Ch. 10: A Fateful Visit

" Papa, what are you doing?" Delight stared at him with her big green eyes, her eyebrows high with question. Erik had been currently painting a picture about nobody in particular. These paintings began as blurs of shade and color, but always somehow ended up as crude renditions of Christine. That was usually how his easels and canvases ended up as firewood. The five year old jammed her thumb in her mouth expectantly, her jet-black curls framing her curiosity. He had begun to stutter some indecipherable excuse when the child surprisingly read him like a book. " You were thinking about Christine again, weren't you, papa?" The masked man forced a you-got-me smile, picking up the girl. He had taught her to call her mother by her first name because her visits weren't half as painful when she did.

" Yes, child, I was thinking of her. Weren't you supposed to be practicing your scales?" Delight's eyes widened in forged innocence, preparing some elaborate lie. " Then go, Delli, and finish. I won't stand for laziness. Go, leave me be." Erik put the girl down. The child scuttled off, kicking up dust in her wake. Within moments, a strange squeaking sound came floating under the crack in the door. It was strangely ironic, her being his child, for she had not shown an inkling of musical talent, but he would not give up.

When the weak notes became loud enough, Erik snapped the portrait across his knee and threw it in the fire. He watched as the painting curled into a black char, letting smoke billow in his face.

Without another word, he strode into the next room and stopped Delight's lesson. " Delli, can you tell me what day it is? I have no idea." The girl rubbed her chin in mock thought. " It's the twenty-first of June, Papa." How she knew this, he had no idea, but they had to leave. It was Gala night, and he promised Christine he would bring Delight for a visit after the show. She had not seen her baby for three months, so this was not an occasion to be missed.

" Come on then, put on your blue dress, we're going to pay Christine a visit." The child stared, and then narrowed her eyes. " Why do I have to come? I don't even know her. Who is she, anyway?" Delight had a stunningly vast vocabulary for somebody barely out of toddler age, but used it against her teacher.

Erik felt a lump rise in his throat. It was heartbreaking that she didn't know who her own mother was. " Don't talk like that! You must come, no arguments." Delight folded her short arms. " But who is she?" the question was repeated. There was no avoiding this. " Sh-she's your, erm, oh, we'll tell you later. Come along now!"

Delight scampered into the next room, returning with the dress on backwards. Erik corrected the fault, putting her in the boat and warning her not to fall in. It was astounding the way he had raised Delight, when just five years ago he could scarcely take care of himself. The girl sulked in the bottom of the boat, ego still bruised. She definitely possessed Erik's temper above all traits.

As she finished her song, Christine let the final note of vibrato run around the theater. The usual ovation followed, and she bowed gracefully from the stage, pausing to smile at the beaming Vicomte in box 8. Before the curtain diverted he view, she saw two dark figures, one very short, appear on the circular balcony near he ceiling. The short one was tugging on the trousers of the tall one, pointing at her. The tall one nodded, and then led the child through the door in the convex wall. They were coming.

Hurrying her thanks to admirers, she raced back to her dressing room and locked the door. Racing to clean herself up, Christine forced a simple green frock over her head. A soft knock sounded at her mirror, sliding open before she could say anything. Erik stepped out, holding Delight's small hand in his. She felt her heart soar at the sight of the pair, not sure who she was happier to see. " Delli, it's splendid to see you again!" the woman cried as she took the child in her arms. She felt uncertainty in the girl's returned embrace, releasing her.

" What's wrong?" She could not keep the hurt out of her voice. Erik turned away, fiddling unnecessarily with the collar of his cape. Delight studied Christine thoughtfully, and then said, " Who are you?" There was genuine confusion in her voice.

Christine clapped a hand over her mouth, turning to glare at the fidgeting man in the corner. " Erik, you mean to tell me she has no earthly idea who I am? Why haven't you told her?" He stopped toying with his collar. " I-I thought you should be the one to tell her! After all, she's your-" He was abruptly cut off when the door handle began to jiggle.

" Christine? Are you in there? I have a surprise for you!" Raoul's voice rang out at the locked door. Erik, horrified, leapt back into the passage and slammed the mirror shut. Delight stood transfixed next to her mother as the door swung open. Raoul entered, a ring of keys jingling in his hand.

" Christine, I've got something to- hello, there, who's this?" His bright gaze inferred to the staring child. Christine was at a loss for words, her face deathly pale. Delight was not so shy. She stepped forward, smoothing her shabby dress in an airy fashion. " My name is Delight. I suppose I'm Christine's friend. Who are you, dare I ask?" Her impudent tone clearly shocked the Vicomte, his smile wavering for only moment. " I'm Raoul, Christine's husband, and it's a pleasure to meet you." Delight continued to stare. " Oh, I think I know you! My papa tells me you're a-" Christine clapped a hand over the girl's mouth, laughing nervously.

" Such a silly child! Now Raoul, run along and wait for me outside. I won't be but a moment." Raoul looked confused, but then bowed out of the tiny room, making his goodbyes to Delight. Christine locked the door again and then slumped against it. Erik stepped out of the mirror, mopping sweat from his neck. Christine whirled to face him, her eyes blazing.

" Why did you tell her bad things about Raoul? She will repeat everything you say!" Her voice suddenly got high and cracked. She was crying. Erik looked surprised, but not in the least bit displeased. " Delli, run along back to the boat and wait for me. I want to help Christine with something." The girl ran off through the passageway, her shoes clattering all the way.

He helped the woman to her feet, wiping tears from her ivory cheeks. " I told her those things about him because, God help me, I'm jealous of him." His answer seemed to shock her. Before she could say anything, Erik kissed her gently on the lips, scattering her thoughts like leaves in the wind. She returned the passion, her tears suddenly dying up. When their lips parted, he strode through the mirror, not looking back. " Have a nice life, Vicomtess." Was his parting statement, " Because I'm sure as hell not going to be a part of it. Just know that I love you and will never stop loving you. Worry not about Delli. The angel of music has her under his wing."

Fin. ?