Sunlight warms a young woman's face as a carriage pulls into the small town of Lillie the young woman climbed out of the carriage and paid driver as she pulled the hood of her cloak over her face. She thanked the driver, and followed the directions that the driver had given her.
She walked up the stairs the new opera house, hoping that she could find work and escape from the mistakes she had made. The woman walked into the foyer of the opera house which were filled with chairs and women waiting to audition for the women's ballet troupe.
The woman sat down beside a woman feeling self-conscious about her faded pink dress with a skirt that was stained with mud do to having to walk before she found a carriage to take her the rest of the way. Then the woman gasped as she saw Madame Giry come to stand at the top of. stairs that lead from the foyer.
"Ladies the manager of this opera house, and I are very pleased to have you come however I warn you that these auditions will not be for the faint of heart. The manager of this opera house and I have strict requirements of the people we will employ here, but if you think you have what it takes then everyone who's last name start with A-D line up on the wall, and tell me your names; then you may sit in the audience in the theatre and wait your turn to audition. The woman took her place in line as Madame Giry went down the line taking the women's names until she came to the woman whose face was covered by the hood of the cloak.
"Your name please mademoiselle." Madame Giry said, as she looked at the young woman.
The young woman mumbled something, but otherwise said nothing.
"Mademoiselle we are very busy today, and if you find yourself too shy to even tell me your name; then I very much doubt that you will have what it takes to perform on the stage." Madame Giry said as she turned away.
"Madame Giry, it's me "Christine said as she pulled the hood away from her face, and cringed away from the gasps that filled the foyer.
Christine my dear what on earth are you doing here?" Madame Giry asked quickly as she pulled her friend into a hug.
"Honestly I'd rather not say, I was hoping that I could find work here."Christine said as she returned Madame Giry's hug, and tried to ignore the whispers that were filling the foyer.
Madame Giry pulled away, and looked at Christine for a long moment; then she stood in front of the women, and addressed them.
"Ladies if you will please excuse me, I must go speak with the manager; you may all take a five minute break." Madame Giry announced then she quickly made her way up the stairs, and out of the foyer.
Madame Giry quickly knocked on the manager's office door, then the door opened to reveal Erik Corbeau
standing at a tall and skinny six foot four.
"Madame Giry I didn't expect to see you this early." Erik said as surprise sparkled in his golden yellow eyes.
"Yes, well something has happened that I thought needed to be brought to your attention. " Madame Giry said as she braced herself for Erik's reaction.
"Very well please come in, and make yourself comfortable." Erik said as he opened the door, and motioned for Madame Giry to enter his office.
Madame Giry entered Erik's office without a word, and sat down in a big comfortable chair made of mahogany wood and velvet padding. Erik reached his desk into strides, and took his seat. Then Erik took his seat and pushed a crystal bowl filled with British sweets towards Madame Giry.
Madame Giry took a few and popped one into her mouth, Erik waited until she was finished chewing to speak.
"Tell me Madame what was so important, that it simply couldn't wait?" Erik asked as he laced hipeoplelong boney fingers together.
"I know you are a very busy man these days, so I will keep things brief Christine Daeea has come to our auditions today." Madame Giry said quickly, and dug her fingers into the velvet armrests as she watched Erik's golden eyes widened.
"That is quite impossible Madame why would the boy allow it?" Erik asked as he rose from his chair, and started to pace around his office.
"Erik has spent two years, two whole years restoring this opera house and Erik's house, beneath it for the first time in Erik's whole miserable existence Erik has found a glimpse of happiness; and now this girl has come along to ruin it, just like she did the last time." Erik growled as his eyes blazed with a fiery anger, an anger that the people of the Paris learned to fear.
"Erik I don't think that's true she doesn't even know your I alive you made sure I saw to that, remember when you had me post your obituary in the paper. I'm sure she believes you are dead because she has no reason not to, I don't know happened between her and the Vicomte; but it's clear to me that their relationship did not have a happy end, and now she is down on her luck."
Madame Giry said soothingly as she tried to calm Erik's nerves before he would do something that would both regret.
Erik let out a long sigh as he placed his hands behind his back, and faced Madame Giry.
"Do you want her here?"Erik asked as he gave Madame Giry a hard look.
"Yes, I do." Madame Giry said as she matched Eriks gaze knowing that it was the only way to prove she was serious.
"Very well she can stay you may consider this a personal favor from me, I am under the impression that these types of things are what friends do for each other. Erik hopes you can forgive the delay on the other promise I made you, your daughter will be the head of the women's ballet troupe.
"Thank you Erik you have been a very good friend to me." Madame Giry said as bright smile crossed her lips.
"Erik has one condition if Christine is to stay here." Erik said as he ran his fingers through his thin hair.
"Of course I'll do anything you say."Madame Giry said quickly as she grabbed another candy from the bowl.
"You are under no circumstances allowed to tell Christine that Erik is here, and I will hold Meg to that pact as well is that clear?" Erik asked as he gave Madame Giry another stern look.
"Perfectly, and you need not worry about Meg I doubt very much that she will have any contact with Christine at all." Madame Giry said as she stood up.
" Really may Erik ask why?" Erik asked unable to control his curiosity.
"Well it seems that shortly after Christine left with the Vicomte Meg sent Christine a letter, just to see how she was getting along. However she has yet to receive a response. Madame Giry said as she walked to the door and opened it. Madame Giry smiled and said goodbye to Erik, and left him alone in his office.
"Humph Erik supposes that Christine though Meg was no longer good enough when she had a higher class of ladies to associate with." Erik said as walked to his office window and pulled back the drapes and looked down on the city below.
Madame Giry went back to the foyer and began the adutions it was a long afternoon and a third of the women were dismissed, however Madame Giry was pleased to see that Christine hadn't forgotten her training. She welcomed Christine to the opera house with open arms, and hoped that Christine would eventually open up about what happened to her after she left with the Vicomte.
Madame Giry dismissed the women, and watched them all run for the women's dormitory. Madame Giry also retired to the apartment she shared with her daughter, smiling once again as she thought about kind Erik had been to her. Christine however used the time alone to get better acquainted with the place that would be her new home.
Christine walked aimlessly as she ran her fingers along the Rose print wallpaper, and even though she didn't want to she couldn't help but shudder as the roses reminded her of Erik. Christine quickly shook her head as she reminded herself that Erik was dead, yes Christine couldn't find it in herself to stay with Erik; yes she left with Raoul, but she never wanted him to die because she left and not even Raoul knew that Christine had shed quite a few tears when she learned of Erik's death.
Christine forced herself to focus on the opera house, she thought it was so beautiful the oak wood paneling the marble staircase leading from the foyer,all of this intrigued her as she walked along she noticed gold and marble statues of Greek and Egyptian goddesses and; and as she walked along she saw warrior's from Spanish folklore who ever this manager was he obviously very wealthy, and very well traveled.
By the time Christine finished with her exploring it was evening, and Christine realized she was hungry. Christine let herself into the kitchen, and closed closed the door behind her. There were dishes spread out over the table making it clear to Christine that the other women had already had their dinner.
Christine frowned knowing that Madame Giry would hate to see the kitchen in disarray, but that wasn't what stopped her in her tracks. Christine bent down as she ran her hand over the plush Persian rug, she had missed them. Christine had once asked to have one for her room, but this angered Raoul greatly. Raoul refused to let her have anything that he thought would remind her of Erik, that had been one of their most frequent arguments.
Christine snapped up quickly as moved over to the table. Christine found that she didn't have much of an appetite so she took a single piece of roast beef, Swiss cheese and two slices and bread and made a sandwich. Christine closed her eyes as the taste of Swiss cheese took her back to a better, and less complicated time.
When Christine finished her sandwich she drank her milk
and looked around the kitchen the light blue walls, and oak table Christine instantly found the kitchen appealing, and wished that she had one like it in a home of her own. Christine collected the dishes washed them, and put them away. Christine left the kitchen and made her way to the dormitory feeling exhausted from the day she had.
Christine pushed open the door to the dormitory open and tiptoed inside so as not to wake anyone. Christine was quite impressed by her surroundings the walls were painted a coral color and there was a row of bunked beds against each wall.
Christine saw a small fireplace against the wall, and put she logs in it to keep the fire going Christine took in the room around her it was small but well furnished Christine looked at the ceiling and was grateful to see that it wouldn't leak, Christine still remembered using buckets to catch the leaks in the roof. Christine walked over to the empty bunk bed the mattress was comfortable, and the blanket was warm. Once again Christine was impressed it was obvious to her that the manager cared more about his workers than money.
Christine laid down with a good feeling in her heart, for the first time that day she felt at ease and fell into a restful sleep.