Chapter 10 – A Choice to be Made

As the months went by, Mme Giry, Michael Lefavre and Jonathon Shaw had begun to notice a change in Kimberlee. She was no longer an immature teenager but a young woman, a young woman who was beginning to tire more and more easily. This fact worried both Michael and Mme Giry for they suspected the cause for this could be of Erik and Kimberlee's own doing. This particular evening after ballet practice Mme Giry went to Kimberlee's room to talk with her, at her uncle's request. When she got to the door she quietly knocked to request entrance.

"Come in" she heard.

"How are you this evening my dear?"

"I'm fine Madame, I know I've been tired lately but I assure you I am fine."

"Your Uncle and I are both worried for you, we only want what is best for you…and Erik" she stated quietly.

"I know and I assure you that we are fine; you both have nothing to worry about."

"You two are intimate are you not?"

"Yes and we are using protection so I can't possibly be pregnant. If I promise to stay here in my room this evening and get a good night's sleep will you stop worrying?"

"It would be start, but you had better stay here. I will be keeping a more watchful eye on you tonight" she said with a smile.

"I promise."

With that said Mme Giry took her leave and bid Kimberlee goodnight. When she was alone once again in her room she turned to her desk and looked at the envelopes sitting on her desktop. They were both rather full from the University of California and the University of Las Vegas. She had applied to many schools for the Bachelor of Arts Degree, planning to use it to go into teaching. She picked up the first envelope and carefully opened it removing the contents; she read the first lines of the letter in her hands.

'Dear Ms. Shaw,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to attend studies at the University of California, Los Angeles in the Bachelor of Arts program. As per your request you have been accepted to begin your studies starting in the Spring semester provided you choose to still attend our institution.

Please inform us before the 1st of November with your decision. Should you choose to attend UCLA please send your tuition and book deposit before the above mentioned date also to assure your place.

We look forward to assisting you in your post secondary education and helping you to reach all the goals you set for yourself.

Sincerely,'

A huge smile spread across her face as she put down the letter, class schedule, program guide etc and reached for the other envelope. The letter inside stated the same information along with all the same inserts for her to make her decision with. She wanted to get up and go to Erik to share her good news but she had made a promise to Mme Giry and she would keep it. The woman had been kind to her since her arrival and along with her Uncle had kept the true nature of her relationship with Erik a secret from her father. She lay down on her bed and pulled the covers over herself. She knew Erik would be sad that she hadn't come tonight but he would understand her promise. She closed her eyes and fell asleep as the sounds of music were faint in the distance, gently wafting up to the dormitories.

In the chapel where Christine would go to light a candle for her father, she was singing scales and developing her voice with her 'Angel of Music'. Christine's voice was developing well, Erik was certain that one day soon she would take over the stage as diva from Carlotta. He looked at her and noticed how well she had also developed as a young woman and began to feel affection for her in a way that was not appropriate. He knew he was in love with Kimberlee and that she held his heart and to have feelings like this stirring within him was betraying her. He closed his eyes and calmed his now rapid breathing and slowed his heart rate.

"Christine that is enough for this evening."

"Was I not to your liking angel?" she asked innocently

'You are very much to my liking that is what's wrong' he thought to himself. "You sounded wonderful tonight, but it is late and you will be missed if you do not return."

"Yes of course, thank you teacher. Good night" she replied.

"Good night."

Christine turned to the door and left the chapel quickly quietly making her way back to the dormitories. Erik turned in the passageway he was in and made his way below. When he arrived home he noticed that Kimberlee was not there nor was there any sign that she had been. He had rather hoped she would be, he very much needed her company this evening.

The next morning Kimberlee woke feeling very rested and stretched her body so she could get up. She got washed and dressed and picking up both letters made her way to her fathers office hoping he would be in already. She heard a noise from inside and knocked on the door.

"Come in" Jonathon Shaw said.

"Good morning dad, how are you?"

"Fine, how are you feeling, you've been tired lately?"

"I'm fine, well rested in fact this morning. I think I've just been worrying too much the last few weeks."

"Worrying about what honey?"

"I got a couple of letters back from the schools I applied to."

"Which schools?" he said leaning in

"UCLA and UNLV, both have accepted me."

"Those were your two top choices were they not?"

"Yes, now I guess I'll just have to decide if I want to go to school in the desert or on the beach" she said smiling.

"No, that's not how you decide which school to go to. Now you look over the courses and decide which program is for you."

"Yeah that too."

"When is the deadline to let them know?"

"November 1st"

"That doesn't leave you with much time, only a couple of weeks so I guess you'd better get cracking and let me know where to send the cheque."

"Thanks dad," she said getting up and hugging him tightly.

"Now go get yourself something to eat and why don't you go out somewhere today. You are beginning to look very pale, you need some sun."

"Yes father" she said as she left the office.

Once she was done her breakfast she went into the diva's dressing room and slid the mirror door open slipping behind it. She closed the door once inside the passageway and lit the candle that was left for her there. Making her way down the hallway she then descended the stairs to the underground lake. She stepped into the boat waiting there and gently rowed to the other side where Erik waited for her. When she arrived he was no where in sight so she quietly went and checked his bed where she found him sleeping peacefully. She left the bedroom without disturbing him and went to the kitchen to make him breakfast and coffee to drink. She was so absorbed in her thoughts about the future that she did not hear him stir and come into the kitchen behind her. He gently wrapped his arms around her and gently placed a kiss on the back of her neck getting in return a squeal as she jumped in his arms.

"I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Sorry, you didn't I was just so lost in my thoughts I didn't hear you" she replied turning to face him.

"What were you thinking about so deeply?"

"I heard back from my top two Universities back in the States. I was accepted to both, now I have to decide which one to attend."

"I see, so you will be leaving me" he said letting her go and with sadness in both his eyes and his voice.

"Not exactly, I was actually hoping that you might want to come with me?"

"I can't leave the opera house. It's my home and besides people will fear me and think I am a monster."

"Not everyone is like that; you would see that if you left here sometimes and spent some time among other people."

"No, I am needed here; Christine needs me to be her teacher."

"Christine needs you, what about me?"

"Don't you understand? Her voice is developing very well, very soon she will be able to take over for that cow Carlotta and we will finally be rid of her."

"You don't just want her to take over for Carlotta, you want her to replace me. Don't try to tell me that I'm imagining things, I've seen the way your eyes light up whenever her name is mentioned."

"Kimberlee I love you."

"Then why did you whisper her name in your sleep the other night?" she asked the memory coming back to her.

"I did not say her name in my sleep, you are hearing things."

They had now been shouting at each other for a couple of minutes. Kimberlee's heart was starting to ache and she could feel the tears threatening to fall. Erik was also feeling heart ache and didn't want to continue fighting with her, but if she continued he would not back down. She looked at him and tears started to stream down her face. He started towards her but she held out her hand to stop him.

"Please don't Erik, I need to be alone right now."

She turned to leave, Erik did not pursue her; he wanted to show her that he respected her choice to be alone at the moment. He needed to cool down also and knew he had some thinking to do. His breakfast forgotten and the coffee she made for him forgotten he went to his organ and sat down. He began to play furiously no particular tune to get past the hurt he felt inside. He was forced to look inward and could see that he was becoming attracted to Christine and it was quite possible he had in fact said her name in his sleep. Last night when Kimberlee did not come, he went to bed and was disturbed to find that it wasn't her he dreamed of.

Kimberlee took her father's advice and left the opera house that day and went for a walk through Paris finally settling down in a park near a playground watching the children play. Why did Christine's name on his lips bother her so? She knew that he was her vocal teacher, an angel that the silly girl believed her father had sent to her from the grave. He was in love with her, wanted to be with her; he had said so on many occasions in the last few months. If that was the case then why did he get so upset at her suggestion that he join her in the States when she went to school? She suddenly felt a wave of nausea, she tried to fight it but had to run for the nearest public washroom. Little did she know that this would not be the first time she would unexpectedly be sick.