Chapter 28: Fashion is a Façade
A few weeks later, everything was settled. Erik had grudgingly agreed to buy Philippe's flat, but he didn't tell Christine yet. He wanted it to be a surprise for her, for their wedding. His recovery seemed slow, but a few weeks after his near-fatal shooting and fall he was ready to go out again and visit his father at the opera.
Christine came over that day, and was overjoyed to accompany him for the 20-minute walk to the opera house.
The first masked man they passed saw them and merely nodded to Erik as if he knew him. Erik's mouth dropped open and he craned his neck to keep the man in his sights even after they had passed each other. "Christine!" he said in a strangled whisper. "Did you see that?"
She nodded. "I guess there is a sort of fraternité between one masked man and another?" she offered mischievously. She had noticed the odd fashion that had taken hold among the young men of Paris. She had wondered about it, but hadn't connected it with Erik -- and so, had forgotten to mention it to him.
Erik frowned, but did not respond – at least, not until they passed a second masked man who nodded to Erik amiably as he passed. "What is going on?" he demanded through tight lips.
Christine shrugged. "I don't know, really. There have been quite a few young men who have taken to wearing masks lately, but I have no idea why."
The third masked young man could have been a Philippe-clone: he wore his suit cut the same as Philippe's, and had his shoulder-length hair curled in exactly the same way. This fellow actually lifted his hat to Erik, and smiled at him, before continuing on his way.
Erik growled. "It's him. Chagny."
"Erik, that wasn't Philippe!"
"Doesn't matter. Looks enough like him to tell me that Chagny is behind this somehow. Might have known his friendly smiles were all a façade; he's been mocking me behind my back all the while I've been laid up!" Erik quickened his stride, so that Christine had to jog to keep up.
"Erik, I'm sure you've misunderstood!" she panted, trying to catch him up.
He finally realised her difficulty, and slowed down. "Have I?" he asked grimly. "Surely it's no coincidence that I've been locked in Chagny's house for the last month and a half, while outside in Paris, people are wearing masks and mocking me! People who strongly resemble that half-witted Chagny, even."
"Yes, but why must you assume that it's malicious? Let's wait until we see him, and ask him about it? Please, Erik. Philippe must know that hurting you in any way would also hurt me, and he promised he would never do anything to hurt me again. He's my friend, Erik; let's give him the benefit of the doubt."
Erik sighed, still annoyed, but nodded. "As you say, love. We'll see what the little twit has to say for himself."
When they reached the opera, they went right up to the manager's office and knocked. A young man opened the door and looked enquiringly at them…
…through his mask.
Erik gritted his teeth, and Christine hurriedly said, "We are here to see Monsieur Carriere – is he here?"
"He is," the secretary said. In a low, snide tone, he added, "He's trying to recapture his lost youth, but he's here." He nodded to Erik with what they were starting to recognise as the same sort of masked-man-solidarity they had noticed on the street, and continued in a sarcastic tone, "It's rather sad when someone as old as he is starts trying to wear the fashions of the young." He indicated the mask on his face. "Whom shall I tell him is here?"
"Christine Daée and Erik—"
"Come in!" Gerard's voice issued from within. They pushed the door open. "Ah, finally!" he said with satisfaction. "I've been waiting for you!"
He was wearing a mask as well.
"As I said," muttered the young secretary to Erik, in a brotherly manner. "Lost youth."
"Meet my personal assistant, M. Debienne," Gerard said in an ironic tone of voice. He didn't bother to introduce Erik or Christine to the young man, who returned to his desk in a huff.
Utterly bewildered, Erik followed Christine into the office. As soon as the door closed, he exploded. "Gerard, what the hell is going on around here? Why are you in a mask? For that matter, why is half of Paris in a mask, and bowing to me as if we're all the best of friends?"
Gerard grinned, sat down, and pulled the mask off. "Sit down, Erik, and for God's sake, calm down as well. I'll tell you everything, I promise, but you have to promise to hear me out quietly. All right?"
"All right," Erik said, someway sulkily, as he and Christine sat down.
"Here is what happened. Philippe de Chagny and I worked together to start a new fashion among the young men of Paris. In the aftermath of the phantom's death on the rooftop, some of the more daring among them began to wear masks, as a sort of homage to the phantom. He did, after all, keep things interesting around here for twenty or thirty years."
"Homage?" Erik asked sharply. "Not to mock me?"
"No, definitely as homage," Gerard clarified. His eyes twinkled as he saw Erik's shoulders relax slightly.
"But why? To what purpose?" Erik wanted to know.
"Well, let me put it to you this way," Gerard began. "Did anyone stare at you just now, as you were walking over? Ask about your mask? Demand to see your face?"
Mystified, Erik shook his head.
"That's why. Philippe and I found a way for you to be able to walk about the city, to live aboveground, and above all, to keep company with a lovely young lady, without attracting anyone's notice."
Erik's jaw dropped for the second time in ten minutes.
"Gerard, that's brilliant!" Christine exclaimed. "Just think, Erik – instead of people thinking that you're the phantom of the opera – because everyone knows he's dead now – they'll just think you're a stylish young man. Maybe even a friend of Philippe's!"
In a strangled voice that told her he was trying not to laugh, Erik muttered, "I think I'd rather they think me the phantom than think me a friend of Chagny's!"
Christine glared at him, and he finally allowed his snort of laughter to escape. "All right, all right, I'll admit it: it's a clever plan. But what happens when masks go out of fashion? What do I do then? Everyone will either know me for the phantom at the point, or they'll just think me a sad sort of hanger-on instead of being the trendsetter, as it were."
Gerard smiled and reached into his desk drawer. He took out an odd-looking floppy rubber thing and handed it to Erik. "That's when you put this on under your mask, son. A few 'accidental' viewings should be all you need."
Erik held it up. It was a rubber mask, but he couldn't quite figure out what it was supposed to look like. He eyed Gerard for a moment, then slipped his mask off and put on the rubber one. Wordlessly, Gerard handed him a mirror.
"Oh, my!" Christine exclaimed. The rubber mask looked completely natural on Erik's face, and made him look completely normal, only very unpleasantly scarred – as if he had lost a knife fight… or a battle… or something. "Well, that's… uh…"
Erik glanced in the mirror at himself. "It's not as bad as my natural face? Is that what you're trying to say?" he teased.
"Well, yes," Christine blushed. "But at the same time, anyone who sees that will perfectly understand why you would prefer not to show it. Gerard, this is a wonderful solution!"
"So you say," Erik said, replacing his regular mask over the rubber one. "But I notice you're not the one who has to wear two masks at once, in the hot summer months!" He smiled at her.
"Would you rather have to show your real face to the masses?" Gerard demanded with some asperity. "Philippe and I went to a great deal of time and trouble to arrange all this for you, so that you would be able to marry Christine and live aboveground like a normal man. The least you could do is thank us!"
Abashed, Erik nodded. "I was teasing, Gerard. I am grateful, even though my shock is still overwhelming most of my gratitude at the moment." He grinned at his father. "You must admit, this all does come as quite a surprise! Why didn't you tell me?"
Gerard leaned back in his chair. "Because we wanted to see if it would work first. To see if the trend would take off on its own. Now that it has, even after it goes out of style again, you should be safe to marry, live aboveground, even take a job if you wish it."
"A job? What sort of job could I do?" Erik mused.
Gerard flashed him a grin that advertised mischief. "Well, I haven't been terribly happy with my new 'personal assistant' out there. He's a pompous fool, thoroughly convinced that he's indispensable. I've been meaning to dispense with him for a few weeks now; how would you like your old job back?"
Erik laughed out loud. "Are you serious?"
Gerard nodded. "And of course, there's the sad fact that I am getting older – and I would hate to leave the opera in the hands of someone else like Choletti. How would you like to be trained as my replacement?"
Erik chuckled again. "Trained? I've been doing your job for the last fifteen years!"
"So the training shouldn't take that long, then, should it?" Gerard shot back. "Will you take the job, or not?"
"Don't fret, Gerard; you know I will. The hardest part, though, will be trying to make that incompetent moron you have out there look good."
"Oh, don't worry, son. That's not part of the job. I'm offering you the position in an official capacity this time. Not like before."
Erik frowned in thought. "Then that means—"
"—You'll be replacing Debienne, out there in the outer office. Everyone will know who you are this time, Erik, and you'll actually be recognised for your work here as well as paid for it." Gerard paused a moment, giving Erik a chance to recover from the shock, before continuing. "So… knowing that, are you still willing to accept the job?"
Erik's gaze flashed from his father's benevolent expression, to Christine's shining eyes, and back again. Gerard stood up and offered him his hand. "Well?"
Erik nodded with a smile, standing up to take his father's hand. The handclasp turned into a great, back-thumping, laughing embrace that lasted several moments. Then he released his father and swept Christine into his arms, still laughing, and kissed her deeply.
"Glad you weren't that exuberant with me," his father said dryly, as the couple broke apart. "If you're all through, then we should get on with this. I must confess, I've been looking forward to it."
"To what?" Christine asked.
"To this," Gerard said mysteriously, as he went over and opened his office door. "M. Debienne!" he called.
"Yes, sir?" his secretary replied unctiously.
"I'd like you to meet my son, Erik Carrière, and his fiancée, Christine Daée. Erik is going to be your replacement."
"My replacement, monsieur?" Debienne asked pompously. It was apparent from his attitude that he didn't think anyone could replace him.
"Yes, Debienne. Your replacement. You're sacked."
Shocked speechless, Debienne glanced from Gerard to Erik. "Your—your son?" He had never heard of Carrière's even having a son before. "Wait a minute. Sacked? Me?"
"Yes, sacked. My son Erik will be taking your position. He's just recently arrived in Paris," Gerard told him. "So clear out your desk and get yourself and your things out of the office, there's a lad."
In the lull that followed Debienne's rather stormy (and entertaining) departure, Christine excused herself to go attend rehearsal. After she left, Erik remarked quietly to Gerard, "I guess I hadn't realised you were going to go public about our connection. I'm flattered."
Gerard gave him a rather poignant smile and put his hand on Erik's shoulder. "I'm only sorry I didn't have the courage to do so before now. You deserved better, Erik. I hope I can make it up to you."
"I can think of a way," Erik said with a sly smile.
"Oh?"
"Would you be willing to stand up with me, when I marry Christine?"
Gerard straightened his shoulders. "Son, I would be honoured and proud."
A.N. I know it's been an embarrassingly long time since my last update, but you'll all be pleased to know that this story is now finished. Next chapter is wedding stuff, and then the epilogue -- they're all written; I just have to get them a little more polished up before posting them. Many thanks to all of you patient people who have waited so long for me to finish this one. Hope you like it!
