Testing…testing…one, two, three…is anybody out there?

Thanks for all the personal emails about this story, I appreciate it. We are to the point where Erik is accepting the fact that he is worthy of Karlie's love and of the friendships he has learned to cherish.

Thanks again, to Mlle.Fox for the use of her wonderful character, Allie. It was great girl, I used all of it, plus added a little of my own here and there!

No portion of this storyline, or the use of my original characters, is to be used in any way without my written permission, or that of Mlle.Fox, in reference to Allie. Thank you.

Enjoy.

CHAPTER 30

The day of the ball started out like any other day; the opera house was filling up, again, after the Christmas and New Years break.

Erik had spent the night at his house, so Karlie had not seen him for, what seemed like, days. She was not going to like this at all.

She knew that he would come back to the opera house every day; but somehow, that just did not appease her dislike of the entire situation.

She had gotten his measurements from Demi, since she had shopped for him in the past, so that she could get his costume ready for tonight. He was going to look magnificent in the pants she had designed for him. She could not allow him to be dressed entirely like King Leonidas would have been…after all, he had been in only a loincloth…at the most.

As much as Karlie would love to see Erik in nothing but a loincloth…she was not to keen on the idea of every other woman having the same opportunity.

She needed to talk to Allie about her "man" problems. She hadn't meant to sound insensitive, but Allie had never sought her help when it came to men…in fact, Allie had never really needed her help for anything. She had always been the strong one, the one whose savvy and intelligence had been the strength between them.

She would have to wait for Allie to return, she had arisen early to accomplish some personal things before getting ready for tonight. Karlie was so blessed…blessed to have her best friend with her again for this New Year, but most of all…blessed to have Erik in her life…now, she just had to work at keeping him there.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Erik had arrived at the opera house early…he needed to make sure everything was in order for Monday, the day that business resumed as normal at the opera house.

He did not wish to disturb Karlie this early, she had, most likely, been up quite late gabbing with Allie about everything; he would allow her to sleep in preparation for tonight.

He had slipped out of the opera house for a few minutes, to grab a cup of coffee and a bagel at the bakery on the corner. For some reason, the female who ran the place flirted outrageously with him and, although he did not flirt back; well, not much anyway, he enjoyed the attention, even if she was twice his age!

He sat down, opened the morning paper, and sipped his coffee. The engagement announcements in the paper caused him to pull out the ring that rested in his vest pocket. He opened this lid to the tiny box and watched as the diamond winked at him in the light. It was as beautiful as the woman he had been thinking about when he bought it.

Would he ever have the courage to ask the question that preceded his giving it to her? Erik was terrified at the prospect of being refused again. One moment, he was certain she loved him and would spend eternity with him the next, he remembered the certainty he had felt with Christine and that had almost been the end of him.

He was still staring at the ring, when a shadow fell over the table at which he sat. He looked up into the laughing eyes of Allie, she had that look on her face and Erik felt panic grip his heart.

Knowing she had seen the ring, Erik became a bit surprised when she asked with a gentle smile, "Mind some company?"

Remembering he was a gentleman, Erik stood and pulled out a chair for her saying, "No...no, not at all. Please!"

Sitting down, Allie commented, "New Orleans most eligible socialite havin' breakfast with New Orlean's most eligible bachelor." Allie winked, "This should send the gossip hounds tongues waggin'!"

Confused, Erik sat down again asking as a waitress brought Allie her tea and crepes. "Excuse me?" He remarked, having no idea what she meant.

Allie raised an eyebrow, "You do know every woman within a fifty mile radius thinks you're the most gorgeous thing since...oh I don't know...the first diamond discovered?"

Erik smiled and shook his head, "I doubt that!"

She smiled a plot filled smile, and leaned forward, "Ok so deny it! Meanwhile, speakin' of diamonds, I take it the ice pond in that little box is for a certain ballerina of our mutual acquaintance?"

Erik sighed, deciding it was no use trying to hide it, "I want it to be."

"But...?" Allie prompted.

Erik looked into her inquisitive green eyes. If Karlie trusted her with her confidence, why couldn't he?

"But I'm afraid she won't accept it." He admitted in a voice barely above a whisper.

She sat back and laughed, "Hon, Karlie wouldn't just accept it! She would tear it out of the box before you got the question done, throw all six-foot somethin' of ya over her little bity shoulder, and run to the nearest church she could find!" Allie continued to laugh as the picture formed in her head, "Heck…she'd chase down a priest just to get married to ya and finally get the chance ta rip your clothes off!"

Erik laughed nervously, not sure whether to believe her, "I wish I was as certain of her reaction as you are."

Allie leaned forward and whispered playfully, "Trust me! She's told me a few thangs you two been doin' the last couple o' days!"

Erik leaned in, "She told you that?"

Allie laughed in her throat, "Get use to it, Suga'! Girlfriends tell each other everythang!"

Erik actually looked a slight bit embarrassed. He wasn't used to being the subject of conversation between two women…or have any woman talking about him, for that matter.

Allie continued with her mission, "If you'd work up the nerve to ask her, I might be persuaded to stick around till the weddin'!" Her face shone with such expectant joy, "Karlie's always said she'd love to get married at my family's estate!"

Erik laughed; a low rumbling sound that reminded Allie of distant thunder, "Mam'selle, you are impossible; and very persistent!"

Allie lifted her brow, "Yes, but am I persuasive?"

Erik looked at the table, an uncertain glint in his eyes, "Almost." He said, drawing circles on the tablecloth with his finger, "I have to be certain…I can't go through that again." He emphasized, looking Allie straight in the eye.

Allie rolled her eyes to the heavens and shook her head in frustration, "Lord…ya'll belong together! It's like pullin' teeth to git ya to make a move!" She swatted the table in aggravation, "So, what is it? Are ya afraid she's gonna wake up one morning screaming she's made a terrible mistake…" Her voice had taken on a very serious tone, "…just because you happened to have some blood on your hands?"

Tears sprang to Erik's eyes as he avoided her gaze, "You know of my past?"

A brief pause came before her firm answer, "I do; and I can tell ya now, nobody cares about who ya were." She reached over and caressed his large, masculine hand, "Especially Karlie…besides..."

Her eyes grew distant as they looked down into the cup of tea she began to sip, "If Karlie was the kind of person to stop bein' round ya 'cause you had killed another human being in cold blood...then she should have dumped me a long time ago."

Erik snapped his head up and asked, "What?"

Allie smiled a smile full of regret, "It was summer, 1863…I was a fairly young girl just becoming a woman." Her eyes clouded over in memory, "It was just me, my mama, my childhood mammy, and Karlie at the plantation. Either most of the field hands went to fight for the North or the South; or they went up to Canada. Daddy was up at the capital. He had to stay there a few years because a lot of Union supporters in the South got assassinated."

She paused for moment, reflecting, "So there we was, unprotected, all alone, and without a lick of help to bring the crops in. One hot summer day, I came in from the fields ahead of everybody when I heard a noise from the parlor. I got Daddy's revolver and went in there."

Tears ran down her face as she remembered the scene, just as if it were yesterday, "There was this big, fat, greasy man in a Yankee uniform. I could tell by his poor appearance that he was a deserter," revulsion spewed forth with each word, "That, and the fact he was placing my grandmama's silver in his bag."

She wiped her tears in exasperation, "We just looked at each other a moment before I told him, 'Mister, just put the silver back and anythang else you took and I'll send you on your way with a plate of food.' Then he leered his eyes up and down my body and licked his lips. He said, 'Sweetheart, I'd rather eat you alive.' He didn't take one step before I shot him…point blank. I stood glaring over his body for what seemed like hours, before Mama, Karlie and Mame rushed in."

Allie raised her eyes to Erik's, "Mama just said, 'Well, we best get him outside for a proper funeral.' So, we buried him, said a prayer, and went our on. Daddy came home after a while and asked what had happened to the rug in the parlor. We had to bury it with the body, but not before turning out his pockets for cash and taking the sack full of other stolen goods and pawning them."

A slight smile graced her lips, "But of course, we didn't tell Daddy this, Mama just told him she had sold it for some extra money and handed the cash right over! Daddy actually praised her for making such a profit. That's the only secret I ever kept from my Daddy...next few weeks…I was a quiet, docile, gentile little violet. The proper Southern lady my Mama tried to turn me into since I was knee high to a grasshopper."

She smiled a brilliant, perfect smile, "Now, keepin' in mind this is what she'd always wanted…imagine my surprise when Mama woke me one night after I had a fit of nightmares and told me, 'Baby...this ain't you. Now, I'd rather have the wild little flirt I love than this cold stranger tormented by nightmares. Now, you asked Jesus to forgive ya right?' I told her, 'Yes Ma'am.'"

Allie emphasized each word, letting Erik know that she was saying this to him, "Then she says to me, 'Then Darlin', all you need to do is ask God to help ya forgive yourself. 'Cause Baby, once ya done that...no sin can bother you again.'"

Allie smiled through tears and looked at Erik with peace in her eyes, "And you know what? I prayed that very thang, forgave myself, and to this day have not had a nightmare! I admit, I think about it from time to time, but then I remind myself I'm forgiven...by my the Savior and myself."

She again rested her hand on his, "And Erik, Karlie was right there. She never said a word about it; she has remained my friend all these years. Now, if she's capable of loving one murderer…why's it so hard for you to believe she can love another?"

Erik was speechless as silent tears flowed down his face. Not only did he finally have evidence Karlie might actually accept his love, but he had another soul before him who knew what it was like to shed blood; another person who understood the consuming nature that sin leaves behind in the repented killer's soul. More than anything, he knew she was right; he had to forgive himself.

He grasped Allie's hand, "Thank you for sharing all this with me."

She grinned again, "You wanna thank me, do ya?" She leaned in close and spoke loudly, "Propose!"

Erik smiled and shrugged, "I would Allie but you're not my type..."

"To Karlie ya dang fool!" Allie said dryly.

Erik nodded, "I might...if you tell me who Beauregard Jackson is!"

With an annoyed scowl, Allie pulled her hand away and crossed her arms, "Then I guess Karlie's gonna have to be an Old Maid then!"

Erik smiled, "You'd never torture her like that!"

Allie narrowed her eyes, "Who told you 'bout him anyhow?"

Erik leaned back in his chair, "A certain ballerina of our mutual acquaintance, who has a very convincing way of getting me to agree to ask you about this man you're avoiding!"

Allie sighed, "The little tramp!" She sputtered her lips and sighed a second time, "Alrigh' fine!" She crossed her arms and pouted prettily, "He's the last of this Old Baton Rouge family. They lost most of their money in the War, but he had the guts and the gumption to invest in the lumber business. He even worked with the crews on building new houses from time to time. Not only has he earned back all of what his family lost, he's got it back three fold!"

She tried to hide the pride that crept up into her eyes, "Now he spends his time goin' round the South flirtin' with every livin' thing in creation…and followin' me around tryin' to get me to marry him! Annoyin' little..."

"How did you meet him?" Erik interrupted trying to control his amusement.

Allie flipped her hair over her shoulder and admitted quietly, "I met him 'bout four months ago when he helped volunteer with his church to host a picnic for the kids I've been workin' with."

Erik tried to hide his smile, "So…he's an honest, hardworking man of faith who loves children?" Erik's forehead was wrinkled, and he tapped his chin, "And the problem is...?" He prompted.

"He's also cocky as heck! He'll argue with me just to be arguin' with me! He always

has to win! And he'll pay attention to every breathin' female!" Allie huffed.

"Instead of you right?" Erik guessed, seeing that look in her eye.

"...Oh shut up!" Allie told him.

Erik laughed softly and asked, "So what does he look like?"

Allie lifted her brow in suspicion, "Why do you wanna know?"

Without missing a beat Erik grinned in triumph and asked, "Do you want a potential ally to help you avoid him or not?"

Allie hesitated and finally submitted saying, "He's 'bout six feet, slimmer than you but still broad shouldered...curly golden blond hair that goes down pas' his ears a bit...square jaw...nice smile," she grew a small smile and went into a trance, "two sparklin'...shimmerin'...laughin' ice blue eyes...that pull ya righ' in..."

Catching herself, Allie shook it off and said, "Nothin' special really."

Erik smirked, "And you...aren't attracted to him?"

"...Oh shut up!"

To be continued…