I must be crazy to keep this story going, but I know there would be a bunch of unhappy fans if I just randomly ended this. And I am not about to do that to anyone. Erik has been keeping a close eye on me making sure I keep up with my updates even though I do so much here at school. But enough dawdling let's get started.
Chapter 61: Family Reunion
The week had gone by at such a dragging pace and the day of the opening performance was upon the Opera House. Erik had gotten little sleep; waking up sometime late in the night to go up to the theatre and check up on small things around the stage.
Christine was worried about him. This morning in particular as he left her side again she sat up and followed him up into the theatre. The house was black and it felt like she was all alone. Pulling her robe closer around her she tried to readjust to the darkness. "Erik?" she whispered.
Two strong hands grabbed her shoulders, but she remained standing. She knew his touch only too well and she was no longer afraid. She had been afraid for 17 years and as a mother she had been through so much that she didn't even flinch as Erik grabbed hold of her.
"Welcome to the darkness. Join me and together we will rule every inch of the shadows," he whispered into her ear.
"A kind offer good sir, but I already own the darkness with another; someone who has the kindness within him to protect me and keep me safe."
"Who is this someone my lady?"
"A man of eternal darkness, but yet he carried that little bit of light that showed me the way to his heart. I feel the good that lingers there for me and it is something I never want to let go."
Erik smiled as he twirled her around in his arms. Even in the dark he could see every feature of her face straight down to the whites of her eyes. Had he been the richest man in the world and placed the appropriate jewel on each part of her face that was represented they would be dulled by the sheer beauty she possessed.
"Erik what are you doing up here? You left my side every night this week. I miss you," she said wrapping a single hand around his neck.
"I'm sorry love, but there's just so much I need to do to be ready for tonight. I don't want to make a bad impression."
"Everything is just fine. I've seen the sets Erik and they look just wonderful. I may not have the same creative mind that you have, but I do understand the beauty of a piece of work. And from what I see this Opera House is your greatest work of art. Every single person in this building down to the last washerwoman has you to thank Erik. You gave them something they all hoped for; a second chance."
"What do you mean? I couldn't have done something like that."
"But you have; when you renovated the Opera House that opened up so many jobs for people. Lyle and Madeline for example; you gave them new lives and futures by allowing them to dance and sing upon your stage. You also brought about young love for our daughter. If it hadn't been for you she would have never met Pierre and he is the best man for her. He understands her and loves her with all his heart. I would want nothing more than that for her."
"I don't want the glory. It's too much for me," Erik said turning away. "I wanted this for my own good. Do you think I really cared about anyone else?"
Christine was hurt and stepped back. "I can't believe you just said that. What do you mean you didn't care about anyone else?"
Erik smacked himself in the forehead with his palm and cursed. "Christine I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I'd give anything for you; even this building."
"I know. I know you care very much about your family. Unlike a certain someone I knew. Never allowing me to sing or dance. Keeping me within his house day and night only allowing me out to go to church and pray for my father's behalf. Never showing Lotte any love like a father would. He didn't care. He didn't care about me or about her. He only wanted what made him look good. I hate him Erik. Deep down within my heart I hate him!" She shouted.
Erik went over to her and rubbed her shoulders, which had grown tense. "I know Christine. It's all right now. He won't ever hurt you again. Even if he was still living I would never let him harm you again."
Christine let out a shuddered sigh and came up to him leaning her head against his shoulder. Not a word was spoken between the two of them as Erik helped her back down to the lair and put them both in bed cradling her to him.
xxxxx
Lotte pushed herself out of bed and pulled a robe around her. Pierre was already up starting to get dressed. He looked over at her and smiled. "Good morning, my Little Lotte."
"Good morning, my love. I judge you slept well last night."
"I always sleep well when I'm with you."
"You're just saying that," she teased wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I wouldn't do that," he said wrapping his own arms around her waist. "That's the god honest truth; my love."
She reached up and touched her lips gently to his. He deepened it though putting one hand behind her head twirling the little curls of hair around his fingers. "Oh, Pierre," she whispered into his mouth.
He pulled back for breath and smiled down at her caressing her cheek gently. "I love you so much Lotte since the first time I saw you with Louie tugging on your dress. That's something we can just look back on and laugh."
"You can. That dog was a brute. I'm surprised he was even nice to me when I came for our honeymoon. Well I better go get Jacqueline up and ready."
She gave him one last hug before going past him and going into the music room. Pierre finished getting ready then headed up to meet his parents and unlock the theatre doors.
Lotte went into Jacqueline's room to find the little girl already awake with a picture book in her hands. Seeing as she was too young to turn on the gas lamp she was trying her best to read in the dark.
"Jacqueline it's not a good idea to read in the dark. You'll hurt your eyes."
Turning up the gas lamp, Lotte turned back to see Jacqueline put the book down and climb out of bed. It was still an adjustment for Lotte that her one and a half year old was already sleeping in a bed instead of her crib. "What's today Mama?"
"Today is the opening night of the new Opera and you're going with Grandfather to watch while Mama performs."
Jacqueline's eyes lit up with excitement. This was the first time she would be seeing the Opera and actually being able to remember what she saw. She went when she was a baby, but usually she ended up falling asleep or crying and had to be taken to the dressing room where it was warm and quiet. Her grandpa would hum to her until she was asleep and even when she went to sleep he would stay watching over her until either Lotte or Christine came to care for her.
"Let's get you cleaned up and dressed up all pretty, because you'll be meeting some special people after the show."
"Who am I meeting; Mama?"
"I can't tell you it's a surprise. Come let's get you into the tub."
Lotte picked her up and took her into the bathroom and set her down beside her. Then she turned on the water and got Jacqueline out of her dress and diaper before wrapping her body in a big fluffy towel.
"You know what Jacqueline?"
"What Mama?" Jacqueline asked a big grin on her face.
"I love you."
"I know you do Mama. I love you and Papa too; and Granpa and Granma."
Lotte hugged her tightly to her. "They all love you just as much. It will be such an honor for your grandmother and me to see you watching us from Box 5 tonight."
Suddenly Lotte saw the water was almost to the top of the tub and hurried to turn it off and let a little drain out. Once it was at a nice level she took off Jacqueline's towel and lifted her up placing her gently into the water. It was soothing and comfortably, plus it was the best spot to play Jacqueline found out as she splashed some of the water into Lotte's face.
Lotte stood there with her mouth hanging open as Jacqueline let out a full hearted chuckle. She wiped the water from her face looking in shock at the little girl smiling back at her with those big blue eyes and the golden blonde hair now sopping wet around her shoulders.
"Got you," Jacqueline squealed as she splashed some water up again.
"Jacqueline, stop that. I don't need the bath you do."
Jacqueline let out one last giggle before finally settling down enough for Lotte to wash her hair and clean her off.
Christine had been woken up by the splash of water and came into the bathroom to investigate when another stream of water shot past her and into the music room. "What is going on in here?"
"This little raga muffin decided to have a little bit of fun in the bathtub and had no idea how big a mess she made."
Jacqueline looked over the side of the tub and saw the huge puddle on the floor. Realizing she had been the one to do that she gasped and tried to sneak away behind the wall of the tub. "Oops."
"That's all right we can clean that up. No harm done," Christine said as she grabbed another towel and wiped up the puddle outside the bathroom door. "I always remember having fun in the bathtub when I was growing up. Your mother was no different," she said to Jacqueline, who had popped her head up again.
"Mama was little once?"
"Yep, she was once as small as you."
"Wow!"
"Come on sweet pea let's dry you off and get you dressed we have a big day ahead us," Lotte said lifting Jacqueline out of the tub with a towel and carrying her into the bedroom.
xxxxx
Erik had gone up ahead to get the other actors and actresses ready for the evening while Pierre showed his parents around Paris, and the ladies were getting Jacqueline ready downstairs. Madeline noticed right away that Erik was acting different and she went up to him.
"Monsieur, are you all right? You don't seem like yourself this morning."
"How is it I'm different?"
"You seem in a better mood than ever before."
"Well tonight's the first night that Jacqueline get's to sit with me for the show and not fall asleep or cry during it. She's so looking forward to it."
"Aw, that is exciting. I still can't believe a girl of her age having such a musical intellect, but I don't doubt she got it from you."
"It's not just from me. That's what happens when you're surrounded by a musical family and a theatre full of music. Though I'll admit she is advanced for her age."
"Granpa!" Jacqueline exclaimed as she raced up to Erik and clutched his left leg.
"Well hello there Princess. My, don't you look pretty," he said looking down at her. Jacqueline's hair was done up in a ponytail and she was dressed in a lace white dress and white socks with tiny black shoes.
"I get to see the Opera."
"I know. You'll be watching from the best place in the house."
"Where?" she asked looking into the house.
Erik bent down, so he was at her level and pointed up to Box 5. "We'll be sitting right up there."
"Isn't that the Phantom's box?"
"Who told you that?"
Jacqueline leaned over and whispered into his ear. "Mama did."
Erik chuckled. "She did huh? Well that's what they used to call it."
Jacqueline pondered this for a second and finally put two and two together. "You're the Phantom aren't you Granpa?"
"She doesn't miss anything does she?" Madeline asked as Erik's jaw dropped open. "She was still young when you told us all about that."
"That's what so confusing. How did she figure it out so quickly?"
Jacqueline just gave a sweet innocent smile before kissing his cheek. He looked her over and soon smiled. She was a gift from God, sent to help him find his inner child and once again allow it freedom from his manly body. But how was is possibly that even at a year and a half she could distingue musical notes or know anything about who he had been prior to a manager? Was it luck, a simple guess, or did she know the truth just by piecing things together in her mind?
Had she been like other toddlers she would have been using simple words like ma or pa, but she had such an exquisite vocabulary that it made everyone wonder just what was going through her mind. They had thought that the attack on her and the early birth would have left her with so many problems, but she had been just fine. More than fine, she was becoming a tiny genius.
"Erik why are you on the floor?" Christine's angelic voice rang out through his ears making him whip around and gaze up at her. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he never noticed a loud thud as he lost balance and toppled back onto his butt upon the stage.
"Oh, I was having a little one on one with Jacqueline," he said as Jacqueline climbed upon one of his legs and looked over his shoulder.
"Don't you have work to do?" Christine asked as Lotte laughed.
"Yes, but it was hard getting anything done when you have your grandchild clinging to your leg."
Lotte picked up Jacqueline allowing for her Father to pick himself up off the ground and readjust his waistcoat. Then he remembered something. "Lotte did you tell her anything about Box 5?"
"All I said was it was called the Phantom's box; why?"
"For some strange reason she asked me if I was the Phantom. Now I know for a fact she was quite young when I told the employees what happened and we never used the term around her, so how could she possibly know that?"
"I don't know. Though a lot of things about her are a big mystery," Lotte said.
xxxxx
No more was said and all of them worked the day away making sure everything was taken care of and set for the show. An hour before the curtain was to rise; Lotte sat Erik down in the dressing room and put the makeup on his face while Christine hid the mask in a drawer. Jacqueline was sitting on the bed with one of her picture books in her lap.
Pulling on a black fedora he used for very special occasions Erik lifted Jacqueline into his arms and carried her up to Box 5. The pre-show announcements had already been made and it was soon time for the theatre to go into darkness.
Erik at first placed Jacqueline into the seat next to his. She stood up and looked over the side of the box anxious to see her mother dance. There were a bunch of people sitting below her. Erik reached over and pulled her back sitting her down on his lap. "There you go. Can you see better now?"
"I could see the world from here."
"Probably not the world, but all of the stage maybe."
Jacqueline looked once again down at the stage and could see that the orchestra was beginning to practice down in the pit. She was yet to notice her father and his parents sitting in a box across the theatre from her. Pierre happily pointed her out to Armand and Charlotte. They both looked over in awe, but when Erik looked up at them Charlotte went pale and quickly turned her eyes away.
She clearly remembered what he had looked like when he had been there, but she noticed the mark to be gone when they had made brief eye contact from across the theatre. She wasn't afraid because he had glared at her or anything, but more because of how he looked. He looked normal. It was strange and seeing Jacqueline sitting there with him made her wonder if the child had witnessed that twisted face?
She wasn't left much more time to wonder as the gas lamps in the theatre were dimmed and the show started. Christine came out on stage and took a glimpse up at Box 5 before she began to sing. Jacqueline was silent though out the entire song listening closely to each word and note as if it would be the last thing she ever heard. Erik was just glad to hear Christine's voice travel through the house once more and smiled.
When the song finished the ballerinas came on stage and danced around Christine. Jacqueline pointed out her mother and Madeline watching them dance and spin along with the music. Pierre also watched Lotte with his heart beating against his rib cage. She was beautiful as she moved about pushing forth so much effort to lay the steps down correctly.
xxxxx
When the show finished at least two dozen roses lay at Christine's feet as she took her last bow. Erik pulled one of his own roses out of his cape and held onto it as he lifted Jacqueline up and held her to him as he made his way out of the box and down to the stage. As he had guessed there were people everywhere trying to congratulate the cast on a wonderful first show and plenty of suitors trying to steal a kiss or get in a proposal, but Christine would calmly tell them she was married, but appreciated the gesture none the less.
Finally finding a path through the crowd Erik came up to her and presented the rose to her. "A beautiful flower for a beautiful diva."
She reached up and kissed him careful of the makeup. All the flowers she received from the audience couldn't make a dent in the importance his flower held. She pulled back from him her eyes slowly opening. Why hadn't he been blessed with the face she saw before her? Why did he have to hide away under layers of makeup? It wasn't fair. Someone as genius as him didn't deserve to live his life hiding from those around him.
At least there was that one thing about him she adored. He was unlike all other men, because he loved for love. Not, because she was a famous singer and was well supplied with money. That was what most of the men around Paris wanted and at least she had found the one that at least had a heart.
"Oh, Erik, I still have so much energy from singing. It almost feels like I completely forgot how it felt," she said twirling the rose in her fingers. "It's such an exciting feeling."
"I'm sure. You looked like you were enjoying yourself."
"I was."
They shared another kiss before Lotte and Pierre came over hand in hand. Armand and Charlotte were behind them. Christine turned around and smiled sweetly. Jacqueline gave the strangers a look over and grabbed tighter to Erik's jacket.
"There's our little granddaughter," Charlotte said happily.
Erik set Jacqueline down on the ground hoping she would go over and say hello to her other grandparents, but instead Jacqueline bolted behind him and pulled the cloak over her head.
"Jacqueline what are you doing under there?" Lotte asked. "Don't you want to meet your grandparents?"
Jacqueline poked her head out only long enough to mutter that they couldn't be her grandparents. The only ones she knew of were Christine and Erik and that was how it was going to stay. Pulling the cloak back over her head she made it quite clear that she didn't want any other grandparents.
"Does she not like us?" Charlotte asked pulling back a bit.
"No, it's just that she's not used to you yet. Usually she's very good when she meets new people, but she's known my Father since she was born. He was the first one to hold her. Basically, because I was non-respondent the whole time," Lotte explained.
Erik felt Jacqueline wrap her arms around his leg beneath the cloak. He reached back and patted her head trying to reassure her. "There's no need to be shy. These folks are your father's parents and that makes them your grandparents as well. Now will you come out and say hello?"
He felt her shake her head and cling tighter. "No," she whispered and two big tears fell down her cheeks and landed onto the fabric of his pants.
"This is going to be harder than I thought. It seems like Jacqueline isn't about to give in. Maybe we should go down and allow her to calm down before we try again," Erik suggested.
"Down? Down where?" Armand asked.
"Down to the lair of course," Erik said as he picked Jacqueline up, who right away buried her face in the crook of his neck. He patted her back and opened the door to the dressing room ushering the others inside.
He grabbed the mask from the drawer and put it back on his face. Jacqueline lifted her head and touched it gently with her fingers. She didn't know what it was about the mask, but it gave her grandfather a very distinguished look and to her it was very recognizable. When he moved over to the mirror she tucked her head back down and rested against him sniffing his cologne.
He was the only grandfather she knew. No one was allowed to replace him and she was going to make sure of that. As they traveled through the darkness she watched him closely. He moved with such grace down the tunnel, but a shriek from Charlotte made both of them turn around in surprise.
"There are rats down here. This is no place to be raising a child."
"It's not all that bad. Besides they tend to stay closer to the darker sections of the cellars. They hardly ever come near our home. Ah, and seeing as there is quite a few of us Pierre will you row them across the lake and the rest of us will take the other path?" Erik asked.
"Of course. We'll meet up with you there."
Pierre led Armand and Charlotte down to the water's edge and Erik backtracked to the mirror and lead Christine and Lotte down the other tunnel towards the familiar atmosphere of home. Jacqueline hugged him glad to have those two gone, but she got a real surprise when they exited the tunnel and Pierre was rowing them up to shore.
She tried now to get away from her grandfather in an angry struggle till he finally put her down. Once her feet were securely on the stone floor she took off for her bedroom as quickly as any one year old could and was going to try and close the door, but it was too big for her. Instead she grabbed Monk off the bed and pulled herself into a tiny corner.
She didn't want to see anybody except for Le Noir, who came in and rubbed up against her letting out a long purr. Jacqueline let go of Monk and pulled Le Noir into her arms; stroking the cat's back gently with her fingers.
xxxxx
Erik had watched Jacqueline flee and was now wondering whether he should go after her or wait for Lotte to check on her. Either way someone had to. Before he could head off in that direction Christine brushed past him and slipped into the bedroom.
"Jacqueline, where are you sweet heart?" she cooed softly.
"Leave me alone," Jacqueline said as clear as day.
Christine turned towards the tiny voice and sighed. "Why don't you come out and see everyone? They want to see you."
"No!"
"Why not?"
"They'll replace you and Granpa!"
Christine finally understood and went over to Jacqueline's side. "Sweet heart you must understand. They're not here to replace us. They're your grandparents just like we are. We're your mother's parents, and they're your father's parents. And you are the grandchild of both them and us. We all love you very much and they're only here for a visit, so how about coming out and saying hello?"
Jacqueline looked up at her. She had no idea what to do and remained where she was till Christine reached down and picked her up, causing Le Noir to jump aside. Christine dabbed at Jacqueline's eyes with a handkerchief and carried her out into the music room where everyone was waiting for her.
To Be Continued……..
Wow I spent all day on this. Math homework sucks. I have two performances left and strike following tomorrow's performance, plus two last weeks of school before finals week. YUCK! So in the next chapter will Jacqueline warm up to Armand and Charlotte or will she reject them? And what about Andre and Firmin? Who knows you'll just have to wait and see.