Late afternoon sun slanted through Meridian's therapy suite windows, casting long prisms across the polished wood floor. Ivy Shen stood beside a grand piano repurposed for therapy, its lid open to reveal damp cloths and neural‑sensor pads draped across the keys. Lucian Shen sat on the bench, one gloved hand resting on the sensor array, the other clasping the edge of the piano for balance.
Dr. Hazel Lee hovered nearby, clipboard in hand. “Remember, Lucian: follow Ivy's lead. The goal is to re‑establish memory nodes through melody and muscle memory."
Lucian nodded, breath steadying. “I'm ready."
Ivy lowered herself beside him. “Start with the opening phrase of Dawn's nocturne—the one you first
heard me play at her memorial." Her fingers found middle C; she played a gentle arpeggio.
Luci
