Both Erik and Christine decided to get to Melody as fast as they could manage. "What's wrong?" they said in unison. "I think we have problem," was all Melody said.
When they all were seated, Melody began her story. After Melody completed her story, Erik sighed. He wasn't too happy with this idea to retell his story. After a long silence, he told her that she should bring some information too. Melody was surprised "Why should I bring some information, I thought you wouldn't want people to tell the story?"
"I don't want that, but if you are the only one who will not be bringing information, people might be suspicious. Especially with your mask." "So the point is to give them information in order to make it look as if we aren't related?"
"That's right. Besides, I want them to use my music, not the music their minds can produce." At times like these, you always can tell how proud Erik was of his music. Mostly because his music contained his very own soul.
"Wait, you are going to give me your music? How on earth will I explain that I have the Opera Ghost's music?"
"By simply telling them that your father is a composer, who happened to be on the premiere of Don Juan Triumphant and remembered the music because it was different from all the other opera's"
"Do you truly think they'll going to buy this?"
"No, but I hope so"
"Can you give them the design of your Red Death costume as well?" Christine asked her husband.
"Why would I do that?"
"Because it will be more authentic then. Besides, you looked rather handsome in that costume," she said with a loving smile across her face. Erik smiled back at her and told her it was a good idea.
"So, that means you are going to give me the music that you used to seduce mom?" Melody asked. Erik hesitated, could he give passionate music with daring lyrics, specially designed to swoon Christine to his daughter. If he didn't, surely those fools form her school wouldn't be able to express his feelings and longings for his true love, his angel. His proud won this internal conflict.
"I guess that it means just that. But please, make sure someone qualified is playing. I couldn't stand it if some lay musician would produce the sounds of my music" Then he stood up and went to get his music sheets. When he gave it to her, he stressed that only she would keep them in posses and that nobody would make a copy of it. "You can be sure of it, dad. I'll protect them with my life"
Christine still thought that Melody looked way to pale, so she decided that it was best for her that she would go home and have some rest. Erik agreed with her and accompanied her back to her apartment. Not only to make sure she was safe, but also to make sure his music was safe. When he thought of it, he was ashamed he did this, he thought that he cared a little too much for his music. But then again, it was his only companion for most of his life, his first love.
Melody was stunned that her father would accompany her in broad daylight. She knew how he dreaded walking when everybody was able to see him and his mask. She knew how people reacted to a mask, but unlike her father, she was surrounded by love all of her life and she was able to ignore their stares. Although Erik was loved by his family, he still remembered the cruelties of humanity. Melody knew about this and she wished she could help him ignore the stares, but she realized that she'll never be able to, not even with the combined power of her mother.
When they arrived at her apartment, they were met with 3 people. Erik's first reaction was to hide as much as possible in the shadows, how little shadow there was. Melody recognized the faces: Phillipe, Katerina and Jean-Jacques. "What are you doing here, shouldn't you be in class?"
"Well, we got a little worried and Phillipe knew where you lived. So we skipped acting and came to meet you," Katerina explained, eying the mysterious man who was trying to hide in the shadow. However there wasn't that much place to hide, he succeeded in hiding his face. She found it rather strange.
"Okay then. Well, it's almost time for lunch. Interested to come in and share lunch with me," Melody asked. The three students nodded and waited for the strange men to say something. Melody turned around to face her father, but couldn't see his face. So she couldn't tell if he would join them, though she was certain that he would decline the offer. "How lovely it seem to share lunch with you all, I'm sorry, but I must decline the offer," a melodic voice was heard from the shadows. Before Melody could respond, he was already turned around and was off. Melody found it a little irresponsible of her dad to disappear like a ghost.
The four of them, entered the small apartment. Jean-Jacques and Katerina didn't yet know that Melody lived alone and where trying to find her parents. Phillipe silently informed them about the situation(while Melody was putting the music scores safely away in her bedroom) , though he didn't told them the person they had met only a few minutes before was her father, who Phillipe had recognized. Katerina asked Melody if she could help preparing something to eat and Jean-Jacques and Phillipe took a seat. Pillipe warned Jean-Jacques not to touch anything, remembering what had happened.
In the kitchen, whilst preparing lunch, Katerina asked who the men she had met was. Even though she had thought that Melody wouldn't answer her question, she still had asked it. To her surprise, Melody had told her it was her father.
"Why do you live her on your own, even though at least one of her parents was alive" Katerina asked
"My parents wanted to give me some independence"
"Wow, most parents would want to keep their daughter safe, hoping a good match to marry will come by."
"Do your parents hope for a good match?"
"Uhu, I only can hope they won't give me to some old man," she said sadly
"Do they think that Jean-Jacques is a good match?"
"I haven't even told them about him, Because he is just a friend," she stated while a light pink blush crept on her cheeks.
"Right I forgot about that," Melody said laughing a little bit.
"Do your parents find Phillipe a good match?"
"I think they'll let me choose whom I marry and I don't want a romantic relationship with Phillipe"
"Right, I forgot that," Katerina said, this time it was her turn to laugh.
In the living room of the little apartment, the 2 boy were spending the time recalling memories. Jean-Jacques was particularly fond of one including a little fishing incident. Somehow he had managed to push Phillipe in the water while he was trying to catch a fish with his bare hand. The boys were aged 11. "Remember how angry you were with me?" Jean-Jacques asked in between his laughs. "Well, can you blame me. I was this close to catch the fish," Phillipe answered while putting his index finger and thumb together only leaving a small distance between them.
"Yeah, of course. You wouldn't have caught the fish if said fish were to jump in your hands" Phillipe just kept silent. "How do you plan catching Katerina's attention?"
"First, I'm going to find out whatever is very special to her. And then I'm going to use that precise something, but I hope I will make her angry by doing that. You know how she can get."
"Tell you what, what if I were the one to find out so that you wouldn't be the one to blamed. If she suspects something, just tell her that that whatever it is you are going to do, is something you think would be fit for her."
"And how on earth do you plan to get that information, you're not exactly on good terms with her"
"But I know someone who is"
"You mean… No Phillipe, I won't let you use Melody for this. It could destroy her friendship with Katerina"
"Katerina doesn't even need to know. This could be the chance you were waiting for"
"I don't know. I think if it's best if I do this on my own"
"Okay then, whatever you think is best" Phillipe said, still planning on performing his plan.
A few minutes later, lunch was ready. Everybody took a seat and started consummating the food. "So Melody, why weren't you at home. I thought we had agreed that you needed some rest,"Jean-Jacques said.
"Well, I decided that I should give my parents a visit. I can easily rest with them."
"Then why do you live alone and not with them, it's rather peculiar that a girl lives alone, yet on of your age," he continued asking.
"They agreed with me that it would be in the best interest to get a quicker improvement if I lived alone"
"Not many parents would allow that. And do you like living on your own?"
"Well, the only bad thing about it is that I mostly have to eat alone, which I really dislike"
"Well, you can always invite me if you want, this really is delicious. Where did you learned to cook like this?" Katerina asked
"My father taught me"
Three pair of bewildered eyes were now looking at Melody. She didn't comprehend what was so shocking about her last respond. "You actually mean that your father cooks?"
"Yeah, why would I lie about that."
"Because it's commonly known that women prepare the meals and not the man," Jean-Jacques stated
"Seriously what else can your father do, he's a architect, and can cook," Phillipe asked
"Well, he's a musician too. By the way I asked him if he knew anything about the Opera Ghost and apparently he still remembered the music from his opera Don Juan Triumphant"
"He recalled a whole opera?" her friends asked simultaneously.
"No of course not. It appeared that only the beginning of the opera was preformed, because the Ghost let the chandelier crash after the first 2 songs"
"And your father recalled the music?"
"He said it was quite different from the other opera's in that period, that's probably why he remembered it so well"
"Sweet, we have authentic music from his opera," Phillipe said.
"Do your father know why the Opera Ghost crashed the chandelier," Jean-Jacques asked hoping that they actually could retell the story.
"He told me that the Opera Ghost did this after the woman who was the antagonist in the opera, ripped off his mask and exposed his deformity to the audience. By crashing the chandelier, he had time to kidnap said women to his underground lair"
"Why would he kidnap her, she just de-masked him?" Katerina asked.
"They say he was in love with her and that he had written the opera to seduce her" Melody clarified.
"Do your father knows what happened after he kidnapped her?" Phillipe asked.
"No, nor do the paper in that period."
The little group was silent for a while. Then suddenly Jean-Jacques started smiling "This is very useful information. Maybe we're able to do this after all," he stated smiling.
