The day the man came, Laura had been trying very hard to be good. Mommy told her she could practice by herself in her bedroom which was a real kindness. To Laura, her violin always sounded better when played for her teddy bear. Besides, Teddy never made fun of her like Perceval did. Perceval whose cello never screeched. Perceval who always played perfectly. Perceval who would never let his squeaky little sister play duets with him.

She had been sincere when she told Mommy she would focus. But then the flash came from the garden. Even then, she meant to only take one quick peek. But was she supposed to ignore the bright swirling gateway that was suddenly there? Was she supposed to pretend not to see the man who stepped out from it?

It was really not her fault that she stood dumbfounded while the stranger approached the music room door below her and walked right in. Perhaps she should have been startled into action when Perceval's incessant scales stopped midway. And she really should have done something when the man reappeared with Perceval's cello case bumping along the grass behind him.

There was that one moment, just before he reentered the gateway, when Laura thought for sure the case bounced more than the smooth lawn could be blamed for. It was almost as if the cello inside were trying to escape. But, it was only when the man and case had disappeared into the vortex of color that her trance was broken and she rushed for the door to her room. One flight of stairs and an interminable hall later, she burst into the music room to demand of Perceval whom he had given his cello to. But Perceval was not there. And his cello was laid carefully on the floor next to where he always had practiced.

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