"Your sister is killing it out there!" Josie screams in between orders.

Callum smiles at the compliment while plating up three plates adorning each plate with a small lilac flower as a final touch. "Do you think your dad will mind if I go out there?" he asks.

Josie chuckles, "Of course not!"

"I'm taking five, chef," Callum announces, and takes a plate with a red mullet served with black garlic and saffron sauce, and a glass of bubbly.

He walks over to his sister, places the food and the drink on the piano, and draws her attention, for the first time, to the outer world. "Thought you should eat and drink something, and maybe take five?" he asks, cocking his head amusedly.

Aimee stops playing and smiles at her brother. "How did you know?" Aimee picks up the food and drink and they both quietly make their way outside the entrance of the restaurant. Aimee looks around the room. "It's so full already."

Callum chuckles.

Aimee notices his amusement. "What?"

Callum elbows her amusedly. "I'm just remembering that time when pai set the kitchen on fire with his attempt at flambe, and while the three of us were running around trying to put out the fire, you were in the living room playing. Your face when you entered the kitchen and saw the black smoke and the windows open. It was priceless. We could tell you had no clue what just had happened."

Aimee smiles at the shared memory. "I miss him."

Callum nods in response and looks at his brown shoes.

"Hey, maybe we can call him. What's the time in London now?" Aimee squints momentarily, doing the calculation in her head quickly. "9 am. That's perfect. He probably just arrived at the office."

Callum taps his pockets. "Shit. Left my phone in the kitchen. Let me run inside quickly and we'll call him."

Callum runs inside and Aimee pecks at the food on her plate. Her eyes focussed on the piece of fish. She walks a few steps away from the entrance distractedly until she bumps against someone. Her drink spills outwards, while the plate spills onwards over her dress.

She gasps, "I'm so sorry!" her cheeks turning red with mortification.

"What the fuck!" a male voice voices out.

Her eyes lift recognising the voice.

"You... it had to be you, pommie!"

Her eyes flare with anger. The surfer is in front of her. A black tuxedo and a white and grey striped shirt have replaced his wetsuit. His wavy hair is neatly combed and his unruly beard is reduced to a light stubble. But his infuriating attitude has not changed.

His hands shake off the residue of wine that Aimee poured on him. "Can't you see where the fuck you're going?" he grunts.

Aimee looks at her cocktail dress and the food that is sticking to the fabric. "I said I was sorry," she mutters.

Liam scoffs, "You're going to pay for my dry cleaning."

Aimee stares at him, infuriated at his tone. "I'm not paying for a damn thing! Can't you understand an apology when you hear one from all the way up there?"

Liam towers over her menacingly. "Get out of my way, pommie!"

Aimee closes her fists in anger and considers, for a moment, to step aside. But, driven by a thoughtless instinct and frustration with the man in front of her, her arms decide to push him forcefully. "Stop calling me that!"

Liam looks amused at her attempt to enter a physical altercation with him. "Are you really trying to hit me?"

Aimee's eyes widen, and Callum's voice is heard. "Step away from her."

Liam stares at Callum briefly, provocatively.

Callum's voice raises again. "Leave my sister alone."

"What are you going to do about it?" he taunts Callum.

Callum wavers and glances at his sister that shakes at the altercation. Callum closes his fist and charges against Liam. He throws the first punch that connects to Liam's face. Liam touches his face and displays a wicked smile of inner satisfaction while his tongue grazes over a tiny cut on his lower lip.

"Callum, stop!" Aimee tries to intervene.

Liam aggressively paces towards Callum and lands a blow in his gut that forces Callum to contort his torso forward. Liam takes advantage of his position and places Callum's head in an armlock, displaying his physical agility and strength. Callum's face turns red as the air stops circulating to his brain.

Aimee screams in panic. "Leave him alone! You're hurting him!"

"Liam!" Charlie roars from the door where he stands.

Liam glares at Charlie and releases Callum. Aimee runs towards her brother, that coughs uncontrollably while trying to regain his breath.

"Charlie," Liam greets his brother.

Charlie walks towards him and pushes him to the wall. "You promised me," he says through clenched teeth, "I said best behaviour."

Liam snickers. "Guess I couldn't help myself."

Charlie looks at his brother disappointedly and lets him go. He turns his attention to the twins. "Are you okay?"

Callum nods while still coughing.

"Liam, get inside. Matt is waiting for you." Charlie says without lifting his eyes from the twins.

Liam rearranges his suit and walks past Aimee. He lingers his blue eyes on her, taunting her.

"What happened?" Jack appears from inside the restaurant. "Josie said she heard some commotion here?" his eyes look in Callum and Aimee's direction.

Liam walks past Jack. "Good evening, Jack." And disappears inside the restaurant.

"Were you two in a fight?" Callum adjusts his white uniform, ignoring the question.

"It's my fault," Aimee interjects.

"What happened?" Jack asks.

Aimee shrugs her shoulders and looks at the floor. "It's my fault."

Jack's face hardens. "So you've said..."

"It was nobody's fault. It's all over now." Charlie flashes his best smile to diffuse the situation. "I assume you're Callum?"

Callum straightens his posture and nods.

"Your appetiser was marvellous. Can't wait for the main course, mate."

Jack signals Callum to make his way back to the kitchen. Aimee reaches and touches Callum's arm gently, apologetically. Callum looks down and disappears back to the kitchen, avoiding looking at his sister.

"And you are wonderful at the piano. I hope you continue to grace us with your skill." Charlie flashes a warm smile to Aimee.

Aimee lowers her eyes to the ground. "I think it's enough piano for tonight. Besides, my dress is ruined."

"I can help with that," Eva makes her presence noticeable. "I always have a spare dress in the trunk of my car. In between Matt's politics and Charlie's meetings, I never know when I need a decent outfit at the last minute. You're about my size," she flashes a dazzling smile. "Come with me."

Jack encourages Aimee to follow Eva and Aimee obliges, leaving the two men alone by the restaurant entrance.

"I'm so sorry, Charlie."

Charlie pats Jack on the back. "I'm sure it was Liam's fault. We both know him and his temper. He's on thin ice with Matt and my patience is also wearing thin."

Jack looks at his niece, that follows Eva. "I guess we both have our work cut up with family."

Charlie stares at his wife and Jack's niece. "How are they?"

"Honestly, I don't know. But I know when someone is hurting, and that girl is hurting."

Charlie lowers his head to the ground pensively.

"And so is Liam."

Jack's words surprise Charlie.

"So maybe we owe to them to support them even when they don't disclose their emotions, or when they hit everyone to a pulp because they can't control themselves," Jack continues.

Charlie stays still, momentarily absorbing his friend's words. "I miss him. Justin."

"We all do. No one more than his children." Jack responds.

Eva reaches her Land Rover, with Aimee following closely behind. She opens the trunk of the car. "Just one moment. I have a ton of junk in my car." Eva moves things around. "So how are you finding Australia so far?"

"It's a beautiful country."

Eva takes a suit bag out. "Yes, it is. I fell in love with this place immediately. Came here for university, never left again." She opens the zip to reveal an embroidered pink lace corset cocktail dress.

"That looks very expensive."

"You'll look gorgeous with it."

Aimee inspects the dress and wavers at wearing something so delicate.

"Let's go inside and you can change inside the facilities. I'll keep a lookout."

Eva gives her an encouraging smile, and Aimee makes her way back to the restaurant, accompanied by the kind stranger.

"You play beautifully," Eva says. "I haven't heard someone playing like that in some time."

They arrive at the bathroom, and Eva inspects the small space before locking the door.

"You can change over there. I'll make sure no one comes inside." Eva points at the second stall.

Aimee enters the stall. She unzips her dress and shuffles out of it.

Eva leans at the door to ensure no one tries to enter. "Where did you learn to play?"

"Back home in London, I attended the Royal College of Music, and until recently I was the lead pianist at Wigmore Hall." Aimee peaks outside the stall. "Can you help me with the zip?"

Eva makes her way to Aimee and gently zips her dress up. "Now it makes sense." Aimee gets out of the stall and Eva stares at her shoes. "Do you mind if we also change your shoes?"

Aimee stares at her feet. "Is there something wrong with them?"

"Just a gentle touch." Eva removes a buckled ankle strap and stiletto heels with pink floral flourish sandals from a bag she carried. She hands them to Aimee, that places them on her feet. "There, now you look absolutely perfect." Eva gives Aimee her arm. "Shall we go back?"

Aimee takes her arm. "Thank you."

Eva smiles. "My pleasure, but I have to be honest with you. My generosity has an ulterior motive."

The women make their way back to the restaurant and pass the kitchen where Aimee steals a glance at her brother that is back at work, but now sports a red cheek.

"My daughter, Isabella, needs some piano lessons. Seen that I find you incredibly talented, perhaps I can ask you if you would be interested in tutoring her?"

Aimee stutters. "I'm only going to be here for six months, maybe less."

Eva pats her on the arm softly. "I'm aware of that. For as long as you can. When you leave, we'll find someone else. But I have a feeling that you two would get along. She doesn't have many friends and I think a person closer to her age might allow her to open herself up to the world. The only other person I know that could teach her is a 50-year-old man. Not exactly jovial, is it?"

Both the women chuckle.

"Just come by the house tomorrow and meet her."

Aimee nods.

"Great, now let me find that husband of mine." Eva leaves Aimee's side and joins the party.

Aimee stands awkwardly around the room full of people. Across the room, she sees him staring at her. Anger flares and she marches to the piano. Other than the smell of petrichor that comes through the window after the light rain that grazed the sky, Aimee is left alone to her own melody.

Her fingers play for another hour until the smell of lamb fills her nostrils and shows it is time to conclude her performance. She opens her eyes and feels relieved she was as invisible as her brother promised. Except to him, who still observes her from afar. She turns around the room and meets his eyes. He had been watching her performance, and his stare was everything but unapologetic. However, he's not alone. Suddenly, the room lights up with applause from the guests in attendance.

Aimee startles at the thundering ovation. The resonant applause reminds her of the concert hall clamouring with cheers and acclamation, her graceful bow, and the empty seat. A touch on her elbow makes her jerk back to reality.

"The Forsyths are asking if you can play some Chopin during dinner." Jack requests.

Her head spins, the applause fills her brain with unwanted noise. "Dinner? No, we had a deal, appetisers only."

Jack touches her back gently. "Sweetheart, they love to hear you play, just a couple of songs."

Her eyes flash to the night of the concert. She can smell the scent of roses at her feet. Her ears can still hear the cheers and whistles from the audience. Her head spins and unexpectedly, in the back of the room, the silhouette of her dead father emerges. She blinks a few times before his shadow lurks back to her distant memory.

"No!" she raises her voice. "I said no!" and runs outside.

Liam gets up from his seat at the bar, but a white blur detracts his initial thought of following the pianist after her outburst.

Aimee runs outside the restaurant. Her right foot gives in with the heels that are far too high for her, and she tumbles to the ground. She releases a muffled scream into the dress. Callum embraces his sister from behind.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," he whispers.

Callum picks his sister up and carries her outside the property in his arms while Aimee sobs on his left shoulder.

In the background, Liam sees the exchange and notices Jack gripping his hands on the handrail. He gulps the whiskey down his throat before settling it down on the ground. He removes the tie and unbuttons his shirt.

"Where are you going?" Eva asks.

"Away from this party. Too much drama." Liam responds.

Eva crosses her arms on her chest. "You mean you're going to drown yourself in alcohol. This is a party for your brother," she scolds him.

"And, we both know, he will appreciate I'm nowhere here." He removes his jacket and rolls his sleeves up. "Don't wait up." And disappears to the car park.

Author Note: pai means father in Portuguese