Phantom of the Opera

Gifts

Melody hugs me and I hold her close. I can't imagine how hard that was for her.
It's very odd to hug her. The first time I have actually hugged someone back in a while. Last person I hugged was Christine, 8 years ago. Melody's hair feels just like Christine's.

"I've never really hugged anyone other than my brother, and my mother when I was little," Melody says after a couple seconds. She pulls away gently.

"Well, there's a first time for everything, isn't there?" I respond. I can tell she is smiling, "Do you want me to give you a tour?" I have been thinking about which building to give her for her birthday and I have the perfect one. But Squelch and Gangle are setting it up right now.

"I would love that!" Melody seems much happier when she is me than she was before we left. Mel walks excitedly out of the concert hall.

I walk her around the whole park until sunset when I see a firework come form somewhere by the Hall. That's the signal. I lead Melody to the place I picked out for her. It is the second largest building, next to the Concert Hall.

As we round the corner, the building is in plain sight. It's not as elegant as the concert hall on the outside but looks like a castle on the inside. Mel's eyes are glimmering with curiosity. I open the doors and there are lights shine at us through a thick fog.

You guys really outdid yourselves this time.

"What is...?" Melody says under her breath with a smile in her voice. As she walks in, a smile creeps onto my face too. I look around before following Mel into the "castle".

"This is magnificent!" Melody rushes into the elegant theater crying with joy. The dark figure of Madame Giry is standing by Squelch and Gangle. I know that Melody needs a mother and that Madame Giry can keep a secret. She's kept me a secret. Moving over to me, Madame Giry says the same thing as Meg.

"I'm sorry about Christine's daughter," she says. Madame Giry has tear stained cheeks.

"No need, I saved her," I state with a slight smile on my face. Melody is hanging out with Gangle and Squelch, she seems to take a liking to them.

"What do you mean?" Giry asks. I gesture to Melody.

"She wanted to come with me," I state. Melody's giggles fill the room sounding like soft bells and pure happiness.

"Why does she have a mask?" Giry notices.

"I'll have her show you later once she settles in," Mel looks at me and waves excitedly from across the room. I wave back, "You can't tell Meg, though," Giry nods. She was a mother to Christine, she can be a mother to my muse's daughter.

"She's very skinny. Dinner will do her good. Midnight and Isabelle are joining us for dinner too," Giry walks out with a slight smile on her face.
Midnight and Isabelle wall out to retrieve Melody. The girls are twins, they can feel what the other is feeling.

They are gentle and sweet girls.

"There's more?" Mel asks excitedly to Squelch and Gangle. They nod, I follow them down a flight of stairs into a dark corridor. There is a light at the far end of the hall. Melody runs to the lit room and gazes at the outfit that's displayed there.

"It's...It's," Mel touches the fabric with her dainty pale hands, "Beautiful."

"Two of our friends wanted to give you something and they'll help you get it on," Squelch states, "Their names are Midnight and Isabelle," The girls smile at Melody.

"Come on back, I'm Midnight."