*Authors Note* - I hope this is better. Oh and just to let you know, even
though I'm sure you know, I had to change the ending so this story would
fit. Just a warning: Raoul is in this chapter. The phantom is in the next
one. Disclaimer is the same.
Christine felt her heart grow heavy, though her tears had stopped. A look of confusion spread across her face in question to her sister's suggestion. Esther just stood there gazing at nothing but thinking hardly. A slight smirk crept over her but disappeared as quickly as it had come. She focused on her puzzled sister.
"You know, my dear, maybe you should go with that nice little boy you once knew."
She took out an apple from her pocket and started to polish it as though she were more concerned with it than her sister's current situation.
"I mean, I don't think you should trust this other person. His intentions just don't seem respectable."
Her eyes darted toward Christine for a moment then rested upon her apple once more. Christine stood up and stared at her sister in shock with a hurt look on her face.
"But how can you say that? You don't even know him. No one could possibly be as trustworthy as Erik!" She stamped her small foot on the floor as if to prove her point.
"Really? Is that a fact?" She sighed and twirled a strand of her hair. "But he lied to you, didn't he?"
Eyes still on her apple, Esther tried hard not to laugh in delight. But she just couldn't resist to smile and pretended her answer didn't matter much. Christine paused and shyly looked down.
"Well, yes, but I could probably tell him anything." Her minded wandered a moment to when she still believed he was her angel.
"Maybe you're right!" Esther said sharply, practically grinning. "After all, everybody tells a few white lies at least once. On second thought, maybe you should choose him, Raoul may still be the weak and scrawny little boy he always was." She added with pride.
"But that's not true, either." Christine protested. "He's really quite handsome now and just as sweet as he always was." She blushed slightly.
At the thought of Raoul, the little boy whom she had teased when he was Christine's playmate, being handsome she almost laughed but her amusement was cut short. She frowned in defeat.
"Esther," Christine called to her. "Tell me, what is so intriguing about that apple?" She rose and eyebrow in suspicion as she finally noticed her sister's attention towards it. Esther turned to her with frozen shock on her face. She forced a smile.
"Oh, nothing at all." She giggled, tossing it on a chair. But her laughter was weak. "Please don't take my words in offense, Christine. I just wanted to see who you'd automatically defend if I tried to insult them. I'm afraid that didn't work." She glanced down and traced a circle on the floor with the pointed toe of her shoes. "Well, on to plan B."
"What's that?" Christine inquired, nervously. She bit her lower lip.
"Oh, don't do that, Christine." She said on noticing her sister. "It's an awful habit and your lips will end up like mine." She mimicked her sister's action by biting her own lower lip. "Just asking but how far have you gone in these relationships?"
"What do you mean?" Christine asked, feeling quite puzzled.
"Oh, I just mean is it anything serious or is it just pleasant visiting?" Esther replied, trying not to confuse her sister. She wouldn't blame here if she didn't understand, though. She was awful at explaining things.
"Oh! Well I'm…" Christine paused. "I'm sort of engaged."
"Sort of?" Her eyes widened. "Well, we'll just have to return the ring."
Christine nodded and went to her room. She came back holding the ring and gave it to Esther. Her sister glanced at it then whistled loudly.
"Pretty." She started to button up her coat. "If you're so unsure then why did you accept his proposal? Where does Raoul live?"
Christine scribbled his address on a scrap of paper and handed it to her sister.
"Well, I'm sort of the one who brought it up." Christine stammered, uneasily.
"That's sort of unorthodox ain't it?" Esther stuffed the scrap of paper into her pocket and picked up her apple. "Just wondering Christine but I'm not sort of an aunt am I?" She asked putting exaggerated emphasis on 'sort of'.
"Of course not." Christine said. "So what are you going to tell him?"
"That you changed your mind and aren't sure." She answered simply. At seeing a shocked look on her sister's face Esther hastily added. "We're women, it's natural for us to be choosy. Now I'll just give this back and you take a rest." She turned to leave.
"What about the dress?" Christine asked, shyly.
"Well, I'm not taking it. Raoul can just get it himself." She said over her shoulder.
"But Raoul didn't give me the dress." Christine murmured weakly.
Esther was just about to close the door but stopped. Her head peaked out from behind the door.
"Then just who, if I may be so bold to ask, did?" She said.
"Erik did." Christine replied. Esther nodded but then Christine added. "He also gave me the ring, too."
"Christine," Esther asked in a confused tone. "I'm must be a little muddled. Who are you engaged to?"
"Raoul." She answered plainly.
"Oh, I'm going to need serious therapy after this." Esther muttered, shaking her head. "I almost forgot to ask, where does this other one…Erik was it? Where does he live?"
"Somewhere in the Paris Opera House."
"Well!" Esther said clapping her hands and rubbing them together. "This may take a while. Well, I'm not taking that dress so he'll have to come get it"
"Here!" Christine gasped. "Come here?"
"No, Christine," her sister muttered sarcastically. "We're going to mail it to him. To 'somewhere in the Opera House'. She shook her head and cupped her sister face in her hands. "Don't worry, everything will be fine. You just get some rest, okay darling? You're sure you'll be alright?"
Christine nodded and tried to smile.
"Good, then I'm off!" Esther beamed and turned to the door but stopped again. "One more question! Did Raoul give you a ring?"
"Yes." Christine said then added sadly. "But Erik took it."
Esther moaned and rolled her eyes. And then with a wave of her hand she walked out of the flat, closing the door behind her.
Esther looked on at the De Chagny manor and took a bite after her extremely well polish apple. She started skipping on the pathway but stopped and decided it was better to walk. After all, she was dealing with very serious business. She paused at the door and glanced up. It was a little way of telling her if it was as big as it seemed. It wasn't too massive or elaborate but it was impressive.
"So Raoul lives here?" She mused, pocketing her apple after wrapping it in a handkerchief. She sighed and knocked on the door. It would be nice to see him again.
A little maid opened the door. She seemed very agitated and nervous. Indeed, she seemed like she had not slept in a while for she was pale and her hair was a mess.
"Is the um…" She paused to remember his title. "Is the Vicomte de Chagny in?"
This seemed to make her more anxious and Esther stepped back because the little maid seemed to be on the verge of an emotional outburst. She turned away and seemed to be speaking to someone behind the door. Esther could hear some of what they said though they spoke hurriedly and in hushed voices.
"It's that woman! The one causing this trouble." She heard the little maid say.
"Are you sure?" Came a deeper female voice.
"Yes!" The maid whispered excitedly. "Just as he described her!"
She didn't hear anymore but suddenly the maid rushed away and another woman, very cross looking and broad appeared. Esther tried to smile and stand straight but the way the woman looked at her was making her nervous.
"Who shall I say is calling upon the Vicomte?" She asked stiffly.
"Um…you may say that Sandra Reth is here and wishes to see him." She lied, trying to add an air of sophistication. She suddenly didn't think it right to say her name at the moment. Did it really matter?
This definitely changed the attitude of the woman. Her eyes widened and she tried to act humble.
"Oh forgive me," she started. "I'm afraid you cannot see him."
Esther was about to protest and ask for an explanation till another voice called out.
"It's alright. I'll see her." The woman stepped aside and Esther peered in to see the owner of the voice. Her mouth fell open in shock as a very handsome young man walked down the long stairway. Surely this could not be Raoul? But as she could see his features more closely she easily recognized that boyish face of his. He too paused a moment and stared at her like he was sure he knew her but then smiled and shook his head. Esther sighed in relief. Perhaps it was best he didn't recognize her. He took her hand, bowed and lowered his head to kiss her hand but as he did so he winced and his hand went up to his neck.
"Forgive me." He said rubbing his sore neck. "What may I do for you, Mademoiselle?"
"Oh, I simply wished to give you a message." Esther replied calmly.
"Oh?" He looked her over and grinned. "Well, you'd be the most attractive message boy I've ever seen."
Esther blushed and giggled slightly but she stopped and scolded herself for doing so.
"Oh, I am sorry. I suppose I should get on with it." She apologized. "You are, no doubt, an acquaintance of Mademoiselle Christine Daae?"
A look of worry and concern spread over his face.
"Oh, my dear Christine, what is it? Has something happened?" He asked.
"Oh no." Esther said quickly. "She is perfectly fine but quite confused at the moment and is reconsidering your engagement."
"But why?" Raoul implored anxiously. "What could have changed her mind? It's that wretched creature, isn't it? He's manipulating her again."
"No!" Esther said sternly although she started to feel very nervous. What was he talking about? "You misunderstand me, she is not refusing you. She apologizes for this but she just needs time to think. She feels that certain events rushed her into her decision."
"Oh, my poor darling," he moaned. "But why does she not come?"
"Because she was afraid of hurting you. She's much too kind and she'd never bring herself up to say what she thinks if she thought it would displease anyone. That's why I come on her behalf." She answered hastily. "I'm sure you've nothing to worry about. It's better this way."
"Yes, I suppose it isn't really her fault. It's his." He said 'his' in a disgusted tone but then turned to Esther with understanding. "Would you please tell Mademoiselle Daae that if she needs anything she should not hesitate to ask me?"
"Certainly." Esther said smiling. "Now I'm afraid I must go." And with that she walked out the door. When she was outside, she quickly jotted a few notes down on a small notebook from her hand bag. Then she took a deep breath and headed for the Paris Opera House.
Christine felt her heart grow heavy, though her tears had stopped. A look of confusion spread across her face in question to her sister's suggestion. Esther just stood there gazing at nothing but thinking hardly. A slight smirk crept over her but disappeared as quickly as it had come. She focused on her puzzled sister.
"You know, my dear, maybe you should go with that nice little boy you once knew."
She took out an apple from her pocket and started to polish it as though she were more concerned with it than her sister's current situation.
"I mean, I don't think you should trust this other person. His intentions just don't seem respectable."
Her eyes darted toward Christine for a moment then rested upon her apple once more. Christine stood up and stared at her sister in shock with a hurt look on her face.
"But how can you say that? You don't even know him. No one could possibly be as trustworthy as Erik!" She stamped her small foot on the floor as if to prove her point.
"Really? Is that a fact?" She sighed and twirled a strand of her hair. "But he lied to you, didn't he?"
Eyes still on her apple, Esther tried hard not to laugh in delight. But she just couldn't resist to smile and pretended her answer didn't matter much. Christine paused and shyly looked down.
"Well, yes, but I could probably tell him anything." Her minded wandered a moment to when she still believed he was her angel.
"Maybe you're right!" Esther said sharply, practically grinning. "After all, everybody tells a few white lies at least once. On second thought, maybe you should choose him, Raoul may still be the weak and scrawny little boy he always was." She added with pride.
"But that's not true, either." Christine protested. "He's really quite handsome now and just as sweet as he always was." She blushed slightly.
At the thought of Raoul, the little boy whom she had teased when he was Christine's playmate, being handsome she almost laughed but her amusement was cut short. She frowned in defeat.
"Esther," Christine called to her. "Tell me, what is so intriguing about that apple?" She rose and eyebrow in suspicion as she finally noticed her sister's attention towards it. Esther turned to her with frozen shock on her face. She forced a smile.
"Oh, nothing at all." She giggled, tossing it on a chair. But her laughter was weak. "Please don't take my words in offense, Christine. I just wanted to see who you'd automatically defend if I tried to insult them. I'm afraid that didn't work." She glanced down and traced a circle on the floor with the pointed toe of her shoes. "Well, on to plan B."
"What's that?" Christine inquired, nervously. She bit her lower lip.
"Oh, don't do that, Christine." She said on noticing her sister. "It's an awful habit and your lips will end up like mine." She mimicked her sister's action by biting her own lower lip. "Just asking but how far have you gone in these relationships?"
"What do you mean?" Christine asked, feeling quite puzzled.
"Oh, I just mean is it anything serious or is it just pleasant visiting?" Esther replied, trying not to confuse her sister. She wouldn't blame here if she didn't understand, though. She was awful at explaining things.
"Oh! Well I'm…" Christine paused. "I'm sort of engaged."
"Sort of?" Her eyes widened. "Well, we'll just have to return the ring."
Christine nodded and went to her room. She came back holding the ring and gave it to Esther. Her sister glanced at it then whistled loudly.
"Pretty." She started to button up her coat. "If you're so unsure then why did you accept his proposal? Where does Raoul live?"
Christine scribbled his address on a scrap of paper and handed it to her sister.
"Well, I'm sort of the one who brought it up." Christine stammered, uneasily.
"That's sort of unorthodox ain't it?" Esther stuffed the scrap of paper into her pocket and picked up her apple. "Just wondering Christine but I'm not sort of an aunt am I?" She asked putting exaggerated emphasis on 'sort of'.
"Of course not." Christine said. "So what are you going to tell him?"
"That you changed your mind and aren't sure." She answered simply. At seeing a shocked look on her sister's face Esther hastily added. "We're women, it's natural for us to be choosy. Now I'll just give this back and you take a rest." She turned to leave.
"What about the dress?" Christine asked, shyly.
"Well, I'm not taking it. Raoul can just get it himself." She said over her shoulder.
"But Raoul didn't give me the dress." Christine murmured weakly.
Esther was just about to close the door but stopped. Her head peaked out from behind the door.
"Then just who, if I may be so bold to ask, did?" She said.
"Erik did." Christine replied. Esther nodded but then Christine added. "He also gave me the ring, too."
"Christine," Esther asked in a confused tone. "I'm must be a little muddled. Who are you engaged to?"
"Raoul." She answered plainly.
"Oh, I'm going to need serious therapy after this." Esther muttered, shaking her head. "I almost forgot to ask, where does this other one…Erik was it? Where does he live?"
"Somewhere in the Paris Opera House."
"Well!" Esther said clapping her hands and rubbing them together. "This may take a while. Well, I'm not taking that dress so he'll have to come get it"
"Here!" Christine gasped. "Come here?"
"No, Christine," her sister muttered sarcastically. "We're going to mail it to him. To 'somewhere in the Opera House'. She shook her head and cupped her sister face in her hands. "Don't worry, everything will be fine. You just get some rest, okay darling? You're sure you'll be alright?"
Christine nodded and tried to smile.
"Good, then I'm off!" Esther beamed and turned to the door but stopped again. "One more question! Did Raoul give you a ring?"
"Yes." Christine said then added sadly. "But Erik took it."
Esther moaned and rolled her eyes. And then with a wave of her hand she walked out of the flat, closing the door behind her.
Esther looked on at the De Chagny manor and took a bite after her extremely well polish apple. She started skipping on the pathway but stopped and decided it was better to walk. After all, she was dealing with very serious business. She paused at the door and glanced up. It was a little way of telling her if it was as big as it seemed. It wasn't too massive or elaborate but it was impressive.
"So Raoul lives here?" She mused, pocketing her apple after wrapping it in a handkerchief. She sighed and knocked on the door. It would be nice to see him again.
A little maid opened the door. She seemed very agitated and nervous. Indeed, she seemed like she had not slept in a while for she was pale and her hair was a mess.
"Is the um…" She paused to remember his title. "Is the Vicomte de Chagny in?"
This seemed to make her more anxious and Esther stepped back because the little maid seemed to be on the verge of an emotional outburst. She turned away and seemed to be speaking to someone behind the door. Esther could hear some of what they said though they spoke hurriedly and in hushed voices.
"It's that woman! The one causing this trouble." She heard the little maid say.
"Are you sure?" Came a deeper female voice.
"Yes!" The maid whispered excitedly. "Just as he described her!"
She didn't hear anymore but suddenly the maid rushed away and another woman, very cross looking and broad appeared. Esther tried to smile and stand straight but the way the woman looked at her was making her nervous.
"Who shall I say is calling upon the Vicomte?" She asked stiffly.
"Um…you may say that Sandra Reth is here and wishes to see him." She lied, trying to add an air of sophistication. She suddenly didn't think it right to say her name at the moment. Did it really matter?
This definitely changed the attitude of the woman. Her eyes widened and she tried to act humble.
"Oh forgive me," she started. "I'm afraid you cannot see him."
Esther was about to protest and ask for an explanation till another voice called out.
"It's alright. I'll see her." The woman stepped aside and Esther peered in to see the owner of the voice. Her mouth fell open in shock as a very handsome young man walked down the long stairway. Surely this could not be Raoul? But as she could see his features more closely she easily recognized that boyish face of his. He too paused a moment and stared at her like he was sure he knew her but then smiled and shook his head. Esther sighed in relief. Perhaps it was best he didn't recognize her. He took her hand, bowed and lowered his head to kiss her hand but as he did so he winced and his hand went up to his neck.
"Forgive me." He said rubbing his sore neck. "What may I do for you, Mademoiselle?"
"Oh, I simply wished to give you a message." Esther replied calmly.
"Oh?" He looked her over and grinned. "Well, you'd be the most attractive message boy I've ever seen."
Esther blushed and giggled slightly but she stopped and scolded herself for doing so.
"Oh, I am sorry. I suppose I should get on with it." She apologized. "You are, no doubt, an acquaintance of Mademoiselle Christine Daae?"
A look of worry and concern spread over his face.
"Oh, my dear Christine, what is it? Has something happened?" He asked.
"Oh no." Esther said quickly. "She is perfectly fine but quite confused at the moment and is reconsidering your engagement."
"But why?" Raoul implored anxiously. "What could have changed her mind? It's that wretched creature, isn't it? He's manipulating her again."
"No!" Esther said sternly although she started to feel very nervous. What was he talking about? "You misunderstand me, she is not refusing you. She apologizes for this but she just needs time to think. She feels that certain events rushed her into her decision."
"Oh, my poor darling," he moaned. "But why does she not come?"
"Because she was afraid of hurting you. She's much too kind and she'd never bring herself up to say what she thinks if she thought it would displease anyone. That's why I come on her behalf." She answered hastily. "I'm sure you've nothing to worry about. It's better this way."
"Yes, I suppose it isn't really her fault. It's his." He said 'his' in a disgusted tone but then turned to Esther with understanding. "Would you please tell Mademoiselle Daae that if she needs anything she should not hesitate to ask me?"
"Certainly." Esther said smiling. "Now I'm afraid I must go." And with that she walked out the door. When she was outside, she quickly jotted a few notes down on a small notebook from her hand bag. Then she took a deep breath and headed for the Paris Opera House.