I do not own POTO... Much love!

One month after Erik rejected the invitation another one arrived, in the form of a personal letter. Erik refused to touch it, but Christine read it aloud.

Erik,

My dearest nephew, how it pains me to know that you do not wish to see me. All I have ever wanted was to see your face and know for sure that you are indeed my nephew and that you are alive and well. Please allow me to see you. Is one meeting really that much of a burden?

Mme. Magdalene LeRoux

"Wants to see my face, does she?" Eric growled. "She came too late. Twenty years ago she could have seen my face for a euro and there was no chance of me escaping my cage!"

"I'm sure that is not what she meant!" Christine pleaded in this woman's defense, though she hardly knew why. "I do believe she really wants to see you. I ignored the first request but I cannot ignore this. Please, Erik, talk to her once!"

Erik was unrelenting. "I will not allow this woman to humiliate or manipulate me in any way. If she wants to see me she can just keep waiting. We are NOT going!"

"Fine, Erik, fine. Forget extended family. All a baby needs is their mommy and daddy to love them and spoil them and give them attention. An aunt would just be a bother, right Erik?" Christine gave her husband a withering look and walked into the bedroom for a nap.

Christine awoke to a heavy weight on the end of the bed. It was Erik, packing a big suitcase. He looked at her and sighed. "I am not promising anything." Christine just smiled.