Mikael arrived home the next morning. He walked sadly down the hall and then, as always, wanted to lie down on the couch in the living room for a while. What he saw shocked him. Mare was lying on the couch, and next to her was a little girl with black hair.
"What else will she surprise me with?" he asked himself, staring at the two figures. He quietly approached them and rubbed his eyes. "No, I'm not dreaming. This is real. But what is this thing doing here?" He had barely asked when Melody's eyes flew open. The angel jumped back, terrified. Melody frowned and looked at the stranger.
"Who are you?" she asked suspiciously.
"Mikael," he replied uncertainly. "And you?
" "Melody.
" "Nice to meet you, Melody.
" "Me too, Mikael."
They both stared at each other until Melody finally asked,
"Do you live here, Mikael?
" "Yes, with Mare.
" "With whom?" With Marisa?
"Yes, Marisa.
" "Why does an angel live under the same roof as a devil?
" "Good question," Mikael replied. "I've been wondering myself. "
After a moment, he regained his composure and remembered what she'd said.
"Wait, wait, you see I'm an angel?"
The little girl nodded.
"How?
" "I don't know," she replied, shrugging. Then she asked, "Can you make me breakfast?"
Mikael sighed; he didn't know what a child could be doing in this house, especially with that cruel, heartless devil. He made more progress when he started talking to Melody. From her, he learned everything that had happened the previous day. On the one hand, he was reassured that Mare was giving her away, but on the other, he didn't understand why Melody was buying so many things and putting them on the shelves. He had to find out about that from Mare herself, even though he didn't feel like talking to her at all. Instead, he explained to Melody why he and she were on Earth and what their mission was. At some point, Mikael had had enough of Melody's tongue-twisting.
"Did you speak Italian before?
" "No," she replied sadly.
"What language?
" "I don't know.
" "Then tell me something.
" "I'm little Madame Melody.
" "It's French. I love that language.
" "Can you speak it?
" "Yes, and perfectly. It'll be easier for me to talk now.
" "Me too," Melody said happily, showing off her gaping teeth in a wide smile.
Mare slowly opened her eyes. Her head ached. She hadn't expected to feel so bad. "Maybe I should have stayed in the hospital?" She rolled over and realized no one was lying next to her. She jumped up suddenly, which made her feel a little dizzy. She looked around the room with a blurry gaze. There was no one. Only when she listened carefully did she hear Melody's familiar cries of joy coming from the kitchen. She slowly got off the sofa and headed towards the kitchen. After a moment, she realized two sounds were coming from there, and the second one was Mikael's. She sighed and, with a heavy heart, entered the kitchen. There she saw the little angel on her lap. She spoke French. Mikael understood her perfectly. She smiled friendly and finally found the courage to greet her adopted daughter and angel.
"Good morning," she said softly.
Mikael glanced at her. A grimace appeared on his face for a few seconds, but then disappeared when he saw Melody's reaction.
"I woke up early and I was hungry, so the angel made me breakfast," she said, explaining herself.
"That's very good, I'm glad you're not hungry.
" "No, I'm not," she said with joy in her voice. She ran over and asked Mare to take her in her arms. The devil, though with difficulty, took her and sat down at the table.
Only then did Mikael see the wound on her leg and arm.
"What happened to you?" he asked, barely hiding the frightened expression on his face.
"Nothing. Melody would have been hit by a car; I saved her at the last minute.
" "Don't you remember? I told you," Melody said indignantly.
"I couldn't imagine it, let alone believe a story like that. And why aren't you in the hospital?
" "I'm fine. They're just scratches, they'll heal soon. Besides, I thought we weren't supposed to talk to each other.
" "Did you have a fight?" "Melody asked, her mouth hanging open.
"Yes.
" "Then make up. When I argued with my friends at the orphanage, the teacher told us to shake hands and apologize."
Mare and Mikael exchanged glances. It was their first eye contact since the school mishap. The devil's eyes were glassy. She looked as if she were about to burst into tears. The angel noticed this and said,
"I just want to hear from you. Because I won't forgive you for that old woman, let alone for Domenico. That was a low blow.
" "So you forgave me for the teacher?" she asked hopefully.
"No.
" "Oh, I thought so.
" "What happened?" she asked, curiosity in her voice.
"Your 'mother' did some very bad things.
" "Oh, very, very bad?
" "Yes, very, very bad."
"You explained everything to her."
"Yes, have I done anything wrong? It seems to me that I only do good things.
" "Only good things.
" "Have I done any bad things? Hmm?
" "Yes, you do them all the time.
" "Me, do I?"
Melody looked from one to the other. They were arguing so much that they made her burst into... laughter. They both looked at her.
"What's so funny?" Mikael asked.
"You look so funny when you argue.
" "I never would have thought our arguments could be funny to anyone," Mare replied, tickling Melody's belly. The little girl laughed heartily. "I have a question for you, Melody.
" "Yes?
" "What do you think? Can a devil apologize to an angel?
" "No," she said, laughing out loud.
"No? Why?
" "Because devils are evil, so they can't apologize because it's good.
" "So what do I have to do to make Mikael not be angry with me?
" "I'll tell you in your ear," she whispered.
Mikael watched this bizarre, yet admittedly sweet, scene. He never would have guessed Mare could handle a child so well. He expected what she would do, though he was also afraid. After five minutes, Mare stood up, having previously seated Melody in a chair. She approached Mikael and smiled.
"If you won't apologize to me as a devil, then as what?
" "As a woman," she replied. "As a woman in love who did something inappropriate and wanted to make up for her mistake.
" Mikael stopped dead in his tracks. "Did she really say, 'in love?'" Mare, sensing the angel's fears, went to him and hugged him.
"I'm truly sorry. I couldn't fix it anymore, forgive me."
The devil was close to tears, but she held them back. Mikael, initially dismayed, returned the hug. He stroked her hair and kissed her forehead.
"Okay, you don't have to apologize for anything anymore.
" "Really?"
"Yes, but I won't forgive you for those people."
Mare grimaced at the last words.
"So, the family is complete?
" "Yay!" exclaimed Melody, who had been watching the scene the entire time, entranced. "I have a mom and... a dad?"Mare looked at her sadly, but so as not to disturb the happiness in her little heart, she said,
"Maybe."
"Why?
" "Because Mikael isn't my husband.
" "But will he?
No answer from the angel or the devil.
" "Will he?" she repeated the question.
"If Mare agrees," Mikael replied with a certain calmness.
"Yes, exactly," Mare replied, echoing him, although a completely different matter was on her mind.
"That's wonderful!" the little girl rejoiced. "Then maybe we can go to the park together?"
Mare laughed. After all, that was where they'd first met.
Leaving the house, she put on her Texas jacket again. Her hand was bothering her more and more, but she tried not to show it. With a calm heart, she went out into the fresh air with Mikael and Melody. The little one jumped in front of them, happy to finally find her real parents. However, she was surprised when Mikael, while they were playing on the playground, wandered off, explaining that he had something important to do.
"Don't worry, he'll be back soon. Maybe we can go get something to eat in the meantime? I'm hungry.
" "Me too," she nodded, immediately forgetting that Mikael had left them.
The angel returned about an hour later. He was holding a piece of paper.
"What do you have there?" the devil asked.
"Curious as always," he said sarcastically.
"Just so you know. Show it."
She didn't even wait for the angel to hand her the paper; she snatched it and started reading. At first slowly and calmly, then with a rush, her eyes growing larger and larger.
"How did you do that in less than an hour?
" "What's Hagres for?
" "Who's Hagres?" Melody asked.
"He's a fairy, an elf who helps us," he explained.
"And what did he help you with?
" "He got you parents," Mare said, looking from Melody to Mikael. She was a little terrified.
"That's wonderful!" the girl squealed and threw herself around Mare's neck. The devil hissed in pain but tried to hide it so Melody wouldn't notice. "Mommy, I'm so happy!"
After a moment, the squeals and happy laughter dissolved into a single roar of tears.
"Melody, honey, don't cry," Mare said, though she had no idea what to do next.
"But I'm so happy. Mommy and Daddy!"
Mikael knelt down and hugged them together. After a moment, he picked Melody up and held her in his arms. She clung tightly to his sweatshirt. Then he helped the little devil stand up. He put his arm around her waist and led her towards the house. He decided that was quite a lot of events for one day. Melody fell asleep nestled against him. She woke up only outside the house. Her eyes moved to the angel's face. They were full of pain and sorrow. The angel didn't even notice at first that the little girl had begun to cry. And along with the tears, drops of blood began to flow from her. Mare, sensitive to the scent, raised her head (she had been held by Mikael the entire time).
"Melody!" she screamed.
Mikael, as if awakened from his lethargy, also looked at the tiny creature, lost in tears.
"Honey," she said. "Don't cry, it's just blood running from your nose; it'll stop soon," Mare soothed.
But Melody didn't stop crying, instead roaring even louder.
"Calm down, we'll be home soon.
" Mikael held a handkerchief to her.
"Last time... when... it was so... dripping... sobbing... they took me... to where we were yesterday.
" Mare looked at the angel with terrified eyes.
"What do you mean they took you to the hospital?
" "Ugh!" she started crying again.
"Mikael, look at her medical records.
" "I don't have them," he said indignantly.
"What do you mean you don't. Hagres!"
A tiny ghost immediately appeared. As soon as he heard Mare's voice, he hid behind Mikael.
"Yes?" he asked, swallowing hard.
"I want Melody's medical records."
Hagres made some strange, vague movement with his paw, and the necessary papers immediately appeared in Mare's hand. The she-devil quickly scanned them. Mikael, meanwhile, was opening the door to the apartment. After a moment, he heard only a single "Oh" from the she-devil.
"What happened?
" "Listen carefully, it says here that at the age of four she had a serious accident. She fell out of a tree, hitting her head, and then suffered a severe concussion. The tests were successful, but from then on, until she turns 10, she's supposed to have them every six months.
"When was her last visit?
" "Less than six months ago. Are you thinking the same thing I'm thinking?
" "What happened, Mom?" Melody squealed. The blood had stopped pouring from her nose, but she still had a terrible fear in her eyes.
"We'll take you to the hospital now, okay?" Mikael said as calmly as possible, so as not to panic. However, he didn't, as the little girl was still staring at Hagres. She simply nodded in agreement.
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