Chapter 2: Breaking The News
"Darling, what is it?"
Raoul's face was drawn in worriment.
"Just...just a dream," Christine mumbled.
Raoul tipped his head to one side and looked at her, trying to read some hidden thought upon her face. Christine looked away. The dream was too real, too intense...too personal...to share with Raoul. Even if he was her husband.
Christine felt Raoul's arms slide around her waist from behind. He pulled her hair gently to one side and kissed her neck.
"Was it a nightmare?" he asked, concerned. "You gave quite a jump."
"Not exactly a nightmare..." she admitted, at the same time not wanting to divulge any details.
"So you're going to be all right?" He gave her shoulders a warm massage. "You don't need a bedtime story or anything?"
"Bedtime story?"
He smiled at her. "My little Lotte."
"Oh, Raoul..."
She shook her head and laughed. He kissed her cheek and lay back down next to her on the bed.
"I love you, Christine," he said, staring up at her with big trusting eyes.
"I love you, too, Raoul," she mumbled.
"Goodnight. Wake me up if you need anything."
Raoul pulled his half of the blanket tightly around him and drifted back to sleep almost instantly. Christine stared at him in wonderment. How was it that men could fall asleep so easily?
How was it that she was cursed to spend year after year, tormented, wondering what might have been?
It was crazy! Erik was a murderer. A phantom. No woman in her right mind would even consider forging a future with a man like that. It was madness.
But there was something there, wasn't there? At first...
She had to know.
"Raoul?"
She gave Raoul a tap on his shoulder. No good. She shook him. He awoke with jerk.
"Mmph?"
"Sorry, Honey," Christine apologized.
"S'okay..." Raoul answered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "You have another nightmare?"
"No. I..." she breathed in deeply. "I need to talk to you."
Chapter 3: No More Talk Of Darkness