“We can ask her this morning how Emma’s doing, if she thinks a trip would be good for her. I can’t think of anything better.”
He was surprised how giddy he felt that she was going to go to Ireland with him. It was as if a knot he felt in his belly were loosening. It had just come out of his mouth, unplanned. He really hadn’t thought about it at all.
Well, maybe without knowing it. He hadn’t really wanted to be separated from either Molly or Emma.
“What time is her appointment?”
“Ten o’clock this morning.”
“Let’s see what she says before we make definite plans, then.”
Molly straightened the sash on her robe, a glamorous peach silk thing that she’d obviously borrowed from Eve Lord, her stepmama. He wondered what she’d look like without it. She gave him another smile. “Ireland, huh? Did you go there alone before?”
“No,” he said. “I didn’t.”
“No,” she said, “I don’t suppose you’d do anything alone unless you wanted to.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Even with a burn on your back, Ramsey, a lot of women would find you an appealing kind of guy.”
“Thank you. Go back to bed, Molly. It’s too early to be up and about yet.”
“What about you?”
“Yeah, now that we’ve made some plans, I think I’ll sack out for another hour myself. I’m not nervous and uptight anymore. It’s a miracle.”
She nodded, then her smile fell away. “Oh yes. I’ve made the arrangements for a small memorial service for Louey this afternoon, here on the estate. I even found a Presbyterian minister to come and give a service.”
“It’s good,” he said. “It’s good for Emma.”
“I hope so.”
“EMMA, are you ready to play ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ for me?”
“Yes, Dr. Loo, I think so. But I haven’t played a piano seriously for a long time.”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind.”
Emma straightened her new piano on the low coffee table. Dr. Loo sat in a chair, Ramsey and Molly on a love seat opposite her.
“Don’t forget the variations, Emma,” Ramsey said.
This time Emma didn’t hesitate. She took a deep breath, one that sounded appallingly adult, and played with one hand the simple notes of the song, beginning with F. Once she’d played through the tune, she added the left hand. It sounded classical, like Mozart. The next time through, she changed it to a jazz sound, then to a definite John Lennon feel.
Dr. Loo blinked. She looked shell-shocked. When Emma finished, she leaned forward, took Emma’s small hands between hers, and looked her in the eye. ‘Thank you, Emma. You’ve given me great pleasure. I hope someday to hear you perform at Carnegie Hall.”
“What’s Carnegie Hall?”
“It’s where great artists from all over the world come to perform. It’s in New York City. I heard Liam McCallum play the violin there. It was an incredible experience. You could be there too, Emma.”
“Yes,” Molly said, “I think she might.”
“My papa never played at Carnegie Hall,” Emma whispered, not looking up from her keyboard. “But he was a great artist, Mama said so.”
“Yes, he was,” Molly said. She looked as if she was going to burst into tears. Ramsey sat forward. “I have one of your dad’s CDs, Emma. Even though he didn’t make it to Carnegie Hall, everyone in the world can hear him. All his music will live on.”
“That’s what Mama said.”
“And when was the last time your mama was wrong?” Ramsey said, lightly stroking his fingers over her French braid, one that he’d done himself. It wasn’t bad, hardly crooked at all, and the plaiting looked pretty smooth.
Emma raised her face then. She thought really hard. “It’s been a long time,” she said finally. “Maybe two months ago.”
Ramsey laughed.
“Now,” Dr. Loo said. “It’s time we talked about you going to Ireland with your mama and Ramsey.”
Emma said, “I don’t know what Ireland is, Dr. Loo.”
“It’s a beautiful wild country that’s across the ocean. It’s a place to enjoy, Emma, a place where you can look at things and maybe see them in a different light. It’s a place where you can stop being afraid, where you can play your piano, where you can run in the mornings with Ramsey and play Frisbee with your mama, and have picnics. It’s very beautiful, Emma. You can sit on the rocks and dangle your toes into the water. It’s so cold you yip in surprise. You’ll be with two people who love you and want you to be safe and happy. What do you think?”