บท 9: Piano

The following day, early in the morning a knocking sound spread out the floors.

'knock knock'

"Emilié?" came Sashas voice.

"..."

'knock knock'

"Emilié, are you awake?"

".."

Sasha's repeated knocking, met with silence. He woke up early to plan something with Emilié, the sun just raised a while ago and since he is used on waking up early in the military barracks his habit stayed.

Not thinking that Emilié would be still asleep Sasha went in.

"Emilié, I'm coming in you know!"

Opening the door, Sasha met with complete darkness, with not the slightest light beam escaping the closed curtains. There wasn't even a night light on.

Emilié liked to sleep in utter darkness, it reminded her of the time in Bethea's womb where she was safe and comfortable.

But now she was unplaesently woken up by her father, who shouted like a mad man for her to wake up and ripped off her curtains and windows open to let the first sunshine and cold breeze of the winter morning in.

Emilié was getting colder and she pulled herself into her blanket, like a caterpillar into his cocoon, the opposite of what Sasha wanted to achieve.

"No, no, wake up! Don't wrap yourself in!" Having a half amused smile on his face, he went to her bed and picked her up together with the blanket, and brought her to the closet to change her out from the pajamas to something warmer.

After changing, Emilié was wide awake and curiously watched at her father to inquire, why he woke her up so early.

Naturally sensing what Emilié wanted to ask, Sasha told her what he planned. "Hmm, you want to know why daddy is so early? We are going to do something special, just the both of us. Since I'm here why not have some father and daughter time together."

While speaking he brought Emilié out of her room going up the stairs to his study on the third floor.

Normally the third floor was off limits for everyone in the house, but today was a special case.

Emilié wasn't sure what he was going to plan so early in the morning, but now that Claudia wasn't there she didn't mind to have some father-daughter time, even through she would prefer Claudia more than this three days bearded, old man.

If Sasha knew what kind of impression he had in Emilié's head, he would cry out feeling wronged.

Yes, he was old, but not that much and the beard was only because he rushed home to see her! He hadn't had the time to shave!

He opened the door to the study, it was an elegant styled room with a pure flair, than what one would have expected from Sasha's masculinity.

In there was a white couch with a glass table, filled with sandwiches for Emilié's and Sasha's breakfast, wich was prepared outta Sasha's wish.

The floor was planked with a light colored wood, with pots of green plants and different kind of flowers distributed around the room.

And the windows reached from the floor up to the ceiling, with a great view in to the flower garden outside.

But what instantly catched one's eye, was the big, white, piano in front of the window. Even if it looked sophisticated, it gave off a melancholic feeling and Emilié was right away captivated by it.

"Would you like to learn how to play it?", asked Sasha in a mellow voice, as if she would refuse if he didn't ask her softly with a gentle smile.

Precisely this was Sasha's goal, to capture Emilié's interest and make her divert her time and attention to another direction.

He read an article about music therapy with mentally challenged persons and that most people experience positive responses to music, it has also been used to help decrease maladaptive behaviours and reinforce positive behaviours; which too can increase language and communication skills.

This could help Emilié to come out more of her little shell and redirect her disorders into a positive way.

He waited for Emilié's consent which was a nod and walked to the piano, putting her on his lap and making themselves comfortable.

"We are going to play one song and afterward eat breakfast, ok? You have to refuel your energy to endure until this afternoon."

Ruffling her hair into a mess out of his happiness, he slowly taught her step by step how to play.

He started with something she already knew and what was not so difficult to play, a lullaby 'Twinkle Twinkle little star', which was taught to him by his mother when he was small.

For Emilié this was really exciting, she loved music and always wished to play an instrument, but hadn't had the time for it in her previous life.

She was grateful to Sasha, that he fulfilled her wish.