Chapter Twenty Three
*I was never allowed to leave the Paris Opera House, ever again. At least, that's what Erik said in his rage. After his rage, however, something brilliant happened.
Something I cannot speak of...nor even write of!
Then, what am I doing?
*Two weeks after the 'incident' as Erik had taken to calling my kidnapping, we had preformed the opera 'Faust' a total of fourteen times! That's once every night, and not to mention practice! And, at every performance, box five was occupied by my lovely Erik; he would always clap the loudest or throw the most vibrant flowers to me, or, perhaps, he's the only one I pay attention to. Mama V stayed in Erik's room, even she wouldn't reveal to me where he went at night! That man from Erik's past's son had been idle, we hadn't experienced anything truly horrid or life-threatening since the stage collapsed during practice.
The poor, poor Viscount had been sending me letters, so many letters! Some pitiful, some gentle, some sweet, and some utterly heart wrenching. It had gotten to the point where I expected a letter from the Viscount de Chagny every day! As soon as I had read through them, Erik threw them in the fire, and sometimes, if Erik got the mail first, they would end up in cinders faster than normal. Mama V stupidly explained what happened to little Madeline, Madeline ran into my room in tears, and her little arms wrapped around my waist, squeezing me tight.
Erik sat in a 'king' chair as I called it (we bought it specially for him) a newspaper in his grasp and his left leg folded over his right. As always, he wore his wonderful, black evening suit and white mask; although, he shed his black, floppy hat. "What is it, darling?" I asked softly, Erik looked up from the newspaper at hearing Madeline's distress. Madeline kissed my hand and crushed it against her cheek, now, she looked to Erik.
"Don't ever let him touch my sissy again" she whispered through choked down sobs. Erik sighed, stood, set the newspaper down in his seat and bent down to her, sitting on his knees; he hesitantly pulled her off of my waist and gently rubbed his fingers across her soft, chubby cheek.
"Madeline, your sister means everything to me; she is more precious to me than the moon, the stars, the earth, and the entire universe combined. You can bet Viscount Raoul de Chagny will never lay another finger on her...and if he tries..." Erik trailed off with a devilish smile upon his face. "That shall be the longest, most excruciating death I have ever given to someone" he finished, Madeline smiled the happiest smile she has in a long time. Erik's words were touching, and yet it was hard for me to imagine the Viscount in such pain.
I didn't like to visualize anyone in pain, not after the pain I've gone through.
Why can't the Viscount just leave me alone?
*That night I had terrible cramps in my stomach and pelvis region and I vomited my guts out twice. Both times Erik rushed to the WC and held my hair behind my shoulders, afterwards he was ready with a wet cloth and a little cup of water. We sat on my bed, together, I sat on his lap with his arms wrapped around me and my head rested on his chest whilst he sat up against the headboard. He divulged to me that he was attempting to remember everything he cooked for me that day (since we never went out anymore Erik made all of my meals), he found nothing out of the ordinary and deduced I must have a stomach virus.
"Erik?" I asked in a whisper, looking up to him
"Yes, my dear?"
"May I have a kiss?" I asked with a smile, Erik smiled happily.
"You need not ask for them, angel, just kiss me" he said softly, laying his right hand on my leg, I smiled and reached up to his cheek, kissing it gently. "You missed" he said, my brows furrowed "you missed" he repeated, grinning. He leaned down and connected our lips, onto to be broken seconds later by Mama V.
"You two! All the time, kissing! Can't you two do anything else besides kiss?" She grumbled, Mama V had become irritable since Erik saved her from death's bittersweet kiss.
"We can, however, I do not think you would enjoy watching us, uh, what do they call it now? Doing 'the dance of life'?" Erik said, smiling to me, he kissed my nose "what is it, Mama?"
"Madeline's crying" Mama growled, Erik and I both rose from my bed and hurriedly walked to my sister's bedroom to see her crying in her bed.
"Darling! What's the matter?" I asked sitting on the side of her bed and grasping her small, cold hand. Madeline said nothing, but, she gave me an envelope...a blue envelope with a golden, wolf seal. I looked to Erik who wore an infuriated expression, he snatched up the envelope and tore it open, his eyes scanned the note quickly, lighting each word aflame, I could almost see the hot ink dripping off of the letter and on to Madeline's sheets.
He glanced up to me, looked to Madeline and sighed "you have nothing to fear" he said and then walked to the fire, tossing the letter and watching as the flames danced happily upon their new floor, quickly turning the letter to nothing but black ash. Erik grasped my wrist and pushed Mama V inside Madeleine's bedroom, he locked the door and pulled me back to the bedroom.
"What did the letter say, sweetheart?" I asked softly, Erik turned and sighed, he smiled and held my cheek.
"Nothing, my beautiful ray of sunshine. Nothing" he said, giving a frustrated sigh, Erik grasped me tightly and gently pushed me down, into my bed, he smiled and yet again, the brilliant thing struck.
*Over the next two weeks, I had gotten a multitude of letters that Erik burned, I had thrown up much more and was altogether not feeling myself. Madeline became my shadow and never left my side (besides when she was with the other ballerinas), Mama V became intolerable to be around for more than ten minutes, and Christmas was closing in on us. This day I was going to the clinic, to see a doctor, Madeline and Mama V came with me; Erik was needed at the Paris Opera House, for, he was launching 'The Phantom of the Opera' which we would preform in three weeks.
I had never been to a clinic before. It was cold and sterile, it smelled of sterilizing alcohol and sickness. I was sure people died here. Madeline sat on my lap and Mama V pouted beside me, Erik and Mama had been arguing more often now; Mama always whined or pouted and Erik enjoyed neither. I would sing to Madeline as they screamed at one another, Erik, inevitably, won the arguments (mostly) and Mama V would sit quietly on the couch and pout. I figure she is still angry at Erik for reviving her.
A lady in a pink dress called for me, the three of us stood and Madeline frantically grasped my hand, I smiled down to the child and the three of us walked inside and down a hallway, to a small, blue room where I sat in a whicker chair and we waited for an half and hour more.
*I had to urinate in a cup.
Why did I have to urinate in a cup?
It was never explained to me. The nurse in the pink dress came back wearing a large smile, she pointed to Madeline "is this your sister?" she asked, I nodded. The nurse bent down to Madeline and took up her hands.
"You have a new title now, darling" the nurse whispered, her pink lip stick causing her lips to glue together.
"What do you mean?" Madeline asked, looking from the nurse to me, the nurse smiled again.
"It's nothing bad, darling, it's wonderfully good!" Explained the nurse.
"What is her new title, exactly?" I asked, my fingers becoming popsicles, yet, my cheeks flushed.
"Aunt"