She missed it.

And she laughed — a real laugh, the first in a long time.

“I haven’t done this in years,” she said.

Robert stood silently in the doorway, and did not speak, because his throat had closed.

Fifteen minutes later a hesitant melody began to emerge, and it lasted less than a minute, but when it ended Grace was smiling.

“I thought the illness took this from me too,” she whispered.

Emily hugged her.