Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
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.”
After getting help unbuttoning my gown, I carefully removed it and put it in a garment bag. I said my goodbyes to everyone and started down the long hall that ran past the bathrooms and up to the lobby.
I came to an abrupt halt when I saw Nancy.
“Nancy, what a pleasant surprise.”
She scowled at me. “Looks like you’re getting everything you wanted.”
With a tilt of my head, I gave her a questioning look. “How exactly would you know what I want?”
Rolling her eyes, she took a step closer to me. “He’s going to get bored with you, and when he does, I’ll be waiting. If there’s one thing you should know about me, Emma, it’s that I’m a very patient person.”
I laughed. “I’d say so. I mean, not many people would have waited for the best friend to pass away before making a move on their husband.”
A low growl came from the back of her throat. “You mark my word, Ms. Nanny. You’ll be gone by the first of the year. I see it when he looks at you. He’s bored already. I just hope that when he fires you, this little gig,” she motioned around the hallway with a smirk, “will be able to pay your bills.”
Smiling, I said, “It’s always not a pleasure seeing you, Nancy.”
Her smirk vanished when my words sank in.
“Toodles!” I called out as I swept past her and made my way to the lobby.
The moment I saw Aiden, the tightness in my chest eased.
He leaned down and kissed me. “Everything okay? You look tense.”
“I ran into Nancy, but everything’s perfect.”
He groaned. “Let me guess. She told you I’ll get bored with you.”
“Yep. And that she was patiently waiting in the wings.”
“She’s going to be waiting there forever.”
I chuckled. “Let’s go. I’m starving.”
“Someone told me there’s a pot of Emma’s famous chili at the house,” Lance said.
“Dad, you’ve never had her chili, so how do you know it’s famous?” Aiden asked as Lance swung Hadley up onto his shoulders before we walked out into the frigid night air.
“I’m sorry, son, have you not eaten any of her food?”
Patty laughed. “Hadley, sweetheart, are you riding with your daddy and Emma or us?”
Hadley looked at Patty and covered her mouth to keep from giggling. “You and Papa.”
I gave Aiden a questioning look, and he shrugged.
Once we were in the truck, Aiden mentioned he needed to make a quick stop for gas.