Takes place in a shady inn on the outskirts of the French countryside. Roughly a day's trip from Paris.
Christine awoke to the whispering voice of an elderly woman. Blearily she opened her eyes and was greeted by a forty to fifty year old woman who looked worridly at her.
"Oh Madame Destler! Are you well?"
"What…? What did you call me?"
"Madame Destler?"
"Who's Destler?"
The woman's kind visage changed into one of grimness, before she sighed and spoke again.
"Monsuire Destler is a friend of a friend of mine. He was rescued by my childhood friend and when we were all a bit older, rescued my son from drowning in a river."
"If that is the case then why are you assuming that I am connected to this…Destler…?"
"Monsuire Destler only had one horse and I'd recognize Caesar anywhere."
"Please, this Monsuire Destler, would…would his first name perhaps be…Erik?"
"Why yes it is! Tell me you are his wife yes?"
Blushing Christine looked down and fidgeted slightly before answering.
"Well, he…he never betrothed, but I…I always assumed…."
"Oh pish-posh, I'm sure it was on his mind. I mean something must have been serious though for you to have left in such a hurry! Under any other circumstances I'd probably be hearing from Antoinette about Erik finally settling down and starting a family…"
With a dejected look Christine sauntered into her own world while the old woman babbled on. Suddenly though, the old woman stated something that immeaditly grasped her attention.
"And I was so surprised when Antoinette lost Andre and with poor little Megan so young and-."
"Megan!"
"Why yes, Megan Giry and her mother and father, God rest his soul."
"I don't believe it…Meg knew this whole time…"
"Knew what? Oh my! You know the Giry's?"
"Yes…Madame Giry was my, I guess you could say surrogate mother and Meg was my best friend and often times my sister…"
"Oh how darling! Oh dear where are my manners? I haven't even introduced myself! My name is Hailey Duboix, but I would prefer tojust be called Hailey."
"Hailey?"
"Yes, you see I was originally from England, but my dancing skills were so grand that I was sent here to France and of course the famous Opera Populaire. I met Antoinette and well we became much like you described Meg and you being, almost like sisters. Anyway one day when we were sixteen we had gone out and were visiting a local gypsy circus when we came to this bizarre tent where they were keeping poor Erik in a cage and well I distracted the other gypsys and Antoinette saved him. He was about eight or so, but he was awfully big for his age. Dear child, we were such good friends the three of us. Oh and then I met my dear Jean and we had little Paul and of course with my figure I couldn't stay onstage so we moved out here and started this inn. And-."
As much as Christine loved life story's, the never-ending mouth belonging to Hailey Duboix was beginning to fray her already shot nerves. Polietly she cleared her throat and spoke up again.
"Um, Madame Duboix?"
"Hailey dear."
"Right, Hailey, I know that it is rude of me to ask, but I…I need a place to stay and if…if it isn't too much trouble…"
"Oh dear where are my sences! Of course you can stay here child! Erik was like a brother to me so naturally his wife would be a sister!"
"Er, right, thank you Madame."
"Hailey. Now then, where on earth is Erik!"
Christine stiffened at the mention of her beloved and she tried to withhold the tears threatening to spill from her placid emerald orbs.
"We…we were being pursued, and Erik…he…he wanted me to go on…with…without him."
Christine fell silent as she wept into her hands before she was drawn into the elderly woman's arms.
"Oh hush honey, hush now. It'll be alright. Don't worry, Erik is very resourceful and hardy, little imp used to steal all the time from the diva and the managers. He was quite horrid sometimes when he got angry, but he was hardy, don't worry dear, he'll find you. In fact I'll send a letter to Antoinette tonight and she'll no doubt send it right along to him."
Sniffing, Christine whispered a 'thank you' before raising her head and smiling again.
"Thank you again Madame."
"Hailey dear."
"Right…"
"Now then, I do believe you need a place to stay, so I'll just nip right upstairs and get a room ready for you. Oh…and…um I just sort of happened to um…notice that…well um…are you…pregnant…?"
Christine turned an intense red and looked down at her feet before answering.
"Yes…"
"Oh how wonderful! The pitter-patter of little feet again! Oh you and Erik must be so proud! How far are you along dear?"
"Only four months…"
Again Hailey nodded and continued babbling before wandering tiredly upstairs. Rolling her eyes, Christine sighed and made a promise to herself. She would work hard until her precious Erik came for her.
End Chapter 7
A/N: Okay, I REALLY worked hard on this one and completely changed this chapter from my original rough draft. Please review. Hugs to those who tell me what they honestly think. No flames though, I'm a sensitive writer and I will cry if you flame me.
