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Nora only sed, finding herself in a rareher discoan playing again

"The Moonlight Sonata is a strange piece of music," Søren said "It’s been called a Lamentation You can feel that when you play it, can feel the sorrow and the need in the endless repetitions It’s sigios allow great freedom of expression Too much freedom in untutored, unskilled hands They say Beethoven wrote it for a seventeen-year-old countess, the Countess Giulietta Guicciardi Heto seduce her"

"It would have worked for me"

"It did work for you"

This time Nora sain she slid her hands lovingly over the piano "My God, the criainst nature that have been co to ifted those hands of yours are"

"Some decorum please We are in a church, Eleanor," Søren reminded her with only a playful hint of sternness about his lips

"Forgive me, Father" She composed her features into a pantoive you anything But don’t think you won’t be called upon to do your penance someday"

Before she could respond, the unmistakable squeak of sneakers on hardwood sounded outside the door Another louder squeak followed that one and then the shrieking giggles of children

"Duty calls" Søren rose from the bench

Nora walked with him down the aisles and into the hall outside the sanctuary They followed the sound of the children from the church to the annex that housed the fellowship hall and the church kitchen Søren led her into the fellowship hall that was part gymnasium, part reception area, and before her was a scene of animal chaos Her mental description proved even more apt as a boy dressed as a sheep careened by them

"What on earth?" Nora asked as they found a quiet place near the kitchen

"The children are practicing for Sunday’s Passion play," Søren explained

Everywhere children ran to parents, froh parents As Søren’s presence becaan to reassert itself She had always admired that about Søren He let his presence speak far more often than his words

Nora’s eyes stopped on a wouely familiar As her features came into better focus, Nora placed a name to the face--Nancy James, one of her favorite ine that it was only five years ago that she still attended this church, babysat these kids, chatted with these parents Nora was finally able to catch her eye and smile It took Nancy a nition Five years…it felt like just yesterday, it felt like a o

"Did they know about us?" Nora inclined her head toward a group of parents She kept her voice unnecessarily low With all the children she could have screamed the question at Søren without fear