I am coming to the end of this story very soon, if you all can just hold on with me a little bit longer.
Michel kept to his words. Over the next couple of weeks, he stayed in Montmatre, and Christian was kind enough to offer to let him stay at his flat. He did not try to force Calliope to return home, but with her permission he sent a secret message to her brother, Phillip, so he would know that he had found her and that she was alright. However, she refused to allow Michel to tell Phillip where he had found her.
Calliope spent every moment she could spare with Michel, and eventually they professed their love to one another. However, Calliope refused to leave the Moulin Rouge. She was afraid for Satine.
The Duke had become increasingly more demanding. He had insisted on changing the ending of the show, and when Satine went to speak to him privately about it, he had all but raped her.
The very next day, Satine had come to Calliope hysterical. Calliope tried her best to calm her, but she acted as if the world was crashing around her. After several minutes of coaxing, Calliope was finally able to calm Satine enough to find out what had happened.
"Last night," Satine got out in a sob, "after Chocolat had rescued me. Christian and I had made plans to run away."
"That is wond-..." Satine interrupted Calliope.
"But today, Harry came to me. He told me that if I run away with Christian, the Duke has said that he will kill him."
"Well, Satine, if you run away then may-..." Satine cut her off again.
"But Calliope, Harry told me something else that was just terrible," she said as she continued to sob.
"Well, what is it, Satine?" Calliope questioned her. "What has you so upset?"
"Oh, Calliope," Satine sobbed again. "Harry said that I was dying. At first, I thought he was just trying to keep me from leaving, but Marie confirmed it."
"Oh, Satine," Calliope reached out and embraced her friend in a powerful hug. "Have you told Christian?"
"No," Satine gasped, "and I cannot. I just came from his flat. I told him that I chose to stay with the Duke, and that he never meant anything to me. Oh, Calliope, I could feel his heart breaking." Satine continued to sob.
A tear rolled down Calliope's cheek. She quickly wiped it away because she knew that it would do no good for Satine to see her grieve. She lifted her up. "Satine, you need to rest. Let me help you to your room. You can get cleaned up and then take a nap.
Satine did not say anything. She allowed Calliope to lead her to her room as she continued to cry. Once there, Calliope helped her to undress, dabbed a damp sponge across her forehead, and helped her into bed. Once she was sure that Satine was asleep, she silently stood and left the room. As quietly as she could, she shut the door behind her. When she got into the hall, she leaned her back against the door and slid down to the floor. She covered her face with her hands and begin to sob herself.
After a few moments, she remembered Aurelie, Satine's daughter. She had only met her just recently. Although, she did not know that Satine had given birth to her, she adored Satine. Calliope became increasingly sad with empathy for the little girl. She could no longer bare to absorb the pain of this loss. She slowly stood and set out to find Michel.
She found him at the bar with Toulouse. He was recanting a tale about his trip to India, when she approached him. He looked up and smiled at her. She couldn't smile back for the pain of grief. Her look made him concerned.
"Excuse me, Toulouse," she said with a panicked tone. "I need to speak with Michel privately please."
"Of course," Toulouse said as he stood and left. Michel looked painfully at Calliope.
"Darling," he began, "what has you so distraught?"
Calliope suddenly realized that her secret was evidently apparent on her face. She tried with much difficulty to smile.
"Michel, I can't tell you just now. I have a question to ask you?"
"Yes," he said as he took her hand.
"Well, I know that you are looking forward to marrying me and running away to Italy. I need to ask that if it were to be necessary, could we bring someone with us?"
Michel looked at her quizzically. "Calliope, I desire to have you for myself. Why should we need to take someone with us?"
"Michel," she looked sorrowfully into his blue eyes, "I can't tell you just now, but someone may need us to take care of them. Do you understand?"
Michel could hardly bear to see Calliope this way. His heart broke to see the hurt in her eyes. "Darling, if you feel that this individual will need our help, and you wish to aid them, I could certainly not object."
Calliope's heart felt lighter. She breathed a sigh of relief and gradually a painful smile returned to her face. She raised his hand to her lips and kissed one of his knuckles. Then, she lifted her head to look into his eyes.
"Thank you," she said gently.
Michel kept to his words. Over the next couple of weeks, he stayed in Montmatre, and Christian was kind enough to offer to let him stay at his flat. He did not try to force Calliope to return home, but with her permission he sent a secret message to her brother, Phillip, so he would know that he had found her and that she was alright. However, she refused to allow Michel to tell Phillip where he had found her.
Calliope spent every moment she could spare with Michel, and eventually they professed their love to one another. However, Calliope refused to leave the Moulin Rouge. She was afraid for Satine.
The Duke had become increasingly more demanding. He had insisted on changing the ending of the show, and when Satine went to speak to him privately about it, he had all but raped her.
The very next day, Satine had come to Calliope hysterical. Calliope tried her best to calm her, but she acted as if the world was crashing around her. After several minutes of coaxing, Calliope was finally able to calm Satine enough to find out what had happened.
"Last night," Satine got out in a sob, "after Chocolat had rescued me. Christian and I had made plans to run away."
"That is wond-..." Satine interrupted Calliope.
"But today, Harry came to me. He told me that if I run away with Christian, the Duke has said that he will kill him."
"Well, Satine, if you run away then may-..." Satine cut her off again.
"But Calliope, Harry told me something else that was just terrible," she said as she continued to sob.
"Well, what is it, Satine?" Calliope questioned her. "What has you so upset?"
"Oh, Calliope," Satine sobbed again. "Harry said that I was dying. At first, I thought he was just trying to keep me from leaving, but Marie confirmed it."
"Oh, Satine," Calliope reached out and embraced her friend in a powerful hug. "Have you told Christian?"
"No," Satine gasped, "and I cannot. I just came from his flat. I told him that I chose to stay with the Duke, and that he never meant anything to me. Oh, Calliope, I could feel his heart breaking." Satine continued to sob.
A tear rolled down Calliope's cheek. She quickly wiped it away because she knew that it would do no good for Satine to see her grieve. She lifted her up. "Satine, you need to rest. Let me help you to your room. You can get cleaned up and then take a nap.
Satine did not say anything. She allowed Calliope to lead her to her room as she continued to cry. Once there, Calliope helped her to undress, dabbed a damp sponge across her forehead, and helped her into bed. Once she was sure that Satine was asleep, she silently stood and left the room. As quietly as she could, she shut the door behind her. When she got into the hall, she leaned her back against the door and slid down to the floor. She covered her face with her hands and begin to sob herself.
After a few moments, she remembered Aurelie, Satine's daughter. She had only met her just recently. Although, she did not know that Satine had given birth to her, she adored Satine. Calliope became increasingly sad with empathy for the little girl. She could no longer bare to absorb the pain of this loss. She slowly stood and set out to find Michel.
She found him at the bar with Toulouse. He was recanting a tale about his trip to India, when she approached him. He looked up and smiled at her. She couldn't smile back for the pain of grief. Her look made him concerned.
"Excuse me, Toulouse," she said with a panicked tone. "I need to speak with Michel privately please."
"Of course," Toulouse said as he stood and left. Michel looked painfully at Calliope.
"Darling," he began, "what has you so distraught?"
Calliope suddenly realized that her secret was evidently apparent on her face. She tried with much difficulty to smile.
"Michel, I can't tell you just now. I have a question to ask you?"
"Yes," he said as he took her hand.
"Well, I know that you are looking forward to marrying me and running away to Italy. I need to ask that if it were to be necessary, could we bring someone with us?"
Michel looked at her quizzically. "Calliope, I desire to have you for myself. Why should we need to take someone with us?"
"Michel," she looked sorrowfully into his blue eyes, "I can't tell you just now, but someone may need us to take care of them. Do you understand?"
Michel could hardly bear to see Calliope this way. His heart broke to see the hurt in her eyes. "Darling, if you feel that this individual will need our help, and you wish to aid them, I could certainly not object."
Calliope's heart felt lighter. She breathed a sigh of relief and gradually a painful smile returned to her face. She raised his hand to her lips and kissed one of his knuckles. Then, she lifted her head to look into his eyes.
"Thank you," she said gently.