Chapter 8

Sitting in my doctor's office one day, I began to daydream about the first time I had ever met Erik. I remember it like it was yesterday.

The snow fell heavily over the small town which I resided in. It was quite late at night, and as usual, I and my gentleman caller were probably the only ones awake. We drove home in silence, until finally, his mouth opened to say the most dreadful thing I could have imagined.

"Samantha, I can't stand anymore of this. You need to make your choice right now. Music or me."

The pain drove into my heart quickly.

"James, you can't be serious! You know how much music means to me!"

"I know you love music, but I also know about...him..."

My heart pounded in my chest.

"How do you know?"

The car slammed on its brakes without warning.

"I hear you talking to him in your bedroom!" he screamed in my face.

"But James, you don't understand!"

"No, it's you who doesn't understand, make your choice right now. Music or me!"

I turned my face towards the window and let the tears pour down. "Music..." I whispered.

"Get out of my car..." he said quietly.

I turned to look at him with question, but he reached over, opened my door, and pushed me out into the snow. Then ,he sped off into the night.

I sat there, amazed at what just had happened. Sure, I loved Erik very much and I talked to him. But I had never seen him. Only in the movie. He had never appeared to me, only his voice. He spoke to me quite often in my room, and that's when I began to fall in love with him.

I got up and began to walk, trying to make it back to my house without freezing. It was dreadfully cold outside because of the falling snow, and I didn't even have a coat.

Suddenly, the cold began to get to me. I began to yawn so I sat down to rest. My body told me to lie down, but my mind screamed to keep going. But my body overpowered me as I curled into a ball and closed my eyes gently, drifting off to sleep.

Sleeping peacefully, Erik flooded my dreams. His beautiful face, and his romantic voice sang to me, keeping me warm. But then, warmth filled my entire body. As I began to stretch and get closer to the warmth, I realized I was waking up. I opened my eyes and looked up into the face of a man. He was crouched down in the snow, gently holding me close to his body. His white mask glistened in the moonlight as he smiled down at me.

"Erik?" I asked silently.

He brushed his lips against mine and pulled me closer to him. I curled up in his arms as he wrapped his coat around me and began to get up.

"Don't worry, no one can ever hurt you again." he whispered.

As my eyes closed, he began walking through the town his me in his arms, and suddenly, I felt protected.

As I slept peacefully in his arms, Erik gently placed me on my bed in my room. My clothes were soaking wet, and carefully, he pealed them from me, without looking of course, and helped me slip into warm pajamas. Once he had tucked me into my covers, he got in with me and held onto me to keep me warm. He lied there with me for hours, just staring at me and gently caressing my face.

"My little Samantha." he whispered.

When he finally left, he took the wet clothes and hung them over my shower railing. Then he turned around to look at me one more time, and closed the door silently.

The next morning, I woke with a smile on my face. The dream was so beautiful I had just had! I just wished it wasn't a dream. As I walked into my bathroom though, I dropped the glass I was holding onto the floor. The wet clothes from the night before were hanging on the shower railing. I turned around quickly and whispered, "Erik?"

Only the whisper of wind replied to me until his voice chimed in with it.

"No one can ever hurt you again."

"Samantha...SAMANTHA?"

My reverie ended suddenly as my doctor woke me from my daydream.

"Samantha, what is wrong with you lately? You seem so distant...And have you put on weight?"

I looked down at my stomach; I was already 5 months pregnant.

Blushing, I covered my stomach quickly until the doctor smiled.

"Samantha, you have a boyfriend don't you?"

I looked at him, horrified. I never wanted to discuss this with anyone. Erik promised me once it was time for me to have the baby, he would take me through the mirror and I would never have to return.

"No, I most certainly do not!" I replied with anger in my voice.

"Samantha, come here." he said.

I stood up and tried quickly to hide my stomach, but it was too late. The doctor had noticed.

"Samantha, you are pregnant!"

I turned red and quickly went for the door. It was time for Erik to take me before anything got out of hand.

"No, I'm not, leave me alone!" I cried.

I opened the door and ran out of his office, but was stopped by my mother.

"Samantha, what has gotten into you?"

The doctor then stepped out of his office.

"A boy..."

My mother looked at him with wonder.

"Samantha is pregnant."