Chapter XVI.

Erik lifted his head to a baby's cry. He stroke his throbbing forehead and slowly stood up from his chair to see what on Earth the baby's problem was. "Christine, please go and silence that thing…" – he sighed, and slowly staggered outside the room as he heard no answer from his wife. As he opened the small and dark nursery's door, he heard the unpleasant whining way louder, and he was even suspicious it is not only one baby. He slowly approached the cradle and peeked in. The sheets covered the thing's head, and the crying echoed in the whole room, sounding like it came from all directions at once. A strange, choking atmosphere sat on the whole room and he wanted to get out as soon as possible. He will just check on the little pest and hurry away, not having to see it again for a day.

- You learned my ventriloquism already, you wretched thing? – He shuddered. The sheets in the cradle were soaked in various bodily fluids of the kid. – Oh how I hate the process of cleaning you up. – He frowned, then gently lifted the cover with only two fingers and tossed it away. But in the next moment he had a way bigger problem than the filthy surroundings…

It looked at him with its twisted eyes, it looked worse than Mahtab, worse than him, worse than anyone he ever could imagine. Its greenish yellow skin was covered with open wounds, that either bled or looked hideous, and it had no hair, no nose, and no ears at all. As it opened its mouth he noticed it had teeth like a snake. It had reddish eyes that got fixed at him with hatred. It slowly rose to its feet, walking towards him, while Erik tried to back away. No matter how much he walked backwards, he felt the room was getting larger and larger with every step. The thing was smaller than him, yet it was so scary and it looked so accusingly at him that he could feel nothing but fear.

- Look at me! – It yelled on a high – pitched voice, pointing at him with a claw- like index finger. – Look what you've done!

- Erik didn't want to… - He whimpered. – He did not mean…

- Look at me… PAPA! – it slammed its fist towards him, as it wanted to squish him like a spider, but only caused him to lose his balance and fall to the ground, helplessly.

- Don't hurt me… please… I am sorry… I am sorry… I am sorry! – He cried out in horror and covered his head with his arms for protection. He felt the claws digging into his shoulder and he let out a cry of horror and pain, but suddenly he heard his name being called:

- Erik… Erik… Erik!

He gasped and opened his eyes to see the Daroga kneeling on the ground next to him, comfortingly patting his shoulder. He tossed the Persian away in his sudden realization and shame of just having a bad dream. He lay on the floor in the Daroga's living room, next to the chair in which he fell asleep.

- What the Hell…? Daroga?

- Are you feeling better? – The Persian asked.

- I think so. – He nodded carefully. – Please tell me only Mahtab is here with me.

- Yes, she is in the other room, I told her not to bother you while you sleep a little.

- Sleep…? Oh, thank Goodness. – He wiped his forehead with his sleeve. Only now he got 100 percent sure that the creature he saw only existed in his imagination… yet.

- You look like you've seen a ghost.

- It was much worse than a ghost, believe me. – He shuddered again, at the mere thought of his nightmare.

He will have to get used to the thought of another child. These five months are going to be like an eternity as he already knew what they will be about – fear, nightmares, self – loathing and stomach pain.

- Daroga… may Erik ask you a favor? – He grabbed the Persian's wrist, and pulled him closer.

- Yes, Erik, anything. – The Persian nodded.

- When the time comes… please… please be there with Erik… he doesn't want to stay all alone for hours… in the drawing room…

- I will. – He nodded and put his still free hand on Erik's shoulder. – Don't worry Erik, please try to calm down a bit.

- Erik needs another drink. – He stated exhaustedly.

- All right, I will give you another round of absinthe if it is good with you.

- Fine. – He nodded and climbed back in the armchair. He stretched his long legs out and tried to think of good things to settle his nerves a bit.

The Daroga arrived back soon with a glass of absinthe again and handed it to Erik.

- Here… But please don't drink it in one gulp again, Erik, this is a very strong alcohol, and I don't think you have eaten anything at all, and you will get drunk in no time.

- Drunk? Who…? Erik…? – he laughed out almost hysterically. – Erik NEVER gets drunk, Daroga! You don't know how much I can handle… I can drink two bottles of wine without ANY effect on me.

- Wine is wine, it's not that strong…

- Nonsense. – Erik nodded gracefully then emptied the glass at once again.

The Persian knew that there will be a huge problem of it, but Erik was too stubborn and he knew that there was no use to argue with him, especially not in this situation.

By the time Mahtab got tired of playing in the other room with Olympia, the ragdoll, and hurried to the living room to ask when they will finally go home, she saw her Papa in a very strange condition. He was laughing and crying at the same time, in a very funny way. Tonton Mohammed tried to make Papa stand up from the armchair but he will sit back quickly always. Finally Tonton lifted Papa up and made his head rest against his shoulder. As he saw Mahtab, he softly said:

- Mahtab dear, can you come after us on your feet?

- Sure. – She nodded. – What happened to Papa?

- He is… he is just playing, dear.

While that, Erik started singing various bits of opera arias, and interrupt them with laughing fits. The cab did not want to take them to Erik's address because of how drunk the ex- Opera Ghost was, but Mohammed- Ismael was determined about getting to Erik's home and he promised to make sure Erik won't do any harm to the carpet.

Christine was nervous. Erik left hours ago to pick up Mahtab from the Persian, and he was in a mood that made her think of bad things he might have committed. He seemed to be so nervous and scared, a bit of hopeless… she did not think he would hear these wonderful news with such a worry. She was walking up and down in the empty house. In years, there was no time she would be all alone at home and she wasn't used to it. She did not like being alone anyway, these empty rooms scared her and gave him an uneasy feeling. She tried to shoo negative thoughts off from herself as she knew it will do no good in her current condition to worry.

Suddenly, she heard noises. A cab stopped in front of the house and she heard an operatic male voice on full volume, but with very hard articulation singing a disgustingly obscene couplet- chanson that was about a bargain going on with a prostitute. Christine turned bright red of shame and anger at the same time, seeing Erik was carried out of the cab, as he wasn't able to stand on his feet all by himself and he shouted some obscenities then continued singing that Hell of music. She did not even imagine Erik would KNOW a song like that, and she was shocked to see Mahtab jumping up and down behind the two men and laughed.

- Papa, one more song, please, one more…!

- Sssssh! – The Persian tried to calm the child, but Erik did not even hear them, he was so lost in dirty songs.

The window opened and Erik looked up, realizing he was at home and shouted up to his wife:

- Christiiiiiie!

- Erik, stop yelling…- - The Persian tried his best to support Erik and drag him to the door, but Erik did not want to get inside yet. He ripped himself out of the Persian's hands and staggered under the window and as he tried to go on his knees he fell on his "nose" then tried his best to get up, moaning a few cusswords. Finally he was on his knees and started a "serenade" for his wife, but as he wasn't the least sober, he again chose the wrong thing to sing at the top of his lungs and instead of a romantic opera aria he just ordered some marital rights to be fulfilled very soon after he finishes singing.

Christine wasn't in the best mood. She was all worried about Erik the whole afternoon and now as she had to see Erik being as drunk as a Lord, she lost all her patience suddenly and grabbed the full washbowl from the nightstand beside her bed and dumped all its contents through the window on Erik's head. The chilly water arrived on his few locks of black hair, causing him a shiver, then he finally passed out on the ground.

Christine wasn't in the mood for talking right at that moment. She just asked the Persian to carry Erik in the guest room and thanked his service shortly, then grabbed the happily dancing Mahtab's bony wrist and led her to her room.

- Change into sleepwear, Mahtab, I will come back shortly. – She tried to sound kind to the child, but it was very hard to do so as she was very annoyed and mad.

The Daroga arrived out of the guest room and stood beside Christine.

- Christine, please… don't be too harsh on Erik…

- What kind of a condition is this to arrive home in? – She asked with disgust. – I have never seen him so drunk in my life.

- It is my fault, Christine. – The Persian nodded ashamedly. – I gave him too much to drink.

- Why?

- We wanted to celebrate the great news. – Mohammed lies, as he knew that Christine would be very sad to hear the real reason. – Please accept my most heartfelt congratulations. – He added with a faint smile.

- Oh… Thank you – She smiled widely. – So is Erik happy for the child?

- Yes he is. – Mohammed- Ismael nodded with the most natural expression he could force on himself. – After the first shock he is very glad he will finally have another child. You know he loves Mahtab and well… to tell the truth… - He softened his voice to a soft whisper – He always dreamed of a baby boy…

- A boy? Oh, of course… every man wants a son to teach. – She laughed. – Well, we shall wait and see.

After the Daroga left, she went to the guest room to see Erik. In the first wave of rage, she did not want to see him at all and care about him until the next day, but the Persian's words touched her heart and she sat down on the side of the bed. She looked at her sleeping husband and gently stroke his still wet hair, and decided she won't say a single harsh word to Erik about the happenings – he is going to have a rough enough day without it as well.

The next day, in the afternoon when the Persian took his usual walk, he saw the not so happy father – to be, surprisingly all alone, with a big bouquet of red rose in his hand, walking out of a florist shop nearby.

- Bonjour, Daroga! – He walked closer as he noticed the Persian and slowed down his pace so that they will be able to talk.

- Hello there, Erik… I am surprised to see you up and walking around today. How are you feeling?

- Meh… let's just not talk about that. – Erik shook his head.

- Did you buy flowers to Christine to make her forgive you after the Mephisto – serenade last night?

- No. I don't really remember much of last night. She isn't angry with me, I just feel I have to repay her for her kindness towards me. I would never dream she will be so forgiving about me getting so drunk.

- I told you to be careful…

- Oh, leave me alone, I will never drink that devilish ullage ever again. Erik stays with wine. – He pressed his hand against his forehead for some seconds then continued: - I am still curious though what has happened to Christine. I was prepared for a fight this morning, and she is so kind to me that I can't even stop being astonished about it.

- Why, what happened?

- Well, she woke me up with a kiss and brought me coffee in the morning. Not that I wanted to touch it of course. And she was comforting me instead of being disgusted of me. Yet, as I was informed, I succeeded in teaching Mahtab some very nice technical terms, and yet she is not angry.

- Well, I asked her not to be too harsh on you and maybe…

- What ELSE did you tell her, hm? – Erik asked, now knowing well that it was the Daroga who told her something.

- I said you were happy about the pregnancy, that's why you drank so much. – Mohammed admitted softly as they walked.

- Well… thank you for saving me and not telling the real case… I owe you one.

He sighed and looked at the roses in his hand and thought of Christine, and tried to imagine themselves with two children… it wasn't easy yet. He had to pretend to be happy about it, now thanks to the Daroga. He wasn't mad about it, but it gave a plus task for him to complete, he had to wear a social mask in front of his family, especially Christine, which really made him tired. He could never show his real feelings or thoughts as he always had to pretend. This was frustrating and Erik hated to do it. The constant pressure on his soul did not help his temper. He started to be irritated and impatient again, especially if Mahtab nagged him with the thousand questions she always had.

Christine was working on baby accessory again, just like before Mahtab's birth. This thing was very interesting for Mahtab and she decided to investigate it out.

- Mama!- she jumped up on the couch next to Christine.

- Yes dear? – She asked, taking a break in knitting the baby's shoes.

- What are you doing? – The little girl's mismatched eyes examined her with much interest.

- I am knitting shoes for the baby. – Christine smiled. – You will have a little friend in some time.

- Like Cadence? – She clapped.

- Kind of. – Christine nodded carefully, not wanting to show her real emotions about that once existing horrid creature.

- That is great and where is my friend?

- Right now, in my belly. – Christine smiled.

- Why did you eat it? – Mahtab exclaimed with disbelief.

- I did not. – Christine patted her daughter's shoulder. – The baby is growing in my belly until it is time for it to join our family.

- It will be a huge baby? – She asked with growing interest.

- A baby is a small thing, my dear, it will be so small that a shoe like this will fit on its feet. – Christine showed Mahtab a shoe she already finished.

- So small? – She got astonished, examining her own feet. They seemed to be much bigger.

- Yes my sweetie, but it will grow up soon. You were so small once as well, when you were born.

- And how did the baby get in your belly? – She asked.

- Oh… - Christine gasped in surprise. She did not expect the talk to arrive so early and she did not really know how to answer her and she was ashamed, but did what she knew was best – passing the subject on Erik. – Ask Papa about it, he will tell you.

Mahtab stormed into the study where Erik was bending over his desk, working on some music to calm his nerves. He had another terrible nightmare the night before about his disfigured second baby and that sealed his mood for the whole day.

- Papa!

- What's that, Mahtab? – He groaned.

- Papa, how did the baby get in Mama's belly?

Erik dropped his pen in shock and kicked the leg of the desk unintentionally.

- Who told you this? – He leaned closer to the girl suspiciously.

- Mama.

- Great. – Erik sighed and let Mahtab climb up on his lap.

- So how babies come?

The child doesn't want to forget about this subject, damn it… what to say… what to say…?

- Well… why don't you ask Mama about it?

- She told me to ask it from you.

"How nice of you my dear Christine…" – Erik thought to himself, then he cleared his throat and started the explanation on a level he knew it will be suitable for Mahtab.

- You know, my girl, babies are given by God.

- Really?

- Yes.

- Which one? Because Tonton Mohammed says there is no God only Allah.

- Yes, dear, it is the same thing. Remember when Mama read on Christmas how Jesus was born?

- Yes from the big old storybook she only uses on holidays.

- That's right. And you remember they say that Mary gave birth to Jesus?

- Yes.

- Well, Jesus was sent to Earth by God, or as Tonton Mohammed says, by Allah.

- Yes. – Mahtab nodded.

- So, all babies are sent by God to Papas and Mamas all over the Earth.

- How much babies?

- As much as they are praying for.

- Did you pray for me to come? – She hugged Erik's chest.

- Of course, dear. – Erik smiled, but deep in his heart he knew it wasn't thr whole truth… just as it isn't with the new baby either.

- And God puts the baby in Mama's belly?

- Yes.

- But why?

- Like that the baby is safe and it can grow in peace.

- Now I understand. – Mahtab clapped. – So the Angel or what told Mary she will have a baby.

- Yes, Mahtab, you are clever. – Erik nodded, being proud of his daughter that she remembered such a thing.

- And the Angel of Music told Mama she will have a baby.

- Yes… WHAT? – He gasped in horror. – What did you say?

- The Angel of Music came to Mama and told her about the baby.

- Who told you about the Angel of Music? – Erik's eyes narrowed.

- Tonton told once that the Angel of Music showed up for Mama through the mirror.

- He was just joking, Mahtab.

- I don't believe you. – She retorted.

- Why?

- Because Mama said that the Angel of Music was real.

- Did she?

- Yes, she told a story of it to me. She told me I nearly got the name Lotte.

- Eh… well, then yes, it was the Angel of Music.

- Will I see it too, Papa?

- Maybe. – Erik replied mechanically. – But please leave Papa alone now, he has some work to do.

- All right, I will go and play with the piano. Can I?

- Yes- yes, just go. – Erik nodded quickly, putting Mahtab down from his lap.

As Erik was left alone with his thoughts, he took a deep sigh. He did not have any urge to compose anymore, so he tossed the sheet music away and he was nervously playing drums against the surface of the table with his long skeletal fingers. He did not like the fact that Christine told that damned story to the child and now Mahtab will live in that stupid fantasy world as well, just like her mother did in her youth. He wanted to raise a rational child, with two feet on the ground, just like he was, not one that was all in the clouds. There were things they did not agree in about raising children – way of discipline, unnecessary fairy tales… Erik wanted his daughter to be emotionally stronger than Christine was – with a childish soul like Christine, and with devil's little face on her head she is going to need nothing more than emotional strength. A life that awaits for her will kill her in no time if she turns out to be like Christine.

Christine handled her pregnancy way better after the nausea finally left her side. She desired sweet flavors mostly, and would just take some sugar on her finger from the sugar – holder cup in the kitchen and lick it off, to ease her great pain for it. She did not have cramps like when she was pregnant with Mahtab and she was starting to get optimistic about her pregnancy will be much easier this time and maybe childbirth as well.

Erik, though, was tortured by anxiety and stomach problems because of that. He did not have much sleep, he was chewing his nails, and couldn't stop thinking of the horrid features of a possibly deformed second child. When he closed his eyes, he saw a noseless little skull – head and it was the best possibility he could imagine. He wasn't an optimist now, not after Mahtab's birth. He remembered back once imagining Mahtab with a perfect face, playing with blocks in the nursery before her birth, and what came out of it…? He would better be prepared for the worst possible outcome.

Mahtab was waiting for her small friend to arrive finally. She asked every day when it will be winally there with them, and kept asking questions about the baby's size, color, gender, name, and everything that came to her mind, annoying Erik with it to no end.

- Will it have a nose, Papa? – She asked once, looking at Erik with wide eyes.

Erik did not answer this question, just asked Mahtab to go and help her mother with something. It was the same very question ringing in his mind, day by night: "Will it have a nose?"

- Erik dear, may I ask you a favor? – Christine asked one night when they were just silently sitting on the couch in the salon together after they put Mahtab to bed.

- Sure thing, my dear. – Erik looked up from his book.

- If this time we are going to have a son, I ask him to be named after my Papa.

- Erik had the same idea as well, my dear, as he knows well how much you loved your father and to be honest, Erik has no other idea for a name. I ask you only not to call him Erik, but that was all he could come up with.

- I am glad you agree. – She smiled.

- I do Christine… but please forgive me… may I ask what his name was? I don't remember you ever mentioning it.

- Oh, did I not? I only called him "Papa", right? Well, his name was… Florian.

- It is a good sounding name. – Erik nodded. – But may Erik ask something as well?

- Of course, dear.

- If we have another daughter, let me name her Genevieve.

- Oh, it is a very beautiful name, dear. Why didn't you name Mahtab that?

- Erik was too nervous to pick the easiest way possible back then, and simply name his daughter after his poor unhappy mother, but now I would like to name my daughter that.

- Your mother had a beautiful name.

- So did your father. – Erik answered a bit of sadly.

After they picked up the names, Erik had a better feeling about the baby. At least he could call it somehow in his mind, either male or female it will turn out to be. And as he could call it ba a name, he realized that the baby will need a place to sleep at. He did not want to redesign the guest room as it was good when he was ill and the Daroga had to live with them, and he could never know when it will come in handy the next time. Mahtab's room was big, and well, there was a very big empty space in the middle of the room… he could half the room by building only a single wall in the middle of the room, and this way both of the children will have a room of their own. Christine, however, tried to change his mind about the subject. She thought that they could easily be placed in the same room, without any separation.

- Well, maybe but what if they are not the same gender? – Erik asked. – They will need some privacy, you can't place a boy in a girl's room.

- It doesn't matter until they grow older, I think and after a few years you can still split the room in two halves. It would be way easier for us to tell them a bedtime story at the same time, and they will get to like each other more easily if they sleep in the same room.

- You might be right. Well, you saved Erik from some work then.

Mahtab, even though mostly she was a good girl, and she threw way less tantrums than a year ago, sometimes would still try her parent's patience.

One day, when Christine was in the eight' month of her pregnancy, and Erik was teaching Mahtab how to play the piano by sitting her on his lap, Christine walked in the music room as well, to listen to what they were up to and sat down to the sofa. Mahtab, for some reason, did not even like the fact that her Mama was "bothering" them, but after Erik hushed her, she calmed down and they continued playing.

After some minutes, Christine told Erik she would like to sing something and asked him if he would accompany her. Erik instantly agreed and put Mahtab down from his lap to be able to play. Mahtab did not like this at all so she pulled the back of his waistcoat.

- I want to go back and play!

- You will, but Mama wants to sing.

- She can't! – Mahtab stomped her foot against the wood of the floor.

- She will. – Erik nodded and turned back to the piano.

Christine started singing, but this time, Mahtab wasn't a good girl during it at all. She tried to make noise to make them stop, but they ignored her. This fact made Mahtab be even more furious and she walked to Christine's side, and with full force, she kicked Christine on the ankle.

The woman cried out in pain and sat on the sofa. Erik's mind was flooded with rage upon seeing what the girl did to her mother, and he wasn't able to think any longer. He jumped up from the piano and rushed to Mahtab, grabbing the child up from the ground.

- Erik… Erik no! It is all right…! Don't hurt her! – She screamed.

Erik could see or hear nothing from rage any more, not the voice of his wife or the scared cries of his daughter, he sat back down to the piano bench, laying Mahtab across his knees and spanked her with his full rage. It was the first time he hit Mahtab. All stress of these past months, all the choked emotions came to the surface, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back.

He felt someone dragging the child away from him and only then he could her Christine again.

- Erik, stop…! Are you crazy…? You… you… MONSTER!

She hugged the still sobbing Mahtab to herself, trying to calm her down, but suddenly she cried out in pain. Erik jumped up nervously and asked her what was wrong.

She could only whisper in pain:

- The baby…

- But… it is a month early! – Erik exclaimed in worry.

Christine wasn't able to answer him – she fell on the ground, and passed out.