Ami used to play at home every day, starting at seven in the morning. There was no schedule or plan for this. She simply finished her morning routine by this time. She would wake up, get up, make her bed, wash her face with cold water, drink a glass of water with a slice of bergamot, replace the water in the vase with lilies with clean water, change out of her nightgown and into linen pants and a cashmere sweater.

Then she would sit down at the instrument, open the lid, which she always kept closed to protect the keys from dust, raise her hands, and the music would begin to flow. Every time she played, she remembered special days in her life: meeting her mentor, meeting her husband, walking by the river last year. Today she was playing that day by the river: the music flowed like a stream. It seemed like you were floating on a boat alone and could hear someone's important words coming from the shore, feel the smell of jasmine and roses covered with water droplets.