Disclaimer: Erik, Christine and Co are all property of Gaston Leroux, Susan Kay, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber etc. I own the plot.
Chapter Five: A Dinner Surprise
1 week later…
"Where are we going?" Christine asked Erik for the thousandth time as they got into the carriage. "Out." Erik replied yet again. As the carriage started moving she stuck out her tongue at him. He tickled her mercilessly until she gave up. He smirked when he won and they both neatened up their clothes. He wore a formal black suit with a crisp white shirt and a navy blue waistcoat. She wore a dark blue dress with silver trimmings and a modest neckline and short sleeves.
Christine was surprised when the carriage stopped at last after quite a long journey. Erik climbed out and offered her his hand which she clasped as she climbed out. She looked at where they were and gasped. They had arrived at another opera house. "You will get to watch tonight." Erik said with a grin at her, now excited, expression. It was a grand opera house, no doubt about it although they secretly agreed that the Paris opera house was better. They walked inside.
Later that night….
Christine and Erik walked back out the door holding hands. Christine was sparkling with happiness which, in turn, made Erik smile too. "Oh, thank you so much Erik." Christine said as they walked in a seemingly random direction. She had much enjoyed the performance of 'La Traviata.' She had giggled endlessly at Erik's comments about who could be improved and how. The only members that he had not criticised under his breath were the conductor and the corps de ballet.
Erik led her into a fancy restaurant. It was decorated richly inside. A waiter walked up to them. "May I help you Monsieur? Madame?" Christine blushed heavily and said. "Mademoiselle." They both tried to ignore the waiter's rude but continuous staring at Erik's mask. "My apologies." The waiter said.
"A table for two, as private as possible." Erik said courteously. He could feel Christine's hand squeezing his own rather tightly and knew she was rapidly loosing her patience. In the end they were seated in one of the few closed off sections at the back. When the waiter went away to take care of the orders they had placed, both of them gave rather loud sighs of relief. "What a rude, horrible man!" Christine half mumbled to Erik. He could only nod in agreement and quickly moved the talk to lighter subjects before he could dwell on how much he would like to kill the man for nearly spoiling the evening out. When the orders came with an older and much more polite (she didn't stare) waitress, Erik and Christine ate happily.
After finishing their food Erik wiped his mouth on the napkin and Christine did the same. Then she looked back to where the napkin had been and got a lovely little shock. On the table sat a small, black velvet box. Erik gracefully scooped it up from the table, stood up, walked to her side and got down on one knee. "Christine Daaé, we haven't been formally dating long but we have known each other for years. Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" He opened the box. Inside it was a small, gold ring; it had a single rose on it made from ruby with two emerald leaves. Erik took her stunned silence as rejection and said. "You don't have to decide now if you don't-" Christine silenced him with a motion of her hands. "Yes." She whispered her eyes full of tears of happiness. "What?" He spluttered and stared at her.
"Yes, I will marry you!" Christine said with a big smile. "I'll become Madame Christine Laurette Destler!" She smiled and gave the stunned Erik a kiss on the lips. He shook himself and slipped the ring on her finger. When they walked out of the restaurant a few minutes later laughing and smiling, not even the rude waiter's staring could ruin their good moods.
TBC…
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