Chapter 28 (Erik's Pov)
All ten children were runaways. Don't misunderstand me. They were wonderful children.
When I met them at the gate, they all looked at me with such intense eyes. A couple looked scared while a couple looked more curious. I stood and looked at them with hands behind my back. I wasn't really quite sure what to do. As it turns out, I didn't need to know.
A small little girl came up and hugged my waist. He brunette curls were pulled up in pigtails with white ribbon. She looked up at me with big brown eyes and a sweet little smile. "I'm Angie. What's your name?" she asked with pleading eyes.
"You may call me Mr. Y, children," I said addressing all of them. Little Angie reached up for me and clenched her fists open and closed. I hesitantly picked her up and held her on my hip. "How old are you, Angie?" She held up six fingers. "Six?" I said. "Well, you're practically grown up aren't you?" She smiled and buried her face in the shoulder of my jacket.
I eyed a small little boy with the same brunette hair and brown eyes that didn't look quite as frightened as some of the others. "What is your name?" I asked gently.
He shyly stepped away from the others. "I'm Luca."
"And how old are you Luca?"
"I'm ten."
Ten. He was the same age as Gustave when he came here. "Is Angie your sister?"
He simply nodded. I set Angie down next to him. "Is there anyone else who would like to introduce themselves?" I asked.
It took a moment, but eventually a little boy with glasses and sandy colored hair reached his hand out to me. "I'm Trevor. I'm eleven. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Y."
I chuckled and shook his hand. "Pleased to meet you, my good sir."
Another child who was a little smaller than the other boys came out from behind the rest. "I'm Blake. I'm seven."
I nodded a hello to him. This was why I adored children. They were easy to convince.
A little girl with straight black hair slipped out from behind the taller girls. "I'm Jade. I'm five."
I smiled at her as another girl introduced herself. "I'm Sammy. I'm nine," she said happily. I grinned at her as well, and she giggled.
"I'm Alex. I'm eight," the last little boy said shyly. I couldn't help but notice how much he blushed when he spoke. His little hazel eyes sparkled under his dark brown hair, and he had an extremely thin and frail frame. I would have to keep an eye on him. He didn't seem as healthy as the others.
A little girl with straight brown hair and blue eyes shoved her way in front of the group. "I'm Mary, and I'm ten," she said proudly.
"I'm Hannah, and I'm seven," said a little girl with extremely long blonde hair.
I had been counting on my fingers how many children that was. There had to be one child left. In her efforts to hide, she was still easy to spot. She was taller than the others. Her bright red hair hung down her back in pretty curls fit for a princess. Her eyes were almost an indescribable color. I suppose one could say that they were gray. Her hair was partially pulled back in a pale blue ribbon to match her dress. She was standing by the gate and trying to avoid my gaze. I walked to her.
"Hello," I said simply.
She adjusted her wrap and glanced up at me. "Hello…"
"And what might your name be?"
"I don't have one," she muttered under her breath.
"Well how old are you?"
"I don't know. I was told that I was twelve, but I'm not sure if that's true."
"Well, I can't have you roaming around here without a name to be called by," I said. I gazed at her for a moment and tried to decipher something that suited her. "How about Rose?"
She wrinkled her nose. "You only say that because of my hair."
I smiled. She was a witty girl that was for certain. "Grace?"
"I'm afraid I'm quite clumsy, Mr. Y."
"No name? No birthday?" I suddenly heard behind me. I turned to see Gustave standing with Elaina on his arm. "That doesn't sound familiar in the slightest."
I smiled at him. "What are you implying?"
"I think you should call her Erin," he said grinning.
I was about to shoot him a glare when the little girl smiled happily. "I like it!" she squealed.
I looked at her with surprise. "Okay… Erin. Your name will be Erin."
She smiled brightly at me and then back to Gustave.
"Alright," I said. "Now let's see if I can remember this." I patted each one of their heads as I listed their names. "Angie, Luca, Alex, Sammy, Jade, Erin, Hannah, Blake, Trevor, and Mary."
They looked at me with amazement as I got them all correct the first time. I laughed and introduced each one of them to Gustave and Elaina. Gustave seemed leery of them at first, but he warmed up enough to at least smile at them. Elaina, on the other hand, was absolutely giddy. She held Angie on her hip and hugged each of the children. They were all trying to talk to her at once, and she was happily trying to reply to all of them.
I eventually got them quieted down. "I have a special place arranged for you to stay for right now," I told them. "That may change later depending on what you end up doing around here." They looked at me curiously, but I decided not to touch on the subject. I whistled for my personal servants. They each came running quickly and bowed loyally. "Children, this is Mr. Squelch and Miss Fleck. They will be staying in your building with you. If you need anything, they will be there for you, and this man is Dr. Gangle. If you have an absolute emergency, then you may go to him. Squelch, will you please escort the kids to the place I have arranged for them?" He bowed and began to gather the children. All of them followed loyally behind except for one.
"Erin, you should follow Mr. Squelch," I said gently.
She shuffled her feet. "I just thought that you were the one taking us in. I thought that maybe I would get to be normal for once, but I guess it's just another circus where I'm forced to do some crazy job that I don't even want to do."
I looked up at Gustave, and he smiled at me. He put his hand on my shoulder. "You should know better than anyone. You were right. This will be good for you," he said before turning with Elaina to walk away.
I guided Erin to a bench and sat down next to her. I took off my jacket and draped it around her shoulders so she wouldn't have to keep pulling her wrap so tightly. She took it timidly and pulled it tightly around her.
"I promise to you that I will never make you do something that you don't want to do," I said as I took her hands and warmed them between mine.
She smiled up at me. "Mr. Y, why did you take us in?"
"I suppose I needed the company."
"But why circus runaways? I mean, why kids that nobody else wants?"
"Why so many questions?"
She sighed. "I just wanted to know. It's just… No one has ever wanted me before…"
I felt tears sting my eyes. "Erin, I know exactly how you feel."
"You couldn't. Both of my parents died in an accident when I was little. The only family we had was an aunt who worked as a showgirl in a circus. She didn't want me, so basically the carnies took me in. I grew up doing nothing but sweep floors and clean animal pins. I didn't get paid, but I got whipped when I didn't do it right." Her eyes were filled with tears. "When they got the letter about you taking in children, they didn't waste any time getting rid of me because I was no good at anything."
I put my arm around her. I had never really liked to talk about my past, but this little girl needed to hear it. "My mother sold me to some gypsies when I was very young. I was locked in a cage for people to laugh at me. When I was about your age, someone busted me out, and well, here I am now."
She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "Why did they put you in a cage?"
I swallowed down my nerves. "The same reason that I wear my mask."
"I thought you were a magician."
"I am, but that's not why I wear the mask."
"Can I see?"
I shook my head. "Not today."
She just nodded. "Mr. Y?"
"Yes, Erin?"
"What's your real name?"
I smiled to myself. "Erik."
She looked up at me with happy eyes. "Can I call you Daddy?"
I was taken by the sudden question. My thoughts immediately went to Gustave. How would he feel? Then his words rang in my ears: You were right. This will be good for you.
I nodded. "You can call me anything you wish."
