Chapter 2
Christine finally left Raoul. She hated the life of high class society and the way her life was always controlled. Raoul understood this and knew that ever since that fateful night in Erik's lair that Christine was always thinking of Erik. He wondered how she lasted 6 years without him. Raoul was generous enough to let her go and give her money so she could survive and start a new life without him as a husband, but as a friend.
Ever since she left, she had been hoping to find Erik. She asked Madame Giry if she would know of Erik's whereabouts, hoping that the news wasn't that he was dead. Madame Giry only could tell her that Erik established himself as a man and owned part of a construction company in Paris and that his last name was D'Avignon. With this new information, Christine felt confidence in completing her quest to find her long lost love. She left the opera house feeling quite confident. She walked the streets of Paris on the warm afternoon smiling to herself.
Two days later she came to a café and glanced to see a familiar looking image. I am just imagining things. She thought as she squinted to look at the form in black. The man was sitting next to a blonde woman and sipping some wine. Christine studied the man from across the street and when the man looked at the waiter, she saw a flash of a white mask. A knot turned in her stomach, That is Erik. But who is that woman? She wondered as she stared making herself quite obvious to onlookers.
Gabrielle looked across the street to see a woman staring at her. She nibbled at her food and tried to ignore the staring woman. Christine noticed this and tried to make herself somewhat subtle by crossing the street and walking up to their table.
"Erik?" She called out halfway across the street. Erik turned at the sound of his first name for he was not usually addressed by it in public. When he turned around, he was shocked at who addressed him.
"Good God!" He whispered as Christine approached their table. Christine approached their table and suddenly became nervous and speechless. What am I to say? Hello Erik, I left you but now six years later, I am ready to take you back. She thought nervously as she stood before him. Gabrielle looked up curiously at this woman who was standing before them until Erik broke the silence.
"Hello Madame De Chagney." Erik said in a very formal tone. The tone stung Christine for she was hoping that he would act happy to see her. She suddenly spilled out her story of leaving Raoul with Erik addressing her as "Madame".
"Erik, I am no longer am married to Raoul. I left him to come and find you to see if you still wanted-" she started rudely without introducing herself to his lunch guest. She was cut off by Erik holding up his hand and saying,
"May I introduce you to my fiancée, Mademoiselle Gabrielle DuBois." Christine's heart sank. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Gabrielle smiled sweetly and said chuckling, "Pleasure to meet you Madame, or Mademoiselle." Christine smiled back at her little joke but in Christine's thoughts she hated Gabrielle.
"Christine is an old friend of mine, darling, nothing more." Erik told Gabrielle. Christine winced at his words.
"However, I must be getting back to work." Erik said rising along with Gabrielle.
"Christine, here is my card if you need anything." Erik said handing Christine his business card. Christine took it and looked up at him with sadness in her eyes.
"Maybe we can do lunch sometime." He suggested faintly smiling at her.
"Yes, maybe." Christine replied. Erik laid money down on the table and took Gabrielle's hand.
"It was a pleasure meeting you." Gabrielle said smiling at Christine.
"Same to you. Erik, it was nice seeing you again." Christine said and watched the couple walk off down the street. She glanced down at the card and read it.
Monsieur Erik D'Avignon Architect, 623 Rue de St. Jacques
Putting the card into her pocketbook she walked the opposite way toward her flat.