Sorry everyone for not updating a lot last night. I had my AP History exam this morning, but for some reason, they never ordered mine, so I'm at home now. I'll be updating all day today.

Chapter 22

Erik sat stunned at what he had just heard. The old doctor turned away slightly, not knowing if it was the right thing to have told Erik that.

"Please sir, can you explain?"

The old doctor looked at him and gave a shy smile.

"Once, a long time ago, I was a music teacher at the Paris Opera House. I was very young, only about your age when I first started. I trained many singers all day long, but one day one little girl came to me with a dream. She wanted to be a great diva so I began training with her. It wasn't very long after that I fell madly in love with her."

The old doctor paused a moment to wipe tears from his eyes.

"She also fell in love with me, but we had to hide our love because it was unheard of for a teacher to have relations with his student. She was very young as well, only 13. Time passed by quickly and she was 17 before I knew it. Then one day, a young man named Andre from Spain came into our class and he was very fond of her. He had his heart set on her and because she could say nothing about us, she was forced to pretend to be unattached. It pained us both, but eventually he asked her to marry him. When she refused, he beat her until she said yes. He dragged her to a wedding chapel and they got married that same day, without having enough time to even tell me. Once I found out, I was enraged because she was mine. And to make matters worse, there was no such thing as divorce back in may day. It was a sin. I could do nothing but watch her be taken away by some young boy who only wanted her to satisfy his own needs."

Tears began to fall more rapidly from the doctor's face.

"That is why I became a doctor. I had to forget my past life, I had to rid myself of everything that reminded me of her. But I can't forget because I still love her. Not until years later did I find out she had a son named Raoul who apparently has become just like his father. Please Mr. Destler, don't let it end in the same way it did for me."

Erik sat perplexed.

"Sir, what was the name of the woman you loved?"

"Alice..." the old doctor answered calmly.

Erik sat still and looked at the old doctor carefully.

"Thank you very much for your help sir. If there is ever anything you need, please, don't hesitate to ask."

The old doctor smiled shyly.

"Thank you Erik. But I only need her..."