Chapter 15

When Clarisse wheeled her suitcase out of Veloria Airport, sunlight poured gently through the clouds, casting a golden warmth across her shoulder. For the first time in a while, she felt at ease. She had come to this city of music to pursue her love of the piano once more. The apartment she rented sat in the heart of the city. It was not large, but it was clean, bright, and cozy. It was equipped with a well-tuned piano and a south-facing floor-to-ceiling window. Her favorite part of the day was always the same. When the sun was high and steady, she would sit by the window and play. The light streamed through the glass, dancing across the black and white keys, while her fingers followed the shifting glow, fluttering across the keys like wings in flight. Every note carried bits of her pain away. With each day of repeated practice, her spirit settled into peace with the melody. It had been months since that broken marriage came to its end. The agony and confusion had long since bee