When Erik returned for her it was to find her sitting on a bench, a box of chocolates open on her lap and two parcels at her feet. She was absentmindedly eating one of the chocolates, watching some children play in the street.
"Christine," he said, calling her attention.
She looked at him and smiled, turning back to watch the children and placing a hand on her steadily swelling stomach.
He sat by her on the bench and watched the children with her. They seemed to be playing a game of tag, running in circles and laughing.
Eventually she sighed happily and began to lean against his arm. "Do you think our child will play like that?"
His hand joined hers, pressed lightly over her womb. "I believe most children play like that Christine."
"Did you?" She was looking up at him, a serene smile that for a moment he almost believed was only for him.
He shook his head and pressed his lips lightly to her forehead. "No love," he said. "I didn't have much of a childhood at all if I'm to be honest."
She looked sad at that and chewed her bottom lip for a moment as if in contemplation. And then she was looking back up at him; "Our child will have all you should have," she was saying. "I vow it to you."
He felt his heart swelling, the sincere honesty and innocence behind her words and eyes too much for him. He cleared his throat twice before he could manage to speak. "I've booked us a hotel for two weeks. It will allow us enough time to find a more permanent lodging that's to your taste."
"That's lovely Erik," she said, her eyes drifting back toward the children.
"Christine, we should be off. We need to settle in and it will be getting dark soon."
She sighed but didn't bother arguing. She stood and juggled the parcels and chocolates in her hands.
He smiled and took them from her arms, finding himself surprised when she snatched the smallest box back.
"I'll carry this one," she said hurriedly.
He narrowed his eyes at her. "What are you hiding from me?"
She shook her head and smiled at him. "It's a surprise Erik. I promise you'll like it, but you must be patient."
He tilted his head, studying her face. "You know that I don't have much patience Christine. I do not like secrets or surprises."
She stood on her tip toes and pressed a brief kiss to his lips then smiled sweetly at him. "Just until we get to the hotel. Then I will show you Erik. I vow it."
He shook his head but accepted the compromise with a huff. He would know soon enough.
He put both parcels under one arm and offered the other to Christine. She accepted it with a grateful smile.
Their journey was quiet, Erik obsessing over the contents of the small box and Christine not daring to push him for conversation and lose her small victory.
They wound down small side streets and Christine was at an utter loss, unable to read any signs or decipher the chatter she heard from strangers. She clutched tightly to Erik's arm as he led the way.
"Does anyone here speak French?" She asked quietly.
He shrugged one shoulder. "I suppose there are a few. But then again it wouldn't surprise me to find the same amount speaking Farsi or Romani."
"I didn't expect it to make me so nervous," she said.
He squeezed her arm tightly. "You've no reason to be nervous," he reminded her. "You have your Erik."
She nodded as he lead her into an alleyway, around a corner and back into the street. He pointed at a building across the lane.
"That's where we will be staying," he said.
Her nose wrinkled. She was surprised at the ramshackled state of the building.
"It's not much to look at," he admitted. "And I'm sorry to make you stay. But money will only speak so much - people have an inherent mistrust for men in masks."
She bit her lip and nodded. "It's a bed and a roof," she said at length.
He nodded at that. "Indeed it is. You are such a good, understanding girl Christine."
She blushed slightly but made no response, allowing him to lead her into the building. He offered the dirty man at the counter half a nod and it was returned with a grimy smile. She felt an anxiousness slither through her stomach at the look in the man's eyes and found herself clutching Erik's arm even tighter as he led her up a narrow staircase and down a dark hallway.
'402' was the number on the door and she found herself questioning it. The building was far too small to house that many rooms. But Erik was pulling a key out of his pocket and it clicked in the lock.
The door pushed open with a loud creak and Christine shivered, the noise running up her spine. But she followed him inside and he closed the door tightly, locking it again from the inside and lighting the oil lamp by the door, allowing a bright flood of light into the dingy room.
He sighed as he looked about the room and then moved forward, putting the packages he carried onto the end table and watching as the dust plumbed and settled back slowly. He ran his finger over the edge of the table and watched the clean line it left behind then shook his head. "I truly am sorry to make you endure such conditions Christine," he said, never turning to look at her.
She forced a smile to her face. "It's fine Erik, truly. We will make due."
He found himself nodding and turning to finally look at her for the first time since the building had come into sight. She was smiling but he realized it didn't quite touch her eyes. She was lying to him - he knew that, knew that she was nervous and dissatisfied, but she smiled and lied so bravely that he tried his hardest not to dwell on it.
"So what is this surprise you had planned Christine?" He asked, eyeing the package that she still clutched tightly in her hand.
At this her smile widened, finally reaching her eyes and Erik found himself strangely satisfied with that.
"It's a gift," she said, her smile faltering slightly but retuning in a shy way. "And I do hope you like it."
She held the small box out to him and he took it gingerly, looking at her with surprise. "You don't have to get me gifts Christine. That money was for you."
She bit her lip and nodded, wrapping her arms around herself. "I just wanted to do something nice for you Erik. And as I said, I only hope that you like it."
"I'm sure I will love it Christine," he said, his eyes softening. "I'm sure I would love anything so long as it came from you."
Her smile returned softly and she shook her head with a laugh. "Well open it then!" she said impatiently.
He smirked and began to work at the box, careful not to tear it. He peered inside of it and his eyes settled on a ring. It was a plain golden band, a wedding band.
He simply stared at it in confusion until Christine's impatience got the best of her.
"Well, do you like it?" She said.
He raised his confused eyes to her face and she smiled softly at him.
"I only hope it fits - unfortunately I don't know your size so well as you know mine."
The longer he stared at her the more nervous she grew. She shifted from foot to foot until he finally spoke.
"Why did you get me this?" It was a whispered question, he was afraid that if he tried any harder his voice may fail him.
She shrugged and looked down. "I only thought it would be nice - if we are to tell that we are married I supposed we may as well make it believable. If - if you don't like it you don't have to wear it."
"I love it Christine," he said quietly, unable to control the tremble to his voice. He knew damn well that she would kill him - his poor heart couldn't take much more of this constant tug-of-war that she waged with it. But what a wonderful death it would be.
She smiled so brightly at that that he found himself having to swallow the lump in his throat. "Well then try it on," she said softly.
His fingers shook as he took it from the box and slid it carefully onto his finger, trying, trying so hard to remind himself not to read more into the small gesture than was really there.
"It's perfect," he whispered. It was a lie - it was perhaps a good half size too large for his finger, but he didn't dare tell her that.
"Good," she said, sounding truly satisfied with herself.
His resolve broke then. He brought his left hand to her chin, tilting it up and watching the ring on his finger, against her skin. He pressed his lips to hers and she let him, even kissing him back.
And as he pulled back he whispered on the breath they shared, "I love you Christine."
And her eyes were soft, her smile sad as she nodded. "I know."