Chapter 15
After the brougham comes to a stop, I open the door and assist Marie out of the carriage. "Where are we, Erik?" she asks quietly as she takes in her surroundings, not finding anything familiar.
"The home of an old friend," I say honestly as I knock softly on the door, hoping that he still lives here... after all, it has been two very long and lonely years since I have last seen him. Oh, but, will he not be surprised to find that the Phantom still lives? Will he forgive me for what I had done to him when he helped Raoul find me? I almost killed him that night.
My heart skips a beat as Nadir slowly opens the door. "Who's there? Show yourself," he says menacingly as he discovers two forms lurking in the shadows. Unable to speak, I simply step into the light cast by the open door. "Erik?" he questions unbelievingly as he opens the door further and steps outside.
"Yes, it is I," I say softly. "It has been a long time, my friend. I have missed our weekly meetings," I say sincerely.
"I long thought you dead," he says unsure of my intentions. "Why have you come here after all this time?"
"I have come for several reasons. None of which are to cause you any harm," I say reassuringly. "Please, may we come in? It is rather cold out here for the baby." It is then that he realizes I am holding an infant and also notices Marie standing off to my side still partially hidden in the shadows.
"Of course," he says after a moment of stunned silence as he tries to figure out just what this woman and child are doing with me, I am sure.
"Thank you, Nadir," I say as he steps aside, allowing Marie and myself to enter his small apartment.
"Why is it you have come here, Erik?" he asks again after we are seated in his warm parlor.
"First, I wish to apologize for my behavior the last time we met. I never meant to cause you any harm but you must understand that I was very much infatuated with Christine and that blasted boy kept interfering with my plans for her," I say pleadingly. "There is no denying that I was out of my mind with jealousy. If I had been thinking clearly I would never have put you in any danger."
"I have forgiven you long ago, Erik," Nadir says truthfully. "I know you never meant me any harm. Quite frankly, if I were in the same position I do believe I may have behaved similarly."
"Thank you, my friend," I say softly as a tear threatens to fall.
"Now, please introduce me to your friends," he says as he changes the subject quickly, sensing my feelings.
"Certainly," I say as I nod my head in a silent exchange of thanks. "This lovely woman is Marie," I say indicating Marie whom is sitting in the chair furthest from Nadir. "And this little one is Charles," I say as he giggles happily at the sound of his name. Nadir looks at me with a questioning look similar to that Madame Giry had cast my way when first seeing me with Marie and the baby. "Charles is Marie's brother," I say casting him a stern look.
"Erik, may I speak with you privately for a moment?" Nadir asks as he glances between Marie and me.
"There is no need for privacy, Nadir. Anything you have to say to me can be said in front of Marie," I say sternly. Surely he does not think I am holding Marie against her will as he had suspected me of doing with Christine. Perhaps now would be a good time to reveal to him what the other thing I had come here to request is. "After all, Nadir, she is to be my wife. We have no secrets," I say emphasizing the word no. He simply stares at me with his mouth hanging open. "The other reason I came here tonight was to ask you to be my best man. I can think of no other who I would like to stand beside me," I say truthfully.
"Are you serious, Erik?" he questions softly. "You are actually going to marry that child? How did this all come about?"
"She is not a child, Nadir, she is twenty-three and capable of making her own decisions," I say heatedly, not at all happy about the way he said that as though she is not in the room.
Sensing my displeasure, Nadir quickly regains his composure. "Forgive me, Mademoiselle, I did not mean to imply that you are a child. It is just that the news of your marriage came as a bit of a shock to me and I was not thinking clearly," he quickly states.
"That is quite alright, Monsieur, I thought nothing of it," Marie says kindly as she smiles at Nadir.
"Now, to answer your question, my friend, I happened upon Marie and her brother in a blizzard. Marie was being beaten by two men in an alley not far from where we used to meet. I saved her life and took her to my home to tend to her wounds. She is not frightened by my true face. We have fallen in love even though I had fought it at the beginning but Marie has persuaded me otherwise. She truly loves me and I love her a thousand times more than I ever thought I loved Christine. I have never felt anything so wonderful in my entire life, Nadir. So, my friend, will you be my best man?" I ask hopefully.
"Of course I will. So, when is the wedding?" Nadir asks a bit suspiciously, still every bit the policeman.
"We are to be wed at the Notre Dame Cathedral at sundown on Monday," I answer simply.
"Just how long have you known Marie?" he asks skeptically.
"I have known her long enough, Nadir," I answer sternly, knowing what he is hinting at. He thinks I have tricked her into marriage... that I am doing the same to her as I had with Christine. I cast him a look that would send anyone else running from my presence but he pays it no heed.
"How do you feel about all of this?" Nadir asks defiantly as he looks in Marie's direction.
"It is I who has convinced Erik to be wed on Monday, Monsieur," she says sweetly, not at all bothered by his questioning.
"Has Erik done anything to convince you to marry him?" Nadir asks softly, casting a cautious look in my direction. If Marie is not bothered by his questions then I am not going to interrupt even though I do not appreciate his line of questioning.
"No, Monsieur, Erik has been nothing but kind to me. I love him more than life itself and I want nothing more than to be his wife," Marie says compassionately as she looks Nadir directly in the eye.
"But you have seen his face?" Nadir asks doubtfully.
"Yes, I have seen what lies behind his mask. I have touched and kissed the twisted skin and I am not at all frightened or repulsed by it in the least. What I am about to tell you may sound strange to you but please listen with an open mind. As a child he used to be there in my dreams to comfort me and to protect me when I was frightened. He would wrap his cloak around me and hold me close and sing to me. When I was older he allowed me to see his face. I knew that it was just a face and that it could never harm me because he would never harm me. Over the years I grew to love the man in my dreams. My dreams also have the ability to show me things that will happen in my life or in the life of someone close to me. I have experienced much of what Erik has been through in the past twenty years and I have also see what is yet to come. I witnessed my parents' murders a month before it happened and although I tried to warn them they simply brushed it off. I eventually gave up trying. If they would have only listened to me they would still be alive today. I saved Erik's life yesterday because of my dreams and if you do not believe me you can see for yourself the large lump he still has on the back of his head," Marie says hurriedly as she moves to sit next to me on the sofa.
"I believe you, Mademoiselle. In Persia I knew of a few people who had the gift of seeing into the future. I simply wanted to be sure that you were aware of what you are getting yourself into. Erik is a good man and I believe that he deserves to be happy. You, my dear, are just what Erik needs. I just wanted to make sure that Erik wasn't up to his old tricks again. His voice has a tendency to persuade people to do things they would rather not do," Nadir says with a glance in my direction.
"As I said before, Nadir, I did not do anything to encourage this," I say sternly. Why must he keep questioning me? If he were anyone else I would have killed him for suggesting such things.
"Forgive me, my friend. I just needed to be sure that everyone involved will be happy," he says softly. "I just do not want to see a repeat of what nearly happened between you and Christine."
"There is no need for you to worry, Nadir, there is no jealous boyfriend nor is there any trickery involved," I say honestly as I look him in the eye to prove that I am not lying to him.
"Then I give you both my blessing and I would be honored to be your best man, Erik," he says sincerely.
I hand Charles to Marie before saying, "Thank you, Nadir. You have no idea what that means to me." We both rise and I embrace him briefly to show how much his friendship means to me.
"I am glad you have finally found someone to love you as you deserve to be loved," he says honestly.
"Thank you, my friend. Now, if you will excuse us we must be on our way," I say as I take Charles from Marie's arms and offer her a hand.
"Of course," he says as he hurries to the door. "I am sure you have much to plan. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mademoiselle." With that he takes Marie's hand and kisses it lightly.
"It was a pleasure to meet you also, Monsieur," Marie says softly as Nadir releases her hand.
"I will see you soon, my friend," I say as I usher Marie out the door to the waiting brougham. Once Marie is settled inside I hand Charles to her and give a few more instructions to the driver. Once I am sure that he understands I join Marie in the back of the carriage and we are on our way once more.
"He seems like a nice fellow," Marie says as she moves closer to my side.
"Yes, he is. He has saved my life more than once. He is the one person I can call a true friend," I say solemnly. We ride on in silence before the carriage stops once more.
"Where are we now?" Marie asks as she once again gets out of the brougham and surveys her surroundings.
"This is your next surprise," I say as I take her hand and lead her to one of the nearby houses. She looks puzzled as I knock on the door.
"What is this place?" Marie asks in a whisper as I step back and wait for the door to be answered.
"You shall see soon enough," I say softly as I hear movement just inside the door. As the door opens slightly I step forward into the light and say softly, "good evening, Madame Giry."
"Monsieur Phantom?" she asks hesitantly as she opens the door further to allow more light to spill forth and reveal my dark form to her curious eyes. "Please come in," she says quickly as she steps aside.
"Thank you, Madame," I say as Marie and I enter her quaint little home. "I hope we are not disturbing you."
"Not at all, Monsieur," she says hastily as she offers to take our cloaks. "To what do I owe this honor?" she asks humbly after we are seated in the parlor.
"I have come to ask you a favor," I say after a moment. "Is Meg at home?"
"She is up in her room. Should I fetch her for you?" Madame Giry asks quickly. She is always eager to please me.
"If you would, please," I say softly.
"But of course," she says hurriedly as she rises and soon disappears up the stairs. A few moments later both her and her daughter descend the stairs and join us in the parlor.
"Good evening, Monsieur," Meg says nervously as she sits next to her mother, casting a glance at my masked face.
"Good evening, Meg. How is your dancing coming along?" I ask curiously, hoping to put her at ease. I have neglected to pay much attention to the happenings in my opera house as of late.
"Oh, everything has been going wonderfully, Monsieur," Meg says enthusiastically as her eyes light up.
"That is good to hear," I say with a nod and I notice Meg looking curiously at Marie and Charles. "I would like you to meet someone," I say after a slight pause. "This is Marie and this little fellow is her brother, Charles. I was hoping that perhaps you would like to get to know Marie and possibly become friends."
"I would like that very much, Monsieur," Meg says happily. She quickly gets up and walks to Marie. "Would you like to come up to my room? There is so much I can tell you that has been going on around the opera house," she inquires excitedly.
"Meg, before you go running upstairs with Marie there is something I would like to ask of you," I say as Meg practically drags Marie to the stairs.
"Of course, Monsieur," Meg says as she stops in her tracks.
"Marie and I are getting married on Monday but there is a slight problem. You see, Marie's parents are no longer with her and she has no friends around here so she is in need of a bridesmaid and also for someone to give her away. I thought that perhaps you would like to be her bridesmaid, Meg." I suggest hopefully.
"Oh, yes, I would love to be," Meg says quickly and I cannot help but smile at her. She is such an excitable creature.
"Madame Giry, I was hoping that you might be the one to give Marie away. I respect you very much and I have always trusted you. Would you please do this for me?" I ask sheepishly.
"Of course, Monsieur Phantom," she says hurriedly and I seen a brightness in her eyes I have never seen before.
"Thank you both," I say softly. "You may go now, Meg," I say with a nod in her direction.
"Come on, Marie, I have so much to tell you," Meg says excitedly as she hurries up the stairs with Marie close behind.
After a moment I hear a door shut and the low chatter of Meg. Looking back at Madame Giry I notice that she seems to be studying me oddly. "Is something wrong, Madame?" I ask slowly.
"Forgive me, Monsieur, but I cannot help but wonder about the suddenness of all of this. You could not have possibly known this girl for very long and already you are getting married," she says in a timid voice.
How dare she question me! I have been nothing but kind to her and she dares to question me! Rising from my seat I quickly cross the room and find myself standing menacingly over her. "Are you questioning my intentions?" I ask in a barely contained voice. "I have helped your daughter succeed in her dreams of being a great dancer! I have shown you nothing but respect and kindness over the years! I have even trusted you enough to ask you to be a part of my wedding and what thanks do I get for all of these things? You question my motives and intentions!"
"Please, Monsieur, forgive me!" Madame Giry cries softly as she cowers as far into the chair as she can. Charles begins to squirm in my grasp and I slowly come out of my blind rage and realize that I was poised to strike the poor woman. Quickly regaining my senses, I lower my raised hand to rest at my side. Madame Giry continues her pleading. "I never meant to question you, Monsieur. I simply was looking out for your best interests. I wanted to be sure that no one involved would be hurt, least of all you. After what had happened with Christine and all," she sobs softly.
"Forgive me, Madame, I should not have yelled at you," I say softly as I kneel before her and take her trembling hand in mine. "I do not know what came over me. I would never hurt you. Please, you must believe me," I plead feverishly as a tear streams down my cheek. Why had her question caused such a reaction from me? Nadir questioned me much worse and I did not become violent with him. She has never done anything to hurt me in the past.
"Monsieur Phantom, please get up off the floor. I am not angry with you. I should not have questioned you. Your affairs are none of my business. If marrying that girl is what you both want then I am glad for you. I believe that everyone deserves some happiness in their life and God knows you have suffered far too long without such a simple thing," Madame Giry says sternly, no longer cowering from my rage. "Now, I shall forget what has just happened and I wish for you to do the same. Would you like some tea?"
Stunned by how easily she has forgiven my actions I stand and nod my head in accent.
When she returns from with the tea I manage a meager, "thank you, Madame."
"There is no need to thank me. Now, when is the wedding to be and where is it being held?" she asks as she returns to her seat.
"It is to be held at sundown Monday at the Notre Dame Cathedral. I have already made the arrangements," I say, thankful for the change of subject.
"That does not give me much time to find a suitable dress," Madame Giry musses to herself.
"There is no need to fret over a dress, Madame, that will be taken care of shortly," I say as I take a sip of tea. Glancing at Charles I see that he has drifted off to sleep.
"What do you mean, Monsieur?" she questions, puzzlement showing on her weathered face.
"When Marie and Meg are finished gossiping I will be taking the three of you to be fitted for your gowns," I explain simply.
"But, Monsieur, I could not possibly allow you to do such a thing," she says aghast at the suggestion.
"Why not?" I ask curiously as I study her face.
"Wedding gowns are expensive, Monsieur, and I could not possibly allow you to spend such money on Meg and me," she says firmly.
"Madame, you of all people should know that I can afford such things. After all, I receive a salary of twenty thousand francs a month and have only been spending what I need to since Christine left me. I can easily afford to buy you and Meg a new dress," I say earnestly.
"But, Monsieur, I could never repay you for such a thing," she argues softly. "I cannot accept such generosity."
"You can and you will accept my generosity. I can assure you that I wish for nothing in return. You have taken care of my box for all these years and have insured that my salary is always waiting for me. Buying you a new dress to attend my wedding is the least I can do for you," I say sternly, not about to accept no for an answer. "As I said, it is the least I can do to repay you for all the generosity you have shown me over the years that you have been at the opera house."
"Well, since you insist, Monsieur, I suppose I have no choice but to accept such a gracious offer," she says reluctantly.
"Good," I say as I finish my tea. Setting the cup aside, I carefully reposition Charles into my other arm. "I believe we should be on our way... the dress shop will be closing soon," I observe as I glance at the clock.
"I will go fetch the girls," Madame says as she slowly stands and makes her way to the stairs.
"Please do not tell them what I am planning," I say softly before she begins to climb the stairs.
"Of course not, Monsieur," she replies softly before disappearing from sight. A moment later I hear a knock on a door followed by Madame Giry saying, "come downstairs now, it is getting late and our guests must be going soon."
"Yes, Mother," Meg calls quickly.
As Madame Giry reaches the bottom of the stairs I hear the door open and the sound of footsteps and quiet laughter softly descend the stairway. "Would you three lovely ladies care to join me on a moonlit ride?" I inquire after they enter the parlor.
"Can we, Mother?" Meg asks excitedly and I cannot help but smile at her enthusiasm. How will she react when she finds that we are going to a dress shop instead of just for a carriage ride?
"Yes, I believe some fresh air would do us good. It is a rather nice night for a ride provided you dress warmly," Madame Giry says casually as she rises from her seat and retrieves her cloak.
After everyone is ready I assist the women into the carriage and hand Charles to Marie before going up front to give the driver specific instructions before joining them in the brougham. This time, however, I open the curtains allowing us a view of the moonlit streets as we slowly make our way around a park. Our journey than brings us to a stop a few blocks beyond the quiet park.
"Why are we stopping here?" Marie asks softly as she gazes curiously out the window at her surroundings.
"It is a surprise, my dear," I say softly as I open the door and exit the carriage. "Come, I shall show you all," I say simply as I take Charles from Marie once again before holding out my hand to her.
"Thank you," she says softly before stepping away from the carriage and taking in her surroundings.
I then offer Meg a hand. She seems to hesitate but only for a moment. "Thank you," she says once she is safely on the ground before hurrying off to join Marie.
"Thank you, Monsieur," Madame Giry says softly as she takes my hand and I help her down.
"You are all quite welcome. Now, time is wasting. Come with me," I say as I take Marie's hand in mine and make my way to the little dress shop that resides out of view around the corner.
"A dress shop?" Marie questions softly.
"Yes, it appears so," I reply comically. "I thought that you might like a dress for the wedding."
"Oh, yes, Erik, that would be wonderful," she says happily. "But it looks as though the shop is closed for the night," she adds disappointedly.
"My dear, I can assure you that this shop is never closed to me," I say softly. True, it has been quite some time since I last paid this place a visit but surely the seamstress will remember me quite well.
"Are you sure? It looks rather dark," she observes as she looks up at me with a puzzled look on her face.
"I am quite sure," I say, amused by her innocence. "Wait here, I shall be right back," I say softly before releasing her hand and giving her Charles before disappearing around the corner once more.
Hurrying to the side door I let myself in and quickly make my way to the apartment up stairs. I knock softly on the door as I had so many times before when I was in need of a new gown for Christine. "Monsieur Phantom, is that you?" I hear the familiar voice of the seamstress call softly. She sounds unsure of my identity. Perhaps she believes me to be dead as most everyone else does.
"Yes, it is I," I call softly in the powerful tone she is most familiar with.
Upon hearing my voice she quickly opens the door. "It has been a very long time since you have called upon my services, Monsieur," she says softly as she lights a lantern and makes her way down the stairs to the shop. "How may I help you?" she asks as she lights another lantern before turning to face me.
"I am getting married on Monday and I would like for you to make the wedding gown and also dresses for the bridesmaid and the woman who will be giving my wife away," I say easily. "I can assure you that you will be well paid as always," I add softly.
"But of course, Monsieur," she says eagerly. She then begins rattling off a list of things she will need to know. "Am I to be using the same measurements for the gown as before or do you have new measurements for me? And what of these other two dresses? I will need measurements for them also."
"Mademoiselle, please," I interrupt quickly, stopping her onslaught of questions. "The ladies are waiting outside. If you would be so kind as to open the front door you can measure them yourself."
"Oh," she says simply, obviously surprised by the fact that I have three women with me unlike my usual solitude. She quickly lights a few more lanterns as she makes her way to the front door. "Please come in," she says softly as she opens the door.
"Thank you," all three reply in unison as they enter the warm little shop.
"So, who is the lucky lady?" the seamstress asks as she leads us into the back of the shop after locking the front door once again.
"I am," Marie says softly as she steps closer to my side and takes my hand in hers as if trying to prove that she truly is my soon to be wife.
The seamstress looks Marie up and down before shaking her head and smiling. "Well now, I have several designs that will suit you just fine but I believe it will be a bit difficult to take your measurements while you're holding that there babe. There's a crib in the corner you dare put him in," she says as she indicates the direction of the crib.
Marie releases my hand and makes her way to the crib while the seamstress smiles at me slyly.
"Mademoiselle, I can assure you that you are drastically wrong in what you are thinking," I say quietly, knowing that she suspects the baby to be mine. As she continues to smile at me I add sternly, "the child is her brother, not my son."
"Oh no, Monsieur, I did not mean to suggest that you had fathered the child out of wedlock! I was simply smiling at the thought of you, the Phantom of the Opera, finally getting married," she says hurriedly as she lowers her eyes and fiddles with the folds of her dress.
"Is something wrong?" Marie asks me softly as she returns to my side and glances at the seamstress.
"No, my dear, everything is fine. Are you ready for your fitting?" I ask as I lead her over to a small platform.
"Of course she is," the seamstress says brightly, as she hurries to the platform.
"Yes, I am quite ready," Marie says eagerly as she waits for the seamstress to retrieve her tape measure.
"If you would step up on the platform, please," the seamstress begins. "I will get your measurements and then we can go over some designs and see which you would like for your gown."
"That sounds like a wonderful plan," Marie says happily as she takes her place on the platform.
"Do you have any particular color in mind for the bridesmaid and mother's dresses?" the seamstress asks as she begins to take down the measurements, working quickly.
I notice a look of hurt in Marie's usually clear blue eyes at the mention of the mother's dress and I feel inclined to correct this error before it is repeated and causes her more pain. "Madame Giry is not Marie's mother. She has been kind enough to agree to give Marie away since her own mother is unable to attend the ceremony," I say softly as I watch Marie's face carefully.
At my words, I see a look of relief cross her face briefly as she mouths a silent, "Thank you."
"I am so sorry," the seamstress says softly, ashamed of her error and understanding the true meaning of my words.
"That is quite alright, Mademoiselle," I reply simply. "I should have pointed that out earlier."
After a few minutes of silence as she gathers a few more measurements the seamstress seems to remember our presence and says quickly, "it will be a while until I am finished with Mademoiselle Marie. There are some chairs through that doorway if you would like to sit for a spell."
"That sounds like a splendid suggestion," I say as I head in the direction she had indicated. "I do believe I will take you up on that offer. Care to join me, ladies?" I ask over my shoulder.
"Yes, I do believe I could use a rest," Madame Giry says quickly as she follows close behind me.
"I agree, after all, there really is nothing for me to do out here," Meg says as she hurries into the other room.
Once we are all seated I ask, "Have you had any trouble with any of the dancers, Meg?"
"Well, there is this one girl who tries to make me falter in my steps but she has yet to succeed and I doubt that she will," Meg says softly, with the air of a well-trained dancer who could never even fathom the idea of missing a step.
"Would you like me to see that she stops?" I ask seriously. A note to the managers or a late night visit to the girl's bedside will easily solve the problem.
"No, Monsieur, I believe that I can handle her. But, thank you for the kind offer," she says honestly and I realize just how much she has matured over the past two years. The Meg I used to know would have jumped at the chance to have me eliminate her competition.
"As you wish," I say softly. "But remember, Meg, if you change your mind all you need to do is ask and I will gladly remedy the problem."
"Thank you, Monsieur," she says sweetly.
"You are quite welcome," I reply earnestly.
We sit in a comfortable silence for quite some time before Marie enters the room looking rather pleased. "Who's next?" the seamstress asks as she enters the room closely behind Marie.
"Perhaps you should go next, Meg. After all, you need to be getting some rest soon if you wish to dance tomorrow," Madame Giry says softly.
"Of course, Mother," Meg says happily as she hurries to the doorway and I have the feeling that Madame Giry had other reasons in mind when she suggested for her daughter to go first.
"How did it go, Marie?" I ask softly as she sits on my lap instead of in the chair next to mine.
"It was wonderful," she says happily as she rests her head on my shoulder. "The dress I chose is so beautiful. I just know you will love it!"
"I am sure that I will," I say softly as I wrap my arms around her and simply enjoy her closeness.
"I hope that you do not have any more surprises planned for tonight. All this excitement has made me rather tired," she says sleepily.
"No, I have no more surprises planned for tonight," I say softly. As I glance at Madame Giry I notice that she is smiling in our direction... genuine happiness for us showing on her face.
"Tonight has been filled with so many wonderful surprises. Thank you, Erik," Marie says softly as she snuggles closer.
"You are quite welcome, my dear. Sleep now," I say softly as I press a light kiss to her forehead.
"I love you, Erik," she says softly as she closes her eyes before releasing a soft sigh of contentment.
"And I love you, Marie," I reply in a whisper, knowing that she is now sleeping in my arms.
After the brougham comes to a stop, I open the door and assist Marie out of the carriage. "Where are we, Erik?" she asks quietly as she takes in her surroundings, not finding anything familiar.
"The home of an old friend," I say honestly as I knock softly on the door, hoping that he still lives here... after all, it has been two very long and lonely years since I have last seen him. Oh, but, will he not be surprised to find that the Phantom still lives? Will he forgive me for what I had done to him when he helped Raoul find me? I almost killed him that night.
My heart skips a beat as Nadir slowly opens the door. "Who's there? Show yourself," he says menacingly as he discovers two forms lurking in the shadows. Unable to speak, I simply step into the light cast by the open door. "Erik?" he questions unbelievingly as he opens the door further and steps outside.
"Yes, it is I," I say softly. "It has been a long time, my friend. I have missed our weekly meetings," I say sincerely.
"I long thought you dead," he says unsure of my intentions. "Why have you come here after all this time?"
"I have come for several reasons. None of which are to cause you any harm," I say reassuringly. "Please, may we come in? It is rather cold out here for the baby." It is then that he realizes I am holding an infant and also notices Marie standing off to my side still partially hidden in the shadows.
"Of course," he says after a moment of stunned silence as he tries to figure out just what this woman and child are doing with me, I am sure.
"Thank you, Nadir," I say as he steps aside, allowing Marie and myself to enter his small apartment.
"Why is it you have come here, Erik?" he asks again after we are seated in his warm parlor.
"First, I wish to apologize for my behavior the last time we met. I never meant to cause you any harm but you must understand that I was very much infatuated with Christine and that blasted boy kept interfering with my plans for her," I say pleadingly. "There is no denying that I was out of my mind with jealousy. If I had been thinking clearly I would never have put you in any danger."
"I have forgiven you long ago, Erik," Nadir says truthfully. "I know you never meant me any harm. Quite frankly, if I were in the same position I do believe I may have behaved similarly."
"Thank you, my friend," I say softly as a tear threatens to fall.
"Now, please introduce me to your friends," he says as he changes the subject quickly, sensing my feelings.
"Certainly," I say as I nod my head in a silent exchange of thanks. "This lovely woman is Marie," I say indicating Marie whom is sitting in the chair furthest from Nadir. "And this little one is Charles," I say as he giggles happily at the sound of his name. Nadir looks at me with a questioning look similar to that Madame Giry had cast my way when first seeing me with Marie and the baby. "Charles is Marie's brother," I say casting him a stern look.
"Erik, may I speak with you privately for a moment?" Nadir asks as he glances between Marie and me.
"There is no need for privacy, Nadir. Anything you have to say to me can be said in front of Marie," I say sternly. Surely he does not think I am holding Marie against her will as he had suspected me of doing with Christine. Perhaps now would be a good time to reveal to him what the other thing I had come here to request is. "After all, Nadir, she is to be my wife. We have no secrets," I say emphasizing the word no. He simply stares at me with his mouth hanging open. "The other reason I came here tonight was to ask you to be my best man. I can think of no other who I would like to stand beside me," I say truthfully.
"Are you serious, Erik?" he questions softly. "You are actually going to marry that child? How did this all come about?"
"She is not a child, Nadir, she is twenty-three and capable of making her own decisions," I say heatedly, not at all happy about the way he said that as though she is not in the room.
Sensing my displeasure, Nadir quickly regains his composure. "Forgive me, Mademoiselle, I did not mean to imply that you are a child. It is just that the news of your marriage came as a bit of a shock to me and I was not thinking clearly," he quickly states.
"That is quite alright, Monsieur, I thought nothing of it," Marie says kindly as she smiles at Nadir.
"Now, to answer your question, my friend, I happened upon Marie and her brother in a blizzard. Marie was being beaten by two men in an alley not far from where we used to meet. I saved her life and took her to my home to tend to her wounds. She is not frightened by my true face. We have fallen in love even though I had fought it at the beginning but Marie has persuaded me otherwise. She truly loves me and I love her a thousand times more than I ever thought I loved Christine. I have never felt anything so wonderful in my entire life, Nadir. So, my friend, will you be my best man?" I ask hopefully.
"Of course I will. So, when is the wedding?" Nadir asks a bit suspiciously, still every bit the policeman.
"We are to be wed at the Notre Dame Cathedral at sundown on Monday," I answer simply.
"Just how long have you known Marie?" he asks skeptically.
"I have known her long enough, Nadir," I answer sternly, knowing what he is hinting at. He thinks I have tricked her into marriage... that I am doing the same to her as I had with Christine. I cast him a look that would send anyone else running from my presence but he pays it no heed.
"How do you feel about all of this?" Nadir asks defiantly as he looks in Marie's direction.
"It is I who has convinced Erik to be wed on Monday, Monsieur," she says sweetly, not at all bothered by his questioning.
"Has Erik done anything to convince you to marry him?" Nadir asks softly, casting a cautious look in my direction. If Marie is not bothered by his questions then I am not going to interrupt even though I do not appreciate his line of questioning.
"No, Monsieur, Erik has been nothing but kind to me. I love him more than life itself and I want nothing more than to be his wife," Marie says compassionately as she looks Nadir directly in the eye.
"But you have seen his face?" Nadir asks doubtfully.
"Yes, I have seen what lies behind his mask. I have touched and kissed the twisted skin and I am not at all frightened or repulsed by it in the least. What I am about to tell you may sound strange to you but please listen with an open mind. As a child he used to be there in my dreams to comfort me and to protect me when I was frightened. He would wrap his cloak around me and hold me close and sing to me. When I was older he allowed me to see his face. I knew that it was just a face and that it could never harm me because he would never harm me. Over the years I grew to love the man in my dreams. My dreams also have the ability to show me things that will happen in my life or in the life of someone close to me. I have experienced much of what Erik has been through in the past twenty years and I have also see what is yet to come. I witnessed my parents' murders a month before it happened and although I tried to warn them they simply brushed it off. I eventually gave up trying. If they would have only listened to me they would still be alive today. I saved Erik's life yesterday because of my dreams and if you do not believe me you can see for yourself the large lump he still has on the back of his head," Marie says hurriedly as she moves to sit next to me on the sofa.
"I believe you, Mademoiselle. In Persia I knew of a few people who had the gift of seeing into the future. I simply wanted to be sure that you were aware of what you are getting yourself into. Erik is a good man and I believe that he deserves to be happy. You, my dear, are just what Erik needs. I just wanted to make sure that Erik wasn't up to his old tricks again. His voice has a tendency to persuade people to do things they would rather not do," Nadir says with a glance in my direction.
"As I said before, Nadir, I did not do anything to encourage this," I say sternly. Why must he keep questioning me? If he were anyone else I would have killed him for suggesting such things.
"Forgive me, my friend. I just needed to be sure that everyone involved will be happy," he says softly. "I just do not want to see a repeat of what nearly happened between you and Christine."
"There is no need for you to worry, Nadir, there is no jealous boyfriend nor is there any trickery involved," I say honestly as I look him in the eye to prove that I am not lying to him.
"Then I give you both my blessing and I would be honored to be your best man, Erik," he says sincerely.
I hand Charles to Marie before saying, "Thank you, Nadir. You have no idea what that means to me." We both rise and I embrace him briefly to show how much his friendship means to me.
"I am glad you have finally found someone to love you as you deserve to be loved," he says honestly.
"Thank you, my friend. Now, if you will excuse us we must be on our way," I say as I take Charles from Marie's arms and offer her a hand.
"Of course," he says as he hurries to the door. "I am sure you have much to plan. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mademoiselle." With that he takes Marie's hand and kisses it lightly.
"It was a pleasure to meet you also, Monsieur," Marie says softly as Nadir releases her hand.
"I will see you soon, my friend," I say as I usher Marie out the door to the waiting brougham. Once Marie is settled inside I hand Charles to her and give a few more instructions to the driver. Once I am sure that he understands I join Marie in the back of the carriage and we are on our way once more.
"He seems like a nice fellow," Marie says as she moves closer to my side.
"Yes, he is. He has saved my life more than once. He is the one person I can call a true friend," I say solemnly. We ride on in silence before the carriage stops once more.
"Where are we now?" Marie asks as she once again gets out of the brougham and surveys her surroundings.
"This is your next surprise," I say as I take her hand and lead her to one of the nearby houses. She looks puzzled as I knock on the door.
"What is this place?" Marie asks in a whisper as I step back and wait for the door to be answered.
"You shall see soon enough," I say softly as I hear movement just inside the door. As the door opens slightly I step forward into the light and say softly, "good evening, Madame Giry."
"Monsieur Phantom?" she asks hesitantly as she opens the door further to allow more light to spill forth and reveal my dark form to her curious eyes. "Please come in," she says quickly as she steps aside.
"Thank you, Madame," I say as Marie and I enter her quaint little home. "I hope we are not disturbing you."
"Not at all, Monsieur," she says hastily as she offers to take our cloaks. "To what do I owe this honor?" she asks humbly after we are seated in the parlor.
"I have come to ask you a favor," I say after a moment. "Is Meg at home?"
"She is up in her room. Should I fetch her for you?" Madame Giry asks quickly. She is always eager to please me.
"If you would, please," I say softly.
"But of course," she says hurriedly as she rises and soon disappears up the stairs. A few moments later both her and her daughter descend the stairs and join us in the parlor.
"Good evening, Monsieur," Meg says nervously as she sits next to her mother, casting a glance at my masked face.
"Good evening, Meg. How is your dancing coming along?" I ask curiously, hoping to put her at ease. I have neglected to pay much attention to the happenings in my opera house as of late.
"Oh, everything has been going wonderfully, Monsieur," Meg says enthusiastically as her eyes light up.
"That is good to hear," I say with a nod and I notice Meg looking curiously at Marie and Charles. "I would like you to meet someone," I say after a slight pause. "This is Marie and this little fellow is her brother, Charles. I was hoping that perhaps you would like to get to know Marie and possibly become friends."
"I would like that very much, Monsieur," Meg says happily. She quickly gets up and walks to Marie. "Would you like to come up to my room? There is so much I can tell you that has been going on around the opera house," she inquires excitedly.
"Meg, before you go running upstairs with Marie there is something I would like to ask of you," I say as Meg practically drags Marie to the stairs.
"Of course, Monsieur," Meg says as she stops in her tracks.
"Marie and I are getting married on Monday but there is a slight problem. You see, Marie's parents are no longer with her and she has no friends around here so she is in need of a bridesmaid and also for someone to give her away. I thought that perhaps you would like to be her bridesmaid, Meg." I suggest hopefully.
"Oh, yes, I would love to be," Meg says quickly and I cannot help but smile at her. She is such an excitable creature.
"Madame Giry, I was hoping that you might be the one to give Marie away. I respect you very much and I have always trusted you. Would you please do this for me?" I ask sheepishly.
"Of course, Monsieur Phantom," she says hurriedly and I seen a brightness in her eyes I have never seen before.
"Thank you both," I say softly. "You may go now, Meg," I say with a nod in her direction.
"Come on, Marie, I have so much to tell you," Meg says excitedly as she hurries up the stairs with Marie close behind.
After a moment I hear a door shut and the low chatter of Meg. Looking back at Madame Giry I notice that she seems to be studying me oddly. "Is something wrong, Madame?" I ask slowly.
"Forgive me, Monsieur, but I cannot help but wonder about the suddenness of all of this. You could not have possibly known this girl for very long and already you are getting married," she says in a timid voice.
How dare she question me! I have been nothing but kind to her and she dares to question me! Rising from my seat I quickly cross the room and find myself standing menacingly over her. "Are you questioning my intentions?" I ask in a barely contained voice. "I have helped your daughter succeed in her dreams of being a great dancer! I have shown you nothing but respect and kindness over the years! I have even trusted you enough to ask you to be a part of my wedding and what thanks do I get for all of these things? You question my motives and intentions!"
"Please, Monsieur, forgive me!" Madame Giry cries softly as she cowers as far into the chair as she can. Charles begins to squirm in my grasp and I slowly come out of my blind rage and realize that I was poised to strike the poor woman. Quickly regaining my senses, I lower my raised hand to rest at my side. Madame Giry continues her pleading. "I never meant to question you, Monsieur. I simply was looking out for your best interests. I wanted to be sure that no one involved would be hurt, least of all you. After what had happened with Christine and all," she sobs softly.
"Forgive me, Madame, I should not have yelled at you," I say softly as I kneel before her and take her trembling hand in mine. "I do not know what came over me. I would never hurt you. Please, you must believe me," I plead feverishly as a tear streams down my cheek. Why had her question caused such a reaction from me? Nadir questioned me much worse and I did not become violent with him. She has never done anything to hurt me in the past.
"Monsieur Phantom, please get up off the floor. I am not angry with you. I should not have questioned you. Your affairs are none of my business. If marrying that girl is what you both want then I am glad for you. I believe that everyone deserves some happiness in their life and God knows you have suffered far too long without such a simple thing," Madame Giry says sternly, no longer cowering from my rage. "Now, I shall forget what has just happened and I wish for you to do the same. Would you like some tea?"
Stunned by how easily she has forgiven my actions I stand and nod my head in accent.
When she returns from with the tea I manage a meager, "thank you, Madame."
"There is no need to thank me. Now, when is the wedding to be and where is it being held?" she asks as she returns to her seat.
"It is to be held at sundown Monday at the Notre Dame Cathedral. I have already made the arrangements," I say, thankful for the change of subject.
"That does not give me much time to find a suitable dress," Madame Giry musses to herself.
"There is no need to fret over a dress, Madame, that will be taken care of shortly," I say as I take a sip of tea. Glancing at Charles I see that he has drifted off to sleep.
"What do you mean, Monsieur?" she questions, puzzlement showing on her weathered face.
"When Marie and Meg are finished gossiping I will be taking the three of you to be fitted for your gowns," I explain simply.
"But, Monsieur, I could not possibly allow you to do such a thing," she says aghast at the suggestion.
"Why not?" I ask curiously as I study her face.
"Wedding gowns are expensive, Monsieur, and I could not possibly allow you to spend such money on Meg and me," she says firmly.
"Madame, you of all people should know that I can afford such things. After all, I receive a salary of twenty thousand francs a month and have only been spending what I need to since Christine left me. I can easily afford to buy you and Meg a new dress," I say earnestly.
"But, Monsieur, I could never repay you for such a thing," she argues softly. "I cannot accept such generosity."
"You can and you will accept my generosity. I can assure you that I wish for nothing in return. You have taken care of my box for all these years and have insured that my salary is always waiting for me. Buying you a new dress to attend my wedding is the least I can do for you," I say sternly, not about to accept no for an answer. "As I said, it is the least I can do to repay you for all the generosity you have shown me over the years that you have been at the opera house."
"Well, since you insist, Monsieur, I suppose I have no choice but to accept such a gracious offer," she says reluctantly.
"Good," I say as I finish my tea. Setting the cup aside, I carefully reposition Charles into my other arm. "I believe we should be on our way... the dress shop will be closing soon," I observe as I glance at the clock.
"I will go fetch the girls," Madame says as she slowly stands and makes her way to the stairs.
"Please do not tell them what I am planning," I say softly before she begins to climb the stairs.
"Of course not, Monsieur," she replies softly before disappearing from sight. A moment later I hear a knock on a door followed by Madame Giry saying, "come downstairs now, it is getting late and our guests must be going soon."
"Yes, Mother," Meg calls quickly.
As Madame Giry reaches the bottom of the stairs I hear the door open and the sound of footsteps and quiet laughter softly descend the stairway. "Would you three lovely ladies care to join me on a moonlit ride?" I inquire after they enter the parlor.
"Can we, Mother?" Meg asks excitedly and I cannot help but smile at her enthusiasm. How will she react when she finds that we are going to a dress shop instead of just for a carriage ride?
"Yes, I believe some fresh air would do us good. It is a rather nice night for a ride provided you dress warmly," Madame Giry says casually as she rises from her seat and retrieves her cloak.
After everyone is ready I assist the women into the carriage and hand Charles to Marie before going up front to give the driver specific instructions before joining them in the brougham. This time, however, I open the curtains allowing us a view of the moonlit streets as we slowly make our way around a park. Our journey than brings us to a stop a few blocks beyond the quiet park.
"Why are we stopping here?" Marie asks softly as she gazes curiously out the window at her surroundings.
"It is a surprise, my dear," I say softly as I open the door and exit the carriage. "Come, I shall show you all," I say simply as I take Charles from Marie once again before holding out my hand to her.
"Thank you," she says softly before stepping away from the carriage and taking in her surroundings.
I then offer Meg a hand. She seems to hesitate but only for a moment. "Thank you," she says once she is safely on the ground before hurrying off to join Marie.
"Thank you, Monsieur," Madame Giry says softly as she takes my hand and I help her down.
"You are all quite welcome. Now, time is wasting. Come with me," I say as I take Marie's hand in mine and make my way to the little dress shop that resides out of view around the corner.
"A dress shop?" Marie questions softly.
"Yes, it appears so," I reply comically. "I thought that you might like a dress for the wedding."
"Oh, yes, Erik, that would be wonderful," she says happily. "But it looks as though the shop is closed for the night," she adds disappointedly.
"My dear, I can assure you that this shop is never closed to me," I say softly. True, it has been quite some time since I last paid this place a visit but surely the seamstress will remember me quite well.
"Are you sure? It looks rather dark," she observes as she looks up at me with a puzzled look on her face.
"I am quite sure," I say, amused by her innocence. "Wait here, I shall be right back," I say softly before releasing her hand and giving her Charles before disappearing around the corner once more.
Hurrying to the side door I let myself in and quickly make my way to the apartment up stairs. I knock softly on the door as I had so many times before when I was in need of a new gown for Christine. "Monsieur Phantom, is that you?" I hear the familiar voice of the seamstress call softly. She sounds unsure of my identity. Perhaps she believes me to be dead as most everyone else does.
"Yes, it is I," I call softly in the powerful tone she is most familiar with.
Upon hearing my voice she quickly opens the door. "It has been a very long time since you have called upon my services, Monsieur," she says softly as she lights a lantern and makes her way down the stairs to the shop. "How may I help you?" she asks as she lights another lantern before turning to face me.
"I am getting married on Monday and I would like for you to make the wedding gown and also dresses for the bridesmaid and the woman who will be giving my wife away," I say easily. "I can assure you that you will be well paid as always," I add softly.
"But of course, Monsieur," she says eagerly. She then begins rattling off a list of things she will need to know. "Am I to be using the same measurements for the gown as before or do you have new measurements for me? And what of these other two dresses? I will need measurements for them also."
"Mademoiselle, please," I interrupt quickly, stopping her onslaught of questions. "The ladies are waiting outside. If you would be so kind as to open the front door you can measure them yourself."
"Oh," she says simply, obviously surprised by the fact that I have three women with me unlike my usual solitude. She quickly lights a few more lanterns as she makes her way to the front door. "Please come in," she says softly as she opens the door.
"Thank you," all three reply in unison as they enter the warm little shop.
"So, who is the lucky lady?" the seamstress asks as she leads us into the back of the shop after locking the front door once again.
"I am," Marie says softly as she steps closer to my side and takes my hand in hers as if trying to prove that she truly is my soon to be wife.
The seamstress looks Marie up and down before shaking her head and smiling. "Well now, I have several designs that will suit you just fine but I believe it will be a bit difficult to take your measurements while you're holding that there babe. There's a crib in the corner you dare put him in," she says as she indicates the direction of the crib.
Marie releases my hand and makes her way to the crib while the seamstress smiles at me slyly.
"Mademoiselle, I can assure you that you are drastically wrong in what you are thinking," I say quietly, knowing that she suspects the baby to be mine. As she continues to smile at me I add sternly, "the child is her brother, not my son."
"Oh no, Monsieur, I did not mean to suggest that you had fathered the child out of wedlock! I was simply smiling at the thought of you, the Phantom of the Opera, finally getting married," she says hurriedly as she lowers her eyes and fiddles with the folds of her dress.
"Is something wrong?" Marie asks me softly as she returns to my side and glances at the seamstress.
"No, my dear, everything is fine. Are you ready for your fitting?" I ask as I lead her over to a small platform.
"Of course she is," the seamstress says brightly, as she hurries to the platform.
"Yes, I am quite ready," Marie says eagerly as she waits for the seamstress to retrieve her tape measure.
"If you would step up on the platform, please," the seamstress begins. "I will get your measurements and then we can go over some designs and see which you would like for your gown."
"That sounds like a wonderful plan," Marie says happily as she takes her place on the platform.
"Do you have any particular color in mind for the bridesmaid and mother's dresses?" the seamstress asks as she begins to take down the measurements, working quickly.
I notice a look of hurt in Marie's usually clear blue eyes at the mention of the mother's dress and I feel inclined to correct this error before it is repeated and causes her more pain. "Madame Giry is not Marie's mother. She has been kind enough to agree to give Marie away since her own mother is unable to attend the ceremony," I say softly as I watch Marie's face carefully.
At my words, I see a look of relief cross her face briefly as she mouths a silent, "Thank you."
"I am so sorry," the seamstress says softly, ashamed of her error and understanding the true meaning of my words.
"That is quite alright, Mademoiselle," I reply simply. "I should have pointed that out earlier."
After a few minutes of silence as she gathers a few more measurements the seamstress seems to remember our presence and says quickly, "it will be a while until I am finished with Mademoiselle Marie. There are some chairs through that doorway if you would like to sit for a spell."
"That sounds like a splendid suggestion," I say as I head in the direction she had indicated. "I do believe I will take you up on that offer. Care to join me, ladies?" I ask over my shoulder.
"Yes, I do believe I could use a rest," Madame Giry says quickly as she follows close behind me.
"I agree, after all, there really is nothing for me to do out here," Meg says as she hurries into the other room.
Once we are all seated I ask, "Have you had any trouble with any of the dancers, Meg?"
"Well, there is this one girl who tries to make me falter in my steps but she has yet to succeed and I doubt that she will," Meg says softly, with the air of a well-trained dancer who could never even fathom the idea of missing a step.
"Would you like me to see that she stops?" I ask seriously. A note to the managers or a late night visit to the girl's bedside will easily solve the problem.
"No, Monsieur, I believe that I can handle her. But, thank you for the kind offer," she says honestly and I realize just how much she has matured over the past two years. The Meg I used to know would have jumped at the chance to have me eliminate her competition.
"As you wish," I say softly. "But remember, Meg, if you change your mind all you need to do is ask and I will gladly remedy the problem."
"Thank you, Monsieur," she says sweetly.
"You are quite welcome," I reply earnestly.
We sit in a comfortable silence for quite some time before Marie enters the room looking rather pleased. "Who's next?" the seamstress asks as she enters the room closely behind Marie.
"Perhaps you should go next, Meg. After all, you need to be getting some rest soon if you wish to dance tomorrow," Madame Giry says softly.
"Of course, Mother," Meg says happily as she hurries to the doorway and I have the feeling that Madame Giry had other reasons in mind when she suggested for her daughter to go first.
"How did it go, Marie?" I ask softly as she sits on my lap instead of in the chair next to mine.
"It was wonderful," she says happily as she rests her head on my shoulder. "The dress I chose is so beautiful. I just know you will love it!"
"I am sure that I will," I say softly as I wrap my arms around her and simply enjoy her closeness.
"I hope that you do not have any more surprises planned for tonight. All this excitement has made me rather tired," she says sleepily.
"No, I have no more surprises planned for tonight," I say softly. As I glance at Madame Giry I notice that she is smiling in our direction... genuine happiness for us showing on her face.
"Tonight has been filled with so many wonderful surprises. Thank you, Erik," Marie says softly as she snuggles closer.
"You are quite welcome, my dear. Sleep now," I say softly as I press a light kiss to her forehead.
"I love you, Erik," she says softly as she closes her eyes before releasing a soft sigh of contentment.
"And I love you, Marie," I reply in a whisper, knowing that she is now sleeping in my arms.
