Maria's face became very sad. "After Papa died, Mama became very sick in her heart. She started drinking alcohol and could not take care of me. We lost our house and had to live in bad places. Then Mama brought us to America, but she got worse. She left me alone and never came back. I have been living by myself for almost a year."
Jonathan felt angry and sad at the same time. This young woman was the daughter of one of the greatest musicians who ever lived, and she had been living like a homeless person. It was not right.
"Maria," Jonathan said, using her name for the first time, "do you know who your father really was? Do you know how famous he was?"
Maria shook her head. "Papa always said he used to play concerts, but we lived very quietly. He just taught me music and told me stories. I thought he was just a regular piano teacher."
Jonathan pulled out his phone and showed Maria some videos of her father's concerts. He showed her newspaper articles about Victor Petrov's amazing career. He showed her pictures of her father playing in the most famous concert halls in the world.
Maria stared at the phone screen with amazement. She had never seen her father in fancy clothes playing for thousands of people. In the videos, he looked young and happy. The audiences loved him just like the people in the cafe had loved her music.
"Your father was one of the greatest piano players who ever lived," Jonathan explained. "People all over the world knew his name. When he disappeared, the music world was heartbroken. No one knew what happened to him."
Maria began to cry as she watched the videos. She finally understood why her father's music had always seemed so special. She understood why he had been so good at teaching her. He was not just her papa. He was a legend.
"The way you play," Jonathan continued, "is exactly like your father. You have his gift. You have his talent. The world needs to know that Victor Petrov's daughter is alive and that she has inherited his incredible ability."
But even as Jonathan spoke about fame and concerts, he looked at Maria's thin face and old clothes. Right now, she needed food and a safe place to sleep more than she needed to be famous. The music world could wait; taking care of this young woman was more important.
Jonathan guided Maria to a quiet corner table in the cafe. The manager brought them hot soup and fresh bread without being asked. Maria ate slowly, as if she could not believe the food was real. She had not eaten a warm meal in many days.
"Tell me about your life with your father," Jonathan said gently. "I want to understand what happened."