“She rallied again yesterday. Dr. G says it still might be a few days before we know if she’s going to get rid of the infection for good.” She walked beside him and moved them in a different direction toward the music room.
“Ah. I was hoping you’d bring me here.” They sat on the bench side by side. “Will you teach me how to play one day?”
“I’d love to.” She touched several keys, then tilted her head toward him, and their lips met in a soft kiss.
When he pulled back, he ran a finger over her cheek. “I might not have expected God to work like this, but marrying you is exactly what I want.”
“Me too.” Heat continued to fill her chest and neck.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but it’s good to see you two happy.” Melanie’s no-nonsense greeting came from the door. “Looks like we still have work to do. Rick, you just received a wire.”
Chaisley relished his closeness as she listened to Mel’s steps and then heard the envelope rip open.
“Oh no,” Rick breathed.
She felt him stiffen. “What is it?”
“Ernst vom Rath—a German embassy official in Paris—was shot by a young Jewish man. The SIS is certain Germany will retaliate.” He kissed Chaisley’s cheek. “Do you mind if I head into town?”
“Not at all.” Every time a new report came, it never seemed to be good. As things spiraled, her hope that Hitler could be stopped waned. Would they be at war soon? Would it be the war to end all wars?
“I’ll be back as soon as I can with news.” He moved from the bench and his quick steps made her heart ache with his absence. How long could she keep touring Europe when such atrocities kept happening? But how else could she continue to help?
Her mind felt like a pendulum swinging one way and then the other. Wanting to hope. Spurred on to action. And then discouraged that they couldn’t possibly do enough. Or afraid that the Nazis would come after them next.
“Everything okay?” Mel replaced Rick on the cushioned piano bench.
She nodded, then shook her head.
“I had a feeling.” Mel nudged her with a shoulder. “Want to talk about it?”
Chaisley played an A-minor chordfortissimo, followed by an arpeggio of the same chordpianissimo.“Did you know why the piano has its name?”
Melanie tinkered with a few notes above her. “Tell me.”
“The piano’s predecessor was the harpsichord, but there was no volume control. Only so much that could be conveyed. No dynamics. No emotion, really. The piano was first called apianofortebecause it can be played both loud and soft. With all variations of dynamics. Over time, most people simply called it a piano.”
She ran her fingers down the white keys. “I never understood what was missing in my life—but now I do. My life before Rick was like the harpsichord. Full of beautiful music, but there wasonly one volume. Now that I know love, my life is like the pianoforte.” She lifted her hands and placed them in her lap. “I don’t want to lose that, Mel. I don’t want to losehim. And this world keeps getting scarier each day.”
Thursday, November 10, 1938—Kristallnacht
Rick stood outside Chaisley’s bedroom door before sunrise, doing his best to calm his breathing from running up two flights of stairs. It was awful enough to have to wake her at this atrocious hour, but the news he had to deliver would shake them all. No, it would be worse than that. They would be devastated. Heartbroken.
He lifted his hand and knocked.
A minute later, the door opened. “What is it? Is it Grandmother?”
Even with her hair disheveled and tired eyes, Chaisley was beautiful.
“Your grandmother is fine. Please, we have to talk immediately. I’ll be down in the parlor after I wake Melanie.”
She nodded. “I’ll be right there.”
Within five minutes, the three of them were huddled in the parlor.
There was no way to say this gently. He leaned his elbows on his knees and fisted his hands. “I’ll get right to it. The Nazis have done something unthinkable throughout all of Germany and its territories.”
Melanie straightened beside Chaisley and wrapped an arm around her. “Go on.”
