Chapter 13: The Garden Club

A/N: Just because it's relevant in this chapter, I want to remind everyone that Christine's real last name is Davies, but she used Meg's last name, Grant, for their act.

The Garden Club lived up to its name. The exterior was made of black stone with gold accents. The interior had a similar color palette with bursts of color provided by flowers. Mosaic garden motifs covered one wall, and a waterfall was on another. The proscenium pillars on the small stage were covered with flowers as well.

Erik had been there on a few occasions. Perhaps because of his lack of nose, but he never found that the extraordinary amount of flowers were odoriferous. The same applied the next evening when he entered the club to try and talk with Christine. If she accused him of following her, he was planning on saying that he was there to meet Nadir and by coincidence it was the same club she happened to be performing in, and no, Meg did not tell him.

He strode into the club, looking confident as ever, though he felt anything but. He wore his favorite black suit, and had even polished his shoes, and would deny it, but he polished his mask as well.

"Mr. Destler!" The host said when he saw Erik.

Erik returned his forced smile with an equally forced smile.

"Good evening. Has Miss Davies performed yet?" he asked as he was led to a secluded table.

"Not yet, but she will be on any moment."

"Thank you. I am expecting Nadir Khan. Will you show him to the table when he comes?"

"Of course sir," the host said, leaving Erik.

Christine was backstage, fiddling with her dress. It had been gifted to her by the club when she showed them the dress she had been planning on wearing. The one she was given was clearly expensive, made from a soft, black velvet. It had intricate detailing all down the way down, embroidered with silver and gold threads to look like marigolds. It hugged her torso and hips, then She hoped they would let her keep it, but doubted that would happen.

She peered out behind the curtain, scanning the crowd. She passed over everyone twice when she saw him. There he was, looking casual and alluring and completely in control.

"Tony!" she called, hurrying towards the conductor. "Tony, let's not do the number we rehearsed this afternoon. Play anything, I don't care what."

"Why, darlin'? It sounded great. You'll do fine," he said, setting his hand on her shoulder.

"But Tony-"

"It'll be great!" He called, ushering her into place and taking his place in front of the band.

Christine turned to protest again, but the band started up and the curtain was already rising.

The song was about a failed romance and knowing he was there, after their brief romance, if you could call it that, made singing it painful at best.

Erik felt like he was punched in the throat when he heard her sing. He almost thought she chose it because of him, but he knew that was awfully self centered to think so. It only made his purpose of seeing her more clear: he had to talk to her.

He scribbled a note on scrap piece of sheet music he had in his pocket and waved a waiter over.

"Could you deliver this to Miss Davies please?" he asked, also sliding him a ten dollar bill as a bit of extra encouragement. The waiter's eyes widened and he nodded enthusiastically, clutching the note and money close to his chest.

Christine received a respectable amount of applause and nodded her head in appreciation before hurrying backstage.

"Miss Davies!" A voice called.

She turned and saw a waiter hurrying towards her.

"I'm she," she said, giving him a smile.

"I was asked to deliver this," he said, handing her a piece of paper before hurrying away.

She didn't recognize the hand writing immediately, but when she saw the staff paper she knew exactly who it was from.

She tucked the note into her bodice and swept into her dressing room to refresh herself a little.

When she felt ready, she sat up straight in looked at her reflection in the mirror, taking a deep breath for confidence.

"It'll be alright," she whispered to herself. She stood up and walked as confidently as she could to his table.

Erik had been fiddling with his napkin in his lap, trying to keep himself occupied while he waited for her. As he saw her approach, she looked like she was floating, he stood up and pulled out a chair for her.

She hesitated only for a second before sitting down.

"I got your note," she said.

"Good," he murmured, sitting back down. "That was quite the song."

She blushed and looked away, wishing that he hadn't commented on it.

"Thank you," she said, and then felt inclined to add, "I didn't pick it. They told me what they wanted me to sing."

"Of course. How are you?"

"Good. Glad to be back in the city," she said, pursing her lips. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"I'll get right to it. You didn't have to leave. Raoul and Meg were just messing around. They seemed to think that we… we were in love or something so they faked the engagement to encourage you to be with me."

He said it so quickly she didn't get it all, especially when he lowered his voice. She had a feeling that he was blushing under his mask.

"I didn't catch all that. Why did they do it?" she asked, he voice squeaking a little.

Erik sighed and Christine noticed that his ears were red.

"They were trying to set us up. As a couple. To get married. They thought you were putting up walls because you were protecting Meg and wouldn't leave her. I'm sure that's part of it, but I- I know the other reason you were avoiding me," he said, gesturing vaguely to his face. Christine missed that clue.

"You do?" Christine gasped. "Then why did you go through with it?"

Erik frowned.

"Well it wasn't really my choice-"

"Erik!"

A man was approaching the table. He wore a smart blue suit and cream tie.

"It's eight-thirty! Come on we're gonna be late. I have a cab waiting out front for us," he said. "Ah, I'm sorry I didn't realize you were on a date. Apologies mademoiselle."

They both frantically shook their heads.

"We're not-"

"She and I aren't-"

"Apologies. I'm Nadir Khan," he said, extending his hand to Christine. She took it and gave him a thin smile. So this was the man who was going to facilitate the ruining of Artie's reputation.

"Christine Davies," she said politely.

"An acquaintance," Erik explained.

"Since when do you have a female acquaintance, Erik?" Nadir asked, arching an eyebrow.

"It's not like that," Erik growled, stepping in between Nadir and Christine, blocking her from his view.

Nadir raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked.

"Almost," Erik said, turning to face Christine, who was standing as well now. "Can I see you later tonight?"

"No, I have a date," she said, looking down at the table.

He didn't know why that upset him so much.

"What about tomorrow?"

"I'm busy tomorrow," Christine sniffed glancing at Nadir who was tapping his foot impatiently and then turned back to Erik.

"Well, you're coming back for the show, right?" he asked, taking a small step towards her, acutely aware of Nadir's eye boring into his back.

"I don't know. Probably not," she said. "You should go. Mr. Khan is waiting."

"Please, my dear-" he started before correcting himself. "Christine. I need to talk to you."

"We did," she insisted, crossing her arms.

"No, we didn't. Not fully. I just need ten minutes with you," he pleaded.

"Come on Erik she doesn't want to talk to you," Nadir snapped. Erik turned to go when Christine thought of something.

"What hotel are you staying in?" Christine asked.

"The Plaza," he said and Christine let out a bark of bitter laughter.

"Of course you are," she muttered.

"Erik…" Nadir whined.

"You better go. Goodbye, Erik," she said, turning and hurrying off without another word.

Erik watched her go, before turning and following Nadir out of the club.

"So. Tell me about Miss Davies," Nadir said once they were in the cab.

"There's nothing to say," Erik snapped. "Would you drop it?"

"Come on, Erik. I'm your oldest friend-" Erik scoffed. "I deserve to know what's up with her. You clearly love her."

"No I don't!" Erik shouted. The driver glanced at him in the rear view mirror and Erik shrank back a little. "Sorry."

"You were practically on your knees begging to talk with her. What did you do to her? She looked at you like you broke her heart," Nadir said, looking at his friend out of the corner of his eye.

"My face," he sniffed.

"You give your visage too much credit, I think."

"I haven't the foggiest then. She's been impossible the past few days. I don't know what happened. One night we were kissing-"

"YOU KISSED HER?" Nadir cried, causing the driver to slam on the breaks in surprise.

"Both of you. Out," he snapped and they climbed out, grumbling. Luckily they only had a block left and were both fast walkers.

"We did," Erik said, smiling a little at the memory. "It doesn't matter. The next she could barely tolerate my presence for more than five seconds."

"I'm sorry," Nadir said as they hurried into Radio City.

"Don't be. You didn't do anything."

"I interrupted."

"You had to or we would be late," Erik sighed. "Thanks for doing this by the way. I hope this works."

"And that Raoul can keep the general away from the tv set," Nadir said.

Erik shook his head and chuckled.

"That boy is a master of conniving and manipulating anyone into doing anything he wants. He'll figure something out," Erik said.

A/N: I used an online converter to do this, so correct me if I'm wrong, but I think $10 in the 1950s is equivalent to about $100 today. It varies site to site but that was about the average. Please pm me if you know that to be incorrect. Also Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it.