I returned to the asylum with the strings Erik asked for. This time I was returning for work. My vacation was over and I had to work now. I was feeling back in my groove. I didn't take vacationing all that well, I liked to work. I liked to be busy. I wasn't easily entertained and I had to do something constructive with my time. I gladly entered the building and went into the cubicle. Peyton was there with a smile on his face.
"Hey Lee. How was your break?" He asked kindly. I smiled softly as I put my stuff down and sat in my chair.
"Easy going, my mom dragged me all over Paris the other day though." I told him, taking out a bottle of green tea. Peyton squinted at that.
"What, no usual Monster?" He asked. I shook my head.
"I'm drinking too many of them, decided to go a healthier route." I replied. Peyton smiled, those gray eyes of his sparkling. I looked around the day room.
"You know it's really quiet without Honey." I told him, frowning. Peyton nodded.
"Yeah, I miss the little girl. I'm glad she got out though. I hope we don't see her back here. I mean, growing up in an asylum can't be pleasant." Peyton told me. I nodded, watching the patients. They were rounded up for supper and I went to the cafeteria and grabbed Erik's dinner. I had the strings he had asked for with me and I went down to his room
Entering the hallway leading to his bedroom I realized that his door was open. A much larger rectangle of light came from the only occupied door on the hall. I smiled. He was literally opening up to the world. I stopped at the doorway and softly called Erik's name. He was busy scribbling away on a sheet of music paper. I repeated myself, this time he looked up; he smiled kindly and set down the pen.
"You look very good, Leamera. I'm glad you took those days off." He told me as he stood smoothly. Yum.
"Yeah, so am I. I talked to Margie." I told him, giving Erik the tray of food. He titled his head slightly, those eyes of his sparking with interest.
"What did she have to say?" He asked, taking the offered tray. I took out the plastic silverware and gave that to him.
"She told me to tell you hello and that she was sorry, again." I retorted. He nodded with a sort of melancholy. I squinted at him.
"How long ago was it, when she was here?" I asked. Erik gave me a look.
"Why?" He asked. I shrugged.
"Just wondering." I tried to say as nonchalantly as possible. I knew my wide eyes and barely pursed lips were dead give-a-ways that I was lying, Erik furrowed his brow curiously as he looked at me.
"Wait, why do you call your mother by her first name?" He asked. I nearly gasped.
"S-she isn't my mother, she's my Aunt." I told him. He shook his head.
"No Nautia is too young to be Margie's firstborn. How old are you?" He asked, returning his attention to me, squinting his eyes in confusion; Erik was baffled. Holy Cow, Margie really was my mother. I couldn't breathe. Was I that much of a shame to Margie? Erik stared at me, and then realized what was happening. He put the tray on the table, and then came back to me. Erik gently sat me down on his bed, gently talking to me the whole time.
"Lee, it's okay. Just breathe. I don't want you to faint, okay? It's alright." He told me quietly, sitting down next to me. I placed my hand over my throat and took in a shallow breath.
"I'm the reason why." I told him gaspingly. Erik didn't say anything but tucked the loose hair behind my ear.
"I mean if I was yours, you would've been free by now. Oh my God, Nautia is my half-sister!" I exclaimed, grabbing my head. Erik chuckled.
"That is the thing you are most upset about now?" He asked with a real smart-alecky tone. I looked at him.
"No. I just… why wouldn't they tell me?" I asked, Erik shrugged gracefully, making me envious.
"How long ago was she here, really?" I asked, Erik huffed, standing and going over to the table, moving his papers away from the food. He paused.
"She left in 1989, after telling me what had happened, so twenty-five years ago." He told me. My heart rate increased.
"I'm twenty-five." I told him. Erik gave a rugged sigh.
"You look just like her; you are the one that carries the curse." Erik murmured. I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath.
"So Alexander readily cursed one of his own daughters, just to get back at you?" I asked, the realization hitting me with disbelief. Erik laughed softly, he got up and started back to his little table.
"The things a man will go to avenge himself can be quite extensive, it's not like the spell hurt his daughter. She just went throughout her life, being the carrier for a curse. Like some people are immune to a certain disease, but can pass it on to others and they get sick." Erik said matter-of-factly. I nodded.
"I just can't believe it though. How did they even get away with that? Well they almost didn't… I figured it out when I was younger but I never did believe it." I confessed. Erik sat down, gazing at me.
"I'm half French." I giggled. This caused my friend to smile.
"Should I tell my mom? I mean, should I tell Attica that I've figured it out?" I asked him. Erik opened the silverware.
"It's your life, Leamera. You do what you think is right." He told me. I nodded, and then stood.
"Peyton will be worrying about me." I said.
"By all means." Erik told me, waving his hand, not looking at me either. I narrowed my eyes at him, pouting a little.
"I don't need you to dismiss me, Erik." I countered turning and leaving the room trying to be as sassy and stalwart as possible. I returned to the cubicle and sat down in my respected spot. Peyton looked at me with a bored expression. I smiled at him laughingly.
"What's wrong with you?" I asked, turning back and forth in my seat.
"This job is boring." He told me. I smirked.
"I'd be grateful, haven't you ever seen those horror movies where the patients rebel and kill all the staff?" I asked. Peyton laughed and shook his head.
"You Americans and your movies." He muttered.
"Hey! We have good movies! Well the low cost production amateur director movies can get pretty bad." I told him pointedly. He snickered, shaking his head again. I squinted at him playfully. We held stupid conversations until it was time for me to go get Erik's tray. I did so. I entered his room. I remembered I still had the strings in my pocket. I pulled them out; they were coiled into a loop and kept in a small plastic baggy.
"Here you go." I told him, giving Erik the strings. He smiled and stood, giving me the tray and taking the strings.
"Thank you, Leamera. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the things you do for me." Erik said, going to his bed and pulling out the violin case. He opened it and took the instrument out. He opened the bag and took out a string, then started to fasten the strings to the violin.
"It's no problem. I like to help. It's a knack I guess." I told Erik thoughtfully. He nodded with a gentle smile.
"I've always thought that was a good trait." He countered. I lingered for a moment more before I announced my departure and left his room with the tray.
I mulled over the choice that lay ahead of me. Should I tell Mom? I mean, I knew she was actually my aunt, but she still raised me, so she's still my mother. I was quiet when I returned to the cubicle. The playfulness gone and serious life altering decision to make evidently made me look a little upset because Peyton said something about it. I shook my head.
"I'm fine." I told him.
"This isn't about Erik again is it?" He asked exasperatedly, clearly tired of the bull he had went through with me for the past few months. I shook my head.
"Not this time. Family issues." I replied, staring at the desk in front of me, rolling my fingers on my thighs. I gave a sigh and waited for the shift to end.
I entered the house at around six. Mom was already up; she sat on the couch, drinking a cup of coffee. I stopped and stared at her for a moment.
"How old were you when you had me?" I asked. She jumped, looking at me in surprise.
"Why?" She asked.
"You've never said." I told her "I was born on May 9, 1989. How old were you?" I asked. Mom looked down.
"You figured it out, didn't you?" Mom asked.
"If you're referring to Margie being my real mother than yes." I told her softly. Mom nodded.
"All of us were worried that you would figure it out once you hit puberty. You were looking more and more like Margie as the days went on. Don't tell Andrew, okay?" Mom told me.
"Of course not." I replied, sitting down in the armchair.
"How did you figure it out?" She asked.
"I went and told Erik that Margie said hello, we got to talking and he realized that I called my mother by her name. He asked me why and I told him she was my aunt. Erik then realized Nautia was too young to be Margie's firstborn and part of the year she was pregnant was the year I was born. That explains why Nautia and I always fought like we were sisters." I told her.
Mom nodded.
"I'm sorry that was how you figured it out." She told me. I shrugged.
"Fine with me. No need to be dramatic about something I couldn't help." I replied tiredly.
"Why don't you go get some sleep, Lee?" She asked.
The rest of the day went by in a blur and before I realized it I was walking up to the asylum and scanning my card to enter. As I approached the day room I heard a sweet sound that struck my heart and forced me to stop. The slow, beautiful whine of a perfectly played violin. I regained the ability to move forward and entered the day room. Erik was standing there majestically in front of the window, playing his beloved violin wondrously, around him sat the wards of the asylum, intently listening to the musician. I smiled; the look of content on his face was glorious. I found myself staring at him. Erik looked right in his element, where he should have been long ago. Playing for public, for them to hear the wonder of the music he wrote.
"What are you doing, Lee?" I heard Peyton, he came up behind me. I shushed him quietly and I pointed to Erik. Peyton looked at him.
"Oh, so mysterious and talented, he's just a girl's dream isn't he?" Peyton said sourly, walking into the day room and dragging me with him. I watched Erik intently. I could barely keep my eyes off of the violinist. I only did when Erik looked my direction and I frantically turned my attention to the woods outside. Once I got into the cubicle I sat down and started to doodle, listening intently to the sound of the violin. I knew Peyton was talking, but I ignored him, giving an uninterested hum only to keep him from realizing I was tuning him out. He got offended the last time he found out I wasn't paying him any attention. The violin music slowed and came to an end and I looked up to see Erik bowing in such a graceful and proud manner. I smiled. He was such a showman. I smiled at him. He caught it and winked. My heart fluttered and I blushed heavily, I looked down and continued to doodle on my sticky note.
"Oh, great. Mr. Tall, Dark, and Mysterious is coming over here…" Peyton grumbled. I faced him with a strange look. There was a tap on the window and I looked up to see Erik. He had a very subtle smirk on his face, but he looked very proud. I smiled at him bashfully and stood up.
"You know you're just leading him on, right? I mean that guy is completely in love with you." Peyton told me bitterly. His attitude had changed severely.
"Do you feel, threatened, Peyton?" I asked and left the cubicle, he sat in his sour silence, a sulk on his face. Erik turned his gaze to me.
"You played wonderfully." I told him. His smart little smirk turned into a sincere smile.
"Thank you, Lee." He told me with a nod.
"Shall we walk? It's a very nice evening." Erik told me. I smiled and started walking toward the courtyard. Erik was at my side.
"Did you tell your mother about Margie?" Erik asked quietly, I nodded.
"Yeah, she confessed and asked me not to tell Andrew. I'm surprised that she didn't freak out more than she did." I replied. I furrowed my brow. Erik stepped ahead of me and opened the door to the courtyard/garden. I stepped out in the chilly early spring air. Erik followed after putting a rock in the doorway to keep from getting us locked out. This part of the hospital hadn't been upgraded to the technology so I couldn't scan my card to get back in. Then he gestured for me to sit on the bench that was nearly over taken by pretty foliage, ivy. The garden was overgrown but not by weeds, the garden had been fortunate enough to avoid being invaded. So the garden was overgrown with beautiful flowers and unkempt yet flourishing rose bushes.
I sat down and looked around. Erik joined me on the other end of the bench. We sat in pleasant silence. I watched him from the corner of my eye though. Wondering who would be the first to do something about the curse. He seemed to be enjoying the weak early spring sunlight.
"I can get a laptop with my next paycheck if you want one." I told Erik, not forgetting my offer about introducing him to the new world. Erik looked at me and thought for a moment, his startlingly blue eyes meeting my own.
"I think so… I'll have to pay you back somehow." He told me. I nodded.
"Yeah, I'll accept that." I replied gratefully.
"I'll make a few compositions you can sell to get the money back. I'm not sure how much they go for anymore… Back in the nineteenth century if you found the right buyer you could easily make twenty five francs..." Erik informed me.
"We use Euros now. And twenty five of anything from America to France isn't much. You spend that much on a little bit of gas." I told him. Erik frowned.
"It's a pity what society has become now… I remember it used to be about class and living life to the fullest… I was considered old at thirty… now that is a young and youthful age." He told me. I smiled softly.
"Times have changed… I've always thought any time period before and even after this one is or was going to be better than what we have now… It wasn't so noisy and hectic back then… there will be world peace in the future; no racism, sexism, homophobia… This world is just so full of hate." I replied, my voice taking on a longingly and dreamy tone. Erik touched my hand.
"There will never be world peace, Leamera. This world cannot survive without war." He told me curtly. His hand then wrapped around mine. I looked up at him.
"You don't think so?" I asked, my fingers tightening a little. He shook his head sadly.
"No. Back then I thought the same. That one day, society will accept people who are different. But look at what we have now. It's no different." Erik told me. I frowned a little; it really did take the hope out of the situation. Erik's free hand came up to my face and took my chin delicately. He made me look him in the face. His eyes raking over my features, but lingered on my lips. He leaned in and unexpectedly placed his lips to mine. They were soft and he smelled good and I sighed, closing my eyes and I kissed him back. His arm went around my back and he pulled me closer to him. Suddenly my whole body ached for him and my arms wrapped around his neck and the kiss deepened a little.
Erik stopped it. His knuckles brushed against my cheek gently. He leaned in again and pressed his lips to my forehead and a surge of warmth went through my body. I still clung to him. Not wanting to let him go. We just sat in silence until it got completely dark in the garden. His hand found mine and he stood, leading me inside.
"We'll talk about this further later." He told me quietly upon coming to the day room. Erik's hand left mine and he disappeared down the hallway. I didn't want to talk about it later. I didn't want him to go away.
