Chapter 20: Return to Heaven

Christine broke their embrace and faced reality for the moment. Erik still had tears in his eyes from knowing they had a child together. Their future remained a mystery. Erik broke the silence with the obvious question,

"What should we do now Christine? I know this cannot be easy for you but there are things that must be decided. I want little Rosalie to be in my life, but you need to tell your husband the truth and decide which man will become your husband for life."

Christine looked at him scared. She clung to him again and started sobbing, "Oh Erik I want to choose you, I want to, but I'm not sure what the right course is. To divorce a Count… Erik could I ever sing again… where would we live…" she could not stop going on about the random thoughts of her brain. Erik listened patiently until she finished.

Erik let her go for a minute and held her hands in his hands, "Christine, I will not tell you that you broke my heart the first time because you did. I thought that I could not live without you, I discovered I can." Isabelle flashed through his mind to his surprise but she vanished again like she had that day on the street. Erik kept talking, "If you will not leave Raoul that does not concern me, what concerns me is Rosalie now. I think she deserves to know her true father and I think your husband deserves that information as well." Christine's eyes widened at this idea.

"Erik, do you know what Raoul will do to both of us if he found out, to your career. Erik it is too much to think about I will not risk that, not even for my feelings. It can't be done." She stood up and paced around the room shaking from emotional confusion. "Oh Erik, I do want you, I do, I just, Raoul must never know about you, your music must continue. I will not ruin your life, again." Erik stood up and held her hands to calm her.

"Christine, we will find some way to make things right. I think I have an idea." They moved to another location and ate some biscuits. Christine put her hand on Erik's knee as he began to brainstorm.

"There cannot be a scandal, Christine. If we go off together, there will not be one with the Opera Ghost, there will be one with Enrique and the Countess. No one will benefit from that, especially not Rosalie. It is not possible that I, as Enrique could be Rosalie, so there is no way save the identity if we come to Raoul and ask to stay together. The only way, would be to offer a settlement of some kind. Christine, that might be you."

Christine finished his thoughts, "I'll do it, I'll stay with Raoul. It is the only way he'll ever concede to let you see Rosalie and keep your secret. But what if he doesn't let me sing?"

Erik sighed, "He might not Christine, and I understand if you don't want to give that up." He tried not to let his upset show. Erik had to play the strong man in this instance; Christine had the look of that innocent little chorus girl. Noticeably, she appeared torn at heart between two equally beautiful outcomes.

She walked up to Erik and leaned her head against his chest and sighed. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Their breathing synchronized and Erik knew she had made her decision. Christine held back tears as she confirmed his fears,

"Why does this have to be so hard? All I want is you Erik…you and our daughter… oh God, our daughter. I have to tell Raoul… I have to tell him…"
Erik thought a minute, "Not necessarily, Christine. I have an idea."
Christine lifted her head from his chest and quizzically stared at him, "Erik what do you mean?"

"Christine, I want you to sing more than anything but I also want to spend time with Rosalie but Raoul… Christine I'll give her lessons."

"Erik what are you talking about?"

"Raoul will let you sing again, all you need do is plea, use your feminine wiles to get him to agree to let you sing. Then, you will tell your charming husband that Enrique is a skilled pedagogic musician. He will question this qualification but we will produce evidence that will make him insistent upon my services. Rosalie will know me as her voice teacher, and I will know her in the only way I am fit to know anyone—through music."

Christine stood silent for a minute and then spoke quietly, "Erik I cannot do that for you. You deserve to be…"

"What about what you deserve? Christine this is the only solution for now."
She kissed his lips and ran her fingers through his hair, "If this is what you want, Erik. I'll do it for you, for us, and Rosalie."

He sighed, "It's time to return to the world, Christine."

"Yes," she held his hand, "Back to the cruel Heaven above the comfort of your Hell."