Chapter 27
XXX
Half way up the tunnel, he saw Poppy on the ground. She was crying. "I'm tired. I'm tired of all of this." She mumbled.
"Poppy? What happened?"
She looked up tears running down her face. "I slipped and fell."
Concern was in Erik's voice as he kneeled beside her, "Are you hurt? Feel any pain?"
Poppy's voice hardened, "No pain but in my heart. Bet you never thought you could break someone's heart did you? Erik, you are acting like a spoiled child. That when you do something wrong it is all right. Some things you do are excusable, but others…are not."
Erik thought about this. He nodded, "You are right. I have been acting as such." He scooped her up, "Now, you need to get off the cold floor before you get sick."
Poppy gasped, "Erik! Put me down!" She pushed at his chest, "Put me down! I'm still mad at you! This is not fair!"
Erik surprised his self and her by chuckling a little. "Now who's being the child?"
Poppy flushed with anger, but fell silent.
Erik walked back to the lair and placed her on the couch. Poppy started to say something, but Erik stopped her. "Stay here. I'll be back in a minute." With that Erik walked into the kitchen.
Poppy huffed and crossed her arms. Ayesha jumped up on the couch with her. "Hey there Ayesha. How are doing?" Ayesha answered her with a meow and a purr. Poppy laughed. She picked Ayesha up and hugged her close. Ayesha closed her eyes and rubbed her head under Poppy's jaw, purring.
Poppy heard Erik come into the room so she put the cat down. "Now can I go?"
"No. Here." Erik handed her a hot mug.
Poppy took it. "Ouch! Damn it Erik! You could have warned me."
"It's hot," Erik smirked.
Poppy tried to glare at him but found she couldn't. She tried to hide her smile. He did just what she had done to him a week earlier. Paybacks are a bitch. She took a sip, and let out a cough and a wince. "What is this?"
Erik looked over at her. She had a disgusted face, he let out another laugh, "It's Russian tea. It has lemon in it. Drink it it's good for you."
Poppy took another sip, and grimaced. Then another. It was not so bad after you got past the essential shock of the bitterness. She had always enjoyed bitter tea. They set quietly for a while until Poppy set the cup down. "Erik?"
Erik had been watching her. Waiting until she made the first move. She was right. He had been acting as a child. He was so used to getting his own way in the Opera house, with Lefever listening to every word and letter he wrote. Whatever she did, he will not lose his temper, nor act like child. Not any more. "Yes?"
"I don't hate you, you know."
Hope flared inside of him.
"But you said—"
Poppy shook her head, "I said a lot of things that I didn't mean. But some were true. It hurts to be a second choice. That I only have a chance to show how much I—one love you only if Christine dished you. Plus, you did expect me to come running happily to you. Am I right? People have feelings Erik. As do you. You may say that you are not like other men. But, look back at your actions. Then at other men. You will see that you are the same. But, what makes you different, is you. No one is the same. The world would be a very boring place if everyone were the same."
Erik sat there stunned. He had never looked at things that way. He had insolated his self from the world, he had traveled, saw the world, but he never really saw it. He smiled, "And how old are you? Not 19. You sound too old to be that age."
Poppy blushed, "I'll be 20 soon."
"Hmm…still not the age you sound." Erik moved from his chair to the couch, beside her. He reached out a long fingered hand to brush a lock of hair out of her face. Her white eyes flashed as she faced him. "Erik."
"Hmm?" he answered, trying to think how she would act if he kissed her.
"I'm still mad at you, so don't try it."
He sighed, "But you don't hate me?"
Poppy laughed a little, "No. Just mad. Should I leave? If I'm not welcome, I'll leave."
"No! Stay as long as you like. You are welcome here. I don't want you to leave."
Poppy smiled. She stood and picked up her backpack that had lain forgotten beside the couch. Suddenly the strap broke, spilling everything in it. Horror flashed across Poppy's face as she fell to her knees to hastily pick everything up. Erik helped too. "No, no, no! I got it! Don't worry about it." Poppy stammered out fearfully. She hoped he didn't find—
"Poppy, what's this?"
It.
Erik held a small vale. It contained a reddish liquid. It looked familiar. Almost like the same concoction he had slipped into Carlotta's throat spray. Way would Poppy have some? "Well?"
"Ahmm…I…it…well…" She swallowed, "that is the same stuff you had put into Carlotta's throat spray. I was going to slip it in to…."
Erik had a feeling as to who it was.
"….Christine's drink." Poppy waited for Erik to start yelling. What he did though surprised her.
Anger flashed though him at first, but as he thought about it was indeed funny. She was so much like him. He threw back his head and had the first good laugh he hadn't had in a long time.
