Erik's POV
Nadir had been afraid, afraid that I was going to lose my foot, but thankfully I didn't. There were nights I laid awake thinking about what would happen to it, but two weeks after having the ointment applied, it finally began feeling better. That's when I felt strong enough to get around. It was hard at first not being able to put on shoes, but who needed shoes? I wasn't going anywhere but inside the house, that being the reason why I stayed in bare feet. Nadir had taken Mandy into town for some much needed supplies, and I knew today was just as good as any day to get things squared away with Christine. I found her sitting outside on the wooden fence. She was watching Cesar prance about the yard, teasing him with a few carrots that she had behind her back. It frightened me to think that she was carrying my child, a child that would most likely come out deformed.
"He doesn't like when you tease him," I said, causing Christine to turn around. When she saw me standing there she smiled and hopped down from the fence. "I'm glad you're up. For a while, I thought you were going to lose that foot."
"I thought so too. Though, I was wondering if you would join me for bagels in the kitchen? I wanted to speak with you alone."
"Of course. I'll get everything ready…"
Christine rushed inside and prepared the table as quickly as she could. After taking a seat beside her, I couldn't help but notice that she was eating as though she hadn't eaten in weeks. I knew this would be the perfect ice breaker.
"You're really hungry, aren't you?" I questioned, taking a bite of my bagel.
"Yes," she began. "I didn't eat much last night."
"Perhaps, but I've noticed that you've been eating more than you usually do lately."
Christine rolled her eyes. "Are you trying to say that I'm fat?"
"Of course not," I murmured. "It's just that you've never been so…so hungry before. You have an appetite as though you're eating for two."
That's when the conversation took a turn for the worse. Everything was out on the table now, for I knew Christine knew it was time to confess. She placed down her bagel and looked up at me with eyes that were afraid.
"Is there anything else you wish to say?" she asked.
"Such as what? Such as why you refuse to tell that you're carrying my child?"
Christine's eyes went wide, for it was as if she were surprised that I knew.
"How long have you known?"
"Since the first night we arrived here. You can thank Nadir for that one. He blurted it out one evening like I knew it already. Back then, I didn't. The question is, Christine, how long were you going to wait to tell me, and why haven't you told me? I may not be experienced with relationships, but when a woman finds out she's carrying a child, she lets the father know right away."
Christine opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
"Let me guess, you were afraid about what I would think… Afraid that I would be angry and order you to abort the child."
"I was afraid, Erik… I didn't know until the doctor checked me out back at the opera house. I was afraid that everyone would find out and want to harm me and the baby. I was also afraid that you would be upset, that you would leave me."
I reached my shaky hand across the table and shook my head. "I'm afraid for you, Christine. What I did to my mother is not what I want to happen to you. I love you, Christine, and as much as I regret making this child, I don't regret making love to you. Forgive me…"
"There is nothing to forgive, Erik. I'm happy… I always wanted a child and now I'm going to have one. We'll get through this together, I promise. And in a few months, we will have a beautiful child of our own. I know that you will be a great father."
"I highly doubt it, but somehow I know that you will be a wonderful mother. I can only hope that this child doesn't hate me. It's bad enough that my own mother never loved me, but to make a child and bring it into the world, only to have it loath me would be too much to bear. I want to love this child, and I want him to love me in return."
"And she will…"
"She?" I questioned. "Just how do you know that it's going to be a girl?"
"I don't, but can you imagine, Erik? A little girl with chocolate locks and your blue eyes skipping stones with you by the creek?"
"It would seem too much like a dream to me," I cried. "It wouldn't seem real. Everyday I would feel as though I were asleep, begging to never wake."
"But you would be awake, Erik…"
"I know I'm afraid, Christine, but I promise to love this child no matter what he or she looks like. I will love it because that child would be a combination of both you and I. It would be our little prodigy."
"I know I hurt you by keeping this a secret. I promise I won't ever keep a something from you again, no matter how much it hurts to say."
With that, I stood up and pressed my lips against Christine's.
"When the sun sets, will you take a ride with me?" I questioned. "I want to show you something."
"I'd go anywhere with you, Erik. You know that."
That night, I dressed in my best attire and forced my sore feet into a pair of boots. Nadir was with Mandy in the family room drinking wine, and when he asked where I was off to, I mumbled something about a walk with Christine. He didn't seem to care, for all he cared about was spending time with her. I led Christine into the woods, to a place I knew all too well. When I was a child, I would sneak out at night to take walks. My mother wouldn't let me out of the house during the day, afraid that someone would spot me. There had been a point in my childhood where I had begged her to let me walk outside at night, but she refused that as well, just to spite me. Therefore, I snuck out while she was asleep. I hadn't meant to come across the beautiful lake, but it happened. The water lit up in an eerie green color and I became mesmerized by its beauty. I hadn't been there in years, but I knew tonight would be the perfect night to go.
Christine seemed confused on where I was taking her, but she never questioned me. When we arrived at the deserted lake, I spread out a blanket I had brought along and told her to sit beside me.
"It's a little dark for a picnic, don't you think, Erik?" she giggled. "If you wanted a picnic, we could have came in the daylight."
"Oh, but then you would have missed the show."
"Show?"
I pointed to the lake and at that very moment, the darkness of night set in and the water lit up in that strange green color. Christine gasped in excitement and turned to me, her smile lighting my world. I loved this girl more than anything and I was going to make it official.
"It's beautiful, Erik…"
"Just like you, Christine. I…I have a confession to make."
"Yes?"
"I…I didn't bring you here tonight just to show you the lake."
"You didn't?"
"No, I…I…"
I was so nervous that I couldn't even get out what I wanted to say. What I did know was that I wasn't going to be able to do this sitting down, which was why I pulled us both to our feet.
"Erik, if you have something to say, you should say it. You shouldn't be afraid, for I would never laugh at you. I…I love you."
That gave me the strength I needed in order to propose to her. Well, technically, I had already done so in my mind, but this wasn't just a proposal. No, this was going to be a marriage before the eyes of God. There was no way either of us could be married in a church, for I was a wanted man, and Christine had chosen this life. I didn't need a church or a pastor to tell me that she and I were now married, for I would believe so in my heart. No, all we needed was for God to hear us promise one another to stay faithful.
"Christine, I brought you here tonight because I wanted to make our relationship official."
"Official?" she questioned. "How so?"
It took me a few embarrassing moments to get down on one knee, and when I did so, I looked up at her.
"Christine, I love you more than anything in this world. You've shown me that love can come in all shapes and forms. I would be honored if you spent the rest of my your life with me as your husband. Christine, will you marry me?"
Christine gasped, fresh tears falling down her cheeks.
"Y…Yes, Erik, I will."
Happy that she had agreed, I stood to my feet and she wrapped her arms protectively around my neck. Oh, how I loved this woman…
"Oh, Christine, I couldn't imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone but you. You're an angel sent straight from heaven."
"As are you…But…But I know that we will have to spend the rest of our lives engaged to one another."
"And why is that, angel?"
"Because no church would marry us, Erik. You're a wanted man and if you walk into any church, you will be taken from me. I wouldn't be able to live without you. If you were ever taken away, I would die of a broken heart."
"Christine, we don't need to be engaged. We could be married, right now at this very second. The only one that has to know about our marriage is God. If we both swear to love one another for the rest of our lives, that's all that matters. We don't need a church or a priest to make it official. I love you and you love me more than anything and that's all that matters."
"I love you, Erik…"
"As do I… So, do you, Christine Daae, take Erik Mulheim to be your lawfully wedded husband, for richer or poorer, through sickness and in health until death do you part?"
Christine smiled. "I do… So, do you, Erik Mulheim take Christine Daae to be your lawfully wedded wife, for richer or poorer, through sickness and in health until death do you part?"
"I do, Christine, oh, how I do…"
"Then by the power invested in God, he now pronounces us husband and wife. You, my husband, may kiss the bride."
And I did, oh, how I did. I kissed my beautiful bride with all the passion in the world, knowing that I would love her until the day I died. I wasn't sure why Christine did so, but she grabbed hold of me and pressed me down on the blanket I had spread out for us. Once we were lying on top of one another, I felt her hand take my own and begin undressing her. Oh, right here… This was where we would consummate our marriage.
"Oh, Christine, I love you so much," I moaned as I pressed kisses to her neck. My Christine was going to let me have her body once more and I couldn't have been more excited to take it. Years of being forbidden to touch any woman now had me wanting Christine more than anything, and oh, how I was going to have her. We spent the night wrapped up within one another's arms, falling asleep as husband and wife to the music of crickets and locust chirping all around us. Tonight, had been a beautiful wedding, and a lovely wedding night.
