Ch. 5 (My Only Concern)

IN AMERICA:

I stood outside on the balcony of my new home. The city was such a busy place that going home in the quiet side on New York was always the best part. The green gardens that were full of flowers were my favorite place to read. Why was I reading anyways? My world had been once full of music and wondrous melodies that it almost made cry just thinking about it. My new husband, Raoul Vicomte de Chagny, had suggested that I had retire from singing, dancing and just playing music altogether due to my last incident. Sometimes when I sit outside, the wind would hit my ears and I could still hear his-

"Christine!"

"I'm coming, my darling!" I shouted. I ran to the door and onto the staircase holding up my dress and into the living room to see Raoul and the Romano family sitting on the sofas. A tea pot lay steaming with cups circling around it. The royal blue pillows on the couches were arranged to everyone's comfort, and the drapes on the windows were open letting in streams of light.

"Christine!" Rosaline squealed with joy. We ran into each other's arms in a friendly embrace. The Romano family laughed with excitement. Monsieur and Madame Romano, who were actually a lord and lady, were good friends to Raoul's family. His father, Phillepe Victome de Changey and William Romano had worked together for years and have been friends since birth. William Romano was a pianist; Famous in his own country and hometown. Though he is Italian, his parents named him after a close family friend of theirs who died in war. The man was English and so the Italian man has an English name. He and his family had come to America from Sicily, Italy. His family was musical and with them was I only able to perform my talents.

Rosaline, like me, was a dancer but, also a violin player. Her younger brother, Dante, was a pianist and played the trumpet. He had a taste for fast music and surprisingly at the age of ten. Their mother, Anira Romano, was an opera singer. She is not from Italy but, from Scotland. She used to perform at the Opera house in Italy when she and William first started, but now she performs in the New York Theater. The last of them was Gemma Romano; the middle child. She had the most beautiful singing voice I have ever heard, but she was just too shy to show it off. When she danced, she always fell. When she played an instrument, she would either break it or just not be able to play nor read the notes right. She wasn't dumb at all though. I guess she wasn't that interested. So, she assigned herself in a world of words. She wrote lyrics for her family to perform and wrote stories and poems for pleasure. If trained properly in the musical world, she would release all her hidden talents. She just needed at better teacher. To be quite honest, I believed her parents were too strict, but that's just me. I knew just who would be a great teacher for her though.

The sound of voices around me came back when I snapped into reality again.

"Christine, there's a letter for you from Gemma," Madame Romano said handing me the letter. I carefully examined the familiar Opera Populaire envelope. It was red with black writing on the front. The Opera Populaire's address was stamped on it. There was a sweet scent that clung to the paper when I opened the envelope. It smelled of... roses. *Too many memories with so little time to think of them.* I thought and the letter read:

-Christine,

I have come to Paris safe and sound just as I promised. It is a very wonderful place. Better than what I had expected. My first job was in a library, but at church one morning, I was asked to work as the new play and song writer for the Opera Populaire. The managers asked me themselves! So much has happened within the month I have been here. Another thing happened as well and I find it odd. I opened the drawer from the dresser in my room and inside was a letter. The sender was unknown. All the writer had said was 'Welcome Home.' There was also a red rose with a black ribbon tied around it. Seems like a romantic scene from those romance novels we always like to read. Any who, Christine, I wish you and my family could come and visit so that you all could see the plays I have written.

Love always, Gemma-

My eyes grew wide with fear and... Jealousy was it? She was sent a rose with black ribbon tied to it. Raoul snatched the letter from my hands. He laughed as I tried to get it back from him when he read it. I waited for the fear and anger rise in the room. He saw it and I knew he had because his face grew stressed with anger. I was right.

"Are you alright, Raoul?" Rosaline asked. Raoul slumped to the floor, his head in his hands. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed. He began a story with these words:

"Some of you may recall of the stranger affair..."

"Not my daughter. I shall not have this! If any man lays one hand on her..." Monsieur Romano yelled and paused.

"Oh mother, father what shall we do?" Rosaline wept. Dante hugged her in comfort. He looked up to his mother for some advice.

"Christine and I can go back to Paris and take her home. I will not let this monster get a hold of anyone else, especially Gemma. He almost had Christine once and it won't happen again," Raoul said.

"Raoul, please," I begged. "He had meant no harm to Gemma. All he did was welcome her to her new home. Obviously no one else could stand up to her and say something-"

"Oh please, Christine! You think Firmin and Andre did not say anything to her? Not even Madame Giry or Meg? I'm sure someone said something. He's not the only one and even if he was I really could care less."

"He won't do anything else though. I know it to be true. I know he won't go after her, she's a poet Raoul. That's not his taste." I did not fully understand what I was trying to say or what I was trying to do but, something inside me just wanted reassurance that he would not attach himself to anyone else. Maybe I was jealous.

"Surely she can sing or so you've told me once before. Oh, and might I add he loves to take advantage whenever he can, especially when this young girl looks a little bit like you. You know with some of the same features... the voice from heaven. Tell me that doesn't ring a damn bell Christine!"

He looked back over at Monsieur Romano and his wife.

"Don't worry. We'll get her back home," Raoul promised.

"My family and I have decided to accompany you on your mission to Paris. Gemma is our daughter. Perhaps she shall understand when her parents are there to take her back home." Monsieur Romano declared.

I looked down ashamed and beaten. I watched as Madame and Monsieur Romano were led into Raoul's quarters to make the arrangements. Rosaline came up to me and put her arms around my shoulders.

"I agree with you, Christi. I really do. I know my sister would never disobey the rules of the opera house. She is too cautious with the people around her. She would never go venturing from her own quarters alone."

Rosaline was my best friend. My new best friend actually. Meg and I had gotten into a fight before I had left for America about how I was leaving. It was a stupid fight nonetheless and was childish. I still missed her though. Now I was even more concerned for Gemma, thinking of the worst case scenarios. She could fall into a trap. His traps were hard to get out of as well because even I was still in it.

"Rosaline, I do believe that you are actually the only one who does believe me."

His trap was called love. It was love that he showed through his hands, his words, even his music.