Chapter Five
London seemed very crowded and busy after the security of the university campus and Katherine tightly gripped Eric's hand, a sudden wave of nerves overcoming her as he led her into the maze of the underground system, changing trains with the ease of the seasoned traveller. He had woken her at what seemed an unearthly hour to catch the train down into London, despite travelling after the commuting period.
"Where are we going?" Katherine asked with a degree of confusion as they changed trains for the second time. She had no idea where Eric lived.
"Warwick Avenue," Eric pointed out the stop on the map above the doors. "I thought you'd like to drop your bag off at the flat, as we've got a little time." Katherine had bought a careful selection of clothes with her, unsure of what to wear, especially as Eric had casually mentioned they might go to the opera. Fuelled by panic that was partially induced by what she had read in Anne-Marie's letter, Katherine chose her wardrobe for the two days very carefully.
Above ground she felt like a provincial country girl, as she was led across a busy road and into a street full of identical large white town houses. They climbed the stairs of one residence and to her relief Katherine saw that most of them were split into flats. "Still," she reasoned, taking in her surroundings with an inexperienced eye. She was sure that property like this in London was not cheap.
With a boyish enthusiasm, Eric led her to the top floor where a large apartment took up half the space. "Anne-Marie's a solicitor," he explained, as if reading her thoughts, whilst he unlocked the front door. "Just pop your bag in here." He opened a door off the hallway, gesturing in with his arm, but Katherine stood there stunned, especially by the large mirror that reflected her entrance into the space and the smaller ones that reflected other walls. She seemed surprised at the number of reflective surfaces, given the fact that Eric seemed so ill at ease with the sight of his face.
"I don't dislike all mirrors you know, they can be very useful," he rejoined quietly, making Katherine whirl to face him in shock. "Come on, leave your bag, or we'll be late." She walked into what was obviously his bedroom, looking around in interest. Unlike the cell he kept at university, this room had the appearance of being lived in and loved, although it felt somewhat empty, it's owner obviously being absent. A set of weights gathered dust in the corner, pictures that he had drawn lined the walls. The large double bed was made up with fresh sheets, a beautiful Persian carpet on the floor.
"Eric, where are you?" she called nervously. He reappeared with a large fluffy cat in his arms, the animal looking rather peeved at having been disturbed.
"Meet Tarragon, Kat," he said with a smile in his voice, as the cat wrenched himself free before she could approach and wandered back to his sleep. "He hates being picked up as he's too fat!"
"Tarragon," Katherine murmured, realising that this was the animal referred to in the letter.
"Yeah, there was a female cat called Cinnamon as well, but she died." He shrugged as he looked at his watch. "Come on, we'd better get going, or we will be seriously late."
It took them half an hour to reach the surgery, another faceless white building with a subtle design and an overdressed waiting room. Katherine could not help noticing that as the time drew closer, Eric seemed to become more and more withdrawn, barely making conversation with her and burying himself in an out of date magazine. Yet she was aware that he was watching her despite his seeming disinterest and when she looked at her watch he spoke.
"He's running late again. I should have known. He likes to spend time with his patients and lord knows I have had my fair share." He took Katherine's hand into his and stared at it quietly for a few moments before returning it to her lap. "There's a woman I've seen in here," he mused. "It's awful, she's been burnt down one side of her body and yet she doesn't seem to care, she accepts it. It makes me feel so ungrateful and spoilt sometimes." He paused and looked down at her, his eyes glinting with a wicked mischief. "I mean, I could take this off in here if I wanted to," he reached up as if to untie his mask "and nobody would care. "There are people who come in that are much worse then I am. Some of them wear pressure garments or some type of covering, but a lot don't.
It seemed to Katherine that he had made up his mind to remove the mask when a woman strode into the room, pausing in the open doorway her gaze assessing the room. Katherine did not recognise her, but despite this, was still drawn to her petite figure and perfect appearance. It was Eric's reaction that made her draw the connection. He looked up and stared at the woman, before dropping his eyes and looking at his feet, his body tense with anger.
"Hello Eric," she said coolly. "How are you?" The question was asked disinterestedly and did not require an answer. Eric lifted his head again, drinking in the vision his mother presented.
"Fine thank you Momma." He murmured the reply in the same fashion as she had asked, as if it were expected. The family charade over, Eric's mother went and sat down a few chairs away and Eric regained interest in his magazine. Katherine's gaze travelled over them both. The dislike between mother and son was so intense it was almost palpable, the enmity radiating between them.
Her interest in Eric's mother was enough to make the woman raise her head and smile vaguely, as one would a stranger, causing Katherine to frown. The thought suddenly hit her that this woman did not realise that she was Eric's girlfriend - that in fact there was any form of connection between them at all.
"Ric," she whispered to him. "Does your mother know about us?" He turned and looked at her, a smile lurking around his lips.
"Not unless Anne-Marie has said anything, which I doubt." Their exchange was enough to attract his Mother'sattention.
"Eric," she said with a snap in her voice. "May I be introduced?" They both looked up in surprise, unaware that they were being observed.
"Momma, this is my girlfriend, Katherine Farlington. Kat, this is my Mother, Lucinda Reighland." At the mention of the relationship between them, a wave of shock and horror passed over Lucinda's face, as she fought for composure. Eric calmly returned to reading his magazine, drawing strength from Katherine's presence.
"How long have you been with Eric then?" Lucinda managed to choke out, her shock still evident.
"About a month," Katherine smiled at her, trying to neutralise Eric's rude reaction.
"A month, heavens, he never tells me anything."
"Yeah and I wonder why," Katherine thought to herself before answering. "Well, I haven't told my parents either. We get so lost in our own little world at university."
"So how did you meet?"
"Well Eric and I do some courses together and he helped me with some homework, he finds it a lot easier then I do!"
"Yes, well he is rather good at all that," Lucinda said vaguely, as if unaware of the extent of her son's abilities. "I never know how Eric is getting on, he never writes and tells me, but then I suppose that's like most boys when they leave home." She gave an ingratiating little laugh that was obviously supposed to encourage Katherine to join in.
The stilted conversation was bought to a temporary close as a nurse calling them into the consulting room. Lucinda stood up and not even waiting for her son, swept out. Eric slowly put his magazine down and stood up towering over Katherine. "Ignore her," he said rather sharply, as if he could read her confusion. "She's trying to pretend that it's all my fault." He gave her a swift peck on the cheek and walked out leaving Katherine alone.
They were gone for over half an hour, before Katherine felt a heavy hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Eric.
"All finished?" she asked and when Eric nodded in reply. "Where's your Mother?"
"Far away hopefully. Come on let's go and grab some lunch or a coffee." They walked outside only to find Lucinda waiting for them in a hailed taxi.
"Do you want to come to lunch? I know a divine place, very private, lovely food." She heard Eric mutter under his breath and glanced his way for guidance, unsure if he wished to go out with his mother, confused at how she was treating them; but he simply shrugged and so Katherine turned and climbed into the car.
Lunch was a strained affair, Lucinda talking about Eric's early life, trying to make it sound like a wonderful happy time that they had spent together. Katherine having heard Eric's version found the two stories totally contradictory.
"Anyway," his mother warbled on. "There was the time when he demanded that he needed to learn how to ride, so I went and got a pony from the farmer, - could we catch the blessed thing to put a bridle on, well I don't think so!" Eric just sat in the corner throughout lunch, eating little and saying even less, occasionally grimacing at some of the more outlandish stories.
As the meal concluded, he decided to take control. "Kat," he turned towards her. "I think we had better get going, we don't want to miss our train back do we?" He stared intently at Katherine, his eyes pleading with her not to give him away.
"Oh, what a shame that you have to go back today." Lucinda interrupted. "I was hoping that you could come and stay at home for a couple of days. Well, if you ever feel like it, please just come." Eric stood up as she made the invitation, holding out Katherine's coat, before he bent down and kissed his mother on her cheek.
"Goodbye Momma, lovely to see you again." Katherine watched closely and noticed that she could not prevent herself from jerking away from the touch of his lips, nor did she return the farewell.
They went back to Anne-Marie's in silence, Katherine ruminating over all that she had seen and heard in the past few hours. Eric's story seemed a little far-fetched when compared to the person she had just met, although she conceded that Lucinda's happiness seemed too brittle.
"Kat, I-," Eric began quietly when they reached the flat, but she interrupted him.
"What the hell is going on here?" she rounded on him angrily. "You said your Mother is nasty, but the only thing she strikes me as being is over enthusiastic and spoilt. I don't know if I should believe you or not!" In her anger she ignored the pitch in her voice, as well as failing to see the woman who came out of the kitchen at the sound of shouting. "You could have been lying to me for all this time for all I know. I want an explanation now, or I am leaving!"
"That's what I was about to give you," Eric said calmly and Katherine found herself hastily closing her mouth as the torrent of words she was about to hurl at him lost their meaning. Behind them a quiet cultured voice spoke.
"Hello Eric, this is Katherine, I take it." Katherine spun around, her cheeks two flags of flaming colour and watched as Eric went over to the woman and kissed her on the cheek before giving her a hug.
"Hello Annie, I want you to meet my girlfriend Kat. Kat this is Annie." Hearing the gracious greeting she was given and the warmth and kindness in Anne-Marie's voice, Katherine felt intensely silly.
"So I take it Lucinda turned up? Was she trying too hard as always? Did you get any?"
"Yes to all three," Eric replied, and pulled a small packet of medication out of his pocket and gave it to her. Katherine stared in amazement and Anne-Marie noticing her confusion, smiled.
"Come into the living room and I will explain. Eric would you be a love and finish making the tea?" Eric gently guided Katherine towards a sofa before going into the kitchen. Anne-Marie watched her as she sat down in a large easy chair, pushing the cat to one side. "Eric has given me some extremely strong anti-depressants" Anne-Marie explained without preamble. Lucinda suffers severely from depression, has done ever since Chris died and Eric was born. She was supposed to have been weaned off them, which is why I asked Eric to check for me. She's fine when she takes them, but she relies on them too heavily and her come down is so severe that Eric tends to bear the brunt of it when she does."
"Is that safe?"
"Oh Lucinda isn't dangerous, just exceedingly unpredictable. She has always been cold towards Eric and even when she has been off the tablets for months she has an uncontrollable temper. She blames him for everything that has gone wrong in her life. She has been to so many counsellors, but it seems to be a fixation she has." At this she broke off as Eric reappeared carrying a tray with mugs of tea. He put it down on the table and sat down next to Katherine, offering her one of them.
"I'm sorry," she apologised looking at him. "I was just so confused. It all seemed so strange and wrong. I did notice that she seemed to be contradicting herself, but I got angry because I thought you had lied to me."
"I wish," Eric's voice was grim. "You were actually lucky that she was like that today. When she is in a bad mood it can all get rather…messy," he finished lamely.
"I had better call her later and make sure that she is alright. Heaven knows what she is doing, there's a strong possibility that she might turn up here. Did you tell her that you were going back to university?" Anne-Marie looked at them.
"Yes," Katherine answered simply. "Could that be a problem?"
"It depends what sort of mood she is in." Eric answered. "If she's feeling happy and relaxed then it will be all right. We were planning to be out this evening, thought we might see if we can get tickets to the ENO. Do you know what's on Annie?"
"No, the programme is on the desk in your bedroom," his guardian replied calmly.
"What would you like to do Kat?"
"I don't mind. I would like to go to Top Shop or something and get my sister a birthday present," she said frowning in annoyance at being unable to see Eric's face. "Oh, come here." He turned towards her and Katherine reached up and pulled his mask off. Eric simply smiled at her actions and pushed his hair back off his face with both hands.
"What did the specialist say?" Anne-Marie watched the interplay between them as she unconsciously stroked the cat.
"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. Laser treatment over Easter and the coming months to shrink the haemangioma and then removal during the summer. What a way to spend the holidays!" He caught Katherine's worried expression. "Don't worry, I only say that because it's not much fun having your face swathed in bandages in the middle of the summer, when it's hot!" He fell silent, thinking of what it would be like to have his last operation and the last piece of scarring removed.
"And will that be it then?" Anne-Marie asked. He nodded slowly, as the prospect dawned on him.
"Bart says probably a bit more laser treatment on some of the scar tissue, but otherwise…" His face cracked into a broad grin as he imagined a life without a scarred face and without the mask.
"Well, let us not count our chickens," Anne-Marie said soberly. "There is plenty of time for it all to happen. Now, are you going to go out this evening or not? Dave and I are off to the Comedy Club."
"I just need to go and see what's on at the ENO, otherwise try for the ROH maybe. I need to wash my shirt though."
"Well, go and put it on then," Anne-Marie gave a theatrical sigh. "Blasted boy," she muttered affectionately as he grabbed his mask and left the room. She turned her attention towards Katherine. "I'm sorry that this hasn't been the best trip for you so far."
"I don't think I've made the best impression I could either," Katherine laughed slightly, embarrassed at her behaviour, yet warming to the calm collected woman who sat opposite. "It is just that I get very worked up, as it is so hard to understand Eric sometimes and I didn't know what to think after meeting Lucinda and hearing the stories she told. Are they even true? Like the one about trying to catch the pony?"
"They are all true to an extent," Anne-Marie mused. "You know that Eric grew up in a little village outside of Tunbridge Wells, right in the middle of the countryside, rather isolated. So, yes he did say he wanted to learn to ride and yes a pony was borrowed for him, but Dave arranged it, not Lucinda, she wouldn't let him. Of course, we found out later that he had been sneaking out at night and riding the horses that the farmer next door left in the field. All he wanted to do was show off. It's things like that. Anyway," she waved away her explanation, "How long have you and Eric been together now?"
"About a month. In hindsight it's all happened so quickly. We went from nodding to each other in the hall to going out with each other in about two days. I must admit that it was partly me pushing it, but I didn't expect such a response."
"Do you regret it?"
"Regret it?" Katherine was shocked that Anne-Marie was even asking her such a question.
"Well, I just know that Eric is not an easy person to live with and as he is in a rather unique situation, I wondered if you regretted it."
"No, never," Katherine started, shaking her head, before pausing." Well sometimes. His temperament can change so quickly that he scares me at times, for you can't quite tell how he will react. I make an innocent comment and he flips but then when I am really stressed he'll just laugh." She shrugged at her summary of the situation, unable to find rhyme or reason to his actions.
"But he is comfortable with you." Anne-Marie observed.
"How can you tell?"
"He let you take his mask off. He has lived with me since he was fourteen and unless he is really ill or upset he doesn't let me touch it. He obviously trusts you." Their brief conversation came to an end as Eric returned with the programme for the opera; the washing machine adding its own tune in the background.
"La Boheme?" he sat down on the sofa with a flop. "It's all sung in English so it's quite a good introduction and this is a lovely opera, very sad though. Here have a look." He thrust the paper into Katherine's hands and leant back in the chair. "How is the Bradshaw's piano Annie? Has it stayed in tune?"
Katherine let them wander off in conversation as she focused on what Eric had given her, rereading the plot summary and looking through the brochure with fascination, whilst vaguely listening to the casual gossip of the other two. Their peaceful idyll was suddenly disturbed by the demanding screech of the entry phone. Eric looked up in shock, but before any of them had a chance to respond, the buzzer was hit repeatedly.
Anne-Marie flicked her gaze towards Eric, who met it steadily. "I'm certain it is," was her answer to the unspoken question. "I think you should stay in your room though." With a sigh, she pushed the cat off her lap and stood up, all the while the doorbell rudely demanding entry.
Eric stood up, held out his hand to Katherine, and led her to his bedroom, firmly closing the door behind them. She sat on the edge of his bed, white faced and tight lipped, next to where his mask lay. "Your Mother," her mouth formed the words, but no sound came out, although Eric tersely nodded in understanding.
"She will no doubt be in a hell of a mood as well," he warned. "As we insinuated that we were heading back up tonight." They heard the noise of the door shutting and his mother's tear choked voice.
"He does it on purpose Annie," she was saying. "Flaunts himself in front of everyone and then ignores me. He even bought a girl down with him today. His girlfriend was how he introduced her. He knows how I feel about that." Anne-Marie's reply was lost to their eavesdropping as the voices moved away in the direction of the living room.
Closing his eyes, Eric took a deep breath trying to stay calm and focused, as much for Katherine's sake as his. He sunk slowly onto his bed; his nostrils flared, his breathing heavy, concentrating hard on all that was positive. He was therefore taken by surprise as he felt her cool small hand slip into his as if she were trying to provide grounding for him. He studied the slim palm that was dwarfed in his, and offered an explanation.
"Just before I went up to Uni, Momma wrote me a letter." He absently traced the lines on Katherine's hand. "Asked me, well no ordered me to remember who I was and to practice restraint in my relationships, basically not to bring shame on the family name by associating with too many people. That's her view of how I should behave; so to turn up with you is in her eyes inexcusable. I know I asked you to come down, but why shouldn't I? Why should I obey her twisted logic?" He turned and looked at her, his face drawn.
"Eric," Katherine whispered, running her hand across his scarred cheek, not knowing what words would bring him comfort.
"I need to know what's going on," he whispered finally. Katherine noticed that as he opened the door to his bedroom, what had seemed like a random arrangement of mirrors gave him a clear view of the living room, reflected into the huge glass that hung by his bedroom door.
In it she saw Lucinda leaning into her friends shoulder, her body shaking with emotion. She watched as Anne-Marie spoke soothingly to her, patting her on the back and offering the comfort that Katherine desperately wished she could offer Eric.
"My Mother is very ill," Eric's voice broke her thoughts. "Everyone hoped that if I didn't live with her she might improve, but she hasn't." He returned his attention towards the view in the mirror, watching Anne-Marie untangle herself from his Mother's grasp and standing up, whilst speaking rapidly to her.
He pressed himself back into his bedroom, not wishing to reveal himself, but Anne-Marie walked intently out of the front door. Releasing a quiet sigh, he resumed his position as spy, watching his mother stand up as she brushed her tears away, straightened her top and squared her shoulders, before turning to face the door. Eric was so taken with this view that he stood openly at his bedroom door, forgetting to hide his presence, hungrily taking in the details and implanting them on his memory, knowing it was the only way he could feel any connection to his mother.
His desire made him unwary, so he was not prepared when she moved to the doorway of the living room, and stood looking at her son. With a start he realised that she was watching him closely and he turned his gaze upon her.
"Put your mask on Eric," she said almost wearily. "You know how I feel about that." He was so startled at his mother addressing him so calmly, that he stood and stared at her; not responding. "Put your mask on," she repeated tightly. "Cover up that hideous face of yours!" Still Eric remained frozen to the spot, unable to move, a mixture of fear and elation at standing up to his mother, coursing through his veins and rooting his feet.
She mistook his actions for insolence. "Put it on, put it on, put it on," she screamed, her fragile self-control snapping as she flew towards him in a rage, raking him with her fingernails. Her hand made contact with his face whipping it round, as he fought her off, trying to defend himself without hurting her.
He was so involved with his battle that he did not hear Katherine's shouts and fought against the arms that locked around his waist, pulling him back into his room, whilst Anne-Marie burst through the front door and grabbed Lucinda in a similar manner, pulling her out of the apartment.
"Lucy, Lucy, calm down," he heard her say as he sunk to his hands and knees, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps, his skin stinging, his head pounding and a haze of anger and confusion hanging in front of his eyes. As it cleared, he became aware of Katherine kneeling next to him, softly rubbing his back and quietly speaking nonsensical calming words.
He stayed staring at the floor, unable to gather his thoughts clearly, except to reach a hand out and grope for the mask, grabbing it off his bed. Ignoring Katherine's muttered protest he covered his face once again. His mother was right, it was hideous, he could not inflict it on himself, and so he should not inflict it on other people.
With the last remnants of his will and strength, he clumsily got to his feet, his head swimming and his body aching, only to seek assistance by leaning against the doorframe. He was saved from having to explain his emotions to his girlfriend, by Anne-Marie coming towards him with concern.
"Eric," she said softly, holding out her arms and taking his large form into her embrace. "Come to the bathroom and let me take a look." He docilely followed her, barely aware of Katherine shadowing his footsteps. He let his guardian take his top off, gently remove the mask and inspect the parallel scratches that ran across his chest and the bruising by his eye. Wordlessly she tended him, before planting a kiss on his forehead. "Bed for you for a couple of hours," she dictated and Katherine watched in wonder as he silently nodded and gathering his clothes and mask went to his room.
Anne-Marie turned and looked at the girl that Eric had bought back with him. Confusion radiated from her body and she seemed upset. "Would you like a cup of tea?" Katherine nodded and followed her boyfriend's guardian to the kitchen, where she sat at the table, her long hair swinging forwards, hiding her face, which had started to run with tears of bewilderment, fright and defeat.
"Will Eric be okay?" Her words came out as a whisper. Anne-Marie finished making the tea and came to join her at the table.
"You've possibly noticed that he rarely cries," she said. Katherine nodded in agreement. "So sleep is his succour and relief. You won't see him now for a couple of hours, but he will be fine by the evening. Those scratches weren't deep." Katherine gave a slight smile at the words, finding them as much a comfort as the sweet cup of tea she had been given. "Emotionally I don't know though," Anne-Marie sighed. "It makes me so cross with Lucinda," she banged her clenched fist on the table as if to emphasis her point and rid herself of her frustration. "I left Lucinda for five minutes, just went to hail a taxi and looks what happens! He seemed so much better, so much more confident, but now…. You will need a lot of patience Katherine; otherwise he will go straight back to square one. I hate to say it, but any achievements you have made in terms of getting him to open up, may be severely setback."
"How can she be so cruel?" Katherine whispered, unable to understand the scene she had just witnessed.
"Lucinda is very ill," Anne-Marie sighed. "She is supposed to have come off the anti-depressants and we all hoped that she was getting better, that this would stop."
"She has done this before?'
"Not often, but yes. It got quite bad when Eric was fourteen and that was why he ran away from home. However, I don't think Lucinda's answers lie in endless quantities of Prozac. She is supposed to be going to some clinic in America, in the summer, hopefully that might hold the key this time."
"But can't she see that Eric's face is much better? Can't she see that he is such a talented person as well?" Katherine burst out.
"Oh don't misunderstand me," Anne-Marie corrected gently. "Lucinda loves Eric, how can she not, he is her only child, hers and Chris's; whom she loved very much. But over-riding that is layers of depression, guilt and fear, which is why she tends to lash out when he doesn't do what she says."
"She's scared of Eric?" Katherine's voice was scornful, but the older lady leant over and placed a warning hand on hers.
"Eric is extremely manipulative," she warned. "He is too clever for his own good and when he has no outlets for his talents, he turns to mischief on a grand scale." She sat back in her chair, groping for an example. "Did you know that among other things he can perform ventriloquism?"
"Noooo."
"It's my fault. I was looking after him when he was five, maybe six. As a treat, I let him watch television, which Lucinda never allowed. I think it was the Royal Variety Performance, or such like. Anyway he saw it being performed there and a month later had taught himself." She gave a wry smile. "Of course being Eric, it didn't stay as a party trick, instead he decided to pretend a poltergeist had moved into the house, probably as an excuse for him to create havoc, but he did it too well. I saw it once and it was very scary. He was punishing Lucinda you see, because she had refused to listen to a piece of music he had composed for her. How many children do you know of that age who consciously punish their parents in that sort of way?"
"Oh," Katherine fell silent and thought over what she had just heard. "I take it that it was rather a stand-off between Eric and Lucinda then?"
"Definitely. Lucinda used to win arguments with him by locking him in his bedroom, so of course picking locks was one of the first things he learnt to do."
"Oh I know he can pick locks, he gets into my room on a regular basis."
"Well exactly. He almost can't see what is wrong with that. Combine a ferocious intellect, an almost untapped talent for a variety of subjects and skills that tend to have no good to them, I believe he could be quite a problem."
Katherine sat at the table, stunned at the verbal attack Eric's guardian launched on him. "You really think he could fall into the wrong way?"
"No, no, I should not have said that. What I am saying is that he doesn't distinguish between right and wrong in the same way as you or I would, as far as he is concerned it is right if the end merits the means. If he were to be placed in the wrong situation or fell in with the wrong people, then it would be a problem. All I ask Katherine, is that you keep an eye on him."
"Are you scared he might do something to Lucinda, as she has caused so much misery for him?"
"Eric loves Lucinda. He is desperate for her love and approval in return. That is partly why he does act up around her. In her eyes he is still a little boy and so that is how he tends to behave. Oh goodness," Anne-Marie lent her head in her hands. "This is probably enough to send you running out of here, never to be seen again. You have chosen a difficult person to fall in love with Katherine, if you don't mind me saying."
"I always go for difficult relationships," Katherine rejoined, her natural enthusiasm restoring itself on hearing the challenge and her chin raising a notch. "So let me summarise. Lucinda loves Eric; Eric loves Lucinda, yet they are both scared of each other. That perpetrates itself in hatred with a touch of violence. Eric is a mischief-maker who needs an outlet for his talents, " she hesitated for a moment, "say for arguments sake, a department store to run! If not, you're worried that he will fall into trouble, due to a tendency to pick the wrong path, a fact that has been apparent since he has been little" She nodded at Anne-Marie. "Is that correct?"
"Ahh, so he told you that much did he? Well yes, when Eric is twenty-five he is set to inherit, well an awful lot of money, I mean millions. He will also have a seat on the board of the Reighland Group, should he make contact with his grandparents again, which he won't because he feels that they abandoned him. You are very astute Katherine, I hope that you will help him."
"You love him don't you?" Katherine dared to question.
"I love him like my son," Anne-Marie said vehemently. "I have known Lucinda since school and I was very fond of her and of her husband. If Chris hadn't died, well things would be very different. But when he did and Eric was born with his condition, her life fell apart and she had a nervous breakdown. Lucinda felt she had to make her baby wear a mask or she would not be able to look at him otherwise. I mean his face was truly awful, you could barely see the features and Lucinda couldn't handle this."
"If you knew that Lucinda was behaving in this way why didn't you stop her?"
"I was not around that much," Anne-Marie said sadly. Lucinda was married very young and was only twenty-one when Eric was born. I was just finishing my degree and then went to work in Italy for my articles, my grandparents are Italian and I wanted to learn Italian law, so was living in Florence when Eric was little. I probably only saw him three or four times a year. I returned to England when he was four, but by then he was a precocious little boy with a healthy disrespect for his mother and a thirst for any sort of knowledge. I remember looking after him once, when he was oh, about five. I was doing some work when I realised that he was silent - always a worry. I found him sitting in the living room, reading my law case notes! She laughed. "It was then that I asked Dave, my boyfriend to come and educate him, as Lucinda wouldn't send him to school and would have got into trouble with the local authorities."
"Oh yes, Eric mentioned Dave."
"Well, Dave and I have been a couple since well; Eric got us together I suppose. I knew him as a friend from college where he had been training to be a teacher. He was very disillusioned with the whole schooling system and started tutoring privately. I asked him if he could tutor Eric and that is where it all started." She waved her hand in the air as if to encompass everything around her. "It was Dave who really helped him open up, learn about life in the real world, go out and do things. We have supported him since he was fourteen with it all. When he came to us he was scared to even go out of the flat, to take the tube anywhere as Lucinda had kept him so sheltered that he did not come into contact with that many people. He was like a frightened animal."
Katherine's mind wandered to the photos that she had found in the bottom of the desk and they suddenly made sense. They were obviously taken when he first came to live with his guardian. "I saw some photographs…" she began hesitantly.
"Ah, yes, Dave took those the first week he was here and told him to keep them and look at them whenever he felt scared or nervous and realise how far he had come."
"I find myself realising almost daily how talented he is," Katherine agreed. "And it seems silly that he is reluctant to use it simply because he is scared of how people perceive him."
"You do realise he speaks about six or seven languages, don't you?"
"Uggh, I can barely cope in French," Katherine laughed. "No, I didn't, although I realise he's very musical and he reads just about everything he can lay his hands on. I think he's read all my course books, which I haven't even done!"
"Oh, music is the key," Anne-Marie agreed. "He has been musical from as early as I can remember. "Plays the guitar, piano, violin. When he was little, before his voice broke he had the most perfect contralto imaginable. If you are ever lucky enough to hear anything he composes then consider yourself privileged, once again it is a talent that is wasted." She sighed and poured herself another cup of tea, offering Katherine the same.
"Eric's grandparents," Katherine began hesitantly. "Are they really as awful as Eric makes out? It does seem very strange to abandon your only grandson in such a manner."
"Charles actually takes a very active interest in Eric," Lucinda took a sip of her tea. "He supports both Eric and Lucinda, very comfortably. I am sure that Eric has told you that he has a trust fund?" Katherine nodded in agreement. "As I said, most of it is all tied up until he is twenty-five, but his Grandfather pays him an allowance out of it. I must admit to contributing nothing towards his existence. Charles also insists on knowing exactly what is going on, for instance he insisted on meeting Dave before the tutoring started. Oh he takes an interest, just not a face to face one."
"And Eric's grandmother?"
"Well that is a different kettle of fish. She's quite a fierce lady, as well as wealthy in her own right, and I personally believe it has rather prejudiced her views on Eric. She didn't think highly of the match between Christopher and Lucinda, although she did come to tolerate him, but I think all the trauma that the whole family has been through has coloured her picture."
"In other words, you don't like her!" Katherine noted astutely.
"I didn't say that, but, yes you are right; I don't like her. I have helped to bring up her grandson and she can barely give me the time of day." Anne-Marie smiled sheepishly. "Goodness, look at the time, we have been chatting away for over an hour here. I am going out soon, I'm meeting Dave. Did you two decide to go the opera?"
"We never got that far before…" Katherine trailed off unsure how to summarise all that had happened that afternoon. "I would really love to go, I've never been to the Opera and it sounds so exciting."
"Well just make sure that Eric gets decent seats, he has a tendency to sit at the back, drives me crazy as I love to see what is going on. Oh and do not what ever you do try and interrupt him during the singing, he's totally in another world and will ignore you. What is on at the ENO anyway?"
"Um, I think the programme showed La Boheme and Cosi Fan Tutte?" Katherine stumbled on the unfamiliar words.
"Oh Cosi's a nice one, Mozart." Anne-Marie nodded her approval and was about to utter another words, when their peace was shattered by a heart-wrenching single scream. Katherine jumped in her seat and looked around, her heart beating fast at the shock of the noise. Her companion reacted by leaping up from the table with such force that the remaining dregs of her tea were spilt across the kitchen table. She hurried in the direction of Eric's room and Katherine followed, realising that was the source of the noise.
Eric was sitting up in bed, looking around with confusion in the dim light that now pervaded the room. He had been sweating heavily in his disturbed sleep and was now shaking. "Eric sshhh," Anne-Marie went and sat on the bed, her voice calm. "You have had the nightmare, don't worry, it's all right."
"Annie," his voice was a whisper. "Oh God, I can't even remember." He buried his face in his hands, breathing deeply, his features lost in the gloom. "I haven't dreamt it for ages, I thought I had forgotten it." Katherine watched from the doorway as he pushed his hand through his hair, and reached over to switch on the bedside lamp. The light it afforded showed the slight bruise that was staring to come up by his eye, but otherwise he looked calmer. Anne-Marie had been right, it seemed that sleep was his cure, except when it was interrupted by nightmares.
"I am going to start getting ready, I am suppose to be over at Dave's in an hour. I take it you two have plans for this evening?" Seeing that her ward was not hurt Anne-Marie stood up and with a gentle touch on his head, left the room.
"Kat," Eric turned and looked at her, lounging in the doorway, unsure how to react. She came awkwardly into the room and took Anne-Marie's place on the bed.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, just a rude awakening that's all." He swallowed heavily and Katherine could see that he was more shaken then he was admitting.
"This is a nightmare you've had before?" Eric nodded in confirmation.
"Since I was four. But I haven't had it for ages, a couple of years in fact." He paused and wiped a hand over his face. "I am surprised you're still here," he said with a shaky laugh. "Everything that has happened I have been trying very hard not to explain to you."
"If you think I would run away because things got a little weird, then you do not know me as well as you think."
"Well, I think you know me pretty well now." The words were delivered in a light tone, but Katherine could tell that he was deadly serious.
"Anne-Marie and I have been having a good chat."
"Oh, well you definitely know everything about everyone now!"
"Mmmm, yeah, that could be said," Katherine mused, noticing that as Eric was calming down, the shaking had stopped. "So what are we going to do tonight, are we going to the Opera?" She watched as he looked down, a moment of panic crossing his face as he thought it through. "Eric, don't think about what your Mother said, she didn't really mean it." Katherine guessed correctly at what was running through his head.
"I, I just don't think I am up to it. I can't, I can't," he tried to force the words out over a rising panic. "I would just feel so claustrophobic," he calmed down as Katherine laid her hand on his arm. "I would feel trapped and aware." He looked down at his lap again. "I'm sorry," his sigh was heartfelt.
"That's fine. How about a meal out?" Eric started to shake his head, but Katherine increased the pressure of her hand. "You can stay holed up in here for the rest of your life, thinking the words over and over again, or you can fight the fear. I can understand you not wishing to sit in a crowded auditorium for a few hours, but this is just supper." She spoke quietly and forcefully and Eric realised that she would not take no for an answer.
His mother's assertation echoed in his brain and he involuntarily raised his hand to his cheek, brushing the raised skin. At the same time, the doctor's words from the morning and the pleasure he had expressed at the healing came back to him. He felt a small swell of hope rise in his chest as he realised that his mother had over reacted in her moment of anger, that he was no longer the owner of the hideous face that haunted his dreams. His girlfriend was sitting on the edge of his bed showing not even a modicum of disgust at his appearance, in fact she was looking straight at him and he knew he always had the mask to hide behind.
"Just to a local place then," he agreed. "I know a little Italian restaurant, how about that?"
"As long as you promise to take me to the opera, another time," Katherine bargained.
"Deal," he shook her hand. "I had better get up." With a stretch and a yawn, he flipped back the covers and rose from the bed, the dim light casting a long shadow over the room. He looked around for his clothes that were in a heap in the corner of the room and put them on, picking the mask up from next to his bed.
"Eric no," Katherine protested as he tied it on.
"Yes," he stated firmly, covering his features, hiding from the nightmare that had woken him. "If you want me to take you out," he injected humour in an attempt to lighten the moment, but his shoulders slumped as he realised that his victory was hollow, for she wanted him to keep it off for his gain, not hers.
With a puff of his cheeks, Eric looked at her again, realising that his girlfriend was as unshakable and stubborn about him putting his mask on, as his mother was about seeing her son without it. "Oh sod it," he gave in and pulled he strings off, tossing the covering on to the unmade bed. Katherine looked up, her face lit with a happy smile.
"Good," she stood up and locked her arms around his neck, tilting her face up for the kiss she knew she would get. "Welcome to the rest of your life, Mr Reighland," she whispered in his ear. "We can do this together."