Chapter 6 – Meet the Parent

"Well, good evening you two. I hope you don't mind, but I thought it best to wait for my niece here, since this is where I assumed she would return."

"Uncle Michael, how did you find this place?"

"Aren't you going to introduce us first?" he asked holding out his hand to Erik.

"Monsieur, I will gladly introduce myself if you will first answer the question asked of you. How did you find my home?"

"I followed Kimberlee down here this evening. I saw her take off early from supper and went to make sure she was alright."

"I didn't even hear you."

"Well let me tell you young lady, you are very lucky that it was me and not your father who followed you here, or as the saying goes, 'Lucy, you've got some explaining to do'."

"What are you going to do now?"

"Well first off I'm going to introduce myself. Michael Lefavre, part owner and manager of the Opera Populaire, and you are sir?"

"My name is Erik, but you know me as your obedient servant, the Opera Ghost."

"Well, Mr. OG, it's nice to finally put a face with the name. And if I may say you are taller in person than I imagined you" he said shaking Erik's hand.

"Thank you sir, I think. So what do you intend to do now?"

"Well first of all I guess I'll have to ask you both a few questions first and then decide. Number one, how long have you lived down here Erik?"

"9 years."

"And how long have you two known each other?"

"We met our first week here, we've been friends since" Kimberlee said taking Erik's hand in her own.

"I see, and when did your friendship become more?" he asked noting the joined hands

"Two weeks ago, though I have been in love with Kimberlee for quite some time before telling her. I didn't know she felt the same until recently."

Kimberlee smiled at him and clutched his hand tighter.

"Okay, last question. And I'll know if you two are lying by your reaction. Have you had sex and if not do you intend to?"

"No we have not and whether or not we intend to is really none of your business Uncle Michael. That is a decision we will make for ourselves."

"Let me," Erik said hushing her. "She is right when she says that no we have not, but as to your second question. Yes, I'm sure one day we will want to take that step but as to when I can not tell you. I suppose we will cross that bridge when we get to it."

Michael took a moment to digest all that he had been told. He walked over to the bench where they sat and put his hand onto his niece's shoulder.

"Well I suppose we'd better come up with a story to tell your father, because you certainly won't want to tell him that."

Kimberlee jumped up and squealed as she hugged her Uncle. He had accepted Erik and that gave her the confidence she was going to need to tell her father. Erik stood up and shook Michael's hand. Then the three of them got to work on a story that Jonathon would believe.

The next day was Friday and Erik was waiting for Kimberlee outside the school in the car her Uncle drove to pick her up this day. Here's how the scenario was going to play out. She was to be picked up from school and she would bring home a young man that she was interested in. Now Jonathon already knew that Michael had met him because he often picked her up at school, so he knew this young man had already been asked certain questions; but there was no harm in repeating one or two, right? The three of them would arrive at the opera house and would go to her father's office. There he would be pleasant and listen to what they had to say. He would then give his approval for the prom, because if he didn't she would just go with him anyway and might do something out of character just to spite him, at least that's what Michael told him.

Jonathon Shaw stood at his window and saw his friend's car pull up and watched as the three occupants got out. The first thing he noticed about Erik was his dress, black from head to toe. 'Must be one of those gothic types' he thought to himself, he couldn't have been further from the truth if he'd tried. 'Get your arm off her shoulder' he thought as he watched them climb the stairs, Kimberlee pointing out certain areas of the building's architecture (like Erik didn't already know, but that was part of the rouse). He sat at his desk and pretended that he was busy so they wouldn't know he had been spying. He was going to make sure he followed his gut this time, no matter what Michael said, he didn't want his daughter dating another guy like Jacob who only wanted one thing. He heard a quiet knock on his door.

"Come in" he said.

As the door opened and they entered, he closed the book he had been pretending to work in and placed his hands on his desk top.

"Dad, is this a bad time, because we could come back later if you want?"

"No, now is fine. Please come in, you must be…" he said reaching out his hand.

"Erik" Michael said

"Ah yes, that's right. Please sit down" he said as he shook Erik's hand.

"Thank you Mr. Shaw, I appreciate you agreeing to meet with me on such short notice."

"Not a problem, I'm always interested in knowing who my daughter's friends are. So how long have you two known each other?"

"I moved here to Paris six months ago."

"We met in Math class, he's really helped me boost my grade up since I started working with him" Kimberlee said.

Michael gave Kimberlee a look that said not to try so hard, 'just relax' he said to her silently. Erik squeezed her hand.

"Well thank you for that, I'm afraid she inherited my poor math skills, but her writing and vocal skills are tops."

"Yes, I've heard her sing in the choir, she is very good. So Kimberlee tells me that you once lived in California, why would you leave the US and move to Paris?"

"When I was a child my parents and I had a summer home here in Paris. I had decided long ago that when Kimberlee was old enough I would bring her here to experience Paris, when my wife passed away it helped me make that decision a permanent one."

"I know they are very late, but please accept my condolences, to lose someone you love is very hard."

"Thank you, what do your parents do?"

"I am afraid that they are both deceased, they died just over a year ago now. I am, what did you call it Kim?"

"An emancipated minor."

"Yes, that's it. Well I was, I am now of legal age and therefore no longer thought of as a minor."

"So you are graduating a year late?"

"Yes, I took a year after my parents death to settle things and grieve for them, unfortunately I still needed a few credits to graduate so I stayed an extra year, and I'm glad I did" he said taking Kim's hand in his again.

Jonathon prepared for the assault.

"Okay, enough idle chit chat. Michael, would you please escort Kim out, I don't want her interrupting."

"Jonathon you promised."

"Yeah, well I lied. So sue me."

"I just might" Michael said.

"Dad, please don't do anything to embarrass me, I'm begging you."

"I will, I promise, now go."

Michael took Kimberlee's arm and walked her out. Before the door closed Erik silently told her not to worry, he'd be fine. Kimberlee said a silent prayer as she and Michael walked down the hallway.

"Don't worry, Erik knows what to do, he knows your father. After all, he's been observing us for years. Now I think we should get you to the seamstress if you are going to make sure your dress fits."

Kimberlee gave him a quick hug and they headed off to the seamstress room.

"Now Erik, we get down to it. How old are you?" Jonathon asked

"Twenty."

"Serious relationships, how many and for how long?"

"None sir and before you ask, my intentions are honourable. I do not intend to disgrace yourself or hurt your daughter. You might think that we are rushing things, but I assure you that I love her deeply and will not do anything to push her."

"So what you are saying is that you don't expect anything out of this relationship?"

"What I am saying sir is that I respect your daughter and the choices she has made for herself and will not work to compromise her morals."

"Well…" Jonathon paused, "Forgive me, but I will give you a chance. My daughter is all I have and I will do anything to protect her. She may be eighteen now, but she is still my little girl."

"I understand" 'better than you can know' he thought to himself.

"So I suppose you wish to take her to the prom then?"

"Yes sir, I have asked her but I wanted to make sure I had your approval first."

"You've got it. Now you'd better go find her before she and my friend send in the police to see if you are still alive."

"Sounds good, thank you Mr. Shaw."

"One more thing before you go Erik."

"Yes?"

"If you don't mind my asking…why do you wear the mask?"

"I was born with a deformity caused by an infection in the womb. My face is scarred on this side and I do not wish to have people stare at it."

"I'm sorry; I hope I didn't offend you by asking about it…I was just curious."

"I can see where Kimberlee gets her curiosity from. Have a good day" Erik said shaking his hand.

"Good day Erik. I hope to see you again soon."

And this time, Jonathon Shaw really meant it when he said that; however, there was a feeling in his gut that he couldn't shake. Something wasn't completely right with this. He had a nagging feeling that something terrible was about to happen.