Odette and Merante
The opera went silent hours ago. Odette didn't react, when Madame Le Haut told her, that she lost her job and with it her home. She just watched as the carriage slowly disappeared in the dust of the Parisian morning. The wind picked up and a few dark leaves made a small noise while flying over the pavement. Odette couldn't tell how long she stood there, staring into emptiness, with the hope of Fèlicie returning to her. But nothing happened, the street stayed silent and Odette was left alone. It was an odd feeling as if her dream was taken with Fèlicies, the last straw of her future as a dancer. She has seen herself as the young girl. Seen herself train for weeks alone in the opera, every night she got better. The women really did hope, that the girl could live her dream. No one came by and a time went by, that Odette couldn't specify, it felt like her world stopped turning.
The jacket that someone laid on her shoulder felt heavy like it was suffocating her. She already had lifted her hand to remove the jacket, when a firm voice stopped her. "You're ice cold. It's okay, come on we will warm you up.", Merantes Voice didn't allow any resistance. He took her hand and let it slip around his arm, so he could lead her inside. The former dancer just let it happen. The heavy jacket, his warm hand on hers, and his calm voice told her to sit down on a soft sofa inside the opera. She realized all of that and yet she just stared into the flames that Merante had sparked. Odette watched the flames dance in the fireplace, while Merante sat down next to her. They stayed silent for quite some time and even when she was warm, she kept on his jacket. It smelled like Merante and deep inside her, she knew how calming this affects her.
"She will be fine.", his voice sounded like he really believed it. Like he believed that she would be happy outside of the Opera. "She's like me...", the man looked up at her but didn't say anything for quite some time. Odette saw his small nod and how his gaze went back to the flames. "That's why I know. That she will be fine.", he said quietly but didn't add anything else to his words. Merante brought her back inside, it was a former fitting room with two huge windows watching over the houses of Paris. An old rug filled the floor and the couch was tangible older with a feeling of dust whatever one would touch.
"You can stay with me.", it was the first time that Odette truly looked at Merante. He hasn't moved his gaze away from the fire while saying these words. She noticed once again how much older he looked, since the last time they danced. He didn't age badly, instead, he seemed to have kept his graze and his pride. Their teacher once said that they were the perfect contrast for each other. Now was the first time she really agreed. "I don't want to stay at your house.", she replied with a small voice. Odette still felt weak but yet she didn't look away from his profile. "Why? I have a huge house, with enough rooms to fit you in there five times.", he replied seriously and that was when they looked into each other's eyes for the first time since he watched her dance on the stage. "We already talked about this, I don't want to...", she responded once again, her voice still gentle and warm even though she felt completely different. His eyes were soft and filled with worry while hers looked tired and alone like she has lost her last affection. Merante sighed and leaned back against the soft cushions. It was clear that had didn't want to fight her today. They both looked defeated after this day. Both of them grew feelings for Felicie and she seemed to become the closest the two ever had to a daughter.
"Then stay here. I know you like it here and I will take care of it. The attic has a lot of room, the old training room isn't used anymore.", she knew why he suggested exactly this room. It was their room. In the room, the two would meet up and train for hours, laugh, listen to music, and sometimes she would play the piano for him. All of these memories were kept locked up in the room. It was their safe place.
The woman sighed silently but then she slowly nodded. It was the best offer she could get. "Good, I will take care of it immediately.", the man got up and smoothed his shirt stores. He looked at her from his standing position, his jacket still over her shoulders. Instead of taking his jacket, he stepped up to her and leaned down to her. He looked into her eyes and found the small glance of something unspoken in them. He closed his eyes and placed a kiss on her forehead. It was light and filled with affection. "Keep the jacket as long as you want. You know where to find me.", that's when he straightened his back and nodded one last time. He stepped to the door and looked one last time at Odette. "I will stay here. I promise.", with that he opened the door and as fast as he had appeared for Odette, he was gone.
It took over a week for his jacket to return to his fitting room, it was needles folded and ironed. The small hole on the sleeve was sewed and in the breast pocket was a small Paper.
"I'm not going to leave either, I have no reason to. So you have to stay as well. You know where to find me for a cup of tea Louis.", Merante smiled at the note. She barely used his first name and even in writing it sounded nice to him. "I haven't seen you smile like this for quite some time.", Rosita noticed, she was there to pick up something for her costume.
"Sometimes good things happen to everyone, Rosita. Even to me.", he replied and folded the paper again, to put it back in its place over his heart. "What could be so good?", she asked confused. "The best thing of all.", he didn't explain more. That was it. That's what Odette was to him.
The best thing of all.