The Ghosts of Christmas Past
Erik barely slept while Katie slept better than she had in years. After breaking the kiss, Erik had been so stunned that he barely noticed Katie's radient smile at him. Nor did he pay attention to her grasping his hand and leading them home. All Erik thought of while he laid in bed awake that nice was the shadows of Katie's soft lips willingly aganist his.
'Could it be?' he wondered.'Have I found someone to love me at last?' Thinking over the last few days, Erik smiled upon realizing that the lingering glances, the warmth he felt at her touch, the thrill in his throat at seeing her again, wasn't just a one sided attraction. Katie had visably given off the same signs and he hadn't done a thing to force it. It just...happened.
He got up and dressed for the long day. They had a lot of toys to collect today and then the major of New York would take a picture with them based on their efforts. It never even occured to him that his picture might cause someone to recognize him. And if it did, who was in America to recognize him?
Downtown, Christine sat up in bed with a gasp. She had another dream about the Opera Ghost. Looking to Raoul beside her, still fast asleep, she carefully got out of bed and dressed. She left a note and went downstairs and out to the snow covered streets of New York. She walked for a little while until she came to a bench beside a fountain. She began to sniff and wipe her eyes, when she heard the jingle of a bell. Looking up to see a tall gentlemen in a Santa Claus suit, a bell and bucket in his hand, Christine watched as the portly gentleman set up his things. She became surprised when he said to her,
"Penny for your thoughts, Miss." Shaking out of her thoughts, Christine asked him,
"What?" He looked at her with kind eyes,
"You're out awfully early in the morning by yourself." She sighed,
"I had to think and clear my head."
"Now what could possibly be wrong with a pretty young thing like you?" he asked sitting besides her. Marveling at how even his snowy whiskers were real, Christine shrugged,
"Have you ever wronged somebody and wished for the chance to apoligize...only to never see them again?"
"No...but aparently you have." the Santa said.
"The person I wronged...was in love with me. But I didn't feel the same and I fell in love with someone else. I never apoligized while I had the chance. Now I may never get to." Christine told him.
"Well...it is Christmas...Best time of year for miracles." Santa told her.
"If he got what he always wanted out of life for Christmas, then I'd be satisfied and wouldn't feel so guilty at leaving him alone." Christine said.
"I think that can be arranged." he said standing. Christine smiled,
"How?" Catching her gaze with a twinkle in his eye, he smiled,
"Well...I am Santa Claus, Christine." Christine's face dropped,
"How did you know my..."
"Christine!" Looking the other way to find Raoul running up to her, Christine stood and said,
"Raoul!"
"Darling what are you doing out here?" her husband asked.
"I was just out for a walk when I stopped to talk to this nice man...hey...where did he go?" Christine asked upon seeing the old man was gone. Raoul shrugged,
"Well anyway come! We still have to buy presents for my brother's children! Apparrently the toy companys are in bit of trouble around here."
Moments later, the De Changy's would enter a department store, only to miss Erik and the factory workers by five minutes who were catching toys from shop owners throwing them down from the windows.
"Sorry Sir!" called somebody as one toy hit Erik on the head. The manager of the store came out and gave a sack of toys to the children saying,
"Here's some Tavish Toys for you!"
"Thank you! Merry Christmas!" Erik nodded to them still rubbing his sore spot.
Later that day would find Erik and the children in front of the New York World newspaper. Erik was shaking hands with the Major who was annoucing to the gathered reporters,
"As Major I pledge that no child will ever be forced to work under the destisible conditions like those of the Tavish Toy company!"
"Over hear Mr. Major!" called one reporter as a photographer snapped a picture sending smoke everywhere. As it cleared, Erik smiled widely once he saw Katie standing in the crowd applauding.
That night, Marcello, Izzy, Fritzy, Harry and Emilio came over for dinner and Mrs. Lowenstein lit the seventh candle as everyone recited the Hebrew prayer,
"...Ba-ruch ata, A-do-nai E-lo-hei-nu, me-lech ha-o-lam, she-he-chya-nu ve-ki-ya-ma-nu ve-hi-gi-a-nu las-man-ha-zeh."
"Wonderful! Now that we have celebrated Hanukkah, we can listen to Marcello and the Christmas story he brought us!" she said gathering the children around the fire.
"What story did you bring Marcello?" Nora asked.
"A Christmas Carol by Signori Charles Dickens." Marcello told them.
"Again? Lord, seems like everywhere you turn you hear about Scrooge!" Katie huffed going to sit down by Erik who said playfully,
"Well some of us haven't heard it before so mind your manners and be quiet!" Katie bumped his elbow before smirking and leaning against his shoulder as Marcello began to read,
"Marley was dead...to begin with. As dead...as a doornail!" The happy, fun filled look everyone gave each other, no one would ever think that when the morning paper came out the next day, that Augustive P. Tavish would growl at the photgraph on the front page of the World and snarl throwing aside the returned toys all around him,
"Mr...North!...ARRGGG!" Tavish immediately took up his cane and hat, intending to march over to Erik and pummel him while the boy seeing newspapers on the corner yelled out,
"Extra! Extra! Children's crusade shuts down Tavish Toys! Extra! Extra!"
Christine dropped her fork upon her plate of eggs benefit in shock as she raised the paper to only see her Angel of Music in black and white on the front page.
"Raoul!"
At the Lowenstien boarding house, Sadie read the paper aloud to Erik while he threw his coat on and Mrs.Lowenstein was placing antiques around the room,
"There's an outcry for child labor laws all over New York! Thanks to you Erik!"
"Well you were the inspiration Sadie!" Erik smiled at her as Mrs.Lowenstein picked up another framed black and white photograph out of the suitcase,
"Another picture of your father. May he rest in peace! Oh! And my Grandmother's candlesticks! Look Sadie. Only one candlestick now. The other was lost!"
"It's beautiful." Erik said. As Mrs. Lowenstein placed it on the mantle, polishing it up, Sadie eyed her and asked her,
"So...Mama...you're unpacking you bag...Does this mean we'll be staying in America for a while?" Mrs. Lowenstien placed her hands on her hips,
"What? You don't like America? You got someplace better to go?" Then she picked up something from the bag,
"Oh! My mother's brooch! I think I'll wear it to the party tonight."
"You're going to the Christmas party Mama?" asked Sadie in disbelief. Her mother looked at her dryly,
"I got a ticket so why shouldn't I go?" Then she said to Erik, " You coming Mr. North?"
"I wouldn't miss it!" Erik smiled before walking out, "I'll be right back, I just have to go up to the store for a moment." When he had gone, things were quiet for a few moments when a knock came to the door.
"Erik must have locked himself out. Go get the door Sadie!" Mrs. Lowenstein said. Sadie laid aside her newspaper and opened the door only seeing a tall redhair in tacky but expensive clothes and a permanent scowl.
"Oh...Madame Gurtecelli..." Sadie said as the woman stomped in followed by her entourage. La Carlotta shouted,
"Where's my dress? Ia need my dress for the Major's Christmas party tonight! Now!" Mrs. Lowenstein sighed,
"I hung it in the closet. If Madame will just be patient..."
"Ia have been patient with jou! Just get me my dress so Ia can get out of these common conditions!" Carlotta snapped.
"Yes Madame!" said Mrs. Lowenstein. Walking over to the red dress on the dressmaker's dummy, Carlotta sneered,
"Yuck! I'ma glad I changed my mind! Something so simple should never touch me!" Mrs. Lowenstein rolled her eyes as Sadie contemplated that it was women like La Carlotta Gurtecelli that kept women under the submission of men.
Meanwhile, Erik took the locket from Mr. Brooks the jeweler and smiled at how the gold caught the light.
"You're lady friend will be the envy of all Avenue A, Mr. North! I'm so glad I could help you pick it out!" said Mr. Brooks.
"Are you sure it's a proper gift? Technically I've only known her a week." Erik asked.
"Does it feel like a lifetime has pasted?" Mr. Brooks asked. Erik smiled,
"Certainly does seem like everything's different."
"Then it's the perfect gift to show your intentions. Merry Christmas!" Mr. Brooks said,
"Merry Christmas!" Erik smiled walking out. He was downright chiper as he strolled down the street. He waved to Marcello, tipped his hat to Mrs. Shangnessy and Mrs.Brandenheim, laughed at the children playing in the streets and sent up a silent prayer as he pasted Foley's seeing Katie hard at work inside. But just as he stepped up to the boarding house, La Carlotta came out smiling at the garment bag in her hand,
"I'ma gonna look so radient tonight! Ia..." She and Erik stopped and stared at each other in shock before Carlotta screeched,
"ARRGGG! YOOUUU! YOU KILLED MY PIANGI! HELP! HELP POLICE! MURDERER! MURDERER!"
Erik did the only thing he could think of and ran down the street as people stared in confusion and wonder. Carlotta pushed her male hairdresser and her chaffuer shouting,
"GO! GO AFTER HIM IDIOTS! CATCH HIM! CATCH HIM!" As the men tore after him, Carlotta began to sob and her maids led her inside her carriage up the street a bit while Tavish slowly crossed over having seen the whole thing. He knocked on the carriage with his cane and entered seeing the weeping diva. Taking off his hat, Tavish smiled with false concern,
"Signorina? What has happened?" Carlotta sniffed,
"I just saw my lover's killer! He ran off!" Tavish smiled wickedly,
"Tell me more!"
Meanwhile, outsideon the froot stoop of theboarding house,Sadie asked her mother on the steps,
"Mama? What's going on?"
"Who am I? A mind reader? How am I suppose to know?" Mrs. Lowenstein answered. Marcello and Nora ran up with Marcello asking,
"What's happening?"
"Why'd that lady call Erik a murderer?" asked Nora worried.
"Who'd called Erik a murderer?" Katie asked coming up wrapped in her shawl having heard the commotion from Foley's.
"We don't know what's going on!" Mrs. Lowenstein asked.
"Think it has to do with his past?" Nora asked.
"What past?" Mrs. Lowenstein asked.
"It's not important now!" Katie said trying to think.
"Not important? Erik is in trouble!" Mrs. Lowenstein shouted. They began to argue back and forth not noticing
Raoul and Christine De Changy coming up the walk. Stopping before them, Raoul shouted to gain their attention,
"Excuse me! Is this the Lowenstien boarding house?" When they didn't answer, Raoul and Christine looked at each other while the Lings pasted nearby and Father Ling said aloud to Mother Ling in English,
"And they say WE fight a lot!" Christine tried this time yelling,
"Excuse me! Excuse me! Does a man wearing a mask live here?" They all stopped and turned to look at the young couple in disbelief, their ears ready to listen.
Officer Doyle was on his beat when he saw Erik duck into an alley. Going over to find the younger man staring in dispair at the dead end, Doyle was about to cheerfully say hello, when two men came up and asked,
"Excuse us Officer! Have you seen a man with a mask run past you?" Looking to the alley seeing Erik had dissappeared, Officer Doyle lied,
"He went that way. Why? What has he done?"
"He killed our employer's lover five years ago in Paris." answered one out of breath. Looking to the alley, Officer Doyle told them,
"You two go that way, I'll check this way!"
"Thank you!" they said running off. Doyle strolled into the alley before calling out,
"Alright Mr.North. You can come out now!" Erik humbly stepped out from behind some crates catching the policeman's stare. "You have some explaining to do." Doyle added. He took Erik back to the boarding house and lead him inside. To Erik's surprise, Doyle told him,
"I have no jurisdiction over crimes committed overseas...unless I'm under orders. So unless my Cheif tells me to arrest you, let's just keep this to ourselves, shall we?"
"Why?" Erik asked suspiciously. Doyle smiled,
"A lot of men in this country have done worst. 'Sides...We look after our own on Avenue A." Erik returned his smile until they entered the parlor and saw in the middle of the Lowenstiens, Kilkenny girls and Marcello,
"Christine!" Erik whispered. She and Raoul stood up as Sadie said cautiously,
"The Vicompt and Vicomptess say they're old aquaintances of yours...Erik." Nora came over with disbelief in her eyes,
"Say it ain't true Erik! Say that you didn't do the things they told us you did! Tell them!" Looking sadly at Nora and locking his gaze with Katie, Erik said to Mrs. Lowenstein,
"I'll be moving out the day after Christmas Mrs. Lowenstein. It's time I moved on."
"But Erik!" Marcello protested.
"Has Cupid healed yet Marcello?" Erik asked.
"Cupid...his leg's all fixed!" Marcello told him with a sigh.
"Good. If you'll all excuse me. Vicompt!" Erik said with a bow before turning to leave. Christine stepped forward and sang out,
"An-gel of Music...Hide...no...long-er! Se-cret and strange...An-gel!" Erik clenched his jaw and his hands before storming out the parlor. Katie followed after him,
"ERIK! Erik wait!" Erik stopped on the steps not looking at her.
"Nora will forget about me in time, Katie. She won't have nightmares about me!"
"And what about me? Am I suppose to forget about you too?" Katie asked. Erik dared to look at her, unshed tears blurring his vision as he stiffly said,
"Yes." And with that, Erik turned and went up the stairs to his room. In the parlor, Raoul cleared his throat and said to Mrs.Lowenstein,
"Um...we apoligize for causing such a scene Madame." Mrs. Lowenstein waved him off,
"Think nothing of it, Your Honor Sir. Erik will come out of it!" Sadie hugged her mother around the shoulders knowing she was trying to convince herself of that as well. Christine said to herself sadly,
"I just wanted to see him again. To tell him I'm sorry. Now I've ruined his life again!" Raoul sighed,
"We'll just show ourselves out. Thank you for your hospitality Madame." Officer Doyle, who had stayed for the whole thing, stopped him saying,
"Now just a moment, Mister Vicompt! Mr. North needs to have a word with you! So you just show up for the policeman's party tonight over at Foley's and you'll see him there. As Doyle handed Raoul two tickets, Christine asked,
"But what if he doesn't come?" Marcello spoke up,
"We'll make sure he comes Signora!" Nodding their thanks, Raoul led Christine out while Nora asked all the adults in the room,
"And how are we going to be doing that?" And all the adults were stumped. Then the air hung heavy with the sad notes of a lonely violin playing from above.
Erik didn't step out of his room all day. Nora tried to bring him lunch, Marcello tried to coax him out for a drink at Foley's. Finally, Sadie tried to bring Erik a tray of dinner. She knocked meekly on the door calling out,
"Erik? Erik, Mama fixed you some dinner. Come on Erik talk to us!" She knocked on the door again, surprised to see it gently push open. She peeked in the crack and saw Erik sobbing on his window seat, his mask off and his distorted features even more distorted with agony. Sadie sighed and took the tray down to the kitchen where Katie and Mrs. Lowenstein were trying to get things cleaned up before they left for the party. Katie looked sadly at her friend,
"He still won't come out?"
"No." sighed Sadie.
"He'll come to the party!" Mrs.Lowenstein told them.
"How do you know?" Katie asked.
"I just know. Now...what are you girls wearing to the party?" Mrs. Lowenstein asked trying to lift the mood.
"Well I though I'd wear that off the shoulder gown, with the bule and red stripes." Sadie shrugged.
"I suppose I'll still go..." Katie sighed.
"And this is what you're wearing?" Mrs. Lowenstein asked as Katie looked at her clothes.
Later, Katie was in her room about to change when a knock came on her door.
"Erik?" she cried rushing to open it. Instead, her father Mr.Kilkenny asked her with a bittersweet smile,
"Use to be you'd run to open the door for me, Poppet."
"Da...haven't seen ya for a few days." Katie said.
"Awk, me boss has been working us nonstop...I'm even workin' tonight and then I have to go pick up something after work...but...Mrs.Lowenstein's been kind enough to stay up late and fill me belly while she fills me in on my girls lives." Mr. Kilkenny said with a knowing grin. Katie looked down,
"You know about my new job then?"
"Aye...From what I hear it pays better with tips an' all." he said.
"It does." Katie nodded.
"What I'm more interested in is hearing about the relationship a certain daughter of mine has with a certain Frenchman from down the hall." Kilkenny said.
"Nora just...took on to him. He ain't so much a father to her...more like a big brother..."
"I wasn't talkin' bout Nora, Katherine Bridget." her father said interrupting her. Guiltly, Katie asked,
"Oh...you know of that too don't you?"
"Mrs. Lowenstein ain't a 'yenta' for nothin' Poppet!" Kilkenny said with a smile.
"I don't know when it happened Da...it just...happened..." Katie admitted. Then she shook her head, "Don't do me no good now anyway...something came up that's convinced Erik he has to leave. I can't make him stay."
"No...but ye can tell him he needs you." As Katie looked at him, Kilkenny brushed hair out of her face, "When did you grow up enough to fall in love with a full grown man? When did the time come for a husband to take the place of a father?" Tearing up, Katie said,
"No one can ever take your place in me heart Da!" And as Mr. Kilkenny embraced his daughter, out in the hall Mrs. Lowenstein came up to Erik's door. She knocked,
"Erik?"
"Please leave me alone." came the broken voice inside.
"I just wanted to borrow five dollars!" Mrs. Lowenstein shrugged. Erik opened the door after putting on his mask,
"What? My life is falling apart and you only want money?" Mrs. Lowenstein smiled,
"No...but it got you to open the door." Erik sighed stepping aside to let her in while she added, "I used the same trick with Sadie when she was a girl and moping about."
"I'm not moping!" Erik said with a pout. Mrs. Lowenstein sat on the bed,
"This...Christine person...she meant a great deal to you once didn't she?" Erik walked over to the window,
"You heard the story...I killed for her."
"That wasn't the man I see before me. That man died in the fire at Paris. He was replaced by a kind, loving, generous man who can do some good in this world. If he gives himself the chance." Mrs. Lowenstein told him. Erik folded his arms,
"I'm about out of second chances."
"Let me tell you something about the Jewish people. God gave us hundreds of chances! And still we kept turning to other gods and governments to solve our problems when God gave us everything we need. And I'm told by you Christians that this Jesus of yours was born to die...to give everyone a second chance. Not sure I believe that one...but the point is...God gives out second chances...only if we ask for them." Mrs. Lowenstein told him.
"You don't understand...I was consumed with this woman! And then she broke what was left of my heart!" Erik said.
"It doesn't mean you don't deserve a second chance. And it doesn't mean you shouldn't give her a chance to apologize to you. As to your heart...I believe you've let people who love you...put it back together." Mrs. Lowenstein replied.
"Who loves a monster like me?" Erik sneered crossing over. Pulling him to sit beside him, Mrs. Lowenstein said,
"Nora...she worships you. Marcello, Sadie, the other children...Katie?" Seeing him look down at that one, she went on, "And...there have been numerous times this week...when I wished my husband had lived long enough...to give me a son like you." Erik looked up at her stunned as she continued, "I was afraid and running once myself, remember? Keeping my treasures locked up out of fear. Don't let fear run your life...my son." Patting his cheek, Mrs. Lowenstien chuckled at his perplexed expression before getting up and saying,
"We have a party to go to. I'll know I'll see you there. Don't be late!" Once she was gone, Erik shook his confused head and took off his mask and wig to run a hand through his natural thin brown hair. Looking at the mirror, he knew he had to leave. No matter how much he wished to stay.