As always, I wish to thank you for your reviews and continued interest in this story. I am writing many happy chapters for now because they had such few moments of sheer bliss in the original stories. In POTO, it was only when they were singing and maybe that kiss. LOL. In LND it wasn't until "After the Performance" that they each got a chance to feel what it would be like to just be in love and with one another. In this story, well…. Things have changed. LOL

Onward….

Christine and Gustave had just come from the stables and both couldn't contain the smiles on their faces.

"Did you have fun, sweetheart?"

"I did, Mother. Mr. Y is a very good teacher. The way the horse would just listen to him. He really is some sort of magician, isn't he?"

Christine smiled. "In his own way but you know he is a person, like you and me, right dear?"

Gustave looked at her as if she had two heads. "Mother, of course I know that."

Christine shook her head. "I'm sorry, Gustave. I don't know what I mean to say."

"Mother? Will the riding lessons have to stop when Father comes back?"

This made Christine stop in her tracks. "Gustave, I think we need to talk about what happens when your father comes back."

"Are we going to leave?"

She motioned for him to come and sit down, and she sat beside him. "What if I told you that we wouldn't have to go back to France? Would you like living here?"

"On Coney Island?"

"Or the city. I think there could be many possibilities for us, if…."

"If what, Mother?"

"If the people like my voice, perhaps I could sing full time."

"Of course, they will like your voice, Mother. You're wonderful."

"Is that so?" She arched her brow. "It's been a long time since I have really performed, and Mr. Y said he would help me."

"Mother, what will Father do if we stay here?"

"First, you answer my question, dear. What is it that you want?"

Gustave sat and thought for a minute. He then looked up and touched his mother's cheek. "I want to be happy and I want you to be happy too." He then looked at his feet.

"What is it, sweetheart?"

"I'm not sure I can be happy with Father. He is always so distant and he sometimes…."

"What?"

"He sometimes makes you cry. You haven't cried one day since you've been here. Even after Father left. Are you not sad he is gone?"

"Gustave, I'm sad he's gone but he needed to leave. He had to sort some things out. When he comes back…."

"Are you saying that if I don't want to go back to France, we won't?"

"Well…"

"If I don't want to be with Father, do I have to?"

"Gustave…. Your father loves you very much. I know he doesn't always show it but…."

Gustave stood up slowly. "He doesn't really see me. He doesn't play with me or talk to me. He just puts up with me, probably because you love me so much, he has to."

"Gustave, you're wrong. He loves you very much."

"You better get ready for your lesson, Mother. You must not be late for Mr. Y." He started to go to his room but then turned around. "Mr. Y said he has a proposition for me."

Christine moved from her seat, still a little taken aback by what her son said, "What is that, Gustave?"

"He said to change and meet him with you by Nathan's, so we can't be late!" He hurried inside to change.

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Erik was talking to a few employees inside Nathan's.

"Mr. Y, are you sure? He's only 10 after all."

"Do you have any idea what I was doing at 10? The boy is very smart for his age. He can play music for heaven's sake. He may not want the job but if he does, I want you all to be encouraging and help him learn along the way. This is a fun place, no?"

One of the employees nodded. "Mr. Y is right. If anything, it will really show we have heart, having a kid work here."

Mr. Y shook his head. "He's training at Phantasma. This is his first assignment. I trust that he will be in good hands." Erik then motioned to Squelch and they walked outside. "You keep an eye on him, I want to know how they are treating him.

"Yes, Sir."

Erik then spotted Christine and Gustave. "Here they are and right on time!"

Gustave almost wanted to let go of his mother's hand and run to Mr. Y, but he somehow felt his mother needed him right there with her.

"Hello you two!" Erik smiled. "You two aren't too tired from this morning, are you?"

"No, Mr. Y. I told Mother all about the proposition…..That is, what I knew of it." He grinned.

"Erik, what is all this about?"

"Christine, I know you didn't want to leave Gustave alone and were worried about others keeping an eye on him while we worked, so I came up with a solution, I hope you'll both agree with."

Christine looked at Erik with an exasperated look. "Well?"

"Gustave, how would you like to train at Phantasma? You would spend time in all my shops and rides and places to eat, working and learning the business."

Gustave's eyes widen as large as saucers. "Really?! Could I?!" He looked desperately at his mother for approval.

"Erik, don't you think he is a little too young?" She then stopped herself when she realized who she was saying this to. "I mean…"

"Please, Mother! I'll be good. I'll work very hard, Mr. Y." Gustave kept turning his head at each of them hoping they would say yes.

"Christine, Mr. Squelch will be around to assist Gustave and let me know if anything isn't working out. He'll be in good hands."

Christine still looked worried, but she knew she couldn't say no to Gustave, not this, anyway. "Alright." She said reluctantly. "But Gustave, I want you to tell us the moment it's too much for you or if you want to stop."

"I will, Mother! Come on Squelch, let's go inside and show me what to do first!"

Erik just laughed, as Christine shouted out to them. "We'll be done in a few hours. I'll be right here waiting, Gustave," She then made a sad smile. "He didn't hear me. Or he heard me and didn't listen."

"Christine, are you terribly upset?"

She pouted. "No, not really. I just worry too much. I always have when it came to Gustave."

"Angel, I would never put him in harm's way. I just thought he might like to know the ins and outs of the park."

"I know." She touched his arm. "But will he not be in the way?"

"My son? Please, he'll probably make me 10 times more money, as he finds 10 ways to be more efficient inside Nathan's alone." He then saw she was staring at him. "Christine?"

"You said, 'my son'."

He then panicked. "I'm sorry…. It was just us and no one heard…. Forgive me, Christine, I don't know what possessed me to…."

She brought her finger to his lips. "Don't apologize. It sounded so good to hear you say it."

Erik calmed down the instant her finger touched his lips. "It sounded good to say it."

"Can we talk before our lesson?"

"Is everything alright?"

She touched his lapel. "I just need to talk to you."

He swallowed hard, trying hard not to worry about what she was going to say next.