-Jaimie
Chapter 12
2 months later
"Well Christine, are you sure there isn't anything I can get for you?" Erik asked walking into her bedroom and placing a cup of tea on her nightstand.
"No, Meg should be home soon." Christine replied from her bed. Erik sat down on the side of the bed. He looked at her amazed that his child could be born any day now. She shifted uncomfortably and began pulling at the pillow behind her back.
"Let me help." Erik said pulling the pillow out from behind her.
"Is that better?" He asked.
"Much." She said smiling at him. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
"Thank you for helping me a lot this last month. I don't know what I would do if I were left alone when Meg went to rehearsals.
"Think nothing of it. You're going to have my child and I want to help take care of you." Erik replied. Christine smiled and brought his hand on top of her abdomen. Erik could feel his child moving within her and smiled wide.
"I can't believe that is a life in there that I created!" Christine smiled and added,
"That we both created."
"Yes, yes." Erik said not paying attention to her, but at her stomach instead.
"Erik, I am glad that this child is yours. Even if we can't be together, at least it can have two good homes with parents that will always love it, even if it was born out of an affair."
"Christine, I must tell you, I love Gabrielle, but I will always love you. You know that, despite all the times that I told myself and you that I didn't, I was lying, to you and myself. I know that you think that I don't love you. But I always will. But I am with Gabrielle and I love her too. I don't want you to think that this child was a mistake. For me, it is the one thing that I have of you since I cannot be with you. I know that you want me to leave Gabrielle, but I can't. If I wouldn't have met her, then we would be together, but things would be different, but I can't leave her, for I love her as much as I love you, and I am married to her."
Christine listened, happy that he did love her. She knew that he wouldn't leave Gabrielle, but she was happy that she still had his love and that they would forever know one another.
The front door of the flat opened and Meg stepped in. She took off her coat, hat and gloves and yelled,
"I'm home!" Erik stood up and waited for her to enter Christine's bedroom. Meg entered the bedroom and said,
"Hello Erik, hello Christine." Erik replied,
"Hello Meg." He turned back to Christine,
"I am going to leave now. Do not worry, I will be here when the baby arrives and if nothing happens tonight, I will see you tomorrow afternoon when Meg leaves." Christine smiled and said,
"Thank you Erik." He turned around towards Meg,
"You will send someone if anything happens?" Meg nodded and Erik turned to leave. He turned back to Christine,
"You remain in bed like themidwife told you to."
"Yes sir!" Christine replied with a smile. Erik turned to leave and left the bedroom.
"Goodbye Erik." Meg called after him. Erik walked down the hall to the main room and put on his hat, cloak and gloves. He opened the front door and was almost blown away by a large gust of wind and snow. He ran out to the street and hailed a cab.
Gabrielle paced the hallway of the house. Even though she was not excited about this child almost ready to be born, she was nervous because it was her husband's and her life was going to turn upside-down when it happened. She sent Erik to watch over Christine every afternoon when he finished with work. Gabrielle didn't know that he was thinking of going to see Christine everyday before Gabrielle suggested it. She had not seen Christine since the wedding and she had no desire to do so or she might say something she would regret. Gabrielle heard the front door slam and she calmed herself down and slowly walked toward the front door. She saw Erik removing his gloves and stomping the snow off of his boots. He looked up to see his wife standing in the hall.
"Hello dear." He said greeting her.
"Hello." She replied back. He untied his cloak and hung it on a hook next to the door.
"How is Christine?" Gabrielle asked.
"Anytime." Erik answered nervously. Gabrielle sensed the nervousness in Erik's voice and walked over to him. She touched his hand,
"I know that what you did was a mistake, I am not going to make you pay for it even though every time I see the child I will think of your infidelity."
"I am afraid that I am going to feel the same way and I am the child's father!" Erik said. He stood silent for a moment breathing deeply and then asked,
"Gabrielle, darling, I know that this is a lot to ask from you, but when that child is born, will you come with me and be there for me? I need you there with me." Gabrielle almost cried at this. She had no intention of being anywhere near Christine when she had Erik's child, but how could she pass this up? Erik claimed that he needed her to be with him. Gabrielle stood silent for a moment before finally answering,
"I'll do anything for you. You know that. I will go to Hell to be with you." And for me this will be Hell! She thought to herself after her reply.
Later that night, Erik and Gabrielle settled down in the library for some reading. Erik drank deeply until the last drop of cognac was out of his glass. Gabrielle lay on the couch leaning against his chest as he read "The Cask of Amontillado" from the American writer Edgar Allan Poe, his favorite author. Gabrielle also loved reading these Gothic tales. Erik read this story aloud to his wife when they were interrupted by a soft knocking on the door. Erik stopped reading and glanced at the clock, 10:34.
"Come in." Gabrielle replied to the knock. Christophe, the butler opened the door and stepped in.
"Master, there is a young woman here to see you." Erik remained silent and quietly asked,
"What does she look like?"
"She's a young blonde, sir." Erik turned pale and Gabrielle jumped up from his chest and he went running out of the library and down the hall to the entrance of his home. Meg Giry stood there waiting for him.
"Erik! Christine, she's going to have the baby! The midwife is with her now!" Erik stood stunned for a moment and then finally got a hold of himself and turned around to Gabrielle. Gabrielle waited for the agony of this moment and told herself that she would do as he asked, be there with him. Erik still stood silent and Gabrielle walked over and pulled her cloak and his off the hooks. She handed Erik his and he put it on with his gloves and hat while Gabrielle proceeded to put on her own.
"We'll take my carriage." Erik said running out the front door to the stables. Two minutes later he appeared with a carriage and his driver. The two women got in along with Erik and they made their way down the snowy hill and into the city.
The city was covered in snow and was dark and very quiet until Erik's carriage rumbled past the sleepy townhouses and dark businesses. 20 minutes later, they arrived at Christine's flat. Meg led them to the front door and opened it up. Erik rushed inside past her and into Christine's bedroom. Christine was laying on the bed moaning in agony as themidwife stoodat the foot of her bed.
"Monsieur D'Avigon?" The midwife asked looking up at Erik. Erik nodded.
"I think you better stay out of this room for your wife can deliver at any time and all we can do now is wait." Gabrielle's eyes widened along with Erik's. His WIFE? How can that stupid girl be my husband's wife? Gabrielle's mind screamed at what themidwife said. She looked down at Christine with hate and disgust. Erik's mind however was somewhere else. Just please make it healthy, that's all that I ask. Meg escorted them out of her bedroom and into the sitting room where they all sat around for hours. The women drank tea while Erik drank as much alcohol as he could get his hands on.
Christine lay on her bed screaming in pain as the cramping became more severe. She gripped at her pillow and tried to wipe the sweat pouring out of her forehead but was struck with another contraction. She screamed some more in pain. This went on from 11:00PM until 4:00AM. Finally at 4:16 AM the midwife finally said,
"All right Mrs. D'Avignon, your child is ready to come out now. I need for you to begin pushing it out." Christine responded to this request and began pushing with all of her strength. Finally after four tries, the baby arrived.
"You have a beautiful little girl." The midwife smiled and held the baby upside-down and smacked its back until it began crying. Christine smiled, grateful that the pain had finally subsided and that she could see her healthy little daughter. The little girl began screaming and the midwife wrapped her up in a blanket and handed her to Christine. Christine held her daughter stunned at what happened and admiring the small child.
The midwife walked out of the bedroom and into the sitting area. Meg was asleep in the chair, Gabrielle was asleep on the couch and Erik was dosing in and out while sitting on the floor with his head propped against the couch. The midwife made her way over to Erik and shook him.
"Monsieur D'Avignon, your daughter has been born." Erik stared up at the midwife and then jumped up.
"My, my, my….daughter?" Erik asked stuttering.
"Yes sir, alive and healthy."
"How is Christine?" Erik asked.
"She is fine. She's holding your daughter now." Erik got up and checked on Gabrielle and Meg, both were still sound asleep. He walked down the hall to Christine's room, knocked softly on the door and opened it. Christine lay in bed with a little bundle in her arms.
"Erik, come see our daughter." Christine whispered. Erik stood still for a moment in fear. What if the child looked like him? Had his ugly face or worse had scars all over her body? He finally moved toward the bed and looked at the sleeping child. He gasped when he saw her. Her face was perfectly flawless. Smooth skin covered both sides of her face and she had a tiny bit of hair on her head, dark brown hair. She opened her dark brown eyes and looked up at Erik.
"Say hello to your papa." Christine said softly. The baby continued to look at him, yawned and went back to sleep.
"Why don't you hold her?" Christine said offering the baby to Erik. He opened his arms and held the sleeping girl. He never held a baby before in his life and now he was holding his own. Tears began to form in his eyes as he looked down at his sleeping daughter. He leaned over and kissed his daughter and handed her back to Christine.
"I can't believe this has happened with me. I never thought such miracles were possible, especially when they happen with the one person you will never stop loving." Erik said looking at Christine. She smiled, So he does love me! Me and our daughter, this day has been the best day of my life!
Gabrielle stood outside the door listening to Erik and Christine's conversation. She held her head in her hands and cried. This was the worst night of her life, Erik was known to themidwife as Christine's husband becausepeople would neveraccept the fact that Christine had a child out of wedlock. Upon hearing Christine called by herown title and hearing their private conversationshe knew shewould never have the love that he had for Christine. She knew he loved her a lot, but she knew that Christine would always have his heart. She decided that she would live out the rest of her days with Erik, knowing that he loved Christine and loved herself too. Erik was happy with Gabrielle, very happy, but Gabrielle decided that she should be happy too, staying with Erik.