Mahtab needed to be a nurse during the rest of the day, and until morning, but he did not mind it at all. He was slightly worried, but seeing Erik was able to get up from the floor after some time, he wasn't desperate any longer and took care of both Erik and Greg. Erik got better by night, but Greg was sleeping too much. He was pale and worn out, but it wasn't a miracle after such a complicated surgery he had to suffer through.
- Will he be able to speak, Papa? Really? – Mahtab asked worriedly while carrying a cup of coffee to Erik.
- We did what we could. – Erik said seriously. – We can only wait and hope for the best.
- What others will say in the family? – This was the first time Mahtab thought of this.
- If the outcome will be pleasant, we will be praised and thought to make miracle. If the outcome isn't pleasant we will be called maniacs, leeches and such things, just as a real doctor. You have to learn to accept this if you really wish to become a real doctor.
- Are doctors really just experimenting Papa?
- They don't like to admit it, son, but yes they do a lot. We all are in God's hands in the end, but you have to try everything you can do to help.
Greg opened his eyes and weakly reached out towards them. Erik hurriedly got up from his chair and walked to the young boy to see if he was all right. He could not believe his eyes when he saw the child smiled at him. He received a smile after hurting him in a way… his other patients weren't this thankful usually when they woke up after a surgery. If they woke up at all. He put his skeletal hand on the boy's forehead. Greg did not have fever, thank Heavens. He wanted to open his mouth to finally say something to his new father, but Erik strictly put his finger on Greg's lips.
- Oh no, not yet, Greg. You shall wait until your throat heals and after, only after that you may speak. I will tell you when. I am going to see how it heals, more times every day, and after you will be able to speak. Now you should only rest and drink a lot. Will you be a good boy and obey?
Greg nodded and accepted a huge glass of water carried there by Mahtab, then he fell asleep again, eagerly waiting to speak.
-I want Papa to tell me a story of horses. – Belle climbed out of bed after she was put there again and again by Christine, now for the fourth time.
- Papa is busy and he can't tell you a story, dear. He is away. – Christine sighed, partly irritated by Belle's disobedience, and of course, much more irritated by Erik's unexplained absence. Erik, Mahtab and Gregory were missing and no one saw them all day. What has happened to them, oh Lord?
- Papa always tells me a story. He never goes away without that. – Belle really could not stay in bed and obey.
- But Belle, now he isn't here and you shall sleep. – Christine did not lose her patience often, especially not with the children. She remembered only Noel was able to make her nearly lose it, but in the end she always managed to stay calm. But at that time, she was really close to it, as not only the small girl was making her upset.
- I want Papa! – She demanded.
- Belle, I want you to sleep! Now! – Christine shook her finger at Belle, who climbed out of bed yet again.
- But I want Papa! – She cried. – Where is Papa?
- Go back to bed or you will be punished!
- No!
- Belle!
- I am Papa's little Princess and I do what I want! – She stomped her small foot against the floor and proudly walked out of the room.
- Come back this instant, Belle! – Christine jumped up from the edge of the bed and now she started to understand why Erik said it was sometimes a hard task not to spank the children for him. She would have so done it right now.
Finally, Christine did not spank Belle, but she was in a rather bad mood after a long tantrum the girl made and she wasn't able to put the girl to bed for another hour. By the end of that hour Christine wasn't any better than a living dead. Thankfully all the other children were asleep by that time, and the Daroga was waiting for her to appear in the salon with a cup of strong hot coffee.
- I am going to have a talk with my sweet husband when he finally shows up. – Christine sat down in an armchair tiredly.
- He will deserve it. – The Persian agreed.
- Are you sure you don't know about where he is? – Christine's brows furrowed in suspicion. – You two had some small talks earlier sometimes.
- I… I don't know. – The Daroga lied. – At least, I am not sure. – He added some seconds later to make the obvious lie look a bit less obvious. Of course, Christine wasn't so easy to fool.
- Why Mahtab and Erik did have that creepy doll Mahtab was practicing on? – She turned to the Persian with the sudden realization.
- Christine, you ask things I really am not sure about… but…
- Tell me what you know. – Christine's lips got as thin as a blade, and her pale face turned red from fury.
- They only do it to help. – The Persian sighed. – At least… they mean well.
There was nothing else to do, but the Persian needed to tell Christine about Erik's plan about the surgery, and the fact they maybe disappeared to complete it.
- And, as you knew about it, you just waited for them to do it, and passively agreed? You were the policeman! Why didn't you interfere?
- What should I have done, Christine? – The Daroga sighed. – It is really not the best thing, but I can understand why Erik did it, and… I couldn't have interfered anyway. I am not a policeman anymore, I was one only in Persia, a long time ago. Erik clearly isn't afraid of me and I am an old man already. If I told the police here about it, I had no proof. And Gregory is just an orphan no one really cares about. He has no parents or any relatives who wished or could have protected him, and the government only would have put him in an orphanage if he was taken from the family. I think even Erik's surgery is better than an orphanage. Especially here.
- I understand what you say… but why can't Erik just stay still and not make trouble?
- Erik is Erik. – The Daroga shook his head. – He isn't ever going to take a 180 degree turn. His old stubborn mad scientist self is still there, and it gets on surface sometimes. Especially that he is old. Christine, he wants to show he is still capable of doing good, and wants to feel useful. We can still hope things turn out the best way possible.
As the Daroga did not know where that apartment was where Erik took Gregory, they could not go and find them. They had to wait until someone arrives home from the group. It was Mahtab who arrived back the earliest, he tried to sneak inside the apartment through the kitchen door which opened to the backyard. He was caught when he headed to Erik's room to collect some necessities for his father to be able to stay at the apartment with Greg for more days.
- What are you doing, Mahtab? – Christine asked suddenly, behind his back.
- I am collecting some of Papa's clothes. – He replied naturally. Though he was surprised to get caught, he did not get embarrassed. He had a plan for this opportunity. – Papa has to travel for some days and he has no time to come home.
- And where does he have to travel so abruptly?
- Flo has a concert in Liverpool in two weeks and Papa has to make some preparations.
- Really? And why don't I know about this already?
- It is a sudden opportunity. We only got to know about it now.
- And how much time will this take?
- Only a few days. A week at most.
- I wish to accompany you then, to see Papa for a last time before he travels. – Christine stated with a determined smile.
- Well, he won't have time for talking, he is already waiting for me at the station. I can walk faster, that's why he did not come back.
- It's nothing. – Christine shook her head. – I still wish to see him, even for the short time of waving to him, or maybe, for a small kiss.
Mahtab could see he could not convince his mother to stay at home, and with a small hesitation, he led Christine out of the apartment. They were walking on the street, with a suitcase for Erik, and Mahtab's mind was racing what to say or do now, to be able to keep the secret. As he found out, there was no need to anymore, as Christine said softly after a time:
- And now, Mahtab, take me to the place where you and Papa keep Gregory after the operation.
He looked at his mother with a scared expression in his mismatched eyes, and he did squint involuntarily, just as always when he got too much embarrassed to handle it. It was a treat he had since infancy, a strange extra treat of his deformity, as she never noticed such a thing with Erik, only Mahtab. Seeing the teen could not react all of a sudden, she put her hands on her hips and asked on a disappointed tone:
- Did you think I did not know it?
Mahtab lowered his head with a deep sigh and without another word he showed the way for his mother to the apartment. When the door opened, Christine stepped in first. Erik was standing by Greg's bedside, examining the boy's throat and nodded with delight, telling the boy some encouraging words.
- Good news to hear. – Christine stated. – Then you might come home earlier, Monsieur Spöke?
Erik suddenly turned to face his wife, and gasped, getting scared about being unveiled.
- Gott im Himmel…- He murmured in front of himself while he had to sit down on the edge of the bed.
It happened sometimes that Erik switched to another language, especially if he was cussing, or too much surprised, and even though German was among his rarely used languages nowadays, for some reason he chosed it to express his surprise at that moment.
- No, I am only your Christine. – She walked in front of Erik and leaned closer. – I came to see if Greg is all right.
- She knows all of it. – Mahtab stated, without the real need of his statement: it was obvious.
- He is… better… - Erik stuttered, being afraid of being yelled at in seconds, by his wife. He was simply too old to face the consequences.
No one said a single word in the room, the air was filled with bitterness, fear, worry and unspoken sentences of all sides. Erik was staring at his wife, begging for forgiveness, and anxiously waiting for the inevitable fight between them. Greg was worriedly examining his new parents, and was afraid they will fight because of him, when Papa only wanted the best for him…
- Ma…ma… - They heard from the bed. – Mama…
Both of them looked at Greg in awe.
This was the first thing he said since they knew him, and though Erik, being absolutely happy by the outcome, got worried at the same time, and yet he wished to listen to that voice for more and more, he had to stop the boy from talking.
- I told you dear, not to talk, my sweet son… but… I love your voice… I love it…
Christine hugged the small boy and cried on his shoulder in relief and happiness, then suddenly turned to her husband and hugged him tightly.
- I am sorry Erik…. I am so sorry…
- What for… my love? – Erik asked with surprise.
- For not believing you could do it… you did it… you did it… I am proud of you.
- No- no, my Christine. It wasn't me at the first place who did it. It was our son. Be proud of him.
Erik gestured towards Mahtab, who was still standing by the door, but to this, he walked closer to them.
- Now… now I believe in you, dear. – Christine hugged Mahtab, and kissed his forehead with a mother's pure love- You will become a doctor, my son. A world famous doctor, doing miracles, and all of your patients will love you.
