The Girl Next Door
"We have a meeting first thing on Friday morning. Very important Hawthorn business." Firmin said across Christine's desk.
"Oh yes?"
"Apparently their new patron is going to be coming along. Very wealthy, wants to see how it all works and where his money is going."
"Not a problem. We'll put on a good show." Christine promised.
"I'd like you to man the stations for the first five minutes. I've got someone coming from an outside accountancy agency to check the books right beforehand."
"Fine, Richard."
"Thank you." He left her office and Christine noted the meeting down on her pad, wondering why Erik had mentioned it.
She chewed her lip, fighting back a slight smile. It had been nearly a month since she and Erik had first become a couple. This was the weekend that they would be going to Paris for the opening of Il Muto. She'd spoken to Firmin and they would be returning on Monday, granting them the luxury of two full days in the capital.
And, in what appeared to be an unspoken agreement between them, this weekend would be the first time that they would consummate their relationship, to put it in a sophisticated way. Meg and Sorelli both seemed amazed that it had taken them this long. It wasn't that Christine didn't want to. She most certainly did.
But Erik wasn't just anybody. And this wouldn't be just anything.
This had to be… special.
And you couldn't get anymore special than a romantic weekend in Paris, to be frank. Christine brushed her hair behind her ears and looked back at the computer screen. She hadn't been with many other men before. One, actually. Raoul. And she doubted that it would be the same with Erik.
"Hey, sunshine. Coming for lunch?" Meg demanded, appearing in the doorway to Christine's office.
"Sure." She put the computer onto energy-save mode and pulled her handbag from the drawer in her desk. "Where are we going?"
"Just over to the café"
"I could use the caffeine." Christine commented, following Meg out of the office and joining Sorelli as they left the building.
"C'mon, Chris. It's Thursday. Only one more day until you'll be in France!" Sorelli said, linking arms with her. "Excited?"
"A bit." Christine admitted, downplaying her exact feelings. Meg snorted.
"A bit. Yeah, sure. Admit it, Christine, you are thrilled."
"I'm… not unexcited." Christine replied demurely. Meg laughed at her.
"Fine. Be that way. We all know you can't wait!"
With sandwiches and coffee, they returned to the office and sat around the coffee machine chatting about this, that and the other. Unfortunately, the main focus of their interest was Christine's weekend plans. Chewing on a ham sandwich, Sorelli commented,
"Where are you staying?"
"Erik has an apartment there."
"You know how to pick them, I'll give you that. I've got to find me a sex-on-legs guy who owns his own apartment in France!" Sorelli grinned. Christine scowled at her.
"I'd really prefer it if you didn't talk about him like that!"
"Protective much? Anyway, I am a man-free zone at the moment." Sorelli promised. "Nothing but trouble, as far as I'm concerned."
"Come to think of it, none of us has had much luck with men recently." Meg said vaguely. "I mean, I've got Matt but before that I was all over the place. Christine's got a failed marriage in the bag-"
"And thank you for bringing that up." Christine sniped.
"And you're up the duff without a man." Meg finished, glancing at Sorelli, who arched an eyebrow.
"That was quite an ego-booster, Meg, thanks."
"You're welcome."
Meg and Sorelli began to discuss baby names, something that Sorelli was taking great delight in thinking about. Christine ate her sandwich, only half listening to their conversation. Her mind wandered to that evening, when she would be asking Erik a very important question.
"Will you teach me to sing again?"
Erik looked across at her, his face appearing over the top of the local newspaper. She was sat cross-legged in an armchair, Cat curled between her legs and a serious expression on her face.
"Yes."
"Oh… good." She smiled. "I've been a bit nervous about asking again."
"I've been waiting for you to ask. I didn't want to suggest it in case you were unwilling. We can begin on Monday, if you wish. I fear that the rest of this week will be too chaotic to contemplate the notion just now." He said
"Yes. Did you know about this meeting tomorrow?" Christine asked. Erik shook his head.
"Nadir mentioned it very briefly."
"I didn't know you were getting a new patron either."
"Neither did I. The Hawthorn is very much self-sufficient but apparently it never hurts to get some rich individuals involved." Erik commented, folding the newspaper and tossing it idly onto the coffee table. "I'll be meeting him on Friday also."
"You haven't met him yet?"
"I produce the shows, Christine; I don't care how Nadir manages the financial side. What would you like lasagne for dinner?"
They crossed over to Erik's apartment, where he began to prepare a lasagne. As he did so, he asked,
"Have you any particular monument you'd care to visit in Paris?"
"I hadn't really thought about it. Perhaps the Notre Dame." Christine said thoughtfully, "If we have time, obviously. Oh, and I'd like to see the Eiffel Tower."
"If we get away quickly tomorrow afternoon, we could visit the Eiffel Tower tomorrow evening. We could see Notre Dame on Saturday morning." Erik said. Christine smiled.
"I'm really getting excited about it!"
Erik smiled slightly, glancing at her.
"Really?"
"Yes. I've never done anything like this before. I've never been with anyone before who's even remotely interested in this sort of thing." She grinned. "Of course, I've never been with an intellect like you before."
"Such praise is a little extravagant."
"No, it isn't." Christine objected and Erik smirked.
"I said a little."
"And modest. Did I neglect to mention your utmost modesty?" Christine said in a sweetly sarcastic tone. Erik simply poured her some wine and she shook her head, smiling.
"Have you packed everything?" She asked.
"For the most part."
"What does that mean?" She demanded suspiciously.
"It means that everything will be packed in time and you needn't worry yourself about it." He said firmly. "Good grief, Christine, you can relax."
"I am relaxed. I'm just ensuring that the weekend goes perfectly." Christine insisted. "I don't want anything to go wrong."
"And nothing will." Erik said, looking at her with a diminutive smile. "So stop panicking."
"I just need to call by the theatre for a few things before I go to the meeting." Erik said as they left Gaston Place on Friday morning. "I'll be there at five past at the latest."
"No problem, I'll hold it all off for a few minutes." Christine said. She kissed him quickly before moving off towards Populaire Advertising.
Meg and Sorelli were in Christine's office when she arrived.
"Hey Christine. Ready?" Meg asked. Christine nodded and patted her hair.
"Do I look OK?"
"Very professional." Sorelli assured her. Christine tugged at her skirt, straightening it.
"Why am I so nervous?"
"Because this patron is funding Erik's work?"
"Yes, that's probably it. I mean, even Erik hasn't met him yet, so why should I be nervous about it?" She muttered, rifling through her folders to make sure that she had everything.
Jammes looked in.
"Christine, Firmin's finished early with the accountant and they're both coming to the meeting. I've put an extra chair out but we should get to the boardroom. Oh, and Mr Khan is here with the new patron."
"Thanks Jammes." Christine picked up her things and took a deep breath. "Well… here goes." Meg linked arms with her, grinning.
"Once more into the breach, dear friends!"
They walked across to the boardroom. Christine cast a glance back at her friends, who gave her encouraging smiles. She opened the door and they walked in.
Or, at least, they tried to walk in. But Christine had come to a dead halt in the doorway at what she saw in the boardroom.
Nadir was introducing the new patron to Carlotta, Firmin and his accountant. The accountant happened to be Stuart.
And the patron happened to be Raoul de Chagny.
And they all looked over at the door as it opened.
"Christine?" Raoul and Stuart said together. Meg gasped in mortified amazement, Raoul and Stuart looked at each other in confusion and Christine dropped her folder. She hastily bent down and picked it up. Sorelli peered at the two men and Jammes was stood nearby in bewilderment and the uncomfortable aura of the room. Nadir cleared his throat.
"Is… something wrong?"
"Christine, I…" Stuart began. Raoul looked at him.
"How do you know Chrissie?"
"This is unbelievable!" Meg said in incredulity.
"Is there a particular reason why we're all standing in the doorway?" Said a voice behind them. Christine closed her eyes in despairing horror as Erik arrived.
This was not happening.
Erik moved inside and looked from Stuart to Raoul to Christine. Raoul frowned.
"Hey, aren't you…?"
"Oh my God." Christine moaned, throwing her folder onto the table. Carlotta folded her arms in irritation.
"Isn't anyone going to explain what's going on?"
"I'd quite like to know myself." Erik said icily, seeing both of Christine's exes in the room. Everyone looked at Christine, who was rubbing her temples. She had something of a migraine coming on. She took a deep breath.
"We have a meeting. I suggest we start it." She said firmly.
"But-" Carlotta began but Christine turned a glare on her.
"If you have a problem with that, Carlotta, I suggest you leave. We have business to conduct."
Christine moved to her seat and began to unpack her work, painfully aware of everyone watching her as they moved to sit down. Sorelli and Meg sat on either side of her, almost protectively. Christine began straight away on the meeting.
"I've got all the progress on the Hannibal project here. I've asked Jammes to sit in with us since one of her designs is going in. These are the posters that were selected and these programmes are still being chosen from…"
How she got through the meeting, Christine never figured out. She just kept talking and talking until everything had been mentioned, when she put her pen down and said,
"Any questions?"
"Yes, who's this guy?" Raoul said, gesturing at Stuart, who looked rather affronted. Christine clenched her jaw.
"Any questions regarding the project, Mr de Chagny?"
"Oh. No, I got everything."
"Mr Khan, Mr Destler?" She looked across at them. They shook their heads.
"Good. Richard, have you got anything to add?" Christine asked. Firmin shook his head, silently bewildered. Christine settled back in her chair.
"Then that's all."
"I'll have some coffee brought in." Firmin said and left the room.
Everyone looked at Christine, who was slumped in her chair. Carlotta leant forward.
"What the hell is going on here?"
"Quite frankly, Carlotta, it's none of your business." Christine said quietly. She rose from her chair and went to open the window. Raoul stood too.
"Chris, are you going to explain what's going on?"
"Actually I'd quite like an explanation too." Christine said, turning on him. "What are you doing here?"
"My brother got me involved with it; the family's sponsoring the Hawthorn Theatre. But why is he here? And who's that?" He looked at Erik and Stuart respectively. Nadir cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry, I'm a little confused…"
"Join the club." Jammes added.
Something broke inside Christine. She turned furiously on them.
"If you absolutely must know, this is what's going on. Raoul was my husband for two years. We divorced nearly a year ago. Stuart, over there, was my boyfriend for about four months a while after Raoul and I divorced. But Stuart and I broke up and now I'm with Erik, who writes the operas for the Hawthorn, which is why he's here. And I would dearly love to know what bad karma I have earned for getting my ex-husband, my ex-boyfriend and my current boyfriend all in the same room at the same time!" She spat at them.
There was stunned silence. And then Meg said,
"Maybe you ran over a puppy."
Christine just stared at her for a moment before walking out. Firmin was just coming back.
"Christine, what's going on?"
"Not now, Richard." She muttered, walking past. But the boardroom door opened and Erik stepped out.
"Christine?"
She stopped but didn't turn to look at him. Erik watched her.
"Christine…" He didn't know what to say. He moved a little closer and put a hand on her shoulder. She turned and looked at him miserably.
"That was…"
"Disastrous?"
"…Yes." She mumbled. Erik drew her into his arms and she buried her face in his shirt. Erik closed his eyes for a few moments.
"You couldn't have known that this would happen." He said softly.
"But how? The chances are a million to one that all three of you would end up at this meeting." She whispered.
"It doesn't matter. I suggest we go back in, have coffee, pretend everything's alright and look forward to the weekend."
This seemed like a very sensible suggestion. Christine clasped his hand.
"I'm sorry."
"For what? You didn't plan this."
"Absolutely not! This is some kind of hellish nightmare." She said as they returned to the boardroom. Stuart and Raoul were casting each other peculiar glances from opposite ends of the room. Carlotta was looking very entertained by the whole affair. Meg and Sorelli were whispering frantically to each other whilst Jammes poured coffee. Nadir and Firmin were discussing one of the programmes. Everyone peered around as Erik and Christine entered. They instantly released each other's hands. An unspoken law between them – not at the office.
Christine helped herself to a cup of coffee and joined Meg and Sorelli. Erik was talking with Nadir, who seemed to be demanding an explanation.
"So… that was unbelievably awkward." Meg said airily.
"And you really didn't help with that puppy comment." Christine told her.
"I know. I just couldn't resist saying it." She grinned.
"So, um… are you going to talk to them?" Sorelli asked quietly. Christine glanced briefly at Stuart. He was talking with Jammes, who was showing him her design, clearly very proud of herself. Raoul had been accosted by Carlotta, who was talking incessantly at him, not appearing to have noticed that he was watching Christine.
"Not Raoul." She said quietly. "Excuse me…"
She moved over to Stuart. He looked up from the programme designs, a guarded expression on his face.
"Stuart, I just wanted to apologise for Raoul. He shouldn't have spoken to you like that."
"Why are you apologising for him?" Stuart asked. "You're not responsible for his actions."
"Because he's not going to and someone should." Christine said, a little crossly. "So you can either accept the apology or not."
"…I'll accept it. But only because you're getting that look on your face which means you're going to hit something." Stuart muttered. Christine frowned.
"What look?"
"The look you have right now."
"You're weird, Stuart." Christine muttered. He shrugged.
"All part of my charm."
"Just keep telling yourself that." She looked at her watch. "I'd actually better go and do some work."
Apparently Firmin was thinking the same thing. Coffee cups were placed on the table and handshakes were passed around. Christine hung back until everyone was leaving. Erik waited by the door for her.
"I'll pick you up at four." He said and pressed his lips to her forehead. "Alright?"
"Alright." She murmured. Raoul was waiting nearby, standing with Nadir. He opened his mouth to speak as Christine passed but she simply nodded with a smile to Nadir and walked straight past to her office, where she promptly closed the door.
"This is most inconvenient, Erik." Nadir said darkly as they drove back to the theatre. "Of all the women in the world, you have to fall in love with our patron's ex-wife."
"My apologies, Nadir, I'll try and choose a little more carefully next time." Erik muttered sarcastically. Nadir rolled his eyes.
"I am simply stating that you cannot allow personal feelings to interfere with your work."
"Have I ever done so before?" Erik demanded.
"No, but I have never seen you so enamoured with someone as you are with Christine Daae. True, I never witnessed you with Anna, but no one can have captivated you so much if you've not been with someone in the seven years since her death."
Erik didn't reply. He made a left turn and then said in a calm voice,
"Whatever my relationship with Christine is, it shall never interfere with my music. Even Anna could not tear me from my music if I chose not to be. You can have that guarantee, Nadir."
"Good. In which case, I suggest that you avoid Mr de Chagny at all possible opportunities and have a wonderful weekend in Paris." Nadir said as they pulled into the car park at the theatre.
Christine's suitcase was waiting by the door, as was Erik's. They carried them out to the car and began the drive to Sorelli's house to drop off Cat, who was peering out of the window curiously. With a few instructions and a quick hug of the purring animal, Christine returned to the car, closed the door and put on her seatbelt.
"Let's go." She smiled. Erik looked at her sideways.
"You've cheered up considerably."
"I think being out of the office helps. Meg and Sorelli have been teasing me all day about that bloody meeting. Who else could this happen to but me?" Christine sighed.
"You seemed to be on good terms with Stuart Wilkins." Erik said in a way that was slightly too casual. Christine looked over at him, smiling.
"Are you jealous?"
"Should I be?"
"Of course not. No, I was just apologising for Raoul's behaviour. I'm not entirely sure why but it seemed like I should."
Erik didn't reply. Christine chewed her lip absently.
"Anyway, I'd be glad if I never see him again. And Stuart… well, I don't really know about that. I'd like to be friends but it doesn't seem very likely."
"I see."
"Are you angry?"
"No."
"I think you are." Christine said quietly. "Don't be. I don't want either of them. Only you."
She turned to look out of the window at the passing houses as Erik continued to drive in silence. And then he reached across and wrapped his fingers around her palm as he drove.
A/N: I don't like this chapter at all. It's all contrived and predictable but unfortunately necessary to move the plot along. So please forgive me.
I love it that nearly everyone who reviewed the last chapter beggged me NOT to write a sex scene! Lol, fair enough. I probably couldn't do it anyway! And besides, why ruin the mystery? I'll let your imaginations run wild!
Next chapter: Paris!
Love
Katie