As the days pass, I find myself getting even more attached to the twins. At first, I was worried about having to deal with Theodore every day, but a quick conversation with Xander on a phone call let me know that he is currently on a work trip, fully occupied, and I should not be expecting him home for days.
And so, I am able to give Emile and Ethan my full attention. Our daily routine has consisted of homeschooling and chores, followed by hours of playtime in my room.
"Ok so let's try to play it again," I say as I hand over my violin to Emile. She quickly sets it up how I taught her and folds her face in concentration.
Emile is the one who came up to me and asked me to teach them how to play the violin. At first, it was hard figuring out how to teach two young children to do something I learnt to do a long time ago, so when both of them begin to make progress I can only attribute it to them being naturally talented.
"That was so good, Emile," I say after she plays a few jerky but clear notes. "You have made so much progress."
A beaming smile spreads across her face as she passes the instrument to her brother sitting besides her.
While Emile rushes headlong into each new lesson, Ethan sits back and learns at a measured pace, his eyes lighting up with concentration as he picks up the basic skills.
So when Ethan easily picks up the melody Emile has been struggling with, I'm not surprised. What does catch me off guard is Emile's reaction.
Her face falls and her eyes well up with tears. "I hate playing this stupid violin," she exclaims with a trembling voice as she slams her bow down. Before I can react, she has jumped off the bed and runs out of the room, disappearing down the hallway In a flash.
In the silence she leaves behind, Ethan and I stare at each other and he offers me a small smile that does nothing to distract from the deep sadness in his eyes.
"She misses mommy," he says, his voice barely a whisper. "Mommy used to play the piano and Emile thinks that if she learns how to play an instrument, she can feel closer to her."
I am caught off guard as Ethan's words settle in like a puzzle piece. I have been working with the twins for weeks now and yet this is the first time I have heard either of them speak about their mother and I groan internally as I guess why.
"Ethan, can you wait here for a minute? I'll be right back." I hurry down to the kitchen, where Mrs Jenkins is busy preparing lunch.
"Mrs Jenkins?," I say slowly. How do I bring up such a sensitive topic? Maybe it is not my place to, but Emile's tear stained face flashes in my mind and I know I need to ask.
"I'm sorry to pry, but what happened to the twins' mother?"
Mrs Jenkins' hands pause mid motion and she turns to face me with a look of surprise and a hint of sadness. "You didn't know?" she asks with a low voice. "She died in an accident years ago."
*****
"We're here!" I say to the twins as we step out of the car. The afternoon sunlight casts a warm glow on the building as the twins inspect it curiously.
"Where is this?" is Emile's sulking response, but I can see the glimmer of excitement she has been trying to hide in her baby blue eyes since I told her we are leaving the house.
"Welcome to Harmony studios, the best music studio in the city," I say as we walk to the door. My voice drops to a whisper when we get closer to the entrance. "It is my dream to one day own it but don't tell the owner yet."
Ethan lets out an amused chuckle but Emile's face remains passive as it has throughout the drive here.
As I open the door, a symphony of sounds envelopes us, captivating the twins. A wide grin grows on my face as Ethan's immediately lights up and Emile's eyes widen.
"Well?" I ask, my eyes glistening with excitement. "Are you ready to enter a world of music?"
I lead them into the building, the sound of music growing cleare and more vibrant as we pass practice rooms where musicians hone their craft. The twins stare at each passing musician in awe and a sad smile filled with longing falls on my lips. One day, I will be the one playing on the other side of the glass, my music inspiring awe and admiration.
We arrive at a cozy room, a magnificent piano at the center. The pianist seated on it greets is with a nod and immediately begins to play a whimsical melody that fills the twins with wonder.
She starts out slow, but the familiar sound of "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" soon fills the room.
It was hard to convince the pianist to grant me this favor, even harder to convince Mrs Jenkins to let us come here.
But all that is worth it when I see the joy on the face of the twins. They stare at the piano, the simple melody holding them in a trance.
Ethan's eyes remain fixed on the pianist as the final notes fade away. "Wow," he breathes. Emile's gaze meets his and she completes his thoughts. "That was beautiful."
I pause, letting the lingering emotion from the music settle in before I steer the conversation to the real reason I brought them here. "You know, I think your mother's love for you is still very much alive," I say, repeating words I told myself after my parent's death to cope with the grief. "She might not be here physically, but I'm sure she would be incredibly proud of the person you're becoming, not just because of your talents, but because of who you are individually. You don't need to learn an instrument to know that."
I end with a small reassuring smile, not wanting to say more than I should. While I have experienced loss myself, I can't dictate what the twins have had to deal with since the passing of their mother. But I can support them as they process their grief.
Emile's eyes immediately fill up with tears and I instinctively open my hands, inviting her to seek comfort in them. She collapses into me, her small body shaking with sobs. Time stands still as she cries, her tears soaking into my shoulder.
When we are back home, I hold Ethan's hand as I carry a sleeping Emile up to her room and slowly lay her down on her bed, kissing her forehead before closing the door behind us.
"Ethan, are you ok?" I ask, concerned that he might feel left out.
"Thank you, Miss Nova, for helping Emile," he replies instead with a sincerity that is surprising coming from a seven year old.
I squeeze his hand reassuringly. "Anytime, Ethan."
As we walk down the hallway, I see a sliver of light coming from a door I have only ever seen locked close. "Ethan, why don't you go ahead and meet Mrs Jenkins? I need to use the restroom for a minute."
Once Ethan disappears from my view, I approach the door cautiously, my heart beating faster. I push it open and the door creaks softly, revealing an office.
Theodore's home office.
As my eyes land on the documents on top of the desk, Kai's plan echoes in my head.