*****111:

Tracy sat on the edge of the piano seat, once again, feeling Greg's legs framing hers while his hands played alongside hers on the keyboard. It would have been easier with a second piano, but they both seemed to like the closer contact. She'd managed to show up at nine even though she had originally called and told them she thought it wasn't possible for her to get away. The General, who was visiting with her mother, had graciously demanded he stay and get the boys, Christopher, Kelly and Steven settled. They had shopped all day for beds and dressers which had been delivered and set up before the boys arrived around dinner time, their social worker with them, not their father.

"Is it odd having another Steven?" Jimmy asked.

Tracy nodded, concentrating. "Yes. I thought it would be even worse than it is, but somehow it's oddly comforting saying his name, but attaching it to another little boy. And are they darling kids, my goodness, they are adorable! I got the two oldest into school, they'll start tomorrow, first and kindergarten, and Kelly can go to Preschool and Grandma Coral's on Wednesday. It's ideal."

"So, your life is taking on routine once again." Greg said in her ear and Tracy shivered.

"Yes, quite."

"And you move fast, as fast as light. I was shocked to see carpenters there today and the doors finished by tonight."

"The upstairs one is just a door, a regular door, and the downstairs one is more of an extension to the hall. It's not really a door, you can't close it off." She said evenly.

"It's time to record this." Greg announced.

"Okay." She agreed.

"Do you want to do it ourselves, ask Mark or Tim to come in? Or do you want me to get Michael here tomorrow?"

"Mark... or Tim." She said and executed a perfect set of chords and then began a new song.

"It's a whole record of piano music." Jimmy told them.

"I don't mind. It fits the mood we're in right now." Tracy decided.

"You still have all that stuff from last winter to finish. Want to take a listen?" Jimmy said as Greg used the cell phone to call Mark, their recording specialist.

"You have it?"

"Michael had us keep it here."

"Sure, let's listen." And she braced herself to hear the sounds of songs she had written last year when hearing the music was no trouble at all, songs for Raine and Richard, and Austin and Danny.... She knew what to expect....

But when they came on they did hit her like a ton of bricks and she steeled herself-- as each new melody began-- to feel nothing, and to let on nothing, but it didn't work and after a few minutes she felt herself slumping into Greg's arms and crying her eyes out.

******