Strange. Part two.

"We are friends. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes, of course. Silly question," she said and smiled again.

"You want to ask me something else, don't you? But I assure you, your husband and I have always been just friends. And besides, I have a fiancée."

"Really?" Eva asked with even more trepidation. "I'm sorry. I'm very happy for you."

Covering her cold hand with his own, Adelard moved closer and whispered, "If there is something troubling you, you can talk to me. My attention is always for you."

"What are you talking about?" Jean asked, stealthily appearing behind Adelard's back.

"We were talking about you. About what a terrible friend you are. How could you hide such a beautiful person from me? Jean, what kind of man are you?" Adelard asked the question cheerfully, hugging him and then pushing him away. This made Jean angry and when Adelard happily ran away from him, he ran after him.

"I'm going to get you! Stop!"

"Be careful!" Eva shouted in their wake, but it was too late.

Jean fell right down the stairs, just as he was about to grab Adelard's leg.

"Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

"I got you!" Jean shouted and pressed Adelard down on the floor. Pressing his hands against the soft carpet, he bent down and asked, "What were you talking about? About me?"

Sweating and laughing, Adelard replied, "No. We were talking about India."

Perhaps that was the first lie Adelard ever told. And deep down, he already felt like the worst person in the whole world. But after all, he understood that Eva was hiding something from her husband and maybe she needed help.

"All right, then. I'll let you go tonight."

Upon returning to the living room, the wall clock told him that it was quite late. The moon was already in the sky, letting its rays shine directly on the green couch. After a long day, Adelard was ready to fall asleep any second. And so he did, as he sat down on that cozy couch which turned out to be the softest in the world.

"What a strange man he is. He fell asleep right in my house," Jean said with love in his voice, hugging his wife.

"You shouldn't wake him up. He looks tired."

"Of course he will be tired. After all, today was his first time turning into a grown man."

Noticing that Eve was a little embarrassed, he added, "Today he understood everything about women. And he's thirty already! Well, he'll be thirty-one in a month."

"He's a real gentleman. There are no men like him nowadays. You can't understand him, even though you've known him for too many years."

"And I'm not a real gentleman?"

"No. You're just a man," Eva said and left before Jean could kiss her.

The next morning, Adelard awoke to a strange noise. But he didn't have the strength to open his eyes and leave his bed; instead of curiosity, he chose sleep. But his sleep could not last, for the noise was louder and stronger. Grabbing his robe, he headed down the stairs.

"Nicholas, what's going on?"

"I don't know. They're probably talking about you again. I'm going to go check it out, but you stay inside."

"Today, I'm supposed to be at a theater opening. So I'll be home late tonight," Adelard said, stopping Nicholas. "Wait, how did I end up here? I remember falling asleep on Jean's couch."

"At three o'clock in the morning, Jean brought you in his arms. You were sleeping so soundly that I thought you had been given sleeping pills."

"I slept so soundly?!" Adelard asked, remembering the reason for such relaxation.

"You're smiling. Is there something interesting going on?" Nicholas asked, knowing him too well to understand the meaning of his every smile. After all, Adelard had many kinds of smiles. A nervous smile, a tired smile, a happy smile, an incomprehensible smile, and a smile that hid something.

"I have to go."

"What? You're not having breakfast?"

"Wait! Dr. Fabian called. He said that young man has gotten better. He's still weak and too sick to get up, but nevertheless, he can eat and think clearly."

"Really? I'm very glad. I'll visit him soon."

"Once again, you saved the man. Now, we'll wait to see what terrible act he'll do to you," Nicholas said, sighing heavily.

"You always think of people as if they were the most horrible things in the world. Have you seen so much evil that you can't believe in good people?"

"Adelard, people can't be good. Especially to you," Nicholas said and at the same time the noise disappeared. "That's strange. People must have found some gossip again."

"I'm not hungry. I'm in a hurry!"

"At least take some food with you!"

"I'll eat with Jean!"

"You're still a little boy!" Nicholas shouted in his wake. Loud laugh and the clattering of horses' hooves were heard.

The theater, which was supposed to be the new hope for this small town with colorful flowers all around it, slowly began to open its door. It was a tall building that looked more like a tower. Built of red brick, the cylinder-shaped building was ready to welcome and delight guests. Surrounded by flowers and happy people in suits and dresses, the theater building was waiting for the marvelous evening. And most importantly, a woman in a beautiful black dress, with short black hair and a lively expression stopped in front of everyone and looked ahead.

Her name was Esma Ruby. She was only forty years old, but she looked as if she were only eighteen. Snow-white skin, red blush, an overly slender body without any fat, and most importantly, she was free. She had no family. Only one cat and one dog. And the main thing worth mentioning is that she never doubted her happiness. She never regretted not getting married or having children. She was a strong, proud, independent woman who had managed to travel all over the world and in the end, she decided to build a home in this particular small town.

She heard his name very often. Adelard Mars. She heard the name even too often. The letters were before her eyes all the time. But in person, she had never seen him. She could only believe the rumors that told her he was a real angel. In anticipation of seeing this real angel, Esma Ruby looked impatiently at the sky, and when a pink sunset graced the blue canvas, she said loudly, "Well, friends, it's time."

"Esma, this theater is the most interesting thing to happen in this little town," a man with a long beard said, looking at his watch.