Life caught up with me again, Apologies.
With special thanks to Sid Colin the scriptwriter for the film Up Pompeii for his inspiration for the 'Poem'
Thank you for all the wonderful reviews.
Thank you for following me and I hope you will enjoy this instalment.
I do not own anything by Gaston Leroux, Susan Kay or Andrew Lloyd Webber, everything else is my own work.
A Broken Heart does not a Pianist Make"Agghh! NO! How many more times!" Erik yelled as his student stared at him wide eyed.
Erik sighed, it had been a trying week what with Raoul's illness and then getting rid of all the excess flowers in his own home, those wretched daisies and losing his beloved salami. For once in a long time, he needed some time to himself. It was only half past nine in the morning and so far, even his day off had been interrupted with someone else requesting his assistance.
This was a plea for help that Erik could just about understand and losing his temper would get him nowhere. However, it did not stop him from regretting ever agreeing to teach this student to play the piano. This was definitely not what he had planned on doing with a Christine free Saturday.
Another deep sigh as he thought about the fact that Christine had left him at seven that morning and was out with Meg and Meredith at the dress makers, the ladies were arranging for their summer wardrobes and Erik had himself planned to spend the day starting his latest musical project, a new composition for Christine. Only to find his front door being thumped and his current student harassing him for piano lessons.
"Just watch me and then copy what you see me do!" Erik instructed as he leaned over and with one finger readied to start the melody again.
"Depress then release the middle C key twice then the G key to the right of it twice then the A key to the right next to it twice then back to the G key once again and keep practicing that until you can play it correctly!" Erik instructed with a huff as he again demonstrated the simple tune.
Erik listened as his pupil thumped away on the keys of his beloved piano, cringing with each harsh note, and he was holding his temper until his student asked, "How long until I can play the Moonlight Sonata?"
Erik took a deep breath, "I would be better teaching you the Piano Sonata 14 in C minor Opus 27 number 2 on a harp!" he acerbically retorted, "because at this rate you and I will both be dead by the time you finish 'Twinkle, twinkle little star'!"
"There is no need to be like that!" came his student's reply, "you said you could teach me to play the piano and here I am!"
Erik supressed a scream, "I did not mean I could teach you to play Beethoven in a week from scratch!"
"Ah, but you did not specify," His student retorted back.
Erik nearly screamed then gave up, "I do not think I can cope treating you like a student!" he grimaced, "Seriously Why…Why do you want to learn to play the piano now Daroga?" Erik pleaded throwing his hands in the air in frustration.
Nadir sighed, "I told you that I wanted to impress Delphine," Nadir explained before sighing again, "It is slightly more than that… I… I have royally upset my lovely lady and… well I want to apologise to her, and well music has always worked for you so…" Nadir finished the glass of brandy Erik had given him in one swig and suddenly with his bottom lip trembling, tears welling up in his eyes, Nadir looked like he was going to cry.
Erik stood up quickly and refilled his friend's glass, he had not seen Nadir this devastated since the death of his beloved first wife in Persia.
"Tell me exactly what happened," Erik instructed as Nadir cleared his throat and took another long swig of his refilled glass.
ooo
Half a decanter of Brandy later, Erik had finally managed to get the full story out of Nadir, and it was not good. Delphine had planned a surprise dinner for two and yesterday afternoon had sent Darius off to a hotel for the night as she planned to cook a romantic dinner and other things.
Nadir had gotten home after a rough day in the office and had expected a cup of tea ready for him as normal, had yelled for Darius when he found no tray waiting for him in the front room and when no Darius had appeared, a now grumpy Nadir had strode into the kitchen and without noticing that Delphine was by the stove instead of Darius, had launched into a full temper tantrum regarding lazy servants and his missing tea. This resulted in Delphine bursting into tears and rushing out of the apartment telling Nadir she never wanted to see his ungrateful hide again.
Erik stared at his now completely miserable friend, "Ah! Err, Um!" Erik's normally wide vocabulary failed him for once. "Of all the things to do, an impression of me is probably not the best thing… Urm…" Erik finished as he poured yet another treble brandy for Nadir and a single for himself.
Nadir drained his glass and reached into his jacket pocket, "I spent the night trying to write a poem to show her how much I love everything about her!" Nadir declared as he handed a folded sheet of paper to Erik.
Taking the paper and opening it, Erik read aloud, "I love her bosom, her knees so sweet, her thighs without a ripple, but most of all I love to lie with my lips upon her… cheek?"
"I could not think of anything to rhyme with ripple!" Nadir stated as he blew his nose.
Erik placed his masked face in one hand and sighed, 'he is the only one who cannot find a rhyme!" Erik thought. "As wonderful as this poem is, I do not think it has quite the… erm… finesse you are looking for." Erik replied as he handed it back, "when did you write it?" he asked.
"After a bottle of arak in the very early hours of this morning," came Nadir's weak reply, as he dropped the poem on the couch beside him.
"You mean you were already tipsy when you thumped open my front door at eight am and all but demanded piano lessons!" Erik grumbled as he approached.
Nadir looked up from where he sat to see an extremely annoyed Erik towering over him, "S!" was all that would leave his lips at his now formidable friend.
"And you were intoxicated as you started banging away on my precious piano?" Erik demanded steam metaphorically pouring from his ears.
"S!" Nadir squeaked again.
Erik turned on his heel so suddenly it left Nadir feeling dizzy and stormed off towards the front door of the lake house. The door banged open and Erik returned.
"Right let us start this day again!" Erik declared as he picked up Nadir like he was a doll and slung him over his shoulder before marching out the front door to the shore of the lake. There he stopped and with a grunt hoisted Nadir off his shoulder and straight into the water.
A loud splash was followed shortly after with a familiar yell. "Erik you bastard, it is freezing in here!"
"Good!" Erik replied smugly, "now you have sobered up we can start sort out how to get you out of the mess you created."
ooo
Once Nadir had showered and donned some of his friend's fresh dry clothing, he and Erik sat down with coffee and started to work out how Nadir was going to apologise to his beloved. Alas it was not long before Nadir's lack of sleep and overindulgence start to catch up with him.
As Nadir yawned for the third time in ten minutes, Erik had had enough. "Go home and sleep off your excess, come back around three this afternoon, Christine will be back by then and I think a woman's touch will help solve this conundrum far better than just us two alone!" Erik declared as he physically foisted Nadir from the couch and handed him a bag with his wet clothes in it.
"Hey there is no need for the man handling!" Nadir protested as Erik pretty much carried him out of the house and up to the Rue Scribe gate, where he waited with the sleepy Persian until a carriage arrived and after loading his friend like luggage, giving the driver instructions and some coin for the trip, he waved goodbye to his latest interruption and headed back to the house and a welcome cup of tea.
ooo
Barely half an hour had gone past and a now mask less Erik was draped across his piano stroking the closed lid and apologising profusely to his beloved instrument for the rough treatment Nadir had metered out to it, when one of his alarms went off. Looking at the board the alarm was on the rue scribe path and very close to the house. "If that bloody maniac has returned to wreak my piano again, I shall really kill him this time!" Erik grumbled as he grabbed his mask placed it on followed by his cloak and Fedora and went to investigate.
Erik got quite the shock when he found a soggy Delphine sitting on the bank of the lake crying her eyes out.
ooo
Meanwhile in the streets of Paris, a now reasonably recovered Raoul was sitting well wrapped up, in his carriage as it wended towards the city centre, and a fitting of his summer suits with his tailor. Once that was complete, Raoul was contemplating dropping in to thank Erik for his herbal drink and… Although it caused a few ructions, the salami as well.
ooo
Down by the lake, Erik was helping a soaked and sobbing Delphine up off the bank and into the house.
"What happened?" Erik asked as he guided the still sobbing Delphine into the lake house and handed her a dry handkerchief.
"I have lost my fluffy tiger!" Delphine sobbed.
Erik was at a loss, not only had he never seen Delphine as the sort of lady that was prone to sobbing, but also his own experiences in India, meant that he knew tigers were not fluffy, they had wiry course fur and were rather too keen on biting.
"Your fluffy tiger?" Erik questioned as delicately as he could as he went to fetch Delphine a towel.
"Yes!" Delphine answered, "I so love to snuggle up to him at night because he is all fluffy!" she replied blowing her nose on her borrowed handkerchief.
Coming out of his bathroom with a towel in hand, Erik had to repress a snigger; Fluffy Tiger really? A vague memory indeed concurred, Nadir was rather hirsute. Once this was all sorted and the couple back together again, Nadir was never going to hear the end of this. Erik decided to change the name on the sign on his friends desk at work to read 'Fluffy Tiger, Business Partner'! Biting his lip to avoid laughing outright, he returned to the sitting room and wordlessly handed Delphine the towel.
After towel drying her hair, Delphine was still dripping, Erik felt he could not leave the lady in that state, but he also could not let her use Christine's dressing room, his angel would skin him alive and then leave him if she found out Erik had a naked woman that was not his wife in the house alone with him. Let alone try to borrow any of Christine's gowns for her. So, he did the only thing he could.
"I think that to prevent you catching a chill, I will run you a hot bath, alas, you will have to use my bathroom and borrow one of my outfits, until yours are dry," Erik explained as he escorted Delphine into his bathroom.
"I understand, I would not want to upset Christine, and she would mince me if she knew I was here alone with you… Where is she by the way?" Delphine asked casually.
"shopping for her spring wardrobe," he replied, as they entered the master bathroom.
"What is that?" Delphine asked pointing to the glass and tile panelled cubical.
"An invention I call it a shower!" Erik replied, "would you prefer to use that instead of the bath?" he asked as he reached in and turned the shower on.
"Oh!" Delphine declared with a small smile, the first since Erik had helped her from the lake shore, "Shower please!" She asked.
"Now I have something to ask?" Erik declared as he gathered a set of his own clothes for his guest and two more towels, "How did you end up in the lake?" he enquired.
Delphine sighed, "I was not looking where I was going and was so focused on getting to you to ask for help, that I miss stepped and fell in!" she replied tears welling up again.
"Dry your tears, and we shall talk after you have cleaned up!" Erik instructed her handing her one of the fresh towels to wipe her face with and taking his leave Erik left his sodden guest to her toilette.
Wandering into the kitchen to put the kettle on, Erik sighed, now instead of composing for his angel he was yet again playing relationship counsellor, not a role he ever though he was cut out for.
ooo
The Kettle was heating ready for some tea and Erik switched it off since by the sound of the shower running, Delphine was still in the bathroom. With nothing else to be done, Erik went to stoke the fire in the sitting room, realising as he bent down that he too was wet from assisting Nadir's beloved from the shore. Alas he could hardly walk in to his own bathroom and get changed.
Giving up on his plans for his day off, Erik took a seat by the fire, hoping that he could at least dry out a little before Delphine was ready to talk.
ooo
Erik was slowly loosing himself in his thoughts, the music beginning to sound in his inner ear again; aided by the rhythmic sounds of the water from the shower in his bathroom splashing on the surrounding cubical; when a knocking sound from the direction of his front door jarred him back to reality. Rising cautiously, Erik went to investigate the sound and as he opened the front door came face to face with one of the worst case scenarios he could imagine for this day.
The Vicomte de Chagny had popped down for a visit.
Erik stood trying to school his face into something other than a scowl behind the mask, but obviously his face was not interested in cooperating. Thankfully Raoul, thought the annoyed expression in Erik's eyes was simply because he had come down to the damp and cold cellars so shortly after his recent illness instead.
"What are you doing down here Vicomte?" Erik grumbled.
"Yes, I know I really should not be here, damp, cold and all that…" Raoul started raising his hands in apology, before he stopped short as he looked around, "Erik… Why is there water on your floor, and… you are all wet as well?" Raoul asked confusion on his face before he added, "Can I hear running water?"
Erik at that precise moment, metaphorically saw his happy marriage flash before his eyes, if Raoul discovered Delphine, Christine would be told very quickly, and she would rapidly ensure that her errant husband was first skinned alive before she left him The skinning alive Erik decided he could take, he had been through a similar experience before but Christine leaving him was a whole different matter, Erik's brain whirred as he found a suitable response.
"I have been making adjustments to an invention of mine called a shower!" Erik informed Raoul, "trying a new spray head," he finished, hoping the Vicomte would get the message and go away, especially before Delphine came out of the master bedroom.
"What is a shower?" Raoul enquired his face held an expression of keen interest.
"It is a new type of hygiene facility that I have created, designed to replicate a refreshing shower of rain, you stand under it and wash!" Erik explained, "but right now it is being tiresome, so I am redesigning it to work better." He added.
Raoul was intrigued, "That sounds amazing, may I see it?" he enquired enthusiastically.
"No!" Erik squeaked, before finding his voice, "I have not perfected it yet and it was leaking henceforth why I am wet, I do not want you getting cold and wet, if you take ill again, your wife will not be amused and she will tell my wife who will be annoyed with me…" Erik replied sternly, "If that happens…" he let the threat hang unspoken.
"Okay I get it!" Raoul responded a little sulkily, "it still does not explain the trail of water from the outside into your house," he continued.
Erik's already tenuous fuse was starting to burn short. Delphine could step out of the bedroom at any time and… Well he did not even want to imagine the results.
"It leaked, I got wet, I tore the head off the damn contraption and threw it into the lake," Erik growled "Then I calmed down and realised I still needed the wretched item, so I had to get it out of the lake henceforth the trail of water… And before you ask it has been refined and I am currently testing it again henceforth the running water!" Erik finished with a huff.
"Oh!" Raoul replied, Erik's temper still unnerved him especially when he was in this house, "I err... understand, I would love to see it when it is finished though," he added before remembering the reason he actually came here. "I actually came here to thank you for saving my life yet again!" Raoul stated, as he reached into his overcoat and pulled a bottle of brandy from the inner pocket. "Just a small gift to show my gratitude," Raoul stated as he handed Erik the bottle. "It is from my own private collection and a very fine vintage!" he added as Erik stared at the bottle.
Although the situation was still as risky, Erik felt a bit of a heel for being so sharp with his third guest for the day and managed a sickly smile, "Thank you very much Raoul," he choked, "however, if you fall ill again it will have been in vain." He added as he placed the bottle on the side table and went to show Raoul the door.
"I get it," Raoul said with a grin, "Never anger the wife!" he added with a snigger, "Very well I shall obey my Doctors orders and head home… Thank you again, Erik." Raoul finished as he grabbed Erik's hand and shook it before taking his leave.
Erik could not help the massive sigh of relief as he shut the front door, turning to find Delphine standing in the front room dressed in one of his outfits. "I thought I had better wait until Raoul left before making an appearance, also I could not turn off your shower," Delphine said as she took a seat on the couch.
"Thank you!" Erik replied gratefully as he headed off, first to the bathroom to turn off the afore mentioned shower and then into the kitchen to make some tea.
ooo
Tea was made and served before Erik listened as Delphine explained her version of that disastrous evening, she downplayed Nadir's outburst and tried to take the whole blame, but Erik was having none of it.
"Do not blame yourself entirely!" Erik responded when Delphine had finished explaining. "The Daroga can be a frightful arse especially when you prevent him getting his first cup of tea after work. That does not however remove the need for manners, something he has moaned at me for many times. It looks like he should take some of his own advice." Erik added sagely.
"So, how should I apologise… you know him better than I?" Delphine asked nervously knotting another of Erik's handkerchiefs in her fingers.
Erik choked before answering her, "I for one never advocate apologising to the Daroga when he has been a Great Booby!" he informed Delphine before continuing, "However, Christine has always said her papa told her that when people who love each other have a disagreement they need to talk about it first before apologising."
"Does that work?" Delphine asked, looking hopefully at Erik.
Erik though for a moment, "Yes it does work, Christine insists on it when we argue!" Erik explained, before he added, "but the best person to ask is Christine."
"When is she due home?" Delphine enquired.
Erik thought for a moment more, an idea coalesced in his head, "About half past three, I suggest we get you a carriage so you can go home and change and if you come back about half past three, we can all sit down and sort this out." Erik pointed out as he stood up and went to take Delphine's now empty tea cup from her.
"Have you seen Nadir today?" Delphine asked as Erik bundled up her wet clothes and found a basket to put them in.
"Not yet, but I am sure he will turn up!" Erik replied the white lie tripping easily off his tongue.
"In which case I had better go before he arrives!" Delphine decided as she took the basket from Erik and turned towards the front door.
ooo
With Delphine on her way home, Erik tidied up the bathroom and washed up the tea things before changing his own still damp clothes. What a morning, it was barely half past eleven and so far, the lake house and its occupant seemed more popular than the Gard de Nord. Erik gave up any hope for his composition, the moment was gone. Heading back into the kitchen he reached into a cupboard under the sink and grabbed the cleaning equipment for maintaining his piano. Maybe a therapeutic polishing would ease his mind and soothe his precious instrument. Nadir had been far too harsh on it.
ooo
Christine, Meg and Meredith had spent a very enjoyable morning at the Ateliers, their new gowns and accessories would be perfect and along with a trip to the cobblers for new shoes and the Milliners for new hats, the ladies were winding down with a coffee and pastry at a nearby café.
"Being a Vicomtess does have its advantages, Meredith grinned as she sipped her coffee.
"Yes, like shutting an entire dress shop just for the three of us!" Meg replied with a big smile, "I felt like royalty!" she continued before taking a bite of her pastry.
Christine finished her pastry and smiled, "I wondering what mischief Erik is getting up to since he had a whole morning to himself and seemed quite eager for me to go and enjoy myself?" She asked rhetorically.
"I know what Raoul is up to," Meredith stated, "staying at home in the warm if he knows what is good for him." she added.
"Jean is recovering from his last set of Erik's clients. Yesterday they decided to play to play hide and seek in The Louvre, it took him nearly three hours to find them." Meg said with a smirk, "I keep telling him not to get them all so drunk, but he is adamant that what the client wants they shall have… Except Erik has banned any of his clients going to the opera house when there are rehearsals on," Meg finished, as they all laughed.
Shortly after, the ladies paid for the refreshments and made their farewells, Christine grabbed a carriage back to the opera house wondering just how bored Erik would really be, since she was convinced, he had put on a show that morning to ensure that she went out with her friends and did not stay at home just to keep him company.
ooo
Back at the lake house, Erik was anything but bored or lonely, he was actually savouring the peace that now reigned. Having finished polishing his piano, he was relaxing with a decent glass of red wine in one hand, sitting comfortably by the fire with both cats on his lap. In fact, as the clock was chiming two, Erik was just dozing off when Christine came through the front door, causing him to jump, both cats to dig their claws into him and the wine glass to drop to the floor as he yelped in pain.
"Hang on Maestro!" Christine called as she rapidly deposited her shopping on the couch and dashed into the kitchen, returning shortly with some cooked chicken to entice the cats to release Erik from their grip.
"Why is it only me they cling to with their claws?" Erik whined as he rubbed his now sore legs, as Saya and Ami released their hold and shot towards the chicken with relish.
"Maybe because like me they know Erik, that you are someone worth hanging on to and never letting go of." Christine coyly remarked as she wrapped Erik in her arms and kissed him, "Shall I also kiss your sore legs better for you?" she asked innocently, as the cats took their treats and vanished into their tunnels.
Erik was now in a quandary, on one hand his angel's attention was just what the architect ordered, on the other he had less than an hour before Nadir was supposed to arrive, yet knowing that persistent Persian, there was no doubt that this would be a day he turned up early, and Erik was not in the mood to be caught inflagranti.
With a surge of supreme will power, Erik pulled away from his angel. "Whilst there is nothing, I desire more, we have a Prophylactic Persian due shortly," Erik grumbled, "He requests help with a rather knotty problem," he continued as he took Christine by the hand and placing her shopping on the floor then sat her on the couch before sitting beside her. "I shall explain…"
ooo
Erik told Christine what had happened; that first Nadir came to the house for piano lessons that were really a plea for help, and then whilst trying to run an errand Erik had 'bumped into Delphine' and she also asked for help for the same reason., They were both due to arrive at the lake house within half an hour of each other.
"Erik!" Christine groaned, "I was not expecting company and more importantly, bloodshed this evening!" she finished, just as true to Erik's suspicions, the front door opened, and a very frazzled Nadir wandered into the sitting room looking like something the cats had dragged in.
"Nice to see you benefitted from your restorative nap!" Erik quipped, walking into the sitting room as Nadir flopped into Erik's reading chair and stared listlessly into the fireplace.
"Humm," Nadir responded.
"I have decided that I am changing the Name on your desk sign!" Erik declared, "Since you are really a Fluffy Tiger and a business manager!" he added pompously.
"Not anymore," Nadir sighed, his eyes never leaving the flames of the fire.
As Nadir fell silent once again, Erik looked up to see Christine standing in the kitchen doorway she looked puzzled, mainly because Erik now looked horrified.
"Erik, Please can you help me with the tea things?" Christine asked, heading back into the kitchen.
"I shall be right back," Erik muttered as he joined Christine in the kitchen, leaving Nadir still staring into the fire.
In the kitchen, Christine turned to Erik, "He really is in a bad way," she remarked.
"I have not seen him like this since Persia," Erik replied, "and yes I am rather concerned," he added.
"When is Delphine due to arrive?" Christine whispered,
"In about half an hour," Erik answered, "I had better get back to him lest he decides to do something stupid to try and end his life!" Erik lightly commented as he turned to leave the kitchen.
Christine grabbed her husband by his arm and stopped him dead in his tracks, "Surely Nadir would not consider suicide?" she demanded frantically.
Erik gently pried Christine's hand off his arm, "Only if whilst I am not watching him, he tries to play my piano again!" he grumbled, "If he does, I shall kill him, she will never be the same again since he pounded on her keys this morning!" he added. Christine rolled her eyes at the last remark, as Erik picked up the tea tray before he left.
It was a peculiar sight as the three of them took tea, Nadir barely touching his cup, Erik was sipping his, whilst watching for any signs that Nadir was planning to head towards the piano and Christine was drinking her tea in between trying to make conversation, almost talking to herself about the weather, the opera and anything except the current situation.
It was just as Christine was about to pour her third cup of tea in half an hour that she realised the pot was empty. "Erik, could you carry the tea tray into the kitchen for me please," she asked sweetly, as she stood up and walked into the kitchen.
Erik appeared shortly after tea tray in hand and watched as Christine put more water on to boil before taking the tea pot and emptying the dregs out of it before putting fresh leaves in.
"I hope Delphine arrives shortly!" she whispered, as Erik nodded in agreement.
Whilst Erik and Christine were whispering in the kitchen, Nadir was still sitting holding a now cold cup of tea, his gaze never leaving the flames in the fireplace, his melancholy only distracted as a frantic knocking came from the front door. looking up he realised that he was in the sitting room alone. The knocking came again, Nadir sighed, put his cold tea on the table and stood up.
"Do not worry about me!" he muttered, "I shall open the door!" he continued, as he slowly made his way to the door and opened it to be assailed by a frantic Delphine.
"Oh, my darling!" she cried as she wrapped her arms around his neck, "My sweetest Fluffy Tiger!" Please forgive me!" she cried as she smothered a shocked Nadir in kisses.
"I…I… I… thought you never wanted to see me again!" Nadir stammered under her loving assault, before pulling away enough to finish what he was trying to say, "It is I who needs forgiveness not you!" Nadir added before being covered in another barrage of kisses.
Christine and Erik poked their heads out of the kitchen then returned there letting the reunited couple make up.
ooo
It was a little while later when Erik looked again into the sitting room to find Nadir and Delphine sitting on the couch holding hands and smiling at each other. Nadir was covered in rouge lip prints from Delphine with a smile on his face that could light up Paris.
"I see the crisis is over!" Erik retorted as he assisted Christine with a fresh tray of tea, before taking his seat in his reading chair.
"I have to admit," Nadir started, "I can now understand some of your behaviour the year before last, love truly does make a man quite crazy!" he added with a chuckle.
"Seriously?" Erik questioned his friend, "does this mean I have to check the chandelier just in case?" he added the seriousness of his tone watered down by the grin on his face.
"The Chandelier is safe, as is your piano!" Nadir declared, "I am not cut out to be a musician," he finished as he accepted a cup of tea from Christine, and they all laughed.
ooo
It was a couple of hours before Nadir and his Delphine took their leave. All four were standing by the front door and after both profusely thanking both Erik and Christine for the assistance, they gave in getting Delphine and her fluffy tiger back together. Nadir tried again to have the last word with his old friend, recalling a remark made earlier that day.
"Erik, if you change the name plate on my desk to 'Fluffy Tiger, Business Manager'," Nadir started, "I shall return the compliment and have yours read "Snuggle Bum, Chief Architect!" he added grinning evilly at Erik.
Erik's eyebrows raised under his mask, "I have never been called that!" he declared indignantly, "And my bum as you put it is not snuggly!" he added, as Christine slipped her hand under his jacket and, across the small of his back before stroking his posterior saucily.
"Oh, I would not say that!" she chimed in with a cheeky grin, that momentarily stunned Erik to silence.
Nadir took the rapidly rampant blush appearing across Erik's ears as his cue to leave, "Come my sweet flower let us leave these two before Erik's ears catch fire!" he stated taking Delphine's hand in his and exiting the lake house as Erik found his voice once more."I really hate you at times!" he growled, as Nadir laughed heartily.
"You love me really!" Nadir replied back, turning to leave.
"I expect you at work on Monday Sober!" Erik yelled as Nadir and Delphine started the walk to the Rue scribe gate, sniggering at the irritated Erik still standing in the doorway of his house.
"And stay away from my Piano!" Erik yelled as his friend and Delphine vanished into the darkness of the passages.
ooo
Christine had already gone back into the sitting room as Erik slammed the front door shut, "Pestilent Persian!" he grumbled as Christine went to sit on the couch giggling.
Erik took his seat by the fire as Christine sat back on the couch, her giggling halting as she heard the crinkle of paper from beneath her, standing up she pulled the sheet of paper from between the couch cushions where it had resided and looked to Erik.
"It is the poem Nadir wrote Delphine!" Erik explained as he watched Christine start to read it.
A moment later Christine looked up from the poem, "It is rather crude!" she declared, with a slight blush, before glancing back at the paper, "Seriously!" she announced appalled, as Erik started laughing at her puzzled expression, "could he really not find anything to rhyme with ripple?"
