Phantasma ended the season on a high note despite the Page Six gossip. Christine's shows of Mr. Y's new arias were a total success. The Jones' potential new investors were impressed and came through with donations for next season in general and for the promise of a completed opera.
As fall settled in, Gustave's piano tutor was let go as Erik had time to teach his son again. His regular tutor returned and it was decided to hire an additional as the coming baby would prevent Christine from helping like she had. Charlotte continued to progress; adding more words to her repertoire, moving around the house faster in her walker to the point where Christine, exhausted by her expanding body, stopped chasing her.
Erik started work on his opera. He had plans to have it done by the start of spring; but there was always a new distraction. Sitting at the piano, eyes closed, the melody seeped through his fingers onto the keys.
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. Then a sharp point to his face. The melody was gone. His eyes opened to see a block landing on the piano keys. A giggle.
"Dada build house."
He sighed as lifted the block off the keys and looked down to see Charlotte had already started construction on the piano bench. In the tray of her walker were several more blocks and her smallest doll.
"Dada is working, darling," He leaned over and sat the block back on the tray.
"No! Dada build house for Mary," Charlotte held up her doll.
"You can build a house for Mary," Erik stood taking the all the blocks, sitting them on the floor beside the bench. He then lifted Charlotte out of her walker, doll still in her hand, and sat her in front of the blocks.
He sat back down at the piano and closed his eyes, trying to will the melody back to him. Music echoed through the room when he felt little hands tugging at his pants.
"No! Dada build with me!"
Mr. Y looked down to his daughter who had made her way over to him, using him and the piano bench as support to stand up. She'd be walking on her own in no time.
"Dada build with me!" She pulled tighter on his pants. "Dada build with me!" Tears ran down her cheeks and she started to cry.
"Charlotte, please," Erik tried to pry his daughter's hands from his pants so he could lift her up, but she wouldn't let go.
She cried louder.
He pushed the bench out; she came with him almost tripping over her dress.
Now she screamed, "Dada!"
"Charlotte, give me your hands," Erik said through his teeth, his hands completely drowning her little ones.
She sniffled, snot running down her lips.
"Charlotte, you're being ridiculous!"
"I'd say you're the one being ridiculous," Christine walked into the room. She squatted down as fast as her stomach would let her and lifted Charlotte up from her husband's leg. The girl wiped her nose on her mother's tea dress as Christine rubbed her head, "Come on, you need a nap." Her eyes narrowed at The Phantom before she turned around and left the room.
Erik slammed down the cover over the keys. He scanned over the music notes on the paper; he ripped it up and tossed it on the floor before walking out of the room.
The front door opened in the late evening and he heard light chatter coming from the dining room. He opened the door and the talking stopped. Christine and Gustave looked up; Charlotte was way too engaged in the small pieces of potatoes on her high chair table.
"Your plate is on the warmer by the fire place, if you're hungry and care to join us," Christine simply stated.
"Yes, thank you," He sat down the brown paper bags in his hands before grabbing his plate with a pot holder and sitting down in the empty chair at the front of the table.
Charlotte's high chair was at the corner between him and Christine's chair. She turned to her father, holding a chunk of potato out, "Tato, Dada?"
"Why yes, I would love one," he leaned over opening his mouth and Charlotte placed it on his tongue. Once her hand was away, he chewed and swallowed the cold potato with a smile on his face. He then took her hand and kissed it, "Thank you."
Charlotte giggled and then put a potato in her mouth. Christine looked down, rubbed her stomach and smiled. The Phantom ate several bites of the roast before he spoke again.
"How were your lessons today, Gustave?"
"My new lessons in Mathematics are easier than I thought. We're talking of going to the Natural History museum when I finish the next couple chapters of my science book."
"That sounds like a splendid time!" Erik poured himself a glass of wine.
"Tato, Dada!"
"Yes, Charlotte, potato," he turned to face her but instead she dropped it on his plate.
Gustave laughed as Christine took a sip of her tea before speaking, "She's our child; vexing like you but a daddy's girl like me, even when he disappoints her."
Erik looked away from his wife, picked up the potato and ate it.
"What's in the bags, Papa?" Gustave looked at the other end of the table.
"A gift for your sister…and you of course."
The boy smiled.
"After dinner though."
The family gathered in the parlor after dinner: Gustave legs hanging over the arms of the leather chair as he read the copy of The Hunchback of Notre Dame in their native French his father bought him, Christine relaxed on the chaise lounge, hands on her stomach, as she watched Erik on the floor with Charlotte a whole new container of wooden blocks added to what she already had. Mary the doll sat on the Turkish Rug as a mansion was built around her.
"Did you get yourself some new paper?" Christine asked. I found what you were working tore up and scattered among the blocks."
"I did," He made a new wall of blocks. "I wasn't happy with what I wrote."
"If you say so, Angel," She gave him a knowing smirk.
"No Dada! Here!" Charlotte patted the rug before making an irrelevant tower.
It was no where near the doll but The Phantom obliged his demanding daughter. She clapped and smiled. It was worth it.