Chapter 10

The next day I woke early and went to the kitchen. Erik was already there. He always got up early. He greeted me with a smile and a kiss.

"Good morning."

"It is now." I smiled.

As we ate breakfast I said,

"I'm going to see Meg today." He looked at me and then nodded.

"I see."

"I'll meet her at the café. And I have to pick up the work I missed in class. And we need shopping." I said, realising how much I actually had to do. I looked at him.

"What are you going to do today?"

"Write music, I expect." He smiled. As if I needed to ask.

I took my bike to the café. Meg was sat at a corner table and she jumped up as I came in.

"Christine!" she hugged me and I laughed.

"Meg, it's only been two days."

"I know… I was just worried about you, is all. Come on, I'm buying you a coffee. How's your dad?"

"I have no idea. The doctor asked me not to come back for a few days so Dad can settle down. I'm going back on Friday.

"So you're staying up at the Manor with Mr Lavonne?"

"Yes." I said, not sure how to tell her.

Meg sipped her coffee and said,

"OK, what's wrong?"

"What?" I said, startled. She eyed me shrewdly.

"Christine Daae, how long have I known you? I can tell when something is wrong. Is it Raoul?" she asked, looking at me plainly. I hesitated.

"Sort of."

"Don't worry. You guys will work it out."

"Meg, I'm not getting back with Raoul."

That made her stop, put down her coffee and gape at me.

"What?"

"You heard. I'm not getting back with him. When he comes back I'm going to talk with him."

"Christine, why? You've been together so long now! I know you've had your differences but…" she stopped talking and looked at me incredulously.

"There's someone else isn't there?"

I bit my lip and nodded. Meg closed her eyes.

"Christine, tell me it isn't Erik Lavonne."

"Meg, I don't know how it happened."

"I can't believe this! He is, what, ten years older than us?"

"Eight years. Meg, please, try to understand." I begged. She couldn't look at me.

"Christine, what are you doing? This is insane."

I sighed heavily. She looked up at me.

"What about Raoul? He is a great guy and he loves you. Are you going to throw what you have with him away?"

"Raoul doesn't need me. Erik does."

"And why do you think that is? A good looking older man taking an interest in a girl like you. You're not thinking clearly."

"Meg, I love him." I whispered. She closed her eyes, rubbing her temples.

"Christine-"

"I love him! And he loves me! His life has been so hard and now he's happy. And he makes me happy too. Meg, you're my best friend. I hoped you could be happy for me. Because Erik is everything I ever wanted and he's helped me so much. I don't know when I fell in love with him or him with me but it just makes sense!"

"Stop it! Just stop it! Christine, this can't possibly work."

"I saw under the mask."

She blinked.

"What?"

"That mask was his shield against the world, against everyone who hated him because of what was underneath it. I took away the mask and saw what was underneath and I love him."

"Under the mask…?"

"I don't know what happened but his face was… twisted. But I didn't care, because I already loved him, Meg." I said quietly. Meg stared at me and then said,

"Christine, this is so… I mean, if it doesn't work out…"

"It will. I know it will. I have never felt this way about anyone before, not even Raoul. Erik and I… it's indescribable. I mean, I've been away from him for about an hour and I already miss him and want to make sure he's still OK." I said, glancing at my watch as I did so.

Meg looked uncertain but she took my hand and squeezed it.

"Christine, I'll always be your best friend. And if you're sure about this then… then I'll support you all the way." I smiled for the first time and hugged her.

"Thank you…" I whispered. Meg laughed and said,

"Now, you know what you have to do?"

"What do you want to know?" I laughed.

"How did it happen! How far have you gone? Is it serious?"

Meg. A true gossip.

My literature professor, Professor Oldfield, looked up as I came in.

"Miss Daae. We missed you yesterday."

"I'm sorry. My father was admitted to hospital on Sunday. I've had to sort some things out."

"Of course. Do you want the information from today's lecture?"

"Please."

As he took some sheets out of his bag he said,

"You're a very promising student, Miss Daae. I hope you'll carry on here."

"I plan to. But it depends on how soon Dad's coming out of hospital."

"You have no other relatives? Your mother?"

"My mother died last year." He looked embarrassed as he passed me the sheets.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Hopefully I'll be back in class next week." I said with a smile. Professor Oldfield nodded reassuringly.

"I hope so. If not, there's always next year."

I called home first to check the phone messages and pick a few things up that I had forgotten. There was only one phone message and it was from Raoul.

Hey Christine, it's me. Just wanted to make sure you're OK, Meg told me about your Dad. Don't worry too much, he'll be fine. I can't wait to get back and see you. Missing you already. Love you. Bye.

I deleted the message and fetched the things that I needed. Then I hurried back outside, mounted my bike and drove as fast as I could back to the Manor.

Erik was playing a cheerful song and singing quietly as I walked in. He got to his feet and walked across the room to greet me. I hugged him.

"I missed you."

"You were gone for a couple of hours." He said with a smile. I shrugged.

"Missed you anyway." I whispered. He kissed me and then swung me up to carry me across the room. I laughed in delight, unable to believe the change in him.

He laughed and held me tightly.

"How was Meg?"

"She was…" I struggled to think of a word. Erik said,

"She didn't take it well?"

"Not exactly. She was convinced that you were taking advantage of me in my grief-stricken state and that I was merely looking for comfort. But after I yelled at her for a while she came around. She just worries too much and reads to far into them." I saw the look on his face and frowned. "Erik, it's not true. As long as we know it, nothing else matters."

He nodded and smiled again.

"Alright." And then he scooped me up again, spinning around until I felt dizzy and laughed out loud.

"You know what you are?" I said as he finally set me down. He smiled.

"What?"

"You, Erik Lavonne, are my angel of music."

"Am I now?"

"Yup. You were there when I needed you most and you're still here when the daylight comes." I said, leaning on him.

I glanced over at the piano.

"What were you playing?"

"Nothing in particular."

"You sing beautifully. I never heard you sing before." I told him. He frowned.

"Yes you have."

"No, that was the first time."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Come on, sing for me!" I said, pulling him over the piano. I accidentally knocked over a box, spilling sheet music to the floor. I stopped and stared.

Thick packets of sheet music, bound together lay among the looser sheets. I picked one up.

"What are these?" I asked. Erik didn't reply. I looked at the cover of one.

"Don Juan Triumphant by Erik Lavonne. Il Muto by Erik Lavonne. Hannibal by Erik Lavonne… Erik, are these operas? You write operas?" I said, staring at him in disbelief. He seemed slightly embarrassed but I smiled in amazement.

"This is incredible! Were they ever performed?"

"Once. Only once… When I moved here I had a lot of time on my hands. But I had grown up near an Opera House and spent a lot of time exploring music."

"Can I hear a song?" I asked. He hesitated and then reached for Don Juan.

He selected several sheets and then placed them on the piano. He started to play a slightly sinister sounded tune.

Past the point of no return

No backwards glances

Our games of make-believe are at an end

Past all thought of if or when

No use resisting

Abandon thought and let the dream descend

What raging fires shall flood the soul?

Which rich desire unlocks it door?

What sweet seductions lie before us?

Past the point of no return

The final threshold

What warm unspoken secrets will we learn?

Beyond the point of no return

He stopped playing but I had been reading the music and stepped in for the part of the character called Aminta.

You have brought me

To that moment where words run dry

To that moment where speech disappears into silence

Into silence

I have come here

Hardly knowing the reason why

In my mind I've already imagined

Our bodies entwining

Defenceless and silent

Now I'm here with you

No second thoughts

I've decided

Decided

Erik looked up at me and kept his eyes on me as I continued.

Past the point of no return

No going back now

Our passion play has now at last begun

Past all thought of right or wrong

One final question

How long should we two wait before we're one?

When will the blood begin to roast?

The sleeping bud burst into bloom?

When will the flames at last consume us?

The music reached a crescendo as we both sang the incredible sound.

Past the point of no return

The final threshold

The bridge is crossed

So stand and watch it burn

We're past the point of no return

The music faded away and I looked down at him, my hand on his shoulder.

"That was…"

"I know."

"Was it this one which was performed?" I asked. He nodded.

"At a theatre in London. That first night… it was a great success. I watched it from a private box. But the theatre caught fire and it wasn't performed again. Theatrical people are extremely superstitious. Because my work had a bad opening, it was considered bad luck. No one would take my work again."

His note had a bitter edge. I rested my cheek against his hair.

"Then they are fools. They missed out on a great opportunity."

"My work will never be performed. But lately I find that I don't mind. I shall remain a ghost in the history of the theatrical world." Erik said, scooping the music back into the box. I smiled.

"The Opera Ghost?"

"A Phantom of the Opera." Erik smiled. I laughed.

"Catchy. You should write a song about it."

"Maybe I will." He replied. I looked at my watch.

"I meant to clean the library. I might as well start now."

The rest of the week was the calm before the storm. The storm spelled R-A-O-U-L. On Friday I went to the hospital to see Dad. I took with me a large pile of books.

"In case you get bored." I explained, after I had greeted him. He smiled.

"Well, I won't anymore. How have you been, Christine? Is everything OK?"

"Yeah, things are great. I've been staying at the Manor for now. There's plenty of room and it means that I can get to work on time!" he laughed and said,

"Mr Lavonne doesn't mind?"

"No, he's OK." I said. There was no way I was going to tell him about the situation yet. Instead I said,

"So, what did the doctors say?"

"Counselling every day, group sessions and one-on-one. They've taken me off the medication. There are a few natural remedies we're going to try out. Anyway, it looks like I'm in here for the long haul."

I hesitated and then said,

"Dad? About the overdose…" he grasped my hand tightly.

"I didn't mean to. I really didn't. They're very powerful drugs. I took a dose and then I must have fallen asleep for half an hour. When I woke up I forgot that I'd already had them and took another dose. I thought everything was fine until I started to drive to the shop. I'm just glad no one was killed."

He peered at me.

"Christine, I would never overdose on purpose. You know that, don't you?"

"I… when I first heard I thought… you miss Mum so much…" I gabbled. He squeezed my hands tighter.

"Christine, don't think that again. I just made a stupid mistake. But I think the counselling will help me. I do need help."

"I know. I know, Dad." I said, hugging him as tightly as I dared. He was still full of wires and covered with casts and I didn't want to jog anything.

Dealing with a manically depressed, drugged up father was the easy part. The next day I had to deal with something far worse.