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Music filled the rectory’s coain Slowly the next song started “Music of the Night”

He sighed in anticipation Thehim into the world of the phantoing and unrequited love

He remembered—as he always did—the first tione to the theater together Sitting beside her, feeling her presence, seeing the sparkle of the floodlights reflected in her eyes, he’d felt close to Heaven

Let your fantasies unwind in this darkness which you know you cannot fight…

Francis sang the words loudly, pretending for a second that he had talent That he had a lot of things The h, pure notes as quivering and sweet as the song of a bird

perched in the air, then they dove and tangled and became melancholy

And the sadness calorious chords Francis understood the pain in the phanto in the shadow of the woman you loved

Ah, Madelaine, he thought with another sigh

“Francis?”

He jerked upright, blinking at the sudden glare of sunlight that spilled through the rectory’s open front door

Lina stood in the doorway, backlit by the ile, dwarfed in her baggy pants and army jacket But it was her eyes that drew his attention, made him frown in sudden concern

He kicked down the La-Z-Boy’s velour footrest and shot to his feet “Lina, honey, what is it?”

She didn’t answer

“Lina?” He s the sunlight had blurred The way she stood, hooked to one side, half in and half out of his doorway, the swollen redness of her eyes, the cheeks stained blue-black by mascara and tears

And he knew Lord help hi broken and lost Madelaine had told her the truth