Chapter 6
The night of Phantom arrived and it would be in about three hours when Connor and his grandfather arrived. She needed some music to calm her down.
"This is not a date. This is not a date." She kept telling herself as she shuffled through her pile of CDs.
Finally, she found some Beethoven and slipped it into her CD player. She went to the bathroom and drew a warm bath as Violin Romance was playing. She undressed and slipped into a robe as she turned down the lights and lit candles all around the claw foot bathtub. Once all the candles were lit, she took off her robe and slipped into the warm bubbly water and laid back as she closed her eyes.
Connor sat in his studio drawing as he also listened to Violin Romance through his headphones. He didn't hear The Architect come in.
"Connor?"
He was engrossed in his work. The old man gently reached out to tap his grandson, Connor quickly turned around to see him standing there. He removed his headphones.
"Oh hi." He said.
The old man looked over at Connor's latest masterpiece which happened to be Lexi. He was drawing her from the photographs that they took from their last session.
"It's different from what you have normally done in the past. I like it." The Architect said with a smile.
"Thank you grandfather."
The old man was thankful that Connor was drawing something else instead of the man who killed his father all those many years ago. But somehow he knew that the one called Neo would never leave his mind, no matter how hard he tried. There was a long silence as he continued to watch him draw.
"Son?"
"Yes?"
"I've been talking with Mero about getting your work shown at his gallery."
Connor felt uncomfortable all of a sudden, he really didn't feel he was good enough even though a few of his pieces over the years have made him rich. His real passion was classical piano. He turned to face his grandfather.
"Why?" He asked.
"Mero has seen some of your work over the years and he is quite impressed. He wants for your work when his gallery has its grand opening next week."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I wanted it to be surprise. Mero will be at the opera tonight. I think it would be best if you chatted with him."
Connor shook his head.
"I'm not really that good grandpa."
"If I didn't think you were good. I would not be speaking with Mero."
He checked his watch and looked at Connor.
"It's getting late. Your tux is already laid out."
As the old man made his exit, Connor let out a deep sigh and walked through the maze back to the mansion and up to his room, where he stepped into the shower.
Lexi was shaving her legs and finally after she was done, she stepped out of the tub and dried herself off. She went to her vanity and sat in front of the mirror as she applied her make-up and fixed her long blonde hair as she put it into an updo.
Connor stepped out of the shower as he wrapped a towel around him and shaved his face with an electric razor.
Lexi put on her undergarments starting with her black corset, with matching her garter belt and her stockings. She slipped into a black strapless gown.
Connor combed his dark brown hair back and put on his tuxedo. He felt as if he were getting ready to go to the prom even though it had been years since he had been in high school and he never went. He inspected himself one last time.
Lexi slipped on her shoes and wrapped a shawl wrapped around her shoulders. She also looked at herself one last time before the phone rang. She walked over and picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Hey! It's Selina!"
"Hey girl! You caught me at a bad time. I was just on my way out the door."
"Oh really? Where you off to?" Selina asked.
"Connor is taking me to see Phantom."
"You mean Connor as in Connor Smith? The rich guy who's paying you to pose for him?"
"Yeah."
"You go girl!"
Lexi laughed.
"I want details when you come back!" Selina said.
"We're going as friends, nothing more. And besides his grandfather is joining us."
"Hon, it would be very hard to be 'just friends' with someone that hot. At least for me it would be."
There was a knock at the door.
"Hey Selina, I gotta go."
"Have a good time sweety!"
And then she hung up. Lexi walked over to the door and opened it. Connor stood there in his tux and a dozen red roses which were her favorite. He was as handsome as ever.
"These are for you." He said as he handed them to her.
They smelled fragrant.
"Come in. Where's your grandfather?"
"Oh he's going to be joining us later." Connor explained.
"Oh okay, let me put these in some water. Make yourself at home." She said.
He watched as she went to the kitchen and got a vase and filled it with water. She set the put the roses in the vase and arranged them and set them on the coffee table.
"Thank you for the flowers." She said.
"You're welcome."
He looked at his watch.
"I think we better go."
Lexi looked at her wall clock.
"Yeah , I agree. Wouldn't want to be late."
They linked arms and walked out the door to Connor's limo. There was a man in a dark suit, sunglasses and an earpiece waiting as he held the door open. Lexi got inside first and Connor followed. The man shut the door behind them and took his place in the drivers side. Once inside, the window partition rolled down and the driver looked back as he spoke.
"Where to Mr. Smith?" He asked.
"Schnitzer Concert Hall, Jones." Connor replied.
"Yes, sir."
And then he started the limo as they drove off.
"The last time I saw Phantom was with Michael Crawford on Broadway." Connor said.
"How long ago?" Lexi asked.
"I would say about ten years ago." He answered.
"Well the only way I saw Phantom was when it was released to movie theaters. Never saw the stage version. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that." Lexi said.
"That's okay." He reassured her with a smile.
"Besides from what I hear they have Hugh Panaro playing the Phantom, this time."
Lexi raised one eyebrow.
"You seem quite knowledgeable on this musical."
"I've loved the book ever since I was a kid. In a way Erik, the Phantom, kind reminded me of my father before he died. And so this is my way of keeping him with me every time see it."
"Oh."
"I think I told you too much ..sorry."
"No it's okay. Your dad must have been one hell of a man." She said with a smile.
Connor nodded and smiled back at her.
"Yes, he was."
They reached the concert hall and pulled up in front. Connor looked out the window and then turned to her.
"We're here."
