IF LOVE WERE A FLOWER
Trouble in the Family
Meg woke a bit after 10 o'clock - a normal time to be ready for breakfast at the variety. Erik was still asleep, he had somehow lost wig and mask during the night. Meg smiled. She had slept well at his side. After she found out that he only snored when lying on his back and that she had to turn him round to make him stop. She looked at the now wilting roses and listened to the sea - it was a pleasant, calming noise and she liked the smell of the salty air. She understood why Erik loved to sleep in the shack beneath the pier in summer.
When she looked at him she noticed a slight tremor in his hands and his breathing was somehow labored. "Erik? Are you alright?"
He half-opened one eye and groaned. "Headache," he mumbled, "What time is it?"
"I don't know. Must be breakfast time soon," Meg, who didn't have a watch, answered.
Erik bolted upright. "Breakfast time? O no! I should have been... ow! My head!" He pressed his fingers against his temples in an attempt to ease his pain.
"Can I get you something?" Meg asked, suddenly she wished they had stayed in the variety's dormitory for then Erik would have the doctor just in the next bed.
"Not necessary," he replied and searched his pockets, "Usually I have some pills with me. Do we have something to drink?"
Meg handed him the bottle with the rest of grape juice. "I've eaten all food," she confessed.
Erik swallowed a tiny pill and drank a few gulps of juice. "You eat for two, that's perfect. Our baby will be strong with all that meat you eat now."
"Maybe it will be a boy?"
"I don't care as long as it's healthy," Erik answered and got to his feet, "Unfortunately I have to work. You can stay here, if you like?"
"Just go, I clean up a bit and then go back. Erik, why do you always carry pills with you?" Meg asked worriedly.
Erik sighed: "I wish there was no need for that. Since this spring I suffer so much headache, I just had to have my medication with me all the time. Unfortunately I cannot afford to lie down and rest until it gets better. I hope to get some rest in winter, until then I just have to keep a stiff upper lip. See you later."
See you later meant in this case that he wouldn't have time for weeks to speak to her more than a mere "Good morning" or "Good night" when running past her to whatever duty he had then. Erik was still torn between the renovation and building work, the management of the far too fast growing theme park and his magic shows, this didn't leave any time for his private life. Meg didn't even have time to complain to him about still living in the dormitory. Erik had neither time nor money nor any energy left to deal with private problems now.
Meg dreaded the day the well-planned accident would happen, but nothing at all happened and finally she began to hope that Erik had found his conscience and given up on his murderous plan. But she decided to shadow him a bit, she had nothing she could do anyways now that her pregnancy made it impossible for her do do any real work.
Wandering around was no problem - the growing theme park was open for business, the beach, the cafes, restaurants, fun-rides and shops attracted many customers. One pregnant woman could easily go unnoticed among all the families there. So she followed Erik to what he called the dark area of the park. The dark area began with the tunnels of horror - Erik currently used one of the old tunnels of horror for he had not yet finished the new ones - behind that the "smoking lounge and bar" aka the opium den with various rooms - from the cheap ones for the poor to the luxury private rooms for the upper class and the "Gentlemen's club" aka luxury brothel and the "variety" aka strip-show. Meg knew women were not allowed there unless they were employed in that area, but since everyone knew she was Mr. Y's wife no one objected to her going to see her husband.
She saw Erik approaching a few women who sat at the tables in a small garden before the brothel, enjoying the nice weather. The women got up and greeted Erik like one would greet a very good friend and Meg felt a pang of jealousy. So that was where he went! This was his o so hard work! He just enjoyed himself with these whores.
Meg stomped directly towards him. Erik saw her in time to greet her with a deep bow, kissed her hand and introduced her to the whores. "Mesdames, allow me to introduce to you my wife."
The faces of the whores lit up as they saw Meg and her obvious state. "Congratulations, my dear!" one said.
"You must be..." another one began, but Erik interrupted her immediately.
"Meg. She's my lead dancer and lovely assistant."
"Meg? I thought her name was Christine?"
Erik closed his eyes and stiffened. Meg narrowed her eyes and shot him a glance that burned like acid before she put on her brightest stage-smile and turned towards the whores. "Christine is the woman who refused to marry him for she preferred a rich nobleman. She's my best friend and is innocent of his hankering after her even after she rejected him."
"O, I'm so sorry, darling!" the prostitute replied, "I didn't know. He always told us of a singer named Christine whom he adores, I thought that would be you."
"Shut up!" Erik snapped embarrassed.
"I knew that he... worshiped her before we came to America," Meg answered, "I had hoped he left her behind in France with his old life but obviously I was mistaken."
Another whore cut in: "And she was really stupid enough to let a gentleman like him go?"
Now it was Meg who was utterly confused and it showed on her face.
"He's a genius!" the whore went on, "You should have seen his designs. Once finished it will make our jobs much easier and provide safety and hygiene we never even dared to dream of. Care to have a look?"
"O yes, please!"
Erik wasn't happy that Meg was so friendly with the prostitutes and they even gave her a tour of the house, eagerly explaining that the luxury brothel would be turned into a dream palace where rich men could make their wildest dreams come true. "This is the Turkish Harem," one of the prostitutes explained, "Or it will be, when finished."
"It is what uncultivated rich Americans think that a Frenchman would dream up a Turkish Harem. It has nothing at all to do with the real thing," Erik grumpily explained.
"Want to see the best thing?" one of the whores asked excitedly.
"O yes, please!"
The whore showed Meg something that looked like a small leather bag. It was made of finest leather, very soft. It would be worn beneath the underwear. "I tried it. None of my customers ever noticed the cheat. So I can sleep with them - without really sleeping with them!"
The women disappeared into one room and Erik was left wondering what they were doing. Obviously the whores showed her his invention, which really made their lives much easier, and they had much fun laughing and giggling. Erik was left to discuss the plans for the new decoration for the suites, wondering why Meg got along with the whores so well.
Finally he decided he had had enough of it and called for Meg to come, he would take her home now.
"May I touch your belly?" one of the younger prostitutes asked and Meg allowed her. "Awww, it just kicked! Must be a boy, strong as it is!"
"Meg, are you done socializing? Come, I'll take you home!"
As soon as they were out of sight and back to the family area of the park - the 'sugar coated sunlit area' as Erik called it - he berated her for disobeying his command never to follow him.
"I'm glad I did," Meg replied, "Now I know that the whores love you because you treat them like a gentleman treats a lady and your invention is ingenious, really, I didn't think it would be possible!"
"It's just some leather and wool and wax and petroleum jelly called Vaseline," Erik sighed, "And I do not want you to socialize with whores. I have to for they are more or less in my employ - but you won't! Do I make myself clear?"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
It is not easy to get it together with someone like Erik...
