Erik began to feel tired when they reached the town. It was not tried like lack of sleep, but a tried from being weak. Erik hated that feeling. He remembered feeling weak when Christine left him, when that sweet kiss drained him of all his strength and he had to let her go. That did not make it any easier to do.
Anything that made Erik feel powerless he hated. All his life he sought things that would keep the feeling of powerlessness away form him; that is, until he became the Opera Ghost. Everything in that theatre was under his control – he was the master of his realm. The Opera House was gone and Erik was back to the hated feeling of weak vulnerability.
Erik looked at Rebecca. Again, he wondered why he trusted this girl who came out of nowhere and has forever changed the course of his life. Rebecca certainly looked like an angel… Erik stopped himself. Where did that thought come from, he wondered. He suddenly remembered Sophia's warning of getting too close. Sophia… why had Sophia called Rebecca a Redeemed Angel?
"I've had a difficult life not unlike your own." Rebecca said suddenly. Erik looked at her confused. "I am called Redeemed Angel by Sophia because I have been redeemed. And angel…well I have no idea where she got that."
"Why are you telling me this?" he asked with caution.
"Simply, because you think loudly so that every telepath in the area can hear you." She said quickly and softly so that only Erik could hear her. "Besides healing I can also hear other peoples' thoughts and emotions."
"So you have heard everything I have thought since we have met?" Erik began to worry that Rebecca heard some of his more private thoughts.
"No, I am not that well trained in prying into people's minds. I only hear thoughts when someone is thinking with strong emotions. So in a sense people yell in their minds when they angry, depressed, or stressed out." Rebecca explained this to Erik as though it was completely natural.
It brought up a strange fear in Erik; if Rebecca could heal without the aid of medicines and hear other people's thoughts – what else could she do?
"Well here we are." Rebecca said stopping in front of a large building.
"Where?" asked Erik.
"Why, the theatre, of course." said Rebecca as she dismounted her horse.
§
"Monsieur Daquin?" asked Rebecca as she opened the office door. Erik felt awkward at entering the office unannounced.
"Yes," before Erik and Rebecca stood a man no more than nine and thirty. His complexion was fair with brown hair that had a hint of grey ands eyes to match. In his arms was an assortment of papers that he tried to keep from falling to the ground.
"Ah, yes, Mademoiselle Busheé. I was wondering when you would return." The man put down his papers and extended his hand to Erik. "This must be the man you were talking about. I am very glad to meet you."
Erik looked at M. Daquin's hand and did nothing. Rebecca had to nudge Erik into accepting M. Daquin's hand. It was a warm and welcoming handshake – something that Erik was not use to.
"I must say that I am really glad to have a professional director with such extensive experience." Said M. Daquin with a smile.
"Professional?" Erik looked at Rebecca who had taken a sudden interest in the floor. "Rebecca has certainly over exaggerated my abilities."
Daquin simply smiled and looked over to Rebecca. "Humble – I like that. I don't care what you tell me. I was sold after your secretary told me about all your experiences. I couldn't wait to meet you. You're hired if you want the job. I can't pay you much at first, but it will be a decent wage."
"When does Erik start?" asked Rebecca. Erik felt that he was being excluded from the conversation by Rebecca.
"With our next production; we begin next week." Daquin handed to Erik a script from his desk. "Before than I can introduce to everyone at the theatre."
Erik looked at the script. It was a play he had seen before; it would not be too hard for him to direct it – if he had the right people.
"I am so glad you applied to the job Monsieur … I'm so sorry I didn't get your full name Erik." Daquin laughed at his own blunder.
"Erik Martin. His name is Erik Martin." Rebecca said quickly.
"Glad to meet you Erik Martin." The two men shook hands.
"It was my pleasure." Erik replied.
§
"Well I think the interview went well." Rebecca told Erik when they left theatre.
"My secretary?" Erik looked at Rebecca. Erik did not know why but he felt that he was not in control of his own life. That he was being led blindly through his life without any of his say so. "What did you tell him!"
"You sound a bit upset." She said calmly as she mounted her horse. Erik grabbed her reigns before she could ride away and looked at her hard.
"Don't you think I have a right to be!" He felt his temper rising and so did his voice. "You come into my life, changed me, tell me that I should trust you when I don't know anything about you, and not telling me what you are planning to do."
Tears formed in his eyes. Why am I crying? Rebecca looked at him as he spoke. His tone was harsh and cruel. Erik noticed that her eyes became shiny
"Erik," she said calmly and quietly. "Let us talk where no one can hear or see." Erik looked into the street. He did not notice that people began watching them.
He let go of Rebecca's reigns and mounted his own horse. Rebecca led the way through the street and Erik followed.