Foot steps echoed a pace thought an empty mansion. Nerves muttering filled the loneliness around. A heart beat pounding in his chest wanting to run and hide like it did so long ago.
A knock at the door made the foot steps stop and the heart beat faster and harder, as he slowly made his way to the door. His hand shook at he reached for the door, gripping the door knob. He open slowly and look at the short fat man with a big smile.
"Hello there Mr. Wilson, I'm Mr. Smith" he assumed showing his teeth as he smiled.
"Hello Mr. Smith. May you come in?" Mr. Wilson gestured him in. Mr. Smith wallowed in looking around the hug mansion.
"Quite a place you go here," Mr. Smith smiled "wouldn't mind living in it."
"It was my parents" Mr. Wilson looked in the mirror. The pearl white mask covered his face. "Well this way" They walked over to a loaf and both men said across form each other. "Would you like some tea?"
"That would be grand," Mr. Smith smiled.
Mr. Wilson stood and walked to the kitchen. He stood and watched s maid clean the dishes form lunch and humming the most wonderful sound.
"Meg?" he said as she turned to face him. She gave him a warm smile. "Mr. Smith is here; may you put some tea on?"
Her eyes widen and her smile became almost as big as Mr. Smith's. "Here? Did he tell you what he wanted? Erik your music might be put in the opera!" She ran over and hugged him.
"Maybe. Please, put some tea on." He couldn't help but smile at her.
She smiled back "Yes, sir." She went back to work
Erik went back to the room with Mr. Smith and sat. "My maid will bring it in as some as it done."
"Thank you. Now down to busses." His smile faded away and shifted. "As I know you know a Ms. Christen Daae."
Erik stared at him. H knew her but she haven't seem her in over five years now. He looks down at his lap and nodded. "Yes I know her."
"Well, I'm sorry to be the one that has to tell you, Madam Giry was but he couldn't make it, she died."
Erik's heart tore. All his life, hid future, his everything, dead. Tears threaten to come out at his eyelid but he blinked them away. "When did she pass?"
"2 weeks ago. But sir I'll tell you right now we took great care of your daughter."
Erik's eyes widen and he looked up "What!?"
"Yes she'll be five soon, and before Mss. Daae died she wrote you a letter." He held it out to Erik. He took and opened it. He read it slowly:
Dear Erik,
I need to tell you this. Remember the week after I found Raoul was cheating on me you found me. I spent a week with you in your house. You said it was friendship is what you wanted, that you knew I could never love a monster, but I came to love you after all. I really did. That night we kissed and it was full of love like the first time in you liar. God, why did I see it before, You loved me more then Raoul. We made love that night. When you woke up I was gone.
I know you thought I left again because I didn't love you, but I didn't. I went out to buy food to made you breakfast, but Raoul was fallowing me and finally caught up to me. He told me if I stay with you he would do everything in his power to kill you.
I'm so sorry, Erik. I must have hurt you so much. I should have gone with you in the first place. We could have run away.
Shortly after that, when I was living with Madame Giry, I found out I was pregnant. With your child. Yes you have a child. Madame Giry helped me take care of her. She told me Meg was off helping you.
She has your eyes. Her name is Star because she has lightened up my life and I hope she will to yours too. She is very smart in many ways and learns fast. She must get that from you. I love her with all my heart.
I won't live much longer. I'm very sick. But before I died I want you to know something. I love you, and it was always you, you will always have my heart.
Love, Christine
Erik watch as tears hit the paper. He looked up and wiped them away. "When dose she come?"
"Tomorrow if you like" Mr. Smith sipped his tea Meg brought out while Erik was reading.
Meg, he had to tell her that her best friend was dead. He looked over at her. He smiled as she washed the dishes.
He sighed "Tomorrow fine. Do I pick her up?"
"No, no I'll drop her off here tomorrow morning around 10:00" Mr. Smith held out his hand "I'm truly sorry bout your loss and please try and have a good day. I knew Mss. Daae as well. She in a happier place"
Erik took his hand a shook it "Thank you. She was a wonderful."
"Yes, she was" Mr. Smith and Erik stood and walked over to the door. "Please tell Meg gently"
Erik looked at him "You know Meg?"
"That is for another time Mr. Wilson. Good day" Mr. Smith walked out side. Erik watched him leave and slowly shut the door.
Meg ran over to him and smiles "Well! Is it true, is you music going to be in the opera"
He shook his head. "No. But Meg, I'm sorry to tell you, but…" He stopped and sighed "Christine died."
Meg stood there for a moment then fell against him crying hard into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her stroking her long hair. He felt her tears socking through his shirt, but he held on to her tight. After a while she slowly stopped.
She pulled away and looked at the letter still in his hand. "What's that?"
He gave it to her. She looked at it and looked at him. "I…I can't read."
He looked at her and took the letter and read it to her. Her jaw dropped "You have a daughter! When she coming!?"
"Tomorrow I need you to clean the house." She nodded. He knew she had questions, she always was asking questions, but it made him mad and yell. He looked down. His anger. He couldn't take are of a little girl. His fingers grazed the mask. Only time could tell.