Chapter 11: Wedding Bands
1919
Meg walked on and went down an isle of tombstones and saw her granddaughters standing by one. Meg walked to them and looked around feeling the presence of another somewhere. Meg stopped at the tombstone and looked at the beautiful tombstone.
" Here it is Grandmother," one of her granddaughters said
" Yes, here it is," Meg said
" Ombre Joseph Giry, born 1874-1900. Husband to Anne and father to Caroline and Charles," her other granddaughter said
" Grandmother, did uncle Ombre live a good life?" her granddaughter asked
Meg looked at her son's picture seeing his serious look on his face. The white mask covered half his face and his hair perfectly slick back. She knelt down and leaned forward and then kissed his picture.
" He did, he lived a wonderful life," Meg said, " There was no doubt that he did."
Meg looked at him remembering that same face on the man she loved. His father's disfigurement was much different than her son's. It was their mysterious aspect that attracted the women they did.
" Don Juan Triumphant," Meg whispered, " You are your father's child."
1880
Ombre and Gabriel ran down the isle to the stage and watched their mother practice. She looked at her darling children and smiled at them, the other chorus girls adored her children as well. They were the joy that the opera house nurtured and they loved the attention.
Ombre was 6 and he found his calling as a musician, Gabriel watched the stagehands work harder than ever to set up each scene. He was 8 when he helped develop away to make the scenery piece come smoothly. They both took on characteristics of their father and some of Meg's personality. Her quarrel with Erik had truly ended now that their children were older.
During the evenings Meg and the two boys would go and see Erik to spend their evenings with him. Erik served them and poured Meg some wine and then he sat down. He looked at Meg and Ombre and then reached down, he lifted two boxes. A small one and a medium one then placed them next to Meg and Ombre. Meg looked at Erik as she saw the smaller one was hers. She opened it and there saw a wedding band laying inside. Erik lifted his left hand and showed the wedding band upon his hand.
" Now, there will be no ill talk about my beloved," Erik whispered
" It's very nice," Meg said with disappointment
She slid the ring on her finger and kissed Erik, then looked at Ombre as he opened his. Ombre looked inside and found a white half faced mask inside.
" Papa why did you give me a half faced mask?" he asked
" It's to hide that ugly mark on your face," Gabriel said
Meg slapped him on the back of his head and he looked at her.
" I was just joking," he replied, " I wasn't serious."
" Shut your mouth Gabriel David," Erik hissed
Ombre felt tears fall from his face and Meg got up and hugged Ombre. She looked at Erik and he lifted the mask up.
" All great men where mask," Erik said
Ombre buried his face in his mother's embrace and Erik walked over to Ombre.
" He's such a cry baby," Gabriel remarked
" Gabriel," Meg hissed at him
Ombre wiped his tears and Erik held it up to Ombre's face. He looked Ombre and slipped it on.
" What lies beyond this mask should never be shown, when you fall in love and desire to marry a woman, she will accept what is beyond this mask," Erik said, " Break many hearts Ombre…that is why you were blessed with this mark."
Ombre felt the mask cling to his face and Erik looked at him.
" You are the man of mystery," Erik said, " and will always be."
Meg kissed her son's head and Erik turned and looked at Gabriel.
" You are special to Gabriel and I have seen your gift already develop," Erik stated
After dinner the boys were tucked into bed and Meg cleaned up. Erik looked at her as she cleaned the table.
" Your wedding band Erik, was your answer to our problems of whispers?" Meg said
" Was I wrong?" Erik asked
Meg turned around and said, " All I want more than anything is to stop pretending and just get married. Erik, we have no papers to prove we are married."
" It is just until the children are old enough to know that we went against ethics," Erik said
" Erik, if we have two children, that is a sign that we love each other and people who love each other should be married," Meg said, " I want more than anything to be your wife…after 8 years of endless fighting. I want to become your loyal wife."
" We are married Meg, just not the way normal people are," Erik said
" Your afraid to be tied down to one woman, you truly wish to live the fantasy of Don Juan," Meg said, " The great lover…but Erik the truth is you are not and you have found the woman you truly want to marry."
Erik turned away and walked to a small room and she followed him. She shut the door and looked at Erik. She walked to him as he sat down at the organ and she wrapped her arms around him. She removed his mask and the wig he wore covering his baldness.
" I love you Erik, I love you from the bottom of my heart," Meg whispered, " but if you don't love me, then I will leave, but I will take the children with me."
Erik turned around and held her by her hips, he leaned his head on her stomach. She leaned forward and hugged him as he still held her.
" We don't need anyone to tell us we're not married," Erik whispered, " I love you Meg, but there are things I just can't fight."
Meg stroked his head and kissed it and Erik looked up at her.
" You're the father of two Erik," Meg said, " I will not give you anymore children…I can't."
Erik looked at her and grabbed her hands into his own.
" I can not give any other man children," Meg said
" Why?" Erik asked
Meg kissed Erik's head and turned away.
" Goodnight night Erik," she said
She walked out the room and laid down and stared at the ceiling for hours. She turned to her side and saw the door open and Erik walk in. He removed his dress coat, ascot, vest and his shirt. Meg watched the candle light outline his built torso as he walk. She sighed and then felt his arms slip around her as he laid to rest. She closed her eyes and fell into his arms.
The next morning Meg left Erik early in the morning and wrote him a note. She got dressed in her practice clothes and went down. She had some hot tea that the manger's wife made for the performers every morning and some breakfast.
" Meg how are your little darlings, I never see them around this early in the morning anymore?" Madame Devereux asked
" They're asleep and with their father," Meg said
" Erik takes care them doesn't he," Madame Devereux said
" Yes, he does," Meg said
Meg fell silent and Madame Devereux sat beside and took her hands.
" Your wearing a wedding band," she whispered
" Erik gave it to me," Meg said
" You two are married then?" she asked
" No, he gave it to me so, the whispers would stop…he wears one. He says we are married because of our children," Meg said
Madame Devereux sighed and hugged Meg, the older woman treated Meg as she was her own daughter and Meg found her as a second mother. The two walked around the opera house before practice and Meg told her that Erik gave Ombre a mask to hide his disfigurement. She said she didn't want that kind of fate for Ombre, but it was to late. Madame Devereux sighed for Meg.
Season to Season and another year past, the ball of celebration started. Meg looked at her sons as she dressed them.
" You both look very handsome," Meg said
Ombre wore a black and white mask with a black velvet attire. Gabriel wore a very finely made attire of navy blue with a black mask. Meg's white dress glittered with stars and her white mask matched what she wore.
" Is Papa going to be there?" Ombre asked
" Yes, he's doing something right now, but he will join us," Meg said
She walked down with them and Madame Devereux and the manger came and greeted them.
" They are handsome," she said, " Oh, Meg I would like to introduce you to my son, his wife and their little girl."
A very handsome man walked over with his wife and daughter.
" Mademoiselle Giry," the man said, " I'm Victor, my wife Audrey and my daughter Anne."
" A pleasure to meet you," Meg said, " My sons Gabriel and Ombre."
" A pleasure to meet you," both said
Ombre looked at Meg and Victor and his family.
" Mama, I'm hungry," Ombre said
" I'll take him Meg," Madame Devereux said
Ombre grabbed Madame Devereux's hand Meg spoke with Madame Devereux's son and his family.
Minuets later Erik walked down dressed in his red attire and skull mask. Erik walked to her and Meg turned around to see him.
" Erik," she whispered
He kissed her cheek and Madame Devereux's son looked at Erik. Erik turned to the family and introduced himself as the significant other in Meg's life.
" So, Erik what do you do?" Victor asked
" I'm a composer and architect," Erik said
Meg looked at Erik and wrapped her arm around his.
" Monsieur Devereux's excuse us for a little, I promised a dance with my beloved," Erik said
" Go right ahead," Victor said
Erik escorted Meg towards the floor and joined the others in the waltz and Meg looked at him.
" Where did you learn to dance?" she asked
" Your mother," Erik said
" My mother knows how to waltz?" Meg asked
" She once was a chorus girl like you Mademoiselle, she improvises," Erik said
Meg smiled and leaned her head down on his chest and Erik looked at her.
" Meg," he said
" Yes?" Meg asked
" What you said last night to me about you not able to give me anymore children or for that matter another man. Is that true?" Erik asked
" Yes, the doctor told me I would be risking my life if I had another child. I'm sorry Erik, but I don't need another child. Even if I could, that next child will not be a bastard…I want to marry. My children see us together and think we are. Erik please tell me why you don't want to?" Meg spoke
" I told you Meg, It's not in my nature," Erik said
" Your lying," Meg said, " We've been together for 8 years and I know that look."
Erik pulled her into his arms and she looked at him and then nodded. He walked off with her and they went to a quiet place. He sat her down and sat beside her, then took her hands.
" Before your mother saved me, I saw my father once in my lifetime…he didn't know I was there. He was talking to my mother about something, but they fought for hours over it. He slapped her and beat her until she agreed to not speak of the issue again. I told myself that day, that I would never marry, because if I was my father's child then I would do that same thing to the woman that I married. A woman is such a delicate flower that they should never be hurt," Erik said, " and as I got older I was captured by gypsies and even there I saw the beating of a woman. It has not been pleasant for me…the idea of marriage makes me ill."
Meg looked at Erik and touched his face and looked at him. She kissed him and stood up.
" Your not him, you are different. You said your father didn't even want to see you. Erik, Ombre is you as a child and you did not turn away in disgust, you are so good to the children," Meg said, " Just think what life would be like if you were there all the time."
Erik stood up and kissed her hand and Meg glanced up at him.
" There is a man, a very scared man," Meg whispered, " and I'm going to keep looking for that brave man until I die."
Erik breathed deep and Meg smiled then walked off, she entered the ballroom again without Erik. Her children came running to her and they looked at her.
" Where's Papa?" Ombre asked
" He went to get something, but he'll be back," Meg answered
Meg turned and looked behind her and saw Erik standing there, she smiled then went on.
" I believe Erik, I have found your hope," Meg thought