Chapter 5

That night Erik and Anna arrived at their beautiful house up on the hill, where anyone who was anyone lived. The ride home was silent, Erik lost in his thoughts about what Christine wanted to tell him and Anna thinking about what was going to happen between Erik and Christine now that they had reunited. Her thoughts worried about how she was going to have his child and if he would abandon the two of them to return back to Christine. Even though he reassured her at the party that nothing was between him and Christine, she knew that true love couldn't be that easy to break.

They silently walked into the front door where he hung up his hat and cloak. Anna sat her gloves down on the front table, knowing that their butler would pick them up in the morning. Erik began to head for the kitchen for a small snack and she quietly said,

"I'm going to bed." He turned around and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, like he did every night when she went to bed before him and said,

"Goodnight." Walking up the stairs, she felt a heavy heart. It was only recently since she found out she was with child, did she truly start to feel love for him. They tried and tried to make their child for months and months, desperately working for society to shut up, as well as for themselves to achieve their lifelong dream of passing themselves on.

As Anna reached the bedroom, she flipped the switch for the light in the bedroom to come on. It was only recently that Erik had their entire house wired for the electric light, and she was so pleased with her husband for providing her with the most modern accommodations. She truly was feeling love for him, yet even though they had been married for four years, she had hoped that he truly loved her as well. She took off her dress and began to fumble with her undergarments, for her newly swollen middle was beginning to get in the way. Minutes later, she finally relieved herself of all of it and slipped her nightgown on. She stared at her figure in the full length mirror and moved her hands gently over the place where her future son or daughter was currently residing.

Feeling the gentle movement under the nightgown, she smiled and continued the same pattern to get the same movement in return. As she did this, Erik opened the bedroom door and stepped inside. She quickly took her hands off of her abdomen and asked,

"Are you coming to bed already?" She asked, he nodded at her silently and walked to the wardrobe to take out his silk pajamas and disappeared into the bathroom to change. He only changed in front of her when lights were off and she could not see his body. However, she did see his body, the many times they tried to make a child, but Erik felt that if he couldn't see his own, then he could feel more secure.

Anna pulled back the heavy cover on the large bed and climbed in only using a sheet to cover herself. A few minutes later Erik emerged from the bathroom and saw her lying there.

"It is hot in here isn't it?" He said turning towards the windows and opening them even more.

"Why don't you sleep with the pajama shirt off tonight?" She suggested, he gave her a knowing look and she continued,

"Erik, it's all right. I don't care, I really don't." He walked over to the light switch and turned off the light before taking his shirt off. Anna took in the somewhat muscular form in the moonlight as he got into bed beside her.

"How is the little creature tonight?" He asked her jokingly. That's what they always referred to their unborn child in their own personal joke. She smiled at him and replied,

"It's very active tonight. You should feel this, she said taking his hand in hers and guiding it to her stomach. There wasn't any movement,

"Just wait patiently." She said soothingly and he waited for what seemed like eternity until he finally felt her middle jump. He sat up with joy and said,

"Was that it?" She nodded. He lay back down on the pillow happily and she turned towards him,

"Erik, are you sure there is nothing between you and Christine anymore?" He sighed a little and said,

"I told you-"

"I know what you told me earlier, but I can't help but wonder. Sometimes true love never dies."

"Anna, darling, I know what you are saying. I also realize that our marriage, as much as I hate to admit, is based on a business transaction. But I would be lying if I didn't feel love for you. You have given me everything I needed to make myself normal and able to be a part of normal society. You gave me a life, and now you're giving me the greatest gift of all." She smiled at him and he continued,

"Of course I have a place in my heart for Christine, she was my first true love. But she's married, to the Vicomte and I'm married to you, and that's that. Her being here changes nothing. Our life will continue to resume just as it was meant to and her life will continue on as well. I was meant to be with you and not her. I love you, I truly do. It has taken me awhile, yes, I will admit that. But I do love you, you're it now. Not her, you." Anna didn't know what to say, he never actually told her he loved her before. In front of people, surely yes, they played being the happy couple for so long. But for him to tell her with nobody around, it wasn't a show, it was real.
"I love you too. And for the first time, I really am aware of how much I love you, because I don't want to lose you to anyone else. I want you forever." Erik was stunned by this. He also didn't know her true feelings for him. He thought she was just happy to do anything for her father and not be a spinster for the rest of her life. He carefully slipped his arm around her pulling her towards him and she nestled her head into his neck. Reaching up to his face, she pulled his mask off and tossed in on the ground next to their bed and said,

"Please stop wearing that thing to bed. I can't see you." He breathed in heavily and said,

"All right, if you insist, I will keep it off for bed and that's it." She smiled in the darkness and he felt his baby move as her abdomen was pushed up against his side.

"Even your child agrees." She responded laughing. He smiled to himself and feeling bold, he reached down and kissed her willingly and retreated back to the pillow closing his eyes. The butterflies in her stomach grew stronger as she felt excited. This was real, he truly loved her and she truly loved him. It only took 4 years of marriage to realize it, but her dream of having a loving husband finally came true, despite his ugliness and mystery. She still had her loving husband and almost child.

Christine and Raoul arrived to their house in the city and silently made their way inside. The house was dark, Charles was already in bed. Their silence was an uneasy one. Raoul tried very hard to erase the worry from his face, but it was still in his mind. He knew that he should trust his wife, they had been married for 11 years, but he still knew that he was not the one she lost her virginity to. Would it be possible for her not to love Erik anymore and only him? Or did Erik's presence spark her love for him again? He felt a tangle of questions flying through his brain at lightning speed, which were interrupted by Christine's voice.

"Darling, are you coming to bed?" She asked standing halfway up the stairs. Raoul tossed his gloves on the front table and answered,

"Of course, dear." She continued up the stairs and he followed, heading to their bedroom as she continued down the hall into Charles's room. Sitting down on the bed, he waited for her to return.

Christine saw that Charles still had his glasses on and a book in his hand, a series of short stories from the American author Edgar Allan Poe. She picked up the book and looked at it for a moment, thinking about Erik and how he loved that author as well. She felt breathless holding it, knowing he was obsessed with the library and that it was just mere coincidence that he would pick that book out. She let out a deep breath and took another one in before setting the book down on his nightstand with his glasses on top. She stroked his dark hair and kissed his forehead. He opened his dark eyes slightly and said,

"Goodnight Mother." She kissed him again and stroked his hair one more time and responded,

"Goodnight dear."

Back in the bedroom, Raoul waited for her to come back before taking out his pajamas and getting her a nightgown. He so loved her and Charles, always the best husband and father for his family. He wished to have more children, but with her complicated pregnancy and delivery of Charles, the doctor recommended they didn't have any more children.

"He is sound asleep." She said coming into the bedroom where Raoul waited. He smiled at her and said,

"Well I am glad that he didn't wait up for us with how late it is. And I'm also glad that he's adjusting well here." Raoul responded.

"Yes I am too. I wonder how he will adjust to the new private school. Darling, we talked this afternoon and he told me that he wasn't ready for boarding school yet in this new country, but that he would rather try private school first." She said slipping off her dress. Raoul undid his cravat and took off his shirt and responded,

"If that's what he wants to do until he becomes more adjusted, I am fine with that. I would, however rather us find a bigger house before the summer is over, it's not fair for the poor boy to be so cramped in here all the time." Finally relieving herself of all of her clothing, she slipped her nightdress over top of her head and responded,

"I agree, dear. And I am so happy that he has such a wonderful father such as you." She planted a kiss on his cheek before going to the vanity to remove the many pins holding her hair in place. Her words sent pain through Raoul, he loved Charles very much. He was his son, if not by blood, but he didn't want to lose him and his wife to Erik. Why should that horrible man win? Take away everything Raoul fought for? Climbing into bed, he lay down on the pillow and watched as his beautiful wife took down her long hair and the curls cascaded down her back. How loved her and their life together, and he made up his mind he would never give it up.

She got into bed beside him and he kissed her lips before extinguishing the lamp next to the bed. They both lay in the dark, before he asked,

"Christine, how did you feel seeing Erik tonight?" She was struck a little by his question. She felt nervousness and excitement to see him, but she couldn't tell Raoul that.

"I honestly felt like I was seeing him return from the dead. I didn't know what to think, and I still don't know what I think about it. But I am glad that he has his wife and that I have you. I have this wonderful life I always wanted with you, ever since we were children. We have a wonderful son and just-" She breathed in deep pausing before continuing, "the perfect life." He kissed her once again before he fell asleep with her in his arms snuggling against the back of her wonderfully scented hair,

"Goodnight my love." He responded. She smiled and closed her eyes, thinking about Erik but knowing how wonderful it was with Raoul, her first true love.