Chapter 12: Ombre: Composer, Husband, Father and Son
1919
Meg stood up and looked at the grave again. She took a deep breath and pulled her scarf over her head. She looked at her granddaughters as they looked at the tombstone.
" Grandmother, how did uncle Ombre die?" one asked
" He died of a very bad cold," Meg replied
Meg sighed and looked to the right of the tombstone and saw a bundle of red roses tied with twelve black ribbons. Meg turned and looked around and saw a shadowed figure kneeling down at another grave site. She saw the figure place a red rose on the grave and what dangled from it was something precious. She looked at the dozen roses and sat them up.
" Rest well my darling," she whispered
1892
Meg looked at Ombre as he played the piano and added so much taste to it. His glistening white mask captured his mysterious aspects. His black attire and white gloves presented his status as he pretended to be another. A young woman walked on stage and looked at him and he looked at her. She walked towards him and touched his suave face and he continued to play. He opened his eyes and she looked at him and smiled.
" He's really good," Madame Devereux whispered
The young woman began to sing and her young soprano voice touched the ears of many members in the audience.
" Your granddaughter's voice is amazing," Meg said
" She's had a great tutor since she was 7," Madame Devereux said, " I believe he's the one who taught the Countess de Chagny when she was younger."
Meg looked at Madame Devereux and she smiled and Meg looked at her son. He rose from the piano and the audience stood up applauding and took a bow. He reached out his hand to the young soprano and she took it.
" Mademoiselle Devereux," Ombre said
" Monsieur Giry," she said
He kissed her hand and the two walked backstage. Meg kissed her son and he looked at his mother.
" Mother, please excuse me," he said
" Anne you were wonderful," Madame Devereux said
" Thank you grandmother," Anne said
Anne looked at Ombre and followed him, both Meg and Madame Devereux looked over their shoulders.
" Mademoiselle Giry, your son has taken a liking to my granddaughter," Madame Devereux's said, " I see a bright future."
Meg smiled and the two women walked off to be joined by Anne's family.
" Mademoiselle Giry, your son was wonderful, I must ask your permission first before I go to him," Victor said
" What is it?" Meg asked
" There is an opera house in Paris being built, I," Victor said, " I wish for him to become the conductor there."
" Another opera hous in Paris?" she questioned
" Yes, my dear and they need a talented musician and conductor," Victor said, " Please, let your son take that position."
Meg smiled and nodded and looked up in one of the boxes, she saw Erik standing there. She turned away and agreed and then let Victor do the rest.
" Come Meg and join us for dinner," Victor said, " Audrey and I would be happy to have you."
" That's quite an offer, but there are things I must do before the evening is over," Meg said
Meg walked off and climbed up the stairs to one of the boxes, she entered the box then closed the door.
" What have you done Meg?" Erik's voice came
" Ombre is going to the new opera house," Meg said, " He's been offered a wonderful job."
" His career will be smothered," Erik said
" He's writing music already for it," Meg said, " Erik, your son is a genius in the arts…so let him live that gift."
Erik grabbed her hand and looked at Meg as she stared at him.
" Are you punishing me for not marrying you? Do you think that I will let my youngest son go to this new opera housewith his looks?" Erik questioned
" He's your son Erik, living the dream you never got too…people have changed since that time…they are aware of the difference," Meg said
" We are from two different worlds Meg….Ombre is from my world and Gabriel is from yours," Erik said
" You speak as though he truly is a shadow," Meg said, " Well, Erik he's not."
Meg walked off and left Erik to his thoughts of what she was doing. Meg no longer worried about Erik's ideas for their children. Meg was going to part from Erik…she loved him, but she wanted her time to help Ombre succeed with his new life outside the opera house.
3 months later
Madame Giry helped Meg and Ombre get their things inside.
"How are you Mama?" she asked
" Very good my dear," Madame Giry said, " Ombre…my you have grown since the last time I saw you."
Ombre smiled and kissed her cheek and said, " I'm truly a man now grandmother…and soon to be a married man."
" Well, it has been awhile who is the young woman?" she asked
" Mademoiselle Devereux, her father owns the Opera Populaire," Ombre said
Madame Giry smiled and patted his suave face then led them in. She made tea and they sat down and Meg looked at Ombre and smiled
" He looks just like his father, I see no difference in their appearance," Madame Giry said
" Oh, Mama," Meg said
Later, Ombre sat down with his usual stack of paper as he edited some music given to him. He changed it up a little to go with the opera that he would help direct as well.
Meg and Madame Giry talked, catching up and Madame Giry brought up the wedding band on Meg's finger.
" It's just Erik's way of killing gossip about us," Meg said
" Has Erik come to Paris with you and Ombre?" she asked
" He went to Normandy to visit Gabriel," Meg said, " Erik didn't feel that he needed to be at the grand opening of the Opera Populaire."
" He has so much anger that this would hurt him," Madame Giry said, " He felt like a caged bird in his own sanctuary. He's such a sad man."
Ombre slapped his pen down and they looked at him.
" Mother, Grandmother do have some respect for my father, he has done so much for us all," Ombre said
" I'm sorry Ombre," both said
2 months
" I Ombre take you Anne to be my beloved wife," Ombre said, " To Cherish you, for richer or for poor, for sickness or for health, for all of days."
Anne smiled and slipped the wedding band on Ombre's finger.
" I Anne take you Ombre to be my beloved husband," she said, " To cherish you, for richer or for poor, for sickness or for health, for all of my days."
" I now pronounce you husband and wife," the priest said
Meg and the guest stood up and watched as Ombre and Anne kissed each other. Meg smiled and looked at Gabriel and his lady friend, then in the back of the church saw Erik. His attire was the same as both his sons', but his mask was the black mask. She looked at Ombre and Anne and smiled with tears in her eyes.
They celebrated at the newly finished opera house. Erik made his appearance and all seemed to be come silent.
" Ombre, Anne, may your future be full of excitement and love," Erik said, " Ombre take care of this woman, make her your one and only obligation…do not follow my lead."
Ombre looked at his father and nodded and he hugged his father, then Anne kissed Erik's cheek.
" Father, perhaps you and mother should think about marrying," Ombre said
Erik smiled and shook his head and then walked off. Meg looked at Erik as he vanished into the shadows. Meg sighed and decided not to let Erik ruined her joy for Ombre.
1894
Ombre bowed and presented Anne and she curtsied. Ombre made his musicians stand up and bow. Anne took his hand and kissed it then looked at the audience.
" The music of the night must continue," Ombre said
Meg looked at her son as his career was taking off…his salary became 45,000 francs within the year and each show brought in more than enough for everyone. Ombre's music was a hit and so were his conducting methods.
" To Ombre," Victor called, " He's a damn fine conductor and he makes my daughter happy."
" To Ombre," the family cheered
Ombre looked at Anne and stood up and she stood up.
" Mother, Victor, Audrey; Anne and I would like to tell you that you three will become grandparent in less than 6 months," Ombre said
" Oh my goodness!" Meg and Audrey exclaimed
They stood up and hugged them both and Meg smiled. She couldn't believe that her son was already going to be a father two years after he got married.
" We felt that this year was going so well, that we would start a family now," Anne said, " Of course I will need someone to replace me for those 6 months. I can probably still sing until I'm four months, but past that will be dedicated to staying home."
" Oh, this is so wonderful," Meg said, " I'm going to be a grandmother."
Week after week Meg helped Anne and Audrey prepare the little cottage, by the sea, for the baby. They gave the room a mother's touch and then celebrated by having a picnic on the shore.
" This is exciting," Anne said
" Having a baby is," Meg said, " but hard sometimes."
" She's right Anne, it's a beg responsibility," Audrey said
The three women enjoyed the day and Audrey and Meg gave the mother to be some advice.
" Meg, where is Ombre's father, he doesn't talk about him much?" Anne asked
" Erik, tends to stay with my other son Gabriel," Meg said, " He's in Normandy right now, but comes down to see Ombre."
" Is that where Ombre gets his talent?" Anne asked
" Very much so," Meg said
Anne smiled and looked at her mother as she sipped her tea. Meg looked out towards the sea and sighed.
" Erik, I miss you," she thought, " I have written you 6 times, where are you really?"
For the last months of Anne's pregnancy Ombre stayed home with Anne. Meg helped take care of her and watched her son become a very good husband. He was now 20 years old and ready to be a father…more than just a father a guardian. Ombre saved up thousands for his family and hoped for the best.
When Anne gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Ombre knew that he would be more protective than ever. Ombre promised his wife he would be there for the child and not like his father. He promised Meg and Madame Giry that this child would be happy. They named her Caroline Joan Giry, unaware that she would take her father's place as a famous conductor and the first woman to compose a master piece.