Herman watches her leave, easing himself down on the creaky piano bench. He sits there for a few moments, lost in a contemplative reverie. The utter silence of the room is deafening, just as the noise was only a few minutes ago.

He turns in his seat and stares at the keyboard. Middle C and its surrounding octaves. Right there. He reaches out a hand, it hovers over the keys -- he can almost feel some kind of warmth radiating from them like a blush.

It's then that he notices a line of white film on the dark wood panel, dried and flaky. It's his turn to blush. He doesn't know if it's his or Fritzie's, but he rubs it off with his thumb. Though he can't help smiling in a secretive way as he does it. And as if closing the book on this particular chapter, he slides the lid down over the keyboard.

He sits there a while longer.

Then he decides it's time for a hot shower.

He gets up, sheet music tucked under his arm, and after a glance back at the quiet piano, he leaves the stage.