Chapter 28
Over the next few days, the theater remained closed as the police came and went with reports and questions and various other tid-bits they needed from Aisling and Erik. Aisling finally mustered up the strength to fill out the paperwork for the hospital but still can't bring herself to walk through those doors again. The wounds from that night were still too fresh for her and seeing her father as he is would cause her to break down again. However, over the past few days, Aisling became aware of the fact that she'd have to call her siblings to let them know what's happened. She knew her step-mother would have to know too, but she'd rather the hospital call her instead. She didn't want to hear her screeching at her about how he got hurt and why. How lucky she was that Christine and Edward were so willing to look after Rosetta while they handled this.
"You'll have to do it eventually." Erik said.
"I know." Aisling said. "It's just that they've barely heard from me in ten years. Imagine what they'd think if they knew our dad is in the hospital."
"I understand, but they are his children too. They have a right to know." Aisling knew this already, but it didn't make the act easier. She picked up her phone and looked down at the first name on the screen. Her sister, Christine. After leaving to continue her education, Christine was the one person she kept in touch with the most. As much as she loved her brother, her sister understood her pain the best having been there for her since the incident in Boston. With a deep breath, she pressed the little telephone icon by her name and the screen went dark with only the name and various call features appeared. Aisling held the phone to her ear as she heard it ring multiple times.
Maybe she's working right now. She thought. The last time Aisling heard of her sister's work, she'd been working on a cruise ship as a technician. That was at least eight years ago now. The phone continued to ring and she felt her heart beat faster anticipating an answer. Then, at last, she heard a voice on the other end.
"Hello?" She heard on the other end.
"Hi, is this Christine Warner?" She asked.
"Yes, who is this?" She asked.
"Christine, it's Aisling." She said. She heard a loud clank on the other end then heard a few other muffled voices joining her sister's. Erik noticed the confused look on Aisling's face and touched her shoulder.
"What happened?" He asked. Aisling just struggled. Then she heard some more sounds before her sister began speaking again.
"Aisling? I don't believe it! It's been years, kiddo! What have you been up to? How's your writing going? How's Rosetta? She must be ten years old by now, right?" Christine continued asking Aisling random questions while nearly blasting her eardrums with her shouting. Aisling had to hold the phone a couple inches away to save her precious hearing. After a moment, she brought it back to her ear and began speaking.
"I'm doing well, for the most part. My writing is going well. I'm actually in New York for a book signing-"
"A book signing? That sounds like fun." Christine said.
"Yeah…" She said. There was a long pause as Aisling felt her anxiety build.
"Aisling, are you okay?" She asked. Aisling looked to Erik who gave her a reassuring smile. She steeled her resolve ad took a deep breath.
"Christine, while I've been in New York, a lot has happened." She said.
"'A lot'? How much is 'a lot'?" Christine asked.
"Erik is alive." She said. At first there was silence. Aisling checked her phone to make sure she didn't lose connection but her bars were maxed out. But as she brought the phone back to her ear, her sister let out a great shout.
"WHAT?!" She cried. "Erik's alive? When did this happen?"
"I found out a few days ago." She explained. She went on to tell Christine how she heard Erik sing to her when she wandered into his theater the first time then when Rosetta went to find him the second time. Then she told her when he appeared in her hotel room and their father's lies.
"Wow, that is a lot to take in." Christine said.
"Imagine how I felt." Aisling said ironically. "Ten years of thinking the man you love is dead only to find he's perfectly fine and came looking for you."
"That's terrible." Christine said. "To think dad would stoop so low."
"Don't think ill of him Christine. He didn't understand." She gripped her phone as she prepared for what came next. "Christine, dad is… he's…"
"What about dad?" Christine asked. She could almost feel the tears form in her eyes and she desperately tried fighting them back. Erik wrapped an arm around her then held his hand out in front of her. She looked at him and knew what he was asking. But she had to be the one to say it. She shook her head and swallowed hard.
"Dad's in the hospital." She said. "He's been shot."
"What?" She asked frantically. "How? What happened to him?"
"The man he worked with… Phillipe de Chagny…"
"de Chagny?" She asked.
"Raoul's older brother. He tricked dad. He wanted to kill us. He kidnapped Rosetta to lure us out and… dad got shot protecting me." Her eyes burned from the tears and as she blinked, two small wet beads fell down her face in hot trails turning cold by the open air.
"Will he live?" She asked quietly.
"Yes, the doctor said he'd live." Aisling said. "He's still unconscious right now, but they say he should make a full recovery." She heard Christine sigh on the other end.
"Okay. I'll make plans to come to New York within the next few days." She said. At this moment, Erik swiped the phone from Aisling's hands and began to talk.
"I can handle your plane ticket." He said. "You are also welcome to stay at my hotel if you wish."
"Whoa!" Christine shouted. "Erik, you really are alive!" Erik chuckled a bit at her reaction.
"Yes, It will take more than the de Chagny's or your father to keep me away from your sister." He said. Aisling wished she could laugh at his little quip, but the thought of her father still stung. So she just gave him a smile. "When would you be available to travel?"
"Just give me a few days. I need to let my boss know I have a family emergency when I can travel. Should I let Jared know?" Erik became confused.
"Jared?" He asked. Aisling waved for him to return her phone. He placed the phone in her hand and she began to talk.
"I was going to call him myself after I finished talking to you." She explained. "It'd better if he hears the news from me."
"Okay. I'll be in touch."
"I'll see you when you get here then." Aisling said.
"I'll see you soon. Bye."
"Bye." Aisling pressed the red disconnect button ending the call.
"Who's Jared?" Erik asked.
"He's our younger brother." Aisling explained.
"Ah, I see." He said. Aisling turned her attention out the window toward the sky, a sad expression masking her face.
"I wonder how he's doing." She said wistfully. "I haven't seen him since I went to stay with my sister. Christine would tell me things about him but I never had the chance to speak to him myself. Hell, I barely had any contact with Christine in ten years. I wonder how this will go." Erik brought his arms around his shoulders and pulled her close.
"He's still family. I'm sure he'll understand." Aisling sighed.
"I hope you're right." She said.
She took a deep breath and picked up the phone again. She went through her contacts and stopped at her brother's number. For a moment she hesitated, still afraid of how he'd react. She had no contact with him since that day ten years ago when she left her father behind. Even then, she'd been in a rage and vowed never to return. In turn, she's tried blocking out the people of her past. Everyone she ever loved before that day she'd lost contact with everyone. All her friends as well as her family she shut out in order to start over; to pretend she wasn't the girl she use to be. She'd removed herself from all social media and focused mainly on her work believing this as well as her child were all she needed. In order to hide from her father she forgot about everything else and it shamed her.
Aisling touched the contact and her phone began to ring. The other end continued to ring for some time, feeling like an eternity. Finally, the ringing stopped as she heard a shuffling sound on the other end.
"Hello?" She heard a deep masculine voice on the other end. She swallowed hard before answering back.
"I-Is this Jared Warner?" She asked.
"Yes. Who is this?" He asked. Aisling felt like hanging up at that point. She didn't want to hear her brother's disappointment over her isolation. Erik squeezed her shoulder as if keeping her grounded to her resolve. She steeled herself and answered.
"Jared, it's Aisling." She said. For a moment there was silence. At first she believed he'd hung up. She looked at her phone and saw she was still connected. She brought the phone back to her ear.
"Aisling? Is that really you? What happened to you?" He continued on about how he hasn't heard from her in years but he wasn't yelling at her or scolding her which relieved her.
"I know I haven't contacted you in a long time. It's been a long ten years for me." I said. "I'm sorry for just dropping off the face of the Earth."
"It's alright." He said. "After you disappeared, Christine explained everything to me. It sucks that you had to raise your kid by yourself."
"No, I'm glad to have Rosetta. If it wasn't for her, I probably would be long dead. It's the fact that dad couldn't trust my judgement of Erik." So far, the conversation was going well. But this wasn't the time for catching up. "Jared, There is a reason why I called you."
"What is it?" He asked.
Aisling began explaining what she'd just told Christine. How their father came with her to New York, his lies about Erik being dead, his alliance with Phillipe de Chagny, Rosetta's kidnapping, the showdown at the pier, Gary's sacrifice. All the while, Jared was silent. Aisling was afraid of stopping her explanation but she knew he deserved to know. After finishing her story, she awaited his reaction.
"So, will he live?" He asked.
"Yes. He's still unconscious but the doctor says he should recover." She explained.
"I can only imagine what she will think." He said. Aisling almost forgot. She'd have to know about his too.
"I don't think I have the courage to tell her." She said.
"I can tell her." He said. "The last thing you need is her chewing your head off over not just ignoring your father, or her, for ten years, but my guess is she'll blame you for getting him almost killed."
"I wouldn't doubt it." She said.
They talked a bit more about the past ten years. Aisling spoke of raising Rosetta and about her career as a writer and moving to DC after finishing school. He talked about moving to Melrose with his girlfriend after finishing school and his job in Boston. He married his then girlfriend and they currently have two boys and are still living in Melrose at the moment. Aisling was happy to hear her brother doing so well. All three of them have taken their separate paths but have achieved great things in their own rights. If only they weren't being brought together by a tragedy. This should just be about the three of them, but she knows they can't exclude her from this since she married their father.
"I'll be flying out tin the next couple days." Jared said. "I can't wait to see you again."
"Me too." Aisling said. "Be safe."
"Same for you. Don't get yourself into any more trouble." She couldn't help but laugh. Yes, she keeps getting into trouble, but he knows it's not her fault. They said their goodbyes and she hung up the phone.
Aisling began breathing a little easier after the call. It felt good to hear her brother's voice after so long. They were very close when they were younger. It broke her heart to completely leave him behind but she did what she must to start a new life. It wasn't her best decision, she admitted, but the loss of Erik is what drove her choices from then on. Now she can focus on repairing the bridges between her and her siblings. Perhaps, in time, she can find forgiveness for her father as well.
"Is everything arranged?" Erik asked.
"Yes." She said. "He'll be down in a few days. It's going to be rough for all of us."
"I'm sure. I can set them up at my hotel while they're in the city. You'll want your family close and I want them to know they'll be welcome here." Aisling smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sure they'll appreciate that."
Christine and Edward walked down Broadway, both holding one of Rosetta's hands as they do. They've taken on the role of watching Rosetta during the day while Aisling and Erik sort out the affairs of the recent incident. The past few days they'd bring the child to various places in the city from the Empire State building to the Metropolitan. Now as they walked down the glittering streets of Broadway, passing the dozens of theaters and taking in the posters for different shows, something felt oddly satisfying. They felt almost as if they were the parents to this ten year old girl. Many years ago, they promised after they find Aisling and bring her home that they'd return home and get married. After spending so much time in this world, the idea of returning to their world didn't feel as prominent.
Edward knew he left his entire life behind when he joined Christine on this journey. The opera house in London, his family, who knows what's become of them? How long did it take them to realize he'd disappeared? He left it all behind for the sake of a woman. He could have let her go alone. He could have returned to London and continued with running the opera house as he did before. Now he realized he made the right choice following Christine. Seeing this new world and all its wonders was worth it. He'd also made good friends with Erik, seeing him as more than just a business partner. His family was here in New York. This is where they belonged now.
He looked down at Rosetta and began imagining her as a little girl with curly brown hair just like Christine's but with his eyes. He also imagined a beautiful house somewhere outside the city with an open yard with two or three more children running around. Christine still singing at the theater while he managed it. Yes, this is the life he sees for them.
On the other hand, Christine couldn't help but think of Raoul. Although any romantic feelings she once had are gone, seeing him again after so long reminded her of why she came to love him back then. He wanted to be her brave hero; the one who would protect her from the darkness the Phantom incited in her. But at that time she'd changed considerably since they were children. After losing her father, going to live at the opera house and meeting her Angel of Music, she'd come a long way from the little girl who lost her scarf in the waves. At the time he failed to see her for the woman she became, only seeing the girl she once was. Seeing him again here in New York, to hear him acknowledge his wrong, made her feel something she hadn't felt for him since they first met again in Paris.
The last they spoke she never had the chance to properly speak to him. They'd been too busy with Rosetta's abduction to discuss much else. Unfortunately after leaving that night, there's been no sight or word of him or Phillipe. She didn't even know where he lived so she might reach out to him. She just wanted some peace of mind, knowing she can reconcile with him and they can part as friends.
"Christine?" Her head snapped up hearing her name. She turned to see Edward staring at her with a queer look. "Christine, is everything alright?" She looked down and saw the same look on Rosetta's face. Christine sighed.
"I was thinking of Raoul." She admitted. Edward tensed a bit but he didn't show any change of emotion on his face. "For so long I've resented him for what he did to Erik and Aisling. However when Phillipe took Rosetta he came to us. I just wish I could gain some closure between us. If I can do this, maybe…" she looked back to Edward, her eyes alight with hope, "…maybe I can begin looking forward again." With her free hand, she took Edward's. "I want us to be together; to begin our lives as we planned when this journey began. But first I need the confidence that I can move on." Edward turned his hand in hers so he could hold her.
"I understand, Christine." He said. "You two have a past. You were children together and were very close. If he can be located, I'll allow you to say what you need to him." Christine smiled and leaned her head against his.
"I like him more than Raoul." Both adults turned down to the ten year old they nearly forgot was watching. Upon her exclamation, they began laughing. Rosetta tilted her head in confusion. "What did I say?"
