Mila sang with surprising depth, Riley kept rhythm with my ukulele and even kitchen spoons, and I played my violin with a new warmth. David, usually distant, began to watch us during rehearsals, his face softening in a way I hadn’t seen for a long time. Our music room transformed from a place of solitude into a place of connection, where laughter and notes filled the air.

One evening, as the sun set and we sat on the porch with glasses of wine, David surprised me by bringing up the idea of kids. “Four,” he said with a grin. We laughed and agreed to two, but in that moment, I realized I was ready to open my heart to more than just music. That unexpected week, full of noise and little feet, had brought us closer in ways I never imagined.