Author's note: This takes place right after the musical (not the book) ends. But never fear, Erik is gone but temporarily.
Disclaimer: pph! As if I would own POTO. I don't.
"So he's gone?" Raoul asked Meg Giry eagerly. She nodded, and he gave a huge whoop. "Victoire! Though things didn't go quite as planned, we still defeated that Phantom. Kiss me, Christine."
"Not quite as planned?" Meg interrupted. "You do realize that the Opera Populaire's main tenor is dead, and this opera house will likely never recover from the fire and the scandal. Hundreds of people are out of a job and dozens are scarred, both mentally and physically, Christine not the least. Would you agree, Christine?"
"What?" Christine had been lost in thought, thinking about Erik's expression on his face when she gave his ring back to her. Why was she dwelling on that? Oh, of course. It had only happened a day ago. Already, people were bugging her about details about Erik and, to her confusion, various operas in Paris and surrounding areas were already offering her some very cushiony positions, similar to the one Carlotta had held at the Paris Opera. She came out of her train of thought to feel Raoul kissing her. Her gut instinct was to pull back from surprise.
"Oh, don't be worried, Christine, my parents are wonderful people," Raoul said with a grin.
"What?" She needed to stop getting lost in her thoughts.
"I was saying that we're going to meet my parents tomorrow evening. They're not opera goers, so they haven't heard you sing, but I'm sure after meeting you, they'll want to go simply to listen to you!" He grinned.
She didn't agree. If his parents didn't go to the opera, it was probably for moral reasons— no one of Raoul's family's social class didn't go to the opera unless they had a moral objection to it. She had the feeling that they were probably displeased with Raoul's choice of fiancées. After all, she used to be a chorus girl, and rumors about chorus girls abounded. Some of them were even true, though obviously not for Christine- Erik would never have allowed that. She wondered if Erik was dead— she hoped not. Wait, why did she hope not? He was a murderer- an evil man…right?
"Christine!" Meg cried with exasperation.
"What?" Christine exclaimed, surprised.
"You're certainly pensive today. I had asked you if you had a good dress to wear to meet Raoul's parents, because I could go with you to buy an appropriate dress if you like," Meg said.
"Sounds good," said Christine. The dinner itself, however, did not seem very good.
The next evening: Christine was dressed in an intricately sewed white dress with a fairly modest neckline, chosen as to not give Raoul's parents the wrong impression. She also wore a necklace and earrings that Firmin had let her take. Earlier that day he had let her into the Opera House and take what she liked. He had looked exhausted, and commented that he and André were selling the House for a pittance of what they had bought it for. It sounded like they were simply eager to get as far away from the fiasco as possible.
Raoul picked her up that evening from Mme. Giry's home where Christine was staying for the moment. He smiled when he saw her. "Wonderful, my dear," he said. "You look as lovely as the day I recognized you. And now, to dinner."
The carriage ride was mostly silent except for the few remarks Raoul made about his parents, most of them being spectacularly unhelpful for Christine's nerves. He mentioned how pious they were, which wasn't a bad thing, except that piety often came with a dislike for chorus girls. He also mentioned his strict upbringing, and how he thinks the only reason he was allowed to meet Christine in the first place that summer was because he was staying with his aunt at the time.
"But don't worry," he said. "They'll love you!"
How reassuring, she wryly thought.
They soon arrived at the de Chagny's estate. They were let in through a black wrought-iron gate, and, if that wasn't imposing enough, the house itself was enormous- it looked larger than the Opera House Christine knew so well. It had what looked like millions of windows, and the entrance seemed to be designed specifically to look imposing. Raoul seemed to take no notice of this. He fairly leapt out of the carriage, and gave a hand to Christine to help her out. They walked up the steps, hands lightly held. At the top of the stairs, a butler opened the door and bowed obsequiously to the both of them, though Christine could feel him giving her a suspicious side glance.
They walked slowly down the main hall, and soon reached a set of large wooden doors. Raoul let go of Christine's hand and opened the door for her. She entered a large room where the walls appeared to be an unusual shade of light pink or red. At the end of the room was a large dining table, in front of which stood and elderly, noble looking couple—Raoul's parents, she assumed.
"The walls are made of a unique kind of red marble. I see you gawking at them," said the woman coldly.
"Mother! Father! I would like to introduce you to my fiancée, Mademoiselle Christine Daaé," Raoul interrupted gaily.
They both frowned at her. This boded not well.
They all sat down to dinner shortly. Everything was dead silent. Raoul seemed at a loss as to what to do. The silence became slowly more crushing until his father finally said, "So what's all this that I hear about some Phantom? I don't follow opera news, so I was surprised to hear about this." His tone made it clear that he was not particularly glad to hear this news. "I've told Raoul that the opera's a tricky business, but he doesn't listen, foolish boy."
Raoul blushed, and Christine sighed. How would she ever get through this dinner alive? Suddenly, out the window facing her, she swore she saw a mask. Erik?
Oooh, tricksy of me. Is it Erik? Is she simply insane? What's up with Raoul's parents? Please review and tell me if you care, i.e. if you're interested at all! Thank you!