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I clapped, and Aiden bounced Hadley around in his arms to celebrate.
“That’s wonderful, pumpkin.”
Hadley beamed with pride. “I love you, Daddy!”
My heart tripped over itself as I watched Hadley wrap her arms around Aiden’s neck. Overcome with emotion, I turned and quickly made my way to my car. They didn’t even notice my departure. It was for the best; I needed the constant reminder that I was only the nanny.
Nothing more.
Just the nanny.
When I walked into the house, I drew in a deep breath. With Hadley staying the night at Tammy’s and Aiden helping his parents, I wouldn’t need to reheat the lasagna I’d baked earlier. Instead, I threw together a plate of fruit and veggies in case he wanted something to snack on later that evening. I knew how much he loved the showSuits, and he enjoyed nibbling on something while he watched.
“Don’t be stupid, Emma,” I mumbled to myself. It was Friday night. A single man with his daughter away for the evening? He would certainly be heading out.
With a heavy sigh, I grabbed my keys and purse. I could either get to my apartment from upstairs off the balcony, or via a set of stairs off the garage. I opted for the balcony, and as I walked through the house, my eyes landed on the piano. I paused to stare at it, tried to ignore the itch in my fingers to play, and failed.
Slowly making my way over, I sat on the bench. My hands came up and I played just two keys before snatching them back at the memory that surfaced.
The sound of Chopin’s “Marche Funèbre” filled the air as I played the piano. It was my only source of escape from the world I felt trapped in. The notes swirled around the room, allowing me to flee into the beautiful world of music, but thoughts of my marriage soon intruded, like always.
When I’d first married Ben, he was so loving toward me. I truly felt as if I’d found the love of my life. How quickly that changed. Before long, he’d started to belittle me with his words. I was never good enough. Pretty enough. Smart enough. He got so angry when his friends flirted with me, then made sure to tell me they only wanted to get between my legs because I dressed like a floozy.
The music got louder as I played the keys harder.
Tonight, he was gone. It was a rare reprieve.
On the outside, everyone thought I was so happy. Only two people knew how untrue that was. Ben and my mother.
“Don’t give up on him, Emma. Be grateful you have a husband who hasn’t left you and stop complaining about every little thing. A few bruises are nothing when it comes to having a beautiful home and security.
Her words rattled in my brain as my fingers moved faster on the keys.
Then I felt his hand on my shoulder—and I froze. The words out of his mouth were cold and filled with disappointment.
“That freaking song is so sad. Play something not so damn sad, Emma.”
“I feel sad,” I whispered so softly he wouldn’t hear as I played “Für Elise” by Beethoven.
Grabbing my hair, he pulled my head back and looked at me with an evil smile. “That’s better. At least you’re good for something. Piano and sex. Get undressed. I’m taking you on this bench.”
My eyes flew open as I pushed the memory away. Drawing in a deep breath, I placed my fingers on the keys and closed my eyes again.
I wasn’t sure how long I played before I felt the air in the room shift. I quickly pulled my fingers away and started to stand when his voice stopped me.
“Don’t stop, Emma. That was amazing. What are you playing?”
Glancing over my shoulder at Aiden, I replied, “Mozart’s ‘Rondo Alla Turca’.”
“Please keep playing.”
I did as he asked. The music was fast and playful. It had always been one of my favorites. My mother hated it, and so I’d made it my mission to master this piece first. The way my fingers moved over the keys from muscle memory made my heart fill with joy. I closed my eyes again and got lost in the music until I played the last notes with a smile on my face.
When my eyes finally opened, I looked up to see Aiden standing to the side of the piano, staring at me, his eyes wide and his mouth gaping open.
“My gosh, where in the world did you learn to play like that?”
I could feel my cheeks heat. “Lessons, starting at the age of six until I was eighteen.”
