Chapter 17- When We Say Goodbye

"Monsieur Enrique we had no idea of this information, are you sure? Oh André the scandal if it is true!"

Enrique sat once more in front of his dear simple-minded managers. It was much different than speaking to them through Madame Giry. He decided immediately that he would attempt to convince them to fire Katharina and hire Christine. He had to play their angle… money. That was the only thing that they cared about.

"But Firmin, the scandal! We'll only sell MORE tickets, it's perfect, I fail to see the problem."

Firmin wiped his brow with a handkerchief, "No André, if word gets out about the scandal… the Vicomte will withdraw his support from the Opera and we will lose so much funding. No, Katharina must be replaced immediately. Oh dear, I do not believe we have employed an understudy and we have a packed house coming for Faust tomorrow evening. Good lord!"

Enrique folded his hands together sympathetically and once again put on the visage of a casual suggestion, "Perhaps… I could persuade Madame de Changy to come back…"

André leapt at this request, "No no, she would never agree there is too much baggage for her here. And the Vicomte would never consent."

"Ah but Monsieur, I think that the Vicomte would be delighted, especially if the circumstance were revealed to him… he could be made to understand…"

"Absolutely not Monsieur David, I would never hear of it. Oh but if she would come back, what a crowd we would draw…"

Erik continued to press his luck, "I saw Madame de Changy after my last performance. She came to pay respects and mentioned that she wished she could come back and sing. Perhaps the situation is not as hopeless as you think."
André stroked his mustache as he often did when contemplating an idea that appealed to him, "Bon! Alors.. Enrique, you will be responsible for convincing the Countess to come back. Katharina will be fired directly after this meeting and… everything is settled." He glanced at Firmin for approval which was granted with a nod. Enrique stood up and ended the meeting with a firm handshake. Leaving the room he was smiling in success; there was still a bit of the Phantom in him yet.

Erik did not have a chance to say goodbye to Katharina but found a note she had left him in his dressing room. It read:

My darling Enrique,
I am so ashamed of what I have done. I am sure you must have heard by now, rumor spreads so fast in this city and I always meant to tell you but I did not think it had anything to do with us. I suppose I am a bit grateful to leave this city, I miss Vienna and Paris cannot compare to it. The opera at home will take me back of course, who else will bring packed houses there again?

I wish I could have seen you once last time before I left but I had to pack my things and catch the first train I could. I don't think I could have faced you, you're so professional and would never commit anything like this. Would you ever sleep with an engaged woman, you have far too much class for that.

Eternally Yours,
Katharina

Erik crumpled up the letter; how little she knew of his former life. Only one person knew that much about it, and that person was about to become a huge part of his life again. He was had sent notice to Christine by means of a messenger that he would be arriving at the de Changy mansion before Raoul got home. Christine quickly replied that she would rather meet him somewhere a little bit more disecret. Erik had smiled at the notion; he alone knew of only one place that no one else knew about. He hoped she would not mind the trek. After all there were a lot of stairs down.