Chapter 5: The Songs That Belong to Everyone
The east parlor felt larger now, the tension leaving the room along with Victoria's perfume.
Ethan stood in the center of the marble floor, holding his daughter. He looked down at Rosa, who was standing there with her arms crossed, looking at him with a mixture of disbelief and guarded hope.
"I didn't know, Rosa," Ethan said, his voice thick with an emotion he hadn't allowed himself to feel in years. "If I had known... I would have torn the world apart to get back to you."
"I know," Rosa said softly, looking at the way Lily was resting against him. "I see it now. I see how you look at her."
Ethan carried Lily over to the grand piano, bypassing the broken porcelain. He sat down on the long mahogany bench, keeping the little girl securely in his lap. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a clean handkerchief, gently wiping the remaining tears from her round cheeks.
"You like the piano?" Ethan asked her softly.
Lily nodded, her dark lashes fluttering. "It sings. But the mean lady said my hands were dirty."
Ethan looked down at her small, spotless palms.
May you like
"Your hands are perfect," Ethan whispered, his throat tightening. "And this piano belonged to my mother. She used to say that music is the only thing we own that can't be taken away by money."
He placed his large, scarred hand next to hers on the ivory keys. "Want to show me your song?"
