”I”m not here for the professor!” Brendan cut her off, his fingers clutching Julia’s arms. He had never looked so anxious before. “That piano teacher! Where is she?”

Julia froze for a second. “The piano teacher?”

Brendan shoved her aside and ran toward the piano room as Julia reeled out of her shock to follow him. “Brendan, she’s clocked out. She has gone home.”

“Gone!?” Brendan thinned his lips and turned to fix a piercing stare at her. “I’m going to ask you one question, and I need you to answer me honestly. That piano teacher is visually impaired, isn’t she?”

Julia averted her gaze. “Visually impaired? You mean, like a blind person?”

“Yes. A blind woman.”

Julia laughed mirthlessly. “Come on. How’s a blind person supposed to be anyone’s piano teacher?”

“She’s… an able-bodied person, then.”

“Yeah,” Julia quickly answered, nodding. She could not stop herself from adding, “You’re really out of sorts, Brendan. Why? Did you think that piano teacher is someone you know?”

“Yes.” Br