I want to take a few minutes to clarify something. Christine and Meg are best friends. Christine shares everything with Meg and they often seem to be making light of some situations. Please understand that Christine is in love with Erik, she does not see him as a prize or a trophy; she is just determined to make him hers – and don't we all go about doing that with the man we have chosen, especially if he may need some convincing…I know I did.
I am trying to use humor in this story. I think modern relationships require a sense of humor to overcome all the filth that is thrown at them. Christine is a breath of fresh air to Erik; he loves her aggressiveness and determination; probably more than her beauty and charm.
The conversations between Christine and Meg are "girl talk" and that is what I am trying to portray. Think of the conversations you have with your best friend; she knows you, maybe better than you know yourself.
That said, enjoy!
BEYOND THE SHADOWS
CHAPTER 12
They grilled steaks and potatoes out on the grill that evening and Christine could not remember eating anything so tender and succulent. There was no place in New York that one could get a better steak.
"We are having our musical performances tonight, so everyone get ready and we will meet in the music room at 8 pm." Erik said. He couldn't bring himself to say Karaoke, so he chose musical performance.
Nadeesh was sitting up the karaoke while everyone was getting ready. By the time they were finished, he had it ready to go. Erik had slipped into the music room, shut the door, and was scrutinizing his selections for the evening.
Christine already knew what she was singing; she had selected her two pieces yesterday. They were favorites of hers and she knew that Erik would enjoy the performance.
Besides being a passable singer, Christine had studied contemporary dance; she intended to give Erik an performance he would never forget.
She slipped to her room quickly and changed into her midnight blue, spaghetti strap, figure-hugging dress, touched up her make-up, and ran the brush through her curls.
Meg came in, about midway through this regiment, and cast a knowing glare at Christine.
"You're going to have the man squirming in his seat, aren't you?" She jested.
Christine put on her most innocent look and replied, "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Meg snickered, "Yeah, right."
When Christine turned around and looked at Meg, Meg caught a look of panic in her blue eyes.
"Go for it Christine, I have never seen you this way about any man." She encouraged.
Christine smiled shyly, "Do you think he feels anything for me?"
Meg giggled lightly, "With the way he looks at you when he thinks no one is watching?" She nodded her head slowly and grinned, "Yea, I'd say he feels a great deal for you."
They shared once of those "girlfriend" moments and then headed out the door and down the stairs.
When they entered the music room, Erik sat at the piano looking stunningly handsome in a black wool Nehru suit jacket with matching pants, blood red collarless shirt, and black Chelsea boots. He had switched the white mask for a black one, making him look even more mysterious and gorgeous.
When Christine entered the room, she caught the look in his eye…there it was…the twinkle in his green eyes that said he was definitely interested. She was thankful that Sachin had decided to stay on the mainland and spend another night at his friend's house; tonight could get a little heated for a seven-year-old.
Erik had to remind himself to breathe when she walked through the door. The dress she wore was so feminine…it hugged her curvaceous, supple body and hung down to her ankles. She wore black pumps and sheer stockings. He swallowed hard and dragged his eyes away from her.
Rachel stood up and took over the roll of announcer, "Erik is first, before he has a chance to sneak out without singing."
She winked at him and grinned as he stared at her from the piano with a scowl on his face, he made it come alive with just a whisper of his fingers across the ivory keys.
The melody he played was mournful and woeful; capturing the pain that everyone had felt at some point in their lives.
"Will love ever be mine?" He whispered, the sound of his somber question reaching everyone. "All of us have asked ourselves that question…at some point in time." He spoke with his eyes closed and the room seem to become one with him. "Some of us are thankful for just a glimpse of it from a valley far away…" His rich baritone filled the room.
"Oh, Keeper of the gates of wisdom
Please let me in…
because I just can't go through
another heartache again.
"Pretty lies and alibis…
How could I be so blind?
Now I'm all alone and scared to stay…
Slowly going out of my mind."
His voice sent shivers up her spine and brought tears to her eyes. The song left no doubt in her mind that he had loved…and lost. The betrayal and unrequited love he had experienced at the insensitive acts of Lana poured from him like sour wine from a broken chalice.
"She was my strongest weakness
I surrendered heart and soul.
It's gonna be a long, long time
until I gain control…
I'm still a prisoner,
held captive by her memory.
She was my strongest weakness,
And I'm afraid she'll always be."
He looked up and found Christine's eyes on him…he continued to sing, closing his eyes to her searching gaze.
"I gave my faithful heart to someone,
I couldn't understand…
How she held my little world,
In the palm of her hand.
How she's gone and life goes on…
So if this pain will ever end,
Will I be afraid to risk it all…
And fall in love again?"
When his eyes finally opened, they were glowing with an inner ember that to Christine, made him appear to be a grounded angel whose wings had been clipped…
"She was my strongest weakness
I surrendered heart and soul.
It's gonna be a long, long time
until I gain control…
I'm still a prisoner,
held captive by her memory.
She was my strongest weakness,
And I'm afraid she'll always be."
Christine felt tears in her eyes, and she didn't even know why. His voice touched her so deeply with its perfection…she remembered the first time she had heard it, over the intercom…she had been affected by it even then.
It took a moment for everyone to realize that Erik had ended the song; everyone had been moved by the performance. Erik had admitted to loving Lana, but his sisters had not known the depth of his feelings. They only prayed that Christine could get through his barriers.
Erik teetered around on the piano for a few minutes and announced his final selection.
"This is another song that I wrote after Lana left me. I wasn't sure that I had learned anything from that experience, except how easily my heart could break..." the smile on his face was sad and his words were full of pain.
He released a humorless laugh, "…but a realization has come to me recently…if God were to grant me the chance to love again…" his eyes closed and a lonesome tear escaped the corner of his left eye,
"Some say love, it is a river…
that drowns the tender reed.
Some say love, it is a razor…
that leaves your soul to bleed.
"Some say love, it is a hunger…
an endless, aching need…
but I say love…it is a flower…
and you, it's only seed.
Erik reached over and turned on a switch on his Clavinova Digital Piano. His voice came out of the speakers, singing harmony to his live voice,
"It's the heart, afraid of breaking…
That never learns to dance…
It's the dream, afraid of waking…
That never takes the chance.
"It's the one who won't be taken…
Who cannot seem to give…
And the soul, afraid of dying…
That never learns to live.
"When the night has been too lonely…
and the road has been too long…
And you think…that love is only
For the lucky and the strong…
"Just remember in the winter,
far beneath the bitter snow…
lies the seed, that with suns love…
In the spring, becomes the rose."
The song melted Christine's heart, and the sincerity of the lyrics captivated her. He had described love at its worst, the way he had experienced it; and yet, he longed to feel it at its best.
He removed himself from the piano and sat down. His sisters were crying and could not stop praising him, they loved him very much…Christine hoped that he knew that.
Meg stood up to introduce Christine…
"Next up is my best friend…" She began, "…she started singing when she was in the cradle and after she mastered that, she moved on to contemporary dance…"
Meg narrowed her gaze on Erik, who happened to look up at that moment, Meg winked at him and grinned, "I'm sure everyone will enjoy this…"
Meg programmed the machine and sat down. The strains of the song started out slow and Christine swayed to the music….
"Where have all the good men gone…
and…where are all the gods?
Where's the street-wise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?"
Erik lifted a brow at the lyrics, and became even more amused as her eyes landed right on him. Her voice, sensual and vibrant, gripped him and he knew it would never let go.
"Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and turn and dream of what I need…"
She twirled effortlessly while she was holding the last word, and then landed gracefully and firmly in Erik's lap.
"I need a hero…I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of night.
He's gotta be strong…
And he's gotta be fast…
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight"
She draped her arms around his neck, and drank in the scent of his masculine cologne. She took his hand and brought him to a standing position, she captured his eyes and began dancing around him and Erik, a natural dancer, put his arm around her waist, put his hand to her neck, and touched his forehead to hers – it was a scene right out of "Dirty Dancing."
"I need a hero…I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light.
He's gotta be sure…
And it's gotta be soon…
And he's gotta be larger than life."
Everyone watched as they moved together, perfectly synchronized and intimate. Christine caressed Erik's chest and shoulders as they danced and the words just added to the sensuous performance.
"Somewhere after midnight…
In my wildest fantasy…
Somewhere just beyond my reach
There's someone reaching back for me…
Erik dipped her and ran his hand down her neck, caressed the area just above her breasts, and hovered his savory mouth temptingly close to hers. She almost forgot the words…
"Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat…
It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet…"
Her eyes locked with Erik's, inviting him to read her mind.
"I need a hero…I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of night.
He's gotta be strong…
And he's gotta be fast…
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero…I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light.
He's gotta be sure…
And it's gotta be soon…
And he's gotta be larger than life."
"I need a hero…
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of night."
Erik lifted her into his arms and hoisted her on his shoulder, gracefully moving to the music as she sang…
"Up where the mountains meet the heavens above…
out where the lightning splits the sea…
I would swear that there's someone, somewhere watching me…
Through the wind and the chill and the rain…
And the storm and the flood…
I can feel his approach…
Like a fire in my blood."
He put his hands to her waist and slid her down his hard, sturdy body; once again bending her over his arm and offering the temptation of his enticing mouth…
"I need a hero…I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of night.
He's gotta be strong…
And he's gotta be fast…
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero…I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light.
He's gotta be sure…
And it's gotta be soon…
And he's gotta be larger than life."
They ended the song in separate directions with their hands joined in the middle; Erik pulled her to him and she twirled into his embrace…and they bowed to raucous applause.
TBC
Song 1 – "My Strongest Weakness", Words and Music by Naomi Judd and Mike Reid, recorded by Wynonna Judd
Song 2 – "The Rose", Words and Music by Amanda McBroom, recorded by Bette Midler
Song 3 – "I Need a Hero", Words and Music by Jim Steinman and Dean Pitchford, recorded by Bonnie Tyler