Chapter 6
Christine was taking Shelby back to her old room, which was now filled with things so it wouldn't look strange to see her room empty but she lived in it. She went out her door, first making sure no one was out there, then quickly went to go find Meg, Madame Giry, and the owners. She finally found Madame Giry who was in her office.
"Come in." She said. Christine pushed open the door, and walked in with little Shelby asleep.
"Oh hello Christine I- Aaoh! Is this Shelby?" Madame Giry got up and walked up to Christine. Looking at Shelby.
"She's so cute. How old?" She asked
"A little over 2."
"What about Erik? How does he feel?"
"He's fine with it. He especially loves little Sarah..."
"Who's Sarah?" Asked Madame Giry.
"She's my-our, younger daughter." Christine said.
"Oh... Where is she?"
"Erik took her with him to look in the rafters and catacombs. He insisted he took Sarah."
"Hm! Typical Erik..." Madame Giry said as Shelby was beginning to wake up. Shelby woke up, looked around, but didn't see her baby sister.
"Mama?... Where's Sarie? And... And Daddy?" Shelby asked Christine with huge puppy dog that were about to pool with tears.
"Daddy has Sarah... He's taking her to show her some things... Don't worry..." Christine said as she rubbed her back.
"She looks so much like you." Madame Giry said.
"Erik said that too... In the past, he said that she looks exactly like me when I was young." Christine said. Just as Madame Giry was about to say something, in came Meg.
"Mother?... I need your-... Help... Oh my gosh! Is this Shelby!?" Meg shouted.
"Yes, Meg, it is her..." Christine said smiling.
"Aw! She's so adorable! She looks like a cute baby animal with huge eyes! Aw!" Meg said freaking out. As Meg was rambling on, Shelby gave her a funny look, and leaned next to Christine's ear.
"Who is that? She's weird." Shelby whispered.
"I know, but this is Meg, she's my friend."
"I wanna fwiend too!" Shelby said getting excited.
"But you have one, you've got a sister, which is the best friend to have." Christine said.
"You have another daughter!? Where is she?" Meg asked.
"She's with my husband." Christine said. She then started to worry what was going on with Erik and Sarah. Maybe they were home now. Maybe something happened. But she was cut from her thoughts when someone else came in.
"Excuse me Madame Giry, but we- Oh, hello Christine." One of the owners, Firmin said.
"Hello."
"What is this? Is this your daughter?" Firmin asked.
"Yes, it is." Christine said. Then Andre came in, and saw, and he adored her.
"She's pretty cute. What is her name?" Andre asked.
"Shelby... Shelby Christine Destler." Christine said as she stroked Shelby's hair from her face. Shelby looked at them while Christine did that.
"She looks so much like you. Is that why you named her middle name after you? Firmin asked.
"Well, my husband, Erik did."
"Tell me, will she take your place? Later on I mean." Asked Andre.
"Perhaps... But I've got another child, so I don't know..." Christine said.
"Another child?" Asked Firmin and Andre.
"Ye-"
"Yes! And her name is Sarah-" Meg shouted, but covered her mouth.
"Her name's Sarah Elizabeth Destler." Christine said.
"So which girl do you think will be like you?" Asked Madame Giry.
"Well... My husband thinks that Shelby here, will be like me, but I think Sarah will be more like Erik."
"What does your husband do Ms Destler?" Firmin asked.
"Oh, he works with music... He's an amazing musician, a genius, writes operas mostly, but he also writes songs." Christine said.
"This man... He sounds vaguely familiar... But you did say his name was Erik, did you not?" Firmin asked.
"Yes... But I don't see how he is familiar..." Christine said.
"He sounds like the opera ghost." Meg said. Christine turned white at what she said, because she thought that they'd find out.
"But it can't be... His name's Erik, and an Opera Ghost does not have a name." Madame Giry said.
"True... We are so foolish to think that Christine... We're sorry." Andre said. Christine soon got blood rushing to her face, and swallowed.
"It's alright... Now, if you'll excuse me, but I promised Shelby that I'd show her around, so pardon me."
"Perhaps you'd like to come see an opera performance? We're working on one, but it'll take at least a few months... Why don't you come?" Meg asked.
"I'd love to... But I'll have to ask Erik... Perhaps you can see Sarah then..." Christine suggested.
"Yes, and your husband too." Firmin said.
"... Yes... Yes, you just might." Christine said. Then she remembered something.
"If I we do come, do you mind if we have Box 5?"
"But that's the Phantom's old box! Surely you wouldn't want that." Said Andre and Meg.
"It's not me... My husband, it's um... It's his lucky number... Yes..."
"Oh, well... Um... Right then... We wouldn't want to disappoint him now would we?" Andre asked.
"No, we wouldn't." Christine said. Then she was wondering to herself why couldn't they have just done what Erik/ Phantom wanted when he asked them what he wanted? She soon left, and went to each and every room, until they got to the opera auditorium. Shelby ooed and awed, and started squirming.
"What's the matter Shelby?" Christine asked.
"I's want down!" Shelby shouted.
"Ok ok..." Christine said as she set down Shelby. Shelby then ran over to someplace backstage. Christine started walking over because she didn't want her getting lost. While Shelby was running around backstage, she ran into a room, but didn't read the name on the door. She went in, and found that the room was very nice and looked luxury. She went over to a desk, and saw many things, but what interested her were the flowers. She tried to reach, and finally got it after a long time. She twirled the rose in her hand, until she felt something go into her hand.
"Ouch!" She yelled dropping the rose. She had pricked her hand on the thorn making her tiny hand begin to bleed. She was trying to bear the pain, but it was too much, and she let out a gasp as she was starting to let a few tears loose. Then just as she was about to go get her mother, she turned around, but was startled as she heard a voice yelling at her.
"What-a do you a-think you are-a doing!?" Yelled Carlotta at the terrified little two year old girl.
"I-I'm sowy! I-I dwidn't knows this wis wour woom... I-" Shelby started to cry, but Carlotta was so mad that she walked up to the child and slapped her. Now Shelby was really crying, and she screamed.
"Never-a come in a-here again-a! Never!" Carlotta screamed in front of Shelby.
"What's going on!? And why are you screaming at my daughter!?" Carlotta turned around, and saw Christine standing there with a mix of anger and worry on her face.
"MOMMY!" Shelby yelled as she ran up to her and hid behind her skirt trying to be protected by her mother. Christine put her hand on the side of Shelby's head, looked Carlotta dead in the eye.
"Never touch my daughter! You... You... Fat, Dirty, Rotten... Butthole!" Christine yelled. Shelby was crying, but heard her mother's words, and wondered what a "butthole" was, but she thought it was funny, so she laughed. But Carlotta looked at Shelby, which made her jump, and hid right behind Christine, making Shelby unnoticeable.
"How dare-a you call-a me a... A such an insulting-a name! You will regret-a what you have-a done!" Then Carlotta slammed the door, and Christine heard another door slam shut. She then turned her attention to Shelby.
"Shelby?..."
"Is she gone?"
"Yes, darling... She's gone..."
Shelby looked up at her mother, and as Christine looked down, Shelby looked down at her feet, and silently started crying.
"Oh Shelby." Christine said as she knelt down in front of her daughter. Shelby was beginning to cry, but Christine lifted her chin, and looked into her eyes.
"Shelby, sweetie, it's ok... She's not going to hurt you. She'll-"
"But she dwid huwt mwe mummy!" Shelby yelled.
"She what?" Christine asked shocked.
"She hit mwe! Right acwoss the fwace!" Shelby started crying. Christine turned her head gently, and saw a light bruise startling to form on her cheek.
"Oh Shelby! I'm so terribly sorry this happened to you." Christine said embracing her daughter. Shelby wrapped her arms around Christine, and sobbed into the side of her neck. After several minutes, Shelby had calmed down, and Christine thought it best to return home. So she picked up Shelby, and carried her all the way back home. Christine set Shelby on their bed, and took a closer look at the bruise. It was getting more bruised by the minute, and she didn't want Erik to see it, but what can she do? There is just no way to hide it from him.
"Mwummy?" Shelby called to her mother.
"Yes dear?" Christine asked.
"My hand huwts..."
"Well, let's see it." Christine then sat beside her, took her hand in hers, and looked at the blood stained hand. She found the wound, with was about 2 centimeters.
"What did you do?"
"I picked up a rose..."
"Well, let's go clean this off, and get you ready for bed. Daddy and your baby sister will be home soon."
"Awight." Christine led Shelby over to the lake, and knelt down until Shelby was sitting on the shore. Christine dipped Shelby's hand into the water, and gently rubbed it. Shelby once and awhile complained that she was hurting her, but it was soon over. Christine helped Shelby get ready for bed, but instead of the crib, Shelby wanted to lay with her mother, Christine. So she let her, and Shelby cuddled next to Christine as she was about ready to sleep. But she had one more request.
"Mwummy?"
"Yes sweetie?"
"Could you sing to mwe? Pwease?"
"Alright... What song?"
"The one where wou said that you swang when wou went to see Gwandfather at that vewy sad pwace."
So Christine sang "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again", until Shelby fell asleep, and Christine soon dozed off afterward.
