Chapter 9

Anna sat up all night, she heard Erik leave and she could feel the empty feeling in the pit of her stomach. She tried to cry, for she knew where he was going, but she just wouldn't cry. She wondered what she was going to do. There really wasn't much that she could do, she was stuck in this situation and with the baby coming, she was really stuck. Turning on the bedroom light, she put on her slippers and robe and headed down to the kitchen. She went from sad to angry and she wanted to meet him as he came back home.

Making her way into the kitchen, she made herself a cup of tea and sat at the kitchen table. She thumbed through the women's magazine that sat on the table, but it was impossible to concentrate on anything. It was a shame that Erik had given up his smoking pipe years ago, she could have definitely went against all of her ladylike charm and had some tobacco to calm her nerves. Finally standing up, she still felt that horrible heaviness in her stomach and she paced from room to room, knowing that they had to remain married for his part of the business deal. Plus, Erik wouldn't give up the love he had for his unborn child. These thoughts that ran through her head as she tried to reassure herself of the situation didn't make her feel any better. They just made her feel worse, knowing that Erik didn't love her. She was just there, as his wife, making him seem more normal to the outside world.

Seeing the lightning light up the front hall, she heard the clatter of horseshoes on the driveway. Scrambling into the kitchen, she quickly took her seat at the table and waited. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she heard the key quietly in the lock to the back door leading into the kitchen. Erik was surprised to see the kitchen light on and Anna sitting at the table sipping on her tea.

"Good evening, or shall I say, good morning?" She said in a fake, friendly way. Erik didn't know what to do, he had been caught. The one woman who has the power to take yet another child of his away from him, sat there in front of him as he snuck in his own house. He didn't know what to say to her, so he glanced at her and walked through the kitchen to the front closet where he removed his hat and cloak.

"Erik, please, just… admit to me where you have been." He closed his eyes at the sound of her voice. He felt so guilty for betraying her, but he felt even worse because she figured it out. Walking quietly back into the kitchen, he sat down across from her.

"It's not what you think." He said quietly. He vowed to himself that he would never lie to a woman that he cared so much about, but he realized he was about to break that vow right now.

"Anna, I have something I need to tell you, and it's the reason why I went to see Christine tonight. You are an intelligent woman, and so I know that after what I have to tell you, you will be more understanding to what I am about to say."

"Please don't flatter me by telling me that I'm intelligent, just get on with what it is you want to say." He took in a big breath and released it before going on.

"Christine revealed something to me yesterday. As you know, on my last day of seeing her, I was the one who took her virginity, well she now has a son, Charles who is 11 years old and he is my son. I just found this out, and the reason I left so late was because for Charles' sake, we don't want to reveal it just yet. He deserves a life without any complications, so we talked tonight and decided what would be best, for him." Anna sat silently as she tried to take all of this information in. She didn't know what to say or think. She just sat silent.

"Anna, I know you're surprised, just as surprised as I was when I found out. But I didn't tell you right away because I needed the time to process the information myself."

"So, what did you and her talk about tonight? Does her husband or your son know?" Anna asked finally.

"Nobody knows except the three of us. I told Christine that I was going to tell you because you were my wife and I had to." Damn, I lied to her again! Why is it all of a sudden so easy to lie to my wife and vow against myself? His mind screamed at him but he was able to keep a straight face at her.

She sat thoughtful again and thought about her child that was coming soon.

"What about our child?" She finally asked quietly.

"Our child is still our child and always will be. Nothing is going to change Anna, everything is going to remain exactly the same."

"Exactly?" She asked.

"Exactly." He answered. That disappointed her. She was hoping for more, to finally have a real family based on love. The things that he said to her the other night, did he really mean them? Or was it just to keep her quiet and content. Why couldn't the damn Vicomte stay in France? Why did he have to move his family here and invade on hers? She hated Christine and she hated the entire de Chagny family that lived in the city.

"What are you planning on doing about your son?" She asked.

"I don't know, Christine and I talked about it and we don't want to mess up his childhood, especially with him just arriving here and being a foreigner. We decided we wouldn't tell him just yet, but we would let him figure it out on his own and then answer his questions when he starts questioning. He knows I once knew his mother and he also knows that I have a wife and a child coming." Anna sighed a little bit of relief and was content that her husband didn't have an affair. At least, she hoped he didn't. But she didn't have any choice but to take his word for it. Standing up from the table, she took her cup and saucer and put it in the sink.

"I'm going back to bed." She said looking at him still sitting at the table. Walking past him, she gave a squeeze on his shoulder and continued down the hall and up the stairs. He put his head in his hands and thought about the terrible mess he was in, and yet, he still loved Christine and she still loved him. But unfortunately, they just couldn't be together. And even though he instigated seeing her and becoming intimate with her again, he knew that it would be the last time that would happen. He had a wife now, and he couldn't give up his responsibilities he had to his already established family. But he knew that nothing would be able to keep him from his son as well.