This Tender Melody. Kianna Alexander

       Chapter 1

      Holding a glass of iced tea, Eve Franklin strolled into the family room of her childhood home. Sundays with her parents were a sacred tradition, one that she never neglected in favor of her career or social life. Some of her girlfriends complained about her refusal to go on weekend escapades with them, lamenting that she saw enough of her parents when she went to work every day. Though she did work in the family business as chief financial officer of Franklin Technologies, Incorporated, she rarely saw her parents for more than a few minutes during a typical workday.

      Her best friend, Lina, and some of her book club gal pals had taken off for the beach that weekend. Living in Charlotte, North Carolina, meant the best of both worlds—half a day’s drive to the east or west delivered one to the majestic peaks of the mountains or the shimmering beauty of the Crystal Coast. Despite Lina’s whining, protesting and threats, she’d reminded the girls that Sundays were irrevocably reserved for her parents. As she settled into her early thirties, her parents’ advancing age wasn’t lost on her. She wanted to spend as much time with them as she could manage.

      By now, the group was no doubt “cutting up” at Lina’s rental property on Emerald Isle. But she quickly pushed the thought aside. She was right where she was meant to be—where she most wanted to be and she knew she’d made the right decision.

      Fading sunlight streamed in through the opened gold brocade drapes, illuminating the coffee table where a game of Monopoly was set up. The surround sound music system filled the large room with the sounds of instrumental jazz. The current piece featured the peppy strains of an acoustic guitar, the light airy notes of a flute and the accompaniment of a piano, while a plucked bass drove the beat.

      The plush fibers of the midnight-navy carpet cushioned her bare feet as she crossed the room. She set the glass down on the short-legged mahogany coffee table, careful of the game board that already occupied the space. She used her hands to tug the hem of her yellow knee-length sundress. Reclaiming her seat on the floor, she grabbed her glass and took a sip. “Whose move is it?”

      “My turn.” Her mother, Louise, grabbed the pair of dice from the center of the game board. Shaking them inside her closed fist, she tossed the dice out, and then moved her iron-shaped game piece. “Your turn, Joseph.”

      Eve’s gaze landed on her father’s face, and she couldn’t help but notice how drawn he looked. His face was a mask of exhaustion, and a bit of moisture clung to the edge of his graying hairline. The brown eyes she’d looked into all her life were now lacking the sparkle she was accustomed to seeing there. Now he looked ahead, almost as if looking through her, his expression vacant. “Daddy? It’s your move.”

      He blinked, then offered her a smile. “Sorry, baby. Guess I checked out for a minute.” He picked up the dice, drawing them close to his lips, and blew on them for luck.

      Eve shifted her gaze to her mother, who also viewed him with concern. Joseph Franklin was a hard worker, always had been. He’d taken the reigns at a struggling software company in the early seventies, reshaped and restructured it, and made it into a powerhouse business. The years of labor he’d put in to turn FTI into a successful multinational software firm were beginning to take a toll on his health.

      “Daddy, you look like you could use a nap.” She kept her tone light and casual, wanting to avoid setting off his notorious stubborn streak.

      “I’m fine.” He set his car-shaped game piece on the designated spot and drew a card from one of the two piles on the board. “Looks like I won a beauty contest. Seventy-five dollars, please, Mrs. Banker.” He showed his card to Louise, who smiled as she counted out the multicolored fake bills from the plastic tray.

      She could see right through her father’s attempt to change the subject. “Really, Daddy. You look tired. I don’t want you overdoing it.”

      He groaned. “Baby, I appreciate your concern but I’m fine. I’m not about to quit now—not before you land on one of my properties with a hotel.” He gestured to a few spots on the game board. “Then you’re gonna owe me some serious cash.”

      She knew better than to press her father, so she looked to her mother for support.

      Louise handed over the rainbow-colored stack of money she’d counted out for him. “Maybe she’s right, honey. Sunday is the day of rest, after all, and we’ve got a busy day tomorrow. A little extra sleep couldn’t hurt.”

      His face twisted into a frown and he lay his winnings down on the coffee table. “All right. If it’ll get you two off my case, then I’ll take a nap.” He scooted to the edge of the sofa, then used his hands to brace himself as he got into a standing position. “You girls are always sending me to bed lately. Next, you’ll be trying to goad me into retiring.”

      Louise blinked, her eyes darting away from her husband’s accusing gaze.

      Eve drew a deep breath. Her father was almost seventy years old, well past the age most people would have retired, especially considering the financial security he enjoyed. She knew better than to point out his age, but she didn’t think retiring was a terrible idea. It was doubtful he’d even consider it, so she chose a different approach. “We’re just trying to take good care of you, Daddy. You think about work too much.”

      He