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It was a nice spring evening, fluffy bright clouds sprinkled the sky, adorning a big, round, warm sun. Open doors and windows welcomed the breeze inside, gently making the big old curtains that dangled from the tall ceiling dance.
The manor was quiet most days, but today was one of the exceptions, it was the day her niblings had come to visit, and to say the least, the kids were quite active. Running across the halls, rooms, outside - there was only one rule: no running on the stairs.
When Eliza’s twins and Aquila were together, the chaos multiplied. Those kids had enough energy to light up that entire countryside town.
Aquila loved to visit aunt Marge and aunt Haty. They had many farm animals and plants! Even the spiky ones! And their house was so big! It was perfect to play hide and seek with so many curtains and rooms, or tag with all the open space!
Also auntie Marge played the piano when they were together and she gave mini lessons to Aquila, so they practiced a little together, it was fun!
“I will get you!” Pollux yelled.
“In your dreams!” She laughed as she ran past the front door, turning the corner she hid in the bushes, Pollux ran right past her hiding spot. She put both hands on her mouth so he wouldn’t hear her.
She got out and walked to the glass door that led to the greenhouse. She could stay there until he got tired of looking for her outside. Aquila leaned over the flowers, but her eyes gleamed when she saw the succulent’s corner. She skipped next to them, staying at a safe distance and poked one of the thorns.
Ouch. She giggled.
“Ha! Found you!”
She saw Pollux out of breath on the door step and squeaked, running to the opposite door that led to the music room, her cousin running in tow. She felt his hand almost touch her arm, so she jumped to the side, hitting the sideboard table.
Crash.
The two kids froze. Aquila looked down, the antique lampshade had fallen and broken, scattered porcelain shards all over the white marble floor.
“Oh no. Oh no no no. ” She crouched and tried to pick the pieces.
“Aquila? Pollux?” A second later she heard a distant, worried voice coming all the way from the kitchen. “Is everything okay?” She heard the voice getting closer.
“Uh…” Pollux started. “We are okay. The lamp isn’t…”
Aquila felt her heart tighten, everything in her auntie’s house was old. Papa and dad always said that you need to be careful when you’re in other people’s houses, because things are very special to them. And she broke it.
“Kids?” An alarmed Margareth arrived at the scene, her wife was just behind her. “No no no, don't touch that, you’re gonna get cut.” She warned Aquila with a waving hand, who was kneeled on the floor.
“Sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t see it.” She held the pieces in her hand very carefully. “Can we glue it?”
Margareth kneeled in front of the girl and cautiously took the shards from her hands. “It’s ok baby, don’t worry about it. Did you get hurt?” She looked at her and then Pollux.
“No.” She said and Pollux shook his head.
The ginger girl looked down again. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” She sniffed, lips trembling as tears filled her green eyes.
“Aw, don’t cry!” Marge gave her a pitiful smile and tilted her head, using her thumb to catch the first tear to roll on Aquila’s freckled cheek. “It’s ok, really.”
“Really? But it was special, wasn’t it?”
"Special?" Margareth looked back at Hatysa, who was just a few steps away peeking at them through the dining room door frame, and then scooped closer to Aquila, whispering. “Can I tell you a secret?”
“Uhum.”
“This lamp?” She scrunched her nose at the broken pieces. “I didn’t even like this old thing. I’m glad you broke it.” She smiled at the ginger.
Aquila widened her eyes. “Really? You’re happy?”
“Yeah!” She grinned. “Just don’t tell your auntie.” She put her index in front of her lips. “Now,” She said, getting up and resting her hands on her hips. “You two get me the broom and the dustpan in the laundry room so we can clean this up, will you?”
“Aham!” Aquila smiled, jumping to her feet.
The two kids helped clean everything up. Aquila followed aunt Marge closely when she went to throw the shards and the broken lamp in the trash.
"There you go. Please be more careful next time, okay?"
“Uhum… Aunt Marge?”
“Yes?”
“Can we play together?”
“On the piano?”
“Yeah!”
Marge chuckled at her excitement as she closed the trash bin and patted her jeans. “Of course we can. You know I can’t refuse that offer.”
Aquila smiled brightly and giggled. The following hour, the manor was lit up with bright music (and lots of random hammered keys) as the kids had their fun playing and experimenting with the baby grand, Marge helping them do scales and teaching basic music theory with lots of fun exercises.
They stared in awe as their auntie played for them a little, Aquila couldn't get enough of watching her hands swiftly swinging from octave to octave, the notes reverberating with her soul.
She longed for the moment she could play just like her aunt. Aquila could clearly see it, in a cozy night the two of them playing soft notes as their family was gathered around just enjoying the music.
And she'd remember this day, when she broke that lil' old thing, as just another day of beautiful melodies.