Melody Trumpet chapter sampler

and hadn’t returned. She’d already missed the entree and main course. Melody didn’t want her to miss dessert too. Her father was sipping his drink and rewatching an old clip of himself accepting a Hall of Fame Award. He spent most dinnertimes reminiscing about the golden years of his career as a conductor. Even on Melody’s birthday. ‘Mr Trumpet, sir, Melody’s cake is … well, it’s ready,’ Miss Sprinkles said. She pursed her lips and pointed at the ice-cream cake, which was melting into a lopsided mess. ‘My word!’ Mr Trumpet broke away from the clip to see the cake and its fiery glow of candles looming towards Melody. ‘Quick, blow them out, child!’ ‘I’ll wait,’ Melody said, steadying the leaning tower of cake with her spoon. ‘We should enjoy it together, as a family.’ But her father was absorbed in the screen again. Shaking her head with disappointment, Miss Sprinkles took her place behind Melody, who hadn’t shifted her gaze from the cake. The big grandfather clock ticked away the minutes, accompanied by an occasional sigh from Miss Sprinkles or a satisfied grunt from Mr Trumpet as he watched the old footage. By the time Mrs Trumpet burst through the doors, red feather boa flying, Melody’s birthday cake was a

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