Winter Solstice (A Seth Clearwater Fanfic)

Chapter Four- Gifted

The weeks that followed were very eventful. Not only did Ness and I learn to walk, but we also were now able to communicate verbally, although she preferred to keep quite and use her gift. I on the other hand, loved the sound of my new voice. The only thing that bothered me the most was how similar it sounded to the one in the dream I had- and how often they kept reoccurring. Over and over like a broken record. The feel of cold vampire skin, the smell of freshly fallen snow, his voice....  I shook the images out of my head and tried to focus on the things around me.

I lightly pushed the polished ivory keys of my father's piano. It rang out, beautiful and soft. I watched my father play my mother's song many times. He always amazed me, how his fingers moved infinitely fast, floating over the keys as if he wasn't even touching them. I pushed another and another, mimicking my father. The noise filled the room and I just went with it, playing random keys and combining what I thought sounded good.

"Well, look at you go. A couple weeks old and a piano prodigy."

I gasped and darted off the bench, putting my hands behind my back. "Daddy... I'm so sorry. I-"

"Shh." My father glided over and got on his knee to look me in the eyes. "Don't you be sorry, Miracle. I'm delighted that you have an interest in piano. Come, sit. I want to show you something."

My father sat on the bench and I crawled up next to him. He looked down at me and smiled. "I wanted to wait to show you and your sister this. But, I suppose I can show you now."

My father's long, nimble fingers struck the piano keys, and music filled the room. It was beautiful and breathtaking. I audibly gasp and my father's face light up and he smiled as he played. The beautiful notes and chords filled my ears and I could not take my eyes off of my father's hands. I wanted to memorize his fingers. I wanted to be like him.

Maybe then my mother would love me.

My father abruptly stopped playing, his eyes turning to me, to reveal so much gentleness I knew he had read my thoughts. I turned away from him, my face burning with shame.

"Rosalice..."

He touched my shoulder, his cold skin seeping throught he thick fibers of my navy sweater. "Your mother does love you sweetie."

"Maybe." I said softly. "But she loves Nessie more." I stared at my little feet, clad with little blue slippers. Nessie's were purple. Everything for her was purple. Mother picked out them out. She gave Nessie's to her and said the color matched her pure soul. She just handed me mine and said she thought I would like them better. I knew she just didn't want to make me cry.

"No, no. Don't think like that, baby. Please don't think like that."

"What's going on?" My mother stood in the doorway, holding Nessie, who was much to big to be held now, and looked at Daddy with a concerned look in her eye. "What happened?"

"Well... Rosalice-"

"I asked Daddy to teach me piano. He was just showing me something." I smiled sweetly at my mother. I knew how fake it was because it hurt the corners of my mouth.

Don't tell her. I pleaded with my father. Please.

"Yeah." My father said, subtly nodding his head to let me know he heard me. "I was just going to show her the surprise.... Why don't you and Nessie come and join us?"

"That'd be great." My mother smiled and stood by father, her chin rested on Nessie's head. My father began to play and I felt as though I had been transported to a whole new dimension. One where only music played and there was no problems. I watched my father play. His face held so much compassion and love. He looked at me and smiled. It was one of those smiles that made me want to curl up in his lap and never let him go. This was my Daddy.