"Hot and cold. One minute she's smiling and flirting, the next she's tearful and sending me away. You know, I'm not permitted to touch her."
"And do you really think you should be, after the way you left?" Gaston wondered.
"Don't be so gentle with him, Gaston. Tell him what you really think," Reza grinned.
"What? How long should I follow her around all apologetic?"
"Erik, I know you didn't have the benefit of…a traditional upbringing, but…you should know that most women would have disemboweled you, leaving them embarrassed and unwed. You're truly blessed to still have all the parts you were born with."
"I said I was sorry. I've said I'm sorry a thousand different ways! Nearly every day!" I poured another brandy.
"Did you ever see a cat kicked by a man, Erik?"
"Reza, bite your tongue!" I went livid. I love and pity animals; I can't help it. And children. Perhaps it is my way of defending the wounded innocent that was little Erik, but I can't bear to see them mistreated.
"But wait; if you took a cat like that, and fed it and loved it, how long do you think it would take for it to forget the mistreatment? Would it just run right up to you the first time you laid the food out? Would it let you take it into your arms and stroke it? Even if it wanted to, and brushed against your legs, could it bring itself to forget so quickly?"
"Stop it, Reza, by god! I take your point. You're a sick bastard, comparing me to a cat kicker."
"Right; I am a sick bastard. And what were you doing for your bread in Budapest, selling your luscious body?"
"And a testy bastard besides. I told you, you should have taken Anci's measure. You're a backed-up, cranky old man."
"I'm going to poison him, Gaston. You heard it here first."
I thought a moment about this idea of Christine as an abused kitten. "What should I do?"
"Have you asked the lady?" Gaston wondered.
"No," I was nonplussed.
"Well, there you have it. She has a mind; hasn't she been trying to tell you? Ask her how you can prove to her that you won't leave again."
"It's not so simple. She doesn't know what she wants. Which I understand--but how long? I've married my left hand," I grumbled.
"If that's all you're worried about, there's plenty of remedy for that in a city like Paris."
"That's not all I'm worried about. But seeing her every day takes its toll, doesn't it?"
"Poor Erik. You might have thought of that before you ran off."
"Thank you, Reza; that's constructive. Hindsight being what it is, I've already come to that conclusion without your august assistance."
The parlor door rattled as if to crash off its hinges.
Fat Gaston went airborne. "God in heaven!" he gasped.
"It's my little man, Gaston! Wait until you see this beast!" I threw the door open. Masson and I were back to best friends so long as I kept my filthy hands off Mama.
"GRRRRR!"
"Oh, no! Run for your lives, gentlemen! It's a bear!"
It is difficult for a baby to giggle and growl simultaneously.
"Let me see…what have I here to catch a bear with? Ahhh…" I crouched before the breathless bear. Claws hovering in the air, he waited for whatever might come from the waistcoat pocket. "Chocolate!" I whispered.
What a beautiful baby; his eyes so wide, as if the candy itself was magical.
"Shok-lit. Ssshhh!" Strong, fat fingers pried the coin from my hand.
"Yes, ssshhh. Mama doesn't approve," I called aside to Gaston. "She says he thinks I'm a candy shop on legs." My boy sat next to me on the sofa and worked at the wrapping, frowning.
"Here, let Papa help."
"Papa hell." Reza chuckled at that, delighted.
"Yes, that too. There you are, Bear."
"Fank." Masson set to; soon chocolate drool was flowing like wine at a gypsy wedding.
"You're welcome."
"Erik, he is a lovely child; are you absolutely certain he's yours?"
"Shut up, Gaston. He has my eyes and my foul temper; he worries me already."
Gaston shot a glance at Reza. My Persian friend nodded confirmation.
"Ah, here you are!" Christine appeared at the door.
"Shit." I was caught.
"Sssit."
"Masson, ssshhh." God help me if he took after my speech.
"Ssshhh."
"Unh! The smoke is thick as fog in here!" She spied the chocolaty-drooling bear. "Oh, no, Erik. Not again."
"There was a bear, Mama. The only thing between these gentlemen and certain death was me and my chocolate!"
"GRRRRR!"
"There, you see. You've angered him again, and here I am, out of chocolate."
"Oh, for heavens' sake. Two infants; not one," she fussed, taking her handkerchief to Masson's face and hands. But she was smiling.
"A beautiful child, Comtesse," Gaston chimed.
"I'm afraid his beauty will be his downfall, M Leroux. His father seems incapable of anything but spoiling him."
"His father would happily spoil his beautiful mother as well," I murmured.
Christine blushed.
"There he goes, making love in company again," Reza remarked.
"Tell him to stop, Reza, it embarrasses me." She plucked the baby from the sofa. "We're off for a b-a-t-h."
I finished my brandy with my friends and bade them goodnight. It sounded quiet upstairs; clearly the bath was over and Christine was trying to settle Masson for sleep. I climbed the stairs to the room I had once shared with Christine. I did not want to knock in case Masson was drifting off, but it felt wrong to just walk in. I decided to crack the door and whisper her name.
"Yes, come in," she replied softly.
The room had been changed to accommodate the baby's presence. Christine nursed him sitting in a cozy rocker, and there was a crib beside the bed. I leaned against the wall and studied Christine and her baby. She wore a peaceful, drowsy smile. She was unbelievably beautiful to me as a mother.
Already, Masson was all gone. Christine slipped him into his crib and tucked him in. We watched him sleep in comfortable silence.
"He is amazing, Christine."
"You're surprised by how he's taken you in, aren't you?" she smiled knowingly.
"I confess I am."
She shook her head. "I knew you would be an indulgent, doting mess of a father."
"Oh?"
"Yes; because you have a child's heart."
"A child's heart? An assassin's mind; a monster's form. Quite a package."
"I'm not certain about your assessment, but I agree with your conclusion," she admitted.
"Christine, this is not a skillful segue, but I wonder if there is anything I can do to prove myself to you?" I hoped it did not sound as awkward as I felt.
She considered a long time. She took my hand and brought me to sit on the bed with her.
"I'm sorry," she sighed. "I can't really think of anything just now." Astonishingly, she began unbuttoning my shirt. Just as I found breath to speak, she bit my lower lip.
"Ssshhh." She draped my shirt over the near side of Masson's crib, shielding his view from things he'd certainly disapprove of. Before she joined me, she removed all but her chemise and hose. I took the hint and shucked my clothing as well. As she loosened her hair, I ran my hands up and down her torso. She pushed me back and fell with me. I wanted to kiss her, touch her, but she refused me. She guided my hands to her hips. "Later; I want to ride," she whispered, lowering herself eagerly onto me. She was amazingly wanton. I would never have believed it was my beloved little angel. She found her release quickly, crumpled happily onto my chest and permitted me to finish as I pleased.
Christine wrung two further couplings from me before she permitted me to sleep. I was so damned proud of myself I might have stayed up all night buying myself drinks, except I was done in. Naturally, in true Erik style, I had to spend a few minutes before I dropped off worrying about being able to keep up with Christine.