Two steps back, one step forward
The next morning when Erik awoke, Christine was already gone. He presumed that she had gone down stairs for breakfast. Laying there for a moment, he wondered if Odette was still in the music room, he could remember days where he wouldn't leave the organ bench unless for practical purposes. Such as: needing to go to the bathroom, aside from that he would stay at his organ for days at a time, never sleeping, and eating little to almost nothing.
Sighing, he decided to get out of bed and get ready. After washing up he dressed himself in his usual formal wear, combed his hair back into perfection, adjusted his white mask, and set of down stairs. When he reached the bottom of the stairs instead of heading to the kitchen he made his way to the music room, trying the handle, the door opened.
Looking inside he saw no one, the piano cover was down, only a few pieces of music sat atop the piano, where he had left them several days before.
"Hmm..." he said to himself, he turned and left, heading off to the dining area.
When he walked in he saw Christine sitting down at the end near the head of the table, on the right side, and Odette on the left directly across from her. Christine looked over at him, not a warm welcoming smile, but perhaps the look of death was bestowed upon her face.
Erik knew just by the look he was about to get an earful for the second time in two days.
Making his way down to his seat at the head of the table between Odette and Christine, he noted that Odette wouldn't look up at him, she merely just stared at her glass of juice.
"How are my two girls today?" he asked sitting down.
"Fine..." Christine muttered she obviously wasn't pleased with him, because she too hadn't looked at him since he walked in the room.
"And you Odette?" he asked setting his napkin in his lap.
Odette refused to speak to him, and she had good reason. If he wanted to know so badly what happened to her, all he had to do was ask; of course it wouldn't be very easy to talk about. But it would have made her feel more respected than she had been in the past three years if he had just simply asked, instead of taking it upon him self to go through her personal belongings.
Odette lifted her gaze from the glass of juice, and glared at him a moment. With out a word she stood and left the dining room. A moment went by and being confused as ever, Erik looked over at Christine, who was setting her napkin in her lap just as the made brought in their breakfast.
"She really cannot possibly be that mad?" Erik said trying to find his fork which had been hidden under the side of the plate when it was set down in front of him.
"Keep telling your self that," Christine replied, and then took a sip of her coffee.
Christine couldn't help but inwardly laugh at her sarcastic comment; only at rare times was she able to throw something humorous at Erik when he was displeased.
"Really Christine, must she be so upset? She left it there out in the open, anyone could have found it and read it, it's not like I deliberately intended to read it," Erik defended himself, Christine couldn't help but notice Erik's strange demeanor, ever since yesterday he had been acting slightly funny. Something was bothering him, Christine just couldn't figure out what yet.
"Erik, just because a journal is left some where doesn't mean you go and take it for some light reading!" Christine retorted in a slightly raised voice.
During the next five minutes, nothing but silence filled the room. Every so often Christine would look up from her dish of eggs and over at Erik who would be looking at her and then snap his head down or in the other direction.
For as long as she could remember Erik always did that when ever they were sitting together, be it eating or reading, or riding around in the carriage. It was sort of like a silent game between the two of them, neither of them spoke of it, but they always did it.
Christine couldn't help but think about how could Erik possibly have the nerve to go and read a woman's diary, his OWN daughter's diary in fact! It seemed so unlike him to do something of this nature, then again there was that time when she was fifteen and had come back from rehearsals to find her diary about a foot from the spot under her mattress where she usually kept it. She knew it was Erik, because he had left a red rose with a black ribbon sitting on her pillow. Well that and every other ballet rat was at rehearsals with her.
Then a memory crossed her mind of the time she and Erik had been sitting in the library, she read whilst he wrote in his journal. A coy smile spread across her face, if Erik thinks it's, that OKAY to go and read some one else's private journal, then he shouldn't have a problem with me reading his...
"Erik don't you keep a log or journal?" Christine questioned wiping the corners of her mouth with her napkin.
"Yes..." He said he eyed her curiously, what was she getting at? He wondered.
"So you wouldn't mind if I read it then, would you?" she asked trying not to laugh as she did so, she knew what his reaction would be, it was only a matter of seconds...
Three...
Two...
One..
"Yes, I would! It is my private most inner thoughts not for anyone else's eyes but my own!" He retorted sounding slightly appalled at the thought of it, but his facial expression changed once he had realized how wrong it was of him to have done what he did.
After they had finished breakfast, Erik searched the house for Odette. After checking the music room, the library, the parlor, the ball room, the kitchen, the pantry...of all places. He finally decided to check her room. As he came upon the dark mahogany doors he heard sound of a soft thump repeatedly.
He knocked at the door, the thumping stopped and soft thuds came towards the door. Odette opened the door, and proceeded to roll her eyes when she saw it was him.
"Excuse me?" Erik questioned.
"Sorry..." she muttered quietly.
"Forgiven, but we need to have a talk..." Erik said in a business like manner.
His talking skills were a bit rusty, no not everyday ones, but the one most men lacked when needing to talk to someone. Especially when it had been something of their own wrong doing.
"Okay, I just need to get my sweater," Odette walked back in her room leaving the door open, soft thuds fell from her feet. Erik took notice that she was wearing Pointe-ballet shoes. Not only that but several pieces of furniture had been pushed slightly out of the way in her room.
Erik also took notice of the strange attire she was in. It was not formal ballet wear, nor was it formal dress wear, it was a simple black dress which appeared to be thin in material. The dress didn't fall to her ankles, just about three inches past her knees.
"You know the music room is large enough to dance in, and all there is, is a piano which I could easily move to the corner," Erik offered. Odette raised an eye brow at this; he was either just being nice or was desperately trying to earn some points with her.
Odette knew that she shouldn't be acting this way towards her father, even though he had gone and read her diary. She knew she was being disrespectful, rude, and behaving like a petulant child.
"I wouldn't-, I don't-," she seemed to have trouble finding her words.
"Nonsense, It wont be a bother, and I don't want you to risk hurting your self on the sharp corners of your wardrobe, or vanity" Erik smiled.
He hoped that with his simple, kind gestures that Odette would soften up a bit, and be less mad at him.
"Why don't we go down to the parlor?" Erik suggested.
Nodding in agreement, they headed down to the parlor. Only stopping once on the way, to ask Eloise to get some tea from the kitchen. Little did either of them know this talk was about to be the longest talk of either of there lives...Because sometimes you need to take two steps back, and one step forward.
WOWthat last line sounded so corny...lol Anywho I'll try to update a couple times over the winter break so keep your fingers crossed!
Review? Pwease? Erik will give you a hug!
Erik: NO I WONT! YOU ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO EXPLOIT ME!
Now Erik lets not be rash...
Well I hope you liked it!
A B B Y