“Go on,” I said as my heart started to hammer in my chest.
“He also said that he needs a piano teacher—who’s classically trained. I told him I wasn’t sure if you’d be interested, but?—”
“Yes!” I cried out, then slapped my hand over my mouth. “Aiden, that would be a dream come true!”
“He said he’d work around your schedule as much as he could, but they mostly practice during the day anyway, when Hadley’s in school. He also said if you were interested, you could start as soon as possible.” He smiled widely. “I bet if you gave him a call right now, he’d be happy to talk to you.”
I could hardly hold back my tears as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a business card.
“Aiden, this is truly the bestest day of my life!”
Laughing, he pulled me onto his lap and kissed me softly before leaning his forehead to mine. “I love you, Emma.”
Feeling my tears slip free, I cupped his face in my hand. “I love you too.”
* * *
The room was dark until a spotlight hit me and the piano. With a deep breath, I started the beginning notes of “Carol of the Bells”as the light slowly grew to encompass the entire orchestra. It wasn’t long before I was completely lost in the music.
The sound of my fellow musicians joining in caused me to smile, and I looked up at Doug on the conductor’s podium. Since I was a little girl, I’d dreamed of playing with an orchestra, and I could hardly believe I was sitting onstage at the performance center.
After a few more Christmas songs, Doug turned to the audience.
“We have a very special performance planned for you. Our pianist, Emma Middleton, will be playing Beethoven ‘Moonlight Sonata’ with our orchestra, adding a bit more to the overall feel of the piece.”
Doug turned and looked back at me. I nodded, and he gave me the motion to begin. Even though we’d practiced the piece over and over, I was still moved by the music. I could feel the energy in the entire theater and knew others were just as moved.
I closed my eyes and let my fingers do what they loved doing, overwhelmed by the incredible feeling of being able to do something I was passionate about, and the knowledge that Aiden and Hadley, and everyone else I’d come to care so deeply for, were here with me tonight.
My fingers moved seamlessly over the keys as the melody moved through me. When I played the last note and it slowly faded away, it was so quiet in the cavernous space that I forgot I wasn’t alone for a moment.
Looking up, I saw Aiden in the front row. He stood and started to clap as he brushed a tear from his face. My eyes moved down to Hadley, who was smiling up at me. I stood and made my way to the front of the piano and took a small bow. It was our show-ending piece, and I felt emotionally drained, but in the best of ways.
In the lobby a short while later, I heard Hadley’s sweet little voice calling out to me. “Emma! Emma!”
I bent down to catch her as she jumped into my arms.
Patty cried out, “Oh, Hadley, watch out for Emma’s beautiful gown.”
Hadley smiled. “I helped her get dressed!”
Patty chuckled. “I know you did, and you did an amazing job.” She faced me. “Emma, the more I hear you play, the more moved I am. That was all so amazing, but that last piece. It was so… I don’t even have words.”
“Daddy cried.”
Aiden laughed as he said, “Hey, no ratting out your father, young lady.”
“What does that mean, Daddy?” Hadley asked with a crinkled-up nose.
“I’ll explain it later.” Aiden turned to me. “Did you need to change?”
With a nod, I reached up and kissed Aiden.
“Daddy and Emma sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!”
“Okay, little one, that’ll be enough,” Aiden said, as he picked up a giggling Hadley. “Meet you back here in a few?”
“Sounds good.”
