Chsensera proved a quick study. Llhaesa kept the lessons simple, as she mainly wished for the very young child at her side to feel at home around a keyboard, to not be in fear of what lie in front of her.

Adults see the bigger picture – all of the knowledge and skill needed to play well – while a child most often sees something that can play sounds through their own manipulation.

Llhaesa had no intention of teaching notes in the moment; Chsensera was going to have fun with the piano, and was going to learn to play simple associations of notes together. Most often, llhaesa preferred to keep her own hands off, and instead let the child guide where she wished to go – with some general direction from llhaesa.

First, she gave very basic instruction on how to position hands, which Chsensera adapted to immediately. Next she asked “Chsen, pick any two keys you want to try – like this.” Llhaesa tapped two keys in succession.

Chsensera tapped down on two keys, with a slight delay between the two. “Very good, Chsen! Now can you remember which two you picked?” llhaesa inquired. Chsensera nodded enthusiastically, and tapped them again, this time slightly faster.

“Now pick two more, and play those. Try to remember which two.”

Chsensera played two more notes.

“Play that one again, and then play the first two you picked again.” Llhaesa was really going to enjoy this. She could see why her mum liked teaching music at school.

The child played the notes again, and then played the first two she had chosen.

“Which one do you like better, the last one you played, or the first one?”

I like the second one! Chsensera’s face sported a wide smile as she gave her answer.

The world class musician and her young child-friend spent over an hour, just getting the child used to working with a keyboard. Llhaesa would let the child’s interest and ability dictate where they went as time went on, but for now and the immediate future, their time together would be fun time, not work time. The very last thing she wished to have happen was to have Chsensera loathe playing.

Finally llhaesa suggested they go have some lunch. “I’m hungry, how about you, Chsen?”

“Me too!” the child quickly responded.

The two walked to the kitchen, where unbeknownst to them until now, Jahrae had made sandwiches for all. Each sandwich had been cut into simple geometric shapes, leaving Chsensera totally in awe of her triangular sandwich. Llhaesa picked up her circle-sandwich, held it in front of her face and pulled a rather impish face, grinning at Jahrae.

“I’ve never had a circle-sandwich before. You must be really special for Jahrae to do this, Chsensera!” llhaesa was simultaneously teasing and enthusiastically complementing Jahrae, and Chsensera joined in to say the sandwiches were ‘really cool!’

“Oh, and look at this! Llhaesa called attention to her plate, where she cut the circle-sandwich in two. “If you cut my sandwich in half with a knife, you get two half-moons!” llhaesa held up each half of the sandwich as if they were in the sky. “Where have you seen two half-moons before, Chsensera?”

It was as if llhaesa was reliving her childhood, and Jahrae loved her all the more for it. In the moment, Jahrae snickered as she thought of an alternate answer to llhaesa’s question, but she bit her tongue.

Jahrae’s loving turned snickering thought was fortunately and quickly broken by Chsensera’s knowing response. “In the sky!”

The three ate and talked and laughed throughout lunch. By the time Khaehala arrived for Chsensera, llhaesa and Jahrae were truly lamenting the child’s departure.

“Khaehala, she is a wonderful, wonderful child, a joy to have around. We had lots of fun today playing on the piano. Next time maybe we will take some old-fashioned paper and trace some of the keys, then we will colour them in. Would you like to do that, Chsen?” llhaesa asked, but her question was first answered by Jahrae.

“Oooh! Can I do that too? Please?” Jahrae winked at her wife.

“Sure you can, Jahrae. I think Chsen and I would enjoy that very much!”

“You bet!” the child piped in.

Khaehala and Chsensera both thanked the two young partners. And truth be told, Khaehala felt blessed that she and her child had such wonderful neighbours. Khaehala hoped that she could be so generous of self in return. She sensed that llhaesa was teaching her daughter – subtly teaching her daughter – about how to live life, how not to be a slave of whatever task is at hand, but rather to find joy and happiness in the task. This was something Khaehala wished she had learned at such a young age.