CHAPTER TEN
One month later
Sarah was with her beloved Erik when he took his final breath and left his deathbed. Sarah sobbed and held her love, praying that he would return to her.
She went into a deep state of depression and didn't respond to anyone or anything. The mansion was quiet now – Rebecca and Philippe, along with Glory and their new son, Erik, had moved out and had a small farm not too far away. Raoul still lived with Sarah, Erik and the children, so he was very supportive when Erik passed on.
"God give me courage to show you
You are not alone." Sarah sang as Erik's coffin was lowered into the ground. She sobbed into Raoul's shoulder as the children – Claire, Aimé, Angel and Zoe – looked anywhere but the coffin.
"Shh. It's all right." Raoul soothed the best he could. He knew what Sarah was going through – he had felt as she did when Christine had passed.
That night, Sarah neither slept nor ate. Raoul tried to be the best father he could at that moment.
Two years later
Sarah was out riding her horse in the woods when she heard the pleas of a young man. Curious, she turned her horse around and saw a young man with brown hair and blue eyes being mugged by thieves. Sarah dismounted and threw a rock in their direction. The thieves, confused, stopped mugging the young man and ran towards her. Sarah remounted her horse and had him rear up. The horse pawed the air with his massive hooves and the thieves fled.
"Whoa." Sarah soothed her horse as she dismounted him. She then ran over to the young man and applied some bandages to his wounds.
"Thank you." The young man told Sarah.
"You're welcome." Sarah replied, helping the young man onto her horse. "I'm Sarah. What's your name?"
"Anton." The young man – Anton – replied.
"Such a handsome name." Sarah said, looking up at him. "What are you doing in the woods?"
"I have run away from home." Anton announced.
"Why?" Sarah inquired.
"I am not treated right at home." Anton told her.
"I am glad I met you. You will receive the best care where I live."
"You are an angel. How old are you, if you don't mind me asking."
"Oh. It's all right. I'm twenty-two. What about you?"
"Twenty-five."
Sarah helped Anton into the house and had the housekeeper draw him a bath. She then introduced her father to Anton.
As the days wore on, Sarah and Anton were slowly falling in love with another. That's when Sarah remembered Erik's dying words – As my dying wish, I wish that you fall in love again. I do not want to see you alone.
"But I won't be alone – I have the children." Sarah had replied.
"Sarah, please. It would make me very happy." Erik pleaded.
After a month of seeing each other, Sarah introduced Anton to her children. They all took to him like a second father.
A month later, Anton proposed to Sarah and she said 'yes'. The two of them went to work planning their wedding.
Two years later, Sarah held the child she had delivered. She had a little boy. Anton looked down at his son and his beautiful bride. Anton kissed the top of Sarah's head and asked to hold his son.
"Of course." Sarah responded, weak from the delivery.
"What shall we name him?" Anton inquired.
"I was thinking Marius Anton. What do you think?" Sarah asked.
"I love it and I love you." Anton answered.
As Marius slept, Sarah looked to the heavens, knowing that her beloved Phantom was smiling down on her and Sarah's new family.
What kind of life have you known?
God give me courage to show you
You are not alone