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Chapter 12: Birthday Wishes

By around 3am the dogs seemed to finally be giving up the chase. It was now safe to call it a night and rest. Erik pulled Cesar towards a grove of trees and tied the tired beast to a tree. Lotte sat down on the ground shivering in her wet clothes. She cursed for not bringing extra ones and Erik looked at her surprised.

"Where did you ever learn such words Lotte? They're very un-lady like."

"I heard you say them earlier." She let out a sneeze.

"Here take this," he said putting the cape around her shoulders once more.

"Thank you."

As her father began to build a fire Lotte pulled out the soaked sketchpad and looked over all the pages. The one page that hadn't gotten wet seemed to be burning its image into her. She had no idea what it meant. The fire began to cackle as Erik threw some small twigs into it. He smiled over at her.

"I found something for you." He pulled out a red rose and put it behind her ear. "Wonderful you're as beautiful as your mother."

"What's the occasion father?"

"My dear have you forgotten your own birthday. If I'm right you're 18 today.And I would…"

"…always give me a rose. I thought you had forgotten."

"I would never forget myown daughter'sbirthday. I had hoped to tailor you a new outfit from one of the costumes that other day, but when I heard you cry out my mind blacked out everything else, but coming to your rescue."

"I had no idea."

Erik lay down in the grass and looked up into the sky. Lotte followed his gaze and saw a star shoot across the black background. "Father I just saw a shooting star."

"Well you are a lucky girl. On a falling star wishes come true, but on your birthday whatever you wish it is bound to come true."

Lotte thought for a long time. She first thought of wishing for her father's infection to go away and offer him the chance of a normal life amongst the town, but then she would have never found him. She opened the sketchbook to the dry page and smiled. She stood and came over to Erik's side.

"I know what I wish for." She showed him the drawing.

"Lotte I don't understand."

"I wish for things to be as they were. You are rocking me to sleep as you sang softly, playing dress up in the costume rooms when it rained, teaching me to sing and compose music with ease, and all those times in which we just sat around talking and laughing. I miss those days. I will never be too old to enjoy a good hearty laugh with my father."

"Lotte that is one wish I'm sure the heavens would have no problem granting. Why they could grant it in just a second," he said snapping his fingers making her jump. He reached around her tickling her waist. She giggled loudly begging him to stop. He did, but in a sudden rush she had tackled him.

"I got you Father," she said proudly sitting on his back. He gave out a hearty laugh.

"Fine I surrender. You win Lotte."

"Say Lotte is the best!"

"Lotte is the best."

"That you love me with all your heart."

"I love you with all my heart."

"And that we'll be together forever." Erik said nothing. Lotte leaned over and saw a tear fall from his eye. "Father what is it?"

He lifted her off him and held her in his lap. "Lotte we can't be together forever. Life doesn't exactly work that way."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that someday you'll meet a nice, handsome Paris boy and want to marry and have a family. The opera house isn't the ideal place for that. Also I won't live forever nor will you. Most likely I'll leave this world before you do."

Lotte bit her lip. "Are you dying Father?"

"No, of course not Lotte. I still have plenty of life left and for as long as you need me I will be here to guide you."

Lotte yawned. "I'm getting so tired. Father, will you sing me to sleep?"

"Anything for you my Angel." He held her close and began to sing a sweet lullaby. Lotte's eyes grew heavy and she yawned again. "Go to sleep Little Lotte while the Phantom of the Opera grants your special birthday wish." He leaned down and kissed her. Throwing a few more pieces of wood on the fire he saw the sun begin to peek out through the trees. "So begins a new day."