Chapter 52
(Erik's POV)
Author Fact #4
Erin and Gustave were never supposed to be a couple since Erin is based off of a real person, but you guys seemed to ship it. Needless to say, I went with it. They are kind of cute if you think about it, and the real Erin says she doesn't really have a problem with it. Haha, so here we are. I hope you enjoy.
"We're going to see Mr. Yousefi, darling," I said as patiently as possible as Chrissy squeezed my right pointer finger with her little hand.
"Why?" she asked.
"Daddy has business to attend to, so Mr. Yousefi is going to look after you today."
"Why?" she added once more.
I sighed. She's been going through a stage of asking a lot of questions. Rachel says it's normal, but I don't remember asking that many questions as a child. Then again, I learned better early on.
"Daddy has a big business. He has a lot of people looking up to him," I said gently. I stopped and kneeled in front of her and took her by her little shoulders before we walked up the steps of my son's house. "Listen, darling, it's very important that you like Mr. Yousefi."
"Why, Daddy?"
I sighed. "It's a long, complicated story, but I assure you that you will understand when you are older. You just have to trust me when I say that you mean quite a lot to Mr. Yousefi, and he would very much appreciate it if you tried your best to like him."
She nodded slowly. I kissed her head and lead her up the steps. Before I knocked on the door, she tugged on my coat causing me to pause. "Daddy, does Mr. Yousefi like me?"
"Yes, my dear," I said gently. "He likes you very, very much." She smiled and giggled causing my lips to involuntarily turn up on the corners. Chrissy's smile was very much contagious no matter what the situation. My knuckles gently rapped on the door. In a matter of moments, Erin answered wearing a pale pink chiffon dress that brought out the pretty pink on her cheeks.
"Hello, Miss Chrissy!" Erin said happily as she bent down to see her. "Gustave is finishing up getting ready. He'll be here for you any second. Why don't the two of you come in and sit down for a moment?"
I growled under my breath. He's waited the past couple of years to see his daughter, and he couldn't even have the courtesy to answer the door. I clutched Chrissy's hand as we followed Erin inside. We sat on the couch sitting in a deafening silence until we heard footsteps descending downstairs. A moment passed. Then the odd sound of wheels against wood filled the room. I looked at Erin who was looking around the room in confusion.
"Sorry I took so long!" Gustave shouted. He rolled around to the front of the couch with a pair of roller skates strapped to his shoes. He had on a brightly colored shirt and cap, and he was balancing two pie pans full of shaving cream on each palm. "I was just in the middle of thinking, 'What in the world could I do to entertain such a lovely young lady?'" he said to Chrissy making her giggle. I raised my eyebrow in curiosity. My son had never acted in such a way before.
"What are you up to?" Erin asked with a chuckle as she shifted in her chair to look up at him.
"I just wanted to entertain little-" He was cut short when the pie pan slipped off of his palm and hit Erin in the face. She sat in horror for a moment as Gustave looked on in shock. She got up angrily, standing on her tip toes to try her best to meet his face. Instead of apologizing, Gustave looked at the other pie pan, to Erin, and then back to the pie pan. With a sigh and a shrug, he gulped a breath and smacked the other pan of shaving cream in his own face. He stared at Erin with a grin until she couldn't help but laugh. Chrissy joined along as well getting up and running to them.
"I want one too!" the little girl yelled joyfully.
Gustave smiled and bent down to her. "I'm afraid your… Daddy… wouldn't appreciate having to clean you up later. Let Miss Erin and I wipe this off of our faces, and we'll take you to do something fun. How does that sound?"
"Like what kind of something fun?"
"Well, whatever you want to do I suppose. How does seeing a real clown sound?"
She laughed and nodded as I stood rather uncomfortably. "I suppose that I will see you all tonight," I said as I placed my hat back upon my head. "Goodbye, my darling."
"Bye, Daddy!"
"Have fun, dear." I slowly and somewhat sadly strolled to the front door. As I opened it, I heard Chrissy shout, "This is going to be the best day ever!" Little did she know that it would be the day that changed her life forever.
