She'd put me through lessons, of course, but like most kids I whined until she let me quit.
Esme noticed my preoccupation with her piano.
"Do you play Chopin?" she asked, inclining her head toward the piano dramatically.
I shook my head. "No."
"'No,'" she laughed. "Fredward didn't tell you he was... musical?"
"No," I glared at his suddenly innocent expression with narrowed eyes. "I should have known, I guess."
Esme raised her delicate eyebrows in confusion.
"Fredward can do everything—and he can to it really good." I confessed.
Jasper snickered and Esme gave Fredward a reproving look as Fredward glared at Jasper.
"I hope you haven't been showing off—it's rude," she scolded motherily.
"Just a bit," he laughed. Her face softened at the sound, and they shared a brief look that I didn't understand.
"He's been too modest, actually," I corrected. "In fact, I'm sure there are tons of things that he does real good that he hasn't even shown me yet... "
"Well, play for her," Esme encouraged.
"You just said showing off was rude," he objected.
"There are exceptions to every rule, Fredward," she replied, gesturing at me. Everyone in the room felt an overwhelming, unimaginable sense of understanding. I looked at Jasper and saw he was nodding his head sagely.
"It's settled, then," Esme pushed him toward the piano. He pulled me along, sitting me on the bench beside him.
Fredward gave me a long, exasperated look before he turned to the keys.

326

Chapter 15

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