IF LOVE WERE A FLOWER

Before the Trial

It was early morning at the beach. No one was there because it was too early. No one except Erik and his child. Erik had promised to teach Tony swimming, he thought this was for the child's best living so close to water. Erik would never ever let himself be seen in a swimsuit, he rather went into the sea with his normal clothing on, even mask and wig. Tony of course insisted wearing trousers and shirt as well, if his father wouldn't swim in a swimsuit, he wouldn't let himself be seen in such a thing too.

They were having much fun enjoying the water and the beach. It was just one of these rare moments where Erik forgot everything else and could only think of his child. If there was pure happiness on earth it was this, bathing in the cold sea in the golden glow of the sunrise with his son. That moment Erik decided that moments like this were worth every suffering he had ever endured. He loved his child and was so very proud of it, he couldn't imagine any father loving his child more.

"Good morning," deMer's voice startled them for neither Erik nor Tony had noticed that someone approached them. Erik silently berated himself for his carelessness. If it had not been deMer but someone else they might be dead now. Even with Squelch nearby, who dutifully came to stand between his master and deMer.

"It has been good until you came," Erik snapped, "What do you want?"

"Mr. Y, unfortunately we need you as witness in the trial."

"I thought with Riccy's confession the trial would be over soon?" Erik asked, wondering what he had missed in the whole scheme.

DeMer couldn't suppress a grin as he saw Mr. Y and Tony both completely drenched, walking barefooted through the sand of the beach. Mr Y, who usually tried to look as distinguished as possible, but it was absolutely impossible to look anything but ridiculous drenched in saltwater, with sand on the feet and trousers and a child that rolled in the sand and called happily: "I'm a schnitzerl! I'm a schnitzerl!" coating himself with sand until Erik picked him up and carried him on his arms - with the result that he too was covered with sand.

"Mr. deMer, I'm talking with you!" Erik snapped, annoyed that the other man was staring at him and obviously forgetting to answer.

The prosecutor cleared his throat. "Um... well... I thought that with Riccy's confession we'd nail them all. But unfortunately the lawyers of my ex-colleagues insist that you testify against Riccy and the other defendants."

"Why? You know all I know."

"You are a key witness. It is not so much about the facts but to shatter your image before the eyes of the judges and the jury. They want to show you as the worst criminal of them all, buying his freedom by setting them up. To counter this we have to present you as honorable man."

"Me? O God! No! I cannot... you cannot be serious! Come on, Mr. deMer, you know me. I am in no way presentable in a court trial." The mere thought was ridiculous. If he testified against them and the lawyers got a chance to show him as the disgusting monster he was it had all been in vain for the jury would see him as the worst of them all.

"Mr. Y, you have to trust me. I've lived with you here on Coney Island for more than a year, I've watched you, I've talked with your employees. I know what I am doing. You will go there and tell the court all you know about Bruno Riccy and his methods and his backers. And then I will present witnesses who will convince the court that you are a good man."

"But I am not!" Erik almost yelled.

"Daddy, you are a good man," Tony said, hugging him and accidentally pushing off the wig, "I love you."

"Perfect!" de Mer smiled, "This is exactly what I need! The father who did what he did to protect his child, who had been blackmailed into complicity through vile threats against his son. The jury will love this story."


The day Erik had to appear before the court was a rather cold day in November, the park had already closed down for winter as usual. Erik had to spend the night in a hotel close to the court building and there were policemen guarding him. An odd sensation for the masked man. Now he was not hounded but the police was there to protect him. Unfortunately this did nothing to ease his anxiety. He knew his family was in the next room in the same hotel, but it felt like there was an ocean between them. He so very much missed Meg's hands treating his sore skin in the evening before he went to bed, his son begging for stories and to be allowed to stay up longer. Usually he hated Meg cleaning the deformed skin-folds on his cheek, his head, his back, where he could not do it himself. It was the feeling that he was being nursed that he hated and of course it tickled and sometimes hurt when she did it. But now he wished for nothing more then her hands rubbing the stinking salve onto his skin and her commends about the development of his skin condition. He even missed the daily fight with Tony to put him to bed. It didn't help much that he could hear the fight going on in the next room. He wanted to be there. He wanted to receive kicks, blows, scratching, spitting and even biting from the defiant child who became stronger each day.

Erik did not sleep that night. He could not. He studied the written instructions deMer had given him how to behave and how to answer and found it most annoying. This was no script he could memorize, it was just general instructions and he would have to give the performance of his life improvising for he didn't even know the storyline of this play! His role was the one role he was absolutely sure he was the worst man they could have cast: the hero. The tragic victim who finally risked everything to fight for the right and became a hero. He - a hero! Never!

His nerves were playing a trick on him as he tried to calm down. He was shaking hard, his stomach empty but turning, cold sweat running down his back. Being alone made it worse, he so much wished he could hold someone in his arms now or even watch his son's peaceful sleep. He wanted to take something to knock him out, but he could not very well ask for a drink or laudanum or something like that when policemen were sitting in the corridor to watch him. He felt like he was a prisoner, only his bed was much softer than the cot in a cell.


Erik saw Meg briefly as he was escorted from his room to the court building. She was equally guarded and looked a pale and shaken. He knew Antoinette and Tony were to stay in the hotel, but this was no comfort. There were policemen guarding them - he would have preferred them in his safety-room and well guarded by his friends. How could he trust policemen to protect his child? He should never have agreed to de Mer taking Riccy's family to another state and hold them in protective custody. It would have been better to have them in Coney Island with people whom he could trust.

"How's Tony?" he asked.

Meg smiled wearily. "To him this is all just a game. He cannot comprehend the danger. You should have seen him - he... he is fascinated by the stories the policemen tell him and now wants to become policeman himself." She tried to laugh, but it wasn't a real laughter. "You... need to concentrate now. I'm sorry."

"I should not have allowed them to keep us in seperate rooms," he sighed, "I don't know what they were thinking..."

"They thought it was easier to keep us safe this way."

He looked at the policemen around them. There were so many of them, the court building, all the journalists, it was... terrifying. He felt Meg's hand touching his arm. "You can do this," she assured him, "You are a magician, making people believe you can defy the laws of nature - surely you can convince them that the world is better off with people like Riccy behind bars."

He smiled awkwardly. "With men like me behind bars - is that what you wanted to say?"

"No! I'm proud of you," she replied, "You are very brave."

She could not say more for a court usher announced that the court would hear Mr. Y as witness now. Erik shuddered. He had to go into that room and convince everyone that he was the hero who had just wanted to see justice done. He had to convince them that a lie was the truth. He had wished for a chance to wipe the slate clean and begin a new life and now he was getting much more than he had ever bargained for and he hated it. He remembered how he had tied Tony down when the child had refused to get up, telling him if he wouldn't get up now he would have to lie in bed all day. What cruel twist of fate this was. He had wanted a chance to prove to everyone that he was much better than his reputation - and now he had to convince judge and jury.

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Erik as a crown witness. That is surely not a role he ever thought he might play. Next chapter will be up on Thursday, it is going to be a bit longer but I don't want to cut it in half...