Chapter 21

Erik's family was supposed to be attending Meg's wedding in the morning, and Christine was so excited she couldn't stand it.

It was the off season, and no one had work that night. Christine invited Meg over to stay the night before. They were sitting on Meg's bed squealing about the next morning. Meg and Mr. Jordan Johnson had been seeing each other for about a year and a half, and Christine had never seen Meg so happy in all of her life.

The little three year old girl came running into their room and reaching up for Meg.

"Oh there's my precious little flower girl!" Meg said as she scooped Angeletta up.

"Where's Papa?" she asked Christine.

"He's at his theatre," Christine said. "Is there something you need?"

She shook her head and crawled out of Meg's lap and off of the bed. She pouted back off to her room.

"I swear," Christine started. "He has got her so spoiled. I don't suppose that's a bad thing, but he hardly ever leaves her sight."

"I think it's adorable," Meg stated.

"It used to be, but now I'm worried about her. What's going to happen when she starts school? Is she just going to cry for her Papa all day?"

"She'll grow out of it, Christine. Let her be her daddy's girl while she can. It doesn't last forever. You and I of all people should know that."

Just then she heard the front door swing open.

"Papa!" Angeletta squealed.

"There's my precious little angel!" he said as he twirled her around. She giggled and hugged him tightly. "Where is everyone?" he asked looking around.

"Gustave is reading in your study, and Mother and Auntie Meg are talking about Meg's wedding," she replied.

He kissed her cheek. "I guess that means you and I have the piano to ourselves huh?"

She nodded excitedly. Erik placed Angeletta on his shoulders and began climbing the stairs. He sat her down on the piano bench, and she began to play a simple little tune that Erik had taught her. He watched her fingers and noticed that she had to stop from time to time to brush her long black hair away from her face. He chuckled and began pulling her hair back in a braid. She smiled and continued her playing. Erik worked the pedal for her seeing that she was still too little to reach it.

Christine peaked out of the bedroom door and watched them for a little bit before she went up to the loft.

"Where did you learn to braid hair?" she asked as she watched Erik's fingers delicately twist Angeletta's thick hair.

"It's no different than braiding rope," he said simply as he tied the end of her hair up with a ribbon.

She sighed and placed herself in the armchair beside the piano. "Erik," she said quietly, "have you ever stopped and considered what will happen when she starts school?"

Erik kissed the top of Angeletta's head. "Why don't you go tell your brother to get ready. We're going to take Auntie Meg out for a nice dinner tonight okay?"

She nodded and went off the Erik's study to fetch Gustave.

"What's this about?" he said turning his attention to Christine.

"It's just," she said trying to choose her words carefully, "I mean, she's so attached to you, and I'm afraid when she starts school…"

"She'll be fine, Christine," he said. "She's a strong girl."

"How do you know?"

"I know because she's our child. She's strong, stout, and stubborn like us. She won't give up. She'll understand."

Christine smiled. "How do you always know the right things to say?"

He kissed her forehead. "It's because I love you."

"I love you too."

He pulled her up and sat her in his lap. He began to play her favorite song, and she happily sang as she ran her fingers through his hair.

She giggled when the song ended and kissed him gently. "I should get ready if we're going out," she said.

He let her go and went to his study. Gustave was still lounging on the settee. He seemed to be deeply engrossed in whatever he was reading. "I thought you were told to get ready," Erik said mischievously.

Gustave jumped when he heard his father's booming voice. "Sorry, Papa, I was just... uhh… entranced I guess," he said.

Erik chuckled. "That's alright, my boy. I understand. You take after me that way. What is it you're reading?" Erik asked. Gustave blushed and held the spine of the book up so he could read it. "Ah, Romeo and Juliet huh? That's an interesting choice in literature. Why that?"

Gustave shrugged. "I've never read it before, and the teacher at school said that it's a book everyone should read."

Erik raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that's the only reason you're reading it?"

Gustave blushed brighter. "Yes, I'm sure."

"Right, well, you should know that there are some beautiful love poems in that play."

"I know. Why would you point that out?"

"The same reason you're blushing."

"What in the world are you talking about?"

"What's her name, Gustave?"

"There's no girl, Papa," Gustave replied as he blushed even redder.

"What? You're trying to tell me that you're a fifteen year old boy with no girl on your mind?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm trying to say."

Erik could see through his son's words, but he decided to let it go. "Go get ready," he said gently, and Gustave did as he was told.

Erik picked up Romeo and Juliet and flipped through the pages. He remembered when he read it for the first time. He had fallen in love. He couldn't help but wonder if the book would have been as engrossing if he hadn't been in love when he read it. He chuckled to himself at the memory.

"What's so funny?" Christine asked from the doorway. She was in her black dinner dress that made Erik's heart pound.

He took a second to compose himself. He held the book up for Christine to see. "Gustave was reading Romeo and Juliet."

"And what's so funny about that?" she asked with her arms folded. "It's a beautiful story written in a beautiful language."

"I know that," he replied. "I was just remembering when I read it so long ago."

"Read some of it to me," she said. She sat down next to him and cuddled into his side.

"Read it?" He sat the book down on the table. "I can quote it."

"Oh ho, well then Mr. Cocky, quote some of it to me."

"'Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs;
Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes;
Being vex'd a sea nourish'd with lovers' tears:
What is it else? a madness most discreet,
A choking gall and a preserving sweet,' How's that?"

She looked at him with pure adoration in her eyes. "Erik…"

He kissed her with all of his passion until he heard little feet patter into his study.

"Look, Papa! I dressed up all by myself!" Angeletta said as she twirled for Erik.

He chuckled at the sight of his little girl. She had on a casual green dress, blue stockings, red winter hat, black overcoat, and her favorite brown lace up boots.

"Angeletta, darling," Christine said in an exasperated tone.

"Oh, my little angel," Erik said trying to sound excited, "you look just lovely, but I believe that's just too fancy for dinner. Come on, I'll help you pick out something more suitable." She took her father's hand and pulled him downstairs behind him.

Christine went to Meg's room and helped her. They decided to go wait at the front door. Gustave was waiting there as well in a nice black suit with his hair slicked back. Christine pinched her son's cheek. "Oh, my Gustave, you look so handsome!" she exclaimed excitedly.

He winced and held his mother's hand down. "Thank you, Mother, but don't you think that I'm getting a bit old for all of that nonsense," he said meekly.

"Oh, he's growing up too!" she said. She kissed his cheek and then wiped the lipstick from it. Gustave simply smiled and watched her.

It wasn't long before Erik came out with Angeletta. Christine smiled at them. He had dressed her in her little bright blue dress with a white silk sash and matching bow for her braid. Her white stockings matched her white shoes. Christine watched as Erik fastened the little blue bonnet on Angeletta's head.

"That's so adorable!" Meg squealed.

Erik looked up and smiled gently. It wasn't really in his heart to forgive Meg, but she was bearable. He endured her for Christine, and he had to admit, she wasn't all bad.

They had a nice quiet dinner, or at least, it was quiet for Erik and the kids. Meg and Christine sat at one end of the table and spent the time giggling and whispering about something. Occasionally they would glance at Erik and laugh even more. He didn't question it. That's how they spent most of their time when he was around them.

When it was all said and done, Meg and Christine went out for a little girl time since it was Meg's last night of "freedom." Erik took the kids home. Angeletta fell asleep on his shoulder as they walked home. When they got home, he changed her into her nightgown and sang her a lullaby even though she was already asleep. He touched the deformity on her back. His eyes teared up as he saw it. He wondered how long it would be before she realized that she was different. He hated that he had to buy her dresses that had a nice collar on them. He hated that one day it would affect the sweet child's life, and he hated more than anything that it was all his fault. He tucked her into bed and kissed her goodnight. He slipped out the door and quietly shut it behind him.

Gustave was in the loft playing some soft Mozart on the piano.

"Ah, a little night music huh?" Erik asked as he climbed the stairs. "It's good for the soul you know. When it gets dark outside and you know it's almost time to go to bed, you can forget everything the previous day brought and smooth it over with some soft music."

Gustave smiled at his father's advice and continued playing.

"You're learning beautifully. It sounds wonderful."

"Thank you, Papa," Gustave said as he took his fingers off of the keys.

Erik noticed Gustave's heavy eyes. "Are you tired, son?"

He nodded. "Yes, but I can't sleep."

Erik ran down the hall and grabbed a book from his study. He came back and held an arm out for Gustave. "Come on. Let's go read for a little while."

Gustave hopped up and slid in his father's embrace. Erik led him to his bedroom. He threw himself on the bed and patted the spot next to him for Gustave. He happily crawled in next to his father.

Erik pulled out his book and began reading to Gustave. He cuddled into his father's side and closed his eyes. He eventually fell asleep, and Erik put his book down.

A few minutes later, Angeletta came into his room saying that she had a nightmare. Erik offered his other arm, and she cuddled into his other side. He smiled to himself as he watched his children sleep. He couldn't believe Gustave had just turned fifteen. He was the father of a teenager. He was most certainly beginning to feel old. He stroked the hair on both of their heads until he eventually fell asleep as well.

Christine and Meg came in a couple of hours later. Meg wanted to stay out, but Christine insisted that they go back because Meg needed her beauty sleep. They had simply had some innocent fun. They were walking around the New York City streets at night and studying some of the night life. Which in Manhattan, was plenty of entertainment. Christine sent Meg to bed, and she went to her room. She found all three members of her family sprawled out across the bed. She laughed lightly at the sight. She changed clothes and found a little room in the bed next to Angeletta. She wrapped her daughter in her embrace.

Erik's eyes suddenly fluttered open at the feeling of more weight being added to the bed. He smiled when he saw Christine. "I love you," he said in a tired raspy voice.

"I love you too," she whispered back. "Now, go back to sleep. You need it."

He closed his eyes once more and drifted off. Christine was tired, but her mind was still roaming. She looked back and remembered her time at the Opera Populaire. Erik was such a different man then. She truly believed that all that time in the dark made him go mad. Now that he lived in the light without any fear what so ever, he was a good and kind man. Yes, he still had a temper, and it flared up from time to time. In the end though, he was a just man. He didn't let things bother him. He was the exact picture of selflessness. Everything he did was for someone else rather that is his family or his employees.

In the back of her mind, she knew something bad was bound to happen, but at the moment, it didn't matter to her. She had her family and her best friend. She was perfectly happy the way she was. Whatever was coming her way couldn't ruin the moment she was in right that second.

In the middle of her thoughts, Christine found herself in a deep and content sleep.