Chapter Twelve
Twisted every way
"There you are!" Her mother snapped. "Where have you been?"
She sighed. "As if you don't already know. I'm sure Gerald's told you everything. Every twisted and false line!" She ran upstairs, pulled out a suitcase, began pulling out her clothes and packing her bag. Her door opened and Gerald and her mother stood there. "What are you doing?" Her mother demanded.
"I'm leaving." She explained. "I'm moving out with erik."
"With him!" Her mother shrieked. "Have you forgotten your faith? You can't do such a thing."
"I'm not! We'll be staying in separate apartments until we get married."
"Married!" Her mother yelled.
"Yes, that's typically what people in love do." She shoved some more shirts in the suitcase. "Combining the money Erik and I have saved up, that's enough for a downpayment on a house."
Gerald grabbed her by the arms and spun her around. "You can't do that Christy! I gave up a fortune to date you, you can't drop me now!"
"So I'm obligated to you because of your inheritence loss? The fact that your parents were right and it wouldn't last?" She asked. "Is that it? your parents were right!"
"No they weren't!"
"Yes they were!" She inhaled. Things were already getting out of hand. She had to be the one who was calm and in contol. "Gerald," she said gently. "I don't want to marry you. Try and understand."
"But christy!" He begged. "you-"
"I've thought about this. There's nothing to do, we've got to go our seprate ways."
"What!"
"There's nothing left to say. Except, I don't love you anymore."
"You merely think that." Her mother said. "Gerald's a good man. He can take care of you better than a wandering pahntom!"
"Christy, we've had bad times. But that's no reason to break it off. I can't live without you. I need you."
"Gerald." She begged. "Please, don't' say such things. Deep down, you know you don't mean them."
"I love you." He clasped her hands. "Don't do this to me, don't leave me please."
"I must!" She yanked her hands away. "I love Erik and I don't love you!" That hit home. Both stared at her in silence. She lowered her voice. "I know that this hurts. It hurts me too and I'm sorry for everything. Gerald, I'm sorry for hurting you. Sorry for not telling you all that was going on between erik and I. you are a good man. But so is Erik….when I'm around him, it's like nothing else matters. I know he's the one. I can't love you. I'd lie if I married you and couldn't keep my vows. Think about it." She said gently. "You say you love me, but do you ever show me? You don't hold my hand, you haven't even kissed me! When you asked to court me, you didn't ask with affection, but pointed it out how it would be beneficial both of us."
"And mother, I'm sorry for not coming to you and talking to you. I should have trusted your judgement and maybe none of this woud have happened. But if I hadn't, I'd never have fallen for Erik. I can say honeslty and unashamedly, that I love him with all my heart in spite of his face. Maybe…we're meant to be together because we see the light in each other than no one else can see." She sighed. "If neither of you never spoke to me again, I'd understand .words cannot descirbe how sorry I am. I didn't want to hurt anyone."
She turned back ot her packing. All was silent for a moment and then her mother spoke. "You love this erik don't you?"
"As I've stated before," she nodded. "I love him very much."
"You'd do anything for him?" Something in her mother's almost threatening tone caused her to turn around.
"Yes." She said cautiously.
"Then do this for him." Her mother blurted out. "Marry Gerald!"
She rolled her eyes and went to her closet. "This is ridiculous. I said before, I don't care about Gerald."
"is that it? I suggest you marry him before your precious erik's face will wind up on every magazine cover in the country!" She spun around in horror as her mother continued. "I know several editors and I daresay Gerald's parents will know several bigger ones! From what I've heard and seen, he's good enough to possibly land on broadway. One edition, and every reporter will be breaking their necks to see a real life phantom." Christy tried to block out her mother's voice and images. "He won't get a moment's peace!" Her mother hissed. "Dozens of people will be trying to rip his mask off! They'll follow him everywhere. His career will be ruined because no one will hire a freak."
"That's a sensational idea! They pay well for good stories." Gerald said as he pulled out his phone. "I happen to know the editor of the Los Angeles Times. He'd love this scoop, pay very handsomely."
"No!" She reached for the phone, but he pulled it out of her reach. "Don't do that. He doesn't need that. He deserves his privacy and respect. He's worked hard for his career." She pleaded. "Don't do anything to him. He's had enough hard times in his life. He doesn't need this."
"It's not up to us." Her mother said as she took Gerald's phone. "It's up to you." She leaned forward. "How about that christy? Who…will be the groom?"
Twisted every way. What answer can I give?
"In normal voice Christy." Gerald said. "Stop that damn singing!
Can I betray the man who inspires my voice? I know I can't refuse, and yet I wish I could. Oh, God if I agree, what horrors wait for me, in this, the phantom's opera.
"You try my patience." Gerald sneered. "Make your choice."
She eyed both of them before breathing the mans name.
