she said brightly as the taxi re-joined the Manhattan rush.

‘Hi yourself’ Josh said catching a subtle whiff of her perfume (was it Paris?) ‘How did that job interview go?’

‘Oh brilliantly I had a try out shift yesterday and was in charge of this huge colic operation on this Clydesdale stallion. It was touch and go for a while but I saved the horse and reckon I may have done well enough to get the job’

‘When do you find out?’ Josh asked.

‘The chief partner in the practice said he would call me with a yes or no by Wednesday’ Louisa said an excited gleam in her eyes ‘they’ve had tons of applications for this job and one of the theatre nurses told me I was the thirty seventh applicant. It’ll be a tough get but I’m reasonably confident without being arrogant’

‘Well I hope you get it’ Josh said ‘shall we go in?’

‘Sure’

Josh opened the door to Valentino’s and allowed Louisa to enter the sweet rosin smelling shop before him. Instantly the proprietor a short and skinny man wearing a blue and white apron and inspecting a half sized violin looked up. Recognition instantly flooded his features.

‘Ah Joshua you come-a into my a shop again you feenesh a tour no?’

‘Last week’ Josh said bending down to allow the man to kiss him on each cheek ‘I need some bows rehaired. This is my friend Louisa. Louisa this is Paolo Valentino the best Luthier in the business. He keeps my Strad in perfect working order’

‘Ah ciao bella you beautiful lady!’ Paolo said to Louisa brightly kissing her in the same manner as he had Josh ‘you play violin too?’

‘Yeah a bit but not professionally’ Louisa said going bright red ‘and I muck about on the viola too’

‘Lovely lovely. You need me to look at your instruments?’

‘Just my viola’ Louisa said taking the blue case off her shoulder. It needs restoring. I can’t tune it anymore and the tuning pegs won’t stay in the one spot and I think it might need a glue and varnish and a new set of good quality strings’

‘Come come come into the back room and I see!’ Paolo said beckoning her and Josh through to the back room.

Josh followed Paolo and Louisa into the back room and sat down on one of the stools near a cluttered workbench as Louisa opened the viola case to reveal a stringless dark caramel coloured viola. Paolo took the instrument out of the case and put a monocle in his left eye before turning on a bright desk lap to inspect the piece.

‘Is it worth restoring or should I use it for fireplace kindling?’ Louisa asked after a few minutes of watching Paolo tapping the viola all over.

‘No no bella it a fine instrument. Very old. Where you get it?’

‘Texas’ Louisa said ‘about twelve months ago for a thousand dollars at a deceased estate auction. It had strings on it then but shortly after it lost it’s sound. The vendor told me his grandmother used to play it in the early nineteen hundreds’

‘Could it be a Strad?’ Josh asked Paolo in interest.

‘Ooh I doubt it Joshua Stradivarius viola very rare’ the older man said ‘but worth more than thousand dollar. You got bargain Miss Louisa’

‘It made a lovely deep sound when I first played it’ Louisa said reminiscently ‘but I think it may have been dropped at some point it sort of feels loose y’know?’

‘Yes yes it feel loose’ Paolo said putting the instrument under his chin ‘I theenk it have been dropped. Very sad. It may not be Stradivarius but mebbe around the same time. Very least Strad impression’

‘God I’d die if it were a Strad’ Louisa said to Josh ‘I don’t know if I could afford the insurance premium’

‘It’d be worth pulling extra shifts to pay for it though’ Josh said putting his own case on the end of Paolo’s work bench.

‘Can you fix it Paolo?’ Louisa asked ‘it’s a lovely piece and I’d play it all the time if it were in working order at the moment it's nothing more than firewood’

‘Oh yes bella I can fix will take about a month. I need to specially make tuning pegs and chin rest needs replacing’

‘Oh great, go to town on it then’ Louisa said relief flooding her features ‘do what you have to make it playable again’

‘How about bow? You need new one or rehair?’

‘I think this one is a rehair job’ Louisa said taking the threadbare bow from within the case ‘I asked the vendor if this was the original bow and he said he didn’t know or care. He thought what he was selling me what a violin’

‘Simple rehair job’ Paolo muttered to himself inspecting the mahogany coloured stick ‘you play viola much bella?’

‘Not as much as the violin’ Louisa said ‘I haven’t played either for six months’

‘She taught herself how to play you know’ Josh said ‘off watching videos of violists on YouTube’

Paolo’s thin grey eyebrows mimicked the McDonalds logo.
‘Really Miss Bella? You must show me!’

And with that Paolo left the room and disappeared through a nearby door that had a violin calendar hanging off it.

‘Oh you just had to tell him that didn’t you?’ Louisa said to Josh in mock anger ‘now I’m going to have to play’

‘Hey you’re going to play for me, I doubt playing for Paolo is any scarier’ Josh said with a grin.

Louisa just rolled her eyes.

Paolo returned a moment later carrying a dark mahogany brown viola and matching bow.

‘You play for me Miss Louisa?’ he said holding out the instrument ‘please?’

‘Oh okay’ Louisa said going pink and taking the instrument from the man ‘I don’t know how good I’ll be though. I haven’t played for months’

‘I no mind, I no mind you play what in your heart’

Louisa out the viola under her chin and dragged the bow across the A string. She tuned it to her liking then immediately launched into ‘Ave Maria’

Josh watched Louisa close her eyes and lose herself in the piece. Her petite fingers danced over the fingerboard and her vibrato brought a new life and romance to the music. He closed his eyes and let the deep warm tone of the viola’s music fill him up.

He was shaken out of his reverie minutes later by Paolo clapping enthusiastically.

‘Ah Bella that beautiful! You play beautifully’

‘Aw it wasn’t that good’ Louisa said going bright red.

‘Yes you were’ Josh said unzipping his Strad case ‘that was beautiful to listen to seriously it was’

Louisa went a brighter shade of scarlet.
‘Thanks’ she mumbled ‘anyway never mind me show me the Strad!’

Josh took his violin out of its case and fixed the chin rest to the lower bout. He then put it under his chin and began tuning it.

‘Jesus I can’t believe I’m actually in the same room as that instrument’ Louisa said in admiration ‘this is like an aircraft enthusiast being at the same airport as Air Force One’

‘Would you like to fly Air Force One then?’ Josh said holding out the Strad.

Louisa’s eyes went as wide as saucers.
‘Oh no, no way’ she said ‘Josh that violin is worth four million dollars! All my assets aren’t worth half that! I’d be too nervous. I’d drop it’

‘Well if it helps any I trust you’ Josh said ‘I don’t think you’ll drop it’

‘Go on Miss Louisa this once in a lifetime experience!’ Paolo said enthusiastically ‘go on’

‘But it’s a Stradivarius!’ Louisa protested weakly.

‘Yes we’re quite aware of that fact’ Josh said in amusement.

‘Are you sure? God Josh that violin is your baby’

‘I trust you’ Josh said ‘go on. Play whatever you like. Mary Had a Little Lamb, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star whatever does it for you. Just think after today you can tell your university lecturer you played the Huberman Strad’

Louisa gave him a searching look then reluctantly took the Strad.
‘Well Carpe Diem Dad always says’ she said ‘but I’m not playing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star you play that on fire kindling’

‘Something by Dvoøák?’ Josh suggested.

Louisa lit up.
‘No’ she said ‘I know!’

Louisa out the Strad under his chin lifted the bow and immediately began playing the Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet.

Josh stood back in awe. This totally gorgeous Australian was producing a different sound with his most prized possession. The tone was perfect as she put just enough pressure on the strings with her fingertips and the technique of the bow across the strings was perfect. As when she was playing Paolo’s viola she closed her eyes and lost her self in the music.

Josh himself had played this particular piece of music hundreds of times over his career and it was one of his favourites to play, but hearing it this time was totally different. It was like hearing a prodigy play for the first time. He and Paolo stood rooted to the spot and totally transfixed as the bow slid gracefully over the strings and Louisa’s fingers danced over the finger board.

There was split second of silence after Louisa finished playing. Josh and Paolo stared at the younger woman incredulously.

‘Christ the Strad has never sounded like that!’ Josh said in disbelief ‘that was brilliant! Tell me why you didn’t get into playing professionally again?’

‘Because being an animal doctor was my bigger passion’ Louisa said taking the Strad from under her chin and staring at it as if it were an interesting museum piece ‘My god I so cannot believe I just played a Strad! And the Huberman one at that!’

‘You look like a little kid in a candy shop’ Josh said in amusement as Louisa ran her fingers over the violin as if caressing a lover.

‘I feel like one’ Louisa said holding out the precious instrument to him ‘thank you so much for letting me play that. It was a true privilege’

‘Oh bella it was a privilege to hear you play!’ Paolo said enthusiastically bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet.

‘It was’ Josh said taking the Strad from her and putting it back in its silk bag ‘you don’t sound like you’ve gone six months without playing’

‘Well I’ve practiced like mad the last couple of days maybe I just fell back into the groove’ Louisa said her face a fine shade of pink.

‘You must’ve practiced non stop’ Josh said handing three bows over to Paolo who inspected each piece carefully.

‘Well I did sleep and eat at some point’ Louisa said with a grin unzipping her own violin case to reveal a mahogany brown matt finish instrument ‘this is my own favourite instrument. I inherited it from my Dad’s mum when she passed away. It’s the first violin I played in high school’

‘How old Miss Bella?’ Paolo asked curiously.

‘Well Nanna died in nineteen ninety three and played it up til then. She told me her father my great-grandfather bought it from a luthier’s estate sale in Tasmania when she was fourteen in nineteen thirty eight. Apparently it was brand new then. This is the violin I busked with in Los Angeles’

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Josh and Louisa spent two hours in Paolo’s shop. Playing their instruments and having deep, in depth conversations about their shared passion with then little old Luthier. They then had a quick lunch at Pieces before going to Gramercy Park where Josh lived.

‘Oh the grounds are gorgeous!’ Louisa said with a sigh as their taxi roared off.

‘I’m not home much to enjoy them unfortunately’ Josh said as they waked towards his apartment ‘but the acoustics are great’

‘Lead the way’

Josh led the way through the green leafy grounds of the gated community and into the large red brick building at the back of the lot. He and Louisa then took a lift to the third floor before walking down an enormous old hallway their footsteps echoing.

‘Have you lived here long?’ Louisa asked as they came to big antique style door decorated with many artistic embellishments.

‘About fifteen years’ Josh said poking a key into the old lock ‘the apartment was the first thing I bought when I started making a serious income from the violin. I doubt I’ll live anywhere else, come in welcome to the cave’

Josh stood aside to let Louisa walk inside surreptitiously looking at her backside as she walked past.

‘Oh wow this place is lovely!’ Louisa said walking further into the spacious apartment ‘it’s three times the size of the matchbox I was in when I lived in Manhattan. Where should I set my gear up?’

‘Loungeroom’ Josh said ‘by the piano there are two music stands set up there, excuse me for a minute I need to make a trip to the bathroom’

‘D’you want me to take the Strad though for you?’

‘Thanks’

Josh gave his case to Louisa then turned left and went to his bedroom ensuite. He relieved himself then washed his hands and face.

‘God J look at you’ he said to his reflection in the basin mirror ‘you’ve got the most gorgeous woman down the hall in your apartment and don’t know what to do. Are you stupid?’

Feeling even stupider for talking to himself Josh dried his hands and face then returned to the main part of the apartment where Louisa had her violin out and was tuning it her head cocked to the side like a curious puppy.

‘Okay what d’you fancy playing?’ Josh asked getting his Stradivarius out.

‘Let’s start off simple like elementary simple and work up huh?’ Louisa said ‘my favourite piece to play of all time is Amazing Grace. How about I take the melody and you take the harmony?’

‘Sounds good’

And so it began.

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Photographer in the Park