Instant Family (30 page)

Too astounded to do anything else, he did. Chloe removed her
gloves, revealing a slim white bandage over her injury, took her guitar
from its case, and perched herself on the edge of the couch. She played
a series of beautiful chords, a rising progression of notes, set up a
slow, rhythmic pulse. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't tell what it
was until she began to sing. His breath caught as her soft, clear voice
delivered the opening line.

For him. She was singing for him. Tender, loving, special. Wonderful. He couldn't move, riveted to his seat by the depth of the love
pouring from her fingers and voice. This message was as clear as if
she'd shouted it at him. It stunned him with its weight and its total,
wondrous unexpectedness. If he shifted even the smallest muscle,
he knew he'd collapse in a blubbering heap.

Chloe plucked the last chord, allowing the notes to fade into the silence of the room. Her voice had been shaky from nerves, and she'd
missed a couple of notes. Alex sat like a statue. The swift, covert
glances she'd managed while she played had revealed his stern
expression and stiff posture. She remained with head bent. He was
waiting for her to leave. She'd failed. He didn't know what to say to
her, how to let her down gently. Too embarrassed by this display. A
tear dropped from her cheek and plopped onto the shiny wood of the
instrument cuddled in her arms.

Then the guitar was lifted from her embrace and laid aside carefully. She raised her head to discover Alex kneeling before her with
tears in those beautiful blue eyes. He cupped her face in his palms
and ever so gently pressed his lips to hers. Chloe slipped from the
couch into his arms and into his kiss, into his life. Into her future.

"I didn't sing very well," she murmured when she was able.

"Yes, you did." He rose to sit on the couch, pulling her into his lap,
where she snuggled into his arms. "Old Van and Rod have got nothing on you"

"I'm sorry I turned you down."

"It doesn't matter now," he whispered against her cheek.

"It does. I couldn't bear it. I didn't know how to make it right. I
...thought after that note..."

He grimaced. "That stupid note!"

"Will you ask me again?"

"Yes. One day. When you're ready" He grinned and kissed her
again.

After a time Chloe said, "I will marry you, Alex, but I want to finish my degree first. I only completed half of it."

"You can do whatever you want, my darling, as long as I'm involved. I couldn't bear it when you said you didn't want me in your
life."

"I'm sorry. I was stupid. Actually..." She giggled. "Seb said we
were both stupid."

"Smart boy."

Chloe nuzzled her face into his neck. "I should go home. They're
on their own."

"I'll come with you."

Alex sat next to Simone on an uncomfortable plastic chair in
a school hall packed with parents and relatives. Katy sat beside
Simone, and on Alex's other side Seb and Julian joked together in
their usual fashion. He was surprised when they said they'd come
tonight. At seventeen, a primary school music concert wasn't their
usual choice of entertainment on a Friday night.

"I think I'm more nervous than they are," he said to Simone.

"They'll be wonderful."

"They should be. It sounded great at home. But, well..

"Don't worry. Chloe's a full-fledged professional now."

It wasn't Chloe he was concerned for. They'd all been to her recent graduation recital. He knew she was brilliant. No, these nerves
were for the just turned ten-year-old making her debut as a performer.

Mrs. Purcell, the principal, took the microphone and began talking
about the benefits of music in a child's development and how proud
she was of all the students taking the stage tonight and how difficult
it was to stand up and perform in front of a crowd.

"Most people would prefer to jump out of an airplane," she said.

"I wouldn't," Simone muttered.

"Neither would I." He looked at the program again. First up was
a little girl playing the piano, then two flutes, a clarinet, another
piano, and then they were on.

The Owl and the Pussycat, Stephanie Bergman, voice, accompanied by Chloe Gardiner guitar

The first performer was so nervous, she had three false starts before
charging through her piece so fast that half the notes were missing. The flute duet was very good; the clarinet squeaked and sounded like
a duck. Alex had to dig his elbow into Seb to stop him from laughing.

"Shh. What if people react that way when Steffie and Chloe
play?" he whispered during the relieved applause.

"Don't be ridiculous. They won't sound like that."

"That's not the point. It's rude"

"Sorry, but I didn't know you could get noises like that out of a
clarinet. That kid's got a rare talent."

Julian snickered. Alex shook his head, grinning. Those boys were
incorrigible, way too smart for their own good.

Only one more piece, and they were on. His mouth had gone dry.
He needed a drink of water. Would Steffie need a drink? He hadn't
given her a water bottle. The next boy played the piano like a virtuoso, earning a thunder of well-deserved applause. Hard act to follow. But Chloe was a professional; she'd support Steffie and cover
up any mistakes. What was he thinking? They wouldn't make mistakes. They'd be brilliant.

His two beautiful girls walked onstage and bowed. Seb gave an
ear-piercing whistle, while the rest of the family clapped like lunatics.
Steffie giggled and glanced at Chloe, who was smiling calmly and
setting her fingers on the guitar strings.

Great deliberation, overseen by Katy, had gone into their dress tonight, resulting in tones of blue. Steffie in sky blue, long silky hair
pinned back with a sparkly clasp courtesy of Katy, Chloe in dark
blue. Both lovely, one dark-haired, the other golden.

Chloe strummed a chord. Steffie drew a breath and began to sing.

Her voice was pure and clear and perfectly in tune. Who knew
she could sing like an angel? He hadn't, and neither had Lucy, sitting two rows back, as proud as he was. Chloe was the one who had
discovered this talent. Chloe, who coaxed the love of music from his
confused, difficult little girl and produced the confident, happy child
onstage.

In the chorus Chloe sang harmony, her smooth, mellow voice supporting Steffie's. Alex closed his eyes briefly as the memory of that
special, wonderful night, the night she sang her love for him, flooded
back. The first time he'd heard her sing. Three and a half years ago
now, and it still choked his throat. Thank goodness she'd decided after a few months that she couldn't wait years to marry him, and they'd
tied the knot before Christmas.

The song ended. His beloved adopted children jumped to their
feet, cheering and applauding their sisters. Simone dabbed at her eyes
with a tissue in between bursts of clapping.

Alex pounded his palms together, gazing at two of the people he
loved most in the world, holding hands and bowing now as they acknowledged their applause.

He would've waited for Chloe forever.