Chapter 45

Tired.

Poppy was awakened to someone shaking her. She groaned and waved her hand, rolling over. A few minutes later, they were shaking her again. This time Poppy growled, "What?"

"Mon Dieu, child! You are a heavy sleeper!"

Poppy finally woke up enough to think clearly. Mme. Giry was the one shaking her. "Please. Me and Erik were up late last night. We were organizing the files. Firmin and Andre were so unorganized. Why are you getting me up so early?"

Mme. Giry smiled, "It is one in the afternoon."

Poppy shot up. "One! I have never sleep that late! Why didn't anyone get me up earlier?"

"Erik said to let you sleep. Now come. You and I have a few things to do."

Poppy climbed out of bed and started to get dressed. "Things to do? Like what?"

Mme. Giry just smiled and waited. When Poppy was dressed, Mme. Giry led her up the tunnels to the Opera House. Then surprising Poppy, led her out the front doors.

"What are we doing?" Poppy inquired.

Mme. Giry laughed. "Has it been so busy this past week that you have forgotten your own wedding?"

Poppy was horrified. She had forgotten! Ever since Erik became manger last week, they both had been really busy. Things were just starting to run smoothly. The Opera's company had been scared to death of him. But Poppy kept reassuring them, and Erik's head for business and his patience had them relaxing and they began to trust him. They had begun to fall into a more organized pattern.

"I have forgotten! How could I forget?"

Mme. Giry smiled, "Erik thought you may have. That's way he told me to take you out and get you ready."

Poppy didn't say anything. She was too busy brooding. She continued to do so after Mme. Giry flagged a carriage down. Twenty minutes later, they came to a jerking stop. Leading Poppy inside, Mme Giry told the woman in charge of the store to bring out samples of cloth.

"Where are we exactly?" Poppy asked coming out of her brooding mood.

"We are in a seamstress shop. We are having you fitted."

"Fitted? Oh. Stupid me." Poppy flashed an embarrassed smile at Mme. Giry. "This is all so new for me. I never thought I would ever get married. Not many men would want a blind wife. Few in my time. Fewer here." Poppy's voice dropped low so that only Mme. Giry could hear her.

"Erik's a special man. He sees how hard you work each day, despite that you are blind. You don't use your blindness as an excuse."

Poppy started to reply when the woman came back. Over the next few hours, Poppy played dummy and doll for the two older women. Finally, a pattern and idea was formed and the order was placed. Poppy walked out the store, bruised and sore. When they got back to the Opera House, Erik was waiting.

"How did it go?"

Poppy glared at him, "I think that if I drink anything right now, you could replace a fountain with me. I am so full of pinholes, water would leak out."

Erik tried not to laugh, but he couldn't hold it. Poppy glared at him, which made him laugh harder.

"Go on. Laugh. But Mme. Giry tells me you have yet to get your suit ready. Then I get to stand back and laugh." With that threat over his head, Poppy gave a mean little smile and walked off, leaving Erik to stare after her and Mme. Giry chuckling at him.

Oh, the joys of preparing for a wedding!