3

Dr.Monroe picked up his notepad and a pen before asking: "What exactly happened?". Katherine seemed to consider the question for a moment. Then she started slowly, as if the memory was too terrible to re-live it: "Some days after this weekend Peter called us. He was very upset. He told us that Maria had locked herself up in her flat and refused to let him in. First we thought they might have had an argument, and Peter wanted us to mediate. But then we drove to her and …" She sobbed and turned around to her husband, an unspoken plea for support on her lips.

The doctor looked up from his notes and saw that Alfred Bailey was about to continue. "Could you sit down again, please?" He tried not to sound as annoyed as he was at the man´s behaviour. Instead he forced himself to remain friendly. "There is no reason for being nervous." "No reason? You want us to tell you about the worst moment in our life!" Mr.Bailey almost shouted, but after a quick glance at his wife, who was stifling her cries with a handkerchief, he followed the doctor´s request and went on, considerably calmer: "She wouldn´t open the door, so we entered with our own key and found her in the bedroom. We had never seen her like that: sitting in a corner, muttering to herself. She wasn´t even properly dressed. When she spotted Kate, she jumped up, flung her arms around her and burst into tears.".

The pen flew over the page as Dr.Monroe filled line after line. "She stammered: ´Mum, I´m so frightened! I keep having these weird dreams, even when I´m not sleeping. And there is a voice calling me … oh, it´s such a wonderful voice…´. Mrs.Bailey sobbed harder, and her husband put an arm around her shoulders to comfort her. The doctor used the break to consult the girl´s file again. "I´ve read that your daughter told you about hallucinations in which she had the role of Christine, a chorus girl in 19th century Paris. This girl takes singing lessons from a mysterious man who calls himself ´Angel of Music´. Maria also said that she heard this man´s voice outside these hallucinations, telling her what to do. Is that correct?" Alfred Bailey nodded. "And what can you do about it?", he asked in a small voice, apparently intimidated by the neutral enumeration of his daughter´s problems.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

After the opera I returned to my dressing room, heady with my unexpected success. As soon as I had closed the door behind me I called: "I really did it. I was the lead singer in ´Hannibal´! Did you hear me?" "Of course I heard you, Christine. You were fantastic, and you looked prettier than anyone else." I was unable to stand still. I danced around in front of the mirror, admiring the costume, which was much more beautiful than my normal chorus girl dress.

"Why can you always see me, but not the other way round?" The question was daring, but tonight I was courageous. "I am you angel, child, I have to watch over you." "But I want to see you!", I said eagerly. There was absolute silence, for such a long time that I was almost sure he had left. I regretted my stupid wish. What if he had gone for good?

Then I heard his voice, slow and hesitating: "Are you sure you want this?". "Of course I am!", I replied impatiently. "Then look in the mirror!", he commanded almost briskly. I complied. A second later I stared at it, transfixed. There was no longer only my reflection visible.

"Oh, look!", Angela said. Maria blinked a few times, not unlike a sleepwalker who had been disturbed on his journey. "The pills come!"