Three Means 1

Chapter 6: Smokey Bath

   Pierre raised an eyebrow, with doubt in his eyes. "What do you mean? She went there specifically for you?"

    Angelo rolled his eyes, wandered over to the couch, and flopped down with a loud sigh, clearly enjoying the drama of the story. Dulce and Pierre followed, taking their places on the floor to listen. Angelo leaned back, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a rolled cigarette, the earthy green one Dulce recognized by now.

    "The first word out of her mouth when she walked into the shop? My name. She practically yelled it." Angelo said, flicking the lighter and firing up the cigarette. "Claude had to tell her to lower her voice, for God's sake."

    Dulce, intrigued, leaned forward. "Why was she so upset?"

    Angelo's brow furrowed, as if the answer were evident to everyone but her."Why do you think? I haven't seen her, haven't spoken to her in weeks. No explanation, no warning." Angelo muttered, taking a deep drag.

    Dulce bit her lip, embarrassed for not realizing sooner. She'd been lost in their secluded little world, and it had blurred out her sense of anyone outside its walls. Had they truly been so wrapped up in each other that the rest of the world simply fell away?

    "I wasn't sure what you two had going on anymore." She said in her own defense. Angelo let out a laugh, exhaling smoke through parted lips. "Oh, she made that very clear today. She went off the rails." He laughed again, eyes shining as he took another pull on the cigarette.

    Pierre snorted. "What were you expecting? Roses?"

    Angelo smirked. "No, you don't get it. She jumped over the counter, grabbed a bunch of treats I'd just baked and smeared them all over me. Thank God I was wearing an apron; she slapped me with them, too!"

    "Oooo, kinky." Pierre teased, his voice low as he threw a playful, knowing look at Dulce. She felt her cheeks warming, and couldn't hide her blush as Pierre's knee brushed hers. Encouraged by her reaction, he slid a little closer, and the smallest pressure of his leg against hers made her heart race.

    "Claude started yelling, customers were leaving... total madness." Angelo continued, shaking his head with a sigh.

    "What was she saying?" Pierre asked, gesturing for the cigarette. Angelo handed it to him, their fingers brushing as Pierre took it, inhaling deeply. Angelo rolled his eyes and adapted a mocking, high pitched voice as he mimicked Fleur. "You heartless bastard! You've ignored me, avoided me, refused my calls! How could you do this to us?"

    Pierre threw his head back, a bit of laughter spilling out as he exhaled smoke. "God, you're such a bastard for that."

    Angelo smiled, pressing his hands to his face in shame. "I know. I was a complete ass to end things like that. I can admit it. But honestly, I'm glad it's over."

    Dulce blinked, surprised. "I didn't realize you wanted to end things with her."

    "I didn't, at first." Angelo said. "But when I looked at it closely, I understood she isn't my soulmate. I've finally come to know what that means, and she... she isn't it. I already have it. They complete me."

    At this, he went quiet and his gaze softened. Dulce's breath caught at the sincerity in his voice. It all sounded so rare and so pure that it startled her.

    Soulmates. Was there such a thing, a soul so connected with your own that its very presence filled you, fulfilled you, with a completeness that left you breathless? They say true soulmates don't just cross paths, they mark themselves on your soul, making you feel as though, in their absence, a part of you remains forever missing. They spark something deep and unexplainable, something that goes byond simple passion or romance. To find a person like that is to find the other half of oneself, the part that has always been searching, yearning, until fate decides to intervene.