The Piano Man

XVII. Good Chat

"The family - that dear octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape, nor, in our inmost hearts, we ever quite wish to." Dodie Smith

----

XVII. Good Chat

"Did you take a taxi out here?" Sophie asked as she turned her head down the street, looking out for a black cab.

"I did, but I was nearly late with how long it took to drive out," mused Noah. "Thought I'd ask for those subway lessons early."

Sophie grinned. The tube was so much easier. They walked together, chatting, to Gunnersbury Station. Sophie enjoyed the ease of their conversation, liking that they could chat about something as menial as movie genre tastes when only yesterday she had been blubbering in front of him.

"You like romantic comedies?" Sophie asked in disbelief.

"Don't you?" Noah countered.

"Well, yes, of course. But I've never met a man brave enough to admit to liking them."

"Well, perhaps I'm more secure in my masculinity then," Noah joked. "Some of my favourite film scores are from romantic comedies."

"The music makes you feel warm and fuzzy, does it?" Sophie smirked.

"Yep," Noah replied confidently as they walked inside the station.

Sophie led Noah over to the tube map and watched in amusement as Noah's eyes widened in shock. She could understand how the tube might seem overwhelming to tourists.

"What the hell?" he gasped. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is supposed to be easy, right?"

Sophie laughed. "It is. Look, see here," she pointed to Gunnersbury. "We are here. And where are we going?" she asked. It occurred to her that she didn't actually know which hotel Noah was staying at.

"The Savoy," he replied.

Sophie sucked in a breath that got stuck in the back of her throat, forcing her to cough. Oh dear, what luck. Not only was the Savoy one of the most expensive hotels in the city, it was also where her parents used to take her for High Tea when she was a child. Her memories of that place were filled with lectures about table manners and posture.

"Alright, well, I suppose we would get off at Covent Garden." Sophie pointed to Covent Garden Station. "The train lines are all colour coded. We are on this line here." Sophie ran her finger along the green line. "This is the District Line. Covent Garden is on the Piccadilly Line."

"Do we need to go to a different station?" Noah asked.

"No, you see these little white bridges?" Sophie showed him the symbol. "That means it's an interchange station. We can switch trains at South Kensington, and we'll be taken to Covent Garden."

Sophie could see that Noah really had no idea what she was talking about, but she loved that he was listening. "Come on, I'll have you travelling like a true Londoner in no time."

Sophie helped Noah to buy an Oyster card and then took him onto the train for the first time. It was quite busy for a Sunday, and so they both had to stand, but it only made for several opportunities to spontaneously grab hold of the other as the train jolted and moved. Every tough made Sophie blush, and smile like a teenager with a big crush.

They passed the time by continuing to get to know each other's random little interests.

"Last song you listened to?" Noah asked curiously.

Sophie smirked, thinking that he would like her answer. She pulled out her phone and tapped her music library. She was halfway through a song. She spun her phone around to show him the screen, and a wide grin spread across his face.