Chapter Twenty-one
And Baby Makes Three

On the morning of their scheduled trip Antoinette and Trinity arose early. They wanted to leave before anyone changed their minds deciding to make the trip with them. Breakfast was eaten quickly. Toast and weak tea for Trinity as her stomach made it known it was not in the best of moods. She had to keep swallowing for what was inside to remain inside.

Feeling at last as if she could make it downstairs without needing to find the powder room she joined the others for breakfast. Meg and Christine she noticed were quite cool toward one another. Mentally she gave Meg a pat on the back for whatever she had said or done to displease Christine.

Meg had indeed gone to Christine's room the night before. Christine had been left feeling greatly displeased with her adopted sister.

Meg had knocked on Christine's door shortly after going to bed. She wanted to have a word with her. Meg felt it this conversation had been needed for a long time. Everyone had sat back and allowed Christine to have her way in almost everything because of her lose and inability to deal with it.

Christine had cautiously opened the door. She had been expecting another visit from her Maman. Relieved that it was only Meg Christine left the door open for Meg to enter. Meg closed the door leaning casually back against it as she considered how she should begin.

Christine took that task out of her hands as she asked, "So, what do you think about this mysterious trip Maman and Trinity are taking?"

"Mysterious? What is so mysterious? They are going to see some drawings on some walls of some church. No mystery there. It seems pretty clear to me."

"I just mean it is a bit sudden. They hardly know one another. I think it is suspect that is all I am suggesting."

"Christine if Trinity did not have Erik's favor you would find nothing about her of interest. You were never one to show any interest in anything that did not concern you. To be honest Christine, I have felt for a long time you are a selfish bitch."

"Meg how can you say such a thing to me? We are sisters." Christine was shocked by Meg's attitude toward her. She had only ever been completely supportive of Christine in the past.

"Christine it is because I am your sister I can say these things and still love you. Contrary to what everyone thinks I do have a mind that focuses on other things than my next beau or my next performance. Christine I am not blind nor am I stupid. All those years I watched as Erik gave you your lessons wondering why not me? I know it was because you cried so much over your father. Because I could hold my grief hidden I was deprived of one of the greatest musical talents I have ever heard."

"But Meg..." Meg held up her hand to silence Christine.

"Please Christine. Let me have my say. I have held back for years. I knew for a long time your teacher was a man. Sometimes I would follow you and listen to the two of you together. I wanted so badly to ask him for a name. I thought you were pretending not to know he was a man and not an angel. You are not that naive either. Tell me did not know deep in your heart he was not a man? If you tell me while looking me in the eye I will believe you." She waited for Christine to prove her wrong. She had hoped in some hidden place in her heart she was wrong. Now she knew for certain Christine was aware of the damage she had been inflicting on Erik.

Sighing sadly Meg continued, "Christine, for your sake as well as Erik's please stop this obsessive need you have for his attention. He has moved on. If you want to salvage anything with Raoul you must put Erik completely out of your mind. I am not saying it will be easy, I am only saying it must be done. I think Raoul forgave one indiscretion, but I do not think he could manage forgiveness a second time."

"For once in your life think of someone other than yourself. Let Eri..."

"How dare you? Who are you to pass judgment on me? My life is no business of yours Meg Giry" Christine began to cry.

"Well I suppose now I know how you really see our relationship. I had always thought of you as my sister. A sister I loved dearly. I am not trying to interfere in your life. I am only trying to make you see how things are before it is too late. Your selfishness has blinded you to how things really are. We are not at The Paris Opera House. Erik is no longer the Phantom who can force everyone to bow to his wishes. Wishes I might add that for the last few years concerned you "

"He has other concerns now. Someone else now who holds sway over his mind and heart. Anyone with two eyes could see the way he looked at Trinity. I think that is the root of this hostility the both of you have toward each other. A maid had been about to pass on some juicy tidbit concerning you and Erik, but I stopped her before she could impart the extent of your betrayal to Raoul had gone. Oh, do not look so shocked. Did I not tell you I am more observant and intelligent than everyone gives me credit for? It does not take a genius to guess as to why you and Raoul are no longer engaged only a short time after he risked his life to get to you when Erik held you captive."

"The fact that Erik is here adds another factor into the equation. Did you know I am very accomplished in mathematics? You may well look shocked. I always confounded Maman also. There is some benefit to pretending not to have a clue what is happening around one."

"Well I suppose that's enough to give you to mull over. I do love you Christine. Never doubt that. You are now and will always be my sister. Please just think about what I said." She went to Christine and put her arms around her. Christine held herself stiffly not returning the embrace. Meg sighed in disappointment. She had not said even half the things she had wanted to say. She hoped Christine would come to know she only had her best interests in mind.

Going to the door she stopped with her face toward the door to say, "Good-night Christine." She waited in vain for a reply. Finally accepting she would not hear anything further she opened the door then returned to her room and her bed.

This morning it would seem Christine was still not pleased with her sister. She and Meg had seen Antoinette off in the carriage then they went their own separate ways. They avoided each other the rest of the day.

Once in the coach Trinity settled back taking in deep, slow breaths, releasing them through her mouth slowly. If she had to go through this every morning for the next seven months she needed to rethink this whole baby thing. Of course that was not a realistic option. In truth she had her fingers crossed she was with child. That way whatever happened between her and Erik she would always have some small part of him. She knew that was selfish but she loved him so much she did not think she could go on without keeping some connection to him close by her. If not him then his child.

She wouldn't have to worry about being an unwed mother. She would simply say she had been widowed quite suddenly. He had fallen overboard on her father's yacht. She would shed a few tears then become a contented mother. She would of course need to think of a surname. Merlot. What the devil had Erik thought when he told Raoul his last name was Merlot? No, that simply would not do, unless...well unless that was his last name. Surely not. Trinity Merlot. Hmmm. It did sound French. Well that is because it was but that was beside the point.

The only flaw in her cover story is she would not be able to reveal the name of the father of her baby if Erik for some stupid reason returned to Christine. She was almost positive that would not be happening after their recent night together. He had seemed to welcome her. She didn't really think she had fooled him. At least not for long. Perhaps she had made him have a few seconds of doubt. Just enough time for it to be arousing to think a strange woman lusted for him. One who entered his bedroom giving him nothing but pleasure.

She wanted Erik beside her. Baby or no baby she wanted Erik. Period. If she could conquer her jealousy of Christine along with her almost maniacal hatred of the woman she might be able to push the memory of what they had done somewhere in some locked, tiny, little, impenetrable room in her mind. It was either that or take Christine for a ride along the river bank and accidentally let her fall in. That scenario had played out over and over in her mind. She wasn't quite that deranged, yet. Give her a few days then come back to see if she had changed her mind.

Imagining how their life would be brought a smile to her face. She could just imagine Erik teaching a little boy about architecture and how to play all those instruments he played. In the background there was a couple of little girls with their curls bouncing as they sang and danced to the music their father and brother played. An older brother sat at a desk smiling as he looked on with superiority because he was so much older by three years. At ten he was second in command under his father. After his mother of course.

Books of every subject were spread over the top of the desk. Erik called him over to join them. He began to play a violin as his voice joined that of his two sisters. The door to the music room opened and...

"Trinity. Trinity wake we will be in the village shortly. You must have had a pleasant dream. You had a smile on your face this whole time."

"Oh yes, it was quite pleasant. I seemed so real though. Do you suppose we know our future deeply in our own subconscious mind?"

"That is too deep a subject for so early in the morning. Ask me again sometime when I have not been awake most of the night then got up before the rooster crowed."

Seeing she was not going to get much in the way of conversation with Antoinette she went off into her dream world again. This time thinking of the child she might have now growing in her belly, not some future that may or may not be.

I wonder what we, I, should call this child? She knew her father had set his heart on having a grandson to carry on his name. He had two sons so even if she didn't give her child his name or she had a girl he still had two other options. Assuming her brothers ever married. The rate they went through women did seem to indicate they were willing to settle down any time soon. At the rate they went through women they would soon need to go to another state just to date someone they had not courted then dropped after a few months. Their good looks and charm were the only reasons they were able to still get woman to ask their fathers to agree to let them call on their daughters. Trinity thought she would like to name a boy after Erik. She thought he'd like that.

Antoinette asking a question broke into her deep thoughts of what name she would chose. "If you find you are with child you know you must tell Erik. He has never said anything to me about having children but I know he would make a wonderful father. He always had patience with Christine. Oh stop that. You are as bad as Erik when I mention Raoul. You both look as if you swallowed something particularly nasty. The four of you must find a way to get past all this ridiculous anger toward each other while settling your feelings toward each other. It does no one any good to have this animosity toward others."

"But I..." Antoinette interrupted much as she had done with Erik in their conversation yesterday.

"I know you are upset with Christine for lying to you and to Erik. If it is any consolation she feels badly about how she did things. Erik does as well you know."

"Well she isn't..."

"No she does not regret doing...well doing what she did but she does regret lying. She does love Raoul and is feeling his loss deeply."

"It serves..."

"Yes, yes. She is getting no less than she deserves. Can you not take some satisfaction in that then move on? I know it is what Erik wants. He wants you back. He wants your forgiveness."

"Well he hasn't..."

"I know. He has not come to you on bended knee begging you to forgive him. Do not think he would not if he thought you would welcome him. He did that with Christine and she still left him." Antoinette sighed as Trinity looked like something distasteful had touched her tongue again. Perhaps she should not have mentioned how he had grovelled at Christine's feet.

"Trinity you must understand what life was like for Erik. For years he had only himself down in that darkness. I did what I could but it was hard to juggle everything while trying to make him feel he had a family. Then as he grew older he pulled away from me. He became more of a loner. He preferred solitude to anyone's company. Then Christine came. She was such a pitiful little creature. We all tried to make her happy. In the end only Erik could reach her. She thought he was her Angel of Music her father had promised her on his deathbed."

"Christine was..."

"Yes I know it was foolish for her to believe such things. You must know she was only about six or seven at the time she first heard him. In later years when she continued to believe Erik could not bear to chance losing her affection by telling her he was not her Angel of Music, he was merely a man." Her voice lowered sadly as she continued, "Then when she started to show her potential beauty he began to have feelings for her. Different from what he had when she was younger. He had taught her to sing beyond anything any of us imagined she could be. She had a wonderful voice, but Erik made her magnificent. He began to try to control her career through threats and yes, he even killed for her. He would have killed Raoul if Christine had not persuaded him otherwise. She had kissed him down in those cellars the night of Don Juan Triumphant. His first kiss was given to him in fear for Raoul's life."

"But she lo..."

"Yes, I know she cares for him, may even love him to some extent, but not as she loves Raoul. What she feels for Erik is merely an attraction. Erik was the first man she had contact with. She adored the attention he lavished on her. By now you must have experienced what his voice can do to a woman. I myself had fallen victim to his charms until I learned to focus beyond his seductive lure."

"But they..."

"Yes they did show a lapse in judgment when they gave into their desires. Please try to understand how vulnerable Erik is. He has never had any real contact with people. Women were a wonderful mystery to him. His values are of his own making. No one was there to show him right from wrong. No one set limits for him. Any morals he has were instilled in him from birth for I know I did not play a significant roll as I should have. When he was developing into the person he would become I had a husband, child and a career to consider. I did not have the time needed to mother Erik as he deserved. I did my best. Now I realize it was not good enough."

"Nonsense he..." Trinity fully expected to be interrupted again. When nothing was forthcoming other than a deep disheartened sigh Trinity continued, "Antoinette there is nothing more you could have done. Erik is not beyond redemption. He is really a very caring, loving man. Yes sometimes he can be selfish, but doesn't he have the right to be after all the years he was deprived of basic human rights?" Antoinette did not answer. Trinity had not really expected her to in any case.

"I...I love that man with every fiber of my being. There is very little he could do that I would not forgive. Eventually. I had already decided I wanted him no matter what he and Christine had done. Oh, I planned to make him suffer a bit before I let him know how little control I have concerning how I feel for him. Even in that he thwarted my plans. I was afraid Christine would move in now that she and Raoul are no longer engaged. I must confess I was shamefully jealous. I still am. I even comtemplated gouging out Meg's eyes and pulling out all her hair when she kissed him, until I realized she did not have strong feelings for him. Her kiss was more of an obsessive need to know what it would be like. I can well understand how he can take over ones mind with lustful thoughts. Please forgive my plain speaking. I don't mean to sound common, but that is the way the man makes me feel. I forget everything when he is around."

"Trinity I am glad he has found someone at last who can truly accept him. You understand him far better than Christine ever did. He deserves to find some happiness. Now enough of this. Let us speak happier things. Tell me about your family." The rest of the journey was spent exchanging stories about their families.

They avoided the issue that had prompted this trip. Trinity didn't want to have to face it until the last possible moment. Was she ready to be a mother? Was Erik ready to be a father? It might well be too late to ask those questions but they buzzed around in her head all the same. She would know by the end of the day.

The doctor was a kind, younger gentleman. He made Trinity as comfortable as one could be when being examined in such a personal way. After the examination he continued to add to her discomfort with questions. She blushed as she answered them.

After making notes while he "mmmhmmmed" he finally set his pen aside to address her.

"Madame uh...," he looked at his notes as he read her name. He gave her an incredulous look over the rim of his glasses as he continued, "Well Madame Merlot, I have some happy news for you. You are indeed with child. I would say about two months along. Everything seems to be in order. I found no abnormalities during the examination. It is far too early to hear the heart but a matter of a couple of weeks we might be able to hear something. In any case I would like to see you again in one month. You may continue with your normal activities other than horseback riding. Not that it would hurt you or the baby, but why chance an unnecessary fall? I like to err on the side of caution."

"Madame Giry is it?" At her nod he continued, "Just make sure she eats properly. Avoids stress." Antoinette gave an unladylike snort at this. Life around Erik was nothing but stress. When she said nothing further he continued, "Weak tea with some toast or soda crackers before she gets out of bed should take care of the nausea. If there is nothing else I'll see you in one month."

He also advice her to drink milk, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, exercise a little each day. A nice stroll would suffice. When Madame Giry enquired if it was wise for her to walk so much he said, "While many of he older generation still believe a woman should be confined during her time of expectancy, many in the profession have learned it makes a woman more capable of withstanding the trials of giving birth."

"Trials? What trials?" This did not sound like anything pleasant to Trinity.

"Nothing you need to concern our self with just yet my dear. Later on we can prepare you for your ordeal when it is closer to your time."

"Ordeal?" Trinity gulped. Now it was an ordeal. She had not really thought about the process of bringing the baby into the world. Thinking about all the newborns she had seen she began to wonder how something so gigantic could pass through a woman's body. When she had seen the little bundles with their proud mothers she had thought how tiny they seemed. Now upon reflection they seemed much too large to possible come the way they were supposed to arrive.

Trinity wanted to leave before he gave her any more to worry about. She was about to pass a boulder through her body in a few short months. Erik. She needed Erik. She could not, would not, do this without him by her side. Well she could, and she would, but she would not like it one bit.

After paying for the visit they left both in their own world of silent contemplation. Trinity and Antoinette spoke little on the return trip. There was so much to comprehend. So much planning that needed to be done.

Trinity was in a daze. At first she was plain shocked. Then accepting of her fate. A little further down the road she became overwhelmed with a sense of how right this felt. She was having Erik's child. His son or daughter. Trinity was overcome with a need for her family. If she could see them that would make her world almost perfect.

How should she tell him? "Erik you know when we were together we created a child?" "Erik your going to be a father." "You have to marry me now I am the mother of your child." "Marry me so our child is not a bas... that thought she stopped before it could finish in her head. "I love you Erik and I am going to have your child. Would you care to share this experience with me as my husband?"

They pulled into Raoul's drive to see a strange coach out front. They had barely stopped when the door was thrown open to allow three tall men to rush out. The eldest barely allowed the coach to stop before he yanked open the door to drag Trinity out, pulling her into a tight embrace. He kissed her cheek noisily. Then she was passed to the elder of the two younger men. He gave her the same treatment except her twirled her around as he hugged her tightly. As soon as her feet were back on the ground the third man pulled her into a warm, loving embrace. He was a little less emotive in his show of affections. Not that he loved her any less, he was just less exuberant than his brother, less likely to crack your ribs.

"Oh Papa I am so glad to see you. I am happy to see you Lucas and Matthew too. How in the world did you ever find me?"

"Well it was damn hard let me tell you young lady. It wasn't as if you left a trail of bread crumbs. We happened to come acrosss some fellas in some small village. Let me tell you I have seen more of Paris and the surrounding countryside than I ever wished to see. Damn fools in Paris are going insane. Looting and killing at the drop of a hat. Your Aunt Millicent was damn happy to see us. She is traveling downriver on the yacht. The new man I hired as captain said he could navigate in these shallow waters. He puts one hole in that boat and I'll have his head."

"Papa slow down. Your making my head spin. Let's go inside then I can introduce you to everyone. Then I want to hear everything."

"Sure thing Dumplin'. Right after I finish your brothers and I would be much obliged if you could explain why everyone in that village thinks your married. Then we'd like to have a conversation with this man who shared your room. Man to man."

"Papa how many times do I have to remind you I am too old to be called Dumplin' any more?"

"Hell's bells girl you'll never be too old to be Daddy's little Dumplin'. Now start explaining young lady. Do we need our shotguns? We brought them you know."

Her father and brothers stood looking at her with their arms folded. This was their "I am not moving until I have answers little missy" stance. She had been in front of this solid wall of manhood since she was barely able to walk. She also knew how to distract them.

"Oh it is so good to see you all. You can't imagine what it was like being kidnapped, then forced into the cold, dark hull of a ship. There was no, food, water or privacy. It felt like I was down there for days. They were so rough with me. I thought for sure they would...well you know...have their way with me. Then they told me I was to be sold. Sold like livestock or a piece of furniture. Oh Papa it was horrible. I needed you and you weren't there." Trinity let the tears fall. She was astounded that she had started crying even before she planned to do such a thing. It seemed like the tears had just be waiting for a reason to fall. The doctor said she might become emotional.

"Oh baby don't cry. Come to Papa Dumplin'." He took her in his arms holding her tightly. Her brothers moved to encircle her with the strength of their bodies. They patted her back whispering words of comfort and promises that it would all be better. The three men were all kicking themselves for not being there to help her. Perhaps the man she had been with rescued her. If that were the case they might just let him live while still keeping all his manly parts. They'd decide about that when they met him.

She couldn't believe it. They were here in France. Well she knew they would come, but to arrive just when she needed them most filled her heart with love for these three rugged, loving men who owned a big piece of her heart. Sometimes wishes do come true.