Chapter 10
"Erik? Erik, can you hear me? Oh, dear God, please tell me I'm not too late!" Marie exclaims as she places a gentle hand to my unscathed cheek.
I slowly force my eyes to open. "What happened?" I ask as no more than a whisper. "Where am I?"
"Oh, Erik! Thank God you're alive! I thought that I may not have gotten to you in time," she says in a rush as she throws her arms around me and places her head to my chest.
"I am fine, Marie. Now if you would be so kind as to tell me what in blazes you are doing up here alone, why does my head hurt so badly, and where pray tell is your brother?" I ask as I cautiously try to lift my head in an attempt to look around. Feeling a sudden stab of pain I lower my head back to the ground.
"While I was waiting for you to return I must have dozed off in the study and I had another dream. There was a little kitten that you were following into the alley where you found me. Then a man came out of the shadows and hit you in the head like in the dream I had last night. Charles was sleeping and I did not wish to disturb him nor did I wish to waste any time in getting to you so I left him in his crib and hurried here. I am glad that I got here when I did for the man was about to plunge a knife into your chest. I was so frightened, Erik," she says as she clings tightly to me and allows a sob of relief to escape her lips.
"Where is this man you speak of?" I ask as I slowly raise my head once more and try hard to focus on my surroundings. My head is throbbing painfully and everything is a blur... even Marie's lovely face.
"He is over there," she says as she points to my left. Turning my head very slowly and carefully in the direction she indicated I see the outline of a man lying a short distance away from me.
"Is he dead?" I ask as I wonder how my little Marie could overpower the tall, well-built man who had tried to kill me.
"I am not sure, Erik. But I do hope that he is for I do not think that I could fight him a second time," she says as she casts a look in the man's direction. I can tell that she is quite shaken by this whole ordeal.
"Marie, could you please tell me what happened? All I remember is following the kitten into the alley and then feeling a sudden sharp pain in the back of my head as everything went black. I grabbed for my knife and tried to fight the darkness but it was a battle I could not win," I admit sorrowfully hating to admit such a weakness on my part.
"When I awoke from the nightmare I knew that it could only mean one thing so I quickly checked on Charles before I left the house. Since you had the boat I had no choice but to make my way around the lake on the narrow ledge. Once I was safely around the lake I hurried to this alley where I knew you would be. When I got here I saw the man leaning over you holding a large knife with both hands above his head preparing to sink it deep into your heart. Without even thinking I grabbed a large metal pipe and swung it as hard as I could. I hit the man in the back of the head or neck... I'm not really sure which. He dropped the knife and fell across you, unconscious. I moved him over to where he is lying now." As she finishes she breathes a long sigh and clings tightly to me once more.
"Hush, my love. It is over now. I am alive and you are safe," I say soothingly as I try to calm her. Once her trembles subside I gently ease her from my arms and attempt to sit up. After a few moments of lightheadedness I am able to get to my feet without incident.
"What shall we do about him?" Marie asks as she indicates the man lying partially in the shadows.
"Stay here. I will see if he is dead or merely unconscious," I tell Marie as I retrieve my knife and cautiously move towards the man.
"If I did not kill him would you please finish the job, Erik?" Marie asks in a hushed voice.
"If you wish for me to do so," I reply as I study the man lying at my feet. He is a tall, well-built man. Because he is lying on his stomach I am unable to see his face. He has not moved a muscle and does not appear to be breathing. There is a large bloody lump at the base of his skull and it is rather obvious that his neck has been broken. I lean closer to confirm this and as I tilt his head to the side it rolls quite easily where it should not.
"Is he dead, Erik?" Marie asks softly.
"Yes, my dear, he is quite dead," I say gently as I hope that she will not become hysterical with the discovery that this man has died by her hands. Glancing in her direction I see that she looks rather relieved that he is dead and she does not seem at all bothered by the fact that it was her blow to the head that snapped his neck in two.
"Did you know this man?" she asks as she walks to where I am kneeling.
I turn his face at a very unnatural angle so I can see it more clearly. His eyes are staring blindly at me and I unconsciously close his eyelids. I have never seen this face before. I lay his head back down and turn to face Marie. "No, I do not know this man."
"Then why did he attack you?" she questions as she looks down upon the man again.
"It may have been a random act of violence... I am afraid we will never know," I reply.
"I suppose not," she sighs as I drag the man to a more secluded location where he is not likely to be found for quite some time.
I then return to Marie's side and place a protective arm around her. "Come, let us return home to your brother," I say gently as I begin to lead her away from this scene of death. Before exiting the alley we pause to gather my scattered supplies and as we are about to continue on our way I hear the little kitten once again.
"We may as well take the poor creature with us, Erik," Marie says as she casts a look of sympathy at the little kitten who has slowly made its way out of the shadows and is now cautiously approaching us.
Placing my packages on the ground I very slowly approach the kitten not wishing to scare it with any sudden movements. Stopping a short distance from the kitten I kneel down and hold out my hands to show that I am not a threat. The kitten cautiously sniffs at my hands but quickly deciding that it is safe it nudges my hand with its head indicating that it wants to be petted. I happily oblige. As I pet the kitten I see that other than needing some food in her stomach she is perfectly healthy. After a few moments I scoop her up into my arms and carry her over to where Marie and the supplies are.
"May I carry her?" Marie asks softly when I arrive at her side. The kitten is looking at her curiously and I cannot help but laugh when she jumps out of my arms and into Marie's.
"She seems to like that idea," I say to Marie. "Come, let us return to your brother. You may name the kitten when we get home," I say as I collect our supplies once more.
"Home sounds like a splendid idea," she says as she gazes up at me contently. After a few moments she asks as she looks up at me more seriously, "you truly wish for me to name the kitten?"
"Yes, Marie, I do. She seems quite fond of you," I say softly as I allow a smile to grace my lips.
"Thank you, Erik! I have never had a pet before," she replies happily as we enter the Rue Scribe entrance to the lake.
"You are quite welcome, my dear," I say as I place the supplies into the small boat and carefully help Marie get in while still holding the kitten. I get in and sit beside her on the narrow seat. "We shall be home shortly and then you can decide on a name for our little friend."
"Erik?" Marie asks after a few minutes have passed.
"Yes, my dear?" I reply as I gaze down lovingly at the woman who selflessly saved my life.
"How does one decide on a name for a pet?" she asks softly as she gazes down at the little kitten who has curled up and fallen asleep on her lap, purring softly in her sleep.
"Most people name their pets based on their personality while others name them based on or as a contrast to their physical attributes. Some even name them after something or someone who has touched their life in the past. You see, there is no set rule that states that you have to name your pet for any specific thing," I say as I reach down and stroke the sleeping kitten.
"I will have to give this some thought then," she says as she leans closer to my side and rests her head against my shoulder. It feels wonderful to be sitting here like this when only a short time ago I had almost lost my life. My head is still throbbing with pain but it is far less severe then it had been when I first came to.
"Marie?" I question softly as I brush a light kiss to her temple and wonder how she managed to make it around the lake without losing her footing and falling in.
"Yes, Erik?" she responds as she tilts her head towards mine.
"I am about to say something that I never dreamt I would... thank you for saving my life," I say softly before lowering my lips to hers in a passionate kiss.
As our lips part she lets out a soft sigh of contentment as she moves closer to my side. "For that I will have to save your life more often," Marie says teasingly with a soft laugh. "But you do not need to thank me, Erik," she says more seriously. "If I would have been too late I would never have forgiven myself," she whispers as a single tear trails down her lovely cheek.
I gently wipe the tear away. "I do not wish for you to need to save my life ever again, Marie. I should not have allowed myself to be swayed into follow this little ball of fur," I say as I gently pet the sleeping kitten.
"You have a kind heart, Erik. That is the only reason you allowed yourself to lower your guard. For that brief time you were more concerned about the well being of this little kitten than you were for your own safety. You may think it a fault but I find it a very good quality in the man I so adore," she says as she raises her lips to mine as if to emphasis her meaning.
After a few breathless moments the need for air wins and we reluctantly separate our lips. "Thank you, Marie," I say softly. "However, if we keep kissing like that you will never think of a name for the kitten," I say teasingly as I smile down upon her lovely face. Just then the boat arrives at the dock in front of our home. I quickly secure it to the dock and help Marie out of the boat. I then remove our supplies and carry them to the front door. I allow Marie to enter first. I follow closely behind her with the packages. The silence that greets us assures us that Charles is still sleeping and of this I am glad.
"I am going to go make sure that Charles is alright," Marie says as soon as I enter into the hallway.
"But of course," I begin with a smile, "I shall join you as soon as I put the supplies away." With that said Marie walks quickly down the hall to her room and I enter the kitchen and place the packages on the table before going to my own room to remove my cloak, hat, and mask. Once this is accomplished I replace my knife and Punjab lasso to their hiding place in the wall along with the money I did not spend. I then return to the kitchen and begin to restock our supplies. As I do this I allow my mind to wonder back to the events which occurred in the alley. Why had I been so careless to simply follow the kitten into the alley without taking the precautions I had with all the other alleys I had encountered today? A few moments to make a wide entrance and look around would not have made any difference in getting the kitten and would have assured my safety. Because of this carelessness I almost got myself killed and I also put Marie in a great deal of danger. She could have easily been overpowered by that man if she had startled him or had not hit him properly. Why had she risked her own life to come after me? Because she truly loves you with every fiber of her being just as you love her, says a little voice in the back of my mind which seems to be centered at the point that is throbbing with pain from the blow I received. Maybe he knocked some sense into me, I think wryly to myself as I realize the accuracy of those words spoken by my subconscious. Only a woman who is completely in love would risk her own wellbeing to willingly walk into the beating she received that first night and then to risk her own life to save mine today. Why had I not seen this before? I ask myself as I place the last item where it belongs and walk the short distance to Marie's room. Once there I knock softly on the door.
"Come in, Erik," she calls softly. I slowly open the door and see that Marie is sitting on the sofa with Charles asleep in her arms and the kitten curled up on her lap purring contently.
"It looks like you have your hands full," I say lightly as I cross the room to stand before her. She holds Charles out to me and I gently take the child from her arms before sitting down next to her. As I sit next to Marie I cradle Charles in my left arm and place my right arm around her shoulders and pull her close to my side. I love the feel of her so close.
After sitting like this for a few moments Marie says, "I have been thinking of a name for the kitten." She then pulls away from me slightly and gazes up at me with an adorable smile on her face. "I have decided that if it is alright with you I would like to name her Pandora."
"Then Pandora it is," I say as I look down at the little kitten and think of how appropriate that name is for her. I pull Marie closer and place a light kiss to the top of her head. "What made you decide on that name?" I ask as I wonder if she has named the kitten that for the same reasons I would have.
"I wish to name her this because of the circumstances which surround her. If it had not been for her catching your eye you would never have entered that alley. If you had not entered that alley you would never have been hit over the head and almost killed. If I had not dreamed of you following the kitten into that particular alley I would not have known where to find you. If I had not known where to find you I would not have been able to save your life. If I had not been able to save your life you would most certainly be dead right now instead of the man who tried to kill you. You following this kitten was like opening Pandora's box," she says logically.
"I agree that Pandora is a very appropriate name for this little ball of fur," I say softly as I ease my arm from around Marie and gently pet the kitten. "I had better fix a bed for her," I say as I get to my feet and carry Charles to his crib. "I am sure that there is something in the storage room we could use. Would you like to come help me look?" I ask as I walk to the door.
"Of course," she says happily as she places the kitten on the sofa before she joins me on the other side of the room. Placing her hand in mine we make our way to the storage room. Releasing her hand I light the gas lanterns just inside the door and wait for her to enter.
"I am sure that there is a small box and some old blankets in here that we can use," I say as I begin to look around. Marie follows my lead and begins to look around on the other side of the room. As I watch her she seems to enjoy going through the old things from my mother's home. It has been a very long time since I gave any thought to what was left from my old life. My mother never threw anything out... not even my old baby clothing. When she died everything including the house had been left to me. I had allowed her only friend to take care of things while I worked on the Paris Opera House all those years. When my secret domain was complete I sent word for her to pack everything and put the house up for sale. I brought everything here and placed it where it now sits untouched since the day I placed it in this room. The only thing I had touched since it had been packed away was the string of bells I had removed from the crib and placed in a box while I brought the crib here for the bells made too much noise. I had planned to go through everything and get rid of most of it but I never got around to it. At first I simply delayed the task to avoid stirring up emotions that have been well buried over the years. As time went by I simply pushed all thought of this storage room from my mind until I was trying to figure out what to do with Charles and remembered my old crib sitting in here.
"Are these your parents, Erik?" Marie asks startling me from my thoughts. I look in her direction and see that she is holding up a double picture frame. In it is a picture of my mother and also one of my father.
"Yes," I answer simply as I quickly look away from her hoping that she did not notice the tear that entered my eye. My mother was very beautiful and my father quite handsome. It is quite hard to believe that something as hideous as I could come from their joining.
"Oh, Erik, I did not mean to upset you," Marie says as she quickly crosses the room and places a comforting hand to my arm.
Regaining my composure I turn to face her and say, "It is alright. It has just been so long since I have looked at these things and as I do so I find myself remembering when I was just a child. It seems that I have been cursed with an ability to recall every detail of my pitiful life... even the look of horror on the midwife's face when I was born into this world."
"I am so sorry, Erik. Would you rather prepare lunch while I find something for the kitten to sleep in?" she asks softly as she watches my face intensely.
I am quite moved by her understanding but I resolve to give up the search completely and just use Ayesha's old bed. "There is no need to continue looking through all of these things. Pandora may sleep in Ayesha's old cat bed... after all it is just sitting around collecting dust in my room."
"Are you certain Erik?" she questions gently as she continues to study my face very closely.
"Yes, Marie, I am quite certain," I reply truthfully as I take her hand in mine, leading her from the room and down the hall to my bedroom. Going to the far corner I release Marie's hand and gingerly pick up the dusty old cat bed. "I am afraid it has gathered a bit of dust over the past year," I say apologetically as I make a poor attempt to remove the thick layer of dust.
"It is alright, Erik, I will clean it up. How is your head feeling?" she asks as she removes the cat bed from my hands.
"It is still throbbing but not nearly as severely as when I first regained consciousness," I admit reluctantly.
"You should lay down for awhile, Erik. I will prepare lunch while you rest," she says sternly leaving no room for argument.
"If you insist," I say reluctantly as I slowly walk to the coffin.
"What do you think you are doing?" Marie asks suddenly.
"I am going to lay down as you suggested," I answer simply.
"Not in that coffin," she says sternly. "You are going to lie down in our bed where you will be much more comfortable."
"Our bed?" I ask completely shocked by her words. Did I hear her correctly or have my ears deceived me?
"Yes," she answers simply as a smile plays across her lips. She is obviously amused by my startled response. Taking my hand in hers she silently leads me from my room to hers. She then releases my hand and places the cat bed in a corner of the room. Returning to me she takes my hand and leads me to the bed. "You will share this bed with me every night, will you not?" she asks as she turns to face me.
"Yes, Marie," I reply softly as I wonder where this line of questioning is leading. "I told you this morning that I will sleep in this room every night for as long as you wish for me to."
"Then this bed is as much yours as it is mine, Erik. Now lie down and rest for awhile," she says as she places a light kiss to my lips before pushing me down onto the bed. She has a nasty habit of doing that and I am sorely tempted to pull her down with me the next time she does that. "Rest now. I shall call you when lunch is ready," she says softly before leaving the room.
How does she think I can rest with everything that has happened today? I have discovered how wonderful it is to sleep with her in my arms and wake up with her on top of me. I was almost murdered and have her to thank for my safety and I have acquired yet another houseguest in the process. Yes, Pandora is a perfect name for this little fur ball who has found her way onto the bed and is now curled up against me purring contently. I now know that Marie is not making up those dreams she has claimed to have since early childhood. Today was proof enough that they are very real. She risked her life to save mine and was successful because of those dreams. And now she expects me to rest with all these thoughts going on in my mind. The more I think about these things the more my head throbs and pains. I must cease this struggle to comprehend all that has happened until I can do so without my head hurting so badly. As I remember the feel of Marie sleeping in my arms I close my eyes and push all other thoughts from my mind and soon drift off to sleep.
"Erik? Erik, can you hear me? Oh, dear God, please tell me I'm not too late!" Marie exclaims as she places a gentle hand to my unscathed cheek.
I slowly force my eyes to open. "What happened?" I ask as no more than a whisper. "Where am I?"
"Oh, Erik! Thank God you're alive! I thought that I may not have gotten to you in time," she says in a rush as she throws her arms around me and places her head to my chest.
"I am fine, Marie. Now if you would be so kind as to tell me what in blazes you are doing up here alone, why does my head hurt so badly, and where pray tell is your brother?" I ask as I cautiously try to lift my head in an attempt to look around. Feeling a sudden stab of pain I lower my head back to the ground.
"While I was waiting for you to return I must have dozed off in the study and I had another dream. There was a little kitten that you were following into the alley where you found me. Then a man came out of the shadows and hit you in the head like in the dream I had last night. Charles was sleeping and I did not wish to disturb him nor did I wish to waste any time in getting to you so I left him in his crib and hurried here. I am glad that I got here when I did for the man was about to plunge a knife into your chest. I was so frightened, Erik," she says as she clings tightly to me and allows a sob of relief to escape her lips.
"Where is this man you speak of?" I ask as I slowly raise my head once more and try hard to focus on my surroundings. My head is throbbing painfully and everything is a blur... even Marie's lovely face.
"He is over there," she says as she points to my left. Turning my head very slowly and carefully in the direction she indicated I see the outline of a man lying a short distance away from me.
"Is he dead?" I ask as I wonder how my little Marie could overpower the tall, well-built man who had tried to kill me.
"I am not sure, Erik. But I do hope that he is for I do not think that I could fight him a second time," she says as she casts a look in the man's direction. I can tell that she is quite shaken by this whole ordeal.
"Marie, could you please tell me what happened? All I remember is following the kitten into the alley and then feeling a sudden sharp pain in the back of my head as everything went black. I grabbed for my knife and tried to fight the darkness but it was a battle I could not win," I admit sorrowfully hating to admit such a weakness on my part.
"When I awoke from the nightmare I knew that it could only mean one thing so I quickly checked on Charles before I left the house. Since you had the boat I had no choice but to make my way around the lake on the narrow ledge. Once I was safely around the lake I hurried to this alley where I knew you would be. When I got here I saw the man leaning over you holding a large knife with both hands above his head preparing to sink it deep into your heart. Without even thinking I grabbed a large metal pipe and swung it as hard as I could. I hit the man in the back of the head or neck... I'm not really sure which. He dropped the knife and fell across you, unconscious. I moved him over to where he is lying now." As she finishes she breathes a long sigh and clings tightly to me once more.
"Hush, my love. It is over now. I am alive and you are safe," I say soothingly as I try to calm her. Once her trembles subside I gently ease her from my arms and attempt to sit up. After a few moments of lightheadedness I am able to get to my feet without incident.
"What shall we do about him?" Marie asks as she indicates the man lying partially in the shadows.
"Stay here. I will see if he is dead or merely unconscious," I tell Marie as I retrieve my knife and cautiously move towards the man.
"If I did not kill him would you please finish the job, Erik?" Marie asks in a hushed voice.
"If you wish for me to do so," I reply as I study the man lying at my feet. He is a tall, well-built man. Because he is lying on his stomach I am unable to see his face. He has not moved a muscle and does not appear to be breathing. There is a large bloody lump at the base of his skull and it is rather obvious that his neck has been broken. I lean closer to confirm this and as I tilt his head to the side it rolls quite easily where it should not.
"Is he dead, Erik?" Marie asks softly.
"Yes, my dear, he is quite dead," I say gently as I hope that she will not become hysterical with the discovery that this man has died by her hands. Glancing in her direction I see that she looks rather relieved that he is dead and she does not seem at all bothered by the fact that it was her blow to the head that snapped his neck in two.
"Did you know this man?" she asks as she walks to where I am kneeling.
I turn his face at a very unnatural angle so I can see it more clearly. His eyes are staring blindly at me and I unconsciously close his eyelids. I have never seen this face before. I lay his head back down and turn to face Marie. "No, I do not know this man."
"Then why did he attack you?" she questions as she looks down upon the man again.
"It may have been a random act of violence... I am afraid we will never know," I reply.
"I suppose not," she sighs as I drag the man to a more secluded location where he is not likely to be found for quite some time.
I then return to Marie's side and place a protective arm around her. "Come, let us return home to your brother," I say gently as I begin to lead her away from this scene of death. Before exiting the alley we pause to gather my scattered supplies and as we are about to continue on our way I hear the little kitten once again.
"We may as well take the poor creature with us, Erik," Marie says as she casts a look of sympathy at the little kitten who has slowly made its way out of the shadows and is now cautiously approaching us.
Placing my packages on the ground I very slowly approach the kitten not wishing to scare it with any sudden movements. Stopping a short distance from the kitten I kneel down and hold out my hands to show that I am not a threat. The kitten cautiously sniffs at my hands but quickly deciding that it is safe it nudges my hand with its head indicating that it wants to be petted. I happily oblige. As I pet the kitten I see that other than needing some food in her stomach she is perfectly healthy. After a few moments I scoop her up into my arms and carry her over to where Marie and the supplies are.
"May I carry her?" Marie asks softly when I arrive at her side. The kitten is looking at her curiously and I cannot help but laugh when she jumps out of my arms and into Marie's.
"She seems to like that idea," I say to Marie. "Come, let us return to your brother. You may name the kitten when we get home," I say as I collect our supplies once more.
"Home sounds like a splendid idea," she says as she gazes up at me contently. After a few moments she asks as she looks up at me more seriously, "you truly wish for me to name the kitten?"
"Yes, Marie, I do. She seems quite fond of you," I say softly as I allow a smile to grace my lips.
"Thank you, Erik! I have never had a pet before," she replies happily as we enter the Rue Scribe entrance to the lake.
"You are quite welcome, my dear," I say as I place the supplies into the small boat and carefully help Marie get in while still holding the kitten. I get in and sit beside her on the narrow seat. "We shall be home shortly and then you can decide on a name for our little friend."
"Erik?" Marie asks after a few minutes have passed.
"Yes, my dear?" I reply as I gaze down lovingly at the woman who selflessly saved my life.
"How does one decide on a name for a pet?" she asks softly as she gazes down at the little kitten who has curled up and fallen asleep on her lap, purring softly in her sleep.
"Most people name their pets based on their personality while others name them based on or as a contrast to their physical attributes. Some even name them after something or someone who has touched their life in the past. You see, there is no set rule that states that you have to name your pet for any specific thing," I say as I reach down and stroke the sleeping kitten.
"I will have to give this some thought then," she says as she leans closer to my side and rests her head against my shoulder. It feels wonderful to be sitting here like this when only a short time ago I had almost lost my life. My head is still throbbing with pain but it is far less severe then it had been when I first came to.
"Marie?" I question softly as I brush a light kiss to her temple and wonder how she managed to make it around the lake without losing her footing and falling in.
"Yes, Erik?" she responds as she tilts her head towards mine.
"I am about to say something that I never dreamt I would... thank you for saving my life," I say softly before lowering my lips to hers in a passionate kiss.
As our lips part she lets out a soft sigh of contentment as she moves closer to my side. "For that I will have to save your life more often," Marie says teasingly with a soft laugh. "But you do not need to thank me, Erik," she says more seriously. "If I would have been too late I would never have forgiven myself," she whispers as a single tear trails down her lovely cheek.
I gently wipe the tear away. "I do not wish for you to need to save my life ever again, Marie. I should not have allowed myself to be swayed into follow this little ball of fur," I say as I gently pet the sleeping kitten.
"You have a kind heart, Erik. That is the only reason you allowed yourself to lower your guard. For that brief time you were more concerned about the well being of this little kitten than you were for your own safety. You may think it a fault but I find it a very good quality in the man I so adore," she says as she raises her lips to mine as if to emphasis her meaning.
After a few breathless moments the need for air wins and we reluctantly separate our lips. "Thank you, Marie," I say softly. "However, if we keep kissing like that you will never think of a name for the kitten," I say teasingly as I smile down upon her lovely face. Just then the boat arrives at the dock in front of our home. I quickly secure it to the dock and help Marie out of the boat. I then remove our supplies and carry them to the front door. I allow Marie to enter first. I follow closely behind her with the packages. The silence that greets us assures us that Charles is still sleeping and of this I am glad.
"I am going to go make sure that Charles is alright," Marie says as soon as I enter into the hallway.
"But of course," I begin with a smile, "I shall join you as soon as I put the supplies away." With that said Marie walks quickly down the hall to her room and I enter the kitchen and place the packages on the table before going to my own room to remove my cloak, hat, and mask. Once this is accomplished I replace my knife and Punjab lasso to their hiding place in the wall along with the money I did not spend. I then return to the kitchen and begin to restock our supplies. As I do this I allow my mind to wonder back to the events which occurred in the alley. Why had I been so careless to simply follow the kitten into the alley without taking the precautions I had with all the other alleys I had encountered today? A few moments to make a wide entrance and look around would not have made any difference in getting the kitten and would have assured my safety. Because of this carelessness I almost got myself killed and I also put Marie in a great deal of danger. She could have easily been overpowered by that man if she had startled him or had not hit him properly. Why had she risked her own life to come after me? Because she truly loves you with every fiber of her being just as you love her, says a little voice in the back of my mind which seems to be centered at the point that is throbbing with pain from the blow I received. Maybe he knocked some sense into me, I think wryly to myself as I realize the accuracy of those words spoken by my subconscious. Only a woman who is completely in love would risk her own wellbeing to willingly walk into the beating she received that first night and then to risk her own life to save mine today. Why had I not seen this before? I ask myself as I place the last item where it belongs and walk the short distance to Marie's room. Once there I knock softly on the door.
"Come in, Erik," she calls softly. I slowly open the door and see that Marie is sitting on the sofa with Charles asleep in her arms and the kitten curled up on her lap purring contently.
"It looks like you have your hands full," I say lightly as I cross the room to stand before her. She holds Charles out to me and I gently take the child from her arms before sitting down next to her. As I sit next to Marie I cradle Charles in my left arm and place my right arm around her shoulders and pull her close to my side. I love the feel of her so close.
After sitting like this for a few moments Marie says, "I have been thinking of a name for the kitten." She then pulls away from me slightly and gazes up at me with an adorable smile on her face. "I have decided that if it is alright with you I would like to name her Pandora."
"Then Pandora it is," I say as I look down at the little kitten and think of how appropriate that name is for her. I pull Marie closer and place a light kiss to the top of her head. "What made you decide on that name?" I ask as I wonder if she has named the kitten that for the same reasons I would have.
"I wish to name her this because of the circumstances which surround her. If it had not been for her catching your eye you would never have entered that alley. If you had not entered that alley you would never have been hit over the head and almost killed. If I had not dreamed of you following the kitten into that particular alley I would not have known where to find you. If I had not known where to find you I would not have been able to save your life. If I had not been able to save your life you would most certainly be dead right now instead of the man who tried to kill you. You following this kitten was like opening Pandora's box," she says logically.
"I agree that Pandora is a very appropriate name for this little ball of fur," I say softly as I ease my arm from around Marie and gently pet the kitten. "I had better fix a bed for her," I say as I get to my feet and carry Charles to his crib. "I am sure that there is something in the storage room we could use. Would you like to come help me look?" I ask as I walk to the door.
"Of course," she says happily as she places the kitten on the sofa before she joins me on the other side of the room. Placing her hand in mine we make our way to the storage room. Releasing her hand I light the gas lanterns just inside the door and wait for her to enter.
"I am sure that there is a small box and some old blankets in here that we can use," I say as I begin to look around. Marie follows my lead and begins to look around on the other side of the room. As I watch her she seems to enjoy going through the old things from my mother's home. It has been a very long time since I gave any thought to what was left from my old life. My mother never threw anything out... not even my old baby clothing. When she died everything including the house had been left to me. I had allowed her only friend to take care of things while I worked on the Paris Opera House all those years. When my secret domain was complete I sent word for her to pack everything and put the house up for sale. I brought everything here and placed it where it now sits untouched since the day I placed it in this room. The only thing I had touched since it had been packed away was the string of bells I had removed from the crib and placed in a box while I brought the crib here for the bells made too much noise. I had planned to go through everything and get rid of most of it but I never got around to it. At first I simply delayed the task to avoid stirring up emotions that have been well buried over the years. As time went by I simply pushed all thought of this storage room from my mind until I was trying to figure out what to do with Charles and remembered my old crib sitting in here.
"Are these your parents, Erik?" Marie asks startling me from my thoughts. I look in her direction and see that she is holding up a double picture frame. In it is a picture of my mother and also one of my father.
"Yes," I answer simply as I quickly look away from her hoping that she did not notice the tear that entered my eye. My mother was very beautiful and my father quite handsome. It is quite hard to believe that something as hideous as I could come from their joining.
"Oh, Erik, I did not mean to upset you," Marie says as she quickly crosses the room and places a comforting hand to my arm.
Regaining my composure I turn to face her and say, "It is alright. It has just been so long since I have looked at these things and as I do so I find myself remembering when I was just a child. It seems that I have been cursed with an ability to recall every detail of my pitiful life... even the look of horror on the midwife's face when I was born into this world."
"I am so sorry, Erik. Would you rather prepare lunch while I find something for the kitten to sleep in?" she asks softly as she watches my face intensely.
I am quite moved by her understanding but I resolve to give up the search completely and just use Ayesha's old bed. "There is no need to continue looking through all of these things. Pandora may sleep in Ayesha's old cat bed... after all it is just sitting around collecting dust in my room."
"Are you certain Erik?" she questions gently as she continues to study my face very closely.
"Yes, Marie, I am quite certain," I reply truthfully as I take her hand in mine, leading her from the room and down the hall to my bedroom. Going to the far corner I release Marie's hand and gingerly pick up the dusty old cat bed. "I am afraid it has gathered a bit of dust over the past year," I say apologetically as I make a poor attempt to remove the thick layer of dust.
"It is alright, Erik, I will clean it up. How is your head feeling?" she asks as she removes the cat bed from my hands.
"It is still throbbing but not nearly as severely as when I first regained consciousness," I admit reluctantly.
"You should lay down for awhile, Erik. I will prepare lunch while you rest," she says sternly leaving no room for argument.
"If you insist," I say reluctantly as I slowly walk to the coffin.
"What do you think you are doing?" Marie asks suddenly.
"I am going to lay down as you suggested," I answer simply.
"Not in that coffin," she says sternly. "You are going to lie down in our bed where you will be much more comfortable."
"Our bed?" I ask completely shocked by her words. Did I hear her correctly or have my ears deceived me?
"Yes," she answers simply as a smile plays across her lips. She is obviously amused by my startled response. Taking my hand in hers she silently leads me from my room to hers. She then releases my hand and places the cat bed in a corner of the room. Returning to me she takes my hand and leads me to the bed. "You will share this bed with me every night, will you not?" she asks as she turns to face me.
"Yes, Marie," I reply softly as I wonder where this line of questioning is leading. "I told you this morning that I will sleep in this room every night for as long as you wish for me to."
"Then this bed is as much yours as it is mine, Erik. Now lie down and rest for awhile," she says as she places a light kiss to my lips before pushing me down onto the bed. She has a nasty habit of doing that and I am sorely tempted to pull her down with me the next time she does that. "Rest now. I shall call you when lunch is ready," she says softly before leaving the room.
How does she think I can rest with everything that has happened today? I have discovered how wonderful it is to sleep with her in my arms and wake up with her on top of me. I was almost murdered and have her to thank for my safety and I have acquired yet another houseguest in the process. Yes, Pandora is a perfect name for this little fur ball who has found her way onto the bed and is now curled up against me purring contently. I now know that Marie is not making up those dreams she has claimed to have since early childhood. Today was proof enough that they are very real. She risked her life to save mine and was successful because of those dreams. And now she expects me to rest with all these thoughts going on in my mind. The more I think about these things the more my head throbs and pains. I must cease this struggle to comprehend all that has happened until I can do so without my head hurting so badly. As I remember the feel of Marie sleeping in my arms I close my eyes and push all other thoughts from my mind and soon drift off to sleep.
