Savor-each-sensation: I know exactly what you mean, I have to take off in an hour.
Trrmo77: Yes it will be, thank you for reviewing.
thatgrrl not logged in: Yes there will be more, but those won't be an overly long story though. About 20 chapters
Phantom Serenity: I'm glad.
Chapter thirteen
Erik glanced at Nina; she wasn't attempting to hide the glow on her face during this dinner party. She had insisted on telling everyone at the same time. That included Christine, Raoul, her grandparents, Madame Giry and Meg.
He and Nina were sitting on the couch together. Nina was leaning on his folded leg like a tired child and talking with Christine who was opposite her.
"So, it's to be a summer wedding?" she said. "That sounds lovely."
"I know." Christine said. "I can hardly wait.
Nina sat up and rested her head on his shoulder. "I know what you mean." She whispered. "Now would be a good time."
He glanced nervously at her. "Now?"
"What are you two whispering about?" Raoul asked. "Not thinking of leaving after inviting us to supper in this mysterious manner."
Erik stood up nervously, tugging at his white tie. "May I have everyone's attention please?" he felt all words flee him when all eyes turned to him. "Uhh, well Nina….this is actually all her fault." She shook her head as everyone chuckled. He held out his hand. "get up here, don't make me suffer alone."
She laughed and grasped his hand. "coward." But she wrapped her arm around his waist and rested her head on his chest.
"well, actually," he cleared his throat. "this is all Nina's fault and…I love her for it. if it hadn't been for her, I'd be alone still." He inhaled. "a few days ago I asked Nina to marry me." everyone straightened up and leaned forward. "and she, she actually….said yes!"
Christine and Meg squealed and jumped up! Nina blushed and wrapped her arm around his waist. Raoul was staring, but clapping.
"Erik you cannot possibly be considering this!" Madame Giry burst out. "you cannot!"
her words put a chill on the whole atmosphere. Everyone turned and looked at her. he also noticed her grandparent's weren't smiling as well.
"I assure you Madame, I am."
"are you thinking clearly?" she said. "A man like you has no right to marry and drag your wife into all your troubles!"
"excuse me?" Nina said.
"have you thought about this? Have you thought about the people who'll taunt you and your family for your deformity?"
"enough." Nina said.
"have you thought about the threats? The tears on her face when she's ridiculed? And your children, can they grow up safely?"
"Enough!" Nina said, Erik could feel the anger radiating off her body. "We have discussed this and we've resolved it."
"really?"
Erik wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "we will be tutoring the children ourselves."
"You mean you're actually going to have children with this man?" her grandmother said standing up. "Nina, what if they look like him?"
"Then I'll love them just as much."
"As for protection, I can take care of myself." Erik nodded at Andre. "Andre has agreed to work full time as soon as his two years are up."
"we're also going to be installing Erik's alarm system in the house incase of intruders." Nina said. "we're also going to be reopening Don Juan triumphant." She glanced at Christine. "Auditions tomorrow."
"Actually," Erik said. "I will be playing Don Juan and if Nina can sing amanita's part."
Nina stared at him. "Erik."
He shrugged. "if I'm appearing, I want to be holding my wife in the end."
Nina frowned, "if it's high, don't count on it."
He sighed, "I guess I'll be watching with you beside me."
"Can Alex have the lead?" she begged. "this is just the role for him and he was a good friend of mine."
"We'll see."
"you two are getting off base!" Madame Giry said standing up. "do you two have any idea what you're getting into?"
Nina nodded. "yes. I have a complete idea. But Madame Giry, I fail to see why you should be acting so. You should be happy for him; you said you care about him and I appreciate all you've done for him."
Madame Giry turned to Meg, "come. We're leaving now."
Meg nodded, but she hugged Nina quickly. "I'm so glad for you." she added in a lower voice. "But, I see what mama cannot see. If it weren't for him, you'd still be silent and more traumatized by Buquet. And if not for you, he'd be probably dead by now."
"Meg!" Madame Giry snapped. "Come!"
"I have a part for you." Erik said quietly. "I'll be looking for you."
she nodded and hurried after her mother. Christine and raoul were having a heated, whispered discussion and neither looked happy. She stood up and forced a smile. "I'll be there to audition for amanita tomorrow."
Erik nodded, "all right. But I'll be doing some rewriting."
"fine with me." she smiled. "we must take out leave now." She hugged Christine and Erik. "Congratulations. Incidentally, when's the wedding?"
Erik glanced at Nina. "in a week or so."
"That soon?" her grandfather stood up. "Nina, we're going to have to talk."
Christine smiled, "we'll take our leave now. Goodnight and thank you."
The moment the door shut everything grew tense. Her grandparents stared at her.
Her grandfather was the first to speak. "Well, we wish you luck."
"you don't seem very happy about it."
"We didn't say that!" her grandmother said.
"you didn't need to. It was pretty obvious."
"Nina, we care about your happiness."
"I'm very disappointed in both of you. you're taking it like I'm a silly child who doesn't know pity from love. The least you two could do is be honest about it."
"you want the truth, fine." Her grandfather said. "I think you're making a big mistake."
"You two are moving too fast in this relationship!" her grandmother said. "we don't even know him that well."
"grandma, grandpa, please!" she said. "easy."
"easy!" her grandmother said. "do you know how sudden this is?"
"very sudden." She said apologetically. "but I assure you, we know what we're doing."
"That's what your father told us when he married your mother!" her grandfather said. "six years later, he's dead! Dead! Our only son!"
Erik gripped her shoulder. "I'd never let anything happen to Nina. If any man dared to lay his hand on her, I'd kill him."
"you wouldn't!" Nina said.
"I would so!" Erik said. "the same goes for any man who'd try to hurt our child."
"but the children," her grandmother said. "do they deserve this?"
"love is a fragile thing." Her grandfather said. "even healthy people have a difficult choice. Don't you realize that when you marry him, that you'll be signing a contract to a life of danger! How long do you think it will last when you've been called names and have your child threatened?"
"it won't always be that way!" she said. "Erik is going to be a great composer and he will be loved and admired by thousands!"
"How will you manage until then?"
"Erik is a very resourceful man." She stated.
"this is your fault!" her grandmother said glaring at him. "you know the danger's better than anyone else. You ought to let her go!"
"what?" Nina stared at him.
"if you loved her, you'd let her go. Release her from this life you offer her, she's young and she's all we have."
"that's enough." Nina said quietly. "you've made your case now. I love both of you and I know you love me and that you want what's best for me. but if I'm forced to chose between a life without Erik, I'd choose death itself." Nina looked up at Erik. "I'll pack my things."
"Nina." Her grandmother said standing up. "you asked for it honestly."
She nodded. "I know. the truth does hurt at times. But I honestly thought you were stating your worries; not how you would try to change my mind about marry Erik. But, I won't hold it against you. it will be hard at first, I'm willing to admit that, but I'm very determined to take whatever obstacles come at us when they come."
Her grandmother sighed. "there's nothing more to say."
She shook her head. "no. we're holding rehearsals at 8:00 tomorrow, you are welcome to come watch us. Possibly lunch later on."
Her grandfather nodded. "Alright."
Nina felt Erik relax beside her and she knew that everything was going to be all right. They just needed a little time.