Later that night, as Kerri lounged on the couch, reading a novel she'd read one hundred times before, and Erik became absorbed in his own world, Raoul paid them a visit.
The door was cracked open, shedding a bit of light into the hallway, where Delia was sitting in a chair, also reading.
"How long have they been in there?" He asked. Delia sighed.
"Three hours, maybe four. It's been quiet"
"Good quiet or bad quiet"
She smiled. "How would you define good and bad"
"Good being she threw him out the window"
"Then for you, it's been horribly bad"
"Damn"
"Shut the door for a minute?" Delia shut her book, crossing her legs and smoothing her skirt. Raoul gave her a look that asked 'are you crazy'
"Oh, it's only for a moment; they'll be fine"
Reluctantly, Raoul closed the door.
"Why do you hate him"
"Because he kidnapped my wife and had sex with my sister"
Delia paled. "She told you that"
"I figured it out on my own"
"Have you ever considered that maybe the love each other? Maybe"
"Are you kidding? He's using her"
"I do not think so. I actually thought at first that she was using him"
"Delia, you've gone mad"
"No, I am perfectly sane. I have been watching them for almost nine weeks. There is something there, and it isn't lust"
"What makes you say so"
"They're in there, on opposite sides of the room almost. They've barely said two words to each other this whole time, and they haven't had a real fight since before your wedding. It's called a comfortable silence"
"I know what it's called." He snapped. He was trying, he really was. But it was all too much, too soon.
"She doesn't even know what love is." He argued.
"Does anybody?" Delia raised her eyebrows. Raoul scoffed, turning the doorknob.
"Knock." She warned.
"If they're not doing anything, why do I need to"
"It's common courtesy"
She had a point, so he knocked, and waited three seconds.
Just as she'd said, they were on opposite sides of the room; Kerri in the corner, lounging on the cough with her feet dangling over the arm, and Erik at the piano.
"Kerri"
"What Raoul?" She didn't look away from her book.
"What are you reading"
"The Beauty and the Beast"
How ironic. But Raoul didn't say that.
"Father told me what happened"
"Have you come to yell at me too? He and mom have already had their share"
"No. I actually wanted to do the opposite. Do you mind?" He pointed out to the hallway. She slowly rose, stepping out with her brother. Delia was gone.
"What'd he say to you"
"Direct quotes or what he meant"
"If you could remember, the quotes would be nice"
"You have a fire in you, Kerri, and I want to know what it feels like"
"That could have one thousand meanings"
"I know what an innuendo is, Raoul"
"Well maybe you're taking it the wrong way"
"Or maybe you chose not to see that a sixty year old man only sees me as meat"
"So what's the difference between Erik and the Duke"
She smiled, amused at his pride. "Touché"
"You don't have an answer"
"Erik doesn't see me as something to be used, and doesn't speak to me like I'm only worth what he'll pay"
"You have no idea what Erik thinks of you"
"Yes, I do. It's written all over his face every time I look at him. Kind of like when you look at Christine." Kerri paused. "Which, by the way, is the only reason I put up with her"
"Because of the way I look at her"
"Yes"
"That doesn't make any sense at all"
"It makes perfect sense. She loves Christine because you do." Delia had returned with a glass of water.
"See? Delia knows what I mean"
"But what are you saying?" Raoul was getting hysterical. Not only was Kerri psychotic, but her nanny of sixteen years was joining her.
"You should be able to figure it out, my dear." Delia sat down again, and resumed reading her book.
Slowly, Raoul's expression changed from one of confusion, to astonishment, then anger.
"Are you saying that…do you love him?"
"Yes"
The room was spinning. This wasn't supposed to happen. Kerri was supposed to live out her little fantasy with this man, and then be done with him, not commit to it.
"Raoul, look at me." She held his face in her hands.
"I'm not asking you to be best friends with him. I'm not even asking you to like him. But please, please, please, please respect him. Respect me"
"Do you realize what you're getting yourself into? He's a fugitive"
"You say that as if I can turn what I feel off"
"No, I'm saying because getting yourself thrown into prison with him is just as stupid"
"Are you calling my feelings stupid"
"No, I am calling them childish and misplaced. The decision to act on them was stupid"
Kerri could have hit him. She actually saw herself doing it. The urge was so strong that she put her hands behind her back.
"Raoul, just because you don't agree with her choice of lovers doesn't mean you have to be rude! Don't you ever wonder why she is so closed off"
"Delia, not now." He spoke through gritted teeth.
"If not now, when? Sooner or later, you're going to have to come to terms with the fact that at some point in the future, he might very well be your brother-in-law"
"No. No, I won't let that happen. Kerri, I forbid you to marry him"
Raoul began to walk away. Kerri exchanged a glance with her nurse.
"You're too late, Raoul." She called. He stopped, turning slowly.
"What? What did you just say"
"Kerri, no." Delia touched her arm, but she shook her off. Raoul was now inches from her face.
"You're too late. He's already proposed." She said it with a perfectly neutral face, holding up her hand.
Raoul wanted to slap Kerri. This might have actually been the first time he'd ever seriously considered hitting her, or been so infuriated.
"Give me that ring, Kerri"
"No"
"Don't make me take it from you"
"If you take it from me Raoul, I'll be forced to show you exactly how much I have improved at swordplay"
"You haven't been practicing"
"Erik and I dueled last week. He gave me pointers." Raoul lunged for Kerri' hand, and Kerri grabbed the sword from his hip.
"Kerri, put the sword down"
"No"
"That's not a fencing sword, Kerri. It's sharp"
"I know what it is and what it isn't. And I also know that if I lower, it, you will go running into that room and kill Erik. So if drawing on my brother is what it takes to save my fiancé and my marriage, so be it"
"You have to know that you won't ever see the inside of a church. Mom and Dad would find out"
"They'd be happy I was getting married. Someone else's problem"
"Not if they knew who your future husband was"
"Are you kidding me? He's rich and famous. They'd be thrilled"
"Infamous, you mean"
"There's no such thing as bad publicity"
"But there is bad public images"
"Since when have I cared what people thought of me"
"Just put the sword down, Kerri, and I swear I won't touch him, or you"
"Back up first"
"Stop pointing that thing at me. I know how you operate"
"Back up and I'll give the sword to Delia"
Raoul took tow steps back, and Kerri gave up her weapon.
"Let me have it, Delia." Raoul held out his hand.
She snorted. "I'm not that stupid"
"Delia, please!" He groaned.
"No. I will not have Erik's death on my conscience as well as Kerri's when she commits suicide"
The anger crackled between the siblings. Kerri couldn't believe Raoul was being so close minded, and Raoul couldn't believe Kerri was being so reckless.
"Most of your rules are pointless now, I hope you know." Kerri crossed her arms.
"All of my rules still stand. In fact, I think I need to go and discuss some new ones with Erik"
Kerri pushed him into a wall as he tried to get past her.
"Nice try. Come back when you're level headed"
"I'll never be level headed when it comes to you marrying that monster"
"Then you won't ever get to chat with him"
He clenched his jaw to avoid speaking.
"And, for the record, that monster has saved my life twice and never asked for anything in return"
"Except for your soul"
Kerri smiled warmly. "No, I gave that to him willingy."
The door was cracked open, shedding a bit of light into the hallway, where Delia was sitting in a chair, also reading.
"How long have they been in there?" He asked. Delia sighed.
"Three hours, maybe four. It's been quiet"
"Good quiet or bad quiet"
She smiled. "How would you define good and bad"
"Good being she threw him out the window"
"Then for you, it's been horribly bad"
"Damn"
"Shut the door for a minute?" Delia shut her book, crossing her legs and smoothing her skirt. Raoul gave her a look that asked 'are you crazy'
"Oh, it's only for a moment; they'll be fine"
Reluctantly, Raoul closed the door.
"Why do you hate him"
"Because he kidnapped my wife and had sex with my sister"
Delia paled. "She told you that"
"I figured it out on my own"
"Have you ever considered that maybe the love each other? Maybe"
"Are you kidding? He's using her"
"I do not think so. I actually thought at first that she was using him"
"Delia, you've gone mad"
"No, I am perfectly sane. I have been watching them for almost nine weeks. There is something there, and it isn't lust"
"What makes you say so"
"They're in there, on opposite sides of the room almost. They've barely said two words to each other this whole time, and they haven't had a real fight since before your wedding. It's called a comfortable silence"
"I know what it's called." He snapped. He was trying, he really was. But it was all too much, too soon.
"She doesn't even know what love is." He argued.
"Does anybody?" Delia raised her eyebrows. Raoul scoffed, turning the doorknob.
"Knock." She warned.
"If they're not doing anything, why do I need to"
"It's common courtesy"
She had a point, so he knocked, and waited three seconds.
Just as she'd said, they were on opposite sides of the room; Kerri in the corner, lounging on the cough with her feet dangling over the arm, and Erik at the piano.
"Kerri"
"What Raoul?" She didn't look away from her book.
"What are you reading"
"The Beauty and the Beast"
How ironic. But Raoul didn't say that.
"Father told me what happened"
"Have you come to yell at me too? He and mom have already had their share"
"No. I actually wanted to do the opposite. Do you mind?" He pointed out to the hallway. She slowly rose, stepping out with her brother. Delia was gone.
"What'd he say to you"
"Direct quotes or what he meant"
"If you could remember, the quotes would be nice"
"You have a fire in you, Kerri, and I want to know what it feels like"
"That could have one thousand meanings"
"I know what an innuendo is, Raoul"
"Well maybe you're taking it the wrong way"
"Or maybe you chose not to see that a sixty year old man only sees me as meat"
"So what's the difference between Erik and the Duke"
She smiled, amused at his pride. "Touché"
"You don't have an answer"
"Erik doesn't see me as something to be used, and doesn't speak to me like I'm only worth what he'll pay"
"You have no idea what Erik thinks of you"
"Yes, I do. It's written all over his face every time I look at him. Kind of like when you look at Christine." Kerri paused. "Which, by the way, is the only reason I put up with her"
"Because of the way I look at her"
"Yes"
"That doesn't make any sense at all"
"It makes perfect sense. She loves Christine because you do." Delia had returned with a glass of water.
"See? Delia knows what I mean"
"But what are you saying?" Raoul was getting hysterical. Not only was Kerri psychotic, but her nanny of sixteen years was joining her.
"You should be able to figure it out, my dear." Delia sat down again, and resumed reading her book.
Slowly, Raoul's expression changed from one of confusion, to astonishment, then anger.
"Are you saying that…do you love him?"
"Yes"
The room was spinning. This wasn't supposed to happen. Kerri was supposed to live out her little fantasy with this man, and then be done with him, not commit to it.
"Raoul, look at me." She held his face in her hands.
"I'm not asking you to be best friends with him. I'm not even asking you to like him. But please, please, please, please respect him. Respect me"
"Do you realize what you're getting yourself into? He's a fugitive"
"You say that as if I can turn what I feel off"
"No, I'm saying because getting yourself thrown into prison with him is just as stupid"
"Are you calling my feelings stupid"
"No, I am calling them childish and misplaced. The decision to act on them was stupid"
Kerri could have hit him. She actually saw herself doing it. The urge was so strong that she put her hands behind her back.
"Raoul, just because you don't agree with her choice of lovers doesn't mean you have to be rude! Don't you ever wonder why she is so closed off"
"Delia, not now." He spoke through gritted teeth.
"If not now, when? Sooner or later, you're going to have to come to terms with the fact that at some point in the future, he might very well be your brother-in-law"
"No. No, I won't let that happen. Kerri, I forbid you to marry him"
Raoul began to walk away. Kerri exchanged a glance with her nurse.
"You're too late, Raoul." She called. He stopped, turning slowly.
"What? What did you just say"
"Kerri, no." Delia touched her arm, but she shook her off. Raoul was now inches from her face.
"You're too late. He's already proposed." She said it with a perfectly neutral face, holding up her hand.
Raoul wanted to slap Kerri. This might have actually been the first time he'd ever seriously considered hitting her, or been so infuriated.
"Give me that ring, Kerri"
"No"
"Don't make me take it from you"
"If you take it from me Raoul, I'll be forced to show you exactly how much I have improved at swordplay"
"You haven't been practicing"
"Erik and I dueled last week. He gave me pointers." Raoul lunged for Kerri' hand, and Kerri grabbed the sword from his hip.
"Kerri, put the sword down"
"No"
"That's not a fencing sword, Kerri. It's sharp"
"I know what it is and what it isn't. And I also know that if I lower, it, you will go running into that room and kill Erik. So if drawing on my brother is what it takes to save my fiancé and my marriage, so be it"
"You have to know that you won't ever see the inside of a church. Mom and Dad would find out"
"They'd be happy I was getting married. Someone else's problem"
"Not if they knew who your future husband was"
"Are you kidding me? He's rich and famous. They'd be thrilled"
"Infamous, you mean"
"There's no such thing as bad publicity"
"But there is bad public images"
"Since when have I cared what people thought of me"
"Just put the sword down, Kerri, and I swear I won't touch him, or you"
"Back up first"
"Stop pointing that thing at me. I know how you operate"
"Back up and I'll give the sword to Delia"
Raoul took tow steps back, and Kerri gave up her weapon.
"Let me have it, Delia." Raoul held out his hand.
She snorted. "I'm not that stupid"
"Delia, please!" He groaned.
"No. I will not have Erik's death on my conscience as well as Kerri's when she commits suicide"
The anger crackled between the siblings. Kerri couldn't believe Raoul was being so close minded, and Raoul couldn't believe Kerri was being so reckless.
"Most of your rules are pointless now, I hope you know." Kerri crossed her arms.
"All of my rules still stand. In fact, I think I need to go and discuss some new ones with Erik"
Kerri pushed him into a wall as he tried to get past her.
"Nice try. Come back when you're level headed"
"I'll never be level headed when it comes to you marrying that monster"
"Then you won't ever get to chat with him"
He clenched his jaw to avoid speaking.
"And, for the record, that monster has saved my life twice and never asked for anything in return"
"Except for your soul"
Kerri smiled warmly. "No, I gave that to him willingy."