Aimee touches the piano keyboards of the rosewood, Mason and Hamlin, model A. Her hands connect with the wood that encompasses the instrument, her fingers tap lightly on the white and black keys. Her heart thumps, and she touches the skin on her arm that feels cold to touch. Her mind races at the suggestion of playing again.

"Is it to your liking?"

Aimee nods in response to her uncle's question but is incapable of verbalising the mixture of excitement and fear coursing through her veins.

"Is it tuned?" he probes, trying to ascertain her state of mind.

"I'm about to find out."

Aimee circles the instrument, harnessing inner strength to touch the keyboards, and takes a deep breath in and then exhales, releasing all the air from her lungs. She sits down and puts her hair in a bun, a force of habit during her many practice sessions.

Aimee hesitates slightly before pushing the first keys to test the instrument. Her fingers retrieve the familiarity of each note and music fills the room. Aimee's tense frame relaxes with each passing note, allowing Beethoven's sonata to speak through her. Her fingers long for the musical release, and her mind escapes to her own inner world. A world where she is at peace. A world where Justin is still alive. The tragic and expressive sonata removes her from reality. Aimee is no longer playing at her uncle's restaurant across the world. Instead, she is in a world of her own where her emotions reign freely and her thoughts are safe.

In the kitchen, Callum hears the notes playing and recognises the intensity that only Aimee's musical devotion can bring to a room. He stops chopping the onions and for a moment closes his eyes and immerses his thoughts in the melody.

"What are you smiling about?" Josie enquires.

"I missed listening to her play. She'll be playing for hours. Won't even notice the guests."

"It's lovely." Josie responds by listening intently to the music being played in the room outside the crowded kitchen. The melody blending with the rhythmic chopping in wooden boards, the stirring of pots, and the sizzling of pans.

Josie knew she had two cousins in England, but she never expected to meet either of them. Every time she approached the subject with her father, the only explanation given was that England was too far away for them to visit. It was an obvious lie that she never dared to contradict.

"I never heard her play before," she mutters.

"It's been a long time since I've heard her play myself," Callum responds and continues with his task methodically.

Josie observes how Callum cuts each onion so precisely at a mechanical speed. His wrist movement blending with the sweet melody at the piano.

"It's such a sad melody," Josie says, feeling every note passing through her skin as if she's gone through a light electricity discharge that sets her epiderm alight with goosebumps.

Josie can still remember the day the phone rang at the restaurant. It was early morning, and they were getting ready to set up for a wedding ceremony in the farmhouse. She picked up the phone, and unbeknownst to her, spoke for the first time with her cousin, Callum. She will never forget her father's face at the news that his younger brother had passed away.

"Does she always play such sad melodies?"

Callum stops cutting the vegetables, and stares at Josie. His eyes are murky with stubborn tears. "I guess that's how a musician mourns."

Josie nods and doesn't prod any further and focuses instead on progressing with her own tasks for the evening. She takes the water jugs and places them at each table, stealing glances at her cousin that plays in the background, with a beautiful dark blue knee-length chiffon dress.

Josie thinks of the Aimee she saw in the morning, feisty and ready to take over the large surfer that dared to defy her. Josie realises that outside that feisty exterior lies a broken girl that is playing through her own emotional turmoil.

Aimee's absence of her own surroundings with each played note allows guests to fill in the physical space of the quaint restaurant.

Charlie Forsyth is the first of the clan to arrive at the restaurant. He sports a full beard and wears a slick blue suit with a white shirt. Charlie is the middle child of the Forsyth family and the next CEO of the family's company. By his side is his gorgeous wife, Eva, that wears a simple black dress adorned with a beautiful sapphire necktie and plump red lips that match her golden hair.

"Good evening, Jack," Charlie announces with his thick Aussie accent. "I love what you did to the place and on such short notice. Thanks, mate."

"Nice to see you, sailor." Jack refers to Charlie by this nickname because of his constant travelling for business. Jack leans softly and gently plants two kisses on Eva's cheeks. "Gorgeous as always, Eva."

"Always the charmer," Eva responds.

Jack signals Josie, that carries a tray with champagne glasses. She approaches and offers drinks to the trio.

"Josie, it's so nice to see you. You haven't been around the house lately," Eva remarks with a candid smile.

"I've been busy showing my cousins around," Josie replies.

Eva's eyes widen. "Of course, I forgot you told us about them. They're here already?"

"For two weeks now," Jack says. "Josie has been showing them around."

Charlie takes a sip from his drink. "And how is it going?"

Jack smiles, beaming with pride. "Better than I expected. In fact, they are helping me out tonight. Callum is in the kitchen helping with the food prep, and my wonderful Aimee is the one playing the piano."

Eva stares at Aimee, that plays with her back to them. "She plays beautifully. It's hauntingly gorgeous."

"It reminds me of your dad playing," Jack declares. "He always had such a raw emotion behind the piano."

Eva glances back to Aimee while taking a sip from her drink. "He used to love playing in the restaurant. More than his own house." Eva says, with a timbre of emotion in her voice.

Charlie embraces his wife to comfort her about the mention of her dear father that departed a year ago.

"And we loved having him at the piano." Jack points outside to a car that has just parked. "I see Matt has arrived. I'll leave you to it and join you later."

Josie and Jack depart, leaving the couple on their own, with Eva's attention still on Aimee. "Do you think she will be available to give some lessons to Izzie? Since dad died, she has had no one helping her with the piano."

Charlie holds his wife's hand adoringly. "No harm in asking her."

Eva smiles at him lovingly.

"Let me greet Matt and go over the announcement," he says.

Eva takes Charlies' tie in her hands and adjusts it. "Do you think your other brother will show?"

Charlie sighs, "Honestly, maybe it's best if he doesn't" He leans over and places a gentle kiss on her temple before meeting Matt by the restaurant entrance.

The two men are only 3 years apart, but Matt denotes a harsher tone than his younger brother, that still carries a jovial sense of humour.

"G'day, G'venor," Charlie greets his brother.

"Always with the jokes, Charles. Is everything set?"

"Jack has done an awesome job, and everyone is here. Mom and dad also arrived this morning. Your lovely wife picked them up from the airport." He points at an elderly couple that is talking to Josie while she serves them some canapes. "And the who's who of the town is also here." Charlie points to a couple of businessmen from Byron Bay with close ties to the family. "As you requested."

Matt cocks an eyebrow. "Everyone is here?"

"He'll show up. You know how he is."

"That's exactly the problem. I know how he is. This is a big deal for me, Charlie. It's not every day that one of us is a candidate for the city council. I just don't want his problems to drag down this night or my candidature."

"He's been going through his motions. Give him some time to readjust." Charlie nods and smiles at some guests that arrive. "It's a beautiful evening, with good food, and fantastic music, and you'll be doing your announcement soon, which will be greeted with enthusiastic cheers by your family and supporters. Just enjoy yourself for once."

Matt adjusts his cufflinks and practices his charming smile for a few of the local reporters already on site. He embraces his brother and poses for the camera. Before entering the restaurant, his blue eyes turn into iced diamonds when he leans to Charlie and whispers. "I have given him five months. The nonsense needs to stop now. If you don't stop it, I will."