LOVING A MANNEQUIN

Chapter 41: Rare Visit

*BARBIE HEAVENWARD POV*

When night came, Addorro indeed visited Melanie's house with a variety of fruits and a box of strawberry cake in hand which was Melanie's favorite flavor cake.

Due to his rare visit, Melanie took a long time to change her clothes and I laughed when she came down, she was wearing a red walking dress as if she was really going out later. Still not learnt a lesson? Hmmm, she looked pretty and elegant with it as usual.

Melanie sat next to me, and Angelo and Addorro sat next to each other opposite to us.

I braced my elbows on the table and rested my cheeks to my palms as the two men were not even talking random things. Aa if they were just feeling the presence of each other. The cake and fruits on the table weren't even touched a little too.

I sighed and elbowed Melanie at the same time and said, "Melanie, are we just going to stare at each other until morning?”

"I don't know either. Maybe. It looks like there's no one else here aside from us. Do you see anyone here?" Melanie replied, acting looking for something around.

"I don't see anything either aside from statues.”

"Where?"

"There in front of us. Hmm, Melanie, if we sell them, how much do you think they will cost?"

"I think it's just like this." Melanie raised an entire hand.

"Five thousand?"

"No. Five hundred."

"So cheap."

"Who--" Melanie interrupted as Angelo coughed.

"Enough!" Addorro said.

"Oh, so they can actually create sounds? I thought they were just statues." Melanie and I laughed.

“So you two really regard us as statues?” Angelo's voice was meaningful which I easily understood. What he meant was I was regarding him just a mannequin.

I’m doomed! He seemed a bit upset or probably, he was really mad.

I coughed too and cleared my throat. “No. As long as you two speak, you no longer just statues.”

“Oh I see.” Although it was hidden behind the mask, I noticed that Angelo smirked in a bit of an annoyed one.

“Angelo, right?” Addorro initiated a conversation. “Bro Angelo, can you please grant my curiosity. Even you are hiding behind that mask but I just feel I know you well. Your presence, your voice, your eyes, you are reminding me with that of someone important to me. So, can you please show us your face?”

“I don't think that's a good idea, Bro Addorro. I’m afraid, if I take off my mask, you will be scared and run off. Miss Smith will blame me later if that happens.” Angelo said plainly.

“I sure I am not. I'm pretty sure you look good.”

“Mr. Smiles, Angelo never likes to show his face to others. Recently because a lot of things happened and my workmates often meet us, he always wears a mask because he doesn't want others to recognise him.” I butt in.

“Don't worry, no matter how ugly or scary you look like, I won't run away nor get scared.” Addorro said.

Angelo laughed and tilted his head and slowly removed his mask. As the mask was completely being removed, he slowly raised his head and looked straight, deep and mysterious, at Addorro’s eyes. “How is my look Mr. Smiles?”

Addorro's skin toned face color suddenly turned pale. His face showed shock, disbelief and happiness as if he was really seeing a long lost good friend. “Bro-bro-” Addorro was unable to utter any more words other than Bro. He quickly grabbed a glass of juice and drank it in just one gulp.

“Mr. Smiles, are you okay?” Melanie asked. “The way you look at Angelo seems you are seeing a ghost or something.”

“I am fine. I am actually so happy.”

“Happy? What made you happy this afternoon? Earlier, you seemed so upset. Why now you suddenly became fine.”

“Because I found my long lost---” Addorro stopped talking as Angelo coughed again.

After silent observation, I really felt something off with the two. As if they were hiding some big dangerous secret. I was curious too, I wanted to know what it was.

After talking with random topics for a long time, finally, Addorro excused himself to leave.

We sent them until the gate and as Addorro reached the gate,  he turned around and bowed slightly to Angelo. To look and analise  at it carefully, it seemed  that they knew each other. Addorro who was usually indifferent  and cold but he surrendered and was talkative in front of Angelo.

“Does my head became dumbed

because of these?”