Chapter 20

Just as Firmin finished reading the paper, Andre came out from his office. He was red faced and yelling, "Dammable! Will they all walk out! This is damnable!"

Firmin shook his head, "André! Please don't shout! We can use this to our advantage. Gossip is what people want, and we have it in plenty!"

"But…we have no cast!"

"Have you seen the queue?"

They marched into the Grand Foyer. Andre opened his letter.

"Dear Andre, what a charming gala! Christine was in a word, sublime. We were hardly bereft when Carlotta left-one that note the diva's a disaster, must you cast her when she's seasons past her prime?"

Erik moved out from behind the wall so that he could watch them. As he watched, Firmin was starting to open his. He reads out:

"Dear Firmin, just a quick reminder: my salary has not been paid. Send it care of the ghost, by return of post-PTO no one likes a debtor, so it's better if my orders are obeyed!"

Firmin tried to calm Andre, for he was starting to bellow once more. André turned to Firmin, "Who would have the gall to send this?"

Erik hid the smirk. He does.

Firmin shook his head, "I don't know, but someone with a puerile brain!"

Erik raised his eyebrow. Puerile? Hmmm…

André studied the notes, "It says here, O.G."

"Who the hell is he?"

Andre thought for a minute, "Opera Ghost!"

They began to head to their offices when Raoul burst in. Erik's eyes narrowed. Damn him! Oh, he is harmless still in this little game. But…Erik had read Poppy's book closely. The boy is admirably stubborn. If he continues to see Christine, all will be lost.

"Bonjour, Viscomte! What came we do for you?" Firmin sucked up.

"Where is she?"

Andre brow furrowed, "Who? Carlotta?"

Erik made a slight face.

"No. Miss O'Collen, and Christine Daae."

Erik blinked. Was he hearing right? Did he just ask for Poppy? In a way he was glad, but another part him dreaded it. Jealousy rose. He swallowed the bitter taste down.

"You don't know were they are then?"

Firmin and Andre both shook their heads.

They were just about to go into the offices when Carlotta came storming in followed by her group. She heads up the staircase. She also has a letter.

She begins to yell. She waves the note. "I have here a note. I know not were came from, but I don't like it."

Both the mangers try to slip away, as Raoul reads the note. "Your days at the Opera Populaire are over. Christine Daae will be singing in your place from here on out. Be prepared for a great misfortune, should you try to take her place."

Erik rolled his eyes as she began to stomp.

The mangers are beginning to tire of the intrigue. They began to escort Carlotta up the staircase. Everyone follows.

"We don't take orders from 'ghosts.' We are the mangers. Not this…O.G." Firmin snobbishly tells her.

They round the corner and run straight into Mme. Giry and her daughter, Meg.

"Miss Daae and O'Collen have both retuned."

Firmin raises his eyebrow, "They both were gone?"

Mme. Giry started to answer when Raoul intermittent.

"Can I see them?"

"No monsieur. They need rest. Had a hard night."

All give strange looks.

Carlotta was the first to break the silence, " Will she sing?"

Mme. Giry just shakes her head. "Here, I have a note."

They all groaned as Erik hid a smirk. He sure were getting to them.

They all took the note into Firmin's office. Five minutes latter they came out Carlotta came out yelling, "First I am replaced by some blind foreigner Rat, then by this…this…nobody! I am the true diva!"

Erik's lip curled in disgust as Firmin and Andre began sucking up to her. Finally over the yelling, Firmin yells, "Miss Daae will be playing the pageboy- the silent role…"

"Carlotta will be playing the lead!" Andre added, catching on.

Erik snarled. Things are not going his way. He slipped off to his now empty lair, to try to think of a way of getting them to see it 'his' way.

XxX

An hour latter, Erik finished throwing items around. He looked around his trashed lair and sighed. His temper had taken a hold of him again. This will be the third time this month that he will have to clean the broken items up. He remembered the first time Poppy had seen his full-unleashed anger. She had stood, leaning against the doorframe to him rage, a slight smirk on her face. That had made Erik even madder. He started yelling at her. She didn't even wince. After he was done all she said was 'feel better?'

Then proceeded to tell him that she was not cleaning it up. He was the one that made the mess. She didn't put up with his fits. She said that he needed to rein control over it. Of course the next day she matched his temper. She had gotten flustered over something and started yelling and punching the pillows. Erik had gone to see what was the matter. She was in her room punching the pillow, throwing them down, everything. She would room about the room, her red hair flying out behind her. When Erik asked her what the matter was, she dropped the pillow, and turned and grinned sheepishly at him.

Erik shook his head. No, he tried to convince himself, he did not miss her. He loved Christine. Not Poppy. Christine. Christine. Not…Poppy. Erik let out a growl. Damn! He did miss her. And she had only been gone half a day!

Erik set down on the couch, and placed his head in his hands, "What am I going to do?"

"You can try talking to them."