Hello everyone, again :)
First of all. Alori Kelsi Aldercy, Thank you! Your review is awesome and very constructive. I'm so glad you're enjoying it.
Calibeachbum Angie is 18 years old, I think it's named somewhere in the first chapters of this story. Edmond is her...half-brother ;) Thanks for reading!
Enjoy chapters 47-49 ;)
Lovephantom83
Her drowned sobs had subsided progressively as he held her in his arms. In spite of the fact that a few minutes before she had forbidden him to ever touch her again and told him to leave her alone, her hands had grasped the lapels of his waistcoat while she kept crying all those tears. He felt how her body became relaxed in the prelude of dreaming, as well as her breathing slowed down until it reached the normal rythm. Then, he moved away from the embrace, gently lying her on the bed and pulled the sheets up to her chin.
You have no soul, no heart …
Certainly, long ago he would have sworn that that was trae. He had never been concerned about anyone. He had shown no compassion, no pity, no sympathy for anyone before…
Only coldness and hatred.
He had killed many people with his own hands, without blinking, without remorse. Yes, he was soulless, heartless. A small smile even found its way upon his lips every time someone fell in his traps, like the insect which gets trapped in a cobweb while the spider watches his helpless prey in the distance.
But, had he ever been taught the difference between right and wrong, any morals or ethics at all? Had he ever received a mother's love or anyone else's affection?
No, in fact he still remembered the first person who hadn't laughed together with the others when he had been given that awful beating by that... odious sweaty materialist abusing and corrupt excuse for a human being.
The Devil's child.
What an appropiate nickname for the circus attraction he had become!
But deep in the eyes of that young girl, which looked without fear or mockery, he found an ally…
She took him out of that hell when he was barely fifteen. Yes, that girl, who was a grown woman now, was the first person that ever showed him some kindness. At least in her theatre, she assured him, he would never ever be thrashed again.
And yet, he had grown up alone, he became self-taught. He built himself a great home, a palace in homage to creativity, the place where he started developping his art. But in loneliness, days, months and years passed by. He actually began to feel like a real ghost.
It had been Christine who had taught him that good-hearted people really existed, that not everyone was so evil in the world. She showed him that there was some light in his darkness, amongst the candles and compositions. Some light in the nearly barbaric way of life he had known till then. Christine had been the only one, apart from his rescuer whom he still admired, that had made him feel human again. She had known and make him realize that he was more than a myth and a dancing shadow. He even gave away his own happiness for the sake of hers.
What was it that she could not understand? Didn't she realize that it wasn't an obsession or a fancy, that if he had any feelings or heart at all it was precisely due to her presence in his life?
Taking a hand to his brow, he tucked a rebellious strand of hair which had escaped during their previous argument.
Just after he opened the door, he saw her. She was sitting in the armchair with a confused and concerned expression that darkened her features.
He faked calmness, in spite of knowing that it would be impossible at the moment. Things were simply crashing on top of him. 'Everything is in order. There's nothing to worry about. I had just to clear something up with the girl, concerning her job, that's all'.
He crossed the living room with the only intention of getting changed into more a more comfortable attire and relax, or work, to keep his mind occupied in something else...but a hand stopped him.
And her gaze. Was she begging him to tell her the truth? God, he couldn't help that his feelings were rendered transparent before her.
'I've got some work to do and you must be quite tired. Perhaps we shall continue with our music session some other time…'.
He moved away but heard the sound of a moving chair and the soles of her shoes against the floor, right behind him. She came to where he stood and took one of his hands in hers. She opened her mouth but, frustratingly, she remained mute. Just an almost inaudible and uncomprehensible sound came out of her throat.
The touch of her hand made him turn around. It was all too...too complicated so as to tell her at the moment. Then he noticed that one of his fingers had been unconsciouslly providing her hand feather-like caresses and that, somehow, the rest of his fingers had got entwined with Christine's.
He sighed, looking away briefly, then turning to her again. 'I'm a bit exhausted, that's all…'.
At that, he let go of her hand and went to his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.
She lowered her head, resigned. She had already seen that small sparkle of sadness before, in that final look he had given her so many months before...
He was spiritless and confused. And she knew he had not been telling her the truth.
Because she had heard perfectly well how Angie had screamed that she hated him.
The following morning she forced herself to wake up. The memory of what happened the night before still lingered in the air and in her mind, as well as the bittersweet embrace which had comforted her until she had fallen asleep.
She thought of some way of apologizing, of starting all over again. Maybe if they'd had a calmer discussion…
'For God's sake, Édmond!', she nearly laughed at the situation. 'Watch out where you are going, you nearly send all those things flying everywhere!'.
'My apologies...', he laughed. 'It seems that we are both quite in a hurry this morning'. With the fortuitous meeting, he had not noticed sooner that her long hair looked more irrelugar and shorter than usual. 'Dear, some other accident?'.
She realized at once. Her hair, of course. 'Yes…some silly thing, in truth', she lied. 'Don't take that too seriously', she smiled kindly as he led her somewhere quieter.
'In that case I guess I shouldn't worry. I told you already that I wouldn't like to scold you like a baby', he half-smiled. 'Well? I haven't received news from you for some days. Has your situation improved? You left so suddently the last time we met…'.
That statement left her speechless. Should she tell him?
She looked away, insecure.
'I know, and I'm sorry. I was…well, I had had a horrible day and I still had some things to do...'.
'Never mind…', he watched her in amusement. 'But I believe you haven't answered my other question'.
Her features turned grave. 'Maybe it's because I don't want to talk too much about it… It's getting harder and harder for me by the day…'.
He really pitied the poor girl. She seemed terribly hurt and lost to her fate.
'Come, come…', he pulled her to him. 'Don't you have a long life ahead of you to be going through that hell?'.
She sighed. 'You told me that these things can't be prevented…and now I'm paying for being so naïve!'.
'But you forget what I offered you on a silver plate...'.
He was right. Delivering Christine…
'I… I still have to think it over. I am…not sure if that would be correct...'.
'Listen...', he said soothingly. 'You don't have to fear of what might come to you, or the consequences of your decision. I would cover your back so that he wouldn't find out, and you would finally get what you want, wouldn't you? It will be good for you in any case...', he kept going when he saw her thoughtful expression. 'Come to see me in my apartment in a few days', he smiled, took a sheet of paper out of his case and wrote his address on it. 'And then, we'll talk it all out in private and calmly', he squeezed her shoulder. 'I've got to go now, but don't forget our appointment, all right? See you soon, Angeline'.
She nodded and watched him go.
'See you soon, that's right'. Her voice was barely a whisper.
She observed him from the distance, already knowing who he was. Her own half-brother… but, would she ever gather up the courage to tell him?
With that last thought, she stood up. She had still something to buy before she returned home...