Hohoho! Merry Christmas to you all. Extra today comes for my Christmas chapter. Am indeed a day behind schedule but what the heck. Is just not only one day Christmas. So, enough chatter, let's move on.

Greetings Petit Erik


24.12.2021

At 6:30 the alarm clock rang. Jenny turned it off and stretched with pleasure. Today all the Christines would come and no OG knew. That's why she had set her alarm half an hour earlier, because there was still a lot to do today before the ladies would arrive in the afternoon. She quickly got ready and was already in the kitchen at 7 o'clock. There she looked out of the window.

It had snowed overnight and was still snowing. Perfect. A white Christmas. Just like she was used to at home. So they could do something together in the snow today. But first she had to see if everyone was up for it. First was the breakfast, which would be later today, she had told the men of the house last night at dinner. So she first prepared the breakfast, which took a little longer, because she was not as slept as she had thought. After she had finished the breakfast, she already prepared the food for the evening, because she knew that the preparation would take longer. 8:30, however, she took a break and rounded up the boys for breakfast. At breakfast, there was a lively exchange of what they had experienced yesterday. Suddenly Murphy, a merik from the second floor, noticed the mess on the kitchen counter.

"What's all this for?" he asked.

"Oh that?" asked Jenny, "that's for dinner tonight."

"But that much?"

"Well, we have to factor in the other two days, don't we?"

"Actually, yes."

"Then it's settled and decided. Period."

In theory, Jenny would have won this discussion anyway. If she wanted something, she would do whatever it took to get her way. After breakfast was over, all the phantoms retreated to their rooms and did God-knows-what. Because of the isolation of the rooms, there really was no sound of organ coming through the apartment, which was really nice. The only thing that could break the isolation would be an angry Panaro, which fortunately did not happen yet.


Jenny, meanwhile, continued to work on the meal for the evening. She had the traditional Christmas dinner from her home, which her parents also always prepared: Roast hare with red cabbage and dumplings. And of course, because there would be more people coming today, she had to make more food. But in the end it would really be worth it. Suddenly, she heard a loud thump and a little scream.

"What the sweet musical throne is going on again?"

"What happened?"

"Give me my lasso!"

"Panaro, no!"

In his frenzy, Kerik had not crept down the stairs as usual, but fell down them. And this disturbed certain gentlemen in their creative frenzy. Kerik, meanwhile, got up and then went to the kitchen to Jenny.

"Do you have a glass of water, please?" he asked in a hoarse voice, which had only a semblance of its old sound.

"Sure thing. But are you sure one will be enough?"

"Perfectly sure." Jenny raised an eyebrow in confusion. She wasn't really sure if one glass of water would be enough, so she handed him several bottles right away.

"If you do need more, you have some right here," she said. Grumbling, he took another 4 bottles, which she pressed into his hands without argument.

"If at two so 3 or 4 people would have time, I would be very happy. Got a little stress here and could use some help," Jenny called through the house.

She didn't have to wait for a response. She knew that everyone was already back in their rooms but still got her message. So she continued to tinker with the roast rabbit and 14:00 Lewis (the last of the four OG's from the second floor), Derik and Mauer came into the kitchen to help Jenny with her chores.

"I'd really appreciate it if you could stock these platters with cookies and all sorts of stuff" she said.

The three nodded and went to work on the plates and the goodies. Jenny, meanwhile, had finally finished the roast rabbit and was now making coffee like a world champion, because in half an hour the better halves of the Phantoms would arrive. So she poured the coffee, which was ready, into thermos flasks and immediately made new coffee. While the four of them were working around in the kitchen, all the men came out of their rooms from downstairs and upstairs and went into the spacious living room, where there was room for all 44 people.

"We'll go ahead and take care of the dishes, if that's all right with you?" called Jones and Carpenter to Jenny.

"Yah go ahead. But put out more than usual, please!" she called from the kitchen.

The two looked at each other in confusion for a moment, shrugged, and then went to work on the cabinets with the dishes. 14:45 everything was fortunately ready and soon the Christines should also arrive. Jenny had already turned up the heat in the living room because she knew that the ladies would get cold very quickly. At 15:00 sharp, the doorbell suddenly rang and all the maestros looked at each other, startled. All of them were wearing their usual suits, but none of them was wearing a mask or a wig. But Jenny just told them to sit calm and relaxed and went ahead to open the front door, closing the living room door behind her.


"Merry Christmas Jen!", Sierra called to her softly delighted and hugged her.

"Merry Christmas to you, too, and to the rest of you, of course."

"Merry Christmas!" echoed back 19 other women's voices and 3 children's voices.

"First of all, take off all your coats and shoes and come inside. Coffee and tea are ready," Jenny told them. The mention of coffee made the women even more euphoric.

"Mom, can we go and say hello to Dad?" asked a little boy with brown hair. Next to him stood the other two children, looking at their mothers from equally big puppy eyes.

"Of course," said the three ladies and the boys ran off towards the living room. The gentlemen, meanwhile, sat in their armchairs full of fear, not knowing what was about to happen. All of a sudden the door was torn open and all the opera spirits present flinched. Then three little boys ran into the room and headed straight for Kerik's, Lewis' and Murphy's arms.

"Merry Christmas Daddy!" the three shouted in chorus. The three phantoms addressed didn't quite know what to say at first, but then managed a choked out "Merry Christmas." Just at that moment Jenny came in with the Christines and all the OG's were almost struck by the blow. Grinning broadly, their angels stood in the doorway and now all approached their personal angel of music. These hugged their personal favorite soprano full of joy and the one or other moist eye also came along. "So, enough crying. Who all wants coffee?"


The coffee drinking was actually less of a drink and more of a gossip. All corners of the room were chattering and talking about what was going on during Corona, how Carlotta was upset in her most beautiful and highest shrieking voice that this town can no longer hear her voice, and so on. Charles, who was Kerik's son, was just talking loudly about how good he could play chess.

"I bet I can beat you dad," he said to his father, grinning at him. Instantly, the room was dead silent. No one had ever challenged Kerik to a chess game because everyone knew he had never lost one. Even Nadir, Kerik's friend from Persia, who had taught him the game, had never been able to beat him.

"Well, if you feel that way, we're welcome to play a game after dinner, what do you say?"

"Deal dad."

Charles looked at him out of big amber eyes, which were the same color as his father's. The coffee drinking then continued. Afterwards they sat there for a few minutes talking about everything and nothing.

"E du Ugelick! It's half past six!" Jenny called out. Then 43 pairs of eyes looked at her in confusion. "It's just an expression from my home country," she quickly explained.

The confused looks had then slowly cleared up a bit. Quickly, everyone cleared the table together and then sat down in the living room for a while. 19:00 Jenny then went into the kitchen to cook dinner. She left the door to the living room open so she could overhear everything that was being said over there.

"So that's why all the food" said Murphy. In his left arm was Meghan and in his right was his son Jake.

"Well, we couldn't tell you guys we were coming, could we? Otherwise it wouldn't be a surprise anymore."

This statement came from Sierra, who was nestled contentedly in Karimloo's arm on the other side of the room.

"Did you plan all this, my angel?" asked the same in amazement, looking down at her.

"Of course, who else would? The others aren't connected to Jenny at all, are they? So I wrote to her yesterday and announced us for today until December 26."

"UNTIL DECEMBER 26!?" echoed 20 times in the large room.

"Of course, if we're going to be here, we're not going to be here just one day, we're going to be here a little longer."

This came again from Emmy, who was lounging contentedly by Gerry.

Suddenly it echoed from the kitchen: "Can someone please come set the table? It's going to start in 5 minutes!"

Immediately Christine, who had been sitting contentedly next to Erik, and Sarah, who was sitting happily smiling with Crawford, jumped up and ran into the kitchen. Exactly 5 minutes later, a whistle echoed through the first floor and all the phantoms jumped up.

"What's going on now?" grumbled Emmy, dazed. She had just rested her head on Gerry's shoulder and was dozing a bit when he jumped up and she almost fell off the couch.

"There's food my angel," he explained to her kindly, "Jenny always whistles when it's time to go and so far we've always been on time. I'd hate to think what would happen if one day we weren't."

Emmy wasn't even paying attention to the rest of what he was saying. She immediately sat bolt upright at the word 'dinner' and grinned mischievously at Gerry. Then she dashed into the kitchen, leaving him standing in the living room. The latter shook his head briefly in amusement and went after her.


At dinner, the mood was cheerful and exuberant. Everyone talked among themselves and praised the food that Jenny had prepared for them. "I'm glad you like it," she said. Charles quietly reminded his father of the upcoming chess match, who only commented on the remark with a wink. His son winked back. Meanwhile, at the other side of the table, Jack and Jake, Lewis and Murphy's sons, were talking to each other and exchanging ideas about Christmas carols they could sing. As they did so, they kept casting subtle glances at Jenny, who had begun quietly humming a song to herself.

"What's that song you're humming?" asked Jack in response. Jenny flinched briefly and looked in the direction from which the voice was coming.

"Oh, it's just a Christmas song from my childhood that I used to listen to."

"Can you sing it for us please?"

"Oh yes please," Jake joined in as well.

"Okay, if you must. But I'll only sing the first verse" Jenny said with an amused sigh. Then she started to sing: „Year after year, we go up to the ground for Advent, a little man is woken up: "Come, now you get up!" If it is down in the room, it does not move from the spot, but soon he starts to blow away the smoke. When the smoking man fogs and he doesn't say a word, and the smoke rises to the ceiling, we're all so happy together. And it's nice and quiet in the parlor, the peace of heaven descends, But in the heart it laughs and rejoices, Yes, the Christmas season is here!"

Thereupon came much applause from the large table.

"That sounded very good even if I didn't understand anything" said Erik with an amused smile.

"You have a very good voice."

"Thanks but I think I'd rather sing just for me," Jenny explained.

After the food was ready, the gift-giving started. And there was definitely not a dry eye in the house. When all the Christines presented their respective phantoms with their gifts, they couldn't contain themselves and burst into tears. Of course, everyone knew why this was happening, since none of them had ever received a gift. After all the crying was over, all the Christines also received a gift from their respective opera ghosts. The squeals of delight were more than enough to know that everyone was happy. When the gift-giving was over, the longed-for chess game between Charles and his father finally arrived. Everyone sat spellbound in the living room and watched the two play. Kerik made the first move, which Charles followed immediately. So it went back and forth for some time.

Suddenly Charles said: "Checkmate!" Kerik looked as if he didn't hear correctly. In his mind, he went over each move again. In the end, what his son said was true, he had lost. For the first time in his life, he had lost a game of chess, and against his 13-year-old son. While his father was still sitting there spellbound, Charles was cheering like a madman and telling everyone what a great challenge he had mastered. Soon Kerik stood up and shook his son's hand.

"Well played" he said a bit stiffly but Charles could make out a very clear twinkle in his eyes that meant he wasn't taking his defeat too seriously. Charles then just grinned at him and hugged his father, who returned the hug affectionately. In the end, everyone sat comfortably in the living room, Jenny told about the Christmas traditions of her home country and the Christines did the same. Meanwhile, it was already 23:00. The boys were then sent to bed, while the adults still sat happily. But 0:30 went then also each opera spirit, this time in company of its respective lady, to sleep. Fortunately, there would be no breakfast tomorrow, as everyone would still be asleep at that time. Everyone happily but also tiredly wished each other a good night and then went to their rooms. Jenny walked behind the others upstairs. There they all separated and went to their rooms. She herself entered her room smiling and happily dropped onto her bed. This Christmas surprise had been just as successful as she had imagined.