Disclaimer: I do not own Phantom

Sorry, this chapter is a little short! And in case you didn't read my notes at the top of the page for the last chapter, the STORY IS NOT OVER!

that is all

I ran up to the broken house again. I was so excited! I was a maid! We would have money! I had to work every day except for Sunday and it was fine with me.

At this point in the day, it was still dark and gloomy. Even if the day was grey, I certainly wasn't. My emotions made me feel so light, as if I were flying. As if any moment my feet would lift me off the ground.

It was amazing how something like this could make me feel on top of the world. Maybe that's because of all the other agony I had had to go through. Finally something was going my way.

I could only think of one other thing that would make me feel better than this…

I ran into the house and found Erik sitting in the first room we had found. He was sitting on an old wooden chair in the corner. I went up to him.

"Ma biche, you've returned." I could hear happiness in his voice.

"Yes." I grinned.

"And?"

"I'm now a maid!"

"That's wonderful! But I feel as if I am going to be a hindrance to you with you being the only one earning money."

"That's alright, think of it as me paying you back for when I stayed with you."

"You are too kind to me, ma biche."

The next morning when I woke up, Erik was sitting in the same chair as yesterday. I had a feeling he was thinking so I didn't disturb him. I just went outside to wash then I changed into my maid's uniform. I said goodbye to Erik and I left to go to the manor.

This morning, it was as sunny as the morning in my dream. And for once it was real.

My entrance was in the back, I was told not to enter in the front. I went in through the servants quarters. I hadn't really taken the time to observe the servant's quarters the day before. My eyes drifted across the room. There were several small beds, all empty, I assumed they had all begun working by this time. It was a pretty dark room, no windows and a small gas lamp on a desk in the corner. Over to one side there was a bathroom.

Just then Audrey walked in.

"Come on, come with me." I did as I was told and followed her. I followed her into the foyer. "Since you're new, you won't have to do really hard stuff for awhile. Basically what you're doing today, is going around and dusting everything. Dinner is at 12 for fifteen minutes. We get a piece of bread and cheese each, along with water. I'll be in the laundry room by the servant's quarters if you need me.

Bread and cheese! Now there's something I haven't had in awhile! I thought sarcastically. Then I took the duster she held out toward me and began on my job.

I dusted vases, desks, and shelves. It was rather boring but I needed a job. I managed to do everything asked of me (dusting) without causing havoc.

Finally it was dinner time. I sat with Audrey outside on the grass. I could tell she was watching me but I didn't let on that I knew.

"Where are you from?" She asked breaking the silence.

"France." I answered.

"Oh, I see."

At this point we were about five minutes into dinner.

"You're name's Roxanne?"

"Yes,"

"A pretty name for a pretty face. I'm Audrey, but I'm sure you already know that."

I nodded.

"I hope we'll be able to be friends." She smiled at me. She had a rather disarming smile and it was perfect for the round shape of her face

From working in the manor I began to pick up English which allowed me to speak with all sorts of people. I found that I was actually starting to get along with people more. As I continued working in the house, I slowly was given more challenging task. I eventually had made it up to laundry duty. And since the owner of the manor had about 6 children, this wasn't something one could slack off with.

We had lived in the New Orleans for about a month now and so far with Erik there had been no advancements in our relationship. We were already very close but there was nothing more than the occasional embrace.

One day while Audrey and I were hanging up laundry on the line outside, I overheard some other maids talking near the other end of the line.

"And he kissed you?" The brown-haired one asked.

The blonde one nodded, a huge grin on her face.

"You're so lucky, he is so handsome."

"Yes, I am," she said and they both giggled. I turned back to my work. This had made me think of Erik. I mean, of course we weren't together in that definition of the word, but I couldn't help but think about it. I got curious as to what other people did for their own…well, love lives.

"Are you married?" I asked casually to Audrey. She looked at me.

"Yes, I have two children, which is why I need this job."

"How did you meet your husband?"

"Well, it wasn't anything special. I was selling some of my family's goods in town, my father was a farmer, and I met him while he was buying some tomatoes. And I guess it all went from there. Why do you ask?" She hung up a shirt.

"Well…there's this man."

"Oh…I see, so you have a lover." She looked smug.

"No! It's not like that." She maintained the same expression and I couldn't help but blush.

"No…but you want it to be." She concluded. She stood with her hands on her hips. "Look, I know what it's like to be in love, I was the same way." She paused. "What's he like?"

"He's just wonderful. He's tall. And he's a genius, he writes music, performs, sings, just about anything you can think of. And he's awfully kind. He is a little unsociable though, but to me, he's anything but. And he has the most beautiful intense eyes. And he has the voice of an angel. Sometimes he sings to me, and sometimes he embraces me and it's in those moments that I experience true bliss and happiness and I get this feeling of wanting to be alive and stay forever in his comforting hold…"

I trailed off and I looked at her. She had stopped hanging things up and she was staring at me.

"You truly love him, don't you?"

"Oh, I do. But he doesn't know it. Or at least, he doesn't let on that he knows." I said sadly. "He knows I care about him and he cares about me, but anything beyond that, I'm not sure."

"It sounds like if he's singing to you and embracing you, he feels the same way you do. It's just because, as you said, he has an unsociable nature he probably doesn't let on too drastically his feelings for you."

"Well…it makes sense…"

"Why don't you try hinting at it somehow."

I thought about this. Maybe if I couldn't tell him straight out, this was the best way.

"That sounds like a good idea." She nodded.

"Now we better get back to work or the master will have our heads." She chuckled.

But I was barely aware. Even as I continued hanging up the clothing, my mind was in another place.

That night when I got home around 5:45, I was tired, as I was always after work. But I was happy. Tomorrow I would get my pay.

Erik and I ate dinner on the floor. We enjoyed some of the rare fruit that I bought for desert. Pears. The juice dribbled down my fingers as I ate it.

"At work, there's this one maid," I started to tell Erik as I usually did. I would always tell him about something about work. "She's in love with this one man. It's quite charming really, to see how happy she is. But the sad thing is that he doesn't realize it, or at least, he doesn't let on."

He remained quiet. Then spoke.

"What's this maid like?"

"I don't really know her too well, but from what I gather she's really affectionate and she cares about this man a lot."

I couldn't decide on whether he had gotten the message or not.

"What's the man like?"

"She described him as very kind. He's quite nice to her, I gather. I don't know much about him either. She told me how she felt and I told her that she should tell him. But she's afraid because she doesn't understand his feelings, not completely."

"It seems to be quite a predicament."

"Yes, it really is. And she is so happy about the love she has for him. But she is so sad because she doesn't know his feelings."

I had a feeling I was being very obvious. And in a way, I hoped I was.

"Erik…" I said, "If you were in love, what would you do to show the woman you loved, that you did indeed love her?"

"Ma biche, perhaps the reason the man isn't telling his own feelings is because he is unsure of her feelings."

"It's so complicated." I said. "I wish those who loved each other would just automatically know."

"Yes, a lot of people wish that. But the thing is, I have a feeling myself, that two who truly love each other, will eventually just know."

That night I lay awake. I was sleeping in one corner with Erik's cloak. I could tell he was still awake in the next room because of the light that flickered in through the doorway.

Did he get it? Did he understand? I still wasn't sure. I had a vague feeling he knew what I was making references to, but he wasn't letting on. That could be because of what he said, that he wasn't sure of my feelings. Maybe one day we would realize.

I replayed his words in my head.

"I have a feeling myself, that two who truly love each other, will eventually just know."

I hope that he was right. I hoped one day, I would find what I was looking for. Love. And along with that love, unity.

Okay, that's all folks! Until chapter 10!