Chapter 32: The Tender PrinceA warm sensation on his cheek.
A comforting voice somewhere in the house. A woman humming Beethoven’s Ode to Joy.
Before he opens his eyes, Honoré is already smiling. Awake, he sits up against the huge, crisp white pillows, and immediately recognizes his surroundings. He’s in his father’s bedroom, lying in his father’s huge baldaquin bed. Peachy light drifts through the large window, and at his desk, facing away from Honoré, his father is writing. Once in a while, George dips the fountain pen into the ink pot and mumbles a few words to himself. His white hair is trimmed neatly around his ears. His shoulders are robust, stretching the black fabric of his tail coat.
“Daddy?” Honoré throws off the purple silk blanket but doesn’t leave the bed. He’s dazed, almos
