Chapter 14: Conniving and Manipulating
"Hello, girls," Artie said as he entered the lodge. The tv was set up but the fireplace in the back corner, and Artie was dead set on watching the Nadir Khan Show and everyone else was dead set on keeping him away from the television.
"Grandpa," Celia said. "Fred said that the ford has a flat tire and was making a funny sound earlier. You should go-"
"It's nothing that can't wait till tomorrow," Arthur said, smiling at her. "Besides, Nadir Khan is on in three minutes. I don't want to miss him."
"Of course," Celia murmured, taking a step back as he sat down. Meg was sitting down next to him, reading a magazine when they heard a terrible scream from the lobby.
"General!" Lillian yelled, running into the lodge. "Come quickly! It's Raoul!"
They all leapt up and ran to see what was wrong. They found Raoul lying at the bottom of the stairs, clutching his leg and howling in "pain".
"You fall down the stairs?" Arthur asked, kneeling down beside him.
"Oh, yes general wasn't looking where I was going, sir. It's probably just a small hairline fracture," Raoul said.
"How does it feel?" Artie asked.
"Oh, not that bad," Raoul said.
"Alright well let's see if you can stand," Artie muttered, helping him to his feet. "Put some weight on it."
Raoul slowly lowered his foot to the ground, barely putting any weight on it at all, and screamed it pain, jerking it back.
"Celia, call a doctor," Artie ordered.
Celia turned to go, but Raoul cried out in protest.
"Don't do that, sir! I'm sure I'm fine, really," he said. "It's probably just a slight internal muscular aneurysm, sir. I'll be alright."
"Let's bring you somewhere were you can be comfortable."
"Of course, sir, let's go," Raoul said, hobbling along with on one leg with an arm draped over Artie's shoulder.
"You can watch the television," Artie said.
"T-t-television! I mean- YEEOoohhWHoWhwohHOHowh!"
Meg winced. He sounded like a dying goat attempting to sing in an opera.
Raoul twisted away and practically threw himself onto the ground, but Artie caught him before he could make contact.
"I'm calling a doctor," Artie said.
"Oh no, sir, don't bother! I really will be fine. Just help me back to my room and I'll be just fine," Raoul said, nodding vigorously. Artie pulled him to his feet. Well, one foot really, as the one attached to his "broken" leg was suspended in the air. His leg was bent a right angle, and didn't look broken at all if you really looked, but no one felt the need to point that out, and with all of Raoul's moaning you would never know.
"Thank you, sir. I wouldn't want to faint in front of the ladies," he stage whispered. Artie nodded and Raoul put his arm around his shoulder again. He let out another theatrical groan as they mounted the first step.
"I'll be alright!" Raoul assured everyone.
The ladies were trying very hard not to laugh. Lillian would have given them away if she hadn't had her handkerchief to cover her smile.
Meg was struck by a sudden pang of longing for Christine, knowing she would only add to the moment. She pushed the thought aside and focused on their mission. She glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner and sighed. It was 9:05. How long would Erik need? Raoul was doing a good job, but they would reach his room soon enough and then what? Would she have to pretend to be bleeding out?
Raoul winked over his shoulder at them and Celia grinned. Meg had to pretend to cough to disguise her giggles.
Raoul let out a yowl as he took a step on his bad foot.
"Don't put your weight on it!" Artie said sternly. "Should I carry you?"
"No, no, sir! I'll make it I just need your support."
In New York, Erik was waiting in the wings.
"On the air in three…"
He watched Nadir smile at the camera, hands folded neatly behind his back.
"Welcome back folks to the Nadir Khan Show. I'm Nadir and it is my privilege to introduce an old pal of mine from before the war, but we were in the same division their too. He's a great guy and a great entertainer, Erik Destler," Nadir said.
Nadir and the audience applauded as he strode on stage, putting on his best entertainer smile.
"Erik's got a special message tonight for all you fellas who were with us in the 151st Division, about someone very close to us. He's going to tell you about it in his on special way," Nadir said.
"Thank you, Nadir," Erik said. The music started up and he looked up into the camera.
Christine had begged the guys at the Garden Club to turn on Nadir's program.
She sat with some of the other acts of the night, the conductor, and some other men she didn't know, watching as Erik, to her surprise, started to sing. It was a charming little song about unemployed generals after the war and made her tear up thinking about Artie.
Erik was praying that Raoul had succeeded in getting the general away from the tv as the song ended.
"Like Nadir said, that song is for the 151st Division. The men and officers under the command of Major General Arthur Shepard. I hope plenty of you boys were listening, because there's something I need you to do for me."
Around the time Erik was finishing his song, Raoul and Arthur had made it up the stairs and were about halfway to Raoul's room.
Raoul glanced at his watch and grimaced.
"Could we slow down a touch?" Raoul asked and Artie agreed, slowing their pace to a crawl.
When they finally reached the door, Raoul stopped.
"Could we do a few laps? I think a couple lengths of the hallway will do me a world of good. I just need to stretch it out a little," he said.
"Whatever you think will help," Arthur muttered.
Erik was trying to make it as quick as possible, so that Raoul would have higher chances of success..
"I know it's terrible to ask you to leave your families on Christmas Eve. I know this trip isn't an easy one to make either, but it shouldn't be too bad for the men in the New England area. Remember this though: no one connected to the show is getting anything out of this. Not one penny. This would be the chance to give the nicest Christmas present to the nicest guy we'll ever know," he said. "If you can make it, you're objective if Perros, Maine. Synchronize your watches men for Operation Shepard."
Christine's heart sank the more she watched Erik's pitch. She was crying by the end and was glad she was sitting in the front so no one could see her.
"What a weird guy," someone muttered. "He wears that freaky mask all the time like that's going to make more people buy tickets to his shows."
Christine turned to face one of the guys behind her.
"What did you just say?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
"That's he's a freak," the guy said. "The mask is weird."
"Have you ever met him?" she snapped, standing up and glaring at him.
"No. There's no need to get all excited! I was just saying-"
"I know what you were saying," Christine snapped. "How do you know he doesn't wear that mask to cover an injury or deformity?"
"No one would book him if it did. Everyone knows you don't make it in this business if you aren't good looking," he sneered.
"I don't know," Christine seethed. "They let you sing."
She turned on her heal, marching out of the room. She left him standing there dumbfounded and slack jawed.
It made her feel a touch more confident, but she didn't feel any better about what she had done.
How could she have been so stupid for believing Lillian? She probably listened to half of the conversation over the phone and filled in the blanks without bothering to learnt the rest.
Christine wanted to kick herself. She had been so heartless to him for no reason. Her stomach filled with dread and she broke into a run, going as fast as she could in her heals to her dressing room.
She packed up her things and changed into the dress she had arrived in. She had asked someone before watching Nadir's show if she could keep the dress, and they had said yes, so she folded and packed it carefully in her bag.
Once she was satisfied she had everything she left the club, running out onto the street.
"Taxi!"
A car pulled over and she climbed in, giving directions to go to Radio City. That's where Erik was.
"Excellent job Erik!" Nadir said afterward. "You want to go get some celebratory drinks?"
Erik shook his head.
"No. I'm going to go back to my room and try to get some work done for the show," he said, already putting on his coat.
As he strode out of the theater, he was struck by a sudden inspiration to go and try to talk to Christine again. He didn't have any of the extra nerves he had before the broadcast any more and would try to be as level headed as possible.
"The Garden Club, please," he said as he climbed into a taxi.
"Excuse me!" Christine said to the security guard. "I need to see Erik Destler."
"I'm sorry, ma'am if you don't have a ticket then you can't come in. Besides, the broadcast ended a half hour ago. I saw Mr. Destler walk out with my own two eyes," he said, giving her a pitiful look.
Christine sighed and swallowed the sob building up in her throat.
"Do you know where he was going?"
"Even if I did, I couldn't tell you that ma'am."
"Right, I'm sorry it's been a long week," Christine muttered, and shuffled out of the theater.
Where was Erik?
She brightened up when she remembered that he had mentioned where he was staying.
"The Plaza Hotel, please," she said to the driver as she climbed into the taxi.
"I'm sorry, sir she left almost an hour ago in a great hurry. I didn't even get to give her her pay check," the owner of the Garden Club said after Erik had burst through the doors asking everyone in sight if they had seen the petite singer who had performed early that evening.
"I can take it," he said without thinking. "I'm going to see her in the next few days if I can find her."
The owner gave him a wary glance but gave him the envelope with the check regardless.
"Did she say where she was going?" he asked.
"No. Are you good friends?"
"Not at the moment," Erik said. "I've done something wrong and I don't know what."
"Give her some jewelry. She'll be in your bed in no time," the owner said. "It's worked for me on multiple occasions."
Erik wrinkled the little bit of nose he had.
"It's not like- never mind."
"She seemed to care about you a great deal. She insulted one of our best performers when he said something rude about you, I think. If it didn't cost me so much money to smooth over I would admire the girl," he said with a chortle of laughter as he walked off.
Erik stood, jaw on the floor, trying to figure out what he had just said. Christine had stood up for him? His heart swelled and he squeezed his eyes shut to prevent the threatening tears from falling.
'Where are you, Christine?' he thought as he walked back out onto the street.
Christine was sitting in the lobby of the Plaza Hotel, anxiously watching the doors. She had asked the front desk if Erik had returned for the evening and they told her that he had not.
"Excuse me miss?" The man from the desk was staring down his nose at her.
"Yes?" She asked. "Is he here yet?"
"What- no. It is not our job to watch the doors for you. If you are not a guest you need to leave," he said.
"But I'm waiting for someone!" Christine protested. "I have a meeting with him I swear he'll be here any second."
The man glanced at his pocket watch and shook his head.
"You need to leave, or we will have security escort you out," he said, gesturing to a burly man who stood by the door.
Christine nodded and stood up, angrily wiping away the tears that were falling.
"Could I leave a message for him for when he returns?" She asked at the door.
The man nodded reluctantly and led her to the front desk.
"What would you like to say?"
Erik blew through the lobby, staring straight ahead.
"Mr. Destler!"
He turned and saw a mousy little man hurrying towards him.
"Someone was here for you a few minutes ago."
"Who?"
"I don't know she didn't leave her name. She asked me to give you this," he said, handing Erik a slip of paper.
He took it, his hand shaking slightly. The man had said she so it was entirely possible that she had been there. She had asked where he was staying, after all.
He waited until he was in his room to read the note, but it had taken him everything in him to wait even that long. He had planned to read it in the elevator but an elderly woman and her small dog had boarded after him and he didn't want to risk having an emotional breakdown in front of a stranger.
He tossed his hat and coat aside before flicking on the lamp and eagerly unfolding the note.
My plans have changed. Meet me for drinks at 11. I want to see you.
She provided an address below, and he recognized it to be just around the corner. He looked at the clock. It was 10:50. He could walk there.
Grabbing his coat, Erik ran out of the room and down the hall to the elevator bank. He pressed the button to call one, but decided that would take too long and he didn't want to be late. He turned and flew down the stairs, stopping at the bottom for a second to catch his breath.
He didn't stop running until he was outside the restaurant. Checking his watch, he grinned when he saw that he had two minutes to spare. He went in and went directly to the bathroom so he could make himself look presentable, and if not at least like he hadn't just sprinted down five flights of stairs and two blocks.
The bathroom was empty, so he casually locked the door before removing his mask to wipe off the light layer of sweat that had formed. He splashed some water on his face and gurgled some in his mouth, wishing he had a breath mint.
The door rattled and he finished up as quickly as he could, smoothing out his tie and hair before putting his mask back on. He unlocked the door and stepped out, glaring at the man who had been banging on the door.
"Is Miss Davies here?" he asked the hostess and she nodded.
"Yes. Are your Mr. Destler?" She asked. When he nodded she motioned for him to follow and led him to a table in the back that was blocked off from the view of most of the restaurant.
Christine had changed back into the dress she had performed in earlier. It fit the ambiance the venue much better and she felt more put together wearing that than her old day dress and wool coat. There wasn't much to be done about her hair, so she left it down, only pinning back the front pieces to keep them out of her face.
She straightened up when she saw the hostess leading Erik towards the able. She had requested one towards the back, thinking it would shield him from the stares of others. In hindsight she worried it looked like she was embarrassed to be seen with him, but she pushed that worry aside. That hadn't been her intention and she hoped he would recognize that.
She took deep breath trying one last time to organize her feelings before she told Erik about them.