SWEET SYMPHONY - Synopsis

Melodee Carter has two known loves-children and music. When she is forced to close her daycare, "Little Zipper's," she turns to music for solace, and later as a career. The one kind of love she doesn't count on is the romantic kind. She remembers how her ex-boyfriend fizzled out of her life each time she begged off to practice the piano.

Having met the new music director and his adorable little son, she has troublesome thoughts about love, marriage and family. But she's determined to put these on the back burner and forge ahead with her new-found career path in music. Which isn't easy either-having a temperamental taskmaster like Maxim Smythe for a boss.

Maxim Smythe is a single father who has just moved into a small town as Director of the Bay Symphony. He is a doting father, who wants the best pre-school environment for his son. He also wants to upgrade the performance level of the Bay Symphony to metropolitan standards.

Unsettled by the breakup of his marriage to a beautiful, career-minded woman, he is wary of women and immerses himself in his music.

STORY

On a warm, late spring afternoon, tired after an especially busy day at "Little Zipper's," Melodee is told by Dolores Leddy, of the Fine Arts Council, that the hall she requisitioned for her daycare has been given to Maxim Smythe, the new director of the Bay Symphony. He needs it for rehearsals. What's more, the town is lucky to have him, with his kind of credentials. But Melodee counters this with her arguments-what about the service she renders? She needs additional space for new facilities, which she could offset by revenue generated by taking in more children. Sorry, but that is the decision, she's told.

For Maxim Smythe, the director of the Bay Symphony Orchestra two encounters with this dithery girl are enough, especially when he has a meeting to attend at the university's Music Department, where he is also a visiting instructor.

Maxim's colleague recommends "Little Zipper's" preschool, which is exactly where Maxim enrolls his boy, Felix. On Felix's first day there, Maxim inwardly groans in despair to discover that the owner is the girl who created an obstacle course for him at the supermarket. Does she run her daycare the way she does her grocery shopping? he wonders.

But Melodee is forced to close "Little Zipper's" due to lack of space and takes up a job temporarily at the university's daycare, where all her own daycare kids are now enrolled.

Despite their wariness of one another, there is an electrifying attraction between Maxim and Melodee. She sees the gentleness with which he handles Felix, and he notes her knack with the kids. And he notices something else-that she is alluring in a curvy sort of way.

Melodee sees her chance at music when the Bay Symphony advertises for a part-time pianist. While Melodee is elated, she finds that Maxim is a hard task master. Maxim is displeased with her occasional lack of concentration, but sees her great talent in the sensitivity of her performance. The first concert in which she has a piano solo is an unqualified success.

The way to a man's heart is through his . . . music? At least, that's what Melodee slowly discovers. And not a moment too soon because Maxim wants her to assist him in training young musicians for the Young Musicians' Festival after the Christmas recess. The proceeds of this will go towards setting up a music scholarship. Auditioning the youngsters and training them is a grueling task, but Melodee does her part superbly. After a particularly difficult practice session Maxim asks her out on a date to the Covington Mountain Lodge.

Melodee finds herself walking on air as she dresses with great care. An evening out dining and dancing with Maxim. . . .The evening is intimate as they exchange a heated kiss and dance to the cool saxophone music of "Harlem Nocturne."

But Melodee is dismayed to find that, on Monday, it's business as usual. Furthermore, Maxim has plans that don't include Melodee. He has been invited to guest-conduct the Boston Metropolitan Symphony, and it looks as if Dolores is going along. Dolores has been seen accompanying Maxim off and on, and considering she has been instrumental in approving the hall for Maxim-could they be in a relationship?

Melodee is not sure she can handle Maxim's presence. After the Young Musicians' Festival which is a roaring success, she goes to Chicago to attend an old friend's wedding. While there, his wife offers her a partnership in the daycare she's opening shortly. Melodee seriously considers this and hands in her resignation to the Symphony.

Bewildered though he is at Melodee's announcement, Maxim is ever the suave music conductor. But when he goes home he feels rehearsals aren't going to be the same anymore and it's not just Felix who will miss Melodee. His mother who is visiting him echoes his thoughts when she says that he is losing a good musician-from what she's heard of Melodee.

At home now, Melodee is dejected. When Saturday comes around she is in no mood to accompany her mother and her sewing circle friend to the Covington Mountain Lodge, but she goes anyway. Seated near the window overlooking the ski hill, she sees a tall handsome man walking toward her holding a long stemmed red rose. Maxim!

The ladies get up and leave to join their own group in the adjoining dining room. This has been plotted by Maxim with the help of her mother!The words fall from Maxim's sexy mouth as they never have before-he cannot let Melodee go. He needs her not as his music assistant, but as his wife. In his foolishness he has taken her to be a career freak, which he now realizes she isn't. Felix has been asking for her. Lucky Felix, to be able to say what he feels! What about Dolores? Maxim cannot understand Melodee's question when Dolores is about to be married to the violinist with the Boston Metropolitan Symphony, whom Maxim introduced years ago during his tenure with that orchestra.

For Melodee, music has been a salve. But now, it has given way to a third love-the greatest, this time. Maxim asks the band to play "Harlem Nocturne," and asks her for the pleasure of a dance. She tells him that she'll reserve all her dances for him.