Christine dans Deux

An Alternate Multiverse - A Phantom of the Opera Story

Nyasia A. Maire

© 2006

DISCLAIMER: See Chapter One
Chapter Fifty-Eight – What a Fool This Mortal Be

My wife weeps. The front of my shirt soaked with her tears. My eyes, on the other hand, remain bone dry. Not a hint of moisture threatens to spill from the twin wastelands of my orbs. My arms wrap possessively around her body of their own volition and pull her back tightly to my chest. Her hands feebly grasp for mine and as she finds them, she clutches them tightly. Watching her tears stream down her face, I feel detached from her. In fact, I feel nothing at all, which frightens the hell out of me. Hmm … well, that's a start. I feel fear. I note that this is the first time I have ever held her and felt absolutely nothing. My embrace stiff. My words trapped within the prison of my past. It seems that I gaze at her across an ever-widening chasm. I see her mouth move and know she speaks, but her words scatter and blow away on the wind.

Suddenly, two of the words she speaks become discernable to me in the midst of the maelstrom of confusion. Two simple words reach my ears. Two simple words that change everything.

"I'm sorry!"

The stiffness begins to melt from my body. My fingers intertwine with hers.

"I am so sorry, Erik!"

Her words are quiet, despairing, filled with pain, which cuts me to our soul. Knowing that I am the cause of her pain breaks my heart. And as it breaks, I find a block of ice among the pieces of my broken heart. I pause to examine this frozen piece and as I touch it, I release memories of long ago. Memories of … Madeline. I push them to the side, for now. I must answer for my coldness to Christine. I must comfort her. She, not I, brutalized. She, not I, is the victim. I shake my head, disgusted with myself. My coldness to her worse than the actions of that man. My hand cups her chin and tilts her face, so I may look into her eyes.

"Oh, my beloved wife! Ma chère cœur! You are sorry? No! No! NO! Christine, please? Christine, you must listen to me. You did nothing wrong. I know you love me. It is I who am sorry. I saw what kind of man he is. You made it very clear that you did not like or trust him. When he left so abruptly right after you, I should have known he was up to no good! I should have warned you that he had left us. I should have been there for you. No, I was too involved in the music. Do not cry my beloved! I do not blame you. You did nothing wrong."

She sniffles, pulls back from me so she can angrily dab at her tears with the back of her hand.

"I hate it when I cry!" She mutters crossly.

"As do I. As do I." I gently pull her to me and place a kiss on her cheek.

We stand there locked in a comforting embrace as the golden hour fades around us into the velvet of evening.

"A thought occurs to me. Could my unreasonable behavior be the result of my recent acquisition of the 1881 soul fragment? His insecurities would not allow him to believe in your love."

She carefully considers my words and gives me a small nod.

"Yes, that is possible. It does seem to fit his personality more than yours. There is one thing that confuses me."

"What?"

"How did I know you would react that way? That's not me! I've felt strange ever since those two men walked into Léo's office. It's fading now, but still there. Almost as if … well … oh … as if I were someone else." She finishes somewhat lamely shaking her head.

"I don't know if I like the sound of that at all. No, not at all. I almost forgot that you don't really belong in this time. And, now you find another me here? What if there is another you here? Or, and I am not sure I am wording this correctly, what if there is someone who wants to be here through you?"

"All good questions, my love. Unfortunately, they are questions I cannot answer. I wish there were a book or a person we could consult, but I don't even know where to begin."

"Well, we need to return to Leo's office and take our leave. I will need a moment alone with Léo and Edmond. I must inform them of this incident. They might be able to suggest a course of action regarding M. Gille."

"All right, Erik, but please do not take too long. I would like to leave as soon as possible. Also, I find that I am quite hungry. I would like to eat before going to the opera. If that's okay with you?"

"Yes, beloved, we both need something to eat."