Chapter 26: A Chandelier in Pieces
When Meg, Christine, and Mme. Giry arrived the next day to begin work they were surprised to see that Erik, Lotte, and Pierre had already gotten a head start. Lotte and Pierre were picking up the crystals from the chandelier and putting them into bags so they could be taken care of later. Erik was up in the rafters retying support ropes for the planks in the fly.
"Good morning Angel," Christine called up to him.
He looked over the edge and waved down to them. Tying off the last rope he came down the stairs and approached them. "Glad to have all of you here this morning. We can do a lot of basic jobs before the more intense tasks need to be accomplished." He pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket. "The stage needs to swept and repainted, the statues polished, the support ropes were taken care of, but I still have to do the fly ropes, chairs replaced, curtains tailored, and a lot of wood beams need to be replaced," he said studying the notes.
"I'll polish the statues," Mme. Giry volunteered.
"All right then. Polish is in the cabinet and rags are in that bucket," Erik said pointing to the stage.
"I'll sweep," Meg offered taking up the broom.
"And I'll tailor the curtains," Christine offered.
"Sewing materials are in the costume room. Let me run and get them for you," Erik said as he started up the stairs. He disappeared down a dark hallway and soon returned with a small box of sewing needles and thread. He pulled out a roll of red thread and held it up to the curtain. "Perfect match," he smiled.
Christine smiled and looked into his eyes. "I think it is a perfect match…" then only so he could hear her, "…and so are we."
Now Erik was speechless. He was usually good at coming back with something just as sweet, but words failed him. She moved closer and while taking the box reached up and kissed him deeply. The smell of her hair drifted past his nose and he closed his eyes taking in all of that sweet scent, when some giggles came from the house. He opened his eyes to see Lotte and Pierre peeking up over the chairs and giggling softly.
He pulled back from Christine. "It seems we have some annoying company," he said eyeing the two teenagers, who ducked behind the chairs as Christine turned around.
"What are you talking about? There's no one there," she said sarcastically.
Pierre and Lotte peeked up again, but seeing that she was watching them ducked back down again now letting out full hearted chuckles. "I should go finish working on the fly. If you need anything you know where to find me."
He grabbed a coil of rope and headed up the stairs. She took the sewing box over to one of curtains, took out a needle, pulled the thread through and began to stitch up a large section of ripped fabric.
They worked in silence for awhile keeping their minds focused on the tasks they had to complete until a sweet song began to fill the house. Everyone looked in amazement to see Lotte singing "Think of Me."
Think of Me,
Think of me fondly when we say goodbye.
Remember me once in a while-please promise me you'll try.
When you find that once again, you long to take your heart back and be free,
If you ever find a moment, spare a thought for me.
We never said our love was evergreen, or as unchanging as the sea-
But if you can still remember stop and think of me.
…Think of all the things we've shared and seen- don't think about the way things might have been.
…Think of me, think of me waking, silent and resigned.
Imagine me trying too hard to put you from my mind.
Recall those days, look back on all those times,
Think of the things we'll never do.
There will never be a day when I won't think of you…
Flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade.
They have their seasons.
So do we.
But please promise me that sometimes you will think of…me
They all looked at her amazed except Erik, who gave a smile of victory. He had done it. He had granted another with the power of his voice. He was so proud of Lotte. She had hit every note perfectly and without the music of the organ to accompany her.
"Lotte that was beautiful," Christine exclaimed as she worked on the curtain. "Did Father teach you that?"
"He did. I felt we need some music in here. It was just to quiet. Did I sound all right?"
"You sounded just like your mother, when she sang it all those years ago," Mme. Giry said from up in the dome. "It seems to me that Erik is trying to recreate God's choir of angels once more."
Erik was now grinning from ear to ear as he tied the last section of support ropes to the pulley systems and tested them out. Unaware of what did what yet he accidentally pulled the curtain Christine was working on closed. She glanced up at him.
"Sorry love. I had forgotten for a moment which one did that. I'll bring it back just a moment." He turned the pulley again and opened the curtain. Christine relocated her spot and took the needle which was hanging from the thread. Not even giving Erik a second thought she started working again.
"Father, we've finished picking up the crystals," Lotte called from the house.
"All right I'll be right there."
Coming down the stairs he watched Christine's hands move with such skill as she stitched. It was like magic the way she worked without a care in the world. She had a sweet smile on her face and a twinkle in her green eyes as she hummed a sweet, but intense tune. He knew it quite well as "Point of No Return."
He walked past her and down the stage steps into the house. Lotte held up her bag full of crystals that hadn't been damaged in the crash. Pierre's bag however was full of shattered pieces of crystals.
"Will these be enough to fix the chandelier Father?" Lotte asked as he checked them.
"I may have to repair some of them, but I can do that tonight. Here I'll show you how the crystals go onto the chandelier so the two of you can start with that. By tomorrow we'll be able to raise it after I fix the electric fixtures and the support rope; I'll do that tonight as well."
"Father you have to stop being such a night owl. It's not healthy staying up late almost every night," Lotte sighed.
Erik took a crystal, shined it with his sleeve and attached it to the wire hanging around the steel frame of the chandelier. "Lotte I've stayed up late many nights before. I don't think it's possible to change something just like that."
"I was able to change you into a kinder person," she said kneeling beside him and copying him by attaching another crystal.
"You think so huh? What makes you so sure?"
"Well you kept your promise didn't you?"
Erik knew she was right. He tucked some hair behind her earand smiled at her. "You're right. I have kept my promise. How could I ever strike such a pretty face? I still hate myself for doing it once before."
"You were angry. I shouldn't have pestered you. It was my fault, so many things happened. My birth, my coming here, not listening to you when you told me to be careful, and going and getting lost. I'm a failure." She sat there and pulled her knees up to her chin.
"You are not a failure Lotte. Listen to you putting yourself down like this. I was so proud when you were born. It was no surprise to me at all that you were going to come into our lives. I wanted to be part of your life from the start, I really did, but I thought you would be afraid of me. Also Raoul was usually in the way. I had no way of getting close."
"You really mean all that?"
"Is this the face of someone who would lie?" he asked lifting her chin with his fingers and smiling at her.
"No, I guess not. All I see is the face of someone, who loves me very much and wants me to be happy."
"I'll be finished by the time you two are finished," Pierre joked. The entire time he had been working on the crystals. "Can I possibly get some help here?"
Lotte picked a crystal out of the bag and put it onto the chandelier. Erik took one also and did the same thing. Christine watched them and was pleased to see them all working so hard together.
Meg came up with the broom in her hand. "Christine is something wrong?"
"Huh? Oh, no Meg nothing is wrong. Everything is fine. Everything is just fine."
Hey just to let everyone know I feel much better (health wise) must have been a false alarm or something. My throat is still a bit sore, but it's nothing to worry about. I like how everyone responded so positively to my story. It makes my day to see a new review from my adoring fans. I enjoy giving you all something to read.