Sorry for not updating this one sooner. Eye of a Ghost was calling and I had to answer.
When Erik walked onto the stage where everyone was gathered, they all broke out talking at once. Erik just waited until the noise died down. "I apologize for not being here the past week. And I'm sure you all played around…"
Protests sounded all-round. "Quit!" Erik yelled, instantly the people fell silent, "I have watched you all for years. So I know all about that the moment you are not working or practicing, you all lounged around. But now that I'm back: playtime is over. You all will now have to work extra hard. Monsieur Reyer?"
The small man walked up, timid, "Y-yes Monsieur?"
"Have you been working on anything with the orchestra? Any at?" Erik's voice sounded slightly annoyed.
Reyer went pale, "N-no Monsieur."
Erik sighed. He best get them back on track, before anymore incidents happened. "Well, then. Don't you think you better solve that problem?"
"Y-yes Monsieur." He all but ran off.
Erik turned back to the rest of the Opera's company, "What are you all waiting for? I'll have a production for you all to perform soon, but in the mean time…work on weak spots. In you're dancing or singing." Erik looked each in the eye, "And I know you all have some. Now go. Madame Carlotta? Stay right there. The rest of you go on." Erik walked up to Carlotta. She stared up at him fearfully. He stared back down at her, annoyance in his face and eyes. Normally when he ran the Opera and had to be around the company he wore a flesh colored mask. But, the one he was wearing at the moment was one of his infamous white masks. The sinister-looking porcelain in stark contrast to his intimating posture. "I believe I have told you once that if you wished to remain at my opera house, you will learn to listen. You have not. I normally give second chances, but that the moment, we need all the singers we can get. But remember this, Madame, if you act up again, I will not think twice about it. Now go."
"Merci, Monsieur. I will remember." With her whispered apology given, she slunk off.
Erik sighed and walked to the offices. As much as he would like to go back to the lair, he truly needed to get the Opera house back in running order. When he got to the office Erik saw that he had a lot paperwork to file and fill. Mme. Giry he saw had tried to do some, but she was a Ballet Mistress, she only knew minor office work. So, for the next five hours he worked and filed the papers. As he worked, Erik ran though operas that the perfumers could put on. Not Hannibal. He had not been truly fond of it. There were too much armour, fabric, glitz,-all over-designed. The Opera house will never again see the likes of that opera again. Erik went over the past operas that had done well in the past. After Don Juan, no one needed anything that new right now. There was Don Giovanni, that was truly memorable; and than there was The Magic Flute-charmingly whimsical-amusing! But then the Opera house had not seen anything as good as Faust for a while now. Faust it was. it was half past ten when Erik got all affairs in order. Mme. Giry was waiting for him out side the door. He didn't say a word to her. Only handed her the directions that he wanted the cast to follow for the opera. She looked down at the opera he wanted, and smirked. Faust. It was his favorite. When she looked back up, he was gone. Antoinette took the directions to Reyer. He looked over them and got busy at assigning 1st and 2nds for Erik to approve.
XxX
After Erik had handed the papers to Antoinette, he took off back down to his lair. He had been worrying that Poppy had not listened to him and had fell again. Erik all but ran though the tunnels. He caused Poppy to jump when he hurried into her room.
Poppy had been dozing when Erik came though the door. "Erik? What's wrong?"
Erik breathed a sigh of relief, when he saw her propped of in the bed and not on the floor. "I have been worrying all day that you have not listened and that you got up."
Poppy's white eyes flashed, "Are you sating that you don't trust me? That I would want a repeat of a busted skull?"
She was in one of her moods. Erik saw that he would have to tread carefully. "I trust you. But it was only because that I love you, caused me to worry."
"I'm sorry I snapped. But you try being stuck in a bed all day." Poppy patted the bed, "Come and sit. Tell me…were they all running around like chickens with their heads cut off?"
Erik set down as he gave her a strange look, "I'll pretend I understood that. But they were indeed unorganized." He then told her about the rest of the day, telling her which opera her choose for them. She laughed about the warning he gave Carlotta and how Reyer shook.
"Poppy. Before I went up to the Opera house, you were going to tell me something?" Erik reminded her after she was done laughing.
Poppy's face grew serious, "Erik, I don't really believe in the supernatural or the life before death or after death. Nor the pre-death BS. But something happened, that I can't explain. As I was telling you, I had indeed came down here to get a few things. I tripped and fell, hitting my head. When I opened my eyes, I could see. I could see Erik. For the first time in ten years I could see!" She paused; Erik took her hand and waited for her to go on. "Granted it was not much, only a grayish fog. Then I don't know how to explain it, but in front of me, two tunnels began to swirl. When I looked in them, I saw to my right me. I was in a hospital bed. It was in my own time. But, I was alone. There was no one. In the left tunnel, " again Poppy paused, "I saw me. But instead of a modern day hospital bed, I saw that I was in this bed here. And unlike in the other tunnel, I saw people around me. You Erik. I saw you."
Erik froze. She had seen him. Only a few frightened words came out of his mouth, "you saw me?"
Poppy nodded, "yes. But before you say anything else, let me tell you…it didn't change my feelings for you. Besides, I have already seen you with my hands. You are not repulsive. Quite the opposite." Before Poppy got any more out, Erik lead forward and hesitantly took her in his arms. Poppy relaxed, as Erik did the same. He held her like that for a while.
"Go on and finish," Erik whispered to her.
Poppy nodded and began again, "I felt that I was being given a choice: go home, to my own time, or come back to here. I came back here. No one will truly miss me in my own time."
"What about your parents? Surly…"
Poppy started to cry, "I saw them! They didn't care! It was a chore for them to even come see me. They never truly loved me! I was an object to them. A doll, to show off to their friends! I went though the tunnel back here. To you. For I love you."
Erik let her cry; she didn't cry often, she needed to cry. "I love you too, Cuquelicot. But there is something that I don't truly understand. If you saw two of yourselves, what happened to your body in your own time?"
Poppy dried her eyes, "I'm not sure. My guess would be that, my other body might have died. Or that time was rewritten. Overall, I don't care. I'm where I want to be…here with you."
In response, Erik held her tighter. Poppy snuggled down in his arms and they both slowly fell asleep, enjoying each other warmth and love.
Aww, how sweet. So sweet, I think I'm getting a toothache. I well not be able to update tomorrow. The library will be closed. Sorry. But on Tuesday, I'll have some more chapters.
