[Modern operatic duet: male baritone and male tenor. Expressive orchestral accompaniment. A short, unsettled doorway motif recurs throughout. Speech-like opening; broad lyrical refrains.] [Prelude: low strings, sparse piano. Three quiet knocks introduce the doorway motif.] [Baritone, inside, restrained, speech-like] I knew your knock before your voice, My hand went still upon the door. What brings you here after the silence? What have you come to ask me for? [Tenor, outside, hesitant, longer melodic phrases] I’ve stood here searching for the words, And every one sounds like excuse. I thought we did what they had wanted— [Baritone, interrupting] Then tell me what **you** chose to do. [Strings tighten. Baritone, hurt breaking through] You knew, and never called to tell me. You went, and left me unaware. By the time you told me they were gone, The last goodbye was over. [Tenor, controlled, trying to explain] They said it was our parent’s wishes. I feared they’d keep me out as well— [Baritone, sharply] So you kept quiet. You could go. [Brief silence] I didn’t even know. [First Refrain: Baritone, broad, sustained melody. Orchestra expands.] You stood inside And let me stand outside. You had your chance to say goodbye. You took that choice away from me. Now you are standing at my door. What are you asking of me? [Tenor, defensiveness falling away; phrasing becomes fragmented] I wanted my own chance to mourn. I feared that chance would disappear. I let them tell me to keep quiet, And left you waiting, unaware. [Baritone, increasingly urgent] And when you came home from the funeral, How long before you called my name? Did you rehearse what you would tell me? Did you think their wish excused your choice? [Overlapping Duet: both sing simultaneously. Tenor’s pleading melody against the baritone’s sustained refrain. Orchestra builds.] [Tenor] I wanted my own chance to mourn. I feared that chance would disappear. [Baritone, overlapping] You stood inside And let me stand outside. [Tenor] I let them tell me to keep quiet— [Baritone, overlapping] You took that choice away from me. [Orchestra cuts off. Silence.] [Tenor, exposed, almost unaccompanied] I told myself I had no power. [Pause] I had your number. I could call. [Single quiet chord] I cannot give that morning back. I should have told you. That was mine. [Baritone, quietly, after a breath] That’s what I needed you to say. [Low strings return. Baritone, tender but guarded] I don’t know how to trust you yet. I still have questions you must hear. If I open this door a little, Can you let my anger be here? [Tenor, simple, steady; no pleading] I’ll listen, though it hurts to hear it. I won’t ask you to spare me that. You should have known. I should have called. I cannot take my silence back. [Final Refrain: Baritone, same melody, softer. Sparse orchestration.] You stood inside And let me stand outside. You had your chance to say goodbye. You took that choice away from me. [Doorway motif returns, gentler. The door opens slightly.] [Baritone] I’ll open just enough to hear you. Tell me what happened. Take your time. [Tenor, softly] Where do I start? [Orchestra falls silent. Baritone, almost spoken] The day you knew. [A quiet, unresolved orchestral chord. No final swell.]
